Legacy of Dumfries High School
Since its establishment in 1961, Dumfries High School has welcomed thousands of students through its doors. Among its notable alumni is Adam Wiles, a talented young musician during his school years, who later gained international fame as the DJ and producer Calvin Harris.
As the school prepares for demolition to make way for a new facility, staff have organized a farewell tour to allow the public to revisit the building and its history. Although Calvin Harris is not anticipated to attend, the event has attracted significant interest, with approximately 1,000 former pupils and staff registering to take a final walk through the school's corridors.
Transition to the New School
Construction of the new school building is underway behind the current site, with plans for pupils to relocate later this year. The farewell tour provides an opportunity for former students, staff, and community members to say goodbye to the existing structure, which has become a landmark over its 65 years of operation.
Visitors to the tour will have the chance to explore the hallways and view a display featuring stories and photographs documenting the school's history and its students. Included in the display are yearbooks containing images of many past pupils, including a young Calvin Harris.
Response to the Farewell Tour
Head teacher Phil Cubbon expressed that the response to the tour has been overwhelming. He stated that the number of tickets booked exceeded expectations ahead of the school's move to the new site scheduled for May.
"Initially, we put groups of 50 tickets per tour, a number of tours spread across the day, 800 tickets in total, and, to our pleasant surprise, all 800 tickets disappeared within three days,"
"So what we've now done is offer another 200 tickets and they also disappeared fairly quickly."
"So, all in all, there's 1,000 people expected to come through our doors on Saturday to have a look around Dumfries High School for one last time."
Looking Forward and Final Farewell
Regarding the new building, Cubbon commented on the progress and the anticipation surrounding the move.
"It's long overdue, but nonetheless we are very, very excited about our new building.
We're really looking forward to getting into our new facility in May of this year."
Following the relocation, the original building, which was inaugurated with significant enthusiasm in 1961 and described as "having everything the modernist could wish for," will be demolished.
"It's going to be completely knocked down and the land that the building is on currently will be completely landscaped,"
"That will commence once we are safely into the new building and the demolition of the old building as such will start very quickly thereafter."
Saturday's tour represents a final opportunity for many to visit the 65-year-old secondary school before its closure and demolition.
