Back to teaching
After discharge from the Army and his return to the Education Department, Arthur was invited to nominate a school where he would undertake a two-week rehabilitation programme .
He selected Ormond State School,seen above from a Google Maps photo. This was only about a mile from the family home in Glenhuntley. He would often walk along Booran Road after school, if he decided not to catch a local bus.
The expected fortnight at Ormond eventually stretched to more than four years!
(Some Trivia: The website author remembers standing at the intersection of North and Booran Roads, Ormond, with his older brother, chatting with Arthur while waiting for his bus each day. As regular as clockwork we would see a convoy of black cars heading west on North Road. Later, it was revealed that the three cars were the prototype Holden , near the end of their daily test runs in the Dandenong Ranges. The first Holden model was released in 1948. Like many of the young people who Arthur befriended ,a life-long interest in cars developed .)
He selected Ormond State School,seen above from a Google Maps photo. This was only about a mile from the family home in Glenhuntley. He would often walk along Booran Road after school, if he decided not to catch a local bus.
The expected fortnight at Ormond eventually stretched to more than four years!
(Some Trivia: The website author remembers standing at the intersection of North and Booran Roads, Ormond, with his older brother, chatting with Arthur while waiting for his bus each day. As regular as clockwork we would see a convoy of black cars heading west on North Road. Later, it was revealed that the three cars were the prototype Holden , near the end of their daily test runs in the Dandenong Ranges. The first Holden model was released in 1948. Like many of the young people who Arthur befriended ,a life-long interest in cars developed .)
Arthur resigned from the Education Department to take an eight-month trip to the UK, some European countries, and of course Eire where he met relatives of his father's family.
A portrait of Arthur Shannon from 1951. It's from his passport for his 1952 overseas trip ( hence the embossed impressions of official stamps).
To see some photos of Arthur on his 1952 trip click HERE.
To visit a separate website based on photos Arthur took during the trip click HERE.
To see some photos of Arthur on his 1952 trip click HERE.
To visit a separate website based on photos Arthur took during the trip click HERE.
During his time at Ormond State School, Arthur Shannon helped to drill the 6th Grade Boys Marching Team.
In 1950, the team won the Caulfield Schools District competition, then went on to gain Third Place in the Melbourne Metroplitan Schools Competition.
The team comprised (Left to Right) Back Row: Alan Harrison, Bob Field, Douglas Moody, Alan Tappin, Bruce Jack, Don Doble, Peter Bailley and Bob Dawson.
Centre Row: Brian Dunsford, Colin Martin, Ian James, Don Moir, Bill Brown, Michael Neville, David Martin and Ken Houghton.
Front Row: Ray Reynoldson, Howard Ambrose, Ian Douglas , Keith Wickenton, Ron Cerini, Gordon McIntosh, Graham Sinclair and Graham Martin.
In 1950, the team won the Caulfield Schools District competition, then went on to gain Third Place in the Melbourne Metroplitan Schools Competition.
The team comprised (Left to Right) Back Row: Alan Harrison, Bob Field, Douglas Moody, Alan Tappin, Bruce Jack, Don Doble, Peter Bailley and Bob Dawson.
Centre Row: Brian Dunsford, Colin Martin, Ian James, Don Moir, Bill Brown, Michael Neville, David Martin and Ken Houghton.
Front Row: Ray Reynoldson, Howard Ambrose, Ian Douglas , Keith Wickenton, Ron Cerini, Gordon McIntosh, Graham Sinclair and Graham Martin.
On rejoining the Department after his overseas trip, Arthur taught at the Vermont State School, in Melbourne's east, for a few months.
Above photo of present-day Vermont School from Google Maps.
Above photo of present-day Vermont School from Google Maps.
Arthur then went to the State School at Moorabbin , south-east of Melbourne, where he taught 6th Grades for 16 years.
Photos Above and Below.
Photos Above and Below.
Below, Arthur Shannon's 6th Grade of 1959 at Moorabbin State School.
Famous "Old Boy" Honoured
While teaching at Moorabbin,Arthur Shannon instigated moves for the school to honour one of its "old boys", the aviation pioneer Harry Hawker. Hawker first attended the Worthing Road State School at Moorabbin ( above left), and later went on to attend three other schools around Melbourne before leaving his formal education behind at the age of 12.
A lack of any higher education did not stop Harry Hawker from becoming a pioneer of early aviation in Australia and England.
He became an aircraft pilot and was involved with the design of many successful Sopwith planes.
After WWI he co-founded the Hawker Aircraft company which produced a long string of successful military aircraft.
Photo above right: Harry Hawker at the front of a Sopwith machine.
A lack of any higher education did not stop Harry Hawker from becoming a pioneer of early aviation in Australia and England.
He became an aircraft pilot and was involved with the design of many successful Sopwith planes.
After WWI he co-founded the Hawker Aircraft company which produced a long string of successful military aircraft.
Photo above right: Harry Hawker at the front of a Sopwith machine.
Above: Arthur Shannon's championing of the "local boy who made good" resulted in a plaque in Harry Hawker's honour being set up at his first school.
The photo shows the unveiling ceremony in 1966 with representatives from the local council and Hawker de Havilland, and other special guests. Arthur Shannon at right is with students Alan Biggs, Graeme Wilson, Robert Wheelar, Guy Coape-Smith, Robert Ellis and David Clottu. The photo is from The Leader Newspaper archives.
The photo shows the unveiling ceremony in 1966 with representatives from the local council and Hawker de Havilland, and other special guests. Arthur Shannon at right is with students Alan Biggs, Graeme Wilson, Robert Wheelar, Guy Coape-Smith, Robert Ellis and David Clottu. The photo is from The Leader Newspaper archives.
Before officially retiring in 1973 ,Arthur Shannon moved to teach at Cheltenham East State School. The present-day school is shown below. Photos from the school's website.