July 1956 School Magazine

MAGAZINE of the

BRISBANE GIRLS' GRAMMAR SCHOOL

JULY, 1956

Registered at the G.P.O., Brisbane, lo1 transmission by post as a Periodical

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Published by Miss L. W. Crooks, Brisbane Girls' Grammar School and printed by Allan William Cramb, Fuller Street, Windsor, for The Read Press Ply. Ltd., 610-616 Ann Street, Valley, Brisbane.

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T!Je "/vt~.,~ZhH ~f ·[~e ~,.,sl~~.,H b"·l/ [r·.,.»-t»-t~,. rBc}J~~t EDITORIAL. WE of the Twentieth Century pride ourselves on our enlightened state of mind and spirit, our superior education and knowledge and our amazing and sometimes bewilderingly complicated inventions. We pat ourselves on the back and declare w 'th smug self-satisfaction that this is the Golden Age of Science ir' which human beings, obeying an inborn instinct of laziness, have decided to let machines do their work for them. All these tireless machines designed · to make life one glorious, luxurious and effortless dream for us, have not succeded in lowering our blood pressure. Let us rise out of the mud of complacency and egoism in wh ich we have been wallowing and look about us to-day. Are we any happier than our rude and healthy forefathers ? Despite the ir lack of edu- cation and their sad dearth of modern facilities, they were at least, more contented. The world is a verit- aH3 cauldron of restlessness and trouble, seething with the suppressed emotions of discontented and rebellious peoples, who are just learning to give voice to them and to try their young wings in demo- cratic flight. Are we to help in clipping these flut- tering wings or shall we do our utmost to assist them in their efforts to build up prosperous countries for themselves? We must learn to view both sides of the question with impartiality and, in order to do so, we must be truly educated and not merely instructed with a th;n veneer of learning, quickly forgotten in the levell ing processes of Time. Therefore, let us make full use of our leisure and grasp every opportunity for increasing ·our know- ledge and widening the horizon of our interests. We are at the impressionable age during which we can absorb more than at any other stage in our lives. Let us take advantage of it, and leave ourselves open to the great stores of wisdom contained in this world, so that we shall grow wiser and not more foolish with increasing age.

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July, 1956"

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

have been needed for some time and we are grateful to the trustees for these handsome new rooms. The second notable event of the year, was the laying of the Foundation Stone of another building which we hope will be begun by the end of the year, the long looked for Library. This beautiful stone and tablet was set on the 14th April by His Excellency Sir John Lavarack. This was His Excellency's first visit to our School and during the preparations, all concerned eagerly looked forward to the afternoon. We are very proud that His Excellency is now the Official Visitor of the School and hope that the Library which we need so much will soon be be- gun. When it is finished the Fiction Library, which is at the moment taking up part of a class room, and the valuable Refer- ence Library in handsome cases that line one of the passages, will be removed to rooms of their own in the new building. The reference room can then be used for private study and reference during the day, affording more space and convenience than is possible at present. Happily, the 14th April coincided with Old Girls' Day, for the Old Girl's Association first proposed the building of this Library, and, supported by the many generous friends of the School, raised a fund large enough to make the building pos- sible. We are most grateful to all our benefactors. This afternoon was a most pleasant social gathering and the usual sports events took place. Basketball and tennis matches resulted in victory for the Old Girls in A and B basket- ball and for the Present Girls in A and B tennis. The Sporting Season opened with the Interform Swimming Carnival held at the Brisbane Grammar School on the 13th March. IV C won the competition with III D and III C in second and third places. We thank the Headmaster for generously allowing us to use the Bays' pool for the Carnival and for weekly swimming lessons. At the Interschool Swimming Carnival, held on the 17th March our team was placed fourth. We congratulate Clayfield College and Somerville House who gained first and second places. Shortly after this in the closely contested Interschool Lifesaving Competition we were placed fourth, Clayfield College again being the winning team. Our Athletics practices are now in full swing, and each form is practising enthusiastically for the Interform Carnival 11

CURRENT EVENTS. The year 1956 is a milestone in the history of the Brisbane Girls' Grammar School. First, five new rooms are in construc- tion. When we returned at the beginning of the year, we were :faced with a shortage of class roonrs because a second storey was being added to the Western wing. This crowding has been in great measure relieved as we a re now back in three of the old rooms and in the three corresponding new rooms above ihem. These rooms are fully furnished with new, polished desks, tables and cupboards and blackboards and have one all-glass wall for good lighting and ventilation. Within a few weeks we hope to move into the remaining rooms and look for- ward to the time when they will be painted. These elms rooms

His Excellency the Governor speaking at laying of Foundation Stone. 10

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

Old Girls' Day, the 14th April was a memorable occasion for this school. His Excellency, the Governor, Sir John Lavar- ack, visited the school and laid the foundation stone of the library. The Old Girls have been trying to raise money for the building for some time, and now with a government subsidy and hopes for the financial success of the Grammar Fun Fair to be held in the third term the necessary sum seems to be almost within reach. Wark on the building will probably com- mence later in the year. The weather was perfect and the School, very tidy, looked its best. Beautiful flowers were brought by many of the girls and they added colour indoors. Everyone was interested in the plan of the library which was displayed on a table in the Assembly Hall. At three o'clock the Governor and Lady Lavarack arrived and the official party went down the covered way, through a very long guard of honour to the top basketball court where the foundation stone was to be laid. Mr. England asked the Governor to lay the stone. His words, "I declare this stone well and truly laid", seemed to make the dream of the Old Girls and the School a reality. His Excellency remarked that many present regarded the library as a tribute to one who had been connected with the School for a long time, but who chose to remain anonymous. Miss Crooks voiced the thoughts of all when she thanked the Governor for coming, and thanked all those who have worked for the library for their unflagging efforts. Miss Beech, the president of the Old Girls' Association presented the Gov- ernor with a small memento of the occasion, which is a land- mark in the history of the School. The official party, and all the visitors to the School, watched some of the matches being played between the Old Girls and the prese~t girls and afternoon tea was served. It was really inspiring to see so many Old Girls, parents and friends present. Inscribed on the stone are the words "Seekers can find here counsellors and friends, company and entertainment". Surely these words will lead to a greater realization of the value of a library to the School.

His Excellency laying the Foundation Stone.

which will be quickly followed by the Interschool C:Jmpetition in which we hope to improve on last year's performance. La Soiree des Eccles had extra interest for us this year as one of our girls won the Junior section of the competition held at ihe University and recited on the programme presented. Many girls attended, enjoyed and learnt a great deal from this even- ing. We now look forward to seeing "Macbeth" and "Julius Caesar" which are soon to be played by Twelfth Night and the Brisbane Arts Theatre. We welcome to the staff, Mrs. Slack-Smith, Miss McNamara, Miss Edwards, Miss Rooney, Mrs. Riddles, Miss Palmer, Miss Francis, Mrs. McCristal, Miss Stephans and Mr. Timmermans and hope they will find their stay with us enjoyable. We wish Bon Voyage et Beau Sejour to Miss O'Rourke Brophy and Miss Cormack who, on leave in England will be returning to us next year and say goodbye to Mrs. Rocke, Mrs. Hadgraft, Mrs. Fun- nel, Mrs. Boulton and Mrs. Hiscock who left at the end of last year and to Miss Sutton, Miss Wood and Miss Marks who left at the end of first term. We wish them every happiness in the future. 12

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Br.isbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July. 1956

She picks out various landmarks by which she is able to find her way home. If however her first flight was across water she would be lost. As she becomes an established forager she develops a sense of the distance travelled and a sense of the direction relative to the sun, travelled on her outward journey in search of food. I have actually proved this myself by carrying out a simple experiment with a few bees from a colony whose hive is situated in an open field. I managed to entice the bees to a dish containing a syrup of sugar and water. The dish was placed on the ground a hundred yards due north of the hive. The bees, after sucking up as much as they could carry of the syrup, flew in a straight line back to the hive. They soon returned in greater numbers to the dish which I picked up without disturbing the bees and placed on the ground about t~enty yards due east of its original position. The bees on satisfying themselves of the syrup, flew a hundred yards due south before realizing they were lost. Even if the dish were placed on top of the hive, the bees would still fly a hundred yards due south. A very interesting feature of bee behaviour is the way in which one bee, having found a source of food, communicates her findings to the bees. The language of bees is the language of dances. So far I have not been able to watch a bee execute her dance as it is performed en the vertical combs in the darkness of the hive. An observation hive with glass. windows would be necessary to watch the dance. The dances are of two types. The first type is a "round dance" in which the dancing bee traces out a circle. This dance is performed only if the source of food is located at a distance of less than a hundred yards from the hive. If the distance is greater than a hundred yards a "wag tail" dance is executed. In this case the dancing bee traces out a figure of 8, the two loops of the 8 being separated from each other by a straight run of varying length. During the dance the bee wags her abdomen rigorously. By means of the "wag tail" dance the bee is able to show the direction in which the food source· lies. Direction is indicated by the angle to the perpendicular at which she makes the straight run of the figure 8. Thus the per- formance of the worker bee is that of elementary map marking and map reading. It is remarkable that the heading toward the sun is the direction of flight selected to correspond with an upward move- ment during the straight component of the wagging dance. We may be sure that this meaningful relationship has developed 15

KENDALL BROADBENT NATURAL HISTORY ESSAY, 1955 THE HONEY BEE. In view of writing this essay I visited a bee hive in order io make observations for myself, and to carryout certain simple experiments about which I had redd and the results of which I shall explain my essay. When a hive is examined in the spring there will be found three kinds of bees-the queen, drone .and the worker. The honey bee, living in its beehive, is a social insect, each insect playing his own particular role in the economy of the hive. All of the members of the colony are equally servants of the "spirit of the hive". There is only one fully developed female or queen and her sole duty within the society is to produce eggs irom which new members develop. The workers are sterile females and they benefit the society by doing all the work in ihe hive . They feed the community, build the honey-comb, tend the young and clean and ventilate the hive. Their mouth parts are modified for collecting nectar and moulding wax, and their limbs for collecting pollen. The mature males or drones are necessary for the continuation of the race and are large, plump and a little stupid and lazy. It is the queen who determines whether the egg, as she lays it will be fertilized or not. The unfertilized eggs produce drones; the fertilized ones queens or workers. Whether the larvae which emerges from the fertilized egg will develop into a queen or worker is determined by the food with which it is supplied by the attendant workers. All larvae on hatching are ied for the first few days on the so called "royal jelly" - a secretion produced by the worker. After this period the larvae which are to be drones or workers are fed on a mixture of honey and pre-digested pollen, but the future queens are fed continu- ously on the "royal jelly". The division of labour in a bee colony is based on the de- velopment and age of the bee. The average length of life of a worker is five to six weeks, during which half her time is spent in the hive and half in the field. It is not until the worker is three weeks old that the first orientation flight is made. By this time the bee knows the position of objects relative to the hive. The worker is then a field bee and spends the rest of her 1ifs foraging in the field. I have so far given a brief outline of the social life of the hive. The rest of the eswy I shall devote to bee behaviour, colour sense and smell. If a bee about three weeks old is released a short distance away from her hive, she finds her way home largely by sight. 14

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

gradually, like other abilities, in the course of the history of the species. It would be of interest to investigate more primitive social insects to learn whether they have a simpler kind of language which would show us how the complex situation found in honey bees may have developed. Even if the sky is cloudy, bees still indicate by means of the wagging dance the correct direction of the feeding place with reference to the sun's position. Hence they must know where the sun stands in the sky even when it is hidden behind cloud. Bes have a very good memory for time. If one feeds them at a certain place for a few da ys between ten and twelve o 'clock, they visit this place for the next four or five days, from ten to twelve, even .though the food dish is empty. Hence it seems to be a possibiiity that in territory which was known to them my bees might have been aware of the direction in which the sun stood at each hour of the day. On another visit to the bee hive I carried out an experiment to find out which colours bees can see. By the scent of a little honey I was able to attract a small group of bees to a place where I had put some food (sugar) on a piece of blue cardboard. The bee sucked up the food and, after carrying it back to the hive and letting others know of the food source, returned again and again. This continued for two hours and then I took away the blue cardboard scented with the honey and put out two new, clean pieces of cardboard at the site of the former feeding place - on the left a blue card, and on the right a yel- low one. If the bees were able to distinguish between yellow and blue they should have alighted on the blue card. This is exactly what happened, and indicates that bees can distinguish between colours. Bees can not on the other hand see all the colours of the spectrum but only yellow, blue-green and blue. They can how- ever mistake violet and purple for blue and orange and green for yellow. Bees can not see the red end of the spectrum and therefore are not attracted to red flowers unless they have a shade of yellow on them. This is the same for white flowers , e.g., the white flower of Narcissus which has a yellow sap :::pot. The sap spots of flowers are usually scented and ofd the bee in locating the nectar. Flower scents have a specific function with regard to honey bees. When a bee is feeding on a scented flower the odour of ihe flower odheres to the bee's body. The nectar on which the 16

bee is feeding is saturated with that flower's characteristic odour. Thus it is possible for the bees in the hive to perceive the flower scent from the returning forager in two ways . Firstly by holding their antennoe toward the dancer they smell the scent adhering to her body as a result of her contact with the flower. The upper surface of the bee's body has the ability to hold scents for long periods. Secondly during pauses in the dance, the dancer feeds the hive bees by regurgitating a droplet of nectar from her honey stomach. The hive bees can therefore rec(3ive the odour of the flower both from the dancer's body and from the nectar which she passes to them. I was not able to prove these facts however as I did not have the necessary apparatus, but I did prove that scent is an important aid for the foraging worker. I placed a yellow dish containing odourless sugar-water a few yards from the hive and near it a similar yellow dish containing sugar-water scented with honey. A few stray workers fed from the scented solution and a few from the unscented. After returning to their hive and presumably executing their dance, workers returned to the scented food in much greater quantities than to the unscented food. I got great enjoyment from my visits to the hive and from the fulfilment of my simple experiments, a lthough I was stung twice and the experiments demanded a great deal of patience. From my essay you can see that by merely looking at an insect and studying its physical structure we travel only a short dis- tance along the road to understanding nature, while there is a great deal left before us in a series of problems concerning their puzzling habits and behaviour.

K. KORBOOT.

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July, 1956

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

sweet clear song in the middle of the day, when other birds are resting. More familiar to most people, is the Kingfisher fa mily. The Kookaburra is the Giant Kingfisher. Actually there are four Kingfishers in the Brisbane area. The purple, blue and white Forest Kingfisher is common in suburban gardens. Similar to the Forest Kingfisher in shape and size, but of a light satiny green on head a nd back, light buff on breast and neck and with two d istinct dark bands on the back of the neck is the Sacred Kingfisher. More rare ly seen is the Azure Kingfisher which never moves far from water. This b eautiful bird has a gorgeous purple a nd orange plumage. The rarest of the Brisbane species is the Mangrove Kingfisher which is slightly larger in head and body than the other Kingfisher. Its colouring merges with the green of the mangroves. The Red-backed Sea Eagle keeps our shores free of sea snake s. It also enjoys fi sh and crabs which it scoops up from the sea with its claws. This bird is familiar alw to India, Burma a nd the Pacific Islands . Indian Sea-hawk is the meaning of its generic name-Haliaster Indu s. M::Jst of the birds that are com- mon in the Moreton District fly at the end of summer to China or Siberia and fly back to Australia when the summer ends in the Northern Hemisphere. We wonder how these birds find their way; how these small birds such as Dotterels achieve this physical feat. The White-necked Heron is the largest b ird in the Brisbane district. Its height is well over two feet. This bird is seen around the Brisbane River or creeks where it finds its favourite food-frogs, fish, small reptiles and water insects. It is a timid and cautious bird and is therefore not as well known as the White-faced Heron or "Blue Crane" which is often seen around waterholes or slowly stepping around one's home. Altogether, there are six varieties of Heron but only two are usually seen . The white egret a nd the two common ibises are the other big birds that frequent the waterholes and creeks of our city. It is vital tha t we know our bird life. If we do not, we can- not appreciate the part each p lays in nature. Wilful killing or inj uring of birds must be stopped. Children must be taught to recognise and know these inte lligent creatures more so than they do in the present day. I have only named and described a few of the birds around Brisbane because I am still learning and as yet can not recognise a ll the birds but I hope that more people will begin to look for these birds and come to appreciate them. In physical strength, in eyesight , in instinct and na tura l skill , birds make man appear a weakling indeed. M. WILLIAMS (Prox. Ace.). 19

KENDALL BROADBENT NATURAL HISTORY ESSAY, 1955. SOME BIRDS FAMILIAR TO BRISBANE. There are few countries in the World that are endowed with bird-life as rich as that of Australia. In our continent, more than seven hundred natural species are -to be found. Around the suburbs of Brisbane alone, there are well over one hundred d ifferent species. Most people are astounded when told this fact. How many people, as they walk down Corona tion Drive glance up a t a gum sapling and see the friendly little yellow robin perched sideways on the trunk ? How many people have paused in their da ily life to watch the g rey fantail executing his acrobatics? Few people have noticed the thrilling, rich, clear song of the rufous whistler- one of our loveliest songsters. The early morning song of the black-backed magpie or the p ied butcher-bird has no equal in all the world. Any patient person who lives in the Brisbane area will soon come to notice the regular call of at least twenty varieties around his own home. Bluejays, silver eyes, rufous whistlers, scarlet honeyeaters, red kestrels and black-shouldered kites are some of the less common types. Mournful but beautiful Mankeen night herons, pelicans and cormorants can be seen at the Fish Board Wharf at the southern end of the Victoria Bridge at almost anytime. Wheeling high jn the sky above the Fish Board are the graceful red-backed sea-eagles. Now and then the sun catches their bodies and turns the russet brown to almos t a blood-red and heightens the whiteness of their heads and necks. Sometimes an observant watcher glimpses the white breaster sea-eagles swooping for fish. The long drawn "Peee-aahh" of the red-back is often heard in the a fternoon s. Honeyeaters are probably the most brightly coloured of the Australian Birds . Th is group of birds which include nectar in the ir diet, are easily recognised by the longish curved beak. The Scarlet Honeyeater of Eastern Australia is the most colour- ful of the Honeyeaters. It is under four inches in length from the tip of its beak to the tip of its tail. This bird is a ttracted to the flowers of the Banksia. If one waches a Banksia carefully, one will see a Scarlet Honeyeater come and hang upside down in the bloom to eat the honey. The bird comes constantly to the same p lace and if the watcher is always in the same place, it becomes quite friendly. The Scarlet Honeyeater is always h opping a round looking for nectar or insects and singing its 18

Bri.sbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July. 1956

July. 1956

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

THE OLYMPIC GAMES. The Olympic Games, which originated in 776 B.C. in honour of Zeus, are the most famous and most ancient of Athletic events. These games were given birth at the town of Olympia, site of a serene and idyllic landscape in the Western Pelo- ponnesus, Greece. ' It was at Olympia that the Greek ideal expressed itself, ihat the most acceptable worship came from one who was trained and disciplined in body, mind and spirit. No contest- ant who had any stain upon his character could enter. The large crowds that came to witness the Games were entertained with contests of jumping, running, discus throwing, casting the javelin and wrestling. Boxing and chariot racing ,were also included. Victors of these games in ancient times were crowned with a laurel wreath, while today the winner of an Olympic event is usually awarded a cup or medal. The Games were later abolished by Theodosius in 393 A.D. and not revived until 1896 when they were held in Athens. Since then they have been · held every four years in various cities throughout the world and this year will be conducted in Melbourne. Let us hope that the spirit born at Ancient Olympia will not die and that the ideal of perfection in mind, body and spirit for- ever remains the goal of mankind.

HELEN SAMIOS, VIA.

TWO TREES. Where no birds fly in the green of noon, nor an imal dares to tread; Nor grey owl hoots all the black night through, and even the stream is dead;

Where grass grows sere, and trees are tall And deathly silent as Hrothgar's hall;

Where darkness comes like a phantom thing, And with it the wind on unseen wing Who strikes wild sounds from their whitened string;

From their writhing bands To their skeleton hands All moon-bleached white As the shifting sands,

"TWO TREES"

- N. BUCHANAN, VA.

There stand two trees -.

N. BUCHANAN, V A.

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Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

July, 1956

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

THE JOHN FLYNN MEMORIAL CHURCH AT ALICE SPRINGS. Everyone has heard the name of John Flynn, who, by his work as Superintendant of the Australian Inland Mission and his founding of the Flying Doctor Service, "brought gladness and rejoicing to the wilderness and the solitary places" . He saw the vast, span:ely populated areas of Inland Australia as a challenge, and he set out to overcome the problem created by distance, poor means of transport, and lack of funds. His enthusiasm and determination never waned through the years of difficulty, and he was rewarded by success, firstly with the transmitting of wireless messages and then the in- auguration of the Flying Doctor Service . Increased financial support by people throughout Australia, and a willing band of helpers, lessened the difficulties; and long before Flynn died he had achieved his aim of "spreaing a mantle of safety over every inland home". But he was never satisfied; "his eyes were never on the horizon, they were always beyond it" . Since his death in 1951, Flynn' s work has been carried on with the same success as formerly. One of his early ambitions was to build a church in Alice Springs from where services could be broadcast to the people of the outback. As this am- bition was never realised, it was thought that a fitting tribute to the great man would be to build such a church as a memorial to him. Gradually the dream began to materialize, and after two years of work, the unique John Flynn Memorial Church was completed, (I say unique because there is no other church quite like it anywhere). Its structure reflects the character of the pioneer Flynn, and at the same time retains the outdoor atmosphere so dear to the heart of every Inlander. The church is built facing East-West towards Todd Street, named after the builder of the Overland Telegraph. One is immediately impressed by the unusual shape of the structure, for the dipping roof of the sunken vestry is symbolic of the dip in the wings of an aircraft. The walls are pink and white, and made of blocks of locally qua rried crushed marble set in con- crete. The lower side walls are of glass to allow the trees and sky to be seen from inside. One enters through massive plate glass doors openjng to the north, and over a bridge spanning the semi-circular pool of water which extends along the north wall of the church. The interior is as unusual as the exterior, for everything breathes the spirit of Flynn and that of the wide, open spaces. 24

The Eastern Shield Wall of red sandstone, with its large illum- inated cross made up of small St. Andrews Crosses, appears to be suspended in mid-a ir, and this is symbolic of Flynn the Visionary, his head in the clouds, bearing the message of the Cross to the outback. At the rear of the Church is the Western Shield Wall reaching to the floor. This is symbolic of Flynn's practical side, the man of action with his feet on the ground Behind this wall is the Cloister of Exhibits, where such relics as the first pedal wireless transeiver, a model of the first Flying Doctor Aircraft, a small typewriter, maps and personal writings of Flynn can be seen. The large doors opposite the entrance to the Church lead to the semi-circular Pioneer's Remembrance Garden, surrounded by a wall six feet high, in which are set plaques to pioneers who, in earlier days, contributed to the development of the country in general, and the A.I.M. in par- ticular. Saturday, 5th May, 1956, was the most importa nt day in the history of Alice Springs, for the population had grown to twice its normal size with visitors including high dignitaries of Church and State who had come from a ll over Australia to a ttend the opening of the John Flynn Memorial Church. Though everyone was disappointed at the overcast sky and signs of rain, uncommon in Central Australia, the Church and its grounds were filled to capacity. The ceremony, con- ducted mostly out of doors, was quite short, and moving in its s implicity and sincerity. Noteworthy features of it were the re- lating of the steps towards the building of the Church, the speech made by the Governor-General-"the Centre can no longer be described as the dead heart, it is alive and pulsing"- and the actual opening ceremony, when Mrs. Flynn handed the keys of the Church to the Governor-General, who then unlocked the doors and entered. The Church, though built by Presbyterians, was dedicated for the use of the United Church in Northern Australia, a co- operative movement among three Churches which was sup- ported by Flynn, and is another example of his farsightedness and tolerance. As a jewel in an already beautiful town, the Church now stands open to worshipper and tourist alike, a memorial to our greatest modern pioneer who, though already a legend, is re- membered by all with affection and gratitude as "Flynn of the Inla nd" . M. STUBBS-BROWN, VI A.

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July, 1956

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

ONE EYED JILL. One emerald gleam in the night, Alone, alert and watchful. One, green light in the dark, Silent and smouldering there. Outside in the gray of a dismal night, The colourless leaves are shifting. The moon is cloaked in a dusky shroud, And the hoot of an owl is drifting. The searching eye of the great black cat, In the silenced kitchen reigns; While ghostly shadows play on the wall, From shaded, eerie lanes.

A movement in the corner - A softly padding sound, The larger body stiffens -

A pounce with one large bound !

An overwhelming struggle, A small life lost, A sleek black body,

Curled in triumphant rest.

N. KNUDSEN, V B.

MISINTERPRETATIONS. "And even spoiled the women's chats"-Browning : A mistress approaching without warning . "Grey and ghostly shadows are gliding through the brake"-Alfred Noyes : Boarders after lights out. "! am sent with broom before to sweep the dust behind the door"- Shake- speare : Preparation for the Governor's visit. "'Tis the middle of the night by the castle clock"- Coleridge : Swatting before . examination. "Freeze, freeze thou bitter sky"-Shakespeare : Early morning athletics practice. "We have had enough of action and of motion we"-Tennyson : Forms with- out a fixed abode. "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter"-Keats Singing lessons . "My ·mistress bent that brow of hers"-Browning A mistress correcting examination papers. "What mad pursuit what struggle to escape"-Keats Five to four. "Strange, piteous, futile thing"-Thompson : A third former . "Off all man clotted clay the dingiest clot"-Thompson : The girl who dropped the ball on athletics day. "Sick in heart and sick in head"-Herrick : General feeling before, during and after examinations. "Doors, where my heart was used to beat so quickly"- Tennyson Common room door. "And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over"-Masefield ; After examinations. ESTELLE BOWDEN and ELAINE HASSALL 26

-W. POPE, VA.

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Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 195S

July. 1956

eration and which, in some cases have become rather dilapi- dated. These people are cultured and send their children to boarding schools from an early age. But there is still much work to do, and the wives work, driving cattle and providing for their husbands, work starting at an early hour in the morn- ing. The tempo of life in such a town varies. On one day the town may be flooded with farmers collecting their milk cheques or delivering produce, on another one may find the streets devoid of life but for the many dogs roaming about, belonging to none, but known to all. One of the big days in the year is sale day. Over-night the cattle are driven along the stock routes into town, penned on arrival early in the morning, and wait until the sale be:;rins. Throughout the day the bellowing of the cattle and the monoton- ous voice of the auctioneer are heard, the saleyards are shrouded by a cover of dust, and the prospective buyers sit on the stock-rails while the stockmen skilfully draft the cattle from pen to pen. Night falls, and the cattle are driven to the rail yard to wait for the train. The stockmen may camp the night about the sale yards listening to the incessant low mooing of the cattle. The successful buyer celebrates in town, and the red rim about the sky seems to seal in the little town, telling of the frost of the morrow, and setting the tired stockman to rest after the toil of the day. Entertainment may not be profuse or of a high class judg- ing by city standards, but Saturday night holds an air, almost o f festivity, as the local cinema is crowded by town and country folk, some of whom come from properties miles out of town. There are four or five Balls held each year and the little town comes suddenly to life as all flock to the Show Ball , the social event of the year. Everyone knows almost everyone else, and a stranger to the gathering is soon noticed and his history known. News travels fast in a small town and it is difficult to keep any information confined to a few people, somehow it seeps out and suddenly everybody knows. A band may travel 60 to 100 miles for such an event, and charges a high rate for the night, but this cost is counteracted by the number who attend, as it is thought that regardless of its tune ability, 29

THE FAR COUNTRY. The pioneers were the first settlers in the country districts o£ Queensland, and they were quickly followed by men who saw that a future lay in farming the soil, even though it might be accompanied by hard work and failure. Land was taken by the small or large farmer who a rrived with his family hoping to make a living, bare though it might be. Railways were built throughout the country areas, and a t the rail-stops grew towns, perhaps only a store at first, but ex- panding to form a nucleus about which life in the district circu- la ted. These towns are spread throughout Queensland, some prosperous, some decaying, but all necessary for the livelihood of those for whom it is a link with the rest of Queensland and the outside world. The personality of a town depends on its people and their occupations so that towns in the same district are very much alike. Goomeri is a typical south-eastern Queensland town situated in the South Burnett district. Many of the townspeople are timber-haulers, driving huge trucks from the scrub to the rail yard in the centre of the town. Others are storekeepers. Goomeri has two large stores and numerous small shops, and the remainder are bankers, teachers and Post Office officials. As in most country towns, the greater part of the population comes from surrounding farms and larger properties. The small farmers are, for a great part, not well educated, and do not encourage their children to advance further than they in. this field, partly because they ore required to do heavy work on the farm, and thus have little time to study and portly be- cause their parents know no other life than that which is lived from day to day on the fa rm. The condition of the farm de- pends on the amount of work a nd knowledge of agricultural methods of the farmer, and of course on the land which he occupies . Efforts are being made to increase the sc:entific knowledge of the farmer, although some are quite content to continue with the horse and plough methods of their fathers. There are also the larger land-owners who can trace their a ncestry back to the first pioneers and live in the old home- steads which have been handed down from generation to gen- zg

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1951>

:Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

DELFT - A LOVELY DUTCH TOWN. Surely the most endearing and beautiful town in Holland is quaint old Delft where I had the good fortune to spend a few days last August. Since it is situated on the Grand Canal from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, Delft is kept awake at night by the deep, sonorous tones of barge-horns calling for the low bridges to be raised. It is inspiring to see the old swing-bridge, as it creaks back and forth, down by the twin towered Oostpoort, the ancient East gate of the town. In the middle of the town is a vast market square, the reason for its size being obvious on market days when stalls of flowers, fruit, vegetables and clothing fill the whole square, and even begin to clutter the adjoining streets. On market days the Nieuwe Kerk, or New Church, which dominates the square with its extremely tall, slender spire, plays a special set of festive tunes on its carillon. Normally the bells peal out a different tune every quarter hour, but on Sundays and holidays they are even gayer and more rapturous than usual. Rather sullenly, at the opposite end to the New Church, stands the Town Hall-cum-prison house which also serves as the Municipal museum. On most days the market place is alive with tourists, and the souvenir shops and open air cafes facing the square do a roaring trade. The little canals running through the town and some of the trees beside them are decorated with hanging flower baskets and coloured lights which are illumin- ated once or twice a week. However, after a day or so we noticed that these canals provided the main means of disposing of refuse, and were therefore highly delighted at the eagerness with which flocks of tourists vied to secure little boats in order to see Delft from the canals. Nevertheless, the tourist does not see the older and more interesting parts of Delft merely in passing. He does not see the Old Church, almost destroyed during German occupation, raising its leaning, empty steeple to the sky; nor does he see the secluded gardens of St. Agatha where William the Silent lies buried. Further from the main shopping centre are the homes of the ordinary people, who live in three-storied brown brick houses built in terraced style, and so close together that back- yards are unknown. Here, in every street noisy happy children play their ball games on the cobblestones, and bicycles, such a feature of Dutch life wobble along with female passengers side- saddle behind the men and boys. Every house is fitted with mirrors which face outward to the street, to enable a person sitting by the window to see both ways without showing his head ! Delft is a happy little town, and the people are always cheerful and ready to help a visitor, thus giving their town an atmosphere of friendship and harmony. CLACE BIRKBECK, IV A. 31

the further the distance a band may come for the night, the better it is, and the greater the attendance. The state of country roads was, and still is, to a great extent, deplorable . In some districts horses and carts and vintage cars were used till very recently, and it was not until new model cars came into vogue that some effcrt was made to improve the conditions of the roads. In wet weather a town may be cut off by road and rail for an indefinite period. Some farms do not receive any mail or have any contact with the outside world for days on end when the creeks flood and the mail truck is unable to pass. Life in th e country can be very trying, and there are times when it requires the greatest fortitude to keep life from ebbing into futility . The old people who have lived there all their lives seem ageless and tireless, but it remains for their children to maintain this heritage. Many of the young ones see no oppor- tunities in the country and migrate to the city, leaving the country towns to survive as best they can. Hence we find many places which are making no progress and will decline till no life remains and they become ghosts of what used to be. SHIRLEY MIZEN, VI A.

- D. NEVILLE, IVA

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\

July. 1956

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July, 1956

SUNRISE. lh was dark when we started our journey, The stars were bright in the sky; It was that still, dark hour before daylight, And the moon was still riding high.

VENGEANCE.

It was night. Above, the sky was black with clouds. Thunder growled an ominous warning, but the exhausted native, lying stretched asleep beside a log, did not hear it. His tiny fire cast a dull glow over his body. He had been a fool to light that fire, but his superstitious fear of the dark had forced h im to do so. And that tiny, flickering light had finally led the keen- eyed vengeance party to where he lay. They were closing in on him now, lithe, swift shadows that glided noiselessly from tree to tree, in an ever-tightening circle around the doomed man. Lean, gaunt warriors they were- men that had travelled unceasingly for many days and nights, till they had driven their quarry to the point of utter exhaustion. All were armed with ugly shovel-nosed fighting spears, and each was an expert in the use of them. Suddenly, the man by the fire awoke. A true child of the w ild, h is instinct told h im tha t danger was near, and with a single bound he was on his feet, grasping his spears, looking wildly around him. Then, breaking the silence, the voice of one of the veng- eance party rang out behind him. He wheeled round, nothing but shadows met his terrified gaze. Another voice, this time to the side - and then another ! The man's taut nerves snapped, Fumbling in his haste he fitted a spear to his woomera and hurled in the direction of the first voice. There was a dull thud as the spear struck a tree, and crazed with fear he threw another spear - and yet another. Then there was s ilence. He stood quivering, perspiration running off him. He heard nothing but the far off, haunting cry of a mopoke- the natives' "Bird of Death" . A harsh, taunting laugh rang out, and the hunted one, realizing its portent, shuddered violently. He had thrown the last of his spears ! He heard them now----'heard them creeping towards him- coming closer and closer; and now he laughed too. A high, meaningless, maniacal laugh that ended in a choking gasp as the spear drove into his chest. And now, closer than before, came a mournful, sobbing cry. "Mopoke ! Mo- poke! moo- poke---". H. DODD, IV B. 33

The morning stars paled slowly,

The cross hung low in the sky;

The road was grey and lonely As morning light drew nigh .

We travelled towards the ocean

And the first faint glow of dawn; The clear, sweet notes of awakening birds Rang out to greet the morn . At last the ocean was sighted, A carpet grey and cold, But the clouds floating on the horizon Were bathed in a liquid gold. As the mighty ball of fire appeared, The colours changed their hue, And across the rosy path of the sun A solitary seagull flew.

- N. CARR, IVA.

32

I

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

July. 1956

July, 1951)

Brisbane Girls' Grammar School Magazine

YESTERDAY AND TODAY. Gregory Terrace, so well known to all of us connected with ihe Brisbane Girls' Grammar School, is today a busy thorough- iare along which people and vehicles hasten, most with little or no thought for the wealth of historical interest right beside ihem. Many buildings and the parklands lining Gregory Ter- race combine modern interest with history. Of outstanding interest are the schools, which make Greg- ory Terrace famous. Brisbane can be justly proud of the Bris- bane Girls' Grammar School, the Brisbane Grammar School and St. Joseph's Christian Brothers' College. These schools were built on the Terrace many years ago. The foundation stone of ihe Brisbane Girls Grammar School was laid by Sir Charles Lilley in 1883, and .in the next year the school moved from Wick- ham Terrace into the new building. The Brisbane Grammar School, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1868 by H.R.H. Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, was opened by Governor Blackall in 1869. St. Joseph's Christian Brothers' College was iounded in 1875. These schools still live up to their fine traditions. Near these schools lies spacious Victoria Park. In the early days a rifle range with the butts near the present General Hos- pital was situated there. At a later date, the Kelvin Grove side of the park was proposed as the site for the new Gevernment House, when the former vice-regal residence was turned into ihe George Street University, and though foundations were laid, ihe plan was abandoned. The Government afterwards granted a large portion of Victoria Park to the Senate for the permanent University, but the rival site, St. Lucia, was finally chosen. The Medical Profession opposed St. Lucia, so to this day, the Medical School of the University is situated in Victoria Park. Of medical and historical interest is the private hospital, "Beerwah", as this modern hospital was originally one of Bris- bane's earliest homes. It was the home of John Petrie, who named it "Beerwah" in memory of the time when he and his ]ether ascended Mt. Beerwah in the early days. 35

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