Where are they now?
Year 11
Biographical Studies Jodi Dowden Words by Jodi Dowden Punishment from the cane, typewriters, itchy uniforms, strict teachers and spending time with your close friends in breaks is how Jodi Dowden had to get through her high school years at Brighton High School back in 1975. Jodi Dowden explains what schooling and the teaching methods were like when she attended Brighton High School. They sounded strict to me. They used books, blackboards, very old projector screens and microfilm. Jodi explains how effective typewriters were. In 2007 Smart Boards were introduced to schools and now almost every classroom in Brighton Secondary School has one along with Apple Mac laptops distributed in 2010 to every Year 9 and 10 student. The modern teaching methods work are fun and a new way of learning. ‘The uniforms were strict,’ explains Jodi. In the summer girls wore a summer dress very much the same pattern and colour as today. They were worn just above the knee although some girls hitched them up until they got in trouble. The winter dress was similar. It was a thick woollen material similar to our winter skirt. In the 60’s the girls had to wear a hat and they weren’t allowed to wear makeup, nail polish or jewellery. The boys wore green or grey Californians or grey cotton trousers, white shirt, tie and a jumper. I’m glad to say that the uniforms have become more relaxed with girls wearing a summer dress just above the knee, a winter skirt with black stockings or navy pants along with a navy and green stripped polo shirt with a green jumper, whilst most boys wear grey shorts down past their knees with the same top as girls all year round. I would much rather the uniform we have today.
Jodi’s favourite memories at school were her school socials and Radio 5KA that was used to promote touring bands, which played at Brighton Secondary at lunchtime. Jodi’s favourite activities were playing cricket, netball, drama, and sports day and charities week. As no surprise her favourite lessons were PE, English, History and Woodwork. Her favourite teachers were English teacher, Mrs Poben who always gave her interesting assignments and her Wood Tech teacher, Mr Vinal. Jodi said ‘...I was allowed to do Wood Tech in second year along side another girl instead of Home Ec because in first year we tried harder than the boys. I loved using my hands to make the projects, ladders, door stoppers and pencil holders.’ And their grades proved just how well they were doing. Today not much has changed within the Wood Tech subject as all Year 8 and 9 students make the exact same projects as Jodi. Overall, Jodi Dowden’s and my own, Madeline Dowden’s schooling weren’t all that different. Apart from the modern technology and more relaxed uniforms, Brighton Secondary has still continued the wonderful reputation it had back in 1975.
The students’ behaviour in their breaks was very good; they didn’t have as much freedom as we do today, but they did have some. ‘We had the option of going to the store across the road at recess and lunch if we had a note signed by our parents, although I didn’t do this,’ said Jodi. Today we are only allowed to leave at lunch and recess if we are going home for a study break, although some use this time to wander to the food store or to go to a friend’s house. The discipline was very strict, if students continued to do something that they were asked not to, the girls had to run through cones on the soccer oval after school until they were dismissed or pick up papers whilst the boys had a more brutal punishment: getting wacked across the knuckles by a wooden cane or ruler until they learnt their lesson. Jodi Dowden enjoyed her first year at Brighton Secondary School. Making new friends in and out of school, it was a challenging but an exciting step out of Paringa Park Primary School. I too found first year to be exciting. The older students threw fruit at us, but we didn’t care. We were at a stage in our lives where we could reshape our personalities to whatever we wanted. Some chose to make sure that they were the most popular kids in school, whilst others made the smart option of keeping on track with school and achieved good grades.
Friends of Brighton Secondary School Newsletter
I ISSUE 16