Objects of Substance- Head Girls Honour Board

The Mackinlay Honour Board displaying Dorothy Rutter scholarship in 1960.

Every one of these Grammar girls did not accept the position of Head Girl for power or notoriety. They accepted the position with the intent of leading well and serving their community. This is beautifully illustrated by the responses from the Head Girls when asked for their feelings seeing their name on the board for the first time. Alison Jack (nee McAdam, 1980) states, “ I must admit I felt a bit overwhelmed and humbled seeing my name amongst all the previous four years ’ Head Girls whom I had looked up to, respected, and admired.” Karalyn Shaw (nee Orr, 1993) similarly recalls, “ I remember feeling (in equal parts) really grateful for the opportunity; excited, and a little anxious about the adventures and challenges that lay ahead that year for me and Camilla and our grade and just really honoured and humbled to be listed amongst the names of the women who preceded us - a few of whom I knew personally or had read or heard about and had looked up to …” A lovely story told by Elizabeth Marks, Head Girl 1950, alludes to the variation of the appointment of Head Girls, peoples’ perceptions of this position , and the women who accepted this role. “ One afternoon early in the first term of 1950, two good looking intellectual girls from our 6 th form were summonsed separately to see Headmistress, Miss Lilley. They returned to class, and I was called. I knocked on her door. She said, “Come in,” which I did, and stood in front of her desk. She said, “What would you say if I asked you to be Head Girl?” I replied: “It would be an honour.” “Right,” she said, “that’s settled. There will be much to discuss and attend to. I’ll announce it tomorrow.” Dismissal was a brief wave of her hand. I returned to class.