Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts

History

A background of WHSPA

Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts is a specialist co-educational, government secondary school offering exceptional educational opportunities to students across the Illawarra for almost one hundred years. It has the twin goals of academic excellence and excellence in the performing arts.

Wollongong High School was founded in December 1916 at the Smith's Hill location after much pressure and lobbying from the local district citizens' association and the municipal council to the government. It was officially opened by the minister for education, Mr James. It was built with six classrooms, a science room, a manual training room, a library and some offices. There was no electricity and the students had to use pan toilets in a shed. Founding headmaster Mr Frank McMullen opened the school for the first day of term on 29th January 1917, with 140 enrolled students.

In 1916, the school motto "Age Quid Agas" was changed in 1918 when it was realised that the translation meant "what on earth are you doing?" or "what are you doing?". It was changed to "Age Quod Agis", meaning "whatever you do, do well".