2018 HOGA Newsletter

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The Hermitage Old Girls’ Association Newsletter 2018

The Hermitage Church of England Girls’ Grammar School, Geelong


Above: A recently installed

garden seat out the front of Hermitage House at Geelong Grammar School with a plaque acknowledging all girls who attended The Hermitage

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THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


Office Bearers and Committee 2017–2018 PRESIDENT

ARCHIVES

Deidre Griffiths mob: 0414 216 160 email: deegriffiths@iprimus.com.au

Sue Calahan Jan Koch Jill Nicholls

SECRETARY

LIGHT BLUE COORDINATOR & NEWSLET TER

Jill Nicholls tel: 03 5342 4889 TREASURER

Allison Rhodes tel: 03 5288 7162 COMMIT TEE

Rosalind Leigh tel: 03 5249 1380

Ann Tyers GOLF DAY

Prue Webb PHOTOS

Ann Tyers Jan Koch

Jan Koch tel: 03 5264 1237 Sue Callahan tel: 03 5264 1550 Susie Donald tel: 0407 798999

POSTAL ADDRESS

The Secretary GPO Box 591 Geelong Victoria 3220 EMAIL AND WEB ADDRESS

hermitagegirls@gmail.com

www.ggs.vic.edu.au

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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Dates for Your Diary 2018 OLD GIRLS’ DAY AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

GOLF DAY

Saturday, 1st September, 2018 Darling Hall, Geelong Grammar School.

Monday 1st October 2018 Barwon Heads Golf Club CHRISTMAS CONCERT WITH LUNCH

AGM: 11.00 am Drinks: 12.00pm Luncheon: 12.45pm

Monday 3rd December 2018 All Saints Hall, Newtown 11.20am

For information concerning these functions contact: The Secretary Jill Nicholls tel: 03 53424889 For the Golf Day contact Prue Webb tel: 0407 554 785

The Hermitage Old Girls’ Association Awards Tenable at Geelong Grammar School: The Hermitage Old Girls’ Association Prize for Service Gabrielle Cheesman The Hermitage Old Girls’ E V Krome Cup for Sportsmanship Jamima Jamieson Tenable at Geelong College: The Hermitage Old Girls’ Association Prize (for all round Leadership) Ella Pullin

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THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


From the Editor A lot of you will know that after ten years on the HOGA Committee I tendered my resignation at the AGM in September. But I did say that I would do one more Newsletter. I very much enjoyed my time on the Committee and feel in those ten years there were a number of achievements, all of which I have mentioned in the report I presented at the AGM and which is printed in the Newsletter. Our Committee consists of only six members and an honorary member so I am sure some younger members would be most welcomed. Unfortunately, Cooeegrams have been rather sparse this year. Only 8 compared with 27 last year. I have grave fears the Newsletter cannot go on without Cooeegrams. Maybe it has run its course and people are no longer interested. I would like to remind old girls of the changes to the Elsie Morres Scholarship and ask that you notify your families. This scholarship is only for descendents of Hermitage Old girls and is offered to girls and boys from any year from year 7 onwards. (HOGA scholarship for a girl entering any year from Year 7 onwards). On the Geelong Grammar School web page they both will be found under General Excellence Scholarships. I am delighted to announce that our Guest Speaker for the AGM and luncheon on Saturday, 1st September, 2018 is Victoria Marles, who left The Hermitage in 1970.

She has had an amazing career in many different roles and since 2009 has been the CEO of Trust for Nature. It would be lovely if we could have a mini reunion of the 1970 year group back for the AGM this year. Margaret Gibson (1952) sent out a very interesting article to Jenny Jordan which had been written about Margaret by Phil Johnson, who is the President of the National Capital Tennis Association and a Board Member of the Ontario Tennis Association in Canada. Margaret has been selected for the Ontario Tennis Association's Distinguished Service Award (DSA) for 2018. The DSA is the OTA’s most prestigious award for individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the sport of tennis. I am sure this will make interesting reading, particularly for her peer group of 1952. Please remember to look out for emails from oggs@ggs.vic.edu.au as sometimes these will be information or invitations from HOGA. Because of the cost of organising the Year Group Reunions, the girls doing it try to email information to their year group. It saves a huge cost to you all if they do not have to mail out information. This is another reason to keep email addresses up to date so please notify us when changes are made. Please email changes to hermitagegirls@gmail.com so our database can be updated. Best wishes, Ann Tyers

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President’s Report Our dear old Association is one hundred and eight years old this year and once again it has been a busy but rewarding one. Today’s Hermitage Old Girls’ Association reunion and luncheon gives us a wonderful opportunity to review and celebrate our year, remember our school days and catch up with friends. Once again we have been delighted to see our beautiful history book continue to sell and be very well received by readers. This year, in keeping with The Hermitage Old Girls’ perennial philosophy of supporting the broader community, we decided to make a donation of some of the profits from the sale of our book. (We had asked the Hunter family if we could return some of the profits from the sale of the book to them - you will recall that the Hunters donated the entire production and publication of the book, which was equivalent to approximately $80,000! Without this the book would never have eventuated - but they said no) Instead, we asked the Hunter family to nominate an appropriate recipient organisation to which we could make a significant donation, and they chose Geelong Mums.

They support families, pre and post babies, but also families with children up to 16 years of age. Families can be grandparents and single parents, and there are some Dads, as well as Mums. We visited Geelong Mums earlier this year, and were made very welcome by their CEO and several of their volunteers, and presented our donation of $20,000. Needless to say, they were delighted! Our committee members have again worked tirelessly this year, to make our social events – including today – happen, and we thank them for their great contributions. I would also like to acknowledge, as we do each year, the great work of past Committee members of many years; without them, the association would not have continued to this day. We are very glad that several of you are here today!

We have been very sad to lose some of our Old Girls’ during the year, and beloved family members and friends, and also much loved members of the broader GGS community. Our sympathy goes out to their families and friends. I know that our shared memories of happy times spent This amazing volunteer organisation works with them are a great comfort to us. to assist disadvantaged families with new babies or small children, by providing them We are also sad that three of our wonderful committee members are finally with desperately needed equipment and clothing. The volunteers work tirelessly to stepping down after a combined marathon of service to the association. package up pre-loved clothing and purchase new items.

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THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


We farewell Kristeen Hunter, Ann Tyers and Lib Nicholson and thank them for their enormous contributions to the work of the association over many years, including in the extremely busy history book project period. We will miss you all, but will look forward to seeing you at our functions each year, and hopefully for many years to come! On a happier note, we are very pleased to welcome, as a new member of our committee, Susie Donald – and we are delighted to welcome several members of Susie’s year group here today.

- with a set of Coo-ees for his reading pleasure. Knowing Michael, he has probably already finished reading them by now and committed most of their contents to memory! We would like to thank the school staff, and particularly the wonderful Katie Rafferty, for their ongoing support of our activities.

Once again this year we are extremely grateful to Russell Woodford for being our pianist today. We’re afraid that next year, Each year our annual reunion provides us unless one of our Old Girls’ can dust off with an opportunity to reflect on our their piano and start practising, the school days at “The Hermitage”, feel gratitude to our teachers and other school committee may have to learn to play staff for all their work and inspiration, and “Coo-ee” on the recorder, once Russell retires from his position as honorary also to our families for enabling us to attend the school. I know that many of you HOGA pianist, which has spanned several years. We are extremely grateful to Russell will agree that what we gained from our for his beautiful playing and his kind education, and the many wonderful support of us. friendships we made, continue with us throughout our life. They are strengthened During the year we farewelled Enrica and enhanced by the Old Girls’ Association Longo, who was Geelong Grammar and, in turn, strengthen the Association. School’s Associate Director of Community We are very happy that our association Relations, and who was an enormous with Hermitage House at GGS adds to the support to us, particularly in relation to our continuity of our legacy, and that our scholarship fund, and wished her all the History book now captures all of this as a best for the future. lasting testament. Today we are very pleased to welcome We are always made to feel very much a Joanne Nitz, GGS’s new Director of part of the continuing Geelong Grammar Philanthropy, and we look forward to School community, which also helps getting to know Jo in the years to come. to keep the spirit of “The Hermitage” CEGGS alive. This year, at his request, Again this year we have enjoyed our we were pleased to provide the amazing involvement with the continuing GGS as Michael Collins Persse - a great friend and part of the OGGs committee, participating champion of The Hermitage Old Girls’ in various OGGs’ and school events.

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It will soon be time for the annual OGGs Car Trial, a favourite event for the Grammar community, and I can highly recommend it to Old Girls’ as a very enjoyable way to spend a day. Details are available on the school website. Our OGGs representative also shared several memorable evenings this year, attending OGGs committee meetings, dining and reminiscing. The OGGs have been very ably led by Margie Gillett, (Clyde School), as President of the OGGs Association. As full voting members of the OGGs committee, along with Clyde, we Hermitage Old Girls’ feel able to make a significant contribution to the work of the OGGs. We would like to thank the wonderful catering team at GGS and school staff, for their much appreciated contributions towards the success of today’s event.

Finally, I would like to again extend a special welcome to our guest speaker, Hermitage Old Girl, Vicki Hambling - a member of the illustrious 1968 Year Group- who has, and continues to have, a very interesting life. We look forward to her sharing with us some reminiscences of earlier years teaching in Mozambique and, more recently, teaching refugees in Australia. A very warm welcome to you Vicki! We also acknowledge and are delighted to welcome three of our “over 90-year-old” members – including Vicky’s mother, Annie Hambling, and Christian Macdonald and Bea Hortin. Welcome! We also extend an extremely warm welcome to all of you Old Girls’! We are delighted that you are able to join us today. Deidre Griffiths

Secretary’s Report This is the 108th Secretary’s Report for the Hermitage Old Girls’ Association. We now have 1321 on our mailing list, and of these we have email addresses for 802 Old Girls’. There are unfortunately 1630 Old Girls’ for whom we have no contact details and 281 who want no mail. A wonderful day was had at the Barwon Heads Golf Club for the annual Hermitage Golf Day. Golf numbers were up so many congratulations to Prue Webb for a most successful day including a lovely lunch. 8

Our Golf Day this year is on Monday, 2nd October. You will all have received the invitation by now and have hopefully replied if you are able to attend. Numbers were up for our Christmas concert and luncheon last December, held again in the All Saints Hall. Once again, the Bostock Choir and string orchestra entertained us with beautiful singing and a lovely variety of music.

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


How sweet the voices are of little people, and what a wonderful music programme they participate in. I genuinely believe they love performing for us. Always very happy to receive an icy pole and drink for all their hard work.

On behalf of every member of HOGA , I would very much like to particularly mention the enormous input Kristeen has had in 10 years on the Committee.

She has been in Archives, her family published the book and I can say with no uncertainty her commitment to having our I would like to say a very big thank you to Vicki Hambling, our guest speaker today. I Archives totally up to date with like to mention in the Newsletter each year cataloguing everything which is in our archives, has been a huge job for her. the name of who our guest speaker is Thank you so much Kristeen for all your going to be and as usual I left it until the last minute to organise. Vicki is in my year good work. group, and I can honestly say I did not Lib, what can I say, The Committee will have any idea of the wonderful teaching certainly miss you. You were also a great she did in Mozambique, and of her continued effort of teaching refugees and help with the book, particularly naming so many Old Girls’ from many Western migrants in Melbourne. So I offer her a very warm welcome and I know we are all District families. You seemed to have so many connections in that area. You came looking forward very much to her talk. on to the Committee with many fresh ideas and never were afraid to say what One of my proudest achievements as you thought. You have certainly put a lot Secretary was leading the push towards amendments to the Scholarship rules and I of energy, effort and thought into decision making and following through on things am extremely grateful to the Geelong Grammar Foundation and Stephen Meek you said HOGA should achieve . You for agreeing to these changes. As a result always arrived at the meetings with a big the Elsie Morres Scholarship goes only to smile on your face, and gave us plenty of descendents of Hermitage Old Girls’ and I food for thought and lots of laughs. can announce that in 2018 the first For 10 years Lib single-handedly organised recipient of the Elsie Morres Scholarship begins at GGS as a boarder in Year 7. She the Golf Day and look how popular it has is a 6th generation Geelong Grammarian, become. I do not play golf but really enjoy the friendship and fun across a wide age and her name is Emily Pincott but more importantly she is a relation of Nancy Pincott range of Hermitage girls, and the venue is who left the The Hermitage in 1924, making spectacular. Last year there were 40 girls Emily eligible to apply for this scholarship. playing golf, and another 43 came just for lunch. I think those numbers tell a good As Deidre has told you Kristeen Hunter, Lib story. So I do thank you for all your hard Nicholson and I are all stepping down from work on the Committee. the Committee today.

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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I feel it is time someone else took over my role on the Committee. I have thoroughly enjoyed my ten years and meeting so many older girls who were at school with my sisters. Now we are so tied up with OGGs the role of Secretary has changed slightly, and I have a lot more contact with the Grammar School than when I first became Secretary. The donation on behalf of the Hunter family to Geelong Mums was very much taken on board by the whole Committee. The Old Girls’ Association was begun in 1909, after a meeting between 20 former girls and Miss Morres. Its two fold purpose was, I quote “to keep Old Girls’ in touch with one another and with the school, and to promote the welfare of the school “ end quote. Now our school is no longer we are spreading these ideals in the Community to those less fortunate through our donation to Geelong Mums. The Geelong Mums were just delighted with the cheque and even a tear in some of the eyes of the volunteers, as they know well what this money can achieve for their organisation. We have also purchased a glass display cabinet which has been installed in the Jennings Hall in Hermitage House to display some of our memorabilla in an archival atmosphere. Lib made a suggestion that we should place a garden seat out the front of Hermitage House with a plaque acknowledging all girls who attended The Hermitage and also a plaque on the wall acknowledging the Hermitage Old Girls’ Association. A timely reminder for future years that there was a “Hermitage Old Girls’ Association” once we have all long gone. 10

As this is my last report I thought a little bit of nostalgia fits into this paragraph. I was looking at the Boards recording past Presidents in Hermitage House several weeks ago, and glanced upon my mother’s name, Mary Scott, who was the eldest of five girls and left The Hermitage in 1925. She was President of the HOGA in 1937, a fact she never mentioned to me in her life time and I am sure never gave it a thought that one of her daughters would serve on the same Committee some 80 years later. I have been passionate about the Old Girls’ Association for 10 years, maybe it has something to do with the fact that my Mother and her four sisters went to The Hermitage, along with my four sisters, and our two girls had wonderful years here at GGS in Hermitage House. So hopefully the generations just go on. Many of you will have received the invitations to the Golf Day, Christmas lunch and today via email. If any of you now have access to an email address please let us know the address and we can add you to the list. There were about 10 girls whose invitation emails in July bounced back, so Katie had to then mail out the invitations. If you think you were one of the recipients, please give us your new email address. Therefore it is most important that when changing your email address, and/or moving we are notified. To the girls who do not have an email address your invitations will be mailed out. But please if or when you have one could you let us know.

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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I cannot finish until I have pleaded with you all to send in a Cooeegram. From the reports I receive back, everyone enjoys reading the newsletter to see what everyone else has been up to. Well, now is the time for everyone else to send in a Cooeegram. I had to do a ring around again this year and plead with Old Girls’ for Cooeegrams to give me enough to print the last Newsletter. So could you make a real effort this year and send one in. It does not have to be long, just a few lines, and particularly for girls who live too far away to come to functions the Newsletter is their lifeblood to their time at School. Cooeegrams and death notices can just be emailed to me. The email address hermitagegirls@gmail.com is in the newsletter. This all helps with keeping our database up to date. Although stepping down from the Commnittee I will type up the Newsletter in January, as I feel this is a very important link for all Old Girls’.

Please remember to send in your replies to the Golf Day and also the Christmas lunch. Golf replies go straight to Prue Webb, or speak to Lib Nicholson who is here today and I know she would be happy to accept replies and payment on behalf of Prue. I cannot finish without making special mention of our pianist, Russell Woodford who has been playing for us for 6 years. I had to do a lot of arm twisting to get Russell to play today, as he has another Commitment to attend to, and also now living at Ocean Grove. I would like to thank GGS for all the support they give us organising today, and particularly Katie Rafferty in the OGG’s office. Also a big thank you to the HOGA committee for the work they do on your behalf. I wish Jill every success as she takes on the role of Secretary of The HOGA. Thank you. Ann Tyers

Archives Report This year we have continued to sort through and catalogue our collection that is stored in the vault at Fisher Library. We do find this can be time consuming work, but very rewarding when a box is neatly filled, labelled, numbered and placed on its shelf. Seventy boxes have been completed so far with about a dozen or so to do. Our collection in Hermitage House has been photographed.

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As well each item will have their condition, origin and significance recorded in a folder along with its photo. When checked and completed, a folder will be kept in Hermitage House and another with our archives in Fisher Library. The two portraits by William Dargie of Miss Morres and Miss Krome which hang in the Dining Room, are in the trusted care of Geelong Grammar Schools’ Art Collection.

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


Miss Morres’ copy of the etching of The Front Gates by Jessie Traill will be photographed and catalogued to be included in Geelong Grammar School’s Art Collection. This framed etching was given to the Old Girls’ after Miss Morres death. The etching has “Number one” written in the left bottom corner and signed by Jessie Traill in the right bottom corner. We plan to hang the etching in Jennings Hall in Hermitage House.

Katie Rafferty from the OGS office and Geoff Laurenson, the Archivist at Grammar were notified and came to inspect. It was decided the only way to prevent a similar occurence is to have the doors locked at all times with keys available to the Audio Department and Archives.

Geoff plans to have the altar table top restored. He also continues to talk about Yesterday, when the Sanctuary doors were how everyone at Geelong Grammar opened to dust the altar table, many boxes School needs to respect all furniture and and rubbish were piled up on the floor and artifacts around the school. on the altar table were more boxes and a Jill Nicholls large wooden lectern which had caused a scratch.

Golf Day Report This year's HOGA Golf day at the Barwon Heads Golf Club was played in excellent weather conditions. There were 66 women who attended a delicious lunch, with 39 golfers playing in the event. Much laughter and enjoyment was had by all. Next Year it will be held on Monday October 1st, a date for your diary. Thanks to the HOGA committee for their help on the day.

GOLF RESULTS

Winner – Jan Embling ( Bell) Runner Up – Jo Ritchie Team event – Jan Embling (Bell), Cath Bell (Irvine), Pam Macdonald (Phillip), Angela Worthy (Campbell) Nearest the Pin 4 – Jennifer Jackson (Bingley) Nearest the Pin 8 – Robin Spry (Bell)

Prue Webb

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Reunion Reports FIFTY YEAR REUNION 1967 YEAR GROUP

SIXTY YEAR REUNION – 1957 YEAR GROUP

Lib Nicholson

Rosie Derrick

2017 was the year for the girls who could’ve, should’ve or did leave The Hermitage in 1967.

A very happy luncheon was held at The Lyceum Club at Pei Modern Restaurant on 21st June 2017, to celebrate the 60th Reunion of Hermitage Old Girls’ who left school in 1957.

A few of us and our house guests started off our reunion with dinner in Barwon Heads organised by Ros Claringbold (Firth) on Friday - a great little warm up for eleven of us.

Seventeen Old Girls’ were present, coming from as far as Queensland, Tasmania , New South Wales, and around Victoria, to enjoy an enthusiastic and noisy day of friendship Our official reunion was lunch at The resumed after so many years. Ann Barwon Heads Golf Club on Sunday 22nd Rasmussen (Tait) was prevailed upon to October. We were hoping for 30 girls but resume her role as Head Prefect of 1957, unfortunately we had two late and to run proceedings. We shared our cancellations (31 for our 40 year reunion). current activities and interests, and it was We all had many laughs and stories to tell surprising to find that some were still and although we don’t think we look any involved in full or part time work and older it was quite difficult to recognise voluntary activities. This fact, and that we each other!! were able to identify each other so easily after all the years, was a tribute to how Many thanks to those of you who came well we had aged, and the interesting lives and to those who sent photos and we had lead . We plan to meet again for a memorabilia and helped make it such a fun 65th School Reunion and to resume our day. See you again in 10 years. conversation!

Right: At the 60-Year Reunion were (left to right); Denis Gruzauskas (Odbert),Jenny Lindsey (Gill) and Sue Davidson (Paton) 14


Reunions 2018 SIXTY YEAR REUNION -

FIFT Y YEAR REUNION – 1968 YEAR

1958 YEAR GROUP

GROUP SATURDAY 20TH OCTOBER 2018

I do not have any information to pass on to this year group as I could not find out who is organising (if any) a reunion date.

This Reunion is to be held at the Barwon Heads Golf Club. Details will be emailed out to most, and mailed to a few whom we have no emails for. There are 60 currently on our list, and a few to find. So I think we will have a wonderful day. Any queries contact Ann Tyers on 0448 504 055.

Information regarding Reunions Could the girls who are making reunions happen, please email the date and a contact email address to hermitagegirls@gmail.com. These dates can be printed in the Newsletter and Light Blue so girls, particularly those overseas, can have some advance warning. Please also email hermitagegirls@gmail.com and katier@ggs.vic.edu. au with the contact lists you make up from your reunions so that our data base for year groups can be updated with correct details for all Old Girls’. Can I ask that the girls organizing the reunions please send in a group photo and a written report for the Newsletter. Over the last couple of years some have not been reported on as no information has been received. Girls who were unable to attend do like to read of their year group reunions. Photographs for Light Blue and the Newsletter need to be 1 mgb. Photos much clearer with a camera rather than an iPad. Girls who are not currently listed as Old Girls’ can be added by forwarding details.

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Top: Sandra Beck, Judy Derham (Bailey) and Mary Lou Jelbart (Hazzard) at the 60 Year Reunion

Above: Valerie Anderson and Bea Hortin

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Below: 1957 Year Group at their 60 Year Reunion including (left to right) Ann Rasmussen (Tait), Denise Gruzauskas (Odbert), Catherine Thomson (Hinchley), Mary Lou Jelbart (Hazzard), Janet Lillie, Sandra Beck, Jillian Buchanan (Purnell), Susan Davidson (Paton), Jocelyn Anderson (Bailey), Jenny Lang (Searle), Judy Derham (Bailey), Rosie Derrick (Helen Rose) , Jan Sprague (Alexander), Lorilee Von Schoenberg (Bird), Jenny Lindsey (Gill), Jan Roberts (Bagshaw) and Lynette Rasmussen (Strickland).


Opposite page: 1967 Year Group at their 50-Year Reunion

Above: Photographed at the 60 Year Reunion were (left to right); Jill Buchanan, Jan Roberts, Jan Sprague, Ann Rasmussen, Lorilee Von Schoenberg, Janet Lilley, Catherine Thomson, Jenny Lang, Lyn Rasmussen, Rosie Derrick, Sue Davidson, Jenny Lindsey, Sandra Beck, Denise Gruzauskas and Mary Lou Jelbart

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THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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Top: At the 1968 girls luncheon were (left to right) Dee Griffiths, Belinda Willis, Naida Hutton, Susie Hamilton, Binky Henderson, Rosemary Brennan, Deb Russell, Midge Bell, Ann Tyers and Julie Frecheville

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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Top: Jen Stewart, Belinda Blake and Jan Koch Below: Sisters, Angela Jackson and Veronica Taubman

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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Top: Sue Callahan and Hiliary Davies Bottom: Christain Macdonald with Stephanie Day

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THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


Top: Nova Urquhart with Prue Rees Below: Anne Hambling and Bea Hortin

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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Top: Ann Tyers, Lib Nicholson and Kristeen Hunter Bottom: Claire Nontapan-Smith, Rosalie Collins and Jenny Schmidt

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THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


Top: Di Wolff and Cynthia Rosenburgh Below: Di Ross-Harris and Pauline Greaves

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Top: Lesley Robinson, Jenny Jordan and Lorraine Gready Bottom: Judith Laird and Paddy White

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THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


Top: Katherine Richardson and Helen Szaday Bottom: Bev Kroger and Allison Rhodes

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Old Girls’ Day 2018 SATURDAY, 1ST SEPTEMBER, 2018

Victoria Marles took up her position as the CEO of Trust for Nature in 2009. Trust for Nature has a proud 45-year history of working with organisations, landowners and volunteers and now around 100,000 ha of privately owned land is protected via covenants or through Trust for Nature reserves. Victoria is a lawyer by training. Prior to joining the Trust in 2009, Victoria held various positions including that of Victoria’s Legal Services Commissioner, Chief Executive Officer of the Legal Services Board and Deputy Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. Victoria is on the steering committee of the International Land Conservation Network (ILCN) and the Australian Business Biodiversity Initiative (ABBI). Victoria has extensive not for profit experience and is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Her past board positions include trustee/board member of Victorian Arts Centre, Victorian Women’s Trust, and the Melbourne Writers Festival. Victoria was chair of the Circus Oz Board for thirteen years and Victoria currently chairs the Abbotsford Convent Foundation Board and is on the Board of the Consumer Action Law Centre and Yarra Valley Water. On a personal note Victoria is a co-owner of a covenanted property in the Wedderburn area.

Old Girls’ Day 2017 SPEECH PRESENTED BY VICKI HAMBLING

I was a graduate from the 1968 class and my life has been all about Teaching. Almost all of my teaching has been with students who speak English as a second language. I have taught in China, England, Mozambique and in Australia. 28

In one class I had someone who had never been to school and someone who had completed a PhD. The unifying factor was that neither student spoke one word of English. When you are a teacher there’s always a story to tell, the problem is which stories?

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


I reckon I could keep you here for 15 hours telling you stories. I could have told you about the excursion to the zoo with a group of primary aged kids and coming home on the bus I heard a quack, quack, or the locust plague in Africa where the air was chock a block with locusts and the street vendors were grabbing them and barbequing them ready for sale, or about smuggling documents in my car doors between Mozambique and South Africa or about having afternoon tea with Nelson Mandela’s second wife Graca, but as I only have 15 minutes I have decided to talk about teaching refugee youth and about our Volunteer Tutor Program at Melbourne Polytechnic. The Melbourne Polytechnic YAMEC course (Young Adult Migrant Education Course) teaches newly arrived refugees and migrants aged between 16 and 26 who have had very little or highly disrupted schooling. When I was asked to work with these kids, I didn’t know what life was like for them or where they had come from. My first memory was taking them for an excursion, we walked to the train station and one tall Somali boy walked to the end of the platform climbed a tree and suspended himself over the railway tracks and while that was happening another boy had smashed the emergency button. Needless to say, it was 9 months before I took those kids anywhere and the curriculum was full of units of work teaching about how to behave in public! The next time we went out they were model citizens standing back to let people

onto trains, getting up to give people a seat, helping people by opening doors for them. Essentially they were really good kids. This experience made me realise what had to be taught and that I couldn’t take anything for granted. It’s not just about teaching, it’s always about supporting the kids and connecting with them, it’s never about punishment but it is about working with them, gaining their trust and teaching after that. In the programme were many African kids and every Monday they would come in with stories about encounters with the police. What they didn’t realise was that they drew attention to themselves by the way they walked and mucked around. Generally the boys were tall and many had long legs and arms. They were noisy and would laugh and joke a lot and they would travel around in groups, so they looked frightening. They were young people who didn’t think about the effect they might have on others. I had to teach them how to walk and how to behave so that they didn’t draw attention to themselves and also how to talk to the police so they didn’t arouse their anger. One story that stays with me is the story of Ali and the toy plastic gun. It is an offence for someone over the age of 12 to carry a toy gun, but Ali had just arrived in the country and didn’t know the laws.

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Ali was playing with his young cousins, they were playing cops and robbers in the backyard. The younger kids were called in for dinner and Ali put the plastic gun in his pocket and went down to Flinders Street Station to meet up with his friends. At the station Ali decided (as you do!) to do a hand stand. When he did the handstand the toy plastic gun fell out of his pocket and an elderly man saw the gun and alerted the station police. Ali was arrested and taken into custody. Ali went to court and was put on a good behaviour bond, but this showed me the importance of teaching young new arrivals about the law in Australia and how it can affect them. In the country Ali came from he could carry a real gun around! One of the things in life which interests me are the cross cultural issues which exist under the radar and which we often just don’t see and don’t understand. When something is out of the ordinary, I try to ask myself what is the reason for this person’s behaviour? In the youth program we organise work experience for the students. The students love it because they all want to work, however we don’t send students out until we consider that we can trust them to do the right thing. We had a student who begged us, we had our doubts, but he promised he would do the right thing – Yes he would attend every day, No he wouldn’t be late for work.

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We have to be careful because if the students let down the employers it damages the relationships we have. Anyway we spoke to an employer about our misgivings and he said to give the kid a go and so we did. At 10.00 am on the Monday the student was to begin, the employer called to say that he hadn’t arrived! At 11.30 the boy came to school. Apologising, he said that he had to take his auntie shopping. We were furious and for a long time I didn’t understand what had happened, but this story stayed in the back of my head until I found the answer. This boy was an orphan, one of the lost boys from Sudan, he had no family and his community were everything to him. The Sudanese, just like many other cultures, do not stress punctuality over the needs of individuals. People and community are more important than schedules. Time is defined by involvement with people and it is spontaneous and unstructured. The students know that they have a culture but they don’t necessarily understand precisely how this influences their behaviour and their thinking. Their culture is so much part of them that it controls them at a subconscious level. We must be careful that we don’t punish students for holding the values they have been taught to hold all their lives. Teaching is not just about linguistic competence but also cultural competence or the learning of a second set of rules of behaviour. It is essential that we understand when these kids are following the rules of their own culture and are confused about what is expected of them.

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


While understanding our culture is necessary for participation in Australia, operating between two cultures can bring additional problems for families, as kids try and work between the cultures without fully understanding what they might be doing. Cultures have different child rearing practices with some cultures exerting strict control over children. Children who learn in one culture and then move into another can experience some confusion and dislocation. Like the story of the two Sudanese girls who reported to the police that their mother was hitting their brother. When the magistrate asked the mother if it was true she said “Yes, I have to teach him what’s right and wrong.” She had no idea that it was illegal. Now that woman has a conviction and can’t use either her aged care or child care certificates to get work. The mother is not a bad woman but a mother, who was operating within the cultural rules of her own culture. Unfortunately for her, these rules are not shared with our culture. The following story is typical of many of the students. Hassan came from Iraq. His dad had disappeared under Saddam Hussein’s rule, and his mother and siblings fled to Egypt. We rarely know what these kids have witnessed and what they have been forced to do before fleeing their countries. In the instances the kids have told me I have been shocked to the core and to be honest I would prefer not to know. Because the father had disappeared, the eldest son became

head of the family, and once in Egypt he lodged papers with the Australian embassy supported by his sister who had married an Aussie. The family were accepted as refugees into Australia, however the week before they left Egypt the eldest son was accidently killed in a workplace accident. This meant that the next son became the head of the family, but he was just a kid. The mum was totally distraught, with 4 younger children including twins to care for, the story was complicated further because the married daughter made it known shortly after they arrived that she was a victim of domestic violence. The son, my student at that time, got a part time job as a cleaner and studied, but life at home was very hard. His mother couldn’t guide him as she was too unwell. Life in Australia is very different to life in Iraq. Kids are allowed to wear the clothes that they like. They are allowed to attend mixed schools. Girls have a freedom not seen in Iraq, they don’t need to be chaperoned. In Iraq the community brings up the kids, in Australia we bring up our own kids. Generally unless you are a teacher you don't interfere in child rearing issues if the children are not your own. In this family there was no father present, no older brother, no uncle, the mother was suffering from PTS disorder (posttraumatic stress disorder) and the boy was now the head of the family. These two worlds collided because he didn't understand Australian laws, and the

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idea of all this apparent freedom confused him. In his country the whole community would have reminded him of what was right and what was wrong as he walked along the street. If he stepped out of line someone, a stranger, would discipline him. In Australia no one did that, he thought that no one cared and that he could do anything.

some reason can’t attend class and I also train volunteers to support students in class rooms. We now deliver this programme across most of Melbourne. My mum volunteered for this programme in 1969 when she helped a young Turkish girl in Geelong. This programme can not only help those newly arrived but it can also help the volunteers.

Realising the challenges we were facing, we linked the program with the police to run sports programs, the Red Cross for leadership courses, The Salvation Army for short courses around anger management, Foundation House who treat the survivors of torture and trauma, run regular 10 week courses to help kids understand and cope with what they have been through, a number of big retail organisations for work experience and health, housing, law and settlement agencies. In addition we have had links with drama groups where the kids can write their own plays and dramatise their struggles. We also have homework clubs and breakfast clubs. The kids that have come through this program have to our knowledge all turned out well. Many of them come back regularly to see us.

I recently placed a 22-year-old Australian boy from one of the more prestigious schools with our youth class. He was a kid who had everything going for him but one poor decision had changed his immediate outlook. I placed this lovely young man with one of our youth classes and watched him gain confidence and reliability. Our volunteer programme works in both directions and has helped many people young and old to get their lives back on track.

Refugee youth programs are incredibly important and the governing board at Melbourne Polytechnic has committed to support these programs because if we don’t support them the costs to both the community and the individuals themselves can be great. I no longer work on the youth program. For the past 5 years I have managed the home tutor scheme and I train volunteers to go into the homes of people who for 32

Many of you will be interested in an update of what is happening with the 12,000 extra Syrians who have been granted asylum. Many are settling in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne in Hume. However the schools are completely full and there is not sufficient accommodation for the children to attend schools. Our service has been sending tutors into the homes to support these families while the situation is resolved. Because, while the kids can’t attend school neither can the parents, they have to stay home to look after the kids. Like a piece of fabric lives can unravel, but with the right support each thread can be rewoven and these two programmes successfully help people repair their lives and look forward to a future.

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


Cooeegrams Edmée Cudmore (Rushbrooke) 1949 54A BAY STREET, BRIGHTON. VIC 318

My daughter Diana Hill and I are very excited that the first book of our Trilogy about the writings of the eminent Botanist and Landscaper, William Robert Guilfoyle, is to be published in 2018 under the Miegunyah Imprint of Melbourne University Press. Diana’s daughter, Catherine Hill, will next year complete the IB in her last year at GGS in Hermitage House. I shared so much of my life with Marie Rushbrooke that her death and that of her husband Bill Panckridge, although not unexpected, comes as a closure. Catherine’s godmother, Anne Broadhurst (whose husband Sam is a prominent Margaret River artist) saw Helen Rushbrooke at the weekend. Helen has moved from a unit near Wendy Yeoward to Mirambeema Nursing Home Margaret River; she is well and a really remarkable 96-year-old. Wendy has been kept busy with her grandchildren and had a trip to England where she caught up with her former sister in law Rosemary Rushbrooke (née Bowen) near Cambridge and her nephew Justin Rushbrooke in London. Justin did part of his Gap Year at GGS. His eldest son Tibo has also taken a short Gap before University.

Rosemary (Jessie) Poyner (Thomson) 1954 SOUTHERN CROSS CARE, APT 15, 82 REGENT ST, MOAMA NSW 2731

Another year passes and as Maggie Thatcher said “you can’t grow old and be a whimp”. We are having another get together at the RACV Club, Bourke Street, Melbourne on Tuesday 6th March, 2018 at midday for anyone interested. I sold my house in Moama and have been in Southern Cross Care for three years. We are well looked after and can come and go as I wish. Last February-March my youngest sister Anne came as my carer on a 14 day bus tour of Tasmania. It was our only state I had not seen in the past and was very impressed. My daughter Susan has volunteered for the two weeks of the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane in April 2018. Son Robert and family have just moved into their new four bedroom house in Pascoe Vale. I wish to be nearer them but will visit after new year. My brother Hugh lives in Moama, and sister Jennifer Nicholas (Thomson 1956) is out on a property out on Perricoota Road, Moama. We will all be at their home for THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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Christmas (2017). Plenty of room in a big house and garden for such an occasion. Grandson Finley is saving money for a trip to Nepal at the end of 2018, working at Coles as a check-out-chook! Ellis and he attended Strathmore Secondary School.

Jillian Gross (Muir) 1961 407/45 BANOOL ROAD, BALWYN. VIC 3103

Following the death of my husband in January (2015) I decided to move from Elwood and now live in an Independent Retirement Village in Balwyn. My new address is listed under my name, and my email address is jillgoss2@gmail.com

MARGARET GIBSON (1952) APPT 909,124 SPRINGFIELD ROAD, OT TOWA. KIM 2C8 CANADA

A Life in Tennis The National Capital Tennis Association is delighted to report that Margaret Gibson has been selected for the Ontario Tennis Association's Distinguished service Award (DSA) for 2018. The DSA is the OTA’s most prestigious award for individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the sport of tennis. Ours is a sport that relies on thousands of volunteers giving their time and effort to support their club, their local leagues, tournaments or their associations, but some people stand out as having done more / gone further, and Margaret is a prime example. Margaret is an exceptional example of dedication to the sport of tennis - she has done it all. She had a successful career as a singles and doubles player, playing at Grand Slam events in Australia, France and England (Wimbledon) before becoming a coach. She was the Manager of the Canadian Junior National Team working for Tennis Canada in the early 1980s; however, it is her commitment to developing juniors of all ability levels for more than 30 years in Ottawa that won her the DSA recognition. Her “round robins” are infamous and have led to many a junior becoming a lifelong participant, or teaching professional, or a tennis champion (Gabriela Dabrowski is one of her "graduates,'). But Margaret's round robins are not focused on top level, competitive players. She recognized that there was a gap in the programming offered to juniors whether they hoped to become competitive tennis players or just a good club level player, and created a circuit of round robins which she has run at multiple clubs on a year-round basis. She does this single-handedly and has been doing so since 1984.

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THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


She cajoles clubs to make courts available and sponsors to provide prizes / gifts for the kids (mainly 8 to 12-year-olds) and parents to bring their kids out so that the kids will have a fun time and develop a love of and long term commitment to the sport. Margaret's career is quite fascinating. As a promising junior, she played the tournament circuit in Australia (her home town is near Melbourne) before moving to Portugal, where she lived while playing the European circuit. Of course, she had to coach so that she could afford to play (in those days you didn't get rich as a female tennis player). She played for the Benfica Club in Lisbon (soccer teams in Europe often had tennis teams associated with them).

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Margaret had been trained by the world re-nowned Australian Davis Cup Captain/ Coach, Harry Hopman, and was able to introduce his methods in Portugal and later in both Brazil and Canada. She was well connected to the Diplomatic community and started organizing round-robins for Embassies in Lisbon. Later, as Margaret had learned to speak Portuguese, she was invited by the USTA to go to teach in Brazil and she worked in both Rio de Janeiro and in the capital Brasilia, where she again ran her round-robins for the Diplomats. Margaret had established a strong reputation in the international tennis arena and was invited by Tennis Canada to move here in the early 1980s to be the manager of the Canadian National Junior Team. Her role involved organizing and leading trips to play in the USA. Margaret has been a positive role model for juniors in Ottawa since her arrival in 1984. Through her round-robins, countless juniors have developed a life-long commitment to the sport. Her focus has been as much on helping develop valuable members of the tennis community as it has been on creating top players. She always emphasizes the right way to behave on and off the court, and she has guided many parents through the process of learning to live with the ups and downs of having competitive children in tennis. Margaret has secured sponsorship and other funding to ensure that juniors are able to enjoy tennis. She ensures that her round-robins are low cost events by negotiating "deals" with the clubs and the equipment suppliers. All her work is free of charge and for the love of the sport. Margaret has contributed to the Ottawa tennis community in many other ways. She was the Junior Tennis Chair of the National Capital Tennis Association's junior division for many years. She organized the junior Committee that ran the junior leagues and tournaments and built this into a strong and thriving division. She worked with the Executive of the Lindenlea Tennis Club and the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Ottawa to convince the City to invest $50,000 in re-building the courts at the Lindenlea facility. She worked for several years with the Elmwood School, helping to introduce young girls to the sport and develop basic skills. Margaret is constantly promoting tennis to juniors and their parents in the local community. She is an unwavering source or encouragement for players, parents and professionals alike. Margaret is the first recipient of the Distinguished Service Award in the NCTA region to receive this award. (Ed. This newsletter was sent to Jenny Jordan who passed it on to me for the Newsletter. I gave Margaret a ring to ask permission to print it, and we talked for about 40 minutes. Certainly a most interesting Old Girl. ( A protégé of Margaret’s, Gabriela Dabrowski won the final of the mixed doubles at the Australian Open in 2018) I also sought permission from Phil Johnson who wrote the Article. 36

THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


Margaret Morphy (Deacon) 1953 MERCHISTON HALL , 2A GARDEN STREET, GEELONG

My husband Ron and I travelled to Cuba and cruised through the Panama Canal in November 2017. I describe the goodwill and cultural tour through Cuba with the American travel company TAUCK as excellent. We were in a small group of 18 and it was enlightening and interesting. Prior revolution suburban architecture, although neglected is particularly appealing. People were friendly and anxious to please. Music and dance play an important part in the culture. There has been an obvious lack of incentive under the communist system, however there are signs of entrepreneurship and private enterprise. This is apparent with many homes used as restaurants. Food is good, but menus are limited. There are several excellent and comfortable hotels (5 star) in Havana. Free housing, healthcare and schooling remain as benefits to the population. Ron particularly enjoyed the still mobile 50’s and 60’s “yank tanks” that supply employment, a fun interest and a major tourist attraction. The cruise through the Panama Canal needs to be experienced to appreciate and enjoy this marvel of engineering and perseverance. We highly recommend this tour.

Julia Frecheville (Brown) 1968 4/261 ESPL ANADE, ALTONA. VIC. 3018

One Aspect of Returning By 7am I was hurtling through a tunnel of green. Well, not quite hurtling as there were miles of road works on the M3 out of London and we were all slowed to a dignified 50mph, but it was certainly a tunnel and definitely green. It was late May 2017 and I was back in England (having lived there for 37 years until recently) to visit friends and beloveds. I had chosen the May-June period as I knew England would be in full spring mode, which means life bursts through every cell of every leaf and flower of every plant. And my first few hours did not disappoint; I passed millions of leaves on thousands of trees that lined the road. The hundreds of shades and textures of green green green fell into my soul and filled it up; this is what I missed in Australia. Later, in Devon, I sat on the cliff top outside Dartmouth, near to the village where I am still owner of an old stone cottage. The English Channel was a clear blue and a seal on the rocks below couldn't make up her mind whether to remain sunbathing or dip into the sea. She would raise herself as if to roll in, pause, and then slump down again, just not bothered. She was a sloth, masquerading as a seal… The heat pulled the scent of THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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grass and wildflower and hedgerow into the air where it sat heavy on the senses, only occasionally infiltrated by a cool thread of sea smell. It was just as I remembered and I felt replenished. In England human habitation exists within and amongst the landscape. Field to village to field to town, the one flows easily into the other. Even in the big cities the parks and the greens, the commons and the roadside trees pull the countryside into the urban. Countryside that belongs to that land. In Australia I feel the divide between the land and its ancient history, and urban life. I am uncomfortably aware of the short history of our culture here against the tens of thousands of years of Indigenous living. I am conscious that my ancestors walked a land different to this one. I live in Altona facing the bay and the wide blue or night sky, with my back to the land; physically embodying this difficulty to connect.

Beth Delany (Philip) 1952 17 ALEXANDRA PARADE, HAMILTON. VIC. 3300

At my advanced age, I did not expect to ever have any more news for The Hermitage newsletter. However, I had quite an eventful year in 2017. In January, because my daughter Jill works with Deakin University Health at Waurn Ponds, I was interviewed and videoed about my 65 years of life with TYPE 1 Diabetes. I was diagnosed in a routine school medical test while at The Hermitage. The video was for Diabetic Educators and Medical professional who think that diabetes in older people is TYPE 2 variety and forget about old TYPE 1 survivors like me. I saw the finished video in December and was quite pleased with it. My messages were “get on with your life”, “take medical advice but in the end you alone are responsible” and you have to always “be sensible”. Then at Easter, unexpectedly, I had sudden heart problems. Fortunately, my daughter Jill called in going to family in South Australia. She then stayed with me and on the Sunday I was flown to the Geelong Cardiac Unit where I received a pacemaker on the following Wednesday. I then stayed a few days with Jill and everything worked out well for me. I feel normal again. In late August 2017 my grandson Edward Delany, (son of Peter and Anna) aged 18 ½ and 198 cm tall and athletic, had a late call up to play Australian Rules Football for the GW Rebels in the TAC Cup in Ballarat. I was there when he played three matches in Ballarat and one in Melbourne. He was ruckman for Xavier College APS where he was a boarder and there was some interest from a couple of AFL clubs. He entered with 300 others and won the inaugural Riewoldt Bond University

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THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


Scholarship for Australian Rules. In January 2018 he is going to study Law at Bond University and play football there too if good enough, with the Gold Coast Suns. I love sport and am a very proud grandmother. Not bad for someone who was told that they had no future and was sent home to die after my diabetes diagnosis in 1952.

Valerie McDowell (Bendle) 1944 PO BOX 80, HOLMESGLEN. VIC 3148

This has been a memorable year, having reached the 90th milestone. It is hard to believe. I enjoyed three celebrations : - One with my own family (a shared weekend in the Blue Mountains) - One with my church friends. - One with my sister’s (Wilma) family. This event was held in a charming restaurant at a Gippsland Lavender Farm. The theme chosen was our beloved Geelong Football Team! The balloons, cake and greeting card all bore the famous Cat symbol. I was delighted! As I look back over my life I am so grateful for the rounded education which I received at The Hermitage for eleven years (followed by four years of teaching there). It gave me a solid foundation for my future life which has been so fulfilling and happy. I treasure our School Song. I believe the words were inspired and even prophetic. Along with our School Motto they encapsulate the true spirit of our girls. Now, as “Old Girls”, the fourth verse has become especially significant. Sadly, most of my class mates are no longer with us. However, today I am sending out my Cooee to all remaining members of the 1943 and 1944 classes, (including Doris Gardiner nee Welch). If you hear the call, whether far or near, could you “ring back” a greeting in the next copy of our Newsletter please? I would love to catch up with your news. My email is mcdowell.val@gmail.com or please call me by phone. Home phone number is 03 9569 6679. My mobile is 0415 748 074

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Deaths Christine Page (Reynolds) 1968 Lynette James (McDonald) 1953 Mary Schrader (Saffin) 1963 Marie Panckridge (Rushbrooke) 1949 Judith (Judy) Allen (Meakin) 1942 June Champness Member of staff 1969-1975 GGS staff 1976 Wynne Holdenson (Walter) 1946 Di Webster (Blondie) 1964 Margaret Ladd (Allen) 1965 Nola Adams (Kininmoth) 1951 Lindy Tomes (Sellars) 1967 Janet Adams (McDonald) 1948 Beverley Lee (Morrish) 1944 Marilyn Hage (Tully) 1957 Beverley Lyon (Hoare) 1946 Margaret Lambert (Thomson) 1968 Jennifer Taplin 1946 Patricia Nelson (Brownbill) 1948 Heather Olden (Sieffert) 1953 Cherie Robertson (Brown) 1941 Barbara Matthew (MacVean) 1953 Judith Roberts-Wray (Cook) 1943 Sybil Hamilton (Costin) 1956 Mary Rylance (Mitchell) 1939 Christine Wilson (Ainsworth) 1965

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THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


Bereavements Kathryn Cameron (Champness) - Mother Sue Bugeja (Holdensen) – Mother Jill Daniel (Walter) - Sister Elaine Webster - Sister Prue Taylor (Thomson) – Sister Diane Bernard (Brownbill) - Sister Victoria Marles, Jennifer Green (Marles) – Father Adele Ellis (Costin) – Sister Helen Kennedy (MacVean) – Sister Judith Delelande (Bent) - Brother Jill Millman (Ainsworth) - Sister

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Cooee To school fellows near us or distant, We send out our Cooee today; Wherever you be may you hear it, Whether hard at your work or at play. In our own sunny home or in lands far away Do you hear it? Just listen! We greet you today. Cooee! Cooee! Long live the School! Australia’s own call to her daughters is the call of your school now as well: May its echoes ring cheerily round you, Making feelings of gratitude swell. May it be that your conduct will aye prove the worth Of the love of your school and the land of your birth. Cooee! Cooee! Long live the School! May lessons you learn in your school days, Through life make your path ever bright, May you grow in all virtue and beauty Gentle, honest, and strong in the right. In all games that you play, in all work that you do, Do the work, play the game, as a girl straight and true. Cooee! Cooee! Long live the School! May our song in far days waken mem’ries, Of comrades and friends tried and true, Days bright with the freshness of morning, Pleasures many and sorrows but few. Then here’s to you, schoolmates, young, old, far and near, Accept our glad greeting and ring it back here. Cooee! Cooee! Long live the School!

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The Hermitage Church of England Girls’ Grammar School, Geelong news letter 2018

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THE HERMITAGE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER — GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL


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