the maitland high schools served more than just the maitland community which, in 1888, was numbered at 9,000; boys and girls came by train from nearby newcastle and its suburbs, which had 27,750 inhabitants in 1888. this arrangement continued until 1906 when newcastle high school opened, the first new state high school since the 1884 opening of the maitland high schools. to cater for other students, maitland boys’ high operated a boarding house; the boarding house closed in 1969 and the building was re-opened in 1978 as the r.j. hinder memorial library, a collection which had been funded by the old boys' association in honour of former headmaster.