1997 School Magazine

@iris @rnmmar ~clJool ~risbane 1997 ---------II[------------------------ ~ Brilliant Careers

B risbane Girls Grammar School holds great pride in its students' achievements . Accomplishments of old girls are frequently reported in the school magazine, newspaper and newsletter. In March, however, five Grammar old girls were amongst thirty-four women recognised and praised for their contributions to the scientific field in an exhibition held at the Queensland Museum called "Brilliant Careers". Science in the late nineteenth centu1y and early twentieth centu1y was a male dominated field, and advances by women, no matter how important, went largely unnoticed . The contributions of many women were publicly recognised at the exhibition, some for the first time. Jo Mackerras, Dorothy Hill, Cecily Fearnley, Elizabeth Exley and Joan Cribb, all 'old girls ', were recognised for their contributions to the fields of biology, geology, natural histo1y, entomology and botany respectively. Jo Mackerras nee Bancroft 0896-1971) attended the school and then the University of Queensland where she 'indulged in her passion for biology'. Her work in the field of biology resulted in many of her collections being displayed at the Queensland Museum and ten species of animal, mainly nema- todes , being named after her. Dorothy Hill 0907 - 1997) after attending Brisbane Girls Grammar won an open scholarship to the University of Queens- land. She graduated in 1928 with first class honours and was the first woman to receive a University Gold Medal. She was later described as 'the most outstanding graduate in the first seventy- five years of the University' by Professor Malcolm Thomis . Her extensive geological collections are now housed at the Univer- sity and around the world in various museums .

Cecily Fearnley nee Sandercock, (1925 - ) continued her education after Girls Grammar at the Brisbane Central Technical College where she continued to refine her talent for sketching. Cecily worked at the museum as an art assistant, the first to be so employed, before beginning to write and illustrate natural history articles for the local newspaper. She was founding vice- president of the Brisbane Bushwalkers Club in 1948 and an Honorary National Park Ranger. Elizabeth Exley (1927 - ) completed her education at Brisbane Girls Grammar School before continuing on to the University of Queensland where she studied zoology, graduat- ing in 1950 with honours . She worked at the University of Queensland's Entomology Department as a tutor and lecturer, her interest in native bees inspiring her to complete a Doctorate which she received in 1968. Several species of bee have been name after her as a tribute to her ongoing contribution to this field of science. Joan Cribb nee Herbert 0930 - ) followed in her father 's footsteps to become a botanist, gaining an honours and a Master of Science degree from the University of Queensland. She and husband Alan B. Cribb worked extensively together, publishing a definitive series of books on native plants and their properties. Her contribution to the fungal taxonomy was acknowledged in the naming of the genus Cribbea . CATHERINE CHAPMAN

PROFESSOR MARGARET BULLOCK

P rofessor Margaret Bul- lock (nee Roberts), a respected old girl of BGGS, was recently awarded the hon- our of Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for outstanding service to the community in the field of physiotherapy, particu- larly as a research leader, aca- demic and administrator. Pro- fessor Bullock has received many other honours, but ad- mitted that this award came as a complete surprise and was one of the most exciting events in her life.

Professor Bullock finished her senior year in 1950 and remembers her years at BGGS with pleasure and pride. She said that then as now, the school was led by a strong principal with vision and she knows that her own principal, Miss Lilley, influenced her life significantly. Reflecting on her fourteen years as a member of the BGGS Board of Trustees 0976- 1990), she commented that she had been proud to contribute to decision-making in areas which could enhance

Professor Margaret Bullock with ber husband Professor Keith Bullock

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