The Porter Line - The Bucks and Does Debate

The Porter Line
- the Bucks and Does -
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The incident generated a considerable amount of coverage in the press. (Users of graphics-challenged browsers may read the text of the various articles here.)

The article at left appeared in the Telegraph (we think!) of September 25, 1943.

The accompanying text is below...

Bucks and Does 2

More below...

The articles at right and below appeared in local papers - exact origin at this stage unknown.

Bucks and Does 5
Bear in mind that the above references to "Gestapo methods" were made in 1943!

The text of the above articles is reproduced here:

SCHOOL PUPILS SEGREGATED
(caption to the photograph)
PUPILS of Parramatta High School, Keith Brown (left), Peggy (actually Val... Ed.) Chatman, Laddie Gorvorko and Val (actually Lilian... Ed.) Phipps walk together after leaving the school grounds yesterday afternoon.

(local paper coverage reproduced below)

PAINTED BY A STUDENT at Parramatta High School after the acting headmaster (Mr W.Porter) had decreed that girl and boy pupils should be segregated in the quadrangle, this white line is flanked by the words, "Bucks this Side." On the other is "Does." Fifth year pupils demonstrated outside the school yesterday, shouting "We want co-education."

Gestapo
In our local high school the acting-headmaster is using Gestapo methods to separate boys and girls. His idea of co-education is to draw a line down the middle of the quadrangle—boys right, girls left. Pupils are wondering if they may be asked to bring their own barbed wire.—"Internee."

(accompanying article)
Imaginary Sex Line On School Ground
Parramatta High School has an imaginary line across the quadrangle to segregate the sexes.
Students said yesterday that the acting Headmaster (Mr W.Porter) had told them an imaginary line divided the quadrangle.
Boys were instructed to stay on one side of the line and girls on the other.
The students called it "Porter's imaginary line."
They said Mr Porter had forbidden boys and girls to speak to each other.
Three days ago someone painted a white line across the middle of the quadrangle.
Student said Mr Porter arrived at school early the next morning to erase the line with caustic soda and a razor blade.
Students Demonstrate
Fifth year students, demonstrating outside the school yesterday, shouted: "We want co-education."
A boy student said: "If we go to a school of mixed sexes we should be allowed to mingle in the playground after school hours.
"After we leave school we'll get together, so why not start now?"
Mr Porter said Parramatta High School had always been noted for its high moral standard.
He said the line to segregate the sexes had not been introduced because of any suggestion of immorality between the girls and boys.

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