Time for some Newman Nostalgia and a few incredible shots of the construction of the Frank Ehlers Swimming Pool during 1975!
Dug by staff, students and Old Boys, it was opened by Mr Frank Ehlers on 22 February 1976, precisely nine months after construction began. What a triumph it was!
The 1975 Marist College yearbook reports:
"Who said you could build a pool, Olympic size at that, using voluntary labour? Someone said ... THINK BIG, and thankfully, there were plenty of people who did just that. The Parents and Friends, under President Dan Leunig, agreed it was a feasible and worthwhile project for 1975. Past years had seen ovals, tennis courts, cricket pitches, basketball courts and an amphitheatre added to the school's facilities. 'We, the Community, will build a pool,' was the decision. And what a lesson in Community involvement!”
Around 200 volunteers were rostered on under team leaders in groups of men and others, of boys, who all came one weekend in five. There were supervisors, planners, surveyors and bricklayers, as well as those skilled in the use of hire equipment, earth moving, electrical installation, and more.
Enormous efforts were made, by more than 1000 people, in raising the $50,000 needed. They held a fete, a raffle, a Walk-A-Thon, a Melbourne Cup sweep, bingo nights, film outings, morning and afternoon teas, a grand ball, an Art Sale, and even produced a cook book for sale!
This mammoth project was run by Floreat civil engineer Frank Ehlers, who was the father of five Newmanites (some of them at Marist and Brigidine before the amalgamation of Newman College). The Frank Ehlers Swimming Pool is a worthy name as, on site and off, Frank spent many hundreds of hours working on the pool and was lauded for his dedication, patience, courtesy, and spirit of optimism as well as his attitude - always professional, despite likely being sorely tried at times.
In 1976 a visiting Victorian headmaster was so impressed with the team effort in building our pool, he said in his speech at that year's headmasters’ conference they should all "go out to Marist and see a community in action”. And, as the 1975 yearbook says, "Parents and Friends of ’75 - take a bow!” A triumph indeed!
Were you one of those who helped dig our pool?
"Let's dig a pool!"
"Ok! Where shall we start?"
"Anywhere!"
