Students dress in period fashion
Ettalong Public School has celebrated the Centenary of Federation in style - the style of the time that is, with students dressing in the fashions of 1901.
Students from all classes turned out in colonial costumes depicting the different levels of society at the time: from Ned Kelly to suffragettes, whip crackers to high society socialites and Prime Ministers to farm workers.
The children made the most of the opportunity to have a day out of uniform.
All school students across the country were presented with a medallion, as a memento of the Centenary of Federation, and Ettalong School students had a couple of extra treats as part of the celebration.
Cathy Jones, a parent at the school, spent countless hours making personalized bookmarks for every student at Ettalong.
The bookmarks show the Centenary Logo, and depict an Australian scene or animal, along with their name, class, teachersÂ’ name, date and school name.
Presented in the school colours and laminated, the bookmarks would be a wonderful reminder in years to come, of a special time in history.
Cheryl Lynch and her helpers in the canteen then prepared an Aussie lunch of sausage sandwiches and flavoured milk to feed the many colonists who turned out to witness the Centenary of Federation.
"It was wonderful to see the children from Kindergarten to Year 6, dressed in period clothing, singing Advance Australia Fair and We Are Australian, developing the patriotic spirit of Australia," said principal Mr Bruce Donaldson.
Letter, May 9