Cape Clear's Mr D marks half a century of teaching

CAPE Clear Primary School’s own ‘Mr D’ is celebrating fifty years of service to the Victorian Department of Education.

Teacher Anthony Dillon was celebrated by students and staff on the last day of term two, having been a member of the Cape Clear PS community for 15 years.

Surprising Mr Dillon during assembly, principal Lynly Doherty said he was first introduced to the school as a casual relief teacher before being made an ongoing staff member.

“We haven’t been able to get rid of him since,” she joked.

“He’s a great educator at our school, and how lucky we are to have him.

“We can all acknowledge that 50 years is an incredible achievement and one that highlights dedication to the craft, commitment to the community, and resilience in what I can only imagine have been some challenging times.

“Heather Mr Dillon’s wife, I’m sure you can attest to the many sacrifices that Tony’s made along the way.

“From all of us, we want to say thank you and congratulations.”

Mr Dillon, who lives at Werneth, started his training at the Ballarat Teachers College in 1971 and took his first position at Berrybank Primary School in 1974.

Anthony Dillon was presented with an award to commemorate the occasion.

From 1975 to 1978, he was based at Clear Lake Primary School before moving to work at Rokewood

Primary School where he was based for 30 years.

For the last 15 years of his career, he has been a classroom teacher at Cape Clear Primary School. He is now semi-retired and works one day a week at the 12-student school.

“I love teaching at small country schools,” he said.

“Rokewood was the biggest school I ever taught at. At the height, we had about 90 pupils at Rokewood.

“I love country communities, being involved in the local community, and country kids.”

He reflects fondly on camps and excursions, and teaching with “great people.”

“You have a sense of purpose, a sense of community, and it is a great community,” he said.

Anthony Dillon has been teaching at Cape Clear for about 15 years, but was at Rokewood Primary School for three decades before that.

Mrs Dillon said her husband’s former students – some of them now 60 years old – remember him well.

Former Cape Clear teacher, now Teesdale Primary School principal, Sam Irwin sent his congratulations.

“I’m privileged to have spent a few years with you at Cape Clear Primary,” he said. “We had some fantastic times.

“It’s such a wonderful achievement to have stayed dedicated to a profession for such a long time.”

Meredith Primary School principal Lachlan Day is the former principal of Cape Clear. He said the impact Mr Dillon has made on students, staff and families has been incredible.

“Fifty years is massive,” he said. “I loved working with you.

“The time we spent together out at Cape Clear will forever be etched in my mind. We had a great little crew.”