His recollections are colourful to the extent that many cannot be related without fear of litigation.
Tom and his mates were always ready for a bit of fun.
An opportunity for such “fun” occurred with the daily assemblies on the lawns in front of the famous Art Deco building.
At one assembly the flag was replaced by a piece of female clothing, Heaney and company were suspected but got away with it on this, and other, occasions.
Tom’s recollections of his teachers and principals are characterised by varying degrees of conflict.
His first principal was a Mr Sutherland.
If you encountered him in the yard, students immediately came to attention.
He was a powerful wielder of the strap and Tom claims that six cuts could raise blisters on the hand.
Physical education teacher Vern Barberis was equally formidable.
He was a champion weightlifter and his favourite tactic was to grab the misbehaving students by the scruff of the neck and lift them off the ground.
On the other hand Tom described Mr Gazzard as a “gentleman”.
Buses were an important part of high school life.
Tom travelled on Read and Brack’s Tungamah bus after riding his bike five miles to catch it.
But the buses were famous for breaking down and students never knew whether they would actually get to school or get home in what were ancient vehicles.
The buses were also important in conveying students and others to the many balls that were held in every little town.
Tom also recalls tales of “Weary Dunlop” from an earlier era at the high school as being a star pupil and sportsman.
He remembers Weary catching leeches and selling them to local doctors.
Each classroom had an open fire during winter.
Tom recalls his colleagues putting penny crackers in the fire and enjoying the results when the teacher lit the fire.
Mr Tigh was especially active with the strap when these crackers went off as he stood in front of the fire, warming himself.
Ferocious games of “British Bulldog” and rugged ceremonies for new students were other features of school life.
Dunking in the toilet was a favourite.
But there were many hard-working students at the school.
Tom particularly recalls the female “Balt” students from the migrant camp as being the smartest and hardest working students in most classes.
He claims they were much more motivated and ambitious than local scholars.
Other “hi-jinks” involved a painter who was working at the the school one particular night.
Tom’s bus was late so he and his colleagues lifted the painter’s car, a small Fiat, over the fence and into the yard.
The gate was too narrow for it to be driven through, so getting it out was difficult!
Chook Ginnifer (who unbelievably later became a teacher), was a ringleader in many of these episodes.
At the annual school social, held in the Art Deco building, Chook and cohorts turned off the lights, put potatoes up some teachers’ cars’ exhausts and swapped the battery leads over on other cars.
Chook, Tom and a few others, were suspended for this performance, but Tom claims their parents were quite happy to have them working on their farms for a week.
When the high school gates finally closed on the boys, Tom and others were called up for national service, where army discipline probably calmed them down a bit.
— Benalla High School Action Group
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