Diana Bolger was the first girl to join OTS

I enrolled at Oakleigh Technical School after attending a link course in Horticulture in December 1980. From the course I decided Horticulture was the career I was interested in. At a meeting with Mr.Thomas, the principal, mentioned the possibility of OTS going co-ed if girls were interested in Horticulture. My mother and I visited the school and met Mr.Greenall, the Vice-Principal who was very kind and helpful and explained the school set-up and facilities to us. He was very willing to accept me as the first girl student and that gave me the confidence to enroll.

My first thoughts of Oakleigh Tech.were pretty terrifying, that was just before I left home, but my terrified feeling was over-powered by the excitement of a new adventure. While I was sitting in Mr. Greenall’s office and moving around a small section of the school for the first two days. On Thursday my third day I was introduced to the whole school - 450 boys. The feeling at that moment is indescribable but after being introduced and looking at all of those faces, I felt welcome.

For the first two weeks I more or less kept to myself, trying to familiarize myself around the school and placing names to faces. I also stayed close to teachers. I am a great cricket fan and Oakleigh Tech. happens to have the best cricket team in the Tech.school competition. The first group of guys I met, Tony McLean, Neil Forsyth, Stefan Hack and Peter Murphy are all in the cricket team and are in most of my classes. Watching the cricket one day a week made me feel more relaxed and I got to know the other guys in the team and the ones who watched. My interest in cricket made the guys feel more relaxed around me.

Besides watching cricket, I would go down to the Horticulture part of O.T.S. (Hort) if ever I felt lonely, left out or confused. Hort was like a second home to me. The atmosphere and surroundings made me feel at ease. I was gradually settling in and getting to know the guys in my classes and some of the other guys.

Oakleigh Tech. is divided into three Mini Schools A. B. & C. I was placed in School A.

Then each mini school has five or six small groups with students ranging from Yr. 7 to Yr.11- these are homeforms. My homeform teacher was Heather Nye, a young Art teacher. The mini school and homeform I was in was chosen carefully. I’m pleased with the choice. All the students and the teachers have been very helpful. Heather Nye helped me a lot. She was someone I could go to when I needed someone to talk to and to sort out my worries with.

Someone said Heather and I looked more like girlfriends when walking around the school. Heather left during Term 2.

Jane Leckie, my humanities teacher, is also some one who helped me settle in during my first few months . Jane is a very easy person to talk to, which made my situation a lot easier. Jane is a very easy person to talk to which made my situation a lot easier. Maybe because she is a StKilda supporter, those good qualities also help. I find it a lot easier talking to the male teachers when I have any sort of a problem. Two especially, Colin Shingleton, my maths teacher and John Boucher.

They are always ready to help me and have helped me through some difficult spots. They always make me feel welcome and important. I have great respect for them . Two teachers who seem like friends and with whom I feel very comfortable are Andy Wilson , Media teacher and Nick Martin, my new Art teacher. My new homeform teacher Mike Higgins has been terrific- he’s always ready to share a joke and gets on really well with the boys in the homeform group.

After being at Oakleigh Technical School for two and half terms, I found there was not a great difference between my old girl’s school and O.T.S The boys in their own way are just as bitchy and spiteful. After being on a School A camp and being here for two and half terms, I feel completely settled in. The boys tend all to stick together more when a problem arises, whereas girls break off into small groups and take sides, making the situation worse. With the boys, the problem is resolved and it is more or less forgotten. If it is brought up again, it is seen as a joke. The guys seem to have more of a sense of humour- the girls tend to take things too seriously. One reason why I feel more relaxed is that the guys feel relaxed around me.

One thing I have now is a better sense of humour from being with the guys- if I didn’t I would be in trouble. It helps me to laugh at the wise cracks or the situations I’m involved in around the school, or the other way is to ignore them.

At the beginning of the school year, some of the guys would say something smart or do something stupid in front of me, showing off in a way to get my attention.

I learnt to take the smart remarks and give one back, because I knew they weren’t meant to be taken seriously. Now the guys don’t find it hard to just come up to talk to me. I still get the wise comments or the jokes. I think I’d miss them or wonder what was wrong if they all stopped.

The guys in school A and also the other guys have been great. I was surprised in a way, with the friendliness and relaxed attitude I received from the guys. I don’t think it would be quite the same at any other Technical School. The thing which is appealing about Oakleigh Technical School is the friendly and close relationship with the teachers and students.

A man I owe a lot to is Harry Howieson.

He has helped me with my interest in Horticulture and finding me a job in the Horticulture field. With the help of Mr.Howieson and Mr. Thomas, I now have an apprenticeship at Waverley City Council.

I would just like to thank everybody at Oakleigh Tech. I have enjoyed the year, it’s had it’s ups and downs, but it has been a year I will never forget.

DIANA BOLGER

Extacted from the Oakleigh Technical School Year Book 1981