Young Intermediate High School was opened on 29th April 1925 by Mr Brutnell, NSW Minister for Education, at the former Young Court House building.
As the building was only used four times a year for Quarter Sessions, the Department of Education asked for it, and received it on the condition that it restored the other Court House in Young, which was badly in need of repair.
According to Keith McIntosh, a student at the time, ‘All the students are very proud of having this fine school to study in, as it is said to be the finest in the state’.
Intermediate high schools developed in the 1920s, as part of an educational reform movement in New South Wales.
Young District School became Young Intermediate High School in January 1924 and included the primary school. When the Intermediate High School moved to the former Court House in April 1925, it became a separate entity and the primary school was once again called Young Primary School.
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The headmaster at the time was Mr George A. Cantello, who was promoted to an acting inspector of schools in NSW in May. W. V. Allen moved from Murwillumbah to become the new headmaster in June.
One annual tradition at the school was a cricket match between teachers and pupils.
Subjects were academic and practical; for instance, students supplied Young District Hospital with about 193 dozen eggs in October 1936.
Mr A. G. Brown of Young gained the contract to build new buildings for the school in 1936. In June 1937, these buildings for social, domestic and manual training were opened by Mr Drummond, Minister for Education. The old gaol buildings were transformed ‘into up to date rooms for the Technical classes’ in 1941.
Throughout the life of the Intermediate School, returned servicemen supported students with scholarships for the children of diggers and by paying for textbooks.
In turn, students raised funds for the Red Cross, which supported returned soldiers after World War I and the war effort during World War II.
Due to increased enrolments, Young Intermediate High School became Young High School on 1st January 1946.
Young High School will be celebrating this centenary on Monday 7th April and the Young Historical Museum will hold an event as part of the National Trust Australian Heritage Festival on Saturday 3rd May.
More information about these events can be found at Young High School website and Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/16AWmA1BmD/ and https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/ahf_event/celebrating-100-years-of-education/
KAREN SCHAMBERGER - Young Historical Society
