July 1963 School Magazine

Brisbane Girl~' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1963

Brisbane Girl~' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1963

ADJUSTING TO MY SECOND HOME

wearing a safety helmet was hit by a flying log, weighing about three pounds. The only damage was to the helmet ~ a slight three inch tear ! After a long walk around the floor area o£ six acres of the building, we were thoughtfully provided with drinks. So ended our mill excursion and what an unusual but interesting one it was. We hope to have more of these sorts '' "' · of excursions in the future and hope everyone enjoys them as much as this one. J. TESKE (President).

It seems uncanny that the people of two nations set so far apart can be so much alike. Our dress, speech, and habits may differ but these are only superficial differei).ces, differences which d'o not make the people themselves '· 'dis- similar. Although my phraseology may differ from yours, our general vocabulary is the same and a brief defining of terms is usually all that is necessary to make a point understood. I am finding that my American accent seems to be "rubbing off" onto other people and, at the same time, I am determined to acquire an Australian accent to take back to the States with me. When I began school here I could not help comparing it to my high school. I came from a public, co-educational high school of 3,500 students in California to a private girls' school of approximately seven hundred. Needless to say, I had quite an adjustment to make. We don' t wear uniforms at my school but it would be much easier if we did With uniforms you always know what you are going to wear each day and you have no worri~s about competing with others for clothes. I have found that generally, students here are more conscientious about their studies. I only wish that our students would have more concern for their education. Another difference lies in the fact that your teachers move from class to class whereas our teachers each have their own room and the students must move to their respective lessons. We have many extra-curricular activities at my school, more than I've found here. We are disciplined by a student government or a government by the students, which is modelled after our national government. The legislative branch proposes and passes laws and the· judicial branch sees that these laws are enforced. Violators are tried in court and punished according to the verdict. Each student is represented in our House of Representatives and each has a vote in school elections. Our school officers would correspond to your prefects. . 21

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THE BOARDER - ANN PECHEY, VIC.

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