The gymnastics wall bars

It was the Trustees’ insistence that gymnastics (an all-encompassing term for organised physical instruction) be a mandatory component of the curriculum that set Girls Grammar apart. With much encouragement from the early Lady Principals, this initial physical activity consisted of drill work and dumb-bell exercises. Miss Sophia Beanland, Lady Principal from 1882 to 1888, awarded the first prizes for gymnastics in 1885 and advocated for the construction of appropriate facilities stating, ‘the lack of a gymnasium is a real want, and I cannot feel satisfied until it is supplied’.

Despite there being resistance to her advocacy from some at the boys’ school, the gymnasium was built in the final year of her tenure.

A significant upgrade to the School’s facilities occurred with the construction of a pool in 1960 and a new gymnasium, built on the site of the original, in 1962. These facilities were to set the tone for Physical Education at Girls Grammar for the next thirty years. This new, large open space allowed the School to expand its offerings and reinvigorated the teaching of creative movement and educational gymnastics with these Physical Education units built around three large sets of wall bars.

The wall bars were fixed to the southern side of the gymnasium and could be moved off the wall to create defined yet changeable spaces. Many activities and exercises could be done using the wall bars as a stand-alone object.