Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2013

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ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY LEADERS GRAMMAR WOMEN:

ARTICLE

MS ELIZABETH JAMESON, HEAD GIRL 1982 — CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES

AUTHOR

The fascinating and varied conversation culminated in discussing the ways in which this group could become a forum for the encouragement of greater leadership mentoring for our women of all ages. The School already has a number of excellent programmes and networks with a leadership focus for today’s students, but the discussion turned to the concept of finding, supporting and encouraging the development of more community leaders, including in the boardroom, from among our old girls and alumnae. After all, as demonstrated by the many stories shared on the day, for decades Brisbane Girls Grammar has encouraged our young women to independence of thought and a courageous preparedness to push the boundaries when circumstances demand. These features — courage and independence — are obviously common threads throughout generations of Grammar women. They are perhaps the very essence of the ‘Grammar spirit’? They are also clearly critical attributes of true leadership in any walk of life. Combine this Grammar spirit with the old girl/alumnae network, its tendrils stretching across endless disciplines and interests right around the world, and we Grammar women are well placed to do much more for each other in this regard. The Girls Grammar heartbeat was loud and clear that day in the Annie Mackay Room. It is hoped that future Reunion Luncheons will keep the circulation moving — the healthy circulation of ideas, friendships and community leadership opportunities.

THE ANNIE MACKAY ROOM IN the School’s lovely Main Building is in many ways the very heart of the Girls Grammar. Not only in terms of it being a central pathway from the School’s ‘front door’ to the lively campus behind, but also because of the stories that its honour boards and photographs, and those of the adjacent Mittelheuser Museum, tell about the 138-year life of the School. It was therefore fitting that the heart of the School was beating out a strong and healthy rhythm on the last Saturday in June, as thirty ‘Grammar women’ across several generations shared stories about lives, careers, children, grandchildren, aspirations and School memories. The common bond in this case was that, across more than fifty years, each of the women in the room had been a Head Girl, a Lady Lilley Gold Medallist (Dux) or a Lady Lilley Silver Medallist (Proxime Accessit). The Reunion Luncheon was the third of its kind held over recent years and is set to become a semi-regular feature in the School’s calendar. All who attended — from the most senior of the group Miss Margaret Vallance, the 1959 Lady Lilley Medallist who shared her original gold medal with the group, through to the fresh-faced young women from the 2012 alumnae year — agreed that the event is a marvellous way to forge stronger bonds across generations, the School’s ephemeral ‘Grammar spirit’ being the binding force. TOP LEFT Guests at the Head Girl, Lady Lilley Gold Medallist (Dux) & Lady Lilley Silver Medallist (Proxime Accessit) Reunion Luncheon TOP RIGHT Mrs Jayne Marriott (nee Sellars) Head Girl 1968, Mrs Rosemary Doyle (nee Henzell) Head Girl 1967, and Mrs Barbara Alexander (nee Harris) Head Girl 1967 BOTTOM RIGHT Ms Tanvi Karnik Head Girl 2012, Ms Emma Nicol Dux 2012, Ms Phoebe Tronc Head Girl 2012, with Ms Elizabeth Jameson Head Girl 1982 and Chair of the Board of Trustees

SPRING ISSUE / 2013