RICHMOND High School celebrates its 60th anniversary with a special market day on Saturday, September 5.
Students will operate 60 stalls, selling items from clothing and candles to vegetables grown in the school’s own gardens.
Richmond High is also opening its time capsule, buried with all manner of memorabilia.
When the school opened in 1955, students split their time between rooms on its present-day site in Lennox Street and in what is now Richmond Public School, in Windsor Street.
‘‘It was a central rural school, catering for students from kindergarten to what we’d now call year 12,’’ Richmond High’s principal Cliff Ralph said.
‘‘Students would spend their mornings in demountables here and in the afternoons they’d travel to Windsor Street for their special subjects.’’
More permanent rooms were eventually built on the Lennox Street site, although most were later replaced with brick structures in the 1970s and 1980s.
‘‘We still have two of the original buildings on site, now used for the gym and PE classes,’’ Mr Ralph said.
Today the school has 720 students.
Mr Ralph said the school’s strengths were its variety of programs and ties with the community.
‘‘We have a range of programs for gifted and talented kids, such as creative and performing arts,’’ he said.
‘‘Some of our students also recently won gold with the Duke of Edinburgh awards.
‘‘In the community, the school has links with UWS through our agricultural show team, a partnership with the youth development program Max Potential, links with the RSL and Rotary is involved with our school through its scholarships.’’
The principal also noted Richmond High’s long history of fund-raising for Red Nose Day.
‘‘In fact, over the years this school has been the single largest donor to SIDS research in Australia,’’ Mr Ralph said.
Richmond High’s Parents and Citizens president Jannette Conway said before enrolling her son, Tristan, she had been told it was ‘‘a good school’’.
‘‘This school, and Tristan, have succeeded beyond my expectations,’’ Mrs Conway said.
‘‘I’m proud of my son and I love this school.’’
She said the anniversary markets would be a good way to celebrate the date, as former students could enjoy the day while current ones raised money for the school.
‘‘We’re also having an auction of sports items, including a Mitchell Johnson-signed cricket bat,’’ Mrs Conway said.
Richmond High School’s markets take place on the school oval from 9am-3pm, Saturday, September 5.
