1988 School Magazine

BESSNE FORSTER The name B.T. Forster appears on the F-lonour Eoard at Cirls'Crammar School, Brisbane, as the fourth necipient of the Mackinlay Scholarship in 1916. Bessie Forster was born in Maryborough on April 17, 1897, the third eldest of eleven children. The family moved to Brisbane where her father opened an engineering business in Mary Street, City. I visited her in the Wooloowin Nursing Home last year; sadlv she was almost blind, but her alert mind and clear -.*.rru held a wealth of memories of her years at Girls' Cramrnar School, Brisbane. "l came from a family of engineers and my mother believed in a Grammai School education for girls," she said, "so I was enrolled at B.G.C.S. in 1911'" Bessie Forster remembered her years at school as happy ones. Having graduated from the University of Queensland with Honours in Mathematics, Miss Forster entered the teaching profession, which became her life' ln the course of a long and distinguished teaching career, Bessie Forster enriihed the lives of many students with her knowledge of mathematics and science' Her first appointment was at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Co'ulburn. Subsequent positions held were at the Meihodist Ladies' College, Burwood, Sydney, a private school in Brisbane opened by a flour miller, headmistress of Canberra Church of England Girls' Crammar School, the Anglican Grammar School ("Churchie") East Brisbane, Clayf ield Colleg-e, and..a part-time role at B.C.C.S. after her retirement f rom f ull- time teaching. She told me, "We all looked forward to Tuesdays at school because Tuesdays were bun days; for one penny, if we could afford it, we could buy a bun which was buttered."

MARIQREE P@PPLE The teaching profession lost a valued colleague when Marjorie Coistance Popple died peacef ully in Carindale Nuriing Home, Brisbane, on June 9, 1988, aged 79 years' Her early education was at the Normal School, before she entered Brisbane State High School in her subsenior year. As the winner of an Open Scholarship, Marjorie Popple commenced studies at the University of Queensland where she specialised in Mathematics. This subject was her great love and many students can thank Miss Popple foi the skills she imparted to them, skills that she herself undoubtedly practised in picking winners at the "King of SPorts". Marjorie Popple's teaching career took her to several schools. She spent three years at St Ursula's College, Yeppoon, her first appointment, eleven years at Somerville House, during which time war intervened and the school was evacuated to Stanthorpe, one year administering the hand-over by the Misses Creene of Moreton Ba/College to the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association, ten years at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Croydon, N.S.W., and finally fifteen years at BrisbJne Giris' Crammar School where she held the position of Mathematics Subject Mistress until her retirement in 1972. Marjorie Popple had a flair and love, not only for Matirematict,'but ulto for administration' Her practical contribution to the Queensland Association of Teachers in lndependent Schools has been immeasurable' Her f riends remember her as a very private person, kind but firm, and with a gentle sense of humour' Her greatest happiness was found in tending her beautlful garden at her Mt Tamborine home. Barbara Hebden 22