Perth Girls School (fmr) (Police Traffic Dept, Police Traffic Branch)

When the Girls School at East Perth opened in 1936 it replaced a building on James Street which had become too overcrowded for effective teaching. It was, and remains, a striking example of architecture and one newspaper at the time declared that there was “nothing to compare with it among the educational establishments of the Commonwealth”.

Designed by the Government Architect, Albert ‘Paddy’ Clare, the new school was praised for being very modern in both appearance and educational theory. The architectural fashion of the day was to strip away all decorative feature, leading one reviewer to praise the Girls School as having no “hideous plaster lions” or gargoyles, but instead gaining its beauty from “unbroken lines” and colour.

The design of the building and the layout of the grounds was studied by visitors from the United States and Britain. They were impressed by the design and requests were received for blueprints so that they could be used in the erection of similar buildings elsewhere.

The Girls’ School was planned in an ‘E’ shape with the main entrance from Wellington Street opposite the centre leg. The three legs on the ‘E’ plan were designed as physics and chemistry rooms, a general assembly hall, and domestic science and needlework rooms.

Incorporating the latest technology of the time, electronic clocks were used in all rooms and a master broadcast receiving set, linked with classrooms, was in the office of the headmistress which enabled the school to use radio as an educational resource. Perth Girls’ School was ready for occupation by 1 September 1936, and a week later 502 girls were transferred from James Street school to begin work in the new premises.

The internal colour scheme was particularly notable, featuring bright and cheerful tones with variety in each room. For example, the Domestic Science Centre had one section in blue and the other in green. In addition, the grounds were planted with lawns, rockeries and shrubberies to create a pleasant surrounding for the pupils. Despite the modern look of the school, though, some older attitudes remained, with a declaration that the purpose of teaching girls was primarily intended to make them better housewives.

Centralised education went out of fashion in the 1950s, and schools started to be built near local communities. As a result, enrolments began to fall at the Girls School. It was closed in November 1962 and in March 1963 the Police Department moved in, remaining there until 1966, when the new Central Police Headquarters at the Causeway were opened. However, the Traffic Branch remained at the school and it became the Police Traffic Department.

Today Perth Girls School has been purchased by developers who have plans to incorporate the heritage building into a residential complex.

Western Mail 12 December 1935

Westralian Worker 11 September 1936