Portrait of former BHS principal JJ Sheehan gifted to school

The portrait of John Sheehan, by prize-winning Geelong artist Liane Gough, will be installed in the refurbished J.J Sheehan wing. Mr Sheehan's children Mark, Damien and Cate handed over the portrait on behalf of the family to current school principal Garry Palmer.

The Honourable John James Sheehan was born in Ballarat in 1916, attending St. Patrick's College. He joined the Education Department as a student teacher at Linton Primary School in 1933.

In 1936 he attended Melbourne Teachers College and in 1938 was appointed to Rushworth Higher Elementary before enlisting during WW2.

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He took part in operations in New Guinea including the battles of Jaba River and Buin Road. Discharged in 1946, Lieutenant Sheehan was engaged in army education work. He taught at BHS from 1947-1952.

He moved to Ballarat East High School in the late 1950s where he was senior master and then deputy principal.

In 1972 he returned to Ballarat High School as principal until he resigned for health reasons due to war service.

In his history of Ballarat High School, Phil Roberts wrote, "Within the Ballarat area and beyond Sheehan had a high reputation as a competent and efficient head who conducted his school with smooth organisation. A gifted orator, in his student days he was member of the Australian Universities debating team... His strong political background meant he was a master at handling the Education Department bureaucracy."

In 1954 Mr Sheehan married Tess Reid. They had five children: Robert, Elizabeth, Mark, Catherine and Damien.

In his condolence motion in the Victorian Parliament in 1984 premier John Cain said, "John Sheehan had served his country in war, his state as an MP and Minister but would be most remembered in the Ballarat community for his service to education."

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