Parade spotlight falls on old school uniforms for centenary celebrations

Wearing school uniforms is believed to have a positive effect on academic success and student behaviour, as well as creating a strong school ethos and a sense of belonging.
With the approach of Warwick State High School’s Centenary Celebrations, organisers are keen to display Warwick High’s uniforms throughout the last century and leave it to past students to corroborate or deny this belief.
Fashion show organiser and current high school teacher, Jacinta Boland, is confident of parading a myriad of uniform styles at the centenary celebrations and is hoping that past students will come and loan their uniforms to the school for this special milestone event.
“We’d love to put them all on show and would like to encourage past students to loan us their uniforms for the parade whilst promising to take good care of them,” Ms Boland said.
She highlighted that traditionally school uniforms have largely been subdued and professional but fashion trends and practicalities have woven their way into schoolyard attire over the years.
Ms Boland has enjoyed some chit chat with long-standing staff members in her English Department staff room about different uniforms over the past 100 years.
“No doubt there are people out there who belonged to the era when girls wore a blue tunic with a white undershirt and black leather school shoes and sweltered during the summer months,” she said.
“To alleviate the discomfort of several layers, we then progressed the girls’ uniform to a blue checked frock with a front zipper, but what I really want to know is did the boys’ uniform change at all.
“At times we’ve laughed about everything from how short some of the girls’ uniforms were to the dilemma of having to change regularly from the regular blue tunic to the white sports tunic for PE lessons,” Ms Boland said.
The school uniform at Warwick High continues to generate comment from students, parents, teachers and the wider community in regard to its style and serviceability with many students considering the relaxed style of T-shirts and shorts more fitting for the varied activities undertaken in a modern school day.
Regardless of views, the uniform extravaganza will allow the audience to revisit uniform styles over the past century, along with cultural events and music that was popular during particular eras.
The fashion parade will be held in the Assembly Hall as part of the whole school expo from 4pm to 9pm on Friday, May 4.
The school expo will conclude with a fireworks display on Hamilton Oval, which is supported by the Southern Downs Regional Council.
Anyone interested in loaning uniforms to the Centenary Celebrations Committee should contact Jacinta Boland by telephoning the school on (07) 4666 9222.