Bell’s about to ring for college’s 50th
Police protection for at risk ambos
Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au FORMER students of Dromana College are planning a variety of celebrations for the college’s 50th anniversary this time next year. Parent liaison officer Theresa Stelling and past teacher Doug Smith are heading up the steering committee for the event on Sunday 12 March 2017. It will have a carnival atmosphere with rides, bands, stalls and myriad attractions. A highlight for the pair has been getting in touch with the first technical school student in the roll book – Trevor Birch. The school has an interesting history. It began when former Flinders Shire Councillor George Bishop, a policeman stationed at Dromana, called a meeting for parents of prospective students at Rosebud Memorial Hall, October 1966. The year before he had tried, and failed, to get a technical school in Mornington. Cr Bishop believed the time was right for a technical school to complement the co-ed Rosebud High School, which had begun in 1954, and Red Hill Consolidated School, which held classes from Prep to Form 4 (now Year 10). Any boy, however, wanting a trade education, had to catch a bus to Frankston Technical School. Cr Bishop’s famed “drive and enthusiasm and no-nonsense approach to his community” ensured the establishment of Dromana Technical School – 107 years after our town’s
Then and now: Dromana College Year 7 students Kate Ellis and Mark Meafau, both 12, with the school’s first pupil, Trevor Birch. Picture: Derry Caulfield
beginning. By then, the population of the southern peninsula justified a permanent technical school south of Frankston covering the shires of Flinders, Mornington, and Hastings. The Old Tin Shed DROMANA Technical School opened 8 February 1967 in the “Old Tin Shed” – a former Flinders
Shire works building – and in some portable classrooms in Palmerston Av. Dromana. On the first day 109 students from all over the peninsula enrolled: 79 in Form 1 and 30 in Form 2. Move to Harrison’s Road THE first principal, Noel Maher, along with Cr Bishop, guided the school during its fledging years.
Although only at Dromana a short time, Mr Maher oversaw the purchase of 28 acres on Harrison’s Rd, near Moats Corner, to build a permanent school. The second principal, a Mr Green, was involved in the building works costing $660,000. It had two academic wings and a trade wing with associated out-buildings, as well as a tennis and basketball courts.
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Continued from Page 1 Safety warnings could be as innocuous as alerting paramedics to a steep block, narrow driveway, or whether a nearby oil refinery might make the use of walkietalkies dangerous. Ambulance Victoria acting general manager emergency operations Mick Stephenson said staff safety was paramount. “We do not tolerate any violence or aggression towards our staff,” he said. “We are continually reviewing our systems to provide the safest possible work environment for paramedics. “No paramedic is expected to enter a scene where violence is likely or suspected.” Mr Stephenson said 9331 special patient information records were in the system in October. Of these, 816 related to aggressive situations, with 39 stating police “may be required”. A further 355 records related to safety, with 47 records stating police “may be required”. Ambulance Employees Association state secretary Steve McGhie said violence towards paramedics was caused by drug-affected people, including ice users, but he also blamed domestic violence and alcohol abuse. He said about one paramedic a day was being abused or assaulted. “Paramedics should certainly not put themselves at risk because there’s no benefit to anyone if they get smacked up or stabbed or shot at.” Mr McGhie called for a “no tolerance” education campaign and for more people with mental health or drug issues who assault emergency workers to be charged so the courts could judge the extent of mitigating circumstances.
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