1969 School Magazine

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In June, Mrs. McDonald reached England after enjoying seeing Hong Kong with Gwat Tan, cruising through the Greek Islands, and exploring Rome under the guidance of Miss Fardon's sister. Reminiscing on her rip along the Dalmatian coast, "Dubrovnik u/as just a dream the loveliest place I've ever seen. The old town is completely walled no cars allowed inside and the Adriatic coast is superb I went to Montenegro, fascinating and extremely beautiful." In London she had " a lovely roorn over- looking the Thames and Battersea Bridge where it is fascinatine watching the traffic on the river and over the bridge." At a cocktail party in honour of Sir Alan and Lady Mansfield, Mrs. McDonald met Lady May Abel-Smith who asked after the welfare of the school. In Amsterdam, as guest of relatives of Mrs. Hoog-Antink and Mr. Timmermans, she u/ent on connected with the School heard of the death on 22nd Jrly, after a period of declining health ,- of Miss Mary Alexis Macmillan. Many of her friends associated with the School over ^ great number of years attended her funeral service on 23rd Jtly, while on 4th August, many more frorn -among the Trustees, Staff, Pupils, OId Girls and Parents and Friends were able to join with others in her wide circle of friends to honour her memory at a Memorial Service in St. John's Cathedral, and to offer their sympathy to her sister, Miss Jean Macmillan. Aftet graduating from the' University of Queensland in L9L9 with Honours in Modern Languages and Literature, Miss Macmillan taught first at her old school, the Rockhampton Girls' Grammar School, and then during 1925 in France at the Ecole Normale de Tours. She joined the staff of this school in January L926, and from 1930 until her retirement as a full-time member of the Staff in May 1.964, she held the position of Second Mistress. She continued to serve in a part- time capacity until December L965. From 1,930 until that time she was Senior English Mismess, teaching as well for much of that period, French, Junior History and Senior Modern History. From April to Decernber, L957, she filled the position of Acting Head Misffess.

a boat trip, visited Rylcs Museum, Kroller foIoller Museum, Ede, Eindhoven and Marken, saw the Van Gogh collection at Otterlo. The last letter came from Belfast, where Mrs. McDonald assures "I am not in danger haven't heard a shot and I do not know what a pemol bomb looks like. ft's all a very tragic business. " In the conclusion "I saw several beautiful gum trees on an old estate close to hete actually smelt them and felt quite homesick." Mrs. McDonald has been kept up to date with school events and she has shared with us the excitement of Inter-school Athletics, remem- bered us on School Day and was very interested in the presentation of the Lilley Medal to Rebecca Kugelmas. She intends spending Christmas with relations in Dorset. Those who knew her at the School, whether in past or more recent times, will remember with admiration, gratitude and affection one who was distinguished bv the highest and mosr selfless ideals of service, a wise and sympathetic coun- sellor whose time and talents were ever at the disposal of any who needed them, a staunch colleague, a wise Form Mistress, and a dedicated teacher of high distinction. Through her deep and abiding love of her main subject, English, she was able, down the long 4venue of the years, to lead many hundreds of girls along paths of delight, and to point the \May to wider and lovelier horizons, horizons which, with her fine, scholarly mind, she never ceased herself to scan, Through her generous donation of prizes for poetry in Second and Third Forms, younger girls, too, have been encouraged to discover the joy of creative poetical expression. So closely was Miss Macmillan identified with every side of school life, and so much did she enrich that life through her wide interesrs beyond the walls of the school itself, that all who knew her here could not but be conscious at her death of a deep sense of loss. But she herself, through the gallantry and high courage of her spirit to the end, has shown us how to rise above that feeling, so that ure cherish in our hearts the memory of one who can still lead us, with her, "To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield."

S, Jy'lurnoriarm Jy'lory AL'u Jy'lo"*;llo, It uras with great sorrow that all those

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