This year was a significant one for Young High School.

A new school building was opened by George Freudenstein MLA on 29 July 1972.

He was largely responsible for getting the building for the school at a cost of $1million which made YHS ‘one of the most modern in the state’.

Chris Armstrong from Form V reported on the school’s performance of the musical play ‘Oklahoma’.

Mr Dalleywater directed the play and he was assisted by Mrs Payne who was in charge of choreography.

Mr. Gilbert was the musical director.

The dress rehearsal on Monday 25 September ‘was held in front of a receptive audience from Mount St. Joseph’s Old People’s Home.’

The school’s debating teams had one of the best years ever. In second term, the team comprising Raymond Wells, Bruce Hellmers, Gary Tresidder and Kim Robertson beat the Cowra team by a margin of five points.

The Penguin Club of Young invited several senior students to participate in a public speaking contest and Susanne Close won, with Katrina Spas the runner up.

A visit to the local Rostrum Club also resulted in success by the team comprising of Gary Tresidder, Raymond Wells and Michael Sam.

In the Sports Review, it was noted that in football, the Fourth form open team led by Garry James won through to the third round of the East West Cup and won their division of the Cootamundra Knockout Carnival.

In girls’ sport, the most successful team was the senior basketball team who were the winners in the Local Open B Grade competition.

Michael Bond was selected for the Western Area Athletics team to go to Sydney.

He also won numerous events in the C.W.D. Swimming Championships and represented the school in the Open Cricket XI, the Open Rugby League team and the Senior Soccer team.

However, it was a tragic end to the year.

During final exams, three Sixth Form students, Graham Marshall, Gerard Carmody and Ian Glenn were killed in a road accident.

Principal R.E. Bennett wrote: ‘It is our duty to the memory of these three young men to take a solemn vow, here and now, that we will do our utmost to help reduce the ghastly road toll of which we read every day. It is not too late: remember that tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives.’

This article summarises the Burrangong magazine, 1972 in the Young Historical Museum’s collection.

On Saturday 3 May from 10am to 4pm, the Museum is commemorating 100 years of education at the Young High School site as part of the National Trust’s Australian Heritage Festival.

Karen Schamberger- Young Historical Society