Until 1960, Merredin had just one public primary school, the Merredin State School, which is now known as North Merredin Primary School.
By 1960, Merredin was expanding with new housing developments on the south side of town and this led to the need for another school on that side of town.
The first two classrooms and ablution block of South Merredin Primary School were constructed at Caw Street in 1960.
The two classrooms were just enough to house the school’s first intake of year one and two students while the rest of the school was constructed over the next few years.
In the first two years the school was under the jurisdiction of NMPS and was administered by NMPS headmaster Frank Mezgar.
Merredin’s Beth Gearing (nee Stephens) and Ron Morton are two of the students who began year one at the school in its first year.
In 1962 the school was made into a separate school in its own right and finally acquired its own principal.
The first principal was Bernard Hackett who transferred there from Nungarin in January 1962.
Mr Hackett’s wife Wendy wrote a letter to SMPS in 2008 describing her memories from those early days.
“At that stage the school was nearing completion for the new intake of students and staff,” said Mrs Hackett.
“The grounds were a sand-patch, there were no paths, gardens, shade, car park, covered area, canteen or sports grounds, and the builders were still very busily trying to complete classrooms, connect water and power and lay floor tiles in readiness.
“Local citizens immediately came to the school with offers of help, trees, plants, a few sports items like balls and a cricket bat, and a loud hailer.
“Quite soon a busy bee was organised by Bernard and the worthy citizens.
“Gradually some normalcy developed... with a little help from the Education Department.
“The farmers cleared and planted the oval behind the building with Wimmera rye, which was great for hay fever and asthma – and for the two pharmacists in town, who sold masses of medication to allow staff and students to actually remain on the premises!”
Mr Hackett remained principal until he left to work at NMPS in 1966.
The school gained its first clerical assistant in 1969, in the form of Gloria Banks who remained in the position until 1984 and received a Certificate of Merit from the Director General of Education for outstanding service and dedication to SMPS and its community.
The SMPS Library Resource Centre was opened circa 1979 and Wayne Wallace was in charge of it until 1981 with Vi Adlam as the assistant.
In those days there were up to 350 students enrolled at the school with an average class size of 35 to 45 students.
Staff recalled that fitting in a classroom of more than 40 students with no air conditioning was a memorable experience, as the school had no air conditioning until the early 90s.
“Some parents would pick their children up from school once it reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit and take them to the pool,” recounted a staff member.
These days there are 195 students at the school including 11 from Westonia Campus.
A purpose-built pre-primary centre was opened at the school in 1993 along with the upgrade to the front office.
The undercover area was erected in 1996-7, over what was previously a garden playground.
SMPS had an off-site kindergarten from 1993-2007 and built an on-site kindergarten in 2007.
The grassed oval was completed in 2007.
SMPS has always had a small staff turnover as it has an ability to retain staff for a very long time.
It currently has six staff members with more than 100 years of service between them.
Two of the staff members arrived in Merredin many years ago, were shocked by the 42 degree heat, and vowed they would only stay for “one year, tops” but met and married local farmers, had eight children between them and both still work there!
The school has had many other achievements over the years, and scores of influential and memorable staff members have come and gone.
From the teachers to the library staff, office staff, cleaners, canteen managers and P&C members there have simply been too many important contributors to the school to mention them all.
The SMPS staff also wished to commemorate those long-term staff and former staff of SMPS who have passed away over recent years.
For more memories compiled by SMPS staff, visit www.merredinmercury.com.au.
If anyone has further information about the school’s history and its significant milestones, they are encouraged to bring these to the reunion on April 2 so a more detailed history can be recorded before the school is disbanded next year for commencement of the new Kindergarten-to-year 12 school.
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