1997 School Magazine

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@iris @rnmmar ~c~oo! l§risllane 1997

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cbool ~risbane 1997

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@irlll' @rammar ~clJool il/ilrill'bane 1997 ------

Frotn Sketches to Installation INITIAL SKETCHES AND RESEARCH

DEVELOPING COLOURS

LINE DRAWING & CARTOON

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JIL

@iris @ranunar ~cbool :J'[ilrisbane 1997

CONSTRUCTION

INSTALLATION

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@iris @rmnnrnr ~cbool ~risl11111e 1997 ---------00---------------------- ~

Contents

STAINED GLASS WINDOWS From Sketches to Installation ...... .... .... 2 Contents ..... .. ........ .. .... ....... .. ........ ......... . 4 Editorial .. .. ...... ....................................... 5 Foreword from the Principal ............... 8 Mrs Hancock: 21 Years of Dedication .. ................ ..... .......... .............................. .. 9 Ahead of his time: Vision that became Reality ................ .. ............ ..... .. .... ........ 12 Lilley Oration and Dinne r ........ .... .. .. .. 14 Vale Mccrae Grassie .. ........ ......... ....... 17 Professor Dorothy Hill ... .......... .. ....... 17 Vale Yolande Greet ............................ 18 Staff List ... .... ... .. ..................... . 19 Parents and Friends' Association Incorporated .. ... ............ .. ..... .......... .. 23 Fathers' Group ........................ .. ......... 24 Mothers ' Group ..... ....... ... ..... .. ........... . 25 Old Girls' Association Inc. ... . ... .. .. ..... 26 Health Care Professionals Breakfast . 27 Brilliant Careers . ..... .......... ..... .. ........ 28 Daughte rs of Old Girls ..... .. ............... 37 Granddaughters of Old Girls .......... .. 39 Greatgranddaughters of Old Girls . .. 40 Great-Great Granddaughter of an Old Girl .............. .. ... ... ................. .. .. ... ... .. .. 40 Prefects .. .. .. ..... .. ............ ... ...... ... ........... 40 Head Girls ' Report ...... .. .... ,.... ............. 41 Head Boarder 's Report.. .... ...... ........... 43 Student Achievers ..................... .. ..... .. . 51 BROADENING HORIZONS ........ ..... . 59 Faculty of English .. .......... ......... ...... 60 Writer in Residence: Silvana Gardner .. ........... ....... ....... ..... ......... .............. ......... 61 Faculty of Social Studies..... .... ... .... 62 Faculty of Science .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .... .. .. . 71 Resource Faculty .. ......... .............. .. .. 72

Building Bridges with BGS ............ 74

GECO .... .. .. ..... .. ........ .. .. ........ .......... 141

Interact ............. ... .. .. ..................... .. 142

Year Eight Sister House Teams ... ... 75

Work Experience .......... ... .. .. ..... ...... 77

Karate .. .......... .. ....... ........................ 142

Life Education ........ ...... ......... ..... ...... 78

Leukaemia Committee .................. 143

Imbil ............. .. .. .. .......... ..... .... .. ......... 79

Rockclimbing ....... ... .... ..... .............. 143

Gap Student.. ..... ................. .. ........... 79

Theatre Dance ...... ..... .. ... ..... .. .. .... .. 144

Year Twelve Outdoor Education Camp

Volunta1y Service ... .... .. ............. .... 145

..... ... ........ ..... ....... ......... .. ......... ....... ... 80

Zenith ........... .... .................. ... ........ . 145

Future Problem Solving .. .... .. ,......... 82

The Shakespeare Guild .... .... ...... .. 146

Tournament of Minds ....... .. ..... .. .. ... 83

Drama Club .. .. ..... .. .. ... .... ........ .... ... 147

' \Vest Side Sto1y ' .................. .... ..... 148

Peer Tutoring ..................... ............ .. 84

QGSSSA SPORT ................................. 149

Days of Excellence ......... .... .. ....... ... 84

Space Camp ..................... ......... ... .... 84

Q.G.S.S.S.A. - Results ... .. .. .... .. .......... 157

Student Exchanges .......... .. ... ........... 86

Q.G.S.S.S.A. Coaching Panels ...... .. . 158

Senior German Camp ............ ...... ... 88

Q.G.S.S.S.A. Teams ... ...... ... .... ..... .. 159

CLUB SPORT...... ................... .. ........... 169

The French Camp ...... ... .................. 92

Ski Trip ........... ............. .... ........... .. . 101

Club Sport - Results ............... ...... 175

Club Sport Coaching Panels .. .... ... 176

Canberra Tour ........ .. .............. ....... 102

MUSIC .................................................. 103

Clu b Teams ..... .. ..... ......... ... ..... .. .. .. 177

Senior Formal ............ .. ...................... 117

Outdoor Education ..... .. ................. ... 186

HOUSES ............................................... 194

Fashion Parade ........... .............. ..... ... 122

School Day .... ........... .. ............. ........ .. 124 CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ..... 131 Arnani .... ......................... .. ... .. ..... .... 132 Chess ...... ... ... .. .. ..... ... .. .. .......... .... .... 132 Animal Protection Society ............. 133 Art Club .......................... ... ..... .. .. .. .. 134 Japanese Dancing ... ... ......... ... ....... 134 Athene .......... .... ... ......... ...... .. .... ...... 135 Debating ............ ...... ...... ......... ....... 136 I.S .C.F......................................... .. .. 137 Duke of Edinburgh 's Award Scheme 138 Cinebuffs ................ ...... ... ... ... .. .... .. . 139 The Economics Society ........ .. ....... 140 Internet Club ..... .... ..... .... .... .......... 140

Beanland .... .... ... ... .. ,.,., .. ......... .. ...... 194 England ....... .. .. ..... .......................... 200 Gibson ...... .. .... .. .. .... .............. ....... .. . 206 Griffith ............... .. .... ......... ... ...... ..... 2 J 2 Hirschfeld .. .............. ,., ........... .. ...... 21H Lilley .... ......... .. ...... .. ... .. ..... .. ....... ..... ZZ,1 O'Connor .. ................... .. ..... ........... 2.~f) Woolcock ................... .. ......... .... ..... 23(1 PRIZE LIST 1997 .............................. 2-i2 Va ledicto1y Dinner ... ..... .. ... .............. z.1:-J STOP PRESS....................................... 252 Athle tics ...... .. .. ... ................. .. ..... .. . 2:;2 Rhythmic Sportive Gymnastics .... 21-1 School Photographers .................... . 216

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-----------------------m--------- @rls c/9rnmmar scbool ?§rislrnne 1997 ~ Editorial

A s we draw ever closer to the end of the twentieth centmy, poised on the precipice of a new millenium, we are compelled, as a society, to respond to the challenges of this fas L-moving technological age. The new generation is faced with the demands of a dichotomous world, simultaneously limitless and unreachable, universal and fiercely individual, ovenvhelming and exhilarating; where our new realities exist in Lh e intangible cyberspace beyond our computer screens. The most valued and sought-after assets for the workforce reflect the spirit of the times: flexibility, diversity, creative intelligence, and pa rticularly the ability to adjust to constantly changing de- ma nds. To su1vive and succeed in this unpredictable world requires a competitive edge - a fact recognised by Brisbane Girls Grammar School, and provided for through superior facilities, resources and opportunities. The diversity of experiences offered both through the academic program and the co- ·urri cular activities provides students witha real-world advan- Lage, and the opportunity to discover and exceed their limits of knowledge and experience. The climate of change and transition has been reflected withiri Girls Grammar this year with the announcement of a reorganisation of the School, necessitating the forthcoming closure of the Boarding House . Although having a sound practi cal basis, this decision was met with some degree of sac.lnesss and regret by the members of the School community, as Lh e Boarding House has played an integral and valued role in Lh e development of Girls Grammar for many years, and will b , mi ssed.

It was with great sorrow, too , that the students and friends of the School learned of the passing of Dr McCrae Grassie , a former Chairman of the Board ofTrustees, and a valued mentor, advisor and patron. Dr Grassie was widely recognised as a scholar and a gentleman, who generously devoted much time and expertise towards the enrichment and development of Girls Grammar, and will be well remembered by the School commu- nity for years to come . This has been a successful year for Brisbane Girls Grammar School, and one of change and innovation. This , your annual School Magazine, has been carefully compiled by the Magazine Committee in an effort to capture the essence of the Grammar spirit of '97, and to provide a unique insight foto this year's diverse and .various experiences and,achievements.

MAGAZINE COMMITTEE

Editor: Committee:

Eli za beth Ahe rn Kat hy Burke, Naomi Burke-Shyne, Emma Cameron , Catherine Chapman,

Fiona Laza r, Alexi Drennan, Nata lie Fong, Kri sten Laml ert , Charl otte Pri ce, Emma Price, Eli za! eth Velkovic

MAGAZINE COMMITTEE Sta1lding (L-R): A . Drennan, E. Velkovic, Mrs C. Kiolle, C. Price, C. Cbapman, N. Burke-Sbyne, Mrs S. Hadgrafl Seated (L-R): K. Burke, E. Cameron, N. Fong, E. Abern, F. Lazar Absent: K. Lambert, E. Prior

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InJuly Mrs Hancock, accompanied by Mrs Lynch and Mrs Thornquist, made a reciprocal visit

to our French sister school (Lycee St Paul) in Angouleme. Here we have a glimpse ofthe beauty ofthis area and share some of the moments oftheir trip.

Ango11 leme st ree/scap e

Eleventh ce111111:1' church outside A11go11/e111e

A 11go11 /€111e ci~)' square

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Spices a l rbe ma rker &11Bra 1116111e i 11 tbe Dordogne

@iris @rnmmar £:>clJool J"Brishane 1997 ---------~ ------------------------ ~ Fore"\Vord frotn the Principal

1 997 marks my twenty-first year at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. Each one of those years has been ve1y different, ve1y challenging, but also very rewarding. It has been a great privilege year by year to greet so many young girls as they enter Year Eight and then to watch them mature into confident young women who, by the end of Year Twelve ,

project by raising the monies required to complete the installa- tion. 1997 is also the year in which we celebrated the enormous contribution that Sir Charles Lilley made to the development of the Colony of Queensland and in particular his vision in relation to the education of young women. Born in 1827 in Newcastle

capably and enthusi- astically embrace the challenges of adult life. During their five years with us, each generation of Gram- mar Girls has been cherished by a dedi- cated and committed staff who share with me the joy of each End of Year Assem- bly and Valedicto1y Dinner when we say au reuoir to yet an- other group of gradu- ates. The School com- munity will remem- ber 1997 as the year in which this youth and vitality was rec- ognised by the crea- tion of a panel of beautiful stained glass windows at the en- tr a nce to the Beanland Memorial

on Tyne , Lilley spent the majority of his life endeavouring to ensure that those coming to live in Queensland would have access to the opportunities which education brings. The inaugural Lilley Ora- tion, held on Founda- tion Day, March 15 this year, provided us all with the opportu- nity to honour this man who was indeed , far ahead of his time . Other significant events are highlighted in the following pages, but it would be remiss ofme not to note how saddened we were to hear of the death of a ve1y eminent former student of the School , Emeritus Professor Dorothy Hill , PhD

Mrs Hancock

Libra1y. These win- dows are dedicated to all Grammar Girls but in particular to the Class of '96. Designed by one of our Art Teachers - Jennifer Andrews - and developed by the stained-glass artist Warwick Blair, they symbolically depict the unfolding of the creativity within us all , the fire of enthusiasm and the capacity to achieve our goals, whatever they might be. Dominating the windows is the power of the eagle. A myriad of butterflies depicts the uniqueness of each of us , with no two sets of wings being alike. Unveiled on School Day, the windows will be a lasting reminder of the thousands of young women who have passed through the Grammar portals. We thank the Mothers' Group of 1996 for the enthusiasti c way in which they supported the

(Cantab) , DSc, Hon LL.D(Qld) , FRS and FAA in April this yea r. Professor Hill established an international reputation in the field of Geology. Then in June , the Immediate Past Chairman of the Board or Trustees, Dr Mccrae Grassie, OAM, MA, MEd(StA) , PhD(Qld) . FACE, FQIEA, died suddenly following a prolonged illness. We were ve1y privileged to hold his funeral service in the School which he loved so much and to pay tribute to a man who w :1:-; both a gentleman and a scholar. JUDITH A HANCOCK

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<19irls <19rnmnrnr ~cbool ~risbrme 1997

Mrs Hancock: 21 Years of Dedication

T uesday, Janua1y twenty-eight , 1997, and the first day back at school. This is for most teachers a common occurrence, but for Mrs Hancock it was a ve1y special day as it marked the twenty-first year of her time as Principal at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. Since her arrival as Principal of Girls Grammar in 1977, Mrs Judith Hancock has made momentous changes and improvements to the whole school, yet she has not

Recent innovations at the school include girls participating in TAFE, outdoor education at Imbil, and the introduction of revolutiona1y teaching methods. Mrs Hancock enjoys seeing people "embrace change, allowing the school to evolve" . Despite all the technology developments whichMrs Hancock has made possible, she has insured that every Granm1ar girl has a strong sense of tradition. She emphasized this point in her

let the strong traditions of this 122- year-old school stray from her sight. Mrs Hancock has dedicated most of her teaching career to prestigious girls schools , having also taught at Sydney Church of England Girls Grammar and at a girls school at Rose Bay, Sydney. Upon arriving at Brisbane Girls Grammar, Mrs Hancock saw her new appointment as an exciting challenge: "I wanted to know that the young women who came here really did have the same opportunities as boys, that educa- tionally the facilities were of the highest calibre, just as the staff were the best you could get." Thus began the transformation of BGGS into a modern learning institution. Mrs Hancock's initial years as Principal were difficult. "People don't like change, " she remarked, as she renected on the obstacles encoun- l red in her attempts to move the school into a modern era. In spite of thi s, Mrs Hancock's vision for the school: "to become pro-active in cl ucational matters and attract a wide ·li entele" has persisted, and has guar- anteed for future generations of girls the learning opportunities which she herself did not have as a girl.

address at the 1997 Prefect Induc- tion on Februa1y the nineteenth: "Each one of you on accepting your position, must make a commit- ment to 'learning as much about the school as you possibly can. You must learn to value the past and to build upon that past so that the school can move confidently into the future." Mrs Hancock is very passionate about her school. She based the thesis for her Master's Degree in Philosophy on the early years of Grammar and how it came to be established. "I was determined to find out how this school is so unique, " she said. She realised that a vision that Grammar's founder Sir Charles Lilley had, she too shared. This was a vision of tradition and change . Mrs Hancock has , in her time at Grammar, seen over four thousand seniors and forty head girls exit the school as fine young women. She says, "It's great to see you conling at Year Eight and watch you grow and mature and develop, and to see you come out independent at the end.

Mrs Hancock, cutting her celebration cake, a. gift from the Boa.rd of Trustees

It's not an easy tiling to do, to let you all have your own say and so on, but is a ve1yworthwhile thing." Now that her initial vision of the school has been more than realised, one can only wonder what Mrs Hancock pictures for the future. "My vision for Grammar, as we move into the 21st centu1y , is to remain ve1y proactive and to know that people accept change not just for change's sake , but for its value if our count1y is going to grow and develop. "One can only expect this determined woman to achieve just that.

As a result, the school today is brimming with opportunity. Mr Hancock sees the greatest developments to have been the bui lding of the Outdoor Education Centre at Imbil and the Gehrmann Theatre, for she believes in challenging students in areas other than academic life. The highlight of her twenty-one years, surprisingly, was not the naming of the Hancock Communications Centre in her honour. Instead , it was the satisfaction of "seeing a vision rea li sed".When Mrs Hancock first came to Grammar there were few co-curricular activities ava ilable to challenge students. Soon arter, basketball and waterpolo were introduced, and this was onl y the beginning. 9

ELIZABETH VELKOVIC

A Tribute

0 n the evening of Saturday 30 August, a happy group of some forty guests - mem- bers of the Board of Trustees past and present, senior staff and old friends - met for dinner at the Owen Wordsworth Room at the Queensland Uni- versity of Technology, to celebrate the twenty-first yea rof the career ofMrsJudith Hancock as Principal of Brisbane Girls Granunar School. Among the many and varied tributes paid in the course of the evening, none was more memorable d1an that of the Chairman of the Boa rd Dr Cherrell Hirst, who spoke movingly both of the highlights of Mrs Hancock's years at the school and also of her own association with the Principal as a member of the Boa rd and more recently as Chai rman. The fo llowing is part of that address which Dr Hirst illustrated with a coll ection of pertinent slides. "We are; that we are to seek a11d 11ot to yield" These words were written about the life and approach to life of a great man, Ulysses. Not only was he a great and wise leader, generating prosper- ity and harmony within his kingdom, but he was also a grea t explorer of uncharte red lands, unintimidated by the unknown. He opened doors where none existed and motivated his fo llowers to achieve great things. This is the style of leadership we have seen in this school during the last two decades. The words seemed fitting fo r tonight 's fun ction as we ga ther to pay tribute to Judith Hancock's twenty-one years as principal of Bris- bane Girls Grammar School. During this evening we will go back to 1977 and together reOect upon those twenty-one years. We will think hack to the world of 1977, to die Brisbane Girls Grammar School of 1977, and the Judith Hancock of 1977. Before we do I wa nt to set th scene and atmosphere fo r tonight 's celebra tion. \Vie are a group of individuals who have been touched hy the work of Judith Hancock in educa tion or in the school. We are tonight celebrallng that work and so it must he a happy evening. We want Judi th to remember this night fo r ever, so please make it specia l fo r h r. Enjoy yourselves with her. Also we do not want this evening to be too formal to properl y enjoy it. So rela , enter into the spirit of celebration and make it a specia l occasion for Judi th, and for the Brisbane Girl Grammar School. Before we go one second further, I want to thank all those who have been involved in tonight's orga ni zation planning, encouraging, working. A special thanks is due to Sue de Tassanyi who has put an enormous amount of effort into making tonight a smooth and enjoyable event. Now, let us go back to 1977.

The world: !di Amin died; Indira ousted from political power in India; Elvis died; Maria Callas died, Sudat and beginning of talks of peace in the Middle East. Australia: Granville rail disaster; 1bornbirds a best seller; Don Chipp forms the Democrats; beginning of World Series Cricket. Brisbane: pre-Commonwealth Games; the Riverside expressways were just being completed. Brisbane Girls Grammar School: that is difficult for me. I am aware of the BGGS of the mid-sixties and from what I hear it hadn't changed a great deal by 1977. But we' ll hear more about that from others. You in 1977; where were you and what were you doing? I did think about getting everyone to wear the clothes they were wearing in 1977 but then I realised that it probably would not work because some of us would not fit into those clothes for various reasons. I for one was pregnant for a good part of 1977, and Elizabeth would probably be wearing a school uniform and might not be too comfortable. Obviously we all have images of ourselves. It was a long time ago. And yet, every day of every year since then, Judith Hancock has been in this school; giving, teaching, motivating, encouraging, girls and staff. She has toiled, planned, dreamed, worked and persisted for each of those years to bring this school to the position and reputation it holds today. I want to share with you some images of Judith spread over these twenty years. She has been an educator. She has been a leader; out in front encouraging and motivating others to follow. She has been a wife and mother. We are glad to have her family here tonight, especially Stephanie, who has come all the way from Canada. She has been a friend. She has been an innovator. She has been a stirrer. She has been a learner and a formal student. I could go on and on. Suffice to say at this point,Judith, you have given the last twenty- one years of your life to the Brisbane Girls Grammar School. We thank you for what you done, for where you have brought this school, and tonight we pay tribute to you for those years of your life. They have often been blood, sweat and tears but I know they also have been much , much more. They have also been your enjoyment and your fulfilment and the school and the thousands of capable, confident, successful young women who have passed through its halls are your reward. Each of us here tonight is proud to have played a sma ll part alongside you, in various ways, as you have achieved this mighty work. Let me repeat those words from Ulysses and add a few others - they seem so apt for this particular occasion because they describe your approach to this school. I am a pmt of all that I have met;

ho111 d11[{ it is to pause, to make a11 end to ntst 1111b11r11ished, 1101 to shi11e i11 11se as though to b1·eathe 111ere life. Life piled 011 life we,·e all too little, a11d of 011e to me little 1·emai11s; b11t eve,:y hom· is saved from that eter11al sile11ce, somethi11g more a b1"i11ge,- of 11ew thi11gs, a11d vile it we,·e Joi· some three s1111s to sto1·e a11d hoa,-d myself a11d Ibis grey spirit yean1i11g i11 desi,-e, to JoUow k11owledge like a si11ki11g star beyo11d tbe 11tmost bo1111d of h11111a11 tbo11ght Come my Jrie11ds 'tis 1101 too late to seek a 11ewe1· wo,-/d p11sb off, a11d sitti11g we[{ i11 orde,- smite tbe s01111di11gf111·1·ows;Jor my p11,-pose holds to sail beyo11d tbe s1111set, a11d the baths of all tbe westem stm·s, 1111/il I die. It may be tbat the g11{fs will wash us dow11 it may be we shall to11ch the Happy Isles a11d see the great Acbilles, whom we k11ew tho' 11111ch is take 11, 11111ch abides; a11d tbo' we a'l'e 1101 110w that st'l'e11gth which i11 old days moved emth a11d heave11; that which we are we a,-e 011e eq11al tempe,· of he,-oic hearts, made weak by time a11dfate, but stro11g i11 will to strive, to seek, toJi11d, a11d 11ot to yield

@irlli @rnmmar gs,cbool ~rilibane 1997

Ahead of his titne: Vision that becatne Reality

early Minutes of Brisbane Grammar School. I was also privi- leged to meet with some of Lilley's descendants and gain access to letters he wrote to his thirteen children and to visit Girton College, Cambridge which developed a ve1y special relation- ship with BGGS. The outcome of this research was the realisation that the majority of histories written about the development of education in the period 1860 to 1882, largely ignored the work of Charles Lilley, a man ahead of his time, whose advocacy led not only to the development of both the secondary and further education of young people in this State, but also to the wider education of the community in general. The Colony of Queensland was established on 6 June 1859. Initiatives were taken during the first Parliament to establish a framework which would make provision for young people in

Address given by Mrs Judith A Hancock, Principal, Girls Grammar School, Brisbane at A Tribute to Sir Charles Lilley (1827 - 1897), A Symposium held at Brisbane Grammar School on Saturday August 16, 1997 1 975 to 1985 was designated by the United Nations as the Decade for Women. It was during this period that the needs and opportunities for women within a modern society were addressed. A number of reports were released which

included Girls, Schools and Society in 1975, and Tbe Education ofGirls in 1983. Both documents highlighted the problems facing young women in our post-industrial society and drew the attention of governments to the fact that , along with the mi- nority groups of aborigines, migrants and the geographically isolated, girls at that period of Australian histoty were disadvantaged in society. Affirmative action programs were developed and special emphasis placed upon the educational oppor- tunity available for young women within our schools and soci€ty in general. At that stage I became par- ticularly interested in the issues and wondered why the principles that Charles Lilley had worked so hard to establish for the education of young women in Queensland, had re- mained relatively unacknowledged, despite the obvious success of schools such as Brisbane Girls Gram-

the Colony to gain access to educa- tion from primary through second- ary and into universities. Three Acts were passed during the first sitting which were to affect the educa- tional development of the colony well into the next Centu1y. Tbe Grammar Schools Act (1860) in particular, was designed to open the doors to both secondaty and further education to girls and boys alike. The closest development was in NSW where Tbe Act to Incotpo- rateSydney GrammarSchool(l854) had been specifically designed to enable young men who were aca- demically able , to proceed to Syd- ney University. Through such schools it was e.nvisaged that the young people of the new colony would have access to education and training which would allow them to become the future professionals of the rapidl y developing colony.

Sir Cba.rles Lilley

mar and the other Girls ' Grammar Schools, which had opened during the late 19th Centu1y in the new and developing Colony of Queensland. To prove my point, I decided to conduct some research into the development of equality of educational opportunity in this State. Through accessing prima1y documents associated with these developments I embarked upon what was to prove one of the most challenging and interesting periods of my life. The work led me to the Hansard Reports of the early proceedings of both the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, the Minutes of the 1874 Royal Commission into Education and the

One of those elected to the first Parliament was an outspo- ken radical , Charles Lilley, who had successfully contested the seat of Fortitude Valley in the first elections of 1860 and continued to represent it for the following fourteen years in an energetic, enthusiastic manner. Throughout his career he held many Cabinet positions including Attorney General, Colonial Secreta1y, Vice-president of the Executive Council and Premier and when he left Parliament in 1874 he continued in public life first as a Supreme Court Judge and later as Chief Justice fo r Queensland. Lilley used his con~iderable influence to emb race many causes but education became one of his most ardent. His 12 ----------------------

@iris @rnmmar ~cbool illilrisbane l 997

belief in Abraham Lincoln's words of government of the people by the people andfor the people, led him to exhort the working classes to elevate tbe1nselves by education and deplore the 01ganisation of intelligence purchased by wealth (Brisbane Courier 6/4/1891). As early as 1870 he introduced for the first time in an Australian colony the concept of free education and is hailed by many as the real father of our system of free, compulsoiy and secular education. The context in which Lilley operated was one in which countries such as England, Scotland and Germany were begin- ning to provide access to education, particularly at prima1y level, to boys and girls from different social classes. By the end of the nineteenth centu1y these countries had moved to making it compulsory.What was not so readily available not only within these countries but in Australia generally, was general access to facilities for seconda1y and higher education. With the full societal impact of rapid industrialisation, this became a matter for increasing concern with the result that moves were made to address the issue and provide greater equity in education. It coincided with the great social movement which swept away barriers to the achievement of women. (17Jeobald 1994) Lilley's views on education, and in particular, those relating to the higher education of both boys and girls were stimulated by the atmosphere of University College London which he attended during 1847 and 1848. It was non sectarian, relatively low cost and open to all classes without prejudice and was the first university to offer courses to women and later degrees . following his arrival in Australia in 1856, as a schoolmaster on an immigrant ship, Lilley moved to Moreton Bay where he worked as a solicitor by day and as editor of 171e Moreton Bay Courier by night, and took an active interest in politics and the development of the proposed new Colony. On 24 June, 1873, Mr Justice Charles Lilley, Member for Fortitude Valley in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland and a prominent public figure, addressed an open meeting in Brisbane at which there were over a thousand people present. On this occasion he expressed his views on education. He was preparing a new education Bill for the colony which would extend educational provisions in Queensland. Into this vision- a1y Bill, Lilley appears to have incorporated much of the University of London model and also appears to have based his attitude to the education of women on his experiences while there. He stated that in his opinion the question of public education was of the first importance to the new colony, and ,veil above all other contempora1y issues including those of land and immigration. In particular, he espoused his belief that State education should be directed to the intellectual, moral and physical training of students and to the formation of habits of self culture, based on the principle that there should be no eparation on account of class, rank or religion and furthermore that girls, whose education had hitherto been neglected, should have the same educational advantages as boys . (Brisbane Courier 24/6/ 1873) Although his visiona1y Bill was not passed by the Parliament of the day, it led to the establishment in 1874 of a Royal Commission into Education. It was obvious that Charles Lilley should chair the Commission and following his appointment a major review of the provisions for education in the State was

conducted. During the hearings there were witnesses who raised new issues, one of which significantly reflected Lilley's earlier view that there was a need to provide girls with similar opportunities to boys through which they could gain access to higher education. During that same year, Lilley used his vision and energy to influence fellow trustees at Brisbane Grammar School, which had been established in 1869, to open a branch school for the bigber education ofgirls and in which it was intended that the system of education would be similar to that provided in the boys school. On March 15, 1875, the girls school opened as a branch of Brisbane Grammar and as the first public seconda1y school for girls in the colony established a milestone in the development of public education of girls within Australia. It is interesting that there was no suggestion at this time to take this somewhat radical step still further and establish a co-educa- tional institution. There could have been no more unlikely place for such developments to happen than the f\eW colony of Queensland. It was a largely agrarian society where the rapidly changing work patterns and life styles found in more industrialised societies were not really evident. At the same time however, it represented a new frontier , free from the constraints inherent in older more highly developed communities. People came from a variety of backgrounds and, although members of the squattocracy considered themselves an elite, in reality there was no strong social stratification. Rather, there was an obvious need for men and women to work together to develop the new society unconstrained by the stereotypes and mores of their original homelands. Lilley had many supporters in his determination to provide girls with the same educational opportunities as boys . They included Sir Charles Nicholson and Sir Robert Herbert, both of whom had played a major role in the early educational development of the colony and the Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane, Bishop Quinn, also an ardent liberal. One ofHerbert's close friends was Sir John Bramston who was chairman of the Board of Trustees at Brisbane Grammar from 1871 - 1874 and it is not surprising that he gave his support to Lilley in his attempt to open the girls branch. Thus Lilley's vision was supported by men who played such important roles in developing the early structures of the colony.

There is a wonderful series of letters dedicated to Charles Lilley , which were published under the title Our Girls and their Secondaiy Education, and written by Fred Swannick, a teacher from Kangaroo Point School. Swannick seriously considered what it meant to be a girl at school in Queensland in the 1870's and promoted the view that the education of girls as well as boys was quite inadequate and that women three hundred years earlier had been better se1ved. He expressed surprise and delight at the moves by Brisbane Grammar School and in particular Lilley, to establish a seconda1y school for girls, stating let us rejoice that at last good common sense bas decided our girls will have the unspeakable advantage of such subjects as physical training. What concerned Swannick, however, was would parents take advantage of the Trustees moves. He was worried that the girls school might not be the success it dese1ved to be . Despite early problems, one hundred and twenty years ----------------------- 13 --------------- --------

Lilley Oration and Dinner

Head Girl Barbara Mc Kay

The Hon. J'vlr]usticej MMacrossan, Cbiefjustice ofQueensland delivering tbe inaugural Lilley Oration.

Cha innan of tbe Board of Trustees Dr Cberrell Hirst

Lilley Fa·mily Descendants

(L-R): Dr C. Hirst, Judge and Mrs Macrossan, and Mrs Han cock.

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------- ~irls @rammar ~ rbool ll,lr isbane 1997

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irlu· rnmn111r / rl1o i1I, tliinh thi!i 11 f1ili 1~11 , lffll!ii11n fi ll· t'r11rr!i!iing 11nr Fli'll!iurl' nt r1t1m· snfr n-lnrn fri,m. ru~·,11w. 11u,, ·1w i;inrad11 hop·r n11n l1nb1' ntj11111't' 'oonr bi sit llll ~ h1n1lr rdurnL'\ \tlit~ mu 1 tu r- b q1\1lt IJ. :·, ~ r frd ~1't?~ln l\fll trful for t4r kinMu iutm:51· 'n11)i1h uuu lJLltll-' nitl) r.r t,i cbin,Y~ in till· \Irctf1m: llf° L'UP, rn1111l. 1\u~ l1opr t~ut u, ~,u urr l\rntitii~ b11 t'lJl' 1m11,n-,m h 1 r ~11\11· mn~,· ~nrit!J1 nour nhiti-nrr. . ·: ·.···•· -.·· . ·. ~ .-, ·. · :- .- .. . .:.,; . "TO"rr nr,· pl rnsit ir ' h1 ll1iul:. thut )lOU , lw li1i ~ thi ftrut r.t11n1 ,,( \1ur m·\tt builMm,. \lr 1 thi· fir it fo 111~ pnhlirlo rrr,· i\lr~ iu it 1tn1 \\iil_h hrnrti1 !i1 't11 i1i~Wri l ~nt ,·tt rrn bli•ssi1!H lllllll l'l'!i t 11r11n U_11u llUO lf t\~1.1_ f i ill1'D: \111· n1drou11: n11u l11nu· 1(\niu. · ," 1···,·.•, . . · . . ,.. , . . .,,. . .. . . ~ "' fo· PnJtils 1rf t!11· f ri!i bt1ur Virls' C .rttmm11r -~d,ool. . . . . rish1lUl' . . btrdj •'I l.h. 16o!f.

The illumination. presented to His Hon.ou r j ustice Lilley and Lady Lilley in March 1884.

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~iris '19rmnmar ~clJool lJ;lrisbane 1997 ---------11r------------------------ ~

a school which subsequently opened up new experiences, not just for the girls within the school, but also for the boys, experiences hitherto unavailable in Queensland. The value of the Sydney Junior and Senior examinations as benchmarks for academic achievements clearly demonstrated to all that young women were more than capable of accepting academic challenges and that, as the quality of teaching improved within the girls school, girls could achieve equally with and at times, better than, their male counterparts. The result was that in 1882, an independent seconda1y education emerged as a reality for the young women of the colony when the two branches of Brisbane Grammar formally separated. The girls school gained its own foundation and independent Board of Trustees. That this development oc- curred at all in a period when priorities other than education, were uppermost in most people's minds, is a tribute to the persistence of the early leaders and in particular to Charles Lilley, who was prepared against all odds to pursue the goal of education for all. Who better, to comment on the emergence of such a development for girls than one of the first girls to be given such an opportunity. On the occasion of the Jubilee of the Girls Grammar School in 1925, Bertha Burdorff, enrolled in 1875, recalled something of the climate in which the school was established. Picture Brisbane then, a little more than a village without trams, electric light, motor cars, moving pictures; with no tecbnical college and no university... it says mucb for the Gov- ernment and tbe Trustees of tbe Grammar Scbool at that ti111e tbatwben tbeyoung colony ofQueenslandwas but sixteenyears old and bigber education for women still a subject of contro- versy, tbe frtestimable boon of a liberal and non-sectaria 11 education was offered to our girls. Bertha exemplifies the vision behind the entire move towards equality of educational opportunity as it emerged in Queensland. As a saddler's daughter who lived in Queen Street, Bertha became one of many young women who were given educational opportunities previously undreamed of, in an environment which included people from a variety of back- grounds and was free from the constraints of class, religion, ra ce or gender. The beautiful illumination, presented by the girls of th , school to His Honour Justice Lilley and Lady Lilley in March 1884, when they were the first public figures to be welcomed to the new school building on Gregory Terrace, refl ects something of the appreciation felt for what he had achieved in the education of girls. This was a man, truly ahead of his time , who had created his own lasting memorial.

later, Swannick, as well as all those involved in the develop- ments would be ove1whelmed at just how successful the move was. Although Lilley had not acted in isolation, he did use a particular set of circumstances to achieve his vision for educa- tion generally. Through the mechanism of Government Acts and at a time when the concept of the validity of universal prima1y education was just emerging as an issue, the fact that secondary education was raised at all was a tribute to him and to the early community and political leaders of the colony. They had recognised that if the colony did not establish a strong educational base, then its future would be jeopardised by the lack of an educated group within the community and a shortage of properly trained professionals who could guide its future development. Through their initiatives they provided a forum for the entire issue of education to be debated and for the specific issues of liberal versus vocational education to be addressed . Their policies were at times in sharp contrast to policies in other colonies where while general support of Government provi- sions for basic prima1y education was the rule, the established churches and private academies were given the right to provide facilities for most of the higher forms of education. Putting policy into action was not easy and at times became an almost impossible challenge. It could be argued that the issue of the higher education of girls was helped to a degree by many of these apparently unrelated events. For example, Lilley's initiative in 1870 to introduce free prima1y education took some of the financial pressure from parents to support local schools. Likewise, the increased availability of scholarships not only to Grammar Schools but also to universities placed access to a higher education within the grasp of anyone prepared to work hard at their studies. With the passage of Tbe University Act (1870) Lilley even ensured that despite there being no univer- sity in the colony, those who desired such access would not be hindered in seeking it. ' Lilley's vision, so evident in the early years of the Colony, highlights the need for persistence if changes are to be achieved. It could be surmised from the generally small enrolments in the existing girls schools of the period, which stressed an "accomplishments" curriculum, and the initial higher enrolments at the Girls Grammar, that although suitable facilities did exist at the time, many parents were seeking more academic alternatives for their daughters. As with any change, however, the initial years of the Girls Grammar were not easy. The added stresses it placed upon the Boys' School had not featured in the planning processes and there was a general failure to develop clear lines of responsibil- ity and communication between the Headmaster Thomas Harlin and the Lady Principal Janet O'Connor. Indeed it could be considered that with both leaving the school in 1876, it is surprising that the so called experiment ever continued. Once these early problems were addressed, however, the expertise of the new Headmaster Reginald Heber Roe, coupled with the ability of subsequent lady principals, led to the development of

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Vale Mccrae Grassie

O n Friday 6 June, 1997, family, mem- bers of the School community, former colleagues and friends farewelled Dr McCrae Grassie OAM, MA, MEd(StA), PhD(Qld), FACE, FQIEA, more often referred to simply as Mac, in what was a ve1y moving Service in the school Auditorium. Dr Grassie was born in Dundee, Scotland on 28th May, 1924 to Fred and Jessie Grassie. His early education was at the Harris Academy in Dundee and the Arbroath High School. After leaving school, he attended the University of St Andrews where he gained an Honours Master of Arts Degree in Modern Histo1y and Political Economy and a Master of Education. In Scot- land he qualified to teach in both prima,y and seconda1y schools and held posts as Assistant Director of Education in the County of Fife

School ofEducation at the University ofQueens- land. During his early years at UofQ he gained his Doctorate in Philosophy. Among his most prized achievements were a University Medal in Education and election to fellowships in both the Australian College of Education and the Queensland Institute of Educational Ad- ministration. From 1984 until 1987 when he retired from the University of Queensland, Dr Grassie was Director of the Tertia1y Education Institute. His services to education were recognized when he received an Order of Australia Medal in 1992. Dr Grassie's association with Brisbane Girls Grammar School began in 1981 when he was involved in the whole school evaluation proc- ess. In 1982 he was appointed by the Minister

Dr McCrae Grassie

for Education to the Board of Trustees and in 1986 elected Chairman, a position he held until August 1996. Under his ChairmanshipThe Restoration and BuildingAppeal was launched in 1989 and a Master Plan developed which was completed six years later with the opening of TheMcCrae Grassie Sports Centre named in his honour. This is a lasting tribute to a man always considered a gentleman and a scholar.

where he was Deputy Director from 1958 until 1967. Mac also had a period of time in the British Army in India where he gained the rank of Captain. ln 1950 he married Ma1y Liddle and in 1967 he moved to Austra lia with Ma1y and his two sons Graeme (deed) and Stuart, who both attended Brisbane Grammar School. The move was to allow him to take up a position as Senior Lecturer in the

Professor Dorothy Hill

O n 26 April 1997 relatives, academic colleagues, former students and friends of Emeritus Professor Dorothy Hill, AC, CBE, ga thered at her funeral service in Brisbane. I orothy Hill was born on 10 September 1907 an I lived a meritorious life, making a major on tribution to academia through a number of aven ues and during that time gained a PhD( antab) , DSc, Hon LL.D(Qld), FRS and FA.A. At the service, Mrs Margaret Eva read the P em by Robert Browning called Home Tbo11gbts, from Abroad from a book of poems whi ch Dorothy Hill had been awarded as a Sp ech Day Prize when she attended Girls Grammar School, Brisbane. Since her death there have been many

Dorothy Hill was a student at Girls Grammar from 1920 - 1924 where she had a distinguished academic and sporting career before winning an open scholarship to the University ofQueens- land. She accepted her second choice of career and enrolled in the Faculty of Science. In her first year she took a course in geology and was soon committed to the field, graduating in 1928 with first-class honours and a University Medal , the first woman in the University to do so. During her time at the University Dorothy Hill won an Australian Universities Blue for Hockey. She was awarded a travelling scholarship to Cambridge University to study for the doctor of philosophy degree before the start of World War II. During this time, Cambridge University

Professor Dorothy Hill

outstand ing tributes written about her and her life and work. ne f the most concise and thoughtful was by Professor Ken ampbell , Emeritus Professor of Geology at the Australian 1 ational University. He wrote about every aspect of her life in a Ill st eloquent way- parts of it are recorded here as our tribute to Dorothy Hill, EGGS Old Girl. was at the zenith of its scientific achievement and she learned methods of research, a breadth of scientific perception, the importance of a good critical appreciation, the necessity of a good research libra,y and the value of competent scientific colleagues, as well as developing an appreciation of aspects of culture such as drama and architecture. She remained active in -------------------- 17 ---------------------

@iris @ranunar ~clJool ~risllane 1997

and Stratigraphy in her honour. In 1970 she was elected the first female president of the Australian Academy of Science and remains the only woman ever to hold that post. In 1971 she became president of her University's professorial Board and was awarded a CBE in 1971 , an AC in 1993 and in 1983 the ANZAAS Medal. Brisbane Girls Grammar School has been endowed with a prize which will perpetuate her memo1y. The ProfessorDorothy Hill Prize is given annually at Speech Day and is presented to a student proceeding to the University of Queensland to undertake the study of Science or a Science-based course. The prize was awarded last year for the first time to Karen Dancer. Professor Hill 's academic dress as Doctor of Science also remains in the school as a lasting reminder of her outstanding life and career. To conclude, Ken Campbell writes: In ber personal life sbe was totally without ostentation, living quietly and modestly but gracefully accepting the many accolades that came unbidden. The nature ofherprimaryfield ofendeavourmeans hername is not as well known as those sucb as Mary Gilmore, Caroline Chisholm or Leonie Kramer, but she stands among them as one oftbe most eminent women Australia has produced. On 21 August this year one of the Girls Grammar String Ensembles entertained guests at the naming of the Dorothy Hill Physical Sciences and Engineering Library at the University of Queensland to perpetuate her name . We are proud of the part this school played in her formative years, in the amazing life that was Dorothy Hill .

sport and even earned a Class Apilot's licence. Her chosen field was palaeontology and her studies in Britain and Europe quickly established international pre-eminence in the field, a fact that was recognised by her election to a fellowship at Newnham College. Dorothy Hill returned to Queensland in 1937 to take up a research grant offered by the Council for Scientific and Indus- trial Research, however the outbreak ofWorld War II intervened and she enlisted in the Women's Royal Australian Naval Service in 1942 and became a second officer on the RAN Operations Staff, working on codes and ciphers at HMAS Moreton, a most responsible task at the time. In 1945 she was demobbed and returned the next year to her tempora1y research post at the University. Shortly afterwards she was made a temporary lecturer in historical geology, specialising in palaeontology. Thus began a major contribution to education and research that would continue until the mid-1980's . Dorothy Hill considered the best method for developing an inquiring mind was to confront it with real problems and then provide it with appropriate intellectual tools. She considered that the prima,y function of university teaching was to develop inquiring minds and not just to pass on accepted knowledge. In 1956 she became the first female fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and in 1965 she was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of London - the highest scientific accolade, apart from a Nobel Prize that can be awarded to a Commonwealth scientist. She was the first Australian woman to be so honoured. In 1959 her achievements were recognised with her appoint- ment to a research professorship and on her retirement in 1972, the university created the Dorothy Hill Chair of Palaeontology

Vale Yolande Greet

T he BGGS Community has been greatly blessed by the long and distinguished se1vice of Yolande Greet, Head of the Science Department from 1973 to early 1995. A brilliant student herself and a winner of an open Scholarship to the University of Queens- land, she was a dedicated teacher who kept abreast of the ever-expanding research findings in science and in education. She meticulously prepared and guided the learning experiences for the students and was a mentor to many of her teaching colleagues. Above all she was a teacher of people and devoted herself to the education of the whole person. She was an avid photographer of a wide range of school activities. For many years

and logistics, and she still managed to cater for the special needs of individuals and was willing to make a painstaking adjustment to the whole program according to the changed circu in- stances of just one student. Yolande's retirement years were sadly cur short by illness, but she made the most of every day that she was spared and she remai ned cheerful. With profound faith she could look fo,ward to life after death with eve1y confi - dence . She continues as a shining example of a great scholar and teacher, a gracious la ly, 11 witty and fun-loving companion, and a kind and thoughtful friend to her family, colleagues, students, neighbours and many people who

Yolande Greet

she organised the Extension Education Activities program for all Year 11 and Year 12 girls, a massive exercise in co-ordination

admired and loved her.

HELEN STATHAM

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