09/10/2026
FRIDAY FLASHBACK PHOTO!
This week, we head back to 1956, where we are privy to a dorm party taking place in the 'Kabi' Dormitory on the old South Campus, Wagga Wagga, the birthplace of the Wagga Wagga Teachers' College (WWTC).
The Wagga community had been presssing for a teachers' college for over 20 years when the former site of the No. 1 RAAF Hospital near the Showground in the fledgling suburb of Turvey Park was chosen shortly after WWII.
This provided the WWTC with a 65 acre block on which to be established.
Students attended their first lectures at the new College on 9 June 1947, with the official opening taking place a year later, on 29 September 1948.
WWTC was the first wholly residential co-educational tertiary institute in Australia. When the college opened, a total of 150 students were enrolled. This initial session (known as the 'Pioneers') was drawn from across the state of NSW, and included a number of ex-servicepeople and mature-age students.
"One of the most impressive areas is the sleeping quarters. These rival the rooms of a first-class hotel with every modern convenience. Central heating has been installed through the male and female dormitories. The rooms occupied by the girls are of three-bed, four-bed and five-bed types. All rooms have hot and cold water installed."
(Daily Advertiser, 10 June 1947)
By 1948 the WWTC campus comprised three blocks of women's dormitories, approximately ten male dormitories, three lecture blocks, a gym, assembly hall, administration block, dining room and common room.
The original dormitories were cream huts of tiimber and Masonite construction with no insulation. Inside, students often baked in summer and froze in winter. These huts were linked by covered walkways and the grounds were landscaped with attractive rose gardens.
The men's and women's dormitories were separate and the average male dorm comprised five rooms with three beds per room. Female students were housed in large blocks situated closer to the main college buildings.
"Our accommodation block was an old WWII airforce base! I was to learn later, that the room I was in, was the largest room (6 beds) - had been the hospital morgue!! We each had a single iron-framed bed, a small bedside cupboard and a tiny wardrobe."
(Jan Saunders, WWTC student, 1955-56)
Back to this week's photo. It shows the female residents of the 'Kabi' dorm enjoying an elaborate (and delicious!) dorm party. If you take a good look at the table, the spread is seriously impressive! There are cut sandwiches, sponge cakes and a whole host of goodies that were no doubt homemade.
At the centre of the table is a cake with ribbons on a maypole, and surrounding this, 10 plastic dolls wearing mortar boards, hinting that perhaps this celebration was held prior to or after graduation.
The girl in the foreground has been identified as Anne Myott, who had an extensive teaching career and remembered her two years at WWTC as the happiest and most formative period of her life.
This photograph comes from an album of mementoes carefully put together by student Jan Saunders (nee Gallagher) who also thoroughly enjoyed her two years at the college (1955-56).
After graduation, Jan taught for five years before leaving to raise a family.
Do you recognise anyone in this photo, or have memories of the college?
