Sturt Street Community School in South Australia celebrates 140 years

The Sturt Street Community School in Adelaide, South Australia will celebrate its 140th anniversary this year with a series of events.

Festivities will begin on Friday, May 5 at the Minor Works Building Community Centre at 22 Stamford Court, Adelaide.

The Mayor of Adelaide, Dr Jane Lomax-Smith, the well-known businessman Theo Maras and the President of the Greek Orthodox Community of SA (GOCSA), Peter Gardiakos will be present at the opening event.

The event has been organised by GOCSA and will be accompanied by an exhibition about the history of the school.

The exhibition will run throughout May and will be open to the public Monday through Friday from 9.30am to 5pm.

On May 26, a celebration event will also take place at 5.30 pm with the participation of distinguished members of the wider community who attended the historic school in the past.

It will be an evening where participants will have the opportunity to share with the audience memories and stories from their time at the Sturt Street Community School.

Sturt Street Community School has a close and long-standing relationship with GOCSA.

The ethnic composition of Sturt Street School had increasing numbers of Greek migrants pre-World War II, when many moved into the schools catchment area. Then, Sturt Street was classed as a New Arrivals school. The percentage of Greek students in the school was such that in the 1950s all school notices were sent home in Greek and English.

In 1996, the State Government proceeded to suspend its operation, a move which was however temporary as the GOCSA acted towards, and succeeded in, re-opening it in 2004.

Entry to the events is free.