1980 School Magazine
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EDITOR: Janet Bray ASSISTANT EDITOR: Judy Neely GRAPHICS EDITOR: Annabel Lahz PHOTOGRAPHER: Christine Morris
GRAPHICS ASSISTANTS: Judy Hill, Kathy Adams TYPISTS: Deidre Mahoney, Anna Cowie, Marion MacGregor, Fiona Cross, Trina Hickey, Lucy Snelling. ASSISTING TEACHERS: Mrs. Colwill, Mrs. Marshall.
Once the first three years have been endured the next two are almost plain sailing. Apart from the usual schoolwork problems there isn't much to stop you f rom having a good time and it is at this stage that you really grow to appreciate not only the past but also the present. One experiences a miraculous change in student/teacher relationships - teachers become more human, more fallible, but def initely more likeable. Gone are the days of total and all consuming reverence when one realizes that they too are capable of making mistakes. Now f ive years and f ifteen phone boxes later the Trustees are still wondering why I pay my fees in 10 cent pieces. ln my mind my time at Grammar has undoubtedly been a most worthwhile experience both socially and academically and to those of you who say 'Crime doesn't pay' : EAT YOUR HAT (preferably one oJ the blue velour variety).
As the 1980 school year draws to a close, so does my career as an inmate of B.G.G.S. ln five long/short years I have not only been educated on an academic level but have also managed to learn all the tricks of the trade which enable one to survive in such an unpredictable environment. lf you were a perceptive second former (in my day) you soon learned that the best way to satisfy your appetite was to head straight for your Form Senior (who was usually at the head of the tuckshop queue), tug her by the skirt, and threaten to bite her on the knee if she didn't buy you a cream bun. As my 38-38-38 figure would sug- gest, this is a foolproof system. By the time you reach grade ten you have gained a con- siderable amount of expertise in using the photocopier, forgetting your gym tunic, concealing broken test tubes, borrowing bus money, not doing maths homework, mutilating hats and tracing the route to St. John's Cathedral.
Janet Bray
PRINCIPAL'S ANNUAL REPORT
3OTH NOVEMBER, 1979 CENTENARY HALL, B.G.S.
ln the lndependent School system at least, the end of the year Assembly is traditional. lt is a time for looking back, a time for congratulations, aiime for thank-yous, a time for good-byes. But it is also a time for looking forward - to the long vacation, to holidays, to relaxation and to Christmas, the most widely celebrated festival in the world. We are in a season of endings; the end of the School year, the end of the calendat year, the end of a decade; the end of a class unit, the end of Year 10, the end of Year 12, the end of school life. And so this is a time of mixed feelings; perhaps sighs of relief that "it's all over" - for the year or forever. But it is also a time for a little sadness; memories of successes or failures; the joy of f reedom and the loss of the familiar routine. For some it is a time of regrets for the passing of times that never will and never can be again. Some of you probably know the lines from Tennyson "Break, Break, Break" - "But the tender grace of a day that is dead Will never come back to me" and over the next few weeks and months many of you who are leaving will experience a similar feeling as you increasingly magnify the good and forget the not so good memories of your days at Brisbane Girls' Grammar School. But life and experience teaches us that there are no f inal ends - that always "in my end is my beginning." We may change life styles but there is always new liJe, new hope, new expeclation, new anticipation - the glory of going on. At our Easter Assembly this year we centred our thoughts on the theme of Resurrection: of life out of Death; good out ol evil; hope out of despair and it all came to mean a great deal more to many people in the dark days which struck our school family so soon after- wards. With the death of John and Janelle StamJord, Helen Gahan and Jillian Skaines and the severe injury to several others in the Christmas Creek bus accident on April 21st. many members of the school family as well as many people from outside the school rallied together to turn disaster and great sadness into something positive and worthwhile. The Board of Trustees set up two funds - The Stamford Endowment Fund - to carry out a special responsibility to the orphaned children of John and Janelle and The Memorial Fund - to provide a living, useful memoriallor the girls in the school that will serve to remind us all of the courage and determination so many showed when faced with great adversity. It is also fitting that the Board agreed to educate Rebecca and Rachel Stamford in their secondary years at BrisbanB Girls' Grammar School and to provide one full scholarship in memory of Helen and Jillian that for 1980 will be awarded to Susan Warren, a new girl enter- ing the school next year. Girls of the school and particularly those in Year 10 have worked together to help the Board provide a new two- way radio transmitter to Beaudesert Ambuance Centre 2
that allows for communication to areas previously inaccessible to radio contact. The new system also provides a direct link to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane and hence the full utilisa- tion of the Para-medic facilities associated with the Beaudesert Ambulance Centre. Few of us realise the total implications of any event such as an accident like we experienced. Today lwould like to give special thanks to the lndependent Schools in the Brisbane area that rallied to support the two funds and to the Headmistresses and Headmasters of those schools who supported and encouraged me. I would also like to pay special tribute to the parents of the girls involved and to our Student Counsellor Mrs. Lynch and to give thanks for their continuing support and loyalty to the school and its ideals and to the support they have given one another. Mrs. Sue Johnston and her husband Michael continue to set a fine example to everyone and it is with great sadness that we farewell Sue f rom the staff this year. Her strength of character and purpose have been an inspiration to us all and I am sure you join with me in wishing them both the very best in the future ahead of them. The opening of the new Multi-purpose complex on School Day by His Excellency, The Governor of Queensland and the dedication of the Memorial Garden in the surrounding area helped to place all the previous happenings of the year into perspective. The Parents, Friends and Old Girls of the school continue to give practical help and support to the school by working together with the Board to provide improved facilities for the education of our girls. When the new development was first envisaged in 1977 no one even contemplated that it would be fully completed and equipped by mid 1979. This feat is itself a tribute to the strong support and loyalty within the school family and the determination of the Board to provide modern, versatile, flexible facilities for students at the school. Mrs. Mortimer as President of the P. & F. is to be congratulated for her sincerity of pur- pose during the past two years and for the able way in which she has directed the affairs of the P. & F. and its associated Committees.
1980 now faces us all with the challenge of a new decade. During the past weeks I have been stressing the needs for parents, teachers, girls and indeed society in general, to look forward positively to the challenge and to work constructively for that future. During the past decade we have seen a knowledge explosion that has been hard to comprehend. The development of the tran- sistor and other associated devices has revolutionised our lives and given increaSed freedom to individuals. A new dimension has been added to the learning process - the need to adapt and cope with changes and a need to be {lexible and open minded and to learn to use hidden skills. ln'1959 if a man, and lsay man advisedly, lost his job he was usually assured of finding a similar one in the not too distant future but today in 1979 if a person loses his/her job there is no assurance that another will be available and if it is it may not even slightly resemble the one for which you were trained. Young people leaving school will predictably hold a number of different jobs in their lifetime - education will be ongoing. The end of school- ing is only the beginning. lhope that the girls leaving today will remember this and take the challenge that lies ahead of them. Plan for your futures and look away f rom traditional forms of employment. Think of what is positive and not of the negative. Make the best of oppor- tunities available to you. As Professor Charles Brrch, an eminent Australian biologist states in his book "Confronting the Future": "The orientation of hope is toward the future, even in the darkest hours forces emerge which make a new future possible. We have not reached the point of no return. What holds men back is not the pressure of reality but the absence of dreams. lf enough people could come to see their present predicament and the possibility of new ways into the future we could make the first step into the new world. One sort of world is dying. Another is struggl- ing to be born. We may not be able to predict the future. We can invent it. Whether we do so or not depends upon the awareness o{ enough people of the human predica- ment . . . . a reasonable faith in human nature which recognises human failings. lf we do not try there is no hope. lf we start now there may be time. Every day's delay makes the solutions more difficult." The future is now.
You have only to look at the School Magazine for 1979 to realise that the School continues to provide girls with a broad and liberal education where options are left open as long as possible and where exposure to varied educa- tion experiences is provided. Without the dedication and support of so many of our Staff this versatile programme would not be possible. lt is a great encouragement to us all to Jind that our academic standards remain high and that demand for places within the school is very great and unfortunately all those wishing to have an education at Brisbane Girls' Grammar School cannot necessarily do so. The present enrolment of 760 has remained stable throughout the year and includes 78 boarders. The staff take their educational responsibilities seriously with many participating regularly in various ln'Service Courses. A number are also involved in improvrng their academic qualifications by attending Courses at the Universrty of Queensland. Miss McNamara, Senior English Mistress, will take leave of absence from February 22nd. next year after 24 years of dedicated ser- vice to the school. We all hope that she will return in 1980 refreshed to take up the challenges that will pre- sent themselves wtth the introduction of competency based assessment into Queensland schools. Mr. Bourke, Mathematics Master, willalso be on leave of absence for one semester next year to investigate com- puter programmes for the School through Kelvin Grove C.A.E. We look forward to the results of his investigations and study. Staff leaving today include as well as Mrs. Johnston, Mrs. Lathouras, Miss Forster and Mr. Faragher. Miss Helen Forster leaves after 6 years as an English teacher and Year B level supervisor to take up the posi- tion of Senior English Mistress at Tara Church of England School, Parramatta in New South Wales. Her calm, unruffled support will be missed but I am sure she will take the challenge of her new position and contribute much to the life of her new school. *** Mr. Allan Faragher, Deputy Principal for the past three years and a member of staff for the past seven years leaves to take up his new positton as Principal of Fairholme College, Toowoomba for 1980. During the ear- ly years of moderation in the State, Mr. Faragher was seconded to the Board of Secondary School Studies and was Chief Moderator in Mathematics. ln this position he played an important part in implementation of the Rad- ford Scheme into Queensland Schools. He is presently a member of the Teacher Preparation Sub-Committee formed as one of a number of Committees to investigate the implementation of proposals by the Committee that recently reviewed School Based Assessment. ln such positions Mr. Faragher has contributed much to the development of education in Queensland as well as to the education plans at Brisbane Girls' Grammar School. His exceptional organisational ability has greatly benefit- ted our school during the past seven years with many of the changes in the admrnistration resulting f rom his pro- posals. I am sure Mr. Faragher will look back on his time at Brisbane Girls' Grammar School as a preparation for the challenge that lies ahead of him in his new position and we give our good wishes to Mr. Faragher and his family as they move to Toowoomba to make thetr home at Fairholme College.
With Christmas rapidly approaching we will celebrate the second great festival of the Christian year, with its same affirmation of light and life and joy and hope and love and challenge as stressed at Easter time. We are not merely looking back sentimentally at this season to an event in time with angels and wise men and shepherds and a baby in a stable, but we are celebrating the coming of God to us in human times, in our situationl to live our life with us and for us. ln his birth is our hope; He represents one who in- augurates the new humanity and in his own perfect humanity shows us the pattern of man as God meant man to be. Through his life of perfect obedience to the will of God he gives us hope in our situation despite the mess we make of our own lives, the lives of others and the life of the world we live in. lt is the baby of Bethlehem who is also the crucified Christ and the risen, ascended and glorified Lord who offers the whole human race a new chance, a new start, a new challenge at every end point to begin again. Soon after Christmas follows on New year and our world begins again in earnest - new experiences, new classes, new courses, new careers, new lives. One of the great Queenslanders of the early 20th century was Dr. E.W.H. Fowkes - barrister, musician, potitlcat leader and on his tombstone in Toowong Cemetery - a 'symbol of the finatity of death, there is ndtong insciiption - just his name and the one line - "On to the light and the splendour of the dawn', And this is the challenge which the end of the year and the celebration of the birth of Christ holds out toall of us - the challenge to personal renewal, to new adventure, to new experiences, to new achievement and to new determination "to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield. " Let me first say that I am greatly honoured to have been invited 1o your 1979 Year 12 prize giving service and to have the opportunity to present prizes to the top students. It is always difficult on occasions such as this to find something worthwhile to say that is not too trite or sententious and has not been said before, for as you would know, adults, particularly school masters and mistresses are strongly disposed towards offering advice to the young whenever a suitable opportunity ari6es, and this leaves little that has not been sard by ttie end of the year. It seerns to me that newspapers, radio, television, in fact every part of the vast communications industry, of late has been disposed to offer advice to young $eople in some form or other, most of it, I regret to say, fairly fatuous. I have wondered a good deal about why tnis should be so, and why an industry which has been'fairly strongly devoted to the exploitation of youth in the pasi, should now appear to see its role so differently. I suspect that a reason could be that, as a community, we seem to be developing a strong sense of guiit, generated it is argued "by the repudiation of prev-ious certitudes about religion, sex, marriage, and the status of women in society", if I might quote irom one of the re- cent Boyer Lectures delivered by Mr. Robert Hawke. 4 Address by Mr. Max Howeil 8.A., B.Ed.(Metb), M.Ed.Admin. (U.N.E.), F.A.C.E.
When one adds to these causes of guilt, another cause that of continuing youth unemployment, which means that thousands who will leave schbol thrs year may not ever be employed in jobs which give them satisfaction or seltfulfilment, and indeed many may never be gainfully employed at all, it is understandable ihat our info-rmation media should be anxious to try to provide some panacea for the ills of our society by offering some form of gratuitous advice. Now it may well be the case that much of what the pro_ phets of doomsday say is true - ,,that new international alignments with changing balances of power have cast a cloud over hopes for peace, that economic ups and downs affect the buying power of every family, if,at in_ dustrial unrest is marked by wide-spreaci unempioyment, and that the rapidly increasing world popuiation is strain- ing for food resources, and that to ali of these major troubles there are added the irritations of traffic conges_ tion, pollution, strikes, fuel shortages, racist ind religious dissension, and the apparent perversity of people. " Most people admit now that the state of human beings on earth is lamentable and that there is no sense of is being part of a great society, but rather that we are toss- ed about like an enormous number of fragments, our actions are as ineffective as the gestures oipuppets. ln the words of Mr. Hawke - "Australia stands poised on the threshold of the 1980's more divided within itself, more uncertain of the future, and more prone to internal conflict than at any other period in its history." lf all this is true, then there would appear to be only two choices left for men and women today - eith-er to acquiesce in despair or to recognize thal some feet will tread the heights of improvement and to make sure that your feet are stepping in the right direction. Of course educated, thinking people would agree that to accept the choice to acquiesce in despair is no choice at all for those who would hope to retain a high self-image, and therefore all that is really left is to make use of t"he educational advantages we have, to face the problems squarely and do our best to solve them. The challenge to do th.at, by theway, is not yours alone, it is a challenge we all have to face and are facing daily. It might also be worthwhile to point out that because there is confusion and lack of certainty you are by no means a group of disadvantaged people or a lost genera_ tion as some believe. On the contrary, lbelieve lou are more fortunate by comparison with many past genera_ tions. You are not leaving school to enter the world of the 1930's when unemployment was far greater than it is to_ day, and in addition only about 5% of the population was educaled beyond Grade 10 so that the most they could hope for was a menial job for life. You are better off , I believe, than those school leavers of the early 1970's - unhappy, dissident, critically seif- destructive, who entered society with a cynical desire to tear down everything that was stable in society and to put nothing rn its place, and almost succeeded. They would have succeeded, I think, had it not been for th6 economic recession. No, I do not believe you are an unfortunate generation - in fact you are the best educated generaiion of young people in the history of this country, and your iuture education will be paid for by the community. Vou will not have to depend on a rare scholarship or a wealthy parent
the malure person has come to a stage in life where he feels the impulse to be a self-sustaining person useful to family, friends and society as a whole. Therefore if you wish to make a spacious version of youl' lives you will keep learning. One sign that you have grown up and that you are no longer a child, is that you don't look upon study or learning as work. lf you decide that now you have left school that this is the end of your education rather than the end of the beginning of your education, then you will have placed a limit on your per- sonal development and you will effectively hold down the level of your attainment. This may appear to some a bit sententious and it could be assumed that I have espoused these sentiments simply because it ts expected on occasions such as these, but I assure you that what I have said is sincerely meant. I do believe that because of the education you have had, and the care that has been shown to you at your school, you do have the chance to make a great contribution to your society in the future, and by so doing you will live more fulfilled lives. You will need to be prepared however to put aside the specious, the tawdry, the vulgar and the cheap with which we are daily surrounded, you will need to recognize that a worship of materialism is not only destructive of yourselves but of the community as well, you will need to recognize double standards and avoid them, and understand that self-gratification is short-lived and pointless. lf on the other hand you can give attention to developing yourselves as responsible, charitable and caring human beings, then, and only then, will the years of education you have been advantaged to have at Girls' Grammar prove worthwhile. I wish you success in your endeavours.
to gain a tertiary education. You are healthier than any oth-er generation, more cared for, treated more gently, have more people concerned for you than ever, you are better housed and better Jed than any other generation in the world's history, you have more material posses- sions, more comfort, you will live longer, and the com- munity will look after you when you are ill or unemployed and when you are old. All this, I might point out, has been brought about by a generation which has been alleged to be uncaring, devoted to materialism, misguided and unsympathetic to the real problems of today's youth! Certainly much of what has been gained is materialist in nature, and certainly we have lost sight of many of the eternal truths that every human being has a right to dignity and an opportunity to reach self-fulfilment, but the gains are not all negative and you can do much towards putting things to right if you have the courage and readiness to accept the challenge" I nope then that you will try to develop a purpose which will give your mind unity of thought and action, and which wili help you to keep your sense of direction. Despite the view that has gained much currency in our community, the purpose of life is not merely to seek en- joyment - personal satisfaction must be combined with continuous self development and this can only be done by becoming involved in significant work and activtties that contribute to the welfare of the community to which you belong. lam sure lneed not remind an audience such as this that, despite the great garns that have been made towards equality, the role of women in this society still regrettably appears in many ways to be a subservient one. lf you are to achieve the equality to which of course you are entitled, you will, I believe, have to accept that you are able to, and indeed will be expected, to take the same sort of responsibility for the development of your society as might be expected of men. This means, I believe, that you will have to be aware of, and respond to, regrettable attempts to put you down, not by a too obvious display of a.rrogant independence, but by a demonstration of your own intrinsic worth as educated, mature, sensitive and responsible persons. Unfortunately you have a long way to go before you can hope to have the sort of acceptance to which you are entitled, but I know you can capture the dominant idea of your own worth in society by using the tools with which you have been provided - a good education and skills in applying that education, and because you have these advantages I believe you are more likely to be successful than any generation before you in achieving the rights to which you are entitled. To do this however requires that you can prove to yourselves and others that you are mature people. Mature ludgement of course is not a matter of age but the application of knowledge to situations. Maturity is the ability to react to life situations in ways that are more beneficial than the ways in which a child would act. lt in- volves an increase of self-understanding, self-control and self-direction. Delayed maturity is evidenced by those who remain habituated to being supported by parents, or the Govern- ment, or even a husband, when they should be shoulder- ing their own responsibilities. lnstead of leaning upon others to supply wants, soothe fears, and provide ref uge,
ADDRESS BY DR. G. FIELDING ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES DECEMBER, 1979 On behalf of the Board of Trustees, the principal, the Staff and the Girls, lwelcome you to the annual end of year Assembly and Presentation of prizes to year l2 Students for 1979. I do welcome you, Mr. Howell, Headmaster of the Brisbane Grammar School, our guest speaker today, and express our pleasure at being here in the Centenary Hall of your tllustrious school. We welcome you, too, Mrs. Howell. The year '1979 has been a very busy one for all associated with the School. lt has been a year of notable achievements, associated though they l-Lave been with the sadness of the tragic bus accident of April 21 . During the year, the Auditorium, Gymnasium Complex and Memorial Garden were completed and were opened officially by Sir James Ramsay, Governor of Queensland, on September 22. The Board wishes to express its deepest thanks to the groups associated with the School, which contributed to the cost of the Complex. The total cost was $244,000 which was paid in the following way:- (1)Parents & Friends $9997 for lighting and stage curtains $6000 towards canteen. (2)Old Girls Association $7000 towards the Conn Organ. (3)Fathers Group $4591 for sound equipment plus the donation and construction of the Memorial Garden. (4)Centenary Building Fund $31000 for the buitding $ 7639 for the seating. (5)The State Government $BBO00. (6)The Board $89773 As a result of the bus accident, the Board authorised the setting up of two funds, namely: (1)The Stamf ord Endowment Fund, to provide assistance for the two Stamford children. (2)The Brisbane Girls Grammar School Memorial Fund, to provide a facility within the School programme, to commemorate those who lost their lives and those who were injured. A. co-ordinating committee, under the Chairmanship of Mrs. Beryl Mortimer was set up, and iBcluded repreien- tatives of the Staff, Women's Auxiliary Group, Old Girls Association, Parents and Friends, Fathers Group and Trustees. As a result of the committee's actrvities, the state of the Funds are as follows: Stamford Endowment Fund $15,400 (Target set 915,000) B.G.G.S. Memorial Fund $ 7,433 I wish to mention examples of the Fund raising for these f u nds:- Womens Groups $ 2,760 from a Fashion Parade Queensland Youth Orchestra $ 1,569.15 Grammar Singers $ +Zg. o
The Board wishes to congratulate all those who con- tributed time, energy and money in the raising of these funds. The Funds are now being administered by the Board. Mr''s. Pat Given has kindly consented to continue to act as the liaison between the Stamford Family and the Board, attending to their needs as they arise. The Board wishes to congratulate all the girls in yearl0 who raised $600 towards the cost of the 2-way radio, which was donated to the Beaudesert Ambulance. The Board wishes to thank the Fathers Group for their excellent work during 1979, for the connecting walkway, 2nd. level Humanities Building, alterations and painting in the Tuck Shop, and the banks of concrete seating on the south side of the Swimming Pool. The Board wishes the members of all groups - parents & Friends, Womens Auxiliary, Old Girls Association and Fathers Group to know that it is deeply appreciative of their efforts for the School, and thanks each and everyone most sincerely. The Board of Trustees wishes to express its appreciation to the Principal, Mrs. Hancock, and her Staff, for the ex- cellence of their work during 1979. The Board realises the pressures under which all those associated with the teaching profession are placed at the present time, and values very highly the standard of your achievements. On behalf of the Board I wish to congratulate members of Staff who have gained academic distinctions during the year. Miss Forster and Miss Greet, Bachelor of Education. Mrs. Burgoyne - Selection to the Syllabus Committee in Art. Mrs. Thornquist - Selection to the Foreign Language Subject Advisory Committee and the winning of a Scholarship - State de Paris Montpellier - to study in Paris in January and February 1980. The Board congratulates all staff who are continuing to gain higher academic honours and wishes them well. The Board is pleased to announce that there will be new equipment purchased for the Language Laboratory in 1980 with a complete upgrading of facilities, as sug- gested by Mr. Rowell, Media Co-ordinator. Further, as a result of Board deliberations, it is expected that there will be only a small rise of about 896 in school fees in the coming year, despite rising costs. ln conclusion, lwish, on behalf of the Board, to thank all those people, girls, staff and parents who have worked so hard during 1979 for the Brisbane Girls Grammar School, for the betterment of the School. CLOSING ADDRESS ln my closing address I wish to speak rn particular to the girls of the school. To the girls in Years 8,9, 10 and t1 I wish all a very happy holiday and may you return com- pletely refreshed to commence 1980. To the girls in Year l2lwish togive a shortaddress, for this year I have had an opportunity to meet the girls much more than had been my previous experience. Fur- ther my address to you is a little different to those which have been given by Mr. Howell and Mrs. Hancock. Many years ago, a close friend, a Surgeon Colonel in the Australian Army, told me of his experiences in Vietnam, and especially his treatment of the young men injured in
the Tuckshop. The new floor covering has been laid, laminex tops have been fitted to the benches, tiles have been laid in the entrance, perspex covers for hygiene in the serving area have been erected and the whole area was painted. Hopefully our mothers who so willingly work rn providing this service to the girls have ap- preciated the more pleasant surroundings. Thanks to the combined efforts oJ Mrs. Marie Murray and Mrs. Fay the Tuckshop continues to be a service to the girls providing quite a wide variety of food and at the same time giving the Association an income. After a long association with the school we will be sorry to lose Mrs. Fay's conf ident ability. We welcome Mrs. Liz Bulley's offer to look after this area of activity in 1981. Within the area of the Tuckshop we have located the Sta- tronery Shop. This facility is also open every day and stocks everything that our daughters could need. A new line being introduced this year is a School Diary which will have the school crest on the cover. As a result of the many hours spent by the Clothing Shop Convenor, Mrs. Rita Davidson in contacting suppliers, comparing prices and making sure of the quality and continuity of supply, this area of activity continues to be a highly efficient, smooth running operation providing the Association with a substantial income. Because of Rita's ability to work with people she has gathered around her a band of very willing workers whose help is greatly appreciated by the Association. All school uniform requlrements are stocked; both dress and sporting. Also all badges - school, house, etc. - hat bands and ties can only be purchased at our Clothing Shop. A special thank you must be given to Mrs. Rolene Orford who this year has compared methods of distribution of books at other schools and also has studied the various offers of major book suppliers. As a result of this the Ex- ecutive is conf ident of a successf ul operation in 1980-81 . Pellegrinis will supply and sell all books required by all our students. The professional staff from Pellegrini's store will handle the selling of the books from the Auditorium on the Saturday before school resumes bet- ween 1 and 8 p.m. and all day on Tuesday. Pellegrinis will give the school 10% of the total sales, so we are hoping for overwhelming support. Special arrangements are being made for boarders' requirements and we feel sure that Pellegrinis system is well worth trying in an endeavour to have all students supplied with the correct books before school resumes. Mrs. Alison Minson has been working behind the scenes all year to ensure that once again we will have a well- organised sale of second hand books at the end of .1980. All girls will be supplied with a list of books they can return for resale so that every advantage can be taken by parents of this avanue of supply before ordering new books. A great number of hours are given by many mothers in these areas of activity and the time spent is greatly ap- preciated by the Association. lt is hoped that they have had lots of laughs and pleasant communication between other mothers as well as the reward of achieving something. This year we began looking forward to 1981 when the school year will change to four terms. We felt that with the number of meetings already held during a term that it
that war. He said how proud he was to treat such noble young men at the time of their rnjuries, and of his humility in the presence of such valour. On the evening of the bus accident, I entered the Casualty-lntensive Ward Section of my hospital with my surgrcal registrar. There I saw two girls lying on stretchers, their bodies lacerated beyond belief . I spoke to each in turn, asking how they were, and each replied, "l am alright, thank you Doctor"" I have never known such a feeling of com- passion to come over me in 20 years of service to my hospital, and had to leave the room for a short time to regain my composure. Later that eventng, driving home after seeing all the girls, I thought of my experiences and realised that I had been privileged to see the n bility of youth, at the time of adversity. So my first message to you is - realise the nobility of your youth. Often, after the accident, lwould go and see the girls in the Wards - just to say 'hello'. Many times when I entered the Ward, I would see a number of girls f rom the school visiting their sick f riends, and the love that shone from their eyes and their faces was very beautiful to behold. So my second message to you - realise your love to your f rrends and your parents. My third message is - remember the dignity of womanhood which each and everyone of you possess, so that in ihe future, when times may be a little hard, and the future itseif seems insecure, remember your nobility, your love, your dignity, reach out, reach for the stars, reach for the goal to which you would aspire, and which I fervently hope you will attain. REPORT OF P. & F. ASSOCIATION 1980 began with the Association helping the Board of Trustees tn investigating the purchase of an Outdoor Education Centre. Members of the Parents & Friends Association were able to assist in many ways and to pre- sent the views of the groups of parents on the project. Although this particular purchase did not eventuate I feel it was an excellent example of what the Parents & Friends Association is all aboutl One of its main func- tions as lsee it, is communication. lt provides a direct and strong link between parents and the school. The convenors of the various sub-committees who are an important part of the Executive also provide a means of communication between the girls and the school. The efforts of the parents have assisted in - (a) providing the means for improving school services, e.g. sporting equipment, musical instruments (early this year we supplied a euphonium and timpani), photocopier (b) making the school a more comfortable place for study, e.g. ceiling fans, concrete paths (c) providing services to the girls, e.g. tuckshop, sta- tionery shop (d) helping to ease the f inancial burden on parents, e.g. clothing shop, second-hand books. Once again it has been proven that a busy person gets things done and Mrs. Shirley Fay, with her small commit- tee, has achieved great changes in the appearance of
was necessary to change the constitution and so a Special General Meeting was called for 25th June at which the following amendment to the rules was passed: "A general meeting of members shall be held at least once during the school year in a month other than the month in which the Annual General Meeting was held at such time as the Executive Committee shall decide." We see this as not limiting the opportunity of parents to participate but rather allowing the executive the flexibili- iy to call meetings with a greater sense of purpose. Of course monthly meetings will continue to be held by the Mothers' and Fathers' Groups who we see to be the arms of the Association. The newsletter this year has once again provided a valuable communication for those parents who are unable to take an active part in the school activities. We thank Mrs. Sue Cameron for co-ordinating this activity. Mrs. Joyce Nayler has accepted the position of property Officer. We hope that people wishing to borrow property belonging to the Association will contact Mrs. Nayler and in this way greater use will be made of the association property by the school community. Thanks also must go to Mrs. Nayler and Social Convenor for her liaison with the Mothers' Group and the Executive. Plans are well in hand for the Annual Dinner for year 12 Students. This has become an important tradition of the school and one to which the girls look forward. 1980 has been a happy year for the P. & F. Association. All members of the Executive have carried out their various duties quietly and efficiently. Our special thanks must be expressed to our financial wizard Treasurer lvan Bowen Jor the excessive time spent in keeping our money working for us. I look forward to the continuing success of the Associa- tion in 1981 and wish you all a happy and relaxing holi- day time. Merilyn Wright, President. FATHER'S GROUP REPORT The Father's Group followed on in 1980 the excellent work done by members of the Group from the previous year. Strong support for Gwandallon Valley was received f rom the Group with several members working hard and long to make the dream a reality. UnJortunately the result was not as expected but strong support stillcontinues among our members for the principle of an outdoor education extension centre. Wine bottling continued as our main source of revenue to fund other projects which included supporting the SRC open dance both financially and physically; pro- viding prizes for the Spellathon, and supply of a new electric typewriter for use in the library. The Father's Group also assisted at the Extravaganza and Dancing classes and in conjunction with the girls are in the process of renovating the locker rooms. Treeplanting around the school, construction of walls and a path to stabilize the bank between the tennis courts and volley ball courts and repainting of the tuckshop were other projects which were carried out through the year. lnvestigation into providing some extra a
facilities for the boarding school is being carried out by a committee from the Father's Group and this will be an ongoing project into next year as will be the upgrading of the locker rooms. Many of the Group membeis heti in sporting activities and in EEA areas as well. lwould like to thank Mrs. Hancock Jor her pleasant co- operation, ready and helpful advice and strong support for our group. I would extend my thanks to my veiy ex- cellent committee and to all those workers wh6 putiime and effort into our activities to improve in many ways our daughters school days. Patrick Mahoney, Chairman, Father's Group. B.G.G.S. MOTHERS' GROUP The Mothers' Group has had a very busy and successful year. During the first term we held our Fashion Extrava- ganza, which involved a large number of girls. We were grateful to the girls for the time they spent in rehearsal, and the audience's obvious enjoyment of the evening must have rewarded them for their efforts. The second term saw our first venture into dancing classes for girls in grades 9 and 10 and boys in grades 1O and 1 1 . Although we had some diff iculty initially in enticing the boys along, all went smoothly, and we felt that the classes were very worthwhile. The champagne and chicken theatre evening in July proved to be en- joyable socially and successful financially. Our biggest and most sustained effort, one with which many mothers at the school helped, was the week's catering for the N.A.D.l.E" Conference in the August holidays. We could not have managed without that help, and we are very grateful to those who cooked and to those who served. The Morning Musicale in the third term was well attend- ed, and we are grateful to Una Morgan and her guest artists for providing us with such a delightful concert. At the time of submitting this report we are yet to have "Music Alf resco" at Early Street Historical Village, but I am confident that it, too, will be successful. We have raised approximately $6,OOO this year, $2,000 of which has been used to purchase a tuba and an oboe for the school orchestra. We hope to spend the remain- ing money this year so that the girls may benefit immediately. My personal thanks to the wonderful group of women at the school who have given so generously of their time and helped with every function that we have had. lt has been a happy and rewarding year for all of us. Jan Battersby, President. OLD GIRLS' ASSOCIATION REPORT The objectives of the Old Girl's Association are quoted AS; (a) Keep up a connection between past pupils and the school and to promote fellowship amongst past pupils. (b) Maintain an interest in the welfare of the school. To this end the past 12 months have been both produc- tive and rewarding.
ln July 1922she returned to teach at her old school in a temporary capacity and tn 1923 she became a perma- nent member of the staff , a post which she held until her retirement during 1965, after forty{wo years of devoted service to the school. Some of you, or if not, your mothers, will remember Miss Kennedy as an excellent teacher of Mathematics in the Lower and Middle Schools. Always, she strove to instil into her pupils, sound mathematical principles, and she set before them the ideals of intellectual integrity and in- dependence of thought. But she did more than teach Maths in a classroom. Her relations with her pupils were the natural corollary of her own high principles of con- duct. Perceptive girls would have recognised the wisdom of her judgments, and her tolerance; girls who found difficulties with their work will remember with affection and gratitude her genuine sympathy and pa- tience; and all would have enjoyed f rom time to time - some more than others - her dry lrish humour and her ready wit, a wit that was never tainted with malice or unkindness. Although she could speak plainly and forthrightly when the occasion demanded it, she was by nature shy and retiring, shunning the limelight, preferring often to work as a "back-room boy". Miss Kennedy identified herself with many activities out- side the classroom. Bef ore the days of Sports Mistresses, she was responsible for the organisation of tennis in the school; she gave sterling service with Miss Macmillan in the management of school concerts, and she shared with Mrs. Jackson the often arduous work of selecting the school prizes for Speech Night, and the wise allocation of the books bought. I quote here f rom "Current Events" written for the 1965 School Magazine: "With Miss Kennedy's retirement, we lost, not only an excellent Mathematics teacher, but also someone who had come to be regarded by past and present pupils alike as an essential part of our School." Miss Kennedy lived quietly in retirement, and although her strength gradually failed her, she retained to the last her interest in and love of the school. Nor have lever known anyone who surpassed her in a strong sense of duty towards and compassion for, the sick, the dying and the dead. Last year, the Old Girls' Association paid her the tribute of conferring on her an Honorary Life Membership of the Association. On the 12th September, 1979, Miss Kennedy died, after a brief rllness, very peacefully. She just slipped quietly away. But the memory of a fine, loyal, Old Girl, will always remain. Marjorie C. Elliott OBITUARIES MRS. MOLLIE FRANCES CARMODY (MOLLTE PRATTEN) Hundreds of Old Girls will remember the name of Mollie Pratten who entered the School in 1920 and left after Senior in 1924. Those who knew her would have been saddened to learn of her death in May this year. Mollie remains in our memory as one of the greatest all- round athletes that the School has ever produced. She
Activities of significance undertaken during the year include:- A welcome to new members at the Annual General Meeting in February. An afternoon tea reunion held at the school during June when Old Girls enjoyed and apprectated the opportunity of seeing the many improvements to the school and its facilities since "their school years". The Art Show featuring a display of paintings, sculptures, pottery and other crafts was held on the School Day weekend and was as always a huge success - both socially and f inancially. We were fortunate in having the show opened by Miss Marjorie Neil, an Old Girl and Mistress of this school and currently the Headmistress of St. Aldan's School, Corinda. The Mother's Day Raffle was a tremendous success and we thank all the girls who supported us so willingly by either selling or buying tickets. Congratulations to the winners - Amanda White, a frtend of a student. Jean Vallis, Old Girls Committee Member. Looking to the future, we are again organizing a Chicken and Champagne Supper at the Art's Theatre on the 23rd November. This function has always been a happy event and an enjoyable way to end our year's activity. We in- vite all students and old girls to share this evening with US. We are always pleased to receive information regarding Old Girl's and this can be forwarded to our Secretary care of the School. We would like to wish all girls leaving the school this year "Every Success" in their chosen careers, and invite them to join the Old Girls Association which will enable them to keep in touch with the school and its activities. Finally, thank you lr,4rs Hancock and all members of the School staff for your help and support during the year. I am grateful, Madame President, for having been given the opportunity to speak tonight of one of our Old Girls of many years' standing, Miss Doris Kennedy, who died last year. lshould say at the outset that for part of this address I am indebted to a tribute written, lthink, by Miss M.A. Macmillan for the School Magazine when Miss Kennedy retired. Because of her health Miss Kennedy did not begin at Primary School until she was eight years of age; then in 1912 she entered Brisbane Girls' Grammar School, hav- ing won a State Government Scholarship tenable for three years. Only twenty-five scholarships were given throughout the State in those days, the examination be- ing competitive, and not merely qualifying. lncidentally, her seven brothers and sisters achieved the same distinction. ln 1916, on the results of the Senior examina- tion, she won a Teaching Scholarship to the Queensland Unrversity, from which she graduated rn Arts in 1919. Miss Kennedy loved her school, and f rom what she has told me, her five years spent here as a pupilwere happy ones - so richly evident in many warm recollections and delightful anecdotes spiced with humour of that time, which remained with her all her li{e. Lorraine Chesters, President. MISS DORIS V. KENNEDY
was awarded Blues in Athletics, Tennis and Basketball. Her fine qualities made her an outstanding and natural leader in Athletics, and her record there throughout her five years at B.G.G.S. made her a power to be ieckoned with by competitors from all other schools. Mollie has left us with something that continues to give pleasure and to arouse our pride: our War Cry, for she was largely responsible for its composition. MRS. MARGERY PHILLIPS (MARGERY PARK) Very many Old Girls will learn with regret of the death of one of their Mistresses - Miss Margery park - which occurred on 27Ih August this year. Margery Park entered the School as a pupil in j917 and left in 1922. She was an excellent swimmer and represented the School in the lnterschool Swimming Carnivals. After gaining her Bachelor of Arts degree she taught for a short time in the Education Department, and in lg2g was appornted to the staff of B.G.G.S. where she taught Psysiology and Maths (chiefly Arithmetic) in the Lower and Middle Schools. She identified herself with the School's swimming and for some years trained the Basketball teams soundly and with great success. Whether in the Staff Room, the Classroom or in areas of sport, Margery Park's work was marked by steadiness, reliability and a high sense of duty. She left at the end of 1938 to be married to Mr. Sydney Phillips. Since her marriage she had lived in Sydn-ey. ELIZABETH GERTRUDE STAFF, or as she was known at School, Gertrude Hart, passed away also in May this year, two weeks before Mollie Carmody's death. Elizabeth entered and left the School at the same time as Mollie; they were in the same Vth and Vlth Forms. She laught in the Education Department until her marriage to Mr. Stanley Staff . Coming from Dayboro, Elizabeth was for a time a boarder - a stranger from a small country school set down in the midst of strangers. Though shy and retiring in disposition, she was possessed of tremendoui reserves of quiet strength and courage, qualities which distinguished her during her long years of illness and suf- fering. To visit Elizabeth during those years was to be humbled and inspired by her fortitude and infectious cheerf u lness. MRS. EVELYN MABEL BACKHOUSE died on September 22nd, aged 95 years. She was born in Toowoomba in 1885, the daughter of Jettie and Joseph Wedd. Joseph Wedd was one of the first two pupils to win an open. scholarship to the B.G.S. He was for many years Headmaster of Newmarket School. Mabel Wedd gained a scholarship to B.G.G.S. where she won the Lilley Medat, the Exhibition Schotarship, the Fairfax Prize and the Annie Grice Medal. She was Dux of the School in 1903. The scholarships took her to Trinity College, Melbourne University as there was no University in Brisbane. She obtained an M.A. with Honours in Classics. She joined the teaching staff of lpswich Grammar School and taught there for many yeais. She was admit_ 10
ted to the Queensland University when it opened as Ad Eundum. ln 1910 she married William John Boyd Backhouse a member of a well known grazing familyand went to live in Killarney. ln 1963 she was invited to attend the University of Queensland's Jubilee Celebrations and was fronoure'O Oy the then Governor of eueensland, Sir Henry Abel Smith. She is survived by 5 children and many grandchrldren . . . SIXTH FORM OF 1930 On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of our leaving school, a re-union of members of this form was held ai the School on 24Ih September, 1980. We were met by the Assistant to the principal, Mr. Chris Madden who conducted us to Mrs. Hancock's study and introduced us to her. Mrs. Hancock kindly entertained us to afternoon tea, assisted by severat of tne boarders from the School, and gave us a short talk on the present_ day school and its future. lnteresting comparisons were made with today's school and that of Miss Lilley,s day. Mrs. Hancock, again capably assisted by- a few boarders, conducted us ovei the school and its playgrounds, and this was much appreciated by us. Out of a possible 23 members, (four have died) there were 15 present, Joan Allsop having flown from Sydney for the day and Edith Murray (ne-e Wagner) wfro in'_ stigated the proceedings for this re-unioin as well as those held in 1920 and i 975, came f rom Tannum Sands, near Gladstone. We were all pleasantly surprised at the way the School had grown and developed and the high standard of behaviour witnessed and expected. At the suggestion of Dr. Elsie Harwood, our members agreed to present an oil painting to be hung in the School in honour of this visit.
Palethorpe (nee
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