1992 School Magazine

of the School - the Board of Trustees, the Staff, the Parents and Friends' Association, the Mothers' and the Fathers' Groups, the Donors and the Subscribers. The School and these Associations were inspired and led by the School's committed Principal, Mrs Iudith Hancock. Throughout Mrs Hancock's career she has had the special gift of insight and foresight, and a vision of the future needs in Education. It was through her drive and inspire- lion that the planning for the Building was able to begin. Mrs Hancock has a distinguished career in Education. She received her degree in Science from the Sydney Urnversi and began her teaching career with the Department of Education in New South Wales, and went on to become Science Mistress at Sydney Church of England Girls' Grammar School, and later was appointed Deputy Principal of Presbyterian Ladies College in Sydney, her old school. In 1977 she was appointed Principal of Brisbane Girls' Grammar School. Since then she has been involved in the wider Education Community of Queensland and Australia and is currently the Queensland President of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. To acknowledge her service to Education, to the Education of Girls of this school both past and present, the Board of Trustees of Brisbane Girls' Grammar School made the decision that the new building be named the Iudith A. Hancock Communications Centre, a fitting tribute to the vision and dedication of the Principal of this school. 11 is therefore with great pleasure that I unveil the PIaque commemorating the conclusion of the restoration of the Boarding House and officially open and name the new Communications Centre - "The Judith A. Hancock Communications Centre".

OPENING OF THECOMMUNICATIONS CENTRE JULY 171992

Mrs J. Hancock The opening of the Communications Centre will be record- ed in the history of the Girls' Grammar School as one on which we set new and exciting directions for the future. The foundations of this School are now firmly established. Since its beginning one hundred and seventeen years ago, it has developed a number of unique characteristics and many traditions. These have been, and will continue to be laid^:lown by people, individually and collectively; we often overlook the fact that so much of what we all do each day forms the basis for the future. One of my greatest pleasures, and, at the same time, one of my greatest challenges, came some sixteen years ago, when I accepted the position as Principal of this fine School. To be given the opportunity to build on the film foundations established by some of my predecessors such as Miss Sophia Beanland and Miss Kathleen Mitford Lilley, has at times proved daunting. Miss Beanland was a very strong-willed and capable per- son. She came to the School in 1882, supervised the sepa- ration of the School from Brisbane Grammar, and was actively involved in the planning and construction of the recently restored original School building. Miss Beanland also established what is recognised as the first reference library in any Australian School. Her great love of Ian- guage is acknowledged in the award of the Sophia Beanland Language Prizes, each year. The strong academic traditions she established for girls have endured.

Unveiling the PIaque