LAST week a ‘gentleman of education’ was immortalised in brick and mortar when the learning centre at Rosewood State High School was named in his honour.
The Clyde Nicoll Senior Schooling Learning Centre was officially opened with ribbon cutting and a ceremony attended by student leaders, school staff, politicians and community members.
The building was also blessed by members of the local Aboriginal tribe who conducted a smoking ceremony to ‘cleanse and bless’ it.
Clyde worked at the school from 1986 until his retirement in 1999.
Twelve of those years were spent as principal.
“In 1986, I came on transfer from Dysart High School where I was Principal,” he said.
“My office at Rosewood was in A Block until the administration building was built.”
Rosewood State High School looked very different in its early years but as the town grew, so did the school.
In 2023, Education Queensland announced that a new $16 million learning centre at the school would be named after him.
“I was blown away when I was told the news,” he said at the time.
Last week’s ceremony drew him back to his old stomping ground, a place that holds many special memories.
He sat front and centre next to his wife Delma.
On either side were Cr David Martin and the school’s Principal Nicole Sherlock.
“We stand together to officially open a state of the art building that will shape the future of education for our students and honour the incredible legacy of one of our own,” she said.
“This building symbolises the growth progress and unwavering commitment to providing educational excellence for our young people.
“It is fitting that this building bears the name of Mr Clyde Nicoll, a man whose life and career embodies the transformative power of education and community service.”
Clyde said he’d driven past the school on many occasions, watching with interest as the new block slowly took form.
“It was being built and progressing, there were a few hold ups but finally we are here,” he said.
“It is a great privilege to have this lovely building named after me.”
He joined the principal and using a large gold pair of scissors, cut the big red ribbon strung across the new building’s stairwell access.
As ribbon fluttered to the ground, the crowd clapped and just like that the Clyde Nicoll Building was cemented in Rosewood history.
