Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2010

B R I S B A N E G I R L S G R A M M A R S C H O O L

HEALTH HAZARDS OF LIFE AT BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR IN THE FIFTIES MY INTRODUCTION TO GIRLS’ GRAMMAR WAS ON A “RIGHT ROYAL” NOTE FOR THE THEN RECENTLY CROWNED QUEEN ELIZABETH II WAS ON THE FIRST ROYAL TOUR OF AUSTRALIA BY A REIGNING MONARCH; SO FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF MY THIRD FORM YEAR (NOW YEAR 8) I SUFFERED AN ACHING SHOULDER NOT JUST FROM HEAVY SCHOOL BOOKS BUT FROM WAVING AT ROYAL PERSONAGES AT A VARIETY OF VENUES WHICH SEEMED TO BE REACHED ONLY AFTER LONG WALKS.

Despite this royal start, school soon settled to a normal routine and tired arms were replaced by tired legs, as it seemed impossible for a third-former ever to have a seat on the bus since the seniors didn’t stand while the thirds were seated. Since typing was still a school subject, tired fingers were a health problem for the girls in the Commercial forms. Tired heads came to the fore as the dreaded examinations drew near. So worrying were they, that nerves produced all types of hazards. One girl’s nervous wringing of her hands in the assembly before the first examination caused several fingers to be dislocated. Another girl managed a nose bleed for most of her Modern History examinations. Perhaps the worst feature of the examinations was the posting of results in order of merit lists on the notice boards. At this time sore eyes sometimes replaced other aches and pains. A far more serious health hazard for all at this time was the fear of polio against which a vaccine had not yet been developed and almost everyone knew someone who had been affected by the disease. Despite one period when little sport was played because of the fear of the disease, great enthusiasm existed for interschool competition and many hoarse throats resulted from cheering form or school teams. The very drafty wooden gym which stood where the present one is now (now the Creative Learning Centre), probably helped many to get the coughs that disturbed many assemblies in winter. Sport wasn’t all danger, however, and the practice sessions on our courts by Australia’s best tennis players — Hoad, Rosewall, Laver and Emerson, were watched with enthusiasm. Perhaps we felt our lives were most in danger when, at the end of fourth form, building alterations began. The first danger seemed to be from flying debris as the roof was pulled off the one-storied Western Wing so that the upper storey could be built. This was followed by an even greater danger to those who had to face a cyclone season in a marquee on the area above the gymnasium. Despite survival of these hazards, some suffered a reaction when they moved into new classrooms and found that the windows were slightly higher than expected.

Most survived and so by the time we reached sixth form, there were about fifty of us, compared with the twenty who had been in sixth form when I was a third former. Maybe our survival was due to the fact that the Headmistress, Miss Crooks, and many of the staff, including Miss Macmillan, Mrs Jackson, Miss Maclean, Miss Kennedy and Miss Elliott were well experienced in helping girls survive and prosper. They were being joined by others like Miss Thomas, Miss Paterson and Miss McNamara, who were to continue this task.

Certainly a carpeted classroom with a beautiful view in 1975 seems a lot healthier.

Marjorie Neil PAST STUDENT, 1954 – 1957

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