In 1968, students at Hughes Primary loved reading in the library as much as students do today.Do you know where the original library was? Has reading in the library changed today?
A Brief History of Hughes Primary School
Hughes Primary School is situated within extensive grounds in the inner Canberra suburb of Hughes, which was the first suburb to be established in the Woden Valley (known as the Yarralumla Creek Valley at the time). The school was opened in 1964 by the Hon. J. D. (Douglas) Anthony, whose children attended the school. The first principal was Mr. Ken Wilson. Our current principal, Ms. Nina McCabe, attended Hughes Primary School from Preschool to Year 6.
Both the suburb and the school were named after William (Billy) Hughes, a former Prime Minister of Australia. The briefcase that Prime Minister Hughes used while in office is on permanent display in the school's front foyer.
The Canberra Times published an article on Friday 7 December 1962 detailing the site clearing beginning. Initially the school was designed to cater for 250 students. It opened in 1964 with 160 students. Today we have approximately 450 students.
In February 1964 the Hughes Primary School Parents and Citizens’ Association was formed. The following executive was elected at the inaugural meeting: Wing Commander R. Egerton - president; Mr R. Mutkins and Mr J. Allwright - vice presidents; Mr G. Fordham - secretary; and Mr W. O’Brien - treasurer.
Initially, the prospect of settling in the outlying area of Hughes didn't hold much appeal for residents. The community was taken aback by the idea of relocating to a place devoid of shops and telephone lines. However, the establishment of the primary school emerged as a pivotal feature of the region. As reported in The Canberra Times on Thursday, March 12, 1964, the first headmaster enthusiastically noted, "It's a splendid locale, and I believe an environment like this profoundly impacts children. The countryside is right at their doorstep, allowing them to venture down to the creek and up over the hills for exploration. They return with a trove of discoveries to share with their teachers and discuss in class."
This spirit of curiosity and neighbourhood exploration continues to thrive today among the students at Hughes Primary School. You might even have the opportunity to observe preschool groups embarking on their adventure walks!
The School Logo
In 1964 children were invited to submit suggestions for a design for the school emblem. The successful entry was submitted by sisters Colleen and Eileen Johnston.
The final design, drafted by their father, was in the form of a triangle (the Hall) in the colours of black (representing the hills) white (representing the snow) and turquoise (representing the sky).
The two main buildings were named Franklin and Bimberi after prominent mountains in the area. School sports houses were then named after other mountains in the area - Mugga, Stromlo, Taylor and Forster.
Prime Minister William Hughes
William Hughes was born 25th September, 1862 in London. He became the 7th Prime Minister, after Andrew Fisher, leader of the Labor Government, resigned from office due to ill health.
Hughes led the country during World War I. He died in 1952 at age 90, while still serving in Parliament. He is one of the most controversial figures in Australian political history.
He still holds the record for continuous service as a member of Australia’s House of Representatives with 51 years and 7 months.
You can read more about William Hughes on the National Archives of Australia website.