Objects of Substance- Head Girls Honour Board

The board sits on the western wall of the room and is surrounded by other significant panels, including the Mary Mackinlay board, unveiled in 1904, the OGA defence forces honour board, donated in 1949; the Lady Lilley Gold Medal board; the Chairs of Trustees; and the Principals. These boards represent the commitment and service so many have given to the School. When the Main Building was refurbished in 1990, it was decided to incorporate a number of new commemorative pieces to accompany the Mary Mackinlay and OGA Defence Forces honour boards. The design of these boards was a copy of the relatively new Sports Honour Board unveiled in the gymnasium in 1983. Designed by graphic artist, Mr Lindsay Colwill in consultation with the School’s carpenters, Robert Vogler and Charles Greig, these elegant, stained, and polished wooden boards were built on the premises. The signwriting, staining, and polishing were delegated to Wally Lewis (not of Rugby League fame) who had had the responsibility of updating each board across many years.

2015 Annie Mackay Room

The Head Girls board starts the listing of students from 1920. This is a mystery in itself, as the School had prefects well before this and we have evidence of Head Girls as early as 1896. Annual reports, recollections and magazine articles tell us that, in 1896, Dora Franz was “Head of the School”. The 1897 Headmistress’s report states that “The Lady Lilley Medal has been won this year by our head girl, Ella Bourne.” (1987 Headmistress’s Annual Report , p2.) References continue with the 1973 recollections from Mrs Olive Thatcher (1914) and Mrs Emily Roe (1913) who listed Aileen Dodds as a Head Girl, possibly in 1911, Olive Adam in 1914 (Mrs Thatcher herself), and Ena Eden in 1915. Marjorie Elliott (1922) in her Recollections listed the Head Girl in 1918 as Margaret Robinson. Sadly, these recollections cannot be cross-referenced with the School magazine or Annual reports as Head Girls were not mentioned in these publications. However, one could assume that Olive Thatcher (nee Adam) would know if she were a Head Girl.