1985 School Magazine

Miss Fewings opened a school , drawing off 26 Brisbane Girls' Grammar School pupils (110 pupils in all) . This was later known as Somerville House. I do not know the early history of Somerville House, but comparison of accounts could be illuminating. Enter Miss M. Wilkinson (1900-1912) . Former head of Maryborough Girls' Grammar School , she resigned from Maryborough on grounds of ill health , and accepted the appointment here. Her qualifications were undoubted and she was highly regarded (though not by Maryborough, because of her resignation and further appointment). There were periodical absences and eventually resignation for health reasons. But she got rid of Miss Sellers, who dressed for a walk after school , and taught her class thus robed , hat and all. Miss Sellers questioned Miss Wilkinson's rule about this. Why the rule? Miss W. : " (1) Because I wished it, and (2) because these laxities cannot be permitted in a large school , with a large staff, for the sake of school discipline:' I don' t think we have the whole story about this dismissal.

There followed some rapid changes:

1913

Miss M. Williams, who inaugurated the school magazine and was gone by 1914, to take a post at Battersea College, London. Miss ) .E. Walker did not stay long. Miss Mackay saw the school through World War I. She is reputed to have been a some- what remote person, a stern disciplinarian, who ran a good school. Miss K.M. Lilley remained as Headmistress until well after the end of our period. Miss Dora Lockington acted for one year during Miss Lilley's absence overseas in 1929. While there were some tempestuous times in the 1920's (and no doubt in the 1930's) I do not know how the Trustees fared- probably like the rest of us, they acted with circumspect ion! Miss Lilley ran a very good school, and I can only say that I am glad that, in the 1920's at least, there had been some modification of the "virtue" and "de li cacy" with which the school began its eventful history.

1914 1915-1924

1925-1952

I congratulate Mr Prideaux on the completion of his mammoth task, and assure you that you all will be fascinated by the somewhat turbulent rise of the Brisbane Girls' Grammar School and its growth to independence and fame. Speech Day was separated from that of the Brisbane Grammar School only in 1927, at which time the ceremony was set up on the tennis court outside the Staff Common Room- long since obscured. Here I differ from the account in the book and have tested a number of memories. I think this will prove a controversial book, thanks to the obstinacy and eccentricity of the early Principals, and the responsible resoluteness of the Trustees. You will realise that I use these terms to mean the same thing, varying them to suit the status of the individuals! They could be interchanged! 20

For those of you who are old enough to have " been there", this account w ill stimulate your long-term memory and thereby do you good. I am sure that if you find yourself in disagreement with the content, Mr Prideaux would welcome your memories.