By MARG STORK
IN 1939, as World War II broke out and Dandenong was beset by fires and other upheavals, a committee took a unanimous decision that was backed by local doctors.
Their mandate was to buy five acres in Cleeland Street for a hospital. The land, part of the Ross estate, cost £300 and many people said the site was ideal.
And so the Dandenong and District Hospital was set up, a place to go if one needed healing.
I’ve had my time there as well. My only daughter, Mel, was born there 62 years ago, with help from Dr Alf Oldham and the skilled staff at the ‘D and D’.
I vividly remember the private room I had. Sheila Ewen — who later retired to Berwick and whom I had the privilege of interviewing on many occasions — was the matron-in-charge. Sadly, Mel died two years ago after enduring 19 operations in 19 years of cancer.
Before the Dandenong and District Hospital was built, Alf Oldham and Ian Hart were two of the doctors who had run the Murray House Private Hospital at the corner of Scott and Thomas streets.
There was also a private hospital at the corner of Wilson and Langhorne streets, near St James Anglican Church. It was there, more than 125 years ago, that my mum Ruby Archer gave birth to two still-born daughters .
I did a news round for the Journal and recall Pat Pepper as one of the early public relations officers at the Dandenong and District Hospital. The hospital’s history is recounted in an article titled Harking back 73 years, by Jim McMahon, using excerpts from the Journal. The article is in the October edition of Gipps-Land Gate, which the Dandenong and District Historical Society brings out twice a year.
Bustle in the schoolyard
Dandenong South Primary School is a little United Nations in our area. The 51-year-old school in Kirkham Road has 510 pupils drawn from about 30 cultures on its enrolment list. It is expecting to welcome a horde of prep and kindergarten children next year.
To cope with the influx, popular principal Leonie Fitzgerald and 53 staff are, throughout November, holding prep orientation days on Friday mornings.
Leonie, principal for 14 years, says the school is fortunate a number of the staff can speak multiple languages. “Our four prep-orientation days will prepare for a smooth transition for the new pupils.”
The school is justly proud of its pupils’ many achievements and hopes they will again be among the entrants from district schools at the Dandenong Agricultural and Pastoral Society’s show next month.
“Three of our students won prizes at last year’s show with their entries and we hope there will be a repeat performance,” Leonie said.
Do you have a milestone, memory or question for Marg? Email marg@yourweekly.com.au or post submissions to A Moment with Marg, c/o the Dandnenong Journal, PO Box 318, Dandenong 3175.
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