Saving SCEGGS

Published November 27th 2020 12:47 pm by

“Many Old Girls would remember the dramatic days in 1976 when SCEGGS nearly closed and the subsequent colossal effort to save the School.

In the early 1970s many independent schools across Australia were struggling with the effects of dramatic increased costs: for the five SCEGGS schools operating expenses were projected to double between 1970 and 1974.

In response to a planned major widening of William Street, the School Council announced in 1971 plans to redevelop the School and build two large office blocks on William Street.  The Council hoped that the income from this venture would “in due course alleviate for SCEGGS the serious and growing financial crisis.”

Unfortunately, instead of securing the Schools’ future, this project added to the crisis which led to the five SCEGGS Schools group disbanding: SCEGGS Moss Vale closed in 1974; in 1975 SCEGGS Gleniffer Brae (Wollongong) students amalgamated with their local Anglican brother school, The Illawarra Grammar School; in early 1976 SCEGGS Redlands was taken over by a group of parents with plans to make it a co-educational school; and the Anglican Schools Corporation took over management of SCEGGS Loquat Valley. 

Finally, in November 1976, it was announced that SCEGGS Darlinghurst would also close as the loans by the Council could not be repaid.

Fortunately for us today, SCEGGS Darlinghurst did not close.  For those who know the story, we can still only marvel at what was achieved by the parents, students, Old Girls and friends of SCEGGS. 

  • A Night in Greece, February 1977
  • Old Girls at the 2019 Saving SCEGGS Production

In 2015, the School commissioned former parent Linden Wilkinson to develop a verbatim theatre production to celebrate this achievement. The script is based on material from the School Archives and extensive interviews Linden conducted with many of those involved.

The result, Saving SCEGGS, beautifully captures the 1970s, the conflicting perspectives, the emotions and energy of this story.”

Saving SCEGGS was performed again in 2019 to open the School’s 125th anniversary celebrations. Little did we know then that our celebrations in 2020 would not quite be what we planned!