1985 School Magazine

Gi11ts· Gttammatt School %aL VEWX?H 1985

EDITOR: Chrysula Lytras. ASSISTANT EDITORS: Amanda Stickley, Suzy Grice, Sue Ranson. ART EDITORS: Nichole Mudie, Trudy Dungave /1. GENERAL ASSISTANTS: Alison Hood, jane Purnell, Tania Hudson, Helen Byrom, Carolyn Wood, Shani Doig, Kim Yap, Selena Brown, jenny Clark. SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS: Donna Horton, Susie Cooper. ASSISTING TEACHERS: Mrs Co/will, Mrs Kiolle.

1985 MAGAZINE COMMITTEE

Chaos, bedlam, trauma and the usual panic has at last subsided as this year's Magazine Committee regain their sanity! A larger group than usual made our burdens a little lighter, but still the nervous breakdowns were narrowly avoided as the deadline approached. To paraphrase Hamlet, the committee sometimes thought: " 0 cursed spite, That even we were born to set it right! " Profound thanks must go to Mrs Colwill and to all the members of the Committee- their support and hard work contributed to the success of this year's magazine. The Boarder's Magazine, introduced last year, is again included and is a tribute to the hard work of a group of daring boarders under Mrs Kiolle's guidance.

Finally, to all those whose reports, activities and creative talents combine to make our Magazine - Thank you .

Gittls' ~ttammatt School BricSba.ne

In spite of all the drama, I have loved being Editor. Good luck to next year's committee. Believe me- you'll need it.

Chrysula Lytras Editor

of secondment to the Board of Secondary School Studies and was promoted to the position of Mistres,s in Charge of Languages. Staff leaving at the end of the year inc lude Mrs jennifer • Orme, Mrs Christine Madden, Miss jill Turner, Mrs Linda Crook and Mrs Patricia Alldridge. Recently Mrs Robin Thomas B.A., Cert.T., L.T.C.L. has been appointed by the Board of Secondary School Studies as Review Officer for Speech and Drama, Theatre, Film and Television, and Dance. Her term of secondment is for two years after which time she will return to the school. After 10 years in the school Mr Alan Dale B.A., B.Ed., M.A.C.E. will take leave for 12 months to pursue further study in England . I have been grateful for the support Mr Dale has given me as Year 12 Level Supervisor and look forward to welcoming him back in 1986. We were all greatly saddened ear lier in the year when Mrs jean Ashton, our gardener for many years and previously a resident mistress in the Boarding School became seriously ill. She has been responsible for vast improvements in the school grounds and indeed has become an integral part of school life. Her efforts on behalf of the school will always be remembered with deep appreciation. I would like to take this opportunity also to thank Mrs Ashton for her generous gift to the school of two paintings by Ella Fry (nee Robinson) an Old Girl of the school who attended from 1931 to 1933. These paintings now hang in the main Administration building. Professor Margaret Bullock was granted 12 months leave- of-absence from the Board of Trustees while she is on study leave overseas. She will return to the Board next May. Miss Helen Lynch resigned from the Board of Trustees in September, because of her move to Sydney to a promotional position with Westpac. We are grateful for her contribution to the financial management of the school and wish her well in the future. Mrs joan Cook has been appointed by the Minister to replace Miss Lynch. 1984 marks the 100th Anniversary of the opening of the present school on Gregory Terrace. Between 1875 and 1883, the school was housed in other buildings, originally in George Street and later in Wickham Terrace. To commemorate this major developmental move, the Old Girls' Association presented a large archival cabinet which has now been install ed in the main corridor of the Administration building. A display representing the past 100 years is presently on view c reating much discussion amongst staff, students, parents and Old GiJis of the school. Each year we plan to change the display so that an niversaries relevant to a particular year can be highlighted. A prominent feature of the present display relates to the attendance of Mrs Margaret Park (nee Margaret Kerr), who was a student in the school from 1879 to 1884. The ·L illey Gold Medal awarded to her in 1883, and a prize for Mathematics, which was awarded in 1884, are both on display. Later she became a member of staff at the school and on leaving in 1890 she was presented with a tray and coffee set, which we are delighted to be able to display. Miss Sophia Beanland, the Headmistress in 1884, was apparently very fond of Margaret Kerr and in 1913 passed on to her the gold watch which had been presented on the occasion of her retirement from the st:hool in 1889. This watch also is proudly on display.

PRINCIPAL'S ANNUAL REPORT, 1984 It is with pleasure that I present the 109th Annual Report of Brisbane Girls' Grammar School which allows for recognition to be given not only to the achievements of the past year, but also to the many and varied contributions that so many make to the life of the school. The school year opened on january 23rd with an enrolment of 812 students, of whom 96 were boarders. A number of new staff were welcomed, including: Miss Tamara Tennant, Dip.TY.Grad.Dip.Art Ed ............ Art Miss joanne Dempsey, B.H.M.S., Dip.Ed .................... ...... Health & Physical Education Miss Bronwyn Myers, Dip.C.A.(Music), Dip.T.Sec. Music, A.Mus.A. to the Music Department as fulltime String specia Iist. During the year Mr Phillip Elmes, B.Sc. , Dip.Ed. was appointed to the Mathematics Department, replacing Mrs Baines. Mrs Linda Crook, B.A., Dip.Ed .......................... German Mrs jocelyn O'Neill, B.A. , B.App.Sc........... Mathematics Mrs Patricia Alldridge, B.Sc., B.Comm., Dip.Ed ................................................. Mathematics Mrs Kristine Cooke, B.A., Dip. Ed .. .............. P/T Resource Mrs Anne Farley, Grad.Dip.Res.T., Dip.T. .... . PIT Resource Mrs Lorraine Thornquist returned to the school after a period 2 A number of part-time staff were also welcomed:

This year prov1s1on was made by Mr Cyrus Lee for an endowment bursary, which makes possible the entry of a girl into the school , who is being supported by a single parent, or who, through special circumstances, might not otherwise be able to attend. The bursary is in memory of Mr Lee's late wife, joan Lee (nee Armstrong) a former student of the school who attended in 1928 and 1929. Mr Lee has now set us a challenge for the future and if it is met, we hope to be able to extend the bursary so that other girls will be given the opportunity to attend the school. Another exciting provision was made by Miss Margaret Mittel heuser and Dr Catherine Mittel heuser, both Old Girls of the school, to enable the school to have an Artist In Residence Programme to commence in 1985. The first Artist to be invited to the school to spend some weeks with us working with students is Miss Virginia Cuppaidge, a well- known Australian artist presently working in the United States. This year I do not intend to itemise all the activities and programmes of the past year, as these are well documented in the Annual Magazine. Instead, I intend to highlight only those developments that will affect the future of the school. During the 1983 Christmas vacation, the main Computer room in the Humanities Block was enlarged and alterations were made to the Language classrooms to provide for additional staff accommodation and increased storage space. The main administration office was also re-o~ganised and an enquiry counter provided in the entrance hall. Other improvements throughout the year, have included the provision of extra Tandy computer terminals and the development of a classroom in the Eastern wing as a computer facility for the Mathematics department. The school now has 18 Tandy Colour Computers with printers and disk drives, together with eight terminals for student use from the Mini PDP11/23 Computer. As well as this, a number of terminals are available for staff use. Next year these facilities will be expanded still further to provide two fully-equipped classrooms.

In 1984 when so much publicity is given to the education of girls, it is most fittin·g that we are able to recall for students at Brisbane Girls' Grammar School some of the fine academic traditions of past students at this school, and particularly of those who attended in an era when th~? education of girls was even more limited than has been the case in more recent times. The obvious pleasure derived by so many from the display justifies the immense effort that the Old Girls' Association has put into raising the finance needed for the project. Each year we are reminded of the tremendous goodwill and fellowship that exists in the various associations within the school. The efforts of such groups provide the school with extra funds that can be used to improve the total school environment. The Parents & Friends' Association this year raised over $17,000, which was allocated as follows: $6,927.50 on the lmbil property; $2,836.30 on the landscaping between the Humanities Block and the Administration block and the completion of the barbecue area for boarders; $5,230.16 on computers and $2,100 .00 on 14 typewriters. The labour for the landscaping was donated by the active Fathers' Group, working on Saturdays and Sundays. The Mothers' Group has raised some $7,500 and has allocated these funds to provide new curtains in the Auditorium as well as a new Video Portapack for the Media department. This year there was no School Day and instead the Mothers' Group under Mrs Holmes organised a most successful Gala Family Day at Fig Tree ~ocket. The support forth is function surpassed all expectations and it will long be remembered as a most happy and friendly day. I am genuinely grateful for the way in which Parents, Friends and Old Girls co- operate and work together, not only to support the aims of the school, but also to help the Board of Trustees in its difficult task of maintaining a well-equipped and well-cared- for school. 3

Students enteri ng the school are no strangers to computers and so it becomes inc reas ingly important for staff to have ready access to, and confidence, in using modern technology. This is in keep ing with one of the thrusts of the Computer Education Programme, as introduced in 1984 by the Commonwealth Schools Commission. The Commission believes that in impl ementing the programme, special emphas is should be given to using computers to achi eve greater equality of outcome in education and that the needs of the girls should be given special attention . Indeed it stresses that " the effectiveness of the programme will be heavily dependent upon the skills and motivation of the teaching force. For the programme to develop, it will be essential for teachers to be provided with the necessary time and opportunity to come to an understanding of computer technology and to be ab le to work through issu es related to integrat ing th e tec hnology into th e total curriculum:' The school supports this policy and acco rdingly released Mrs Roslyn Lawrence B.Comm, M.Ed.Std ., Dip.Ed., A.A.S.A., M.A.C.E. for training as a computer consultant for teachers in non-Gove rnment schoo ls. After her initial trainin g, she co-operated with Mr Bourke and Mr Francis to develop a two-day workshop for staff. It was well attended and many of our staff now have co nfidence to use the new technology as a tool in the teaching process. Computer ed ucat ion is just one of the Commonwea lth Schools Commission initi at ives, and, as with other such p rogrammes, the sc hoo l was able to pre-empt the development so th at programmes offered in the sc hoo l retain relevance in today's soc iety. The ab ility and capac ity of staff to continual ly eva luate and plan so that this sc hoo l can maintain its position as a leading ed ucational instituti on fo r girl s is to be commended, but unfortunately, at this time, has failed to ga in sign ificant recognition by the Commonwea lth Government. During 1983, a subm ission was made to the Commonwea lth Sc hoo ls Comm iss ion for a capita l grant for the new building deve lopment that is so desperate ly needed to prov id e adequate fac iliti es for students attending the school. Unfortunately the submiss ion was unsuccessful, with the result that parents now face the

difficult task of f inding 75% of th e funds needed for the proj ect. Because we are a Queensland Gri}mmar School, the State Government generously provides 25% of funding for cap ital developments, otherwise the school would have been faced with compl ete ly funding the whole deve lopment. Although we ca n understand th e needs-based policy that presently exists for both cap ital and recurrent funding, I beli eve that it is necessa ry for far greater consideration to be given to the definition of need than has been forthcoming to date. In th e letter received from the Commonwealth Schools Commission, it was stated that the deve lopment had "i nsuffic ient priority" for funding and yet all the areas addressed by Brisbane Girls' Grammar School in its assessment of its needs for the future, are at present either programme areas or projects of national signifi ca nce that are being supported by th e Commonwealth Government during 1984: Computer education, Arts ed u cat~o n , Choice and Diversity, Education of Girls, Gifted and Talented Children, School and Community and School Evaluation. Through initi at ives the school has taken, it has accepted its responsibility co ntinually to improve resource standards and increase its academ ic offerings to stu dents, so that all students can, if they so desire, reach their maximum potential. The school has also accepted its responsibility for accountab ility to both gove rnments and parents alike. None of the facilities that were the subject of the appl icat ion for financial ass ista nce we re lu xuri es, but were basic requ irements necessary to all ow the needs and priorit ies of ed ucat ion today to be met. I w ill therefore co ntinue to ask on what grounds it can be stated that this schoo l has not suffic ient priority to att ract grant ass istance. The building w ill p roceed, but this will place increased burdens on parents of students in the sc hool. The Board of Trustees is most appreciative of the wonderful co-operat ion and support that the majority of parents in the schoo l have given to the new deve lopment through vo luntary donations to the school Build ing Fund , for without this support, the needs of the school cannot be met.

4

To other matters:

girls are able to develop their potential in a way that has definite positive effects on their overall performance. A few years ago in the Annual Report, I spoke of the many misconceptions that exist about this school. One of those is the manner in which students enter this school. There are no selection criteria as such. Over the years the school has increased the number of elective subjects offered in Years 11 and 12 in an effort to provide a broad liberal education for all students attending, with the ultimate aim of allowing each student to reach her full potential. For students who would in the past have left school at Year 10, we are now proposing to offer a two-year integrated studies programme beginning in 1985. This programme will lead to a Senior Certificate but no T.E. score and will provide students with skills that will allow them to enter the workforce at the end of Year 12 with greater confidence than has been possible ih the past. The course is purposely not a pre-vocational course because educationally I query the validity of such courses; but is a programme that will address many areas hitherto not covered by more traditional academic subjects, but are necessary for anyone who is living in today 's society. Ideally such a programme should be available to all students irrespective of the direction that they wish to follow. The programme has been designed by many staff members under the co-ordination of Mr john Walsh and has been sent to the Board of Secondary School Studies for accreditation. This leads me to my concluding remarks- What should a School Be, or What is Schooling All About? Although the answer to these questions varies according to the philosophy of the person addressing them, I believe too many people within our society want schools to do what society and, in particular, the family group is no longer doing.

just over five years ago, the school was deeply affected by a tragic bus accident at Christmas Creek. A member of staff, john Stamford, his wife and two students, Gillian Skaines and Helen Gahan were killed and many other students were seriously injured. In memory of Gillian and Helen, a full scholarship was awarded to a student entering the school in 1980. Our Proxime Accessit and winner of the Munro Cup this year, Susan Warren, received this scholarship and during her five years in the school, has contributed greatly to the life of the school and has certainly been a fitting recipient of that memorial scholarship. After the bus accident a large number of concerned and interested people donated money to a memorial fund which would allow for the purchase and development of an Outdoor Education centre that would serve as a permanent memorial to the students and staff involved in the accident. Recently the Widgee Shire Council re-zoned land purchased for this purpose at lmbil and plans are now well underway for an initial development on the site in 1985. The P. & F. Association have helped this project by earmarking $10,000 for use on the project and to date have covered the cost of surveys and initial plans. The Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Memorial Outdoor Education Centre now appears close to becoming a reality, thanks to the efforts of so many. Outdoor education forms an integral part of the school curriculum and is aimed at allowing girls similar opportunities in challenge and leadership, as we offered to many boys. All girls in the school have now been involved in Year 9 and 10 programmes, and next year, Year 8 will be included. Under the able leadership of Miss Mary McAdam.

5

During the past 12 months we have all noticed the concern of the Queensland Teach ers' Union, whose members are troubled by the increasing time spent in keeping basic order within the classroom. We have also noticed the concern of the Australian Teachers ' Federation over the increasing enrolments at non-Government schools and the support that is given by governments to such schools. Other concerns have been expressed by employers who feel that many young peopl e lack basic skills that would allow them to cope far better with adult life and employment than appears presently possible. Instead of addressing th ese serious allegations, however, some people involved in educational dec ision-making are trying to change schools from their primary responsibility of schooling into vocational or pre-vocational institutions. I cannot support these moves as any system th at allows for only a small percentage of our students to continu e with further ed ucation at tertiary level and destines the rest for labour, limits the deve lopment of our nation . There should be a uniform quality in all our schools and to ensu re that this occurs, any changes that are mooted at State o r National leve l should onl y be made after long and carefu l eva luation of the present ed ucational system, and then in the context of its histor ica l development. Some of the present proposals appear to be going agai nst the proper historical emphasis on comprehens ive education and against unity in our educational system. The above concerns are not unique to Australia, and in a recent report from America , ca ll ed the "Paideia Report", a group of eminent educators stress the need for educational reform so that it w il l all ow all children , not just the same amou nt of time in school , but with no exceptions, the same quality of education. The report accepts that everyone is unique, but that children are all the same in their human nature and that individual differences are always on ly differences in degree, never differences in kind . It states "the innermost meaning of social equa lity is substantially the same qua li ty of life for all. That ca ll s for the same quality of schooling for all." This school has always tried to provide a quality education for those attending and has never condoned the watering down of programmes to be less academically rigid. The embarrassingly large number of peop le wishing to enter the · school , and who wi ll never have the opportunity to do so, indicates there is a demand for the type of education the school provides. Yet I believe it is an indictment on our society that this type of educat ion is not avai lab le to al l, irrespective of the school they attend. Robert Maynard Hutchins stated a fundamental principle which I fu lly support and which I urge all those present today to support and work towards: "The best education for the best is the best education for all". It has been an interesting and challenging year and it would be remiss of me if I did not thank the entire school community for its support through some difficult times. The contributions that the Board of Trustees, the staff, the parents, the friends, the Old Girls and the students make to the school each year, makes it what it is. I hope that those leaving today can carry with them something of the ideals of this school which have always included the rights of students attending to equality of opportunity and that you can look back on your school days as being one happy worthwhile step in your education as people. 6

I have enjoyed working with the two Head Girls, Christine Farmer and Ann Harrap and with the Head Boarder, Eli zabeth Kennedy and indeed with all girls in Year 12. I believe that during the year we have all learnt to understand each other a little better and because of that have been able to discuss issues that at times have been contentious. Good luck to you all in the future and I look forward to welcoming many of you back to th e school in any capacity in which you feel you can make some contribution to the education of those coming after you.

judith A. Hancock Princ ipal November 23, 1984

Mrs Hancock, Dr Gehrman n, Members of t he Board of Trustees, Distinguished Guests, Members of the Staff, Parents and Gi rl s: I am very p leased to have t hi s opportunity of returning to my o ld school, and to have t he honour of addressing you this afternoon. I was a day gir l at the Brisbane Girls' Grammar School for t hree yea rs from 1963 to 1965 . Before this I had attended a country high school and I came to Grammar after my fami ly moved to Brisbane. One aspect of the Gir ls' Grammar Schoo l then wh ich particular ly impressed me was the high expectations by the schoo l of the students. These were expectations of us of good behaviour, observance of un iform, se lf-d iscipline in doing schoo l work and homework, and also expectations that we would be thoughtful , both in our attitudes to our work and in our relationships with other peop le. I can't imag ine t hat those expectations have changed- of course the uni fo rm itself has changed a bit: Grammar gir ls in my time were ca ll ed " licorice legs" because of their b lack stock ings. It has been shown that, on the average, girl s have less self- confidence and have a lower expectation of success tha n boys and I also believe t hat girl s are encouraged to be less assert ive than boys. It may be easier for many girls to achieve success in their studies by having a few years in an all-girl school like this one where there is freedom to be competitive and independent and the re is not so much pressure to be submi ss ive and unassertive. That may have been the case with me. I found at t he Grammar Sc hool a freedom to enj oy my school work - literatu re, languages, history, art, sc ience and mathematics. Th ere was not st igma attached to hard wo rk; it was qu ite acceptable. I found that I needed to wor k hard for various reasons: fo r examp le, time-tabling prob lems mea nt that I had to drop geog raphy and do a two-yea r hi sto ry course in one year, largely by myse lf. Also I think I was born with a stubborn streak in me: I found the presence of many good students very stimulating and I know that I worked ve ry hard to see if I could be as good as they were. The good att itudes to study and the good study habits which we lea rn at school are invaluable late r in our lives- they are part of the so- called " hidden curriculum" of our sc hooling . But for a young person somewhat unsure of her ab iliti es, all of this work and study probably would neve r get done unless there was some hope of success. In my case I ca n never underestimate the importance to me of the encouragement, support and faith given to me by my parents, my teachers at this school and at the University of Queensland, and later by several of my mathematical colleagues. I remember, for example, my Engli sh teacher in the upper school, Mi ss MacMillan - my first contact with her was when I was a 4th Former taking some leaves off a tree outside the old library. My art teacher had sent the class outside to find some leaves to draw and we mu st have looked quite odd to Miss MacMillan loiteri ng and tampering with the garden. I was so terrified and tongue-tied when she asked what I was doing that I could scarcely exp lain . She retained her aura of authority for th e girls in my c lass throughout our years at school ; we came to admire her and respect her enormously. It was after I left school , as I kept contact with her through Christmas letters and once having lunch at her home, that I rea lised how much she cared that we should continue to learn and grow and achieve.

SPEECH FOR END OF YEAR ASSEMBLY 23RD NOVEMBER 1984 Professor Cheryl Praeger Professor Cheryl Praeger M.Sc. , Ph.D. was invited to address the students and present th e prizes at the 1984 End-of-Year Assemb l y and also the Valedictory Dinner. Professor Praeger is a past pupil of Brisbane G irls' Grammar School (1963-1965) and received her tertiary educa tion at the University of Q ueensland and St Anne's Co llege, Oxford. In 1983 she was appo inted to th e position o f Professor of Pure M athematics at the University of Western Australia. Professor Praeger is married, with two young children, and most competently combines the demands of a professional ca reer with ~h e resp onsibilities and loya lties of family commitments. In these endeavours she rep resents a most desirable life mode l for st udents. 7

It was the same with several of my teachers (three with whom I kept contact have now died, most recently Miss Marjorie Elliott who died early this year). I still have contact with one of my mathematics teachers, Miss Popple. I think our teachers can have an enormous influence on us through their interest in us, their encouragement of our talents and their faith that we can succeed. It was a change for me to go to University- just as it will be a change next year for the Year 12 girls as they continue their studies in another insitution or begin their careers. I needed , and you will need, all of the self-discipline and self- motivation learnt at school together with all the encouragement and support available from parents and teachers. Today, in increasing numbers, girls are entering professions previously almost exclusively male. There are more career opportunities for women now than in the past and there is a greater acceptance by society of professional women. One example of a male dominated profession is surely mathematics. There are increasing numbers of girls taking maths and also computer science and physical, chemical and biological science courses at University and successfully completing higher degrees in these fields, but there is still a large imbalance in the sexes in some of these professions. One-sixth of my department, the Mathematics Department at University of Western Australia, are women. I am the only woman at present who is a full professor of mathematics at an Australian University. There was one other, Hanna Neumann, who died in 1971 and whom I admired tremendously. Whether I like it or not, I am conspicuous in my profession, just as any women in a male dominated profession is conspicuous, and this has advantages and disadvantages. Many of you may experience a similar thing in the future.

As a very young mathematician, I had some difficulties in being accepted as a serious professional mathematician - especially when I was trying to get a permanent job and again later when my husband john and I decided that we would try to have a career each, plus children. Not many people doubt that a man can survive in his career when he becomes a father, but unfortunately it is still a bit different for a woman. On the other hand, I must have " stuck out" enough for someone to suggest my name this year to the Federal Minister for Education, Susan Ryan, as a possible Council member for the Curriculum Development Council. Would this have happened if I were male, or is there a special female viewpoint of mathematics and science and if so, did Susan Ryan want that viewpoint represented on the Council? Normally I would object strongly to being chosen for a job as a "women's representative". However in this case maybe Susan Ryan was right. The school curriculum is a very political matter; the Curriculum Development Council must be as representative as possible of the educational community and perhaps I must see myself in that position in several roles- those of a mathematician, a woman , an academic and a lay person interested in what goes on in schools. To conclude, you girls have exciting lives ahead of you. Whether or not you are drawn to enter " unusual " careers, you are sure to have many challenges in your studies and future professions. I would urge you to aim high and accept those challenges - accept also the encouragement and support offered to you by your family, teachers and colleagues. I look forward to hearing of many successful Grammar girls in the future. But for now congratulations to you on completing a year's work and may I wish you a happy and relaxing vacation.

8

The final function of the year wi ll be the "End of Year Lun cheon", on 28th October, at Silks. This promises to be a very happy day, as the present mothers w ill be joined by past mothers and o ld girl s, so there will be lots of chatt ing and laughter. As usual , the Dancing Classes have proved very popular; being held in the latter part of the year has made little difference to the popularity of the c lasses. The total amount raised this year is unknown at this stage, as we await proceeds from Schoo l Day and the Dancing Classes. (We estimate in the vicinity of $6500) . Approximately $1600 has been spent on Portapack Video equipmen t for the Media Department; $250 has been set aside for a memorial to Mrs Jean Ashton , and the Mothers' Group are contributing towards outfitting the new Auditorium/Classroom Comp lex. During the year, very interest ing guest speakers - Mrs Lynch, Miss Burrows, Mr Walsh, Mr Franc is and Mrs Thornquist- have spoken to the mothers and we now have more knowledge of how the school departments funct ion . Mrs Hancock addressed all the meetings and shared her memorable exper iences of the Japanese trip. We are most gratefu l to Mrs Hancock and the members of staff who have provided support and assistance to the Mothers' Group throughout the year.

MOTHERS' GROUP REPORT - 1985 Another enjoyab le and busy year is almost about to close. The start of the year, having been delayed by the elements, commenced with a very successful "Welcome to Mothers", with over 100 mothers attendi ng the meeting, which was addressed by Mrs Hancock. The first function for the year was " Pirates of Penzance" at the Performing Arts Complex. This was a relaxing even ing, enjoyed immense ly by everyone who attended. The Fashion Extravaganza, held at the end of Apri l, took on a new format, with the students organising each segment, with International Youth Year be ing th e theme. The evening was an oustanding success, with over 750 guests attend ing, and 120 students involved. The mothers li ved up to their past reputations of a mouth-watering supper and unusual f loral decorations in the Assembly Ha ll. In excess of $4000 was raised through the Extravaganza. On 18th July, we attended the Arts Theatre performance of "Edge of Darkness". A hot supper after the show was enjoyed by all who attended, as well as members of the cast. In August, the Mothers' Group held a Card Day at the home of Glenda Winders at Newmarket. It was such a glor ious warm day, Gl enda's gardens were a picture and the food was extra-special. Over $800 profit was made from the occasion and all who attended suggested we hold another Card Day next year.

Open Day is a joint effort between parents, teachers and students and should be a very interesting day.

I wou ld also like to extend my personal thanks to all who have made our year so successfu I; those mothers who planned and organised functions, sold tickets, cooked, sewed , served lunches, suppers etc. , modelled clothes, assisted with the floral decor, the dancing classes, etc., etc., to the students for showing such enthus iasm and initiative for the Fashion Extravaganza; to the teaching staff who were so w illing to help when needed ; to the office staff who despatched notices, typed programmes etc. , and to the groundsmen and carpenters who manufactured, li fted , shifted and set-u p for us- sincere thanks.

Jill Cassidy President

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FATHERS' GROUP With the current direction of the group being support to the school in the areas of improvements and supply of labour and know-how, the Fathers, during the latter part of 1984, finalised the covering of the barbecue area and painting of the clothing store.

We also manned the canoe rid es and barbecues on Family Day.

Our first Dinner Meeting in 1985 welcomed over 75 Fathers, both new and current. Meetings throughout the year have been well attended, with numbers between 25 and 35, gaining an insight into school life from the Principal and guest speakers. The major project for the Group was the paving of the areas adjacent to, and in front of the Administration/Boarding House. Unfortunately the january storm brought to light a major drainage problem and necessitated the postponement of this project until 1986. Not wanting the paving skills gained during the last few years to decline, the Fathers landscaped the area outside the Art Department and Cottages, with retaining walls and paving. Whilst our long-term project of the lmbil Outdoor Centre is still some time off, on Sunday, 17th March, over 100 persons from school families, made the trip to lmbil. During lunch at Borumba Dam, Mrs Hancock addressed those present, and explained some of the features of the region. After lunch the group proceeded to the site and inspected both the land and a scale model of proposed buildings. Other projects completed, include painting of the seating surrounding the paved areas and removing the Chinese elms on the lower car parks. Plans for 1986 include tiling of the P.E. changing rooms, erecting a gazebo around the the Emergency power plant, and hopefully, paving of the front of the school buildings when the drainage problem is solved. My thanks go to all those Fathers who have given most generously of their time, and knowledge throughout the year in all the projects we have undertaken. Thanks must also go to the P. & F. and the school staff for their support. School " Open Day" was most successful for the Group who ran the barbecue, drinks and white elephant stalls.

OLD GIRLS' ASSOCIATION REPORT

The objects of the Association are: (a) To keep up a connection between past pupils and the school and to promote fellowship amongst past pupils. (b) To maintain an interest in the welfare of the school. Membership shall be open to all past pupils who have attended the school for a period of one year, but pupils who have attended for a shorter time may be_admitted as members at the discretion of the committee. At the Annual General Meeting, held in conjunction with the Welcome to New Members Dinner, at the Gateway Inn on 18th February, the following office bearers were elected: PRESIDENT ~ Ms Wendy Spranklin . VICE-PRESIDENTS- Senior: Mrs Lyle Schwarten (White). junior: Mrs Susan Firth (Hastie) . SECRETARY - Mrs Tina Winterflood (Weir). ASSISTANT SECRETARY - Miss Nicole Cody. TREASURER- Mrs Paula McKellar (Purvis) . ASSISTANT TREASURER - Miss Lorraine Chester. IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT - Mrs jean Vallis (Genn). COMMITTEE MEMBERS- Miss Barbara Lansbury, Mrs Pam Knudsen (Smith), Mrs Karen Cody (Nurcombe), Megan jenner, jane Adamson, Danyelle Roach. DELEGATES TO NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN - Yvonne Bain, Wendy Spranklin. Despite the power dispute, the staff of the Gateway came to the fore yet again, by providing a delicious meal and excellent service enjoyed by all who attended. We were grateful for the attendance of Mrs Hancock, showing her continued support for the Association, and taking the time to address the meeting on happenings in the school and future plans. We were pleased to welcome a number of new Old Girls to the Association and even more pleased to welcome some onto the Committee. A very successful reunion was held on 1st june at the school, attended by many Old Girls, representative of the diverse age range and interests of the members of the Association . Once again, the Prefects were attentive and helpful during the course .of the afternoon, serving afternoon tea and conducting tours of the school and Boarding House. It was pleasant to see the interaction between old girls and present students. We decided early in the year, that due to the effects of the january storm and the daily disruptions of construction within the school grounds, we would postpone the Annual Art Show to next year. It is hoped we will be able to conduct an even bigger and better show next year. On the 8th August, an evening Forum was held at the school, the theme being "Multi-Facet Roles for Women". A panel of prominent Old Girls' discussed questions posed by Year 12 students and their parents. Mrs Yvonne Bain was an admirable chairman for our panel, which consisted of Miss Majorie Neil, Miss Diana Thacker, Miss Helen Peel and Mrs Susan Firth, representing the fields of education, engineering, the arts and nursing. 11

O.G.A. Secretary- Tina Winterflood; President- Wendy Spranklin and Diana Thacker, at the 1975 6th Form Reunion. A number of reunions has been held throughout the year, apart from those of the Association . By all reports these were great successes. It is always pleasing to hear of the renewed friendships and interest generated by these reunions. Further functions planned for 1985 are a stall and display at School Day on 14th September; and a Cocktail Party on 25th October at the Brisbane Club, held in conjunction with The Brisbane Grammar Old Boys', following the success of last year's very friendly and enjoyable joint function. As an ex-official member of the Parents and Friends, I would like to thank the P. & F. Committee members for making me feel most welcome at their meetings and informing me of events in the school. It is always pleasant to note that there are many old girls Involved in the P. & F. and associated groups. My final thanks goes to Mrs Hancock who has spared much of her valuable time to support the Association and is always only too willing to be of assistance and available to address our functions on current happenings in the school. Mrs Hancock and the staff make available the school and its facilities to us regularly, and help in many ways, and I would like to extend my thanks and that of the Association to them. We hope that all girls leaving the school will join the Association and so keep a bond with the school and its activities, and we wish them success in their chosen careers. 1975 6TH FORM REUNION The 1975 6th Form Reunion was held at the Gateway Inn on the 26th May, 1985. It was difficult to believe that it had been a decade since so many of us have been together, as it really seemed like yesterday. Many old friendships were renewed and new ones made as we discovered common interests that hadn't existed at school. A number of boarders were able to turn the reunion into a weekend event, catching up on all their news. Many came from the country and interstate; we all agreed it was an event to be repeated, well before the current group of "new additions" were old enough to be Grammar Girls or worse still - "Old Girls"!! Wendy Spranklin President

Wendy Spranklin

1965 6TH FORM REUNION 1965 6th Form Reunion was held over the weekend of 20th and 21st April , 1985. An afternoon tea was held at the school on Saturday- attended by more than 40 riotous Old Girls from all walks of life. A dinner was held that evening and those keen enough to travel from far afield included Ro Fortheringham (nee Foote) from Tasmania, Sue Young (nee Halstead) , Robyn Kremer (nee Stevens) and Pauline Turnbull (nee Markwell) from Sydney and Sally Webster (nee Gunn) from Townsville. An apology was received from as far away as London - Gaynor Sadlo (nee Robinson) - so our news really does travel. 1960 SENIOR YEAR REUNION The reunion of the 1960 Seniors was held on Saturday, 27th July, with a morning tea at the school and lunch at Petrie Mansions. Of the 85 names on our list, we discovered addresses for 76, had replies from mor-e than 60 and 48 attended the reunion. At the morning tea, we were joined by staff members: Mrs Yeates (Miss Thomas), Miss Paterson, Mrs Sanderson (Miss Burnett) , Miss McNamara (who represented the school) , some members of the O.G.A., and by at least five who had been with us up until Junior. A gift of $600 for the Library, was made to the school. Most participating had supplied in advance, a paragraph about themselves since leaving school and these were collected into a small booklet. From that" mass of fascinating detail , Val Welile compiled a summary which she shared during lunch . A diverse range of professions was represented: teachers, an architect, an electrical engineer, librarians, social workers, pharmacists, doctors, physiotherapists, scientists, a chambermaid, a minister of religion, a specialist in sheep, a scientist turned accountant and a deaconess wife of a deputy prime minister. Several of our members have had more than one career. Amongst us there are such diverse combinations as teaching logic and breeding Murray Grey cows, or engineering and choir conducting. Jenny Neilson Kahn took the prize for travelling the furthest (from the U.S.A.) and others came from Victoria, Toowoomba, Clermont and several from the Sunshine Coast. Many people said they had approached the occasion with interest, but some trepidation, but found that they enjoyed themselves. The value was in meeting again so many of the people with whom we had shared significant years of our lives. Paula McKellar

Forty years fell away instantly as we met others whom we had not seen in the intervening years, and everyone was remembered. This was the reunion of the girls of the Third Form who commenced their years at .Girls' Grammar in 1945. There were pictures and articles pinned onto board , old magazines to read, years of news to share, photos of their families, and grandchildren were shown to each other. There were 162 girls in 1945, about 130 were found and contacted and there were 80 at the reunion, as well as four teachers, Mrs Tuffley, Mrs Freeman, Miss Rhoda Felgate and Miss Mary Brophy, now Mrs Cotter. Mrs Hancock was introduced and a presentation of two books on Australia were presented to the Library. A framed print, to add to the collection is to be given to the school. The chat started at 1.45p.m. and didn't finish until 5.00p.m.

Afternoon tea was served and later there were tours through the school.

There were many photos taken, to remind them of past days and of the happy afternoon. Many old friendships were renewed. We will have another reunion perhaps in five years time, as it was a most enjoyable afternoon .

Jean Kitchen

OBITUARY Mrs Olive Thatcher (Adam) (M.B.E.) Passed away July, 1985 .

Olive Adam was born 8th August, 1896. Educated at Valley State School until the age of 13, she attained second place in the Scholarship list to attend the Brisbane Girls' Grammar School until the age of 18 years, when she won a scholarship to the University of Queensland. After graduating in Arts with Honours in English and French, she taught for one year at Fairholme, Toowoomba, before doing two years journalism. Mrs Thatcher had seen all her children receive tertiary educations; she gave outstanding service in many organisations and in personal unpublicised works of charity. Her contribution had encompassed such activities as being a Board Member for 20 years, and a Life Member of the Y.W.C.A. and serving in executive and other capacities with the National Council of Women of Queensland, the Freedom for Hunger Campaign, U.N.I.C.E.F., the United National Association of Australia and the Senior Citizens Association. In numerous other fields, such as her work with the Research Department of Medical Psychology at the University of Queensland, assisting blind University students and in child guidance, Mrs Thatcher had demonstrated her high humanitarian ideals. She was named " Mother of the Year" in 1972. She married Thomas Thatcher in 1920. At his death , five of their seven children were still at school.

Geraldine Wheeler

40 YEARS REUNION The Reunion was held on March 30th, at 2.15p.m.

We extend to her family our deepest sympathy.

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Recently the school received a letter from Mrs Helen Spence (nee Love) who was enro ll ed at B.G.G.S. from 1902-1908 . Mrs Spenc.e, now in her 96th year, recalls many littl e things from the six years she spent in the sc hoo l: " In my day pupils never wore uniforms. Ju st their ordinary frocks, large shady mu sh room hats, with a pretty ru ching around the c rown . Before we left sc hool fo r home we had to put on our gloves - otherwi se we were "kept in" . We all feared and admi red Miss Wilkinson. She always wore a long b lack, or navy, taffeta dress - which ru stled as she came along the co rrid ors to the c lass room and so gave us warning and chaos became ca lm! The maid used to tak~ her lunch t ray ac ross the Assembly Hall- we cou ld see that on the tray eve ry day was a little bottle of champagne and if t here was a winter sa lad on it, in chopped beetroot was a large "M" (Millicent). I remember in Form Ill pup ils used to take it in turn s to put a vase of flowers on the mistresses' tables. O ne day the girl fo rgot- and it was "W il kies" French lesson day. The flowe rs 13

were as dead as doornails - Wilkie put the vase in front of her and sa id "A thing of beauty is a joy to forever". As a puni shment you must find out who wrote that and then write an essay on him . That is how I know Keats! Wilkie made a rule neve r to v isit the parents of the pupil s. She had a soft spot in rep ly to a letter from my mother asking if I could have two days off and go to the Gatton College Ball and stay the night th ere. She sent fo r me to go to the dreaded office and I went in fear and tremb ling, and she sa id " You may go, dear" . I was interested to know that my mother was one of the first girls at the B.G .G .S. -she was Lucy Davidson- one of the ten children of the Surveyor-General of Queensland - William Montgomerie Davenport Davidson. She afterwards married Wilton Love. He was at the Boys' Grammar, won the Gold Lill ey medal of the Upper Schoo l and the Silver Lilley meda l of the lower sc hoo l. He won the Exhibition Sc hol arship which took him to Edinburgh University for three years at which he won the Thompson Bursary and the Murchison Scholarship. I have his medals and many others."

OBITUARIES

Henriette Elfriede Baird The death on 25th October, 1983, of Miss Henriette Baird, at the age of 91 , saw the passing of a distinguished Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Old Girl. A pupil of this school, 1906-1910, Ettie Ba:rd was, like her fellow Brisbane Girls' Grammar School sixth-former Lila Mason, winner of one of the first Open Scholar~hips t~ the newly-established (1911) University of Queensland , where she read Classics. She taught at Aschan , Sydney; but most of her teaching career was spent at the New England Girls' School Armidale, where her subjects were Latin and Mathematics: New England Girls' School , then , being an all-boarding school , she was always resident. For many years she was the Chief of Staff, being, on several occasions when the Headmistress was at Conferences or on leave, Acting- Headmistress. Here, she gave to the education of countless girls over many school generations, the scholarship, innately hers, that had been fostered at Brisbane Girls' Grammar School and at the University of Queensland; standards of humanity and decency and care for one's fellows; the example of a sense of humour; and such a care for their interests and welfare that New England Girls' School Old Girls were always del1ghted to see " Bairdie." She had no great love for social occasions or educational seminars, but endured them, if necessary. She was a wide and voracious reader, a regular and fast doer of crosswords, and she enjoyed country life. Her mother was a Geisseman (one of the pioneer families of North Tamborine) and she often holidayed at a family house on The Mountain. She enjoyed driving, having been taught, at a time when few women drove, by an Armidale citizen who, as a lad had " been out with Thunderbolt!" ' On my first morning on the staff of Brisbane Girls' Grammar School , waiting in the Assembly Hall (now the boarders' dining room) for the entry of the Headmistress for Morning Assembly, feeling rather lost and shy and thinking how "different" it all was from New England Girls' School, I looked up and there, facing me, in the middle of the top of the Honour Board was engraved the name of the person, who, in my first teaching post, had done so much , by precept and, chiefly, by example to show what a member of staff should and could be: " Queensland University Scholarships: 1910 H.E. BAIRD: '

MRS JEAN ASHTON Many members of the school community were greatly saddened at the death of Mrs Jean Ashton in March this year. Mrs Ashton was first appointed to the resident staff in the Boarding House in 1976 and during 1977 changed her position to become the school gardener. At that time Brisbane Girls' Grammar School had very few gardens and during the next eight years Mrs Ashton worked diligently to ensure that the total school environment was improved to such an extent that all who worked and visited here could enjoy the very pleasant surroundings which she created. During her years at the school Mrs Ashton continually provided the boarding students with opportunities to visit theatres and shows, thereby allowing access to cultural dimensions that would not otherwise have been possible. Mrs Ashton's loyalty and devotion to the school will long be remembered by those who knew her and she is sadly missed.

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AVE ATQUE VALE

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