Vale Michael Peter ‘Mick’ Constable, B.Com., M.Ed., T.P.T.C.
4 December 1933 – 17 June 2025
MHS Staff 1974

The son of Ivan Hope and Cecile Winifred, both of whom were born and grew up in Stawell where Ivan’s father was Manager for the Bank of Australasia.  Ivan was the Senior Sports Champion of Stawell High School before studying law and being admitted in 1928 as a Solicitor and Barrister. Initially working in Rupunyup, he married Cec in April 1928, and they settled in Murtoa where he worked as a Solicitor.  Ivan was a noted golfer, a sport his son would also love, and was elected President of the Wimmera Golf Association several times. Their eldest son David, proceeded to Melbourne High School in 1944 to complete his Leaving and Matriculation.  David played Football, Tennis, Swimming and Athletics for Forrest House, and would subsequently become a Civil Engineer.

Michael was awarded a Secondary School Free Place and after completing his secondary education, he entered the Ballarat Teachers’ College. After completing his Trained Primary Teachers Certificate, he then transferred to the Melbourne Teachers’ Training College in 1953 to further his studies at the University, where he studied Commerce and was awarded a Blue in Football.  It was during this time that he had a two week teaching placement at Melbourne High School.  On return to MHS in 1974 he recalled his impressions of the time as being “my impression then was that it was a terrible place, mainly because the classes I had to take were most unruly and undisciplined and the least interested in work of any class that I had ever taken.”  It was with hindsight that he realised that as an inexperienced teacher “I didn’t really know how to get through to the class”.  His first appointment to a school was at Maryborough High School in 1955.  In 1958 he married Marjorie Edith McKindley, and they would have three children, Susan Peter and Leonie.  By 1973 he was Principal of Mount Beauty High School.

With the retirement of Vice-Principal Roy “Skull” Maher at the end of 1973 after 7 years in the job, the position was advertised, and Michael was successful.  1974 marked the beginning of the end of a turbulent period in MHS’s history, caused by the upheavals culminating in the Strike of 1971, which created deep divisions and resentments in the School.

He summed up why he came to MHS, and his experience succinctly in the 1974 Unicorn: 

Since receiving the appointment as Deputy Principal of Melbourne High School, I have been asked on numerous occasions by my professional colleagues and other acquaintances why I chose to work here. It was a fair question perhaps, as the appointment meant for me a complete change in work habits, place of abode and in other domestic arrangements. Less important, but nevertheless noticeable in these inflationary times, the appointment resulted in a small drop in salary.

I sought this position in the hope that I would find at Melbourne High School many of the educational values which I support. I expected’ that students would be asked to pursue their academic studies in a fairly disciplined way and that a natural consequence of this would be that regular attendance at classes and other associated activities would be required. I thought that most subjects would be developed throughout the year and in succeeding years in a formalized way and that the school would be expecting its students to lift their achievement to high levels. I also felt that I would be working with colleagues who not only had recognized standing in their specialist subject fields, but had talents in many diverse areas. I thought that students would have access to a number of other activities aimed primarily at developing their intellectual abilities. 

Most important of all, I expected to find many students here who really wanted to learn.

My 1974 experience has not disappointed my original expectations, although as in every institution, things are not always exactly as they seem. As Mr. Duke remarked in the Unicorn last year, working at Melbourne High School is a very satisfying experience and I hope to continue this experience for many years to come.

Michael’s son Peter also transferred from Mount Beauty, though as a student.  Peter is now Dean of Veterinary Science at the University of Illinois, U.S.A.

At the end of 1974, it was announced that he was being seconded to the Board of Secondary School Inspectors for two years. During this time the Senior Master, Graeme Duke acted in the role (as he had done previously).  With the permanent transfer of Michael’s position, Graeme Duke was appointed permanent Vice-Principal in 1976.

Michael completed his Master of Education in 1976 at Monash University, with his thesis on the study of the concepts of professionalism and professionalisation as applied to teachers in Victorian state schools.

Returning to a school appointment, he was Principal of Mentone Girls’ High School, from which position he applied for the Principalship of Melbourne High School on Lou Barberis’ retirement.  Michael was interviewed for the position but withdrew his application.

A keen golfer and lawn bowler, he remained active and was playing lawn bowls until shortly before his death. His wife Marj died shortly before Mick.

Luke Savage, Honorary School Archivist