The town that went to war and a very unique memorial

Hay War Memorial High School in 1923

By Krista Schade

The Hay War Memorial High School Museum commemorates both Hay and district war service and the history of the school in this unique war memorial which has served the Hay community since 1923.

The Hay War Memorial High School was opened on Anzac Day in 1923 as the town's war memorial built to honour those volunteers who lost their lives while on active service during World War I. Of the 641 who served in World War I, 103 did not return. This impacted greatly on the Hay and district community, which had one of the highest enlistment rates for a small town in Australia.

Honour rolls hang in the school hall and stone tablets listing those who died in World War I flank the entrance to the school. In the original school hall is a collection which tells stories both of Hay’s war service, from the First World War to engagements in which Hay servicemen and women currently serve, and of the history of the school.

Within the halls of Hay War Memorial High School lies a unique museum that commemorates Hay’s military past, as current students pass by on their way to classes.

The mission of the school museum is twofold. It aims to preserve the history of the school and to tell stories of Hay and District war service.

The museum began as archives in the early 1980s when a school history was being compiled to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the school. The small collection was housed in the school library in archive boxes. It was mainly paper objects and photographs.

In 1983 the Ex-Students donated a display case so that school blazers, school badges and other memorabilia could be displayed. Gradually other objects have been found in the school and donated by the community. There have always been honour boards, sporting shields and cups, photographs and memorabilia displayed in the library and the school hall.

For the first few years its focus was the school’s history. Local resources for the study of the impact of World War II on the community were sought and reproduced in the mid-1980s as part of a Country Area Program project. In the mid-1990s the seeds for a museum were sown. The school hall and its surrounding corridors became the museum.

At the 75th anniversary celebrations for the school in 1998 several important donations were made and community interest was kindled. In 2003 the Spirit of Anzac centre was built which meant that the original hall, where the museum is now, was no longer to be used for school assemblies etc., and could now be used as the dedicated museum space. Objects not on display are stored in an archives room in the library.

In 2023 the school and community celebrated the centenary of the opening, on ANZAC Day.

The museum and its collection is the property of NSW Department of Education.

Hay War Memorial High School Museum
216 Pine Street, Hay NSW 2711

Entry: $3

Open: Monday – Friday during school terms 9am – 4pm