Jubilee 1886-1936

JUBILEE SOUVENIR

1-fETHODIST LADIES' COLLEGE BURWOOD

JUBILEE SOUVENIR 1886-1936

Wholly set up and printed in Australi a hy the EPWOR TH PRESS, 218 astlerea gh St., Sydney.

Table

of Contents PAGE

Greetings and Congratulations

7

Historical Sketch

10

Education of Girls: Progress in a Century

30

Principals and Headmistresses

37

Treasurers and Others

65

Sundry Lists: Graduates, Champions

71

School Sports

77

The Old Girls' Union

83

Parents' and Friends' Association

87

The Staff of Later Years The School's Music

91 94

The Christian Union

97

An Old Account Book

99

"The Excelsior"

102

The Burwood Church

107

Sister Schools

109

Letters from Old Girls Tales Out of School

112 124 129

Burwood in My Time

133

Reminiscences and Memories

140

Reminiscences of a Boarder and Contribution from Old Girls

149

Burwood as it Was and Is

171

School Song

173

Epilogue

174

The Miniature

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greetings We have received greetings and congratulations from several distinguished men. Our readers will appreciate the graciousness and spirit of their kind words:-

From His Excellency the Acting-Governor Sir Philip W. Street, K.C.M.G.

of

N.S.W.,

In many ways we are reminded that Australia is growing up. Centenary celebrations and the celebration of jubilee years are becoming things of not infrequent occurrence to-day in connection with many of our established institutions, educational and otherwise, and so it is that the Methodist Ladies' College at Burwood is celebrating its Jubilee year.

By its schools and its colleges the Methodist Church in Australia has given practical demonstration of its recognition of the importance of religious and secular education, and the Methodist Ladies' College, as one of our leading Church Secondary Schools for girls, has deservedly gained for itself a high place in the scholastic world, for its academic and its other records.

With fifty years of useful life and work behind it, it may well be proud of the part that it has played in the development of secondary education for girls, and the citizens of New South Wales may well be proud of the fact that they have such schools in their midst to help in moulding the plastic material of youth into sound and high-minded women.

Most cordially do I congratulate the school, and all who have helped in its career, on the success which has been achieved during the first fifty years of its existence. It has a fine record of vigorous and valuable service behind it; 'tnd I hope that "wise, steadfast in the strength of God, and true," it will go on to its centenary with undiminished distinction and efficiency.

P. W. STREET. 21st April, 1936.

,.

The Chancellor of the University, Sir Mungo MacCallum, K.C.M.G., M.A., LL.D., D.Litt.

The congratulations of all friends of education are due to the Methodist Ladies' College on the celebration of its Jubilee. Those of us who have had the privilege of visiting it can bear out the statements of the prospectus in regard to the fine grounds and buildings, and the excellence of the arrangements generally, but a University teacher has further opportunity of appreciating the thorough and careful training that enables its students to win many high distinctions in their subsequent work, so that some of them return to their old school as worthily qualified members of its staff. It has grown wonderfully in station and knowledge, and in the favour of God and men, since the old days, when Dr. Prescott guided it so successfully through the dangers of childhood; and now, under its present Principal and Headmistress, it has reached a vigorous youth that promises even greater efficiency and wider activity in future years.

That this may be so is the desire of all its well-wishers.

The President-General of the Methodist Church of Australasia, Rev. A. J. Barclay.

Dear Dr. Prescott,I gladly avail myself of the privilege and opportunity of sending a few lines of greeting on the occasion of the Jubilee of the Burwood M.L.C. It must be a source of great joy to you as you look back over the fifty years and note how wonderfully the School has grown since you opened it, with only ten scholars on the roll.

Methodism throughout Australia has been proud of the continued progress of the School, and what its teaching has done in helping the formation of the character of the girls who have passed through it. Much of the success of the early years of its history is undoubtedly due to your wise and far-seeing management.

Your ripe scholarship and keen appreciation of the value of education under Christian influences, have borne much fruit, and like a golden thread, it has run through the fabric. My earnest prayer and wish for the future is that all the noble ideals and traditions of the past may be fully maintained and further advanced.

With sincerest regards, Yours sincerely, A. J. BARCLAY.

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The Han. D. H. Drumm ond, M.L.A. , Minist er jar Educat ion.

For many years I have watche d with great interes t and pleasu re the progre ss in every sphere of the Metho dist Ladies ' Colleg e.

As wise and well-b alance d educ'at ion of the child, and especia lly of the future mothe rs of the nation, is the true basis of nation al charac ter, the fine trainin g given in such schools as the M.L.C . is of incalcu lable value.

On this, the occasio n of the Colleg e Jubilee , I congra tulate it upon a fine record of fifty years' service in the cause of Christ ian Educat ion.

With added laurels and traditio ns of the highes t order, ever strengt hening , I believe it will contin ue its onwar d march throug h the coming years, contrib uting more and still more to the enrich ment of our commu nity life.

D. H. DRUM MOND , Minist er for Education.

The Direct or

of Educat ion, N.S.W., Mr. G.

R. Thoma s.

Sincell'eSit greetin gs and congra tulatio ns to M.L.C . on having attaine d its Golden Jubilee . One can scarce ly credit that fifty years ago M.L.C . opened with a small but signifi cant group of ten pupils. Little did those founda tion pupils or its inspiri ng leader, our esteem ed and belove d Rev. Dr. C. J. Presco tt, Princip al Emerit us, succes sively of M.L.C . and Newin gton Colleg e, imagin e that "fifty years on" their little pionee r band would have grown to a splend id five hundre d!

Histor y was made on that openin g day.

The high traditi on which M.L.C. has establi shed throug h the years is due to the wise and effectiv e leaders hip, vision, faith and devotio n of an honou red successiOl! of Princip als and teachin g staff.

Its reputa tion is to be measu red not merely in terms of schola rship, but more approp riately by its contrib ution to citizen ship, both at home and farthe r afield -a citizen ship consist ently built up on the abidin g founda tion of Christ ian ethics.

This is a happy augury for a greate r future -great er in service , greate r in its harves t of gentle, brave and highsouled women , and greate r in the radian ce which it will shed on the develo pment of beauty , goodne ss, and truth in this lovely old world, becaus e of the grace and benedi ction of God, to Whose glory M.L.C. was founde d.

G. R. THOM AS, Directo r of Educat ion.

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Historical S~tch.

HE first formal step towards founding the School was taken when a resolution was carried in the New South Wales Wesleyan Conference (it was before the days of Methodist Union) to the effect that the time had come for the founding of a school for girls corresponding to Newington College for boys. This last had existed for over twenty years, but its transference from the Parramatta River to Stanmore had produced quite unexpected results.

On the Western Line it was able to take day boys as it could not before. The good name it brought with it, the handsome building, and the reputation of Rev. J. H. Fletcher, the President, and Mr. J. Coates, the Headmaster, led to a period of E:xtraordinary prosperity. In these early years, with Mr. W. H. Williams succeeding Mr. Coates, supported by a very efficient staff, it buzzed with activity. It is not surprising that there were those in the Church who thought that similar success might follow for a girls' school.

T

Female Education.-The movement for the revolution of girls' schools had been in operation in England for some years. Australia had felt it, but not strongly. The estab-lishment by the University of the Senior and Junior Examinations had brought some to see that, in intellectual possibilities, girls were not inferior to boys, or at any rate, were entitled to a similar training.

These early examinations were passed by a number of girls, who in later life became well known in the life of the State.

Our school was not the first in the Australian field.

The Presbyterian Ladies' College in Melbourne was one of the earliest of the newer type. Under a leader like Dr. Harper, it soon won a high reputation. Rev. W. H. Fitchett in Victoria proposed a similar school for his own Church, and the Victorian Conference gave him the task of founding it. Some people in our State looked over the border at this lusty institution with admiration, if not envy.

But what stung New South Wales into activity was the establishment of a similar school (which still lives) in little Tasmania.

Choice of Site.-It was decided to make a move. The Conference appointed a committee to take initial steps, and to inquire into suitable sites. Several were visited. One -(-{ 10 jJo-

was the estate on which the Croydo n P.L.C. now stands, another was the Warre n Mansio n on the Illawa rra Line; another was on the higher ground near where Arnott 's fa.ctory now stands. Finally it was decide d to purcha se MISS Lester 's School . The buildin gs at th;:lt time consist ed of what is now the rest-ro om, with the room beyond , a small drawin g-room on the left, and on the right the double room with folding doors.

Above all this was a series of bedrooms. Beyon d this block, on the site of the Schofi eld Hall, was a cottage , used chiefly for sleepin g purpos es. On the opposi te side of Park Road was about one acre of grassland, which has largely been adc1ed to, formin g the presen t playin g area. The whole estate consist ed of about two and a half acres. It was separa ted from the Park by a block of land, on which Mrs. Starlin g built Abbey thorpe , since acquir ed by the Colleg e.

The final decisio n to open the school in 1886 came rather sudden ly, and may be thE" reason why little or no attemp t was made to raise funds. The Hon. E. Vicker y gave some furnitu re, which his son, Mr. J. Vicker y, and Mrs. Presco tt selecte d. No one could expect such an enterp rise to pay from the start. There was natura lly a loss on the first year, but it was rather a feat that in the fourth quarte r its revenue equalle d its expend iture. Over the whole fifty years the enterp rise has proved a marke d financi al success .

But the beginn ing was on limited and discou raging lines. The credit of the Churc h was its one asset. Needle ss to say, the stricte st econom y had to be exercis ed. ((A Felt Want. "-The origina l advert isemen ts stated that the school was founde d to meet a felt want. That was an over-s tateme nt, as the manag ement of the school soon found.

The only girls' schools at the time were a few conduc ted as private institu tions by some excelle nt ladies, togeth er with the Girls' High School founde d in 1883. To an extent , almost incredi ble to-day , parent s were conten t with a State school educat ion up to fourtee n for their girls.

It was though t rather a luxury for the well-to -do to send daugh ters to a private school, especia lly as boarde rs.

Nobod y though t that it might be desirab le, or even necess ary, to train girls to earn their own living, and only a few were beginning to think that it was worth while to teach them more Mathe matics than simple arithm etic, to say nothin g of Latin and Germa n.

The busine ss of the new school then was not so much to meet a "felt want" as to create it. Now that the whole situati on has change d, it is not easy for the presen t genera tion to realise what an uphill task the early pionee rs had to ~ll1l: -

M . L . C

BURWOOD

IN

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convin ce parent s that it was worth their while to spend money upon new method s of girls' educat ion.

Original Staff.- The origina l staff consist ed of a head who had the high-s oundin g title of Presid ent and Headmaster (the latter of which alone he used), a lady Pr~n足 cipal, and a housek eeper. It was Mr. Fletch er who nomm ated Mr. Presco tt for the first. It was a bold propos al that at first shocke d the gray-b eards to appoin t a young man of 28. But he had a good name as a teache r, and his wife was one well-fi tted for her task as the lady of the house. There was no dual control . As lady Princip al, but acting under the Headm aster, Miss E. Shiels, who had had a school of her own in Melbo urne, was appoin ted, and her experi ence was valuab le in the early days. Visitin g teache rs were added as they were needed . Mr. F. Morley was appoin ted music and singing master .

Miss Dougla s was appoin ted teache r of drawin g and paintin g. At an early stage Miss Foster becam e teache r of gymna stics and later of swimm ing. Miss Wearn e joined the staff before the second year was out, bringin g with her the experi ence of a Univer sity course , and the enthus iasm that course had arouse d in her. When Mrs. Simmo ns (Miss Nancy Evans, AR.A M.) joined the staff in the second year, Miss Eva Thomp son, AR.A M., having left to be marrie d, it was fairly comple te, with the except ion of junior assista nts as require d. Miss Shiels helped in the founda tion work of the first few years, after which she return ed to Melbourne . Otherw ise the staff remain ed almost intact for many years. As we look back after fifty years, we must recogn ise that a very compe tent body of teache rs was assemble d, and their efficient work was mainly respon sible for the good reputa tion the school speedi ly won. In the course of years, the origina l staff broke up, and the vacanc ies were filled by suitabl e succes sors. The truth is, the school has been, throug hout its career, extrem ely fortun ate in its staff.

The traditi on was created from the first, and it has been mainta ined unbrok en. The accessi ons of later years have consist ed of master s and mistres ses, singula rly efficient, animated by whole -hearte d devotio n, and not the least part of their reward is that they have created a school which, admitted ly, holds to-day a high place among the girls' schools of the State.

Unoste ntatiou s Openi ng.-It was on the evenin g of a day in Januar y, 1886, that Mr. Presco tt drove down from Parram atta with his wife, to take over from Miss Lester the newly- acquir ed proper ty.

To give them an early welcom e, Mr. H. C. Fraser , the treasu rer of the school, and -~l

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his daugh ter walked over from his house in Strathf ield the The busine ss of prepar ation began the next same night. had to be engage d, a book-k eeper to be apts Servan day. pointed , and arrang ements to be made for openin g on the advert ised date. Miss Shiels duly arrived from Melbo urne.

There was no public or formal opening. The school quietly stole into life, with ten pupils, almost withou t a word. Miss Lester had persua ded a few of her boarde rs to remain under the new conditi ons. Others , quite new, came from the countr y, and severa l familie s in the neighb ourhoo d sent their daught ers. Most of these are living still, and it is no reflect ion upon their succes sors in after years to say that though the numbe r was small, the quality was of the best.

Many names call up faces of bright young girls, many of whom to-day are wives and mother s, and some grandm others.

The numbe rs grew slowly but steadil y, till by the end of the year 54 had been enrolle d, a solid nucleu s that showed The first Speech every sign of extens ion as time passed .

Day celebr ated in the Burwo od School of Arts was a conspicuo us success , and there was genera l satisfa ction with the work of the first year.

Lookin g back after fifty years, we can see how much the infant institu tion suffere d from the casual and unimpressiv e way in which it was allowe d to come into being.

It contra sts strong ly with the way in which later enterp rises have been launch ed. No appeal was made for funds. The heavy initial expens es were charge d to the first year's current accoun t, and the small staff was engage d and guaran teed payme nt when it was not certain that the revenu e would be large enough to provid e it.

Not only was the financi al inaugu ration unsatis factory , but little effort was made to publish abroad the openin g of , the school. It was, of course , duly advert ised in the papers unand l natura its to left was It done. was but little else , aided growth . The wonde r is, that under the circum stances it flouris hed as well as it did.

School Colou rs.-It is only right and fitting that many of the arrang ements of those early days should have undergone change . But some remain still, among them the school colours . Mr. Presco tt was anxiou s that his old Univer sity colour s should be represe nted, hence the two bands of dark blue. But to give distinc tion, the Cambr idge light blue band was inserte d. When Old Girls visit Londo n and watch the great Oxford and Cambr idge boat-ra ce, it will interes t them to see that one or other of their familia r school colour s are worn by everyb ody on the riversi de.

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The badge was the outcom e of much t~inking. As w.ith so many Austra lian schools , it has not rece1v ed the sanctlO n of the Herald s' Colleg e, but it has served its p.urpose, and the design worke d out by Mr. Prescot~ and MIss ?ougla s has stood the test of time. The motto 1S an adapta tlOn of a text from the Vulgat e, and when Lady Jersey gave the prizes in 1892, she based her talk to the girls upon it.

Growt h and Disas ter.-The first few years were years of steady sowing of seed and patien t watchi ng of the you~g plant. There was nothin g specta cular, but there was qUlet growth . Towar ds the end of the eightie s, the school receive d a setbac k by the establi shmen t of the P.L.C. at Croydo n, on the site which our suppor ters had rejecte d. It was unfortunate that the two schools should have been so near one anothe r, and the fact that the Croyd on School was so close to th railwa y station , gave it an advant age. Notwi thstan ding, 1890 proved a record year. Fresh bedroo ms had been erected , and the boarde rs filled them, and finance s were in a health y conditi on. But largely owing to the compe tition just mentio ned, there was a slight decline , and in 1893 there came the financi al crash that nearly ruined the school.

In recent years we have learne d what Depres sion has meant.

But some of us had learne d that forty years before . The '93 trouble s were not confine d to Austra lia, but they were gevere ly felt. The collaps e of the Land Boom in Melbo urne was follow ed by similar disaste r in New South Wales.

The first institu tions to go were the Buildi ng Societi es, which up to that time had enjoye d great popula rity. And then most of the Banks closed their doors, a notabl e except ion being the Bank of New South Wales. Promp t measu res were taken by the Gover nment or the conseq uences would have been worse. As it was, bankru ptcies were commo n, many people were ruined , there was a collaps e of credit, and where ver econom ies could be effecte d they were made. And, of course , educat ion expens es were among the first to be curtail ed.

The schools suffere d frightf ully, and Burwo od was hit between the eyes. Expen ses were reduce d, salarie s cut down; but even so, the financi al loss was withou t paralle l in the history of the school.

It took seven years of strenuo us, unwea ried, anxiou s effort to bring it back to someth ing like norma l. Most of the Counc illors of that time have passed away, and could they come back, it would do their hearts good to know that, like the Roman Consu l who in dark days had never despaired of the Repub lic, their faith and efforts had been justified by the high succes s of later years.

But all this was behind the scenes. The financi al pro-

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blems of a school are no concer n to its pupils. Wheth er it makes money or loses it, they live their life in anothe r sphere .

The Schofie ld Hall.- The history of the Colleg e to 1900 include s some notabl e events worth chronic ling.

Perhap s the most import ant of these was the erectio n of the Schofield Hall. It was a disapp ointme nt to many that Mrs. Schofield, the widow of Rev. W. Schofie ld, though posses sed of substa ntial wealth at the first took no interes t in the school.

This was the mor~ remark able becaus e she had at one time been a teache r herself . But though she was withou t interes t, she had been quietly watchi ng the course of events .

A~d she came to admire the way in which the staff had done Its work. Rev. Geo. Lane, in whom she had a profou nd faith, was always ready to put in a good word. At last she one day sent for Mr. Presco tt, and told him that she was prepared to give ÂŁ2,000 for the erectio n of a dining -hall and an extens ion of the buildin gs. His joy was excessi ve, and as he left her house in the dark, an onlook er might have though t that he had gone crazy. She had been a consta nt donor to new church es, and had accum ulated a great collection of trowel s used in laying founda tions.

When it was sugges ted to her that these might be placed in the new hall, in a suitabl e case, as eviden ces how one wealth y woman had used her wealth , she caught at the idea. She sent for Mr. Saxton , who design ed the case to match the hall's archite cture, and the result is visible to this day. Mr. H. C. Kent was called in to design the hall, and when it was built, with the recasti ng of the eastern front, what had been a plain house before becam e a beauti ful school. She laid the founda tion stone herself , and when it was finishe d, she paid a visit to see with satisfa ction what her liberal ity had produc ed. Mr. Kent had prepar ed a plan for the furthe r extens ion of the buildin g, that includ ed two towers , and Mrs. Schofi eld subseq uently gave an extra ÂŁ800 for this purpos e.

This plan was subseq uently modifi ed by anothe r architect, but the existin g tower is as much her gift as the beauti ful Schofi eld Hall itself. She thus becam e the most liberal benefa ctor the school has known , and it is well that her name should ever be associa ted with it. The George Lane prize comme morate s the name of the sagacio us and tactful ecclesi astic, withou t whose sympa thy it is possibl e that these gifts would not have been made.

Kinde rgarte n.-The establi shmen t of the kinder garten calls for notice, not so much for what it did for the school, though it did much; but becaus e it aided a movem ent that

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has had widespread consequences. All the facts are not to hand, but pretty certainly, Burwood was the first school to erect a building expressly for the purpose. This was done in 1891. When finished, it proved a beautiful stoutly-built erection, with a wide verandah and all kindergarten appliances. It was a pity that it had to come down to make room for the far more important Potts' Memorial Hall. But for long years it served its purpose.

Lady Carrington had brought out a kindergarten governess for her children, and this lady had a friend, Miss Grady. In some way Mr. Prescott got into communication with her, and he persuaded the Council to engage her services. She had studied the system and applied it very successfully to her charge of little girls and boys. She was a strict disciplinarian, as the boys, in particular, speedily learned. She established the school on sound lines, and when, after a time, she returned to England, it was carried on by Miss Scheer.

The example thus set was followed by further developments, and the Free Kindergarten in poor areas became one of the fruitful forms of child philanthropy. Its great vogue to-day, both in day and Sunday Schools, is too well known to call for notice, but few people to-day know that the movement owes something to the fillip it received from Burwood.

Music Examinations.-In days in which it is the fashion to cry out against examinations, it will scarcely be counted as a matter for congratulation that Burwood had much to do with the founding of another group that has extended far nnd wide. Nevertheless, it was the support given to the Trinity Colloge (London) Examinations in Musical Theory that led to this result. These examinations were under the direction of Mr. Hector Maclean, but they were not widely upported. The Burwood Staff saw that they could be used to advantage, and the accession of the school paved the way for other schools to follow, and led to an enormous extension.

Many girls in those days learned th piano from more or less skilled teachers, but the knowledge of the theory they acquired was meagre. Systematic instruction in this part put the teaching upon a new plane. The lower division received a sound knowledge of musical elements, thus saving the time of the practical teacher, while the advanced courses carried students to a fairly high standard of appreciation.

Miss Stephenson was conspicuously successful in this work.

The movement did not stop at examinations in theory.

The Sydney College of Music was established, and Sydney music-masters examined pupils in pianoforte and violin play-.}{ 18

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ing in the city, and travell ed largely in the country . on the same task. The Royal Acade my of Londo n though t It worth while to send an expert to conduc t its own examin ations.

Th n came the establi shmen t of the Sydne y Conse rvatori um of Music, which has largely render ed overse as help unnece ssary. Much of the casual haphaz ard teachin g of former days is supers eded by the more strictly -tested teachin g of to-day .

And on speech days, girls' schools show long lists of music results .

After Fourte en Years .-The first chapte r in the history of the school may be regard ed as closed at the end of 1899, when Mr. Presco tt left to becom e headm aster of Newin gton College. For fourtee n years he labour ed activel y in its interes ts. He had watche d its growth , its struggl es, its disappoin tments and its succes ses, and if in quanti ty the return for those years could not be consid ered wonde rful, he left a vigoro us, health y institu tion that could look to the future with confide nce and hope. The real triump h was what the school had done for the scores of girls that had passed throug h it. A certain numbe r of them had passed on to the Unive rsity and taken degree s. Others had left with cultiva ted singing voices or skill with some musica l instrum ent. Many had passed the standa rd examin ations of the time- the Univer sity, senior and junior. Others had settled down in marrie d life. Others had left with cultiva ted tastes, and many had given suppor t to church and philan thropic work.

But review ing the work of the years, their teache rs could not but be gratifie d at the charac ter and quality of the girls the school had turned out. The result had been worth all the toil that had been put into it.

Betwe en the girls themse lves, and betwee n girls and teache rs, there remained the memor y of the kindes t relatio ns. Ties had been fashion ed that would defy Time.

Rev. E. J. Rodd. -When Mr. Presco tt left his functio ns were divided , and Rev. E. J. Rodd took over the genera l and busine ss admini stratio n of the school with the chaplaincy, Mrs. Rodd taking the domes tic manag ement, and the care of the boarde rs. Mr. Rodd, at the same time, was appointe d Theolo gical Tutor to the Divini ty studen ts who at that time resided in Newin gton Colleg e.

The two obliga tions would keep his hands full, but would not give him more than he could manag e.

He had severa l qualiti es fitting him for the discha rge of bis duties. He had been a diligen t studen t, and had acquired a store of knowle dge that every girl was bound to respec t. He had a refined taste. He loved flower s and was

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Miss M. WEARNE, M.A.

Miss HETHERINGTON, M.A.

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a devote e of the bush. He was a charmi ng preach er. He had the father' s heart.

He brough t with him his three daught ers and his intima te friends knew that there was a little gra~e somew here, where he had buried the one :ittle boy given him, cut off at an age when childre n are delIgh tful. Mrs. Rodd was an unselfi sh, kindly , patien t woman , always thinkin g of those she loved, and not sparin g herself in her duties for their welfar e.

Miss Wearn e.-Mea nwhile the school -work progre ssed under Miss Wearn e to whom had been commi tted the entire charge of the schol~stic side.

She called to her aid her gifted sister, Miss Amy, who proved an excelle nt teache r.

Her succes s with her Histor y pupils was remark able, but not to be wonde red at when we remem ber that she was proxim e access it for the Fraser Histor y Prize at the University . The two sisters, aided by other compe tent teac?e rs, worke d in perfec t unders tandin g and harmo ny. ConSId ering the school 's numbe rs, it showe d up very favour ably in Univer sity examin ations. Severa l girls took the Arts Course and obtain ed degree s, and the line of qualifi ed Burwo od lady doctor s made its beginn ing in this period .

Extens ions.-I n 1907 the first extens ions of the buildings since the erectio n of the Schofi eld Hall, were made. To provid e for these, a numbe r of the old buildin gs at the back were swept away, and the rear of the Colleg e transfo rmed.

The kitche n and pantry were double d, store-r oom, larder: and sculler y were added. In additio n, nine new bedroo ms, two bathro oms, and two classro oms were built.

All rejoiced at the necess ity for these alterat ions and the possibility of effectin g them.

They remain ed as a perma nent monum ent of Mr. Rodd's Presid ency.

Miss Wearn e's Retire ment.- But misfor tune was on the track. Miss Wearn e was feeling more and more the strain impose d upon her, and in 1909 she collaps ed. A severe and danger ous illness followe d, as a result of which her medical advise r insiste d that there was no other course for her than to resign.

She had been on the staff for 22 years, and for nearly ten of these she had been Headm istress . The regret and sorrow at her retirem ent were univer sal, and her loss was a great blow to the school.

Miss Hethe ringto n.-She was succee ded by an accom plished lady, Miss Hether ington , who was a gradua te of the Univer sity of New Zealan d, and a studen t of Girton Colleg e, Cambr idge.

Any succes sor to Miss Wearn e would have found it hard to carryo n.

Miss Hether ington took a deep interes t in all sphere s of school work. She gave fresh impetu s

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to the sports, especially hockey, which became very popular with the girls. She worked strenuously, and the examination results were well maintained. But at the end of three years she decided to go to England.

The vacancy was filled by Miss Sutton, who received a special welcome because she was herself an Old Girl. She took up the reins in 1912 and still retains them in her capable hands.

Parliamentary Acts of 1912.-It was in Mr. Rodd's and Miss Wearne's time that there came the great change of 1912. The Acts of Parliament passed in that year, made some radical alterations in Secondary education.

Among other things, they provided for a great extension of High Schools for boys and girls. They substituted for the voluntary acceptance by the schools of the University as their director, what amounted to a compulsory subjection to the Department of Education. The old Senior and Junior University Examinations were superseded by the Intermediate and Leaving Certificate Examinations, which were to be taken not at random, but on completion of courses of study, covering four (afterwards lengthened to five) years. The new system was not, in its essence, compulsory.

But two hundred exhibitions for University training were offered for annual competition. And as these (with a few trifling exceptions) were offered to Registered Schools only, no school of importance could afford to refuse the chance of competition to its pupils, and all sought and obtained the necessary registration. A further need for it was that school bursaries were tenable only at registered schools.

This is not the place to discuss the merits and demerits of the new educational order. Suffice it to say that what the leaders of the schools feared, namely, the domination of the Education Department was happily averted. For it found that to carry out its examinations, it had to rely largely upon the University, for its examiners. Much was done to bring teachers in touch with University Professors, and the papers set, as well as the courses of study ordained, were much modified by this intercourse. The result was that the schools found themselves much in the hands of the people under whose direction they had worked for so many years. At the same time, the risk that professors might test all candidates they examined as potential University students, was much reduced, and a much wider curriculum, especially for girls, replaced the old one.

The second factor that allayed the fears of departmental domination was the personality of the then Director, Mr. Peter Board.

He showed in his administration a tact, a consideration, and a sympathy that disarmed opposition.

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Teachers who feared the new regIme, and were disposed to rage like lions, lay down like lambs.

Educating the Parents.-The system then inaugurated has been modified in details, but the main features remain.

One of its best effects was that it taught parents on a large scale, that if they wanted a definite object, such as a Leaving Certificate, their children must spend a sufficient number of years in preparation, and no short and quick methods of intensive coaching could replace careful and often leisurely teaching. The different years of the school course came to be understood by schools, parents and children, as well as the successive years of a University course were understood by undergraduates.

The system educated the people, as the unorganized schools previously had not been able to do. Probably only a Government measure could do this.

Fresh Developrnents.-And now, after twenty-four years, the system is again challenged, as its predecessor was.

Many pioneers maintain that it has been weighed in the balances and found wanting, and a newly-constituted Education Council has been appointed to discuss the whole subject and a new Act of Parliament is passed.

The outcry against examinations is as loud as it was in 1912.

Those who then thought they were reducing the load find to-day that it is as heavy as ever. How to modify it, what to substitute for it, how to remodel school education generallyall this is the question before us. And whatever answer we give, it will be challenged fifty years hence.

So far as Burwood and similar schools of repute were concerned, the reconstruction of 1912 made little difference.

Like all others, she had to apply for Registration, and in due time was visited by a courteous inspector. He found his work much a matter of form.

The Headmistress was excellent. The staff was efficient, the girls were delightful, the buildings (small as compared with to-day) were sufficient and healthy. It was obviously an efficient school, and what was there for the inspector to do but to report accordingly? Duly registered, she has gained many exhibitions since that date, and sent many of her girls to the University at the expense of the State.

Decline.-But quite apart from these changes, forces were at work that the school was not able to counteract, and Mr. Rodd's efforts to maintain things at the old level were not rewarded with the old success.

He grew discouraged and took a pessimistic view of the future. Affairs reached a crisis, and for the first time in its history, a cry was seriously heard, which not even the disasters of 1893

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AERIAL VIEW HODIST LADIES COLLEGE·B DRAWN

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AUGUST

had evoked , that the school must be closed. The propos al was serious ly made that the buildin gs should be utilised as a Theolo gical Institu tion, and many of the most influen tial membe rs of the Confer ence took this view. It is difficult to The questio n was say how the propos al was averted . first as if the few at seemed it and ence, Confer in d debate in the wilder crying that stoutly resiste d, were as voices e and in numvolum in grew voices the ness. But gradua lly ed a series follow then And d. secure was e repriev a and ber, everyput that n, of events that change d the whole situatio cereinfor a such school the gave and , thing on a new footing all put that rity prospe of season a upon d entere it that ment its to it lifted and its former achiev ements in the shade, n. presen t proud positio Counte r Attack .-The sugges tion to close the school caused dismay to its friends , and stung them to a new activity. To close it was a confes sion of weakn ess that could not be tolerat ed. The Churc h came to the rescue . It made availab le substa ntial funds for the immed iate distres s. An energe tic Ladies ' Advan ce Comm ittee was formed , which not only gather ed furthe r funds, but infused a new spirit of The name was change d. enterp rise and aggres sivenes s. an Ladies ' Colleg e.

Wesley the as Origin ally it was opened e. As Metho Colleg ' Ladies od Burwo to d change This was tion, it folfounda dist Union had been effecte d since its name it has the took and orn, lowed the examp le of Hawth Rodd reMr. e.

Colleg ' Ladies dist Metho borne ever sincetired from office and becam e a supern umera ry, and Rev. L. H. Kelyna ck, who was in the prime of life, took his place.

The combin ation of his accessi on, the concur rent action of the Church , and the enterp rise of the ladies, made all the differe nce. No one talked of closing the school, all looked forwar d with hope, and hope was crown ed with achiev ement.

Mr. KeZyn ack.-H e and his devote d wife threw themselves into their new task with comme ndable diligen ce and gusto. To save expens e, he took charge of the book-k eeping, which the bankin g experi ence of his early life enable d him to do, and he kept his eyes wide open for any chance of increas ing the somew hat deplete d numbe rs. Too much can never be said of Mrs. Kelyna ck's work in the house.

She took entire charge of the domes tic admini stratio n, and Their worke d heart and soul in her care for the boarde rs. school the of side ng boardi The . labour s had their reward got a good name, and the numbe rs rapidly grew. Financ es becam e easy, and in after years Mr. Kelyn ack was in a position to recom mend substa ntial enlarg ements of the buildings, which still stand as the monum ent of his admini stratio n.

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Miss Sutton.-The increasing numbers gave Miss Sutton and her staff an opportunity that neither she nor any of her predecessors had had before. And she was skilful and astute enough to take full advantage of it. She proved herself an organizer of exceptional capacity. She was very successful in selecting her staff. She got round 'her a highly efficient body of mistresses, who had a firm faith in her management, Col readiness to follow her leadership, and a strong loyalty to her personally. She won the confidence of the parents that came to talk about their girls' welfare. And she made every girl in the school, big or little, feel that she was her friend. Her personality has contributed very largely to the success and reputation of the school in its later years.

Under the changed conditions, the lists of examination passes grew longer and longer, and many were of high quality. So weU were the girls cared for individually, and so well were they taught, that they became a standing recommendation, and drew more and more into their circle.

The games were organized as never before. Athletic associations were formed when school competitions in sports became common. School uniforms were introduced, and the Prefect system established.

The old privacy that had marked the school life of earlier days gave place to a larger publicity, and a not unwholesome rivalry in examination and sports achievements sprang into prominence.

Mr. Potts.-On Mr. Kelynack's retirement, Rev. T. F. Potts was appointed temporarily for one year; instead, he retained his office for ten years. Mrs. Potts took part in the active management of the school, though for some time her health was poor. But her serene and quiet graciousness was always available to give welcome to boarders, and to speak kindly and sympathetically to visiting parents. The management of the domestic department passed into the singularly capable hands of her daughter, Miss Thecla Potts, who inherited something of her father's sheer capacity, which she showed in caring for boarders and managing servants.

Possessed of a winning personality, she gained the confidence and affection of the girls, and she was ever planning some fresh method to ensure their happiness.

Master Builder.-For Mr. Potts himself, his Principal-ship proved the crown of a diligent and successful ministry. The head of a united and happy family, he brought fatherly instincts to show sympathy with the girls and their spiritual welfare was dear to his heart. But he brought to his task a masterly business faculty, far surpassing anything shown by his predecessors.

Each of these had left some tangible memorial of his leadership, but in this respect Mr.

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Potts eclipsed them all. His contributions were the most costly and impressive. Hailing from Manchester, he brought the shrewd, hard-headed outlook of the typical Manchester man. He entered upon his office when the tide was rising, and backed by an enterprising Council, he made provision for the increasing numbers. Negotiations for the purchase of Abbeythorpe, before his time, had broken down.

He took them up again and completed the purchase of this fine property, which joins on to Burwood Park. He bought up houses and land, laid out numerous tennis courts and gardens, and secured the use of other land for hockey-and never paid too much. He built classrooms and bedrooms, recast the College front facing Rowley Street, and as his final and supreme achievement, built the large Assembly Hall, with the numerous gymnastic rooms, and other conveniences, beneath it. Very fitly, in view of his lamented and tragic death, this Hall will forever bear his name.

Mr. Potts was succeeded by Rev. H. C. Foreman, who threw himself into his new duties with energy and enthusiasm, delighting in the task that had been assigned to him.

Unfortunately a very serious illness laid him low last year (1935), and though he made a partial recovery towards the end, he is still on the sick list. Much sympathy will be felt for him in many quarters.

The Council.-It would be unjust not to recognise the work of the Council during the long years, and particularly that part of it which constitutes the House Committee. Its personnel has totally changed, but its spirit and temper have been consistently the same. The interests of the school have been its constant care, and its unremitting watchfulness has received a great reward. It has known dark and anxious days, and days of high prosperity. It has known how to be frugal and economical in tight times, and generous and liberal in prosperous days. Thorny questions have come up now and again, but its tact and firmness have enabled it to deal with them. Between the Council on the one side, and the Principal and the Headmistress on the other, there has been throughout hearty co-operation.

Natural differences of opinion have ultimately found happy solution. Very wisely of late years it has admitted three representatives of the Old Girls' Union as members, whose suggestions have often been helpful.

While all questions of high policy are determined by the Council, a large amount of detail and administrative work is done by the House Committee, consisting chiefly of ministers and laymen living near the school. Their watch-fulness and diligence are unremitting, and they have shown ->:-{ 28

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fme initiative in suggestion, and skilful work in execution.

And while to the heads, the teaching staff, and those responsible for the domestic management, must be assigned the main responsibility and credit for the school's prosperity, to the Governing Body also must be assigned no insignificant share.

In bringing this sketch to a conclusion, we are forcibly reminded of the number of persons needed to build up what we are justified in calling a great Australian school. Just as the finished mansion is the work of architect, stonemason, bricklayer, carpenter, plumber, painter, and a dozen more, so it has needed men and women, benefactors and benefactresses, masters, mistresses, teachers, taught, councillors, and financiers, to create a new institution.

It is a product of the second century of Australian life.

In its time it will grow old like the great schools of England, and people will look upon it as a gift of its own generation; but one that continues in decades, perhaps centuries, yet to come, its work of beneficence and grace.

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education of CJirls: Progress in a Century By

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BRUNSDON FLETCHER.

W

HEN the Council of the Methodist Ladies' College at Burwood, through its Principal, asked me not long ago to give the address at the Annual Breaking-Up, I went prepared with something sober to say. It was explained to me that parents and pastors would make a substantial part of my audience, and consequently I was ready to address a number of "grave and reverend signiors," with a large background of school girls. It was to be a some路 what trying ordeal, and I was quite prepared to have a diffi路 cult, if not a bad, time. When I rose to speak, the grave and l'everend part of my audience was massed behind me on the platform, and before me were the school girls of the College, "rank behind rank," if not of "surges bright," then of intel路 ligent and inspiring faces. I quite forgot my audience in the rear, and did not trouble about the parents and friends in the far distance. It was school girlhood, responsive and sympathetic, that gave my imagination wings; and metaphorically, I threw my notes away in the desire to waken the minds behind the bright eyes with a new thought or two. The experi路 ence was an inspiring one.

Whatever may have been the impression made upon my adult hearers, I was more than repaid by the attention and appreciation of my girl audience.

The picture of a modern up-to-date Ladies' College, with its fine buildings, ample ground for sport and breathing space, and its capable teaching staff, was a vivid one, but the sense of a larger liberty and a livelier hope than had been known before in the history of female ducation, was so strong, because I had another picture with which to compare it. At the beginning of my long life, when about seven years old, I was tak n very unwillingly to a girls' school in Onehunga, near Auckland, in New Zealand.

It was evidently a way of g tting rid, for part of each day, of an almost intolerable nuisance. My home education had been good, but there were no schools in Onehunga to carry it on, and this introduction to the business of life came like banishment.

Each day's journey to the care of a lady dragon was full But her discipline was also beyond my of heartbreak.

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i.nfanti le imagin ation.

The school mistre ss was sternn ess person ified, and the way in which the girls were treated made me mute and appreh ensive , though nothin g could have been kinder than the lady's words to me, and her tasks were easy enough . But the first real terror came with the sight of a girl lying on the floor on a board with her heels tqgeth er and her limbs rigid and straigh t. This may have been a cure for stoopin g as I recall the experi ence. But the girls' school becam e for me a place of punish ment and discipl ine. The whole thing, howev er, could not have lasted long. It was probab ly long enough ; for my mother , later on, had only to threate n me with a return to the lady dragon if I becam e a nuisan ce again. I remem ber, curiou sly enough , that the lady's name was Miss S--- ; and long after, when I began to read Stanle y Weym an and came to his very interes ting story, "Chipp inge," the school mistre ss in it, Miss Sibson , seemed a sister of my Onehu nga girl-ta mer.

Now, Stanle y Weym an's book was written to illustra te a phase in the life of Englan d a hundre d years ago, just befl)re Queen Victor ia came to the throne . Miss Sibson was headm istress of a girls' school at Bristol , and the way in which the girls were guarde d and shephe rded and disciplined, is very well describ ed by the author . It happen s that the period was full of terror and confus ion, and the fate of the Reform Bill in 1832 led to riots and attemp ts at rebellion, which make one realise how much we have to be thankful for in these days of light and liberty . But Miss Sibson , in the story, becom es a veritab le heroin e in her courag e during the attemp t of a mob to burn Bristol to the ground .

The histori cal backgr ound, otherw ise, is drawn with Stanle y Weym an's vigoro us pen, and shows a comple te knowle dge of the period . But these school mistre sses of bygone Jays were devote d women , with strong ideas of the risks and tempta tions from which girls must be protec ted. Man was the enemy , and even unto and throug h the Victor ian age the discipl ine and rigours of the educat ion of girls descen ded. One has only to read the lives of the Bronte women to realise what it meant even to be a govern ess in those days. Their experi ence of school life away from home was full of strain and privati on, though Charlo tte Bronte seems to have enjoye d her school life in Bruss els-wi th man as master and his wife as semi-d ragon.

But it must not be imagin ed that the discipl inary rigour s of the girls' schools in those days was confine d to one sex.

My father told me often of what he and other sons of Wesleyan minist ers endure d at Kingsw ood School , which was founde d by John Wesley , and was conduc ted on the lines he

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TEACHING STAFF, 1936.

BAck Row: :lIis. Denni"g. :IIi" Blumer. :Iii" Youdale. ;\li," Selvn. :lIiss :I[cGilchrist. :lliss .\ndrews. :IIi" Turner. :Ill'. Lindley F."nns, Mr. Kirkpatrick. :Ill'. Harrison .\lIen. :IIi.. J. Forem:tn. Miss :lIartin, Miss Blanche, :I[iss Horrol路h. :I[iss Dixon.

Middle Row: Miss Kitson. MisS \\)路ndham. :IIi.. :I[orris. )'Iiss Frost, Miss Lomond. Miss Ahbott, :I[rs. !'levun, Miss l. He)'.

Mrs, Tennant, :lIiss Welfare. Miss Iiey, :lIi.s [n'ine, Miss Fole)', :lIiss Bathis, :I[iss Thomus.

Front Row: Miss Riseon. :lIiss :\ardin, :I[iss Foremun. :lIiss Chapman, Miss Hill, First Assistant; The Headmistress, Miss Sutton; The Acting Principal, Re\'. S. Bembrick; 11is8 Law, 11i8s Hannam, Miss Macindoe, :I1iss Bowden, :lIiss Watt, :lIiss 1IcOlo)'.

considered suitable for growing youth. His idea apparently was more that of a reformatory than the "leading out" which we now realise to be the true meaning of the word "education."

School days, as we see them, should be an entry into the pleasant fields of life and literature, and so become training for the full responsibilities of manhood and womanhood. But, then, John Wesley never had children of his own, and his married life was full of earthquake and eclipse. I often think of myoId friend, Dr. George Brown's, experience as a boy at Barnard Castle, when Charles Dickens went there to write his scathing indictment of boys' schools in England as we know it so well in "Nicholas Nickleby." Dr. Brown's father was a solicitor in Barnard Castle, and the original of Squeers lived near by. He was not fairly treated by Dickens, Dr. Brown told me. He was one of the best of his class, and not the worst, as has been given for all time to the world by his caricaturist, though the class, as a whole, was bad enough. The much-maligned "Squeers" went to the solicitor to see whether he could not issue a write against Charles Dickens, but Mr. Brown strongly advised against it. Such a course would only give the novelist a wider advertisement, and probably ruin the schoolmaster. But the point holds that in those days the idea of school discipline for children was a very hard and trying one. All we can say is that a fine breed of men and women survived.

So we come half-way in the hundred years to the founding of the Methodist Ladies' College at Burwood. It synchronises in my memory with evidences of increasing freedom for girls and a better outlook for their teachers. London "Punch" had been helping to break the shackles. One cartoon comes to mind of a troop of scholars from a ladies' school walking two and two through a London street under the unwritten command: "Eyes front and no nonsense."

One of the girls is saying to her companion with apparent disgust, "It is just like the animals in Noah's Ark," and the other girl is replying, "It is worse, for half of them were males." Yet there must have been a large remainder of shyness and suppression to be overcome, for I remember rejoicing, in a Survey Camp during my field assistant days, over a story in a London letter in the "Sydney Morning Herald." It told of a pompous little school inspector, who had extreme difficulty in getting a class of girls to look at him and to answer his questions.

His inspection was intended to test their knowledge of natural history.

He began with the animal kingdom and asked: "Now, what am I?" Only after long persuasion did one small girl put -.fJ! 33 lilo--

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up her hand and answer: "Please, you're a man."

This was something, but not what he wanted.

"Yes, yes," he said, "but what else am I?" Again, after a long pause, the same little girl said: "Please, you're a little man." This was insufferable, and the diminutive inspector's face grew red. "Well, perhaps, but what else am I?" He could not understand why they would not say that he was an animal and 11ave done with it, so he persisted with his question.

Again it was the small girl with the pertinent or impertinent reply, "Please, you're an ugly little man." And just about the same time in New South Wales, Mr. Wilkins, Principal School Inspector and afterwards Under-Secretary for Education, was writing in his report that he could not get the girls to lift their eyes when he went to examine the schools. of those days. They seemed dumb as well as shy. At last he gave up the task in disgust. It was in 1880, however, that Superior Public Schools were given life and being, and girls who were found fit in the ordinary senior class s got their chance of something better than a primary education.

In the next year women were admitted to the University by order of the Senate, and I well remember the awe with which some of my women-folk regarded Miss Brown, B.A., daughter of our veteran missionary, Dr. George Brown, when she came to Brisbane to take up duty as one of the mistresses in the Girls' Grammar School. She was one of the first women graduates of the University of Sydney.

The Brisbane Girh;' Grammar School was founded under a very liberal education policy in Queensland, and was, like the Boys' Grammar School, practically a State institution.

A great fillip had been given in 1871 to the higher education of girls by their admission to the Junior and Senior Examinations, and when the Hon. John Fairfax established the Annual Fairfax prizes of £20 for the best Senior pass, and £10 for the best Junior, the race in education began.

The boys soon found that they had to look to their laurels.

Perhaps I remember all this the more keenly because I was resident in Brisbane at the time, and at the end of the eighties was married. My bride had been educated at the Brisbane Girls' Grammar School, and she became a wife while still nineteen. For nearly 50 years now she has been my mascot and helper. One of our daughters and three granddaughters have received, or are receiving, their education at the Methodist Ladies' College at Burwood, so that we know something of the inner workings of college life on that side. It has been all to the good, though we sometimes wonder whether the girls will not leave the boys far behind, as from time to time we scan Intermediate and Leaving Certificate results. What is the end to be?

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The beginnings of the Ladies' College at Burwood were singularly blessed in the appointment of its first Principal, myoId friend and mentor, Dr. Prescott. His term there laid truly the foundations upon which a great deal of subsequent success has been won. The Rev. E. J. Rodd's period of responsibility again strengthened the foundations, and I write with more than a passing knowledge of his fine character and abounding influence. He was our minister while the beautiful Albert Street Church in Brisbane was being built, and we were great friends. Succeeding Principals at Burwood have carried on the great work, and as I stood on the platform so recently at that breaking-up, with the sea of girl faces before me, I could not help feeling how many good men and fine women had given of their best in the building of the School. By my side on the left was the present Principal, myoId friend and minister, the Rev. H. C. Foreman, and on my right was Miss Sutton, so full of life, energy, and ability, the leader and teacher of a multitude of girls. How was it possible to fail to respond to the spirit of the place, and to see in perspective the rank behind rank of girls and teachers in the half-century of the existence of the College? At any rate, I found an audience so vastly different from anything that I had expected, that I may be forgiven for paying this personal tribute to it.

Meanwhole the wheel has come full circle, and I am back where I began. May the Methodist Ladies' College at Burwood grow in strength and stature.

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Principals and Headmistresses Dr. P"escotl VERY former pupil of M.L.C. is proud of its present position. It stands in the forefront of the Church non-State schools in New South Wales. Both in academic and athletic attainments it stands very high. But the edifice of to-day stands secure largely because of its foundations. These were laid fifty years ago by Mr. Prescott and his co-adjutors.

He was trained at Kingswood School, founded by John Wesley in 1748, under a remarkable headmaster, Mr. T. G. Osborn. He was Dux before he left, and he won an Exhibition which took him to Worcester Col路 lege, Oxford. He took his B.A. degree with Second-class Honours in Mathematics (Oxford arranges its honours in four classes, instead of the more usual three).

His M.A. degree followed later.

E

In 1882 he was one of a group of eleven young men that came from England to reinforce the Ministry of the New South Wales Conference. Three years of ministerial service were given to Parramatta, during which he also acted as Tutor in general subjects to the Theological students of Newington College. The subsequent careers of these men have borne testimony to the value of the training they received from him and his chief, Rev. J. H. Fletcher, Theological Tutor.

In 1886, he was sent to open the College. He was a young man to be placed in so responsible a position. But he had enthusiasm and sympathy with young life, and these carried him through. The ten girls that met on the opening day were divided into two classes, and at first he taught nearly all subjects to those in his class.

To them his knowledge seemed limitless. As a teacher he was always forcible, clear and most interesting. Whilst classics and mathematics were his strong points, his English History and Scripture lessons made a special appeal.

He had a wide knowledge of English literature, and it was a fine thing for young minds to be developed and guided by him to themselves look for and to love only the best in prose and poetry.

History as he taught it was a fascinating story.

The dry details were eliminated, as he traced the big movements of history, and the results of these upon the people.

Few girls are keen on Scripture lessons. But this Headmaster made the characters, even of the old Testament, vivid personalities, whilst his unfolding of the life and teachings of the Master moulded the minds and characters of his girls to an extent neither he nor they realized at the time.

But later years saw the fulfilment, and many of his girls, recalling his teaching and example, would face a crisis and not weaken. For them he had opened the gates in the soul.

Verses of the Bible learned daily became part of the very fibre of his girls: "'~en my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock, that is higher than!."

"What time I am afraid I will trust in Thee." "The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms."

These divine truths, impressed on children's receptive memories, became part of their lives, and unwittingly they altered as they absorbed them.

His discipline was always a strong point. His girls did not fear him; they loved him too well. But unlike King Arthur, he was never "laid widowed of the power in his eye that bowed the will," and the keenness and range of view of his eyes, are vivid memories; whilst his tongue-well not even perfect love could cast out fear of that and its lashing. But the culprit had to acknowledge that the lashing was deserved.

He took a keen interest in the physical development and sports of his girls, and never overworked them, as many teachers have done, so as to win brilliant examination results.

He devoted as much attention to his less clever pupils as to his more brilliant ones. For examination work he gave extra lessons unstintingly, and always won good results.

He instilled into his girls his own standard of honour, his sincerity and love of truth, and he combined with these a broad outlook and genial enjoyment of life.

Secondary schools were then in their infancy, but he had a large and keen vision of the future educational world As the old order gave place to new, he adapted himself accordingly, and instead of deriding, he captained the new, making his school abreast with the best.

Reverence and modesty (not yet regarded as objects of ridicule) he held pre-eminent; and for the School motto he chose "Ut filiae lucis ambulate." It will be well for present and future M.L.C. girls, if they follow where he showed the way. Theirs

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is the heritage, may they be inspired by his unswerving faith and dedication to duty.

Like St. Thomas a Kempis he taught: "Set not much by this Who is against or with thee, But so do, and care, that God is with thee."

He always shared in the pleasures of his girls; and many pleasant afternoon outings, and evening entertainments, were arranged by him and Mrs. Prescott.

Later social gatherings of his girls were all the happier for his genial presence and apt speeches (for as an occasional speaker he excels), and some of their weddings were incomplete unless their beloved Headmaster officiated.

And even more so did his heart go out in tender and practical sympathy when sorr w came to the homes of his girls. Both he and Mrs. Prescott were known far and wide. for their goodness at such times. His indomitable faith and assured reliance on God have brought resignation to many a mourner. When conducting a funeral service, his voice rang out, "I am the Resurrection and the Life," and "0 death, where is thy ~ting? 0 grave, where is thy victory?" with such conviction, that comfort stole into the bereaved hearts. Some of his memorial services are undying memories.

As Headmaster, his staff loyally supported him. He undertook a great deal of the examination work. He consulted his staff and always upheld their authority.

They knew him for their friend, and he made them feel that their interests and his were identical, and all for the good of the School. The College soon won a premier place scholastically, and as the numbers increased, new buildings were added. The Schofield Hall was donated, tennis courts were laid down, and one of the earliest kindergartens in the State was begun.

Utterly loyal to his School, and to his Church, he inspired those around him with the same spirit. Charitable and public-spirited, he was respected and well liked by Headmasters of all denominations. He was one of the founders of the Teachers' Guild, and was always ready to help any teacher.

In spite of arduous work, he kept up his preaching.

His sermons have always been an inspiration, and his prayers never leave his hearers unmoved.

What he preached to others he practised in his home life. Whilst at heart an Englishman, he identifies himself with the land of his adoption, which he loves as the birthplace of his childI'en, and the land that gave his once delicate wife a new and long lease of life.

The love of school girls for their favourite teachers, es-

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peciall y for the Heads, is a thing apart. The influen ce of such a Head is enorm ous on the minds, and thus on the future lives of these girls. In their warm- hearte d affectio n they idealiz e such a teache r, but the very idealiz ing does good to the child mind. This faculty for inspiri ng affectio n belong s only to the strong person alities of the profes sioncertain ly it belong s to Dr. Presco tt.

His girls, wherev er they forgath er, have one point of mutua l interes t, abound ing respec t, couple d with abiding affectio n for their Head, and agree that it was men like him who inspire d Kiplin g's hymn to school master s: "Let us now praise famous men, Men of little showin g, For their work contin ueth, Broad and deep contin ueth, Greate r than their knowin g."

Every presen t and past pupil of M.L.C. unites in the wish tor many more years of contin ued work and inspIrm g influen ce to be grante d to the first Presid ent and Headm aster of the Colleg e-Dr. Presco tt. God bless him.-A .I.W. M1'S.

P"esc ot!

RS. PRESC OTT, the wife of the first Head of the School , was a Victor ian of the great Queen 's day.

She was brough t up in a genial, affecti onate, religious home, and was educat ed for some years as a boarde r in a school in Clifto n-both typical of the time. School girls to-day would smile at those schools. There were no exami nations , no organi zed sports, no Mathem atics. Of the present curricu lum, Englis h subjec ts and French were the chief parts taken. But art and music were strong ly empha sized, and good manne rs were de rigueu r, while an intellig ent Head found her own way to bring out the intellig ence of her girls.

Wome n brough t up in these conditi ons lost nothin g in comparison with their sisters of to-day .

When Mrs. Presco tt came to Burwo od she brough t many of these traditio ns with her, while other ideas came from membe rs of the staff trained under other conditi ons. She had a style of her own. She was particu lar about her dress, neat herself in all her surrou ndings , and exactin g the same With a warm heart, she had thing from those about her. undue familia rity. off warded that dignity al a person She had great force of charac ter. In her home surroundi ngs she was always one to be reckon ed with. She waS

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fearless and outspoken. Opposition never made her quail, but roused her spirit. Yet this was allied to a skilful tact that was disarming. She was artistic to the tips of her long, thin dexterous fingers. She excelled most in music. Trained in a strict school, she abhorred inaccuracy or slovenliness.

Her teachers taught her technique, but the Celtic element in her nature supplied the sympathy and passion. She was a skilful performer on the piano and the organ.

Singers liked to sing to her accompaniment.

She had played the organ in her home church, and when she occcasionally relieved the Burwood Church organist, she revelled in bringing ont the beauties of the instrument, and sometimes the congregation would sit spell-bound as she finished a voluntary.

All this made her an influential figure in the young school. With their quick instinct, girls soon saw what she was like and bowed to her superiority. They liked to talk to her., as did the guests that came to her house, for she was a rich conversationalist, and talked entertainingly.

And they very soon found what a fund of understanding and sympathy was in her heart.

As head of the domestic establishment, she made her authority felt.

Men-servants and maid-servants quickly learned that they could not trifle with her. They came to respect her for her justice and fairness, and knew that behind it was a kind heart.

Australia saved her life. Threatened with lung trouble as she was, the sunny Southern skies cleared up the mischief, and she not only lived, but lived strenuously.

She discharged all the duties of wife, mother, head of the household, even for fourteen years Sunday School teacher, till she removed to take up similar duties at Newington College. It was thus that she repaid her debt to Australia.

IN MEMORIAM. No earth-born spirit she, who like a flower Shed beauty, fragrance, peace upon our path; Whose memory leaves no bitter aftermath, But only thoughts refreshing as a shower That gently falls with viv#ying power, Giving to drooping plants a welcome bath, Or warming like a fire upon the hearth That draws us homeward in the evening hour; For her the morning, though for us the night, Her native heaven she hath reached at last: -"~f

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She is not dead; nay, rather with deLight Within the harbour she hath anch01' cast; Her loved ones greet her in the land of light, Her Saviour evennore wiLL hoLd her fast.

-F. V. Pratt.

Miss Shiels T

the opening of the College, Miss Shiels was appointed Lady Principal, and remained there for some three years. She had had a successful girls' school in Melbourne, and was well qualified for her new posi-路 tion. Of a refined and gentle nature, and with the high principles of her good Presbyterian stock, she set a good example to her girls and endeared herself to them. She had firm courage to face and overcome difficulties. A recent Melbourne financial crash had bereft her of most of her savings.

She accepted the inevitable with Scotch calm and determination, and never whined. Her scholastic work was mainly with the younger children. She was very thorough in her work, and interested in her pupils. She was an accomplished needlewoman.

After leaving the College, she had a successful school in Manly for about eight years. She retired to Melbourne, where she lived with her own people to an advanced age.

A

Miss ff/ earne, fYI.A. ISS WEARNE was fortunate in her parents.

Her father was not only an enterprising and vigorous man, but one of marked affectionateness and geniality, and in these latter qualities her mother resembled him. She grew up in a singularly united family, marked by the parr-nts' characteristics, in a home fashioned by a sweet Christian piety.

This accounts for her fundamental qualities, which were lillselfish devotion and loving-kindness.

She had a loyal nature, loyal to family, to duty, and to God. She would have suffered any pain rather than betray a friend she loved or a cause she espoused.

No trace of self-seeking marred the transparent purity of her motives.

This explains the singular respect and affection she won from her colleagues and her pupils. She gave ton and colour to the life of the School from the first, and helped to establish a tradition for sincerity, truthfuln ss and g nial kindliness that has never been lost.

M

From her Cornis h ancesto rs, born and bred on the stout granite rock that withsta nds the ceasele ss pound ing of the Atlant ic waves, she derive d her tenacit y of purpos e and her resolut eness of will. These were shown rather in the mas-tery of herself than in forcing her wishes on other people .

She had a strong will to live, and in the critica l illness of her life, when she was brough t very close to the gates of death, it was her sheer determ ination , couple d with the equal resolut ion and ceasele ss care of Dr. Susie O'Reill y, that pulled her throug h and gave her a new lease of life.

Her days at school and the Univer sity had been joyous days. She loved learnin g for its own sake, and gave herself to its acquir ement with charac teristic determ ination .

She was not daunte d by difficulties. She would be master of what was needed for her work, and if that deman ded long hours and strenu ous effort, these were forthco ming.

She never spared herself , and in the end, she collaps ed under the strain. Till Mr. Presco tt left, she shared with him the brunt of the work of the higher classes . Betwe en them they covere d a wide range of subjec ts, for there was less special ising then than now. When he left, the burden of teachin g and of headsh ip fell on her. This would have been intoler able but for the help of her sister, Miss Amy. Her efficient, and someti mes brillian t, teachin g was a marke d feature of that period. But the work grew in comple xity and stiffen ing deman d.

The reputa tion of the School during the nine or ten years of her regime stood high and steadil y grew. Hardworkin g as she was, she set a fine examp le to her staff.

They knew that whatev er they did was equalle d, if not surpassed , by their Head. The kindlie st of relatio ns subsist ed betwee n them, and all worke d sympa thetica lly for the good of the school. Her pupils had the same regard for her as her staff. Her attitud e to both was that of "Come on" rather than "Go on."

She called on them to follow and keep up with her, and they tried to do so, not least becaus e they could see that she did not spare herself . Lookin g back, one wonde rs how she bore the strain as long as she did. At last it began to reach breaki ng-poi nt.

It is easy now to see what she should have done. She should have told her Princip al and Counc il that furthe r expert assista nce was needed , not only as relief for herself , but in justice to her best girls. But she shrank from calling for increas ed expend iture, and if changi ng conditi ons called for greate r deman ds on her energy , with her usual unselfi shness she met them. Had the Counc il unders tood the situation, it is pretty certain they would have taken steps to re-

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lieve her. But it did not unders tand, and unfort unatel y she was the last to help them to do so. The inevita ble result was comple te and appare ntly irrepar able collaps e. To the infinite regret of every friend of the School , she was compe lled to send in her resigna tion.

In the light of her charac ter, it is not difficult to see that Miss Wearn e was bound to have a powerf ul influen ce upon her pupils, and that was effecte d in more ways than one. Sympa thetic as she was with the lighter side of girls' life, enterin g heartil y with them into their games and amuse ments, she nevert heless appeal ed to the deeper side of their charac ters. She was an admira ble teache r for all, but for the girl who took her work serious ly, and showe d an ambiti on to excel, she would take marke d pains. Out of school hours, she would organi ze extra classes for exami nation purpos es, and not spare herself in giving explan ations to individ uals, and special coachi ng to those that desired it. To these more serious ones she commu nicated her own love of knowle dge, and instille d someth ing of her own enthus iasm. She looked forwar d for their future, and from time to time made sugges tions that proved happy and helpful. Many a girl in after life could look back on her teaching and her kindly assista nce with keen gratitu de. She encourag ed her girls to read for pleasu re, and she wrote many a paper about thrillin g books for them. With her introduction and her criticis m to begin with, the book would have Thus it was with her work in school 8 fresh attract ion. hours and out of them, and with the sympa thy that watche d her girls when they had left school, that she stored up for r herself a w~alth of honou r and affectio n that any teache envy. might The rest of her life after leaving Burwo od must be told in a few words. After her wonde rful recove ry, with her sisters she took over Clarem ont Colleg e, Randw ick, and conducted it succes sfully. She then retired with a compe tence, getting in ~:nd lived for the most part at Wentw orth Falls, a delight ful vh;it to the Old Countr y, with her sisters and brothe r. She preser ved her culture d interes ts and her philan thropic work till the end. She passed away quietly at her sister's home in Conco rd. A memor ial service in Burwood Churc h was conduc ted by her old chief, and the crowde d congre gation bore testimo ny to the esteem and Whate ver the subseaffectio n her faithfu l life had won. brough t a wonde rhave they quent years have broug ht-and bring- and they may years coming er ful record -and whatev go down in must e Wearn Miss of name the morebring will l shapcritica the in the history of the School as one who, -.~ 44

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ing years, left a notable stamp and seal upon it, and bequeathed a living tradition for sympathy with high culture, for unselfish devotion, and for unostentatious but transparent nobility of character.

IN MEMORIAM. To M.F.W. Sleep on, Beloved, and sweetly take thy rest, The mantle of thy mortal day is shed; Thy sacred dust to kindred dust is laid With last farewell upon its earthly bed.

"Sleep on," we say, "a,nd sweetly take thy rest?"

No sluggard soul is thine, now trammel-free; Thy sweetest rest in toil was eve?路 found, And still in loving toil thy Heav'n must be.

May we, whose priv'leged youthful days were spent Within the charmed circle of thy care, So strive to comprehend its lofty aim That, serving here, we aid thee, serving There.

-Frida Allen Phillips.

Miss Stephenson

I

N the faro-off days, when M.L.C. was not the magnificent School it is now, we were proud to be enrolled among its pupils-and we strove to leave for succeeding genel'ations a tradition for scholarship and character difficult to Surpass. Looking back now, I realize how much we owe to our beloved Principal and his staff for the ever-ready help always given to us.

We women of to-day are proud of our association with cur Senior Resident Mistress.

Miss Stephenson was the daughter of Rev. R. Stephenson. A woman of keen intellect, cultured with a wide knowledge of human nature, she was well fitted for the position she held. She taught us much about the Homeland not found in the text books of geography and history, and she taught us by precept and example that we should always fall short of the best in life unless we followed the paths of Truth <.nd Honour. We learnt that character is formed by thinking on the things that are pure, and lovely, and of good rePort, for these are the things that are eternal.

She was a good musician, and it was always a keen pleasure to her to help us in our musical studies.

Miss Stephenson and her sister, also a member of the staff, were

enthusiastic tennis players, and we elder girls were always delighted to be asked to play with them.

It was with very sincere regret that we learnt of her retirement consequent on a breakdown in health. We would like her to know that as we have gone out into the world doing our work in the sphere to which we were called, we have carried a loving remembrance of her in our hearts; and we trust our work has been a little finer because of her influence on our lives.-M.E.W.

M". F. Morley R. MORLEY was one of the original staff appointed

by Mr. Prescott, and for about forty years he remained as music and singing master.

He was born in a village near Cambridge, and belonged to a musical family.

He came to Australia to join the firm of Hardy Bros., Mr. John Hardy being his uncle. But he loved music more than business, which he ultimately gave up. For some time he was organist in the Bourke Street Church, when, before the exodus to outer suburbs, a large congregation filled it. With him as organist, and Mr. W. H. McClelland, his brother-in-law, as choirmaster, the singing was inspiring. He then became organist at St. John's, Darlinghurst, and held this position nearly to the end of his life.

As an organist, he was at his best, for his playing was sympatheJtic, artistic, and devotional.

He was also well acquainted with the mechanism of the organ, and was able to give expert opinions and furnish specifications when new ones were being built. He was largely responsible for the lovely instrument in the Burwood Church.

But it was not only his music that endeared him to Burwood girls. He felt in a singular degree the joie de vivre. He was a happy sunny soul that radiated good cheer and joyous fellowship. He loved a good story, and some of his yarns, artfully exaggerated, were the delight of his hearers. On the picnic ground, or in camping out, he would throw off all formality, would busy himself in doing odd jobs, lighting a fire, boiling the billy, lending a hand wherever it was needed. He loved his sports. Tennis and bowls were his favourites, next to his shooting. He was an excellent shot, and scored well on the rifle-range, and he jumped at a chance of quail-shooting or anything of the kind.

And this enjoyment of games he liked to share with the girls. Their sports have developed much since the early days. We had little beyond tennis and rounders, and he entered into them with gusto.

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He was always ready to add to the enjoyments of school life. If any scheme were projected, he. could always be relied upon to help. He lived to a ripe old age, gradually reducing his engagements; and when he passed away, some of the sunshine of the city passed with him.

]l"lonsieur A. Bu/teaLl.

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ARLY generations of M.L.C. girls will have a lively recollection of M. Bulteau, and not they alone, for he taught in many schools. The present writer knew him first, before M.L.C. was founded, when he used to visit The King's School.

He was then a smart, dapper young F'renchman, fresh from Paris. He had come to make a living in a new world. He knew his work well, and was appreciated as a teacher by those who seriously wished to learn French. He was most painstaking and conscientious. His work was carefully prepared, and was free from all slovenliness.

The old tradition of English schools that at all costs Some fun must be got from a foreign teacher, was a handicap. Probably the offences of M.L.C. girls in this respect Were mild, and only occasional, for many of them made good headway with their French. Of course it would not be safe to put the entire teaching of a foreign language into the hands of a foreign teacher. His work is rather to supplement that done in the ordinary classes.

But as correct pronunciation is a special part of his task, it is easy to see that the attempts of Australian girls and boys to screw their lips into the right shape and produce the true sounds easily, gave occasion for mirth.

M. Bulteau was a patriotic Frenchman, and had been in Paris in the winter of 1870-71, when it was besieged by the Germans. His classes loved to divert his attention from the lesson and get him to relate some of the terrible experiences, the hunger and privation of that awful siege. But he became a very loyal Australian. He was a good man, faithful to, and responsive to life's sanctities, with a sympathetic heart and a sensitive conscience.

What religion he was brought up to we never heard him say. But out here he joined the Unitarian Church, and worshipped in it for many years. But he had a deep respect for several indi-vidual Methodists, and this was one reason, possibly allied to dissatisfaction with the Unitarian faith, that in his later years he worshipped in the Gordon Methodist Church. His death was brought about by a lamentable and unaccountable accident.

Rev. E. J. Rodd T is not merely as the President of Burwood College that ] [ Mr. Rodd will be remembered. In fact, the work he did as Theological Tutor during his fourteen years was perhaps even more fruitful than what he did at the College.

Several mornings in the week he might be seen lecturing in the old Hermitage to his students.

His principal subjects were Theology and Homiletics, and in the latter subject he was specially qualified, for he had studied the art of sermon-making from early student days, and his own sermons were models of their kind. His students had a sincere respect and warm regard for him, and to this day tell of the benefits they derived from his teaching.

To these two sets of duties as President of Burwood and Theological Tutor, he added a third, that he was a constant preacher. Most Sunday mornings saw him engaged.

Be was a beautiful preacher. There was no one quite like, or nearly like, him. He combined simplicity and charm.

'The humblest could understand him, while the educated could see the fine artistry of his sermons. To these qualities he often added an unaffected pathos that made the eyes of his hearers moist.

He had served the Church in many places. He had done his share among plain people in country circuits, and he had served in the leading Churches in the Sydney suburbs. For some years he was one of a group of "Morning Preachers" who took turns to supply the pulpit of the old Centenary Hall, where Rev. W. G. Taylor carried <>n his great mission. Perhaps there was no place wher he was more deeply appreciated than in Brisbane, where his ministry in the old Albert Street Church was something like a triumph.

He had been trained in Richmond College, England, under such tutors as the celebrated Dr. Moulton, one of the Revisers of the New Testament, and one of the finest scholars the Methodist Ministry has ever possessed.

He learned from him habits of patient and careful study, but having learned them, he copied no one, but developed himself. He came to Australia in the seventies with his friend W. G. Taylor, and the two men up to past eighty rendered differing, but precious, service to the Church of their ordination. At a time of warm controversy he was President of the N.S.W. Conference, acting with dignity and impartiality.

His love of flowers, of Nature, and the bush, was almost a passion. He loved to ramble at will under the trees, or <llong bush tracks, gratifying his craving for simplicity and beauty. Sociable as he was with his fellows, yet "Nunquam

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minus solus, quam quum solus," might be said of him. He was never less alone than when alone.

On leaving the College, he retired to a quiet life at Killara. There Mrs. Rodd died, and he was subsequently tenderly cared for by his daughters. He had a peaceful eventide. He continued to preach almost to the end, and his sermons never quite lost their old charm. When over eighty an operation was deemed necessary to prolong his life, but he never recovered from the anaesthetic, and passed quietly away.

Miss Amy Wearne B.A. J

(Mrs. J. Wearne.) injunction to write something about that delightful character, Miss Amy Wearne, immediately calls up a series of etchings from the gallery of youthful impressions which tell their own tale. One instantly emerges from all others-the picture of Nemesis framed in the classroom doorway. There she stands, like Moses descending from Mount Horeb-her gown streams behind-so might his have done -her head is thrown back, and a look of scorn suffuses her features as her eye lights on a conscience-stricken crowd of malefactors misusing a spare period. So might Moses have surveyed the back-sliding children of Israel!

One listens, almost expecting to hear a rebuke couched in the rolling periods of the Old Testament, "Woe unto you, idlers, triflers; woe unto you, ye gossipers and whisperers of ~ittle tales, ye wasters of your parents' money. Woe unto you, ye perpetrators of libellous caricatures, ye players of noughts and crosses!" Etc. There was no doubt left in anyone's mind as to what Miss Amy meant; she was never one to sidle along passages and appear privily; she strode down the corridors with purposeful gait, and chancing on some such scene immediately proceeded to speak her mind with gratifying frankness. How we wicked girls enjoyed these visitations, even though her untimely arrival left a trail of penitence behind. Well, we thought, one has to pay for everything somehow or other, and it was worth it. Not that Miss Amy had much recourse to punishment, this being rendered quite unnecessary by the fact that she was well equipped with that priceless possession, an apt and witty tongue.

Another vignette-the scene is one of the old classrooms honoured by a select coterie as their luncheon rendezvous, and the festive meal is nearing its end. At the blackboard stands a lass holding a piece of chalk, with which she proceeds to outline a quite recognisable sketch of Miss Amy, while her left hand, nonchalantly wielding a large sandwich,

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picks out points of interest to the accompaniment of a running fire of comment, mercifully quite innocuous.

The interested expression on the faces of her admiring audience is slowly frozen to a horrible grin, as from their vantage point opposite the door they observe what is hidden from the unconscious entertainer-namely, the slow and majestic approach of the cartoon's subject on her way from the dining-hall. She comes nearer and nearer, the sound of her footsteps drowned by the usual after-lunch stir, and the victim's faithful comrades search distractedly for some means of conveying a discreet S.O.S.; but alas! her fate is sealed, and by this time the sudden petrified silence, close at hand, sounds the alarm, and the artist turns hurriedly to behold the face she is endeavouring to portray beside her own!

Miss Amy, lowering her eyelids in a manner which all of us vastly admire (and in private attempt to reproduce in front of the mirror), takes a deliberate look at the blackboard, another at the dumbfounded sketcher, and proceeds unhurriedly on her way, leaving a wake of devastation as she goes. Maturer years have caused the sinners to wish that they could have observed the relish with which she (behind discreetly closed doors) related this incident to her colleagues, the fates having further blessed her with a keen sense of humour.

On another occasion we are having an English lesson, and an aspiring young pedant proceeds to air her views on certain portions of the author under discussion.

Her comments bear all the cocksureness of youth and inexperience, and the rest of us, who have been there before, regard with wicked anticipation the mounting indignation reflected on Miss Amy's expressive countenance as her ears are assailed by criticisms of one of her heroes. "Fools rush in," we wireless to one another, waiting and watching the storm rise. Suddenly the tension snaps. Miss Amy can bear it no longer. She fixes the delinquent with a withering gaze llnd bursts out, "So you presume to improve on SHAKESPEARE!" Mrs. Siddons, at the height of her fame, might have conveyed more in a single sentence, but I doubt it!

A history lesson with Miss Amy was ever an excursion of delight, and how eagerly did we entice her to express her opinions of debateable figures of the ages, such as Mary, Queen of Scots, or Cromwell. Of course it was unfortunate (or perhaps not altogether unfortunate from our point of View) that a certain somewhat eccentric member of the class had what we vulgarly described as "a crush on Napoleon," and possessed an uncanny knack of twisting all subjects to include him sooner or later. Occupying, as he did,

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HOUSE AND OFFICE STAFF. Buek Row: )fiss Cnldwell, .enior House Mistress; Miss Boyee; R v. S. Bemhric k ; )Iiss mith, Secretnr)'; Miss Lloyd.

Front Row: Sister Elletson; Miss Mitehell, lIouse Superintend nt; Sister lIebblewhite.

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the role of bete noir to our praeceptress, the defunct "little corporal" became the battlefield over which the fray raged furiously, artfully fed by discreet enquiries respectfully (if provocatively) thrown in first on one side and then on the other. Events stood out and characters sprang to life under Miss Amy's skilful descriptions, and one, at least, of her disciples, standing recently by the little brass tablet set in the floor of Westminster Hall, to commemorate the trial of Charles 1. found all the actors of that pitiful tragedy living memories of those old history lessons. It will thus be obvious that existence in Miss Amy's class was a daily adventure, a spicy thing of romance and peril, always interesting, never dull, a striking example of the influence of that rara avis-a born teacher. Lucky we to meet one!

But her activities did not end in the classroom, for when school was over she was out with the rest of us in the sports field. It was during her reign that basket-ball was introduced in girls' schools, and our first team, a champion one too, of which she had charge, was the pride of our coach's heart. How enthusiastic she was, and how her vim imparted itself to the girls playing under her instructions.

Of course all got a share of-shall we say corrections?-and this in no undecided tone; but as one player was shrewd enough to detect (and incidentally greatly comfort a weaker sister by passing on the information), her bark was worse than her bite, and every girl felt a personal obligation not to let Miss Amy down. How delighted she was when a match was won, and how warmly she consoled a disappointed team which had given of its best-and lost. This was really not surprising, as she came of a family noted for its kindliness, and though no one knew better how and when to stand on her dignity than she, few of us failed to recognise the generosity of spirit which lay behind this imposing barrier.

Another innovation of her time was the inauguration of school sports, very different from the modern development. What excitement there was over the arrival of a contingent from Newington to assist in the judging, and how tactfully did Miss Amy become temporarily deaf, dumb, and blind (as she has since admitted) to the callow commencement of an odd romance or two, which has flourished and outlived the test of years.

Miss Amy was ever a lover of sweet sounds and har1l1ony, being for many years a member of the Philharmonic Choir. Remembering which, one realises that she must have worked out with compound interest all penances ever incurred by her under any circumstances, during the years in Which she taught in close proximity to a music room, in -<~ 53

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those days not equipped with sound-proof doors.

Moskowski's waltzes, well thumped out, -or that hideous evergreen "Solitude," interspersed with scales, and good oldfashioned five-finger exercises, must have almost driven her mad, while the combination of, say the "Merry Peasant," an outbreak of thick-headedness in the class, and eulogies of Napoleon, has probably accounted for many scathing criticisms of efforts of the writer-and others! From all of which it will be seen that Miss Amy, so called to distinguish her from her sister, the Headmistress, was a very real figure in the life of the College, and one whose influence still remains.

Having been herself at one time a pupil, she brought with her, on joining the staff at the conclusion of her University career, a devotion to its welfare, which, combined with her warm heart, her outstanding fairness, her high ideals and her uncompromising condemnation of anything mean, quickly Won for her the love and admiration of her girls.

She subsequently gave up teaching and became the wife of her cousin, making her home permanently in Wentworth Falls, with an annual visit to the more temperate cli-路 mate of Manly, to escape the rigours of a mountain winter.

This affords her a splendid opportunity of keeping in touch with her Sydney friends, and each year a little tea-party is arranged by the old brigade, at which tongues are unloosed and many amusing (and enlightening) reminiscences are exchanged with our guest of honour.

After years of practice we now remember to address Our invitation to Mrs. Joseph Wearne, but having extracted much amusement in the earlier days from our floundering attempts to acquire the new title, the dear lady has absolved us, and when she now appears, the familiar words spring to Our lips, "Here comes Miss Amy!"-D.M.P.

Rev. L. Fl. Kelynack B.A. J

M

R. KELYNACK brought to his task as Principal some valuable qualities.

The reputation of his celebrated father, Rev. Dr. Kelynack, made his name well known throughout New South Wales, and the family had friends in many quarters. Mr. Kelynack was a graduate of the University, and he had served in the ministry in many country circuits. Wherever he had gone he had been appreciated and beloved. Like his father, he had a fine presence and a beautiful voice, and he was esteemed an attractive preacher. He had a sunny, genial nature, and made friends easily.

He was young enough to enter into the innocent enjoyments of life with gusto. In his youth he had served

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in a bank, and was skilled in accoun tancy, and he took upon g himsel f, in additio n to his other duties, the task of keepin ts. accoun school the He was one of the school 's great builder s. So succes sfully was the school manag ed, and so fast did it grow, that A large funds becam e availab le for a great extens ion. rooms of suite A side. rn new wing was built on the northe old their leaving thus , family al's Princip the was built for quarte rs for boarde rs. Fresh classro oms were added, and at last the tower was built for which Mrs. Schofi eld had left the money .

Mr. Kelyna ck's value to the Colleg e was double d, and more than double d, by the presen ce of his wife. She was an energe tic, strenu ously active, sympa thetic woman . She brough t with her two daught ers, but like Mrs. Rodd, she had the memor y of a tiny grave where her first-bo rn son was laid in infancy , leaving for the time her home child-less, and her heart and her husban d's heart desolat e. Hers was the charac ter that was fitted to win the hearts of girls who missed their mother s. Among those entrus ted to her care from the first were two or three little girls, very young, whom she cared for as though they had been her own children, and whom she virtual ly brough t up. Simila r, though not so exactin g, a care was given to older girls. Early and late she mothe red her large family , and won for the domes numtheir caused that name a life rs' boarde the of tic side bers to increas e rapidly .

When, after eight years of service , Mr. Kelyna ck left the Colleg e, he went back to circuit work, he served in Stanmore, Dee Why, and Turram urra, in all of which places he won a good name. His end was very sudden . He had gone with his wife to Melbo urne for a holiday , but while there This develo ped into pneuhe was seized with influen za. cations , and in spite compli ected unsusp other monia, with The Conof skilful medica l treatm ent, he succum bed. greatly was died, he when ference , which was in session r. ministe e effectiv and d belove a of loss the distres sed at

M iss Sutton} M.B.E.}

B.~1...

By a Colleague.

MONG ST other person alities closely associa ted with the history of the Colleg e is that of its presen t Headmistres s, Miss Mabel H. Sutton , whose long years of service have won her not only recogn ition in educat ional circles , but the warm- hearte d suppor t of her staff, the love of her pupils, and the esteem of the commu nity in genera l.

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She received her early education at her aunt's school, The Elms, St. John's Wood, London; but while still a child. she came with her family to Australia and entered the Burwood Ladies College-as it was then called-proceeding later to the University, graduating in 1904 in Arts, obtaining honours in Mathematics.

In 1910 she joined the staff of her old school as First Assistant, and in 1912 she was appointed Headmistress.

During the succeeding years she developed a sound educational policy, and the continued success of the School, both in scholarship and sport, together with the foresight of the College Council in providing equipment and buildings comparing favourably with the structures erected in rapidly increasing numbers for Government High Schools, attracted pupils from all parts of the State.

In 1924 she was sent to England by the College Council to make a personal investigation of various systems of education still in the experimental stage, and returning with a wealth of knowledge and new inspiration, she applied herself again to the task of prqviding the girls under her care with an education suited to their own needs and of the greatest possible service to their generation, with the result that to-day the M.L.C. is the largest girls' school in New South Wales. It has graduates in Arts, Science, Medicine.

Law, and Architecture, and many of its Old Girls' are holding positions of responsibility throughout the Commonwealth.

In 1933 she was nominated by the Minister for Education to represent the Girls' Private Secondary Schools in the Conference called by him to investigate educational problems, and was subsequently elected a member of the Matriculation, General and Domestic Science sub-committee set up in connection with it. In 1935 she represented the the Headmistresses' Association in the Educational Council, established by Parliament, to explore the possibilities of a change in the school policy of New South Wales.

In the same year the Government, recognising the outstanding work done by her in the scholastic world, honoured her and the College by recommending her to his late Majesty for the distinction of M.B.E., the investiture taking place a few months later at Government House.

Such is the record of the very gifted woman who has won a place in the hearts of all who know her, but it is not easy to determine in what lies the secret of her greatness and her power. Perhaps from John Rogers, Canon of St. Paul's, the first Protestant martyr in the reign of Queen Mary, she inherits her iron will, her sense of duty and her religious outlook. Perhaps from Thomas Sutton, the founder of Charter-

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house, where John Wesley was educated, she gets her generous loving heart, her compassion for the poor and needy, and her love of animals-for all who have visited Charterhouse will remember the heads of the little dogs carved at intervals on the staircase and on the railings of the tomb itself.

Perhaps from a French branch of the family, she inherits her gift for mathematics, and her ability to develop an argument to its logical conclusion.

From the Rev. George Rogers, first Principal of Spurgeon's Pastors' College, perhaps she derives her insight into character and her eloquence of speech. Yet more than all this, she has a rare understanding of children, a great sympathy with them as they seek to overcome their faults, a keen appreciation of their attempts to excel in scholarship, the ability to say a quiet word of encouragement at the right time, the faculty of inspiring both staff and girls to develop their powers of mind and heart to the utmost, and a gemu~ for organizing which is responsible for the fact that she has been able to adapt herself with such ease to the changing conditions of a rapidly expanding school.

That she may live for many years to see her beloved work continue to progress and the girls hold to those ideals for which she has striven, is the wish of all those who hold her in such high regard.-E.H.

By an Old Pt~pil.

It is a difficult matter for one who is no literary genius 1.0 write a pen picture of a great personality which has had such influence for good in our day and generation. Those who have never known her are the poorer, and we who have had the good fortune to spend some years under her care in the impressionable period of our lives, are rich indeed, for if we do but " . . . Worship greatness passing by, Ourselves are great."

The years pass, but the memory and influence of that vivid personality remains clear-cut with hundreds of women whose vocations now lead them to home or school, to office or surgery or studio.

School without Miss Sutton would never mean school to us.

Always we shall remember the morning assembly that brings the school together before the duties of the day begin. We see the dignified figure on the dais, the foot forward. with toe pointed and the hand upraised, asking for silence, and we know that here is one who has that subtle thing called "presence."

We hear the clear and graciou s voice readin g the words dear to her heart: "Final ly, brethre n, whatso ever things are true, whatso ever things are honest , whatso ever things are just, whatso ever things are pure, whatso ever things are lovely, whatso ever things are of good report: if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things. " We listen again to the school notices , realisin g the genuin e deligh t with which school triump hs are related , and We know the genuin e grief which our misdoi ngs cause. bring would duty, and r honou of soul the is who she, that of sense and r honou out the best in us by relying on our duty.

But we also remem ber that it was the closer contac t that made her most dear to us, althou gh we often may have gone trembl ing to the intervi ew.

As we went into the study we saw in flowers and books and picture s that love of beauty that had its influen ce in bringin g flowers and good picture s into every classro om to fill our minds with the things that are lovely and of good report. It was at those meetin gs that we saw the wise grey eyes that search and speak and show so clearly a sympa thy We saw the that is quick for both laught er and tears.

We saw hard. never and firm, yet ve sensiti mouth and chin, the nose, full of charac ter, not too large, and not too straigh t, just to tell us that here was no self-sa tisfied dwelle r in the height s of cold Olymp us, but a very human being.

Finally , it was the hand on your should er that told you that it was love, a wide-e mbrac ing and marvel lous love, that domin ated her life and work; a love not only for the school a as a whole, but for each girl person ally like a mother 's; that in girl each of dge knowle g amazin her in shown love large school, in her interes t in each of them after they have left, and her remark able memor y of their names and faces.

All honou r to one of the greate st of our Old Girls! V.P.

Rev. T. F. Potts R. POTT S'S great service s to the school as its most eminen t builde r are referre d to in the histori cal sketch . . A few person al details will be of interes t.

He came to Queen sland with his father and his family in the eightie s, they all having left their native Manch ester to better their fortun es in a new world. In his old home, Mr. Potts had been brough t up in the Sunda y School , and its teachin gs He becam e a had left a deep impres sion upon his mind. it on his ued contin and Christ ian worke r in a small way, watche d church the in people the of Some arrival at Brisba ne.

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Rev. H. C. FOREMAN, M.A., and Mrs. FOREMAN.

the young immigrant with interest, and thought he had the makings of a minister. He was recommended by the Queensland District, and on its recommendation was accepted by the New South Wales Conference, to which Queensland was at that time attached. He became a divinity student at Newington College, under the tutorship of Revs. J. H. Fletcher and C. J. Prescott. He was a most diligent student, doing all that was demanded of him, and like Oliver Twist, asking for more.

After a period spent in the college, he went out into circuit work, and continued in it for 35 years. Most of his time was spent in the country, where he served the Church with skill and fidelity. After acting for two years as Secretary of the Conference, he was elected President in the year 1923. It was at the close of his Presidential year that he was attacked by a severe cerebral disease that apparently left little hope for his life. But many will remember how a large congregation gathered in the Conference Hall to pray for his recovery. Strange to say, it was during that period of prayer that a new hope sprang up in the minds of his family on the strength of some slight turn for the better. He ultimately recovered, and became as strong as ever.

In the year after his Presidency he was put in to fill a gap in the Principalship at Burwood for one year. But at the end of it no one thought of removing him, and he remained for eleven years to carry out the great schemes for the extension of the school. He might have stayed longer but for the fresh regulation of the General Conference, which assigned the age of 70 as the limit for ministers occupying connexional positions.

Whether the law was wise or unwise, Mr. Potts' eye wa" not dim, nor his natural strength abated. He had the prospect of a calm, though useful, old age, for he was not the man to rust in any circumstances. But while crossing the Parramatta Road to send a telephone message, he was knockerl down by a swiftly passing motor car. He was rendered unconscious, and in a quarter of an hour he was dead. Such a tragedy had never occurred in the history of the school, and it evoked an outburst of sympathy and lamentation rarely seen. His stricken family was overwhelmed by the messages of condolence and affection that poured in on every hand.

Rev. H. C. Foreman} M.A.

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R. FOREMAN is the fifth minister to act as Head of the College, and he has taken that position after a career marked by distinction. Educated at the Maitland High School, he matriculated and found his way

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to the University, where he took in succession the degrees of B.A. and M.A. But obeying the imperious call to the ministry, he was accepted by the Methodist Conference of New South Wales. His first appointment was to Mosman, where he helped to lay the foundations of the strong cause in that prosperous suburb. He was then called to be the assistant minister on the Central Methodist Mission, in which he stayed for six years. A country circuit followed, with two suburban circuits, in which he spent eleven years.

For two years he was chaplain in the Australian Imperial Force, rendering service in England and France. In 1920 he was appointed Superintendent of the C.M.M., and occupied that position for seven years.

It will thus be seen that the greater part of his ministerial life has been spent in the service of the Mission, and everyone who knows its wide-reaching activities will understand how heavy is the responsibility resting on the minister in charge. It is true that he is supported by an active and vigorous committee, watchful of its interests and always seeking to adapt itself to new conditions. It is not only the large congregation that assembles on Sunday nights that has to be provided for. This is the superintendent's personal task. But large numbers are attracted every Sunday to the Pleasant Sunday Afternoon.

Sometimes this gains a huge crowd, as on the occasion when Sir Oliver Lodge gathered a unique audience, or that on which it was crammed by a crowd eager to hear Mr. Ivan Menzies, of the Oxford Group Movement. Apart from these duties, there is a whole network of organization, religious and philanthropic, worked by a large band of permanent and casual helpers, and all these have to be kept in the eye, and to some extent under the hand, of the superintendent. All this was Mr. Foreman's care, and successive anniversaries showed that he was fitted for his post.

In 1932 he was elected President of the Conference, and discharged the duties of that office with efficiency. After a year at Malvern Hill, where he rendered excellent service, he was appointed Principal of M.L.C. Unfortunately last year he was laid low by a very long and serious illness, which threatened to be fatal. He was mercifully restored, and though shaken, is hardly yet able to discharge his duties.

It is his wish first to maintain the College at its previously highest level, and now that the depression is passing, to help to carry it to yet higher levels of prosperity and usefulness.

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Treasurers and Others Mr. I-I. C. Fraser

A

SHORT, trim, neat, alert, busy little man, very active, somewhat masterful in tone, walking smartly up the street, in business hours, or on his way to church with one or two daughters-such was Mr. H. C. Fraser, the first Treasurer of the College.

He was a tea merchant, who brought to Sydney a branch of the parent Melbourne firm. With his large family he settled in Strathfield.

He was a man of surprising â&#x201A;Źnergy and great walking powers.

Great as was the distance of his home from the Burwood Church, he attended twice a day to conduct the choir, his daughter being organist He was also Superintendent of the Enfield Sunday School, and this involved another long walk.

He was circuit steward in the Burwood Circuit.

Mr. Fraser was interested in the College scheme before the School was bought, and when it was opened, he became Treasurer. He enjoyed his sport, and joined the Strathfield magnates in their bowls at the Strathfield Recreation Club.

Subsequently he suffered a severe breakdown in health, from which he never recovered. The family moved away to Rose Bay, and tenderly nursed him till the end.

Mr. John Hardy

M

R. JOHN HARDY was a short, active little man, with a merry twinkle in his eye, fond of his joke,

hospitable and generous, overflowing with genial kindliness and goodwill.

He was a leading partner in the still flourishing firm of jewellers known as Hardy Brothers.

It had a quality of its own. It made no attempt to deal in ('heap things. All its goods were of rich quality and relatively costly. Consequently it was the resort of the wealthy, and everything coming from its salerooms had a reputation.

Mr. Hardy was deeply interested in his business life, but his interest did not stop there. He was a devout Methodist and a generous supporter of the enterprises of the 'Church. He occupied various offices in Church life.

He Was particularly interested in the Burwood Church, and when Mrs. and Miss Hurst gave the beautiful organ, he helped the movement for the enlargement of the Church.

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Shortly before this he had lost a dearly-loved little daughter.

In the window which he had placed in the chancel may be seen a little girl playing the violin. This was little Ida Hardy. He was the second Treasurer, and the School owes him much.

Mr. R. J. Lukey R. R. J. LUKEY came out from England in the eighties as Secretary of the Gas Company. He was a Cornishman by birth, and retained many of the Cornish qualities. As a secretary and accountant he was a master. If he kept ledgers they were models of neatness, accuracy and good handwriting. If business had to be set forth for a meeting, everything bearing upon it was in its place ready to hand.

He brought to Australia ripe experience as a church officer, and he gave his services very freely to the Church in Sydney. In the Stanmore and Burwood Churches he occupied important positions.

As a circuit steward he was hard to surpass. If money was needed for some specific object he had a happy way of persuading people to give it.

Personal appeal, with a knack of putting his case in an unanswerable form, carried the day.

Particular as he was in his book-keeping, he carried the same methods into all he did. He was careful about his dress, and every room in his house was furnished with studied care, and his garden was perfectly kept. Slovenliness and untidiness were his abhorrenc. He was very hospitable; he loved to talk of his old Cornish days, and the persons and people with whom he had worked in the early years of his Christian life. He was the third Treasurer.

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Mr. J. A. Somerville

O

NE of the most constant and faithful friends of the College is the present Treasurer, Mr. J. A. Somerville. When it was opened his father was living in Burwood, and his two sisters were among the earliest pupils. At an early stage he became the book-keeper, and kept the accounts with scrupulous care. Many a long hour he spent in Mr. Prescott's study making out the school accounts. In those days these were rendered quarterly, and it was not till after the severe influenza epidemic of 1919 that the schools adopted the three-term system, and terminal accounts became the order of the day. Mr. SomerVille still has in possession a book in which the balance sheets have been entered from the beginning.

Later on he took over the Treasurership, which he has held to this day. The contrast between the melancholy

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profit and loss accoun ts of the lean years, and the exhilir ating statem ents of the prospe rous ones, is very marke d, and a he knows both well. His work from the first has been deep been has School the in t labour of love, for his interes and unrem itting.

Mr. Somer ville was a land and estate agent in Ashfie ld. years. He entere d the office first as a boyan leav-many :for ing school, when it did busine ss under the title of Watkin and Watkin . When the brothe rs died, the busine ss fell into Mr. Somer ville's hands. He has retired now, having left his son to carryo n in his place.

He has been a faithfu l church worke r aU his life, his princip al task having been the superi ntende ncy of the Enfiel d Sunda y School . His father worshi pped in the Enfield Churc h till his death, and the son has seen its congregat ion grow from a small handfu l to a large and cheering size. With others he was respon sible for large additio ns to the origina l buildin g.

Rev. Dr. Georg e Lane R. GEOR GE LANE , whose name is preser ved in the "Georg e Lane Prize," deserv es mentio n as a valued friend to the Colleg e in the early strugg ling days. He was a disting uished Metho dist ministe r, and held high offices in the Church . He was a faithfu l and succes sful circuit ministe r, and a sound and edifyin g preach er. In discha rging the busine ss of the Churc h few could surpas s him. He was indefat igable, punctu al, and efficient. Everyt hing was kept in order, and he labour ed with a diligen ce that never failed is and finally outwo re his strengt h. As secreta ry of what now known as the Home Missio nary Society , he travell ed in every part of the State. He was a pruden t and sympa thetic a counse llor, and was trusted by minist ers and laymen to remark able extent.

Benea th a genial friendl iness there lay a shrewd ness that formed sound judgm ents of men and measu res, and his tact in disarm ing oppone nts and guidin g people to the conclusion he had in view, withou t appear ing to force them, was an invalu able quality .

Humbl e people and import ant people , poor and rich alike trusted him. The Colleg e won his early sympa thy, and more than anyon e, he was respon sible for elicitin g Mrs. Schofi eld's practic al sympa thy.

His strenu ous labour s broke down a sound constit ution, y and one mornin g he fell dead on West Maitla nd railwa station .

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Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Waterhouse R. and Mrs. WATERHOUSE have been two of our most liberal benefactors.

In many ways they have come to our help.

Not the least is the provision they made for many ministers' daughters. Many of these have been able to pass through the school who could not have done so without their aid.

Mr. Waterhouse bears a name highly honoured in the Church, for it was his grandfather that was one of the first missionaries to Tonga. There is a stained glass window as a memorial to him in the City Road Chapel in London, which, plain as it is, is yet sacred as the Cathedral of Methodism. The bones of John Wesley lie in the burying-ground attached to it.

Mr. Waterhouse was engaged in the island trade for many years and made a competency in it.

Mrs. Waterhouse was one of the daughters of the Hon. E. Vickery. On his death she received a share of his wealth. Money could scarcely have fallen into better hands, for both husband and wife were not only conscientious in their use of it, but they took a positive delight in promoting causes dear to their hearts.

Not that they were ascetics or lived in poverty. They educated their sons, each of whom has attained distinction in the academic, the scientific, or the mining world.

They built themselves a beautiful home on the mountains, often a home of hospitality. Yet their personal expenses must have been relatively small, and they were like-minded in their generosity.

Mr. Waterhouse was a genial, happy soul, that radiated gladness and jollity. He was likewise very public-spirited, and was well known and looked up to by the residents of the mountains.

Mrs. Waterhouse was of a quieter disposition. She had some pronounced fine tastes. She had a fine collection of Island shells and curiosities, which she presented to the Teachers' College, which counts it as one of its treasures. In later life she suffered much from nerves. But her benevolent spirit was never quenched. She lived to a ripe old age, beyond her eightieth year.

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Mr. Joseph Viclury.

R. JOSEPH VICKERY was a friend to the School from its foundation.

It was he who, with Mrs. Prescott, selected the furniture for many of the rooms. When in 1914 it was seriously proposed to close the

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School altogether, he was one of the few that manfully resisted the proposal and ultimately prevailed. When he removed from Waverley and settled in Strathfield, his proximity to the school gave him the opportunity of showing a more practical interest. Not only did he send all his daughters to be educated, but as a Councillor and a live member of the Executive Committee, he was deeply interested in everything that concerned the School's welfare.

It was not, of course, his only interest.

As a boot manufacturer, he had been in the leather trade all his life, and he had a share in the proprietorship and the directorate of some valuable mines on the South Coast. Moreover he was intimately associated with the work of the Strathfield Church. When he first moved to that part, he and his family attended the Burwood Church, which involved a long walk. It is no wonder that with his brother-in-law, Rev. C. T. Newman, he felt that they ought to have a church in their own suburb. Aided by others like-minded, they did not rest until they had built a new church, and when built it claimed their generous support till the end of their lives.

Rev. Fl. S. Bowden.

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R. BOWDEN, the son of Mr. J. E. Bowden, Solicitor, of Parramatta, is a descendant of that Mr. Bowden who, like Mr. Hoskins, was one of the earliest Methodist settlers in the Colony. He and a Parramatta friend, C. Barker, were deeply influenced by the mission of Rev. G. Grubb. As a result, they both felt a call to the ministry, which they obeyed. Mr. Barker died when quite a young man, many years ago, but Mr. Bowden has been spared for a lengthened ministerial life. He has served the Church in several cir路路 cuits in the country and the city. One of his most difficult appointments was to the South Sydney Mission.

He is known and appreciated as an earnest, diligent worker and a faithful minister. What entitles him to the respect of the M.L.C. clientele is the fact that he has been Secretary to the College Council for about sixteen years.

During that time he has moved from suburb to suburb, but his anchor at Burwood has remained fixed.

As the recorder of the Council's activities, he knows the official history of the College better than anyone else. He has done his work not merely as the faithful scribe, but as one who loves the Col-路 lege and glories in its prosperity.

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In--

List

0/

Persons Who Presented the Prizes on Speech Day

188~Hon. E. Webb 1887-Mrs. Allen (Toxteth) 1888-Dr. O'Reilly 1889-Miss Byrnes (Par'matta) 1890-Rev. R. Harley, M.A. (Oxon.)

1891-Mrs. J. H. Fletcher 1892-Countess of Jersey 1893-Professor Scott 1894---Hon. A. J. Gould 189S-Viscountess Hampden 189~Mrs. John Hardy 1897-Mrs. Edgeworth David 189B-Hon. J. S. Larke 1899-Mr. John Hardy 1oo0-Lady Lyne 1901-Rev. Dr. Sellors 1902-Mr. R. H. Ducker 1903-Lady Rawson 1904---Mrs. S. A. Lees (Lady Mayoress) 1905-Mrs. W. W. J. O'Reilly 190~Hon. Bruce Smith 1907-Mrs. George Reid 190B-Mrs. Joseph Vickery 1909-Rev. Dr. Brown

1910-Mrs. 1911-Mrs. 1912-Lady 1913-Mrs. 1914---Mrs. 1915-Lady

C. J. Prescott G. J. Waterhouse Chelmsford R. J. Lukey Edgeworth David Cullen 191~Mrs. Scott Fletcher 1917-Rev. Dr. Sugden 1918-Lady Davidson 1919-Lady Fuller 1920-Rev. S. J. Hoban 1921-Dr. Earle Page, M.P. 1922-Mr. H. E. Pratten 1923-Lady Cullen 1924---Rev. Dr. Prescott 1925-Dr. McClelland 1926-Lady De Chair 1927-Hon. B. S. Stevens 1928-Mrs. F. Phillips 1929-Mrs. W. E. Bennett 1930-Lady Game 1931-Lady MacCallum 1932-Mrs. Potts 1933-Mrs. L. E. Bennett.

1934---Mrs. G. A. Davey 1935-Lady McMaster

List of Gndnotes MASTER OF ARTS. COLLIER, Mary, M.A. . . .

GIILAM, Dora Alice, M.A. . . .

1935 1903

BACHELOR OF ARTS. ANNETTS, Alma Dorothy, B.A. . . . . . . . .

1932 ALLISON, ESllelle, B.A. . . . . . .

1936 ANDREWS, Edna Irene, BA. . . . . . . . . . . .

1934 ARMSTRONG, NareUe, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1915 BAIRSTOW, Evelyn C., B.A., Dip.Ed. (Mrs. Holden) . . .

1925 BARR, Margorie, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1917 BAVIN, Gertrude Lillian, B.A. (Mrs. W. A. Parker) . . . . . 1898 BE'!TS, Mavis, B.A., Dip.Ed. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1935 BINGLE, Jean Elizabeth, B.A. (Mrs. A. E. Buzacott) . .

1925 BODE, Mollie Winifred, B.A., Dip.Ed. . . . . . . . . .

1933 BOWDEN, Jean Stonham, B.A., Dip.Ed. . . . . . . .

1929 BRETT, Mary, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1935 BULLEN, Joan Doris, B.A. (Mrs. R. J. Noble) . . . .

1917 BUNTING, Edith Annie. B.A. (Mrs. Mowat Carter) . .

1896 CALDWELL, Beryl, B.A. (Mrs. Laird) . . . . . . . .

1921 CARRUTHERS, Ada M. (Mrs. Jenkins), B.A. . . . . .

1904 CARTER, Janet Leslie, B.A. (Mrs. 1. Clunies-Ross) 1924 CARTER, Lois U., B.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1930

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BACHELOR OF ARTS.-Continued.

CHUDLEIGH, Ellen, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CLIFTON, Doris, B.A., Dip.Ed. . . .

CORDEN, Estelle, B.A. . . . . . . . . .

COTION, Olive, B.A. . . . . . .

CRAWFORD, Joyce, B.A., Dip.Ed. . . .

CROSBY, Dorothy, B.A., Dip.Ed. . . . .

DEANE, Nella M., B.A., Dip.Ed. . . . . . .

DE LOW, Nellie Daphne, B.A., Dip.Ed. . . . . . . . .

DEY, Alice, B.A., Dip.Ed. . . . . . . . . . . . .

DONALDSON, Jessie, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . .

DUESBURY, Pearl, B.A. (Mrs. Walkden Brown) . .

EMERT, Francis, B.A. .

ERHARD, Elsa, B.A. (Mrs. Weichtmann) . . . . .

GALBRAITH, Angela, B.A. (Mrs. Neil Ross) .

HARDIE, Margorie Alice, B.A. . . . . . . . .

HARRIS, Doris, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

HARRA:SON, ATlIita, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . .

HOLLOWAY, Eirene Anna, B.A. (Mrs. W. Brett) JAMES, Stella Florence, B.A. . . . . . . .

JENKINS, Gwendolyn, B.A. . . . . . . . .

JOHNSTON, Mary E., B.A. (Mrs. Woodlands) MARKS, Aileen M., B.A. . . . . . . . . .

MACKAY, Helen Elizabeth, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

McKIBBIN, Rachael, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . .

MUIRE, Jean Margaret, B.A .

MUIRE, Barbara, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . . .

NEAL, Isabella C., B.A. (Mrs. J. A. Armstrong) PARSONS, Ena R, B.A. .

PAUSS, Olga, B.A. (Mrs. W. R Browne) . . . . . . . . . .

PHILLIPS, Marjorie Joyce, B.A. (Mrs. R McGeehan) . .

POLKINGHORNE, Edith L., B.A., Dip.Ed. (Mrs. May) . .

PRESCOTT, Kathleen Margaret, B.A. . . . . . . . . .

REEVES, Edith M., B.A. (Mrs. L. E. Gent) . . . . . .

SHORT, Wilsie, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SffiREE, Joyce, B.A .

STARK, Frona, B.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SUTTON, Mabel H., B.A. .. .

THOMAS, Gweneth, B.A. (Mrs. F. T. Borland) . . . .

WEARNE, Amy Isabel, B.A. (Mrs. J. Wearne) . . . .

WELDON, Lorna Gertrude, B.A. WEST, Edith Annie, B.A. . . . . . . . . .

WILLIAMS, Lorna. B.A. . . . . . . .

WILLIAMS, Dorothy, B.A. . . . . . . .

WITHERS, Nella, B.A., Dip.Ed. . . . . . . . . .

WOODHOUSE, Mary E., B.A., Dip.Ed. . . . . .

· · · · ·

· ·

· · · ·

· · ·

1922 1931 1935 1934 1928 1921 1931 1912 1935 1936 1908 1934 1913 1918 1924 1928 1926 1904 1915 1913 1896 1931 1912 1908 1934 1935 1931 1930 1912 1927 1931 1912 1928 1931 1936 1928 1904 1927 1893 1933 1900 1936 1924 1935 1931

MASTER OF SCIENCE. VICKERY, Joyce W., M.Sc

1933

BACHELORS OF SCIENCE. ANGELINETTA, Edith Jean, B.Sc. (Mrs. Edwards) BELL, Marjorie, B.Sc. . . . . . . . . , . . . . .

BIRCHALL, Ida L., B.Sc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

CLIFTON. Maud, B.Sc., Dip.Ed. (Mrf.. H. Cuncliffe-Jones) CHA~ELING, Melville, B.Sc. . . . . .

COLBORNEI, Eleanor B., B.Sc. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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72 jii>-

1919 1936 1928 1927 · 1936 · 1932

BACHE LORS OF SCIENC E.-Cont inued.

DEANE , Lorna, B.Sc. . . . . . . . . . .'. . . . . .

ERHAR D, Marie, B.Sc. (Mrs. Von Hein) . . . . .

HENRY , Margue rite, B.Se. (Mrs. A. Cooper) . . . . . . .

HOWAR D, Eleanor M., B.Sc. (Mrs. F. W. Kitto) .

McFAD YEN, Anne J., B.Se . . . . . . . . . . . .

B.Sc. H., ah Susann LY, O'REIL ROSEB Y, Dorothy , B.Se. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SOMER VILLE, Bessie May, B.Se. (Mrs. F. Whiteho use) THOMA S Ethel, B.Se. (Mrs. E. H. Lines) . . . . . . .

VICKER Y, Phytllis, B.Sc. . . . . . . . . . . . .

VICKER Y, Nina, B.Sc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

WAKE, Marie, B.Se. (Mrs. Gavel) . . . . . . . . . .

WARD, Gwendo lin, B.Sc. (Mrs. E. Banks) . . . . . . . .

WEBST ER, Jessie A., B.Sc WHITL EY, Alice, B.Se. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

· 1936 · 1918 · 1917 1924 · 1926 1903 · 1936 · 1917 · 1922 1933 1936 · 1933 · 1925 · 1930 · 1935

DOCT ORS OF MEDIC INE. .

ANDER SON, Phyllis Marjori e, M.B., Ch.M. . . . . .

BIRCHA LL, Ida, B.Sc., M.B., Ch.B. . . . . . . . . .

BRETT , Francis M., M.B., Ch.M. (Mrs. E. Cull) . . .. . . . .

DODGS ON, Maud, M.B., Ch.M. (Mrs. Rutter) . . . .

A. HEIGHW AY, Freda Ruth, M.B., Ch.M., 1930, and M.C.O.S. (Mrs. .

A. Abbie) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

O'REIL LY, Sm':lnn ah Henness y, B.Sc., M.B., and Ch.M. . ..

O'REIL LY, Olive Kelynac k, M.B. (Mrs. H. Wood) . . .

1925 1933 1918 1934 1905 1915

BACH ELOR S OF LAW. 1936 1926

NEI£O N, Olive, LL.B. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

SHORT ER. Elaine H., LL.B. . . . . . . . . . .

BACH ELOR OF ECON OMICS . .

RYAN. Phyllis Hardwi ck, B.Ee

. . . . 1929

BACH ELOR OF ARCH ITECT URE. . . . 1935 PIPER, Viwa B., B.Areh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Much trouble has been taken in compil ing the foregoing strikin g list (as well as others that follow ). It is possible, notwit hstand ing, that there may be omissio ns. If so, we should be glad to be inform ed. We have not been able to give any particu lars beyond the bare degree . Some are bare passes, and others have honou rs attache d to them. But there are one or two of ra1her outstan ding import ance, and a brief referen ce to them will be read with interes t.

Dr. Susie O'Reill y, after taking a Scienc e Degree , completed a brillia nt Medica l Course , the first M.L.C. doctor to qualify . She served in severa l hospita ls, and has since mainta ined a private practic e. Among the medica l profes . doctors lady nown sion of Sydney , she is one of the best-k canillness sore her in e Wearn Miss Her strenu ous care for - •.' 73

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not be forgotten. And her acknowledged skill and her heart of gold have endeared her to a crowd of patients.

She was assisted in her practice by her sister, Dr. Olive O'Reilly (now Mrs. Wood). Of the children of Dr. W. W. J. O'Reilly, two sons and two daughters have followed their father's profession.

Dr. Mabel Cull (nee Brett), after taking her degree, acted as Radiographer at Prince Alfred Hospital till her marriage.

Dr. Phyllis Anderson is an important member of the permanent staff of the Children's Hospital, Camperdown.

Dr. Ruth Heighway graduated with Second-Class Honours and the Dagmar Berne Prize. She is a member of a learned British College (M.C.O.G.) that specialises in the welfare of mothers.

Dr. Ida Burchall, who was senior student at the Women's College, gained second-class honours at graduation, and the Dagmar Berne Prize for efficiency among women students. She is at present House Surgeon at St. Mary's Hospital, Manchester.

Miss Joyce Vickery, since graduating, has been a Demonstrator and Research Student in Botany at the University, and has published research papers.

Mrs. Cooper (nee Henry) was elected a Macleay Fellow of the Linnean Society, and has published some learned papers in Zoology and Botany, the titles of which are quite beyond the intelligence of our readers.

Miss Wilsie Short graduated with First-Class English Honours and the University Medal. She won the Woolley Travelling Scholarship, which enabled her to spend three years at Somerville College, Oxford.

Miss Janet Carter (now Mrs. Clunies Ross) graduated in 1924 with First-Class English Honours, and in the following year, she gained the Graduates' Wentworth Medal for English Essay.

Readers will not fail to notice that some of our girls have passed out of the beaten track, two having taken the LL.B. degree (0. Nelson and E. Shorter), one the degree in Economics (P. H. Ryan), and one that in Architecture (V. Piper) .

University Exhibitions University Exhibitions were founded by the Government in 1912. They are won after competition in the exami-

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nations for the Leaving Certificate. They entitle the winner to remission of University fees for the whole course. The competition is very keen, and they are much prized.

Since their inauguration M.L.C. has been awarded 61.

In only one year did she fail to get any. But in one year she gained four. On four occasions she won five, and in 1932 she won six.

College Dux 1887-C. G. Williams 188B-M. F. Arnott

1889-A. I. Wearne 1890-L. M. Peberdy 1891-W. Hall 1892-M. E. Johnston 1893-A. Rodd 1894-A. E. Channon 1895-E. L. Channon 1896-S. M. Hebblewhite 1897-S. H. O'Reilly 189B-E. A. Holloway 1899-A. Carruthers 1900-1. V. Peberdy 1901-A. F. Dam 1902-M. B. Vickery 1903-A. Price 1904-C. S. Dash 1905-K. M. Prescott 1906-S. J. Vickery 1907-F. M. Brett 190B-B. D. Vickery 1909-0. K. O'Reilly 1910-1. Holloway 1911-G. Tomlinson

1912-1. Terrey 1913-J. Bullen 1914-J. Angelinetta 1915-J. Cookson 1916-L. Row 1917-B. Caldwell 1918-P. Anderson 1919-M. Hardie 1920-J. Carter 1921-E. Shorter 1922-P. Day 1923-C. Thomas 1924-J. Crawford 1925-J. Bowden 1926-L. Carter 1927-A. Marks i92B-V. Piper 1929-M. Bode 1930-A. Whitley 1931-D. Roseby 1932-J. Sibree 1933-T. Herring 1934-B. Basnett 1935-S. Bensley

Old Girls' Union Prize.

(On the lines of Rhodes' Scholarships.)

1905-K. Prescott 1906-H. Shuttleworth 1907-D. Vickery lS0B1909-0. O'Reilly 1910-S. James 1911-M. Lyall 1912-1. Terry 1913-J. Bullen 1914-K. Shaw 1915-E. Vickery 1916-V. Hordern 1917-D. Crosby 1918-C. Sharpe 1919-H. Webb 1920-0. Angelinetta

1921-E. Shorter 1922-A. McFadyen 1923-G. Thomas 1924-B. Cunliffe-Jones 1925-H. Newton 1926-J. Vickery 1927-M. Gale 1928-1. Blessing 1929-0. Cotton 1930-J. McKenzie 1931-N. Vickery 1932-N. Vickery 1933-N. Gale 1934-D. Andrews 1935-H. Ford

Senior Prefects.

1918-E. Thomas 1919-P. Anderson 1920-M. Hardie 1921-B. Bingle 1922-A. McFadyen 1923-G. Thomas 1924-R. Heighway 1925-H. Newton 1926-M. Gale 1927-M. Gale

1928-1.

1929-0.

1930-L. 1931-L. 1932-D. 1933-G. 1934-R. 1935-J. 1936-J.

Blessing Cotton Hardie Hardie Roseby Potter Burton Utber Beck

Old Girl lirses If/ ho "ff/ ere Abroad as Sisters During the "ff/ ar.

Amy Bembrick (Mrs. Gormley) J essie Gregg Linda Halliday (Mrs. Templeman) Mi dred Brown (Mrs. Archbold) May Clifton Dora Johns (Mrs. Coy) Lynette Crozier (Mrs. Lloyd Jones) Annie Lowe (Mrs. Farrar) Lottie Evans Elsie Sheppard (Mrs. Cook)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

School Sports 'I'he numerous references made to School Sports in various articles in this book, will give a fair idea of the place they took from the first, from the early rounders days to the imposing inter-school competitions of to-day. But it would appear that a great impetus was given in the years about 1905, when basket-ball was introduced and the first attempt at a sports day was made. Much was due to Miss Amy's initiative and enthusiasm. The narrative of an Old Girl describes this movement well:We had a wonderful group of real sports just then, and I venture to say that if only our team could meet the present day teams on an equal footing, we should not come off the worse. Nowadays there are tennis coaches, and sports mistresses, and regular competitions for all sports. We had to fend for ourselves in tennis, and yet we had some excellent players-Hilda Shuttleworth, Florrie Channon, Patience Anderson, Annie Barling, Stella Morrow, ala Truscott, Doris Vickery, and Kittie Prescott, being some of the members of various teams. We had no regular competition to play in, so just had to make our own matches. We had some interesting contests against Newington and Sydney Grammar School.

As soon as basket-ball was introduced in Australia, Miss Amy was on its trail, and asked us if we should like to try it. Of course we did, and we got a team going immediately. The only nuisance about the game was the variation in the number of players in a team (5, 7, 9, or 11, I think, being all used), and the consequent variations in rules, so that these had to be adjusted each time we played a match. We favoured the five aside game, and our first V. were Stella Morrow, Kittie Prescott, Helen Mackay, Lottie Evans, and Myrtle Edginton, with Alice Forscutt first emergency, though well worth a place in the team. We went through the season unbeaten, except for our match v. P.L.C., on their own ground, which we lost by a small margin, 6-4 I think, Prior to that we had had a famous 'fictory over P.L.C. on our own ground, winning by 35-12.

Huge was the excitement over this game, and next day everything that would stand chalk-marks-blackboard, chalk-boxes, rulers, hat-pegs, etc., etc.-were chalked up,

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77 j,..-

......'"

c o

c:

"We won 35-12." Even authority shared in the excitement and cast blind eyes on our disfigurements.

Next time you attend M.L.C. Sports, or the Girls' AllSchools' Sports, just send a passing thought to us, its pioneers. For as we were joint pioneers with other teams in basket-ball, we were the sole pioneers of these athletics.

Stella Morrow (now Mrs. Northcott), Lottie Evans, and Kittie Prescott-the same three who were concerned in starting basket-balI-mooted the idea of having an athletics' meeting like the boys' schools. Miss Amy was first consulted, and approved. Miss Wearne also was willing, and we then approached Mr. Rodd. He seemed rather horrified at the idea at first, but he, too, finally agreed, on one condition (now don't smile, present day athletes), viz., that all high jumps and hurdles take place previously, in the seclusion of the School's presence alone! So off we went and made plans before anything could stop us. Mr. Buchanan and Mr. Jarvie and a squad of boys from Newington willingly acted as judges, stewards, and everything else, and on November 3rd, 1906, a most successful and interesting meeting was staged before a large crowd. At first other schools seemed to wonder if it was quite the correct thing, but next year some of them followed suit, and eventually all who had held up hands of horror, put them down and joined in too. And now the All-Schools' Sports are a regular fixture, all growing out of the first little seed we planted at M.L.C. Enthusiasm for the sports caused a temporary abandonment of basket-ball, and in 1910 Miss Hetherington introduced hockey at Burwood, and we believe M.L.C. was the first school to enter the field in this sport. The original team consisted of S. James, M. Lyall, D. Holloway, D. Fletcher, E. James, M. Hayes, A. Eldridge, H. Colborne, R. Hingston, Minna and Marie Erhard. Stella James was the first captain, and she was followed by Minnie Lyall, who won a great reputation and played in inter-State matches on many occasions, also acting as captain. She had previously made further history for M.L.C. by being the first school girl to be picked for New South Wales, touring Tasmania in 1911. Don Holloway Was another brilliant player who represented New South Wales many times. Beatrice Kent and Kittie Prescott were the other Old Girls' representatives in the various State teams, but the War prevented further activity for a few years. Later on other Old Girls won inter-State honours, one of the finest players being Phyllis Kelynack.

On leaving school, many members of the original school team formed an Old Girls' Hockey Club, known as Culwulla, 4:-{ 79 jr,.-

Tennis in the Past.

Sport To-day.

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which performed with much credit in the competitions.

metropolitan

Of late years M.L.C. has been a prominent member of the Association of the non-State Registered Schools, which includes over thirty schools. During the last ten years it has won the following:Senior Championship. Six years-1927, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1935.

Junior Championship. Six years-1926, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1933, 1935.

Relay Cups, 600 yards (Senior). Eight years. Holds record, 1 min.

15 sec.

Relay Cups, 360 yards (Junior). Six years. Holds record, 47 3-5 sec.

Overhead Ball Cup (Senior). Four years. With record, 59 4-5 sec.

Overhead Ball Cup (Junior). Two years. Record.

Senior Championship, 100 yards. 1927. Record, 12 3-5 sec.

Junior Championship, 100 yards. 1930. Record, 12 4-5 sec.

Junior Championship, 50 yards. 1931. Record, 6 3-5 sec.

Tennis-Tyldesley Shield: Singles, 1930, 1931, 1932. "A" Grade: 1929, 1931, 1932. "B" Grade: 1929.

Hurdles-Senior, 80 yards. 1930. Record, 12 4-5 sec.

Swimming-Graceful Diving, 1927.

This is a truly remarkable record. The numerous records in individual competitions alone give the School a high place. But to have won the Senior Championship in six years out of ten, and the Junior Championship just as often, is a crowning testimony to the prowess of the girls that won this high distinction, as well as to the skill and patience of the numerous coaches.

Tennis Champions.

1898---E. Owen 1899-E. Owen 190D-R. McKibbin lSm-K. Prescott 1902-F. Channon 1903-F. Channon 1904-K. Prescott 1905-A. Barling 1906-K. Prescott 1907-0. Truscott 1908---0. Truscott 1909-F. Vickery 191D-C. Sinclair 1911-B. Smith 1912-N. Roydhouse 1913-A. Galbraith 1914-E. Blanche 1915-E. Vickery 1916-M. Webb

1917-A. Thompson 1918---H. Webb 1919-Not awarded 1920-P. Day 1921-A. McFadyen 1922-A. McFadyen 1923-M. Clifton 1924-D. Bicker'on 1925-K. Bryant 1926-J. Vickery 1927-M. Staines 1928---C. Webster 1929-N. Vickery 193D-N. Vickery 1931-B. Kelynack 1932-D. Greenwood 1933-8. Patterson 1934-D. Andrews 1935-8. Patterson -(0{ 81

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Basket-Ball and Net-Ball Captains.

1905 J K. Prescott I L. Evans 1906-K. Prescott 1907-K. Prescott Basket-Ball abandoned for hockey till 1917.

1917-H. Moulton 191819191920-0. Angelinetta 19211922-M. Thorpe 1923-H. Newton 1924-H. Newton

1925-H. Newton 1926-D. Sherrington 1927-A. Matchett 1928-A. Matchett 1929-0. Nelson 1929-0. Cotton 1930-J. Bond 1931-M. Donaldson 1932-D. Roseby 1933-N. Gale 1934-F. Nock 1935-H. Ford 1936---P. Penman

H ocke~v Captains.

1910-S. James 1911-M. Lyall 1912-M. Lyall 1913-E. James 1914-N. Rickard 1915-E. Vickery 1W6-M. Pdlcher 1917-H. Moulton 1918-C. Sharpe 1919-H. Webb 1920-1. Alcorn 1921-1. Alcorn 1922-J. Trevitt 1923-J. Trevitt

1924-I. Charleston' 1925-K. Clifton 1926-J. Vickery 1927-1 Blessing 1928-I. Blessing 1929-T. Windon 1930-T. Windon 1931-C. Hardie 1932-8. Su(herland 1933-L. Webb 1934-L. Donaldson 1935-L. Donaldson 1936-M. Jackson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Old (jirls' Union

By Mrs. Brett (nee Holloway).

The M.L.C. Old Girls' Union came into being thirtythree years ago, and it has the distinction of being amongst the oldest of its kind in this State. Its beginning was in a l'omantic setting at Balmoral, where the blue waters of the Harbour were gently lapping the white sands in the golden glow of the setting sun one Saturday afternoon in the earlysummer of 1902.

A group of girls who had recently left school were chatting over past happy days, expressing the wish that they had some Union which could make such meetings possible at regular intervals. "Well, why not form one?" remarked the Rev. E. J. Rodd, the then Principal, and straightway it was decided to do so. Preliminary meetings were held, a provisional constitution was drawn up, and on the 18th September, 1903, the Old Girls' Union became a properly constituted body, with the following officers: -President, Susie O'Reilly.

Vice-President, Clara Rodd.

Recording Secretary, Lilian Parker. Corresponding Secretary, Birdie Holloway. Treasurer, Ida Lucas. Committee: Annie Dash, Hilda Martin, Lucy Parker, Eva Larke, Edna Wise, Frida Allen, May Johnstone, Pollie Taylor, and Mabel Cambage. The Revs. C. J. Prescott and E. J. Rodd accepted the office of Patron. It is worthy of note that though most of the above-named girls have since changed their names, the majority of them are still membets of the Union, and work for it with undiminished enthusiasm.

The Union has grown from childhood to womanhood, and through over thirty years of existence, it has become an integral part of College life-it is recognised as the official voice of all Old Girls, who through its agency can renew their old association with their Alma Mater. The Union is at all times ready to help in any College activity, and mention must be made of the fund, which was inaugurated in 1927, to furnish the new Assembly Hall, the amount raised being just short of ÂŁ1,200. This fine result was achieved by (1) a subscription list to which many Old Girls were delighted to contribute; and (2) a most successful Fete, called "The Seven Ages of Woman," which proved how happy were Old Girls to do what they could to repay in some small way the big debt of gratitude they owed.

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Reunions.-The first of these was held in the Paddock (now known as the Sports Field), at the College, and one of the chief items of the afternoon was a tennis match between Past and Present.

The Past was badly beaten, but not even defeat could damp the ardour or lessen the enjoyment of those who were privileged to re-visit once again the dear old school, and to take part in this memorable function.

The earlier reunions were very varied in character, as the executive tried out the best ways of bringing members together, and launch picnics, swimming parties, dramatic evenings, all had their place. From 1910, the Annual Meeting, in the last week of September, was preceded by a dinner at some well-known rendezvous in town, and this Annual Dinner has survived through all the succeeding years (except war years), and is still listed in the syllabus; the other reunions, however, have been gradually changed in character till they now number two, besides the dinner already mentioned, viz., the Annual Dance, held about the middle of the year, and the Back-to-College Day, which is always fixed for the Wednesday after Easter. Of these, the last-named is undoubtedly the more popular; the members appreciate the opportunity of forgathering under the roof of the College once again, and as no effort is spared by College staff or Union executive to make an enjoyable afternoon and evening, the result is always a very happy function. Again, all Old Girls, whether members of the Union or not, are then invited to the College, an invitation that adds to the popularity of this Day. Some few years ago a children's party for the small sons and daughters of Old Girls was one of the features of Back-to-College Day, and very happy games were enjoyed by the "tinies."

The afternoon of Back--to-College Day is devoted to sport, matches between Past and Present pupils, and between City and Country, being arranged. This is followed by an informal tea in our lovely Schofield Hall, and if the noise of chattering tongues is any criterion, it is then that the day reaches its acme of enjoyment. The evening is devoted to a programme, or to indoor sports and competitions.

Objects.-The Union was primarily formed to act as a link between past pupils and the College, and to arrange reunions where they could meet for social intercourse.

In addition to this work, which has been admirably carried out, it was felt early in the Union's existence, that something should be done to help others less fortunately situated in life than were its own members.

It was decided to undertake to clothe a child at Dalmar Children's Home. Rachel was thus provided for, and she

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was succeeded by Dolly, who was not .only clothed, but taken for trips to the Zoo or elsewhere, and remembered on her birthday. Others have followed her.

In addition to this interest, the Union donates all or portion of the proceeds of the Annual Dance to some charitable object, such as the Rachel Forster Hospital.

It has also helped in a financial way the fund for the Swimming Pool which the Parents' and Friends' Association is sponsoring; and being affiliated with the National Council of Women, the members take an active interest in all the activities of that body. Mention must also be made of the fact that one of our members, Mrs. Ivor Stokes (Olive Angelinetta), was very actively concerned in the foundation of the Girls' Secondary Schools' Club, of which many old College girls are members and take a prominent part in its work.

Personalities.-In writing this brief account of the Old Girls' Union, one is loth to mention names lest some be omitted who should receive recognition. But amongst Presidents we must remember Dr. Susie O'Reilly, Mrs. J. Wearne (Amy Wearne), Miss Mabel Sutton, Miss Burgie Vickery, Mrs. Cull (Dr. Mabel Brett), Mrs. F. G. Phillips (Frida Allen), Miss Dora Prescott, Mrs. E. J. Channon (Edie Garrard), Mrs. W. H. Brett (Birdie Holloway).

No record of the Old Girls' Union would be complete without a tribute to the great assistance rendered it by Mr. Rodd, whose help was invaluable.

He and his good wife were always ready to do everything in their power to aid the new movement.

And too much cannot be said for the then Headmistress, Miss Wearne, who did such a wonderful work for M.L.C.; her image will be ever enshrined in the memories of the girls who were fortunate enough to come under her influence.

Her co-operation and help were always at the disposal of that first Union Committee, and many a rough place did she smooth over for the secretary. The Old Girls had a very warm place in her heart, and the Union owes much of its firm hold to-day to her loving assistance in the days of its extreme youth.

Succeeding Principals and Headmistresses have continued the good work, and the Union has been very fortunate in this regard. To them the warmest thanks of the members is hereby tendered. Miss Sutton is an Old Girl, and an ex-President of the Union; we are proud that one of our members is holding such an important position. Amongst a number of Old Girls on the College staff is Miss Irene Mitchell, the House Superintendent, who "mothers" the

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boarders and does all she can to make them feel that school is also a home.

Two other items of interest may be mentioned here..

The first is that for the past nine or ten years the Union has had representatives on the College Council; by its three delegates to that body, members are thus in direct touch with all that concerns M.L.C., and this privilege is one dearly prized by the Union.

The second fact of great interest is that, in this Jubilee year, for the first time in College history (so far as can be ascertained), an Old Girl, who is herself the daughter of an Old Girl, has enrolled her small daughter as a pupil. All will rejoice to know that the third generation is on its way, and will unite in the wish that many more will follow this little pioneer.

In conclusion, all Old Girls are reminded that they will be welcomed as members of the Union, that the annual subscription is three shillings and sixpence for city members, and halÂŁ-a-crown for country ones, and that there is a Life Membership fee of ÂŁ3 3s, which may appeal to some prospective members.

Also any girl who has left school less than twelve years is eligible to join the newly-formed younger set; there is no additional subscription, and all particulars may be obtained from its President, Miss Dulcie Firth, Hillside Crescent, Epping. (Epping 554.)

Appended is a list of office-bearers for 1936: -President, Miss Dora Prescott. Vice-Presidents: Mrs. W. H. Brett, Miss Dulcie Firth, Miss Inda Blessing (Country). Secretaries: Miss Thecla Potts, Miss Edna Rodd. Treasurers: Miss Mabel Cambage, Wyaglan, Park Road, Burwood (UJ 4355), Mrs. E. Cull.

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Parents and Friends Association

By Mrs. J. Channon (nee Garrard).

Early in 1929 the idea of a Parents' and Friends' Association presented itself to the mothers of several of our scholars, and a meeting was called for April 29th of that year, at the College, to discuss the question.

Owing to the difficulty of getting into touch with many of the mothers, the attendance was not as satisfactory as was hoped, only eight mothers attending. Those present at this initial meeting were Mesdames Blaxland, Newton Adams, G. Bourne, W. T. Meyer, Frank Meyer, R. Robertson, F. W. Emert, H. L. Windon, and Miss Hill (Deputy-Headmistress).

After a good deal of discussion the scheme was launched, and the M.L.C. Parents' and Friends' Association became un fait accompli. Officers elected were Mrs. H. Blaxland (President), Mrs. H. L. Windon (Hon. Secretary), Mrs. Newton Adams (Hon. Assistant Secretary). Mrs. H. E. Andrews and Mrs. E. J. Channon, were invited by letter to accept office as Vice-Presidents; Mrs. W. H. Brett as Hon. Treasurer. All these ladies accepted office.

It was decided at this meeting that the annual subscription should be 5/-, and that a regular monthly meeting be held at the College.

The object of the Association being "to assist in any way possible the promotion of the interests of the College, and to supplement school equipment," the members, as their first objective, decided to work for the provision of a swimming pool in the College grounds.

At that time, swimming lessons involved a long, tedious journey to Abbotsford, which meant that in many cases girls <lid not reach home until 7 p.m. Another drawback to this arrangement, and a very serious one, lay in the fact that at low time the baths were the reverse of hygienic. Add to this the fact that it was the considered opinion of several doctors that in a very few years the Government would make it compulsory for every large school to provide its own swimming pool, and it will be seen that the object of the Association was a wise one.

To carry out this object a series of efforts was made which space prevents us from describing in detail. A fete

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in 1929 realised £364 (omitting shillings and pence), a concert £79, a second concert in 1930, £47. A partnership in the tuck shop arranged by Miss Potts, realised £25 annually.

Sundry smaller efforts were arranged by various hostesses, such as Mrs. Thackway, Mrs. Windon, Mrs. W. Gale, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Waddell, Mrs. Hood, Miss Firth, Mrs. Curley, Mrs. Rofe. These resulted in £46 for 1931, £62 for 1932, £26 for 1933. In 1934 the "Splashes" Fete brought in £242.

Presidents.-The first President was Mrs. H. Blaxland.

In 1930 she was succeeded by Mrs. E. J. Channon. She held office for four years, and was succeeded by Mrs. Waddell.

Mrs. Windon was the first Hon. Secretary, and Mrs. Brett the first Treasurer. Miss Lonsdale succeeded Mrs. Windon..

On her retirement, due to ill-health, Mrs. A. M. Yates took her place.

The result of all the money-making efforts over a period of seven years, since the Association was formed in 1929, is the total of £1,174 14s 3d in hand to-day, for the first objective-a swimming pool.

Arrangements are well in hand for a Jubilee Fete, to be held at the College, when it is hoped that this amount will be increased by a further sum of £300. If this be so, we may well hope to see our dream materialise in the building of the pool in the grounds of our School, a pool which will represent the loving and unstinted service of women who recognise the inestimable value of the School, whose traditions have meant, and always will mean, so much to our girls, to their families, and to the State at large. Not always are our functions of a money-raising nature.

There have been parties, not very many, it is true, but always proving interesting and enjoyable, to bid "bon voyage" to members going overseas, and to welcome them on their return; parties early in the year, when mothers of new pupils have been entertained; parties at which one or another of our members, who has been abroad, has given a delightful travel talk, and our Social Committee provided an enjoyable musical programme. One of these was that given to our Principal, the late Rev. T. F. Potts, and Mrs. Potts, on his retirement from that position. We were very happy in entertaining them, but beneath our happiness was an undercurrent of sadness, caused by the knowledge that their place in the College would know them no more. All that could be done to help our Asssociation was done spontaneously, graciously, and generously, by Mr. and Mrs. Potts, and by Miss Thecla, during her term as House Superintendent.

Miss Thecla arranged the Rest Room for our meetings, making it a veritable garden of flowers, and afterwards pro-

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vided afternoon tea to all members; whether they numbered ten or fifty, it mattered not. Her thought and her eager co-operation made all things possible. It is in this half-hour of friendly chat over the tea cups, that members find an opportunity of getting to know each other better and of exchanging ideas, not possible in a purely business meeting. All this graciously given help is carried on by their successors, Mr. and Mrs. Foreman, and by our present House Superintendent, Miss Irene Mitchell. Weare all conscious of the loyal support of Mr. and Mrs. Foreman, and their deep interest in all that pertains to the School. Miss Mitchell also is continuously on the watch for an opportunity to help us, and her preparations for our comfort makes us feel that we are welcome guests. Tribute must be paid, too, to Miss Sutton and her staff, whose unfailing kindness and assistance have meant a very great deal to us.

In such an atmosphere only the friendliest and happiest feelings are engendered, and the best work accomplished.

We feel that we are members of one big family-Present Girls, Old Girls, Parents and Friends, Head Mistress and Staff, Principal and House Superintendent-all united in our love for the School, and all loyally and lovingly cooperating for her highest good.

PALM COURT.

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The Staff of Later Years

By Miss Sutton.

Compared with the great schools of other lands, M.L.C., Burwood, is still almost at the beginning of its history, ::;0 that its staff, consciously or unconsciously, is establishing traditions which will determine to a large extent what part the School will play in the life of the community in the future.

As I review the twenty-seven years of the School's life which belong to my own personal knowledge, I remember with gratitude those women of the passing years, who gave unselfish service, and who kept steadily before them the ideal of creating an environment in which the mental, moral, and spiritual growth of the girls under their charge would be assured. Their immediate successors thus found it easy to continue the work begun in such a fashion, and, as the years have slipped rapidly away, bringing many c.hanges to the personnel of the staff, as well as to the school in general, that feeling of gratitude deepens. I realize that the old idea still holds, that individual members are not striving for personal distinction, but seeking by co-operative effort to make the school a living force, both educationally and spiritually.

It is difficult to dwell on one personality rather than another, yet as I look back on the years, I recall with special pleasure my first assistant, Miss Edith Shortland, B.A. She was educated at the Sydney High School, excelling in every branch of study she undertook. After a University course of exceptional merit, she joined my staff, teaching French and mathematics. A strange combination this seems in these days, when each Mistress is a specialist in her own department; but the small school of those early times often demanded what to-day is unnecessary to ask. The School owes much to her deep scholarship and her gift of imparting knowledge. It was with the greatest regret and sense of personal loss that I said good-bye to her when she left us to be married in 1913.

She was succeeded by Miss Ethel Hill, M.A., and I would like to place on record my appreciation of what her appointment has meant to the School.

Her organizing

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ability and general efficiency became evident in her term as Acting-Headmistress during my leave of absence of six months in 1924. During the long years she has been my guide, counsellor and friend, yet she has never sought for personal advancement or public recognition. In 1929, while I was away on my second visit to England, the Council again appointed her as Acting-Headmistress. How much the School owes to her inspiration and ever-ready devotion 110 one but myself can ever fully realize.

Among other personalities that left a deep impression on the life of the School is that of Miss Irene de Putron, B.A., a teacher of mathematics, a keen member of the Christian Union, and much loved by both staff and girls.

For many years after she left us to become the wife of an Anglican clergyman, she kept in touch with her old. School.

Her death early this year was a great sorrow to us all.

Miss Angela Galbraith, B.A., one of our own Old Girls, whose career we had watched at the University with great pride, returned in due time to become our History Mistress.

Many a girl who has now reached maturity remembers with a loving heart the debt she owes Miss Galbraith. Her beauty and strength of character were an inspiration and a challenge to all with whom she came in contact.

Miss Marcia Godfrey, B.A., joined the staff as a young graduate fresh from College life. It was soon very evident that she had unique gifts as a teacher. Truly her English lessons "opened up vistas" and widened horizons, and our reputation in the scholastic world for English work was much enhanced as a result of her labour. Yet wonderful as that was, to my mind it was the least of her services to the School. Personality is an elusive thing, yet her personality was her greatest gift to us. She left us, and after a trip to the Old Country, undertook work in a missionary school in India. Our loss was indeed its gain.

Miss Gladys Wade, M.A., spent several years with us before proceeding to England to further her studies in English. As a young Mistress, she gave promise of becoming a gifted teacher, and she has recently been appointed VicePrincipal of the Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne, having gained her Ph.D. at London University.

Miss Ena Smith, M.A., was appointed to the staff as Deputy-Headmistress in 1930, teaching English and History. In the comparatively short time she spent at the School, she left the mark of her personality upon her classes. At the end of 1933 she tendered her resignation, owing to her approaching marriage.

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Miss Glynn Stayte, B.A., after teaching Latin for some resigned at the end of 1935 amidst the general regret of both staff and girls. She had endeared herself to all by her charm of manner and her readiness to be of service.

When I think of my present staff, I feel that I stand in too close personal relationship to all of them to make an attempt to judge their impact on the School in general.

They are all highly qualified in their own departments, many of them have a brilliant University record, and all of them are women of culture and refinement working towards a common goal-the fitting of our girls to take their place in the life of both Church and State.

They are a constant source of encouragement and joy to me. I admire and appreciate to the last degree their whole-hearted support of all the activities which are necessarily connected with the work of a large school. Although I make no mention of individual members, I should like to point out that in the Leaving Certificate examination of 1935, girls trained under them secured Honours in English, History, Geography, Latin, French, Botany and Physiology, and in the Intermediate examination outstanding results were obtained in History, French, Botany and Needlework. Equally noteworthy work is being done in the Middle and Lower School, and in the Kindergarten, and our Sports record is due to the unfailing enthusiasm and ability of our two Sports Mistresses. More than all this, I appreciate the fine spirit of service, to which I have referred, and the ready response to the demands that a large school makes on th('h' time and energy. With such a staff we may face the future with every happiness and with every confidence. ~'ears,

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The School's JJ;!UJtc

By Miss R. Martin.

When the School opened there were two music teachers on the staff, Mr. Frederick Morley and Miss Eva Thompson, A.R.A.M. Mr. Morley remained for over thirty years, teaching piano, class-singing, and theory.

He was a sportsman also, and the girls of his time must still remember how he championed the day girls against the boarders at rounders during the dinner-hour, his kind, blue eyes twinkling under his silk hat, and the tails of his morning coat flying.

Miss Thompson was succeeded by Miss Nancy Evans, A.R.A.M., afterwards Mrs. Simmons, who taught piano, and then singing, at intervals, for a lengthy period. Miss Ellis was a resident music mistress during the same period. She was followed by Miss Finlay, who was senior music mistress for some fifteen years, and was succeeded in her turn by Miss Dorothy Andrews, who still heads the staff of music mistresses.

The violin was not altogether neglected during the earlier years of the school's existence.

Those girls who used to try to work at the upper end of the school-room on Friday afternoons, will not have forgotten the "ensemble" class, which met in the old drawing-room (next door), under Mr. Lewis' guidance.

Towards the end of 1905 the wooden building which now houses the commercial classes, was built. It was originally divided into three music rooms, to meet the needs of a growing list of pupils and mistresses; but it was also used as an emergency hospital. The last addition to music room accommodation came in 1919, when the opening of the Tower Wing gave us a block of eight rooms, used exclusively for music.

From early days the School realised the importance of examinations.

In order to stimulate interest in Theory, girls entered each year for the various grades of Trinity College examinations, while the practical side was catered for by the Trinity, Sydney, and Australian Colleges of Music.

Because of the interest which we, and a few other girls' schools, showed in these practical examinations, the Associated Board of the Royal Academy and Royal College of Music in London began to send examiners out to Australia.

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(The theoretical examinations had been previously conducted by post.) So, in the earlier years of this century, the local examining bodies began to give place in the School's pass lIsts to the Associated Board.

In 1912, when the New South Wales Department of Education established the present system of Intermediate and Leaving Certificate examinations, music was made a qualifying subject, which girls could take as part of their school course. The Australian Music Examinations' Board was to be the examining body. This worked a quiet revolution in music teaching in schools.

Standards improved, the number of pupils increased, the status of the subject was raised. In 1919 the School sent in its first batch of candidates for the A.M.E.B. examinations. Now we send exclusively for these examinations, and it takes an examiner two days to deal with our numbers.

A further stimulus was given to music in schools when the Br.itish Music Society founded its inter-school competitions for the Dempster Shield, in 1926. We gained no "place" in the Shield Competitions till 1930, when Mr. Lindley Evans joined the school staff, and in addition to his work as senior master, began to build up a good choir. Under Mr. Robinson, who succeeded Mr. Morley, the general school singing had achieved notable results; but Mr. Evans was the first master to concentrate on getting finished performances from a selected senior choir. He came second in the competitions in 1930, but for four years since, the Dempster Shield has hung on the Assembly Room wall.

Our senior choir is heard at every school concert and on Speech Days, and is a source of great delight to us.

In 1932 we founded our much-desired orchestra.

The "Excelsior" of that date records that on Senior Play Day, "The School Orchestra, composed of one first violin, four second violins, a 'cello, piano, four little triangles, two small cymbals, one tambourine, with a child conductor, made its bow to the assembled School, with some folk dances." It was a funny combination, but it touched the school's imagination. Two mistresses had taken up the viola and the 'cello respectively, to work with the orchestra.

Presently the number of violins increased, and most of the percussion players were formed into an independent Percussion Band for younger children, leaving a few players of larger and better percussion instruments as a permanent element in the orchestra.

In 1933, at our request, the British Music Society added an orchestral section to its competition syllabus.

So far,

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only one other school has entered with us. We had hoped to be the pioneers of a movement which would grow rapidly.

However, we realise the difficulties which the crowded curriculum of a modern school puts in the way of special cultural activities.

In the meantime, the orchestra has established itself as part of the life of the School.

We muster about sixteen players now, and one of our most attractive additions has been a flute player. But alas! we suffer from the usual fate of school teams, and lose our best players because they leave school.

Last year, again at our request, a Percussion Band section was added to the competition syllabus. This year there were five entries in that section, and we thoroughly enjoyed hearing the bands from other schools.

Weare glad, too, that our pioneering in this field has achieved good results.

The building of the Assembly Hall, in 1926, gave the School the equipment for holding good recitals. Since then, from time to time, a number of excellent local professional musicians-pianists, violinists, singers-have come and given us short recitals of a high order. As these have had to take place in the dinner-hour, or just after school, they have had to be brief; but they have made a definite contribution towards training our musical taste.

In looking back over old "Excelsiors," we note some special points. For instance, there is more than one mention of a boarders' Glee Club. The "Excelsior" of October, 1908, reports that "Some of the Old Girls ... have agreed to give up one night a week to come and help the members" of the Burwood Boarders' Choral Society. Then we note that a fairly lengthy musical programme of piano solos and songs, performed by the girls, used to be a regular part of the Speech Day ceremonies. Were speeches shorter in those days or were Speech Days longer?

These old "Excelsiors" tell a tale of more leisurely days, but we note many ways in which the school's music has climbed higher, to keep pace with its general growth. For one thing, about a third of the entire school studies some form of music, at school. So we go forward with good hope of developments still to come.

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Christian Union

By Miss L. Vickery.

Some thirty-eight years ago Miss Elsie Mills, of the Sydney University, and Mr. McWilliams, Travelling Secretary of the Australian Student Christian Union, visited our College, and their visit resulted in the formation of a Christian Union, affiliated with the A.S.C.M. An Old Girl, Mrs. Dowsett (Effie Channon), was the first President, and she was followed by Mrs. W. B. Larke (Ethel Robson), Mrs. F. G. Phillips (Frida Allen), Mrs. W. H. Brett (Birdie Holloway), and Lilian E. Vickery.

Since 1926, Miss Dorothy Law has been its President, and the Union is greatly indebted to her for her untiring and devoted service, and it is largely due to her that the Union has become so truly part of the College life. Our beloved Headmistress, Miss Sutton, has always been a true friend to the Union, helping its growth in every possible way, and even finding time to be a Circle Leader.

Our Christian Union has been a kindergarten to students who have afterwards associated themselves with its larger life in the University, and many Old Girls have there given fme service and held important offices.

The year 1929 was the peak year for membershipexactly 100 members were enrolled, but the average membership now lies between 70 and 90 members.

They are divided into Bible Study Circles, and it is fitting to place on record our obligations to the members of the staff who have so willingly helped as Circle Leaders.

Open meetings have been held every term, and girls have been privileged to listen to speakers representing various churches and organisations. They have told of the life <Iild customs of women and girls in many lands, and seeds of World Fellowship have thus been sown.

Miss Anderson enthralled her listeners as she described the life of a Persian school girl. Christian converts in that land are looked upon with suspicion, and do not have an -easy time.

Sister Kathleen, of the Bush Children's Aid, showen. pictures of children in Inland Australia gathered round her caravan on Christmas Day, and Mr. Barber showed --:( 97 ~â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘ -

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slides of part of the country mentioned in "We of the Never Never," one depicting the faithful old Chinese cook (Cheon).

Miss Godfrey told of the Student Christian Movement in India, and pictured the life and customs of Indian school girls, and the dreadful roads over which they have to travel in springless carts.

Miss Fraser, of the Bible Society, showed many Bibles, including a Jubilee Edition engraved with the stamp of the late King George V., and his words, "The English Bible, the first of National treasures and the most valuable thing this world affords." She also showed a booklet of Bible passages in six hundred languages.

Miss Woolnough's visit and talk on Christmas Day in New Britain was of special interest, as for many years the Union has purchased and packed materials and toys for the boys and girls of that far-away land.

Three very interesting open meetings organized by the members themselves were the dramatising of the parables, and afternoons with John Bunyan and St. Francis.

Intercollegiate friendships have been made at the School Girls' Camps held during the Christmas holidays, and the different schools' Days. Both of these gatherings are arranged by University Graduates, and are happy occasions where girls come close together in fun and frolic, and are also able to interchange ideas on things worth while and of the spirit.

At Thornleigh Schools' Day it was stressed that each member might do individual work for poorer people needing help, and arrangements have been made for various groups to take flowers to the Western Suburbs Hospital, and read to the small patients. This service has brought happiness to all concerned.

Looking back over the years, we feel that the Union has grown and strengthened, and become more and more a force for good, and that its members have tried to keep before them our beautiful College motto, "Ut filiae lucis ambulate."

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dn Old dccount c.Boolt Ladies' Advance Committee.

Miss Hall, who has been Treasurer to the Ladies' Advance Committee, has allowed us to see the book in which she has kept the accounts for the long years of her treasurership. A mere list of figures does not at first suggest anything emotional, imaginative or romantic. Yet we can find, if we look for it, a whole realm of emotion and imagination, if not romance. The book is the defiant answer of women to the proposal to close the College. Weare reminded of the attitude of the Cornishmen, when the seven Bishops were put upon their trial, and among them their own Trelawney: And shall Trelawney die?

And shall Trelawney die?

Then forty thousand Cornishmen Shall know the reason why.

Trelawney did not die, the seven Bishops were acquitted, and the country breathed again.

Even so was it with these devoted women. What their opinion was of the men who (with great sorrow-let us give them credit for that) thought that it was perforce a case for the black cap and sentence of death, the account book does not reveal. But for the proposal of the men, they had scorn and indignation, and they put their feelings into hard work and hard cash. And in this book we read how they raised £3,000.

Their feelings might have been expressed with more or less accuracy in the line: Woodman, spare that tree.

They were mostly not Old Girls themselves. But they were the friends and mothers of Old and Present Girls. They loved the School and they loved their Church, and thought it would be a shame if their Church let their School go.

There were indeed a few Old Girls among them. And these had their own efforts, which they combined with those of the older ladies. And what they did was the outcome of united effort. How did they do it?

Here is one How. "Mrs. X. promises another £10 if nine other ladies will do the same." She gets one lady to take five shares and give her £50. Three others find £10 each, and a man is found to complete the nine. And thus another £100 is paid into the fund.

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"Miss Y promises to try and collect £24." She gets sums varying from 5/- and 10/- up to £5/5/-, and triumphantly ends with £35/19/2.

"Mrs. Z undertakes to contribute £1 a month for two years." She keep her word, and in due course makes up the £24."

Another lady, Mrs. A, makes the same promises, and ends up with £25/1/-.

Another, Mrs. B. makes a modest promise to collect £5, and in due course sends it in.

So far as this book tells the tale, the money was raised not by the methods often employed, but by direct giving.

It is just to say that a very large part of the total sum raised was contributed by members of the Vickery family, whose names occur again and again.

But the men were useful in their way. For these women of adamantine heart informed their husbands, their fathers, and their brothers, that they must stand by them, and without more ado, simply shell out. There are cases of hundreds and fifties and twenty-fives with men's names attached to them. And there are other cases of men on whom the College had no claim, but who made their contributions. We dare not give names, but we can imagine how one of these determined dames would, with smiling face and dulcet tones, approach these men, and simply smile him into drawing out his cheque-hook.

But most of the names are those of women, and the more one reads the record, the clearer it becomes that it was a women's movement. And it lasted a long time. It was fifty pounds to-day, twenty-five to-morrow (taking a day to represent a year), and on the third day, it was another fifty. And so the game went on.

And then we get joyous entries such as these:Gas Co. Repaid loan of £700 and £300, and interest.

For furnishing. Paid to Treasurer, Mr. Lukey, £100.

Paid to Treasurer, Mr. Lukey, £100.

Paid to Mr. Lukey, furnishing scheme, £250.

Finally we get the triumphant summary of payments:Old Mortgage, Permanent Trustee Co. £2,000 0 0 Bega Church Trust 400 0 0 Old Mortgage . .

325 0 0 Furnishing . . . .

475 0 0 Expenses . .

13 19 1 Left in Bank . . . . . . .

4 18 0 Total .. £3,218 17 1

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Was ever such an amount raised with such a minimum cost of collection?

To the story as told in the Account Book, we are able to add from other sources. In August, 1914, a meeting was called at Sargent's rooms, at which Mr. Vickery presided, and a large influential committee was formed. Mrs. Chas.

Stead was appointed chairwoman, and Mrs. J. Bryant secretary, and Mrs. George Vickery treasurer. In the following year Mrs. Bowes became secretary and Miss Hall treasurer, and these two, with Mrs. Stead, remained in office till 1924.

Meetings were held monthly, and what the ladies succeeded in doing has been shown in the foregoing pages. Where so many assisted, it is invidious to mention names. The one exception to be made is that of Mrs. Stead, to whose devotion and untiring efforts all her fellow-workers would give testimony.

A Sleeping-out Balcony.

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The excelsior Three bound volumes of "The Excelsior," collected and presented to the School Library by Rev. T. F. Potts, lie before us as we write.

The credit of starting the magazine belongs to Miss Scheer, the then kindergarten mistress.

She was a woman of great energy, and interested herself in school matters outside her immediate sphere. It was some time before it rose to the dignity of print. The earlier copies were in manuscript, and, sad to say, none of them have been recovered. A correspondent, writing on "A Boarder of the Nineties," throws a little light upon Miss Scheer's methods.

"Contributions were not 'invited,' but certain girls were singled out and certain subjects allotted to them."

The extensive poetic contributions of later days had their counterpart in the efforts of those "nineties" boarders, for she writes: "A spirit of poesy descended upon us, when every boarder provided herself with a huge notebook, and jotted down in metre the incidents of the school day."

The first printed number appeared in March, 1894, when the School was eight years old. The series is complete with the exception of numbers 4, 6, 39, 40. If any Old Girl could find a copy of these and present it to the Library, it would be an act of kindness that would be greatly appreciated.

Incidentally we would strongly recommend every present girl to keep the numbers of the "Excelsior" issued during her school days, and, when she leaves, to have them strongly bound. In later years she will find a wonderful interest in turning over its pages. Should she live to be a grandmother, her descendants will regard it as one of the most interesting and quaintest documents in print.

It is matter for regret that there is no school magazine to tell the story of those eight years. A few reminiscences appear in this volume, contributed by those first pupils, and other information can be gathered from church newspapers, old ledgers, and the like. But it is to the school magazine that we look for its inner life, the activities, serious and gay, of its girls. And that we find from 1894 on a small scale.

The first number consisted of twelve pages; to-day it runS into fifty or sixty. The fuller reports of later days make uS wish that we could find answers to many of the questions

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we should like to ask about those early days. But for what we have we are thankful.

Naturally enough there are reports of speech-days with prize-lists, examination results, reports of those in charge, and complimentary or instructive remarks from the distinguished men and women that came to distribute the prizes. The first number tells of one senior and seven juniors that won certificates with a creditable sprinkling of "A's."

It also tells of three who matriculated and went to th~ University. These subsequently took their degrees not without honours. The music results were very satisfactory, twenty-six candidates having passed and only one failed.

As compared with the numbers of late years, these will seem very scanty, but it was the day of small things.

Speech Day has always been the field day for the School.

Always there was some interesting personage to give the prizes, always the same happy crowd of smiling parents and merry girls, and the same garden-party freedom and sociability. Always, too, was the same array of well-bound prizes, and for the prize-winners the knowledge not merely that they had won, but that their names would be recorded in the magazine, where they would still stand when the winners were old women.

Naturally the "Excelsiors" have much to say about sports. These have been developed in schools, far beyond anything thought of in the nineties. But such as they were then, they excited perhaps as much interest in their way.

There was next to nothing in the way of competition with other schools, but the homely private games of the early date were keenly contested. Later "Excelsiors" have been able to chronicle a series of great achievements. The early ones did not rise to illustrations: the later ones are full of photographs of successful teams, and very charming many competitors look, often taken with a beautiful background, with tennis racquets or hockey sticks, and dressed in the blazers that no one thought of for girls in the nineties.

No one reading the "Excelsior" would run away with the impression that the school life was a joyless one. Apart from the names, it tells of endless outings and jaunts. Naturally these concern the boarders most, but not exclusively.

Every now and then there is the story of a school concert, in which all unite, or of a play given by one group or another. There are excursions to all sorts of places, South Head, the Lighthouse, La Perouse, Brisbane Water, Narrabeen, Manly, Middle Harbour, Mt. Wilson, the Hawkesbury River. When anything important goes on in the city the boarders are taken there. If a new Governor lands, or Queen

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Victoria's Jubilee is celebrated, or a Royal Prince and Princess ride through the streets, or there is a great display of fireworks, a way is found to let them see it, and girls living in the country carry back to their homes the story of the sights and sounds the great city affords.

Another impression we get from the "Excelsior" is that there is a deep interest in philanthropic work.

An early illustration is found in 1896, when one of the kindergarten children suggested that they should get up a little sale of work among themselves. The movement grew to what they called the "Children's Bazaar," which was held in their own schoolroom and realised ÂŁ27. This was divided between the Ashfield and the W oolloomooloo Children's Homes.

Visits to such places as Prince Alfred Hospital and the Ashfield Infants' Home kept interest alive. Dalmar Home appealed to the girls, and they undertook to clothe one child entirely.

At another time they paid for a native child to be maintained in a Missionary Home. Religion and Philanthropy go hand in hand, and "Christian Union Notes" run like a golden thread through these volumes. The accurate title of this organization is the "Students' Christian Movement," but for short it has always been the Christian Union, and this has held together all the years. Old Girls, Miss Vickery and Mrs. Brett in particular, have by periodical visits kept it in active service. And it is interesting to read what a variety of speakers, men and women, they have succeeded in getting to address their meetings.

A Reading Club, founded quite early, and largely maintained by numerous papers read by Miss Wearne, has encou aged the reading of good books. Reference is made to many works that appealed when they were published, and were thus brought to the notice of thoughtful girls. It is not surprising that the Reading Club widened out into, or was supplemented by, a Debating Club and a French Club.

As we should expect in any women's magazine, the births, marriages, and deaths' column is fully kept, and eagerly read. Happily the deaths are few, but engagements and marriages are plentiful as blackberries, and a large number of babies' arrivals are announced. And on Back-toCollege Day we understand there is a fine baby show. But they soon grow beyond that stage, and the next thing is that we find them coming to their mothers' school for their own education.

The humorous side of life does not escape these grave editresses and their contributors. Many delightful howlers can be found between the covers.

And many parodies of well-known writers remind us that these are known to Bur-(-{ 104

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wood girls, and that they have the humour to give them an application never intended by the poets. They parody Tennyson and Masefield and Gilbert and Sullivan, and many more; but with natural modesty they apologize for the liberty they take. The poetical contributions, not parodies only, reflect credit upon their writers. Some of the verses show talent.

If they do not rise to the standard of being included as English literature-and of all that is written how little can ever do that?-they form an excellent training for appreciating the great things in our inheritance.

To sum up, if anyone were given these "Excelsiors" to read, and were asked, what kind of an impression they gave, we think he would be bound to say they are the picture of the life of a body of girls, keen on their studies and their games, kind-hearted and sympathetic, helpful and devout, and overflowing with the merriment and joy of happy living.

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The CJ3urwood Church From the foundations of the College, its boarders received a warm welcome from the Burwood Church.

In 1886 the Church was only a few years old, and its congregation was not large. Even the few boarders of that time were a welcome addition.

The Church then was smaller than it is now. It was not built to its full present length, and the end was temporarily boarded up. The only musical instrument was an American organ played by Miss Fraser, whose father, Mr. H. C. Fraser, first treasurer of the College, was choirmaster.

Then came the offer of Mrs. and Miss Hurst to erect an organ in memory of Rev. Geo. Hurst, on condition that the Church was lengthened to provide an organ chamber.

Though the congregation was yet small, it nevertheless jumped at the generous offer. The services of Mr. H. C. Kent, the first College architect, were called in, and he designed the extension of the Church to its present length.

This gave a dignity and a solemnity to the building which it had never had. Mr. Morley was entrusted with the task of co-operating with the English organ builders (Hunter & Co.). To this task he gave himself up with enthusiasm, and the result was the beautiful instrument still in use.

When it was built, there were few organs in Sydney, except such large ones as were in the Town Hall, the Cathedral and elsewhere, that could compare with it in variety and sweetness of tone.

It was formally opened by M. Wiegand, the celebrated organist, who at that time presided over the Town Hall organ. Miss Slade was engaged as the organist, and for many years she drew from its resources music that delighted the congregation. Occasionally her place was taken by Mrs. Prescott, who, before her marriage, had been the organist in her church in England, and was a finished performer.

The effect on the College was marked. Not only was the quiet reverence of the congregation impressive, but every Sunday the girls listened to organ music such as at that time was not to be obtained in the country homes from which they came. And as most of them were being taught the piano, they were getting the education that enabled

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them to appreciate the lovely music that helped to make the worship a delight.

For some time the girls sat at the back of the Church.

But the trustees thought it would make the congregation look better if they sat in front and filled the pews there.

The request was granted, and there they have sat ever since.

As the numbers grew, they needed more pews. At one time the Church was crowded Sunday by Sunday, as a large contingent of worshippers came over from Strathfield.

But when a new Church was built there, these remained in their suburb and relieved the congestion.

To this day, it is a weekly delight to the congregation to see this interesting sight of happy young girls. When the holidays come, and their pews are empty, they are greatly missed. Then school begins again and the familiar aspect repeats itself. To the ministers that conduct the worship, too, they are a sort of inspiration, and they do their best to see that in providing for the rest of the congregation, they do not forget this body of fresh young life. And when they see many of them intelligently participating in Holy Communion, their joy is full.

The Church is too far away from the College to serve as a school chapel in the full sense of the term. It is not possible to have daily service in it. But apart from its use on Sundays, it lends itself to special services, and one of these is the annual breaking-up service, when with boarders and day-girls every seat is taken. The memories of Old Girls twine themselves about the buildings they have used.

And for M.L.C. girls, not only the halls and the classrooms will leave their impression, but the Church, where they listened to the Word of Life and joined in the singing led by the sweet organ, will not be forgotten.

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Sister Schools Fifty years ago the number of girls' schools, apart from the public elementary schools, was small. It is true that the Government had made a beginning with the High Schools.

The Sydney Girls' High School was founded in 1883, and the West Maitland one a year later. Many years had to elapse before the Department seriously undertook Secondary education. Hundreds of families that think quite differently to-day were content with an education for their girls up to the age of fourteen. Demand was small and supply corresponded. For many years the whole provision for the teaching of girls beyond the elementary stage was made by private enterprise, it being understood that that term includes the convents, of which more will be said later on.

Some well-to-do families would engage competent governesses, and supplement their work by masters called into their homes to instruct their daughters in music, art, and perhaps French. Such girls never went to school at all.

A number of intelligent and well-educated ladies opened schools for others. Usually such an one would rent a house, and adapt its large rooms for class-room purposes. No one thought of erecting buildings specially adapted for teaching.

If they had thought of it, they had not the capital. It is not possible to give a complete list of these, but some of them deserve mention. The advertising columns of the "Herald" tell of Riviere College, Woollahra; Kingsley College, Burwood; Nunehan High School, Bourke Street; Wellesley College, Newtown; Burradoo Park, Bowral; Addington, Potts Point; Lotaville School; Maybanke College, Dulwich Hill.

These appear to have been conducted by accomplished women, and several of them submitted their pupils to the test of the Senior and Junior Public Examinations of the University. A little later came Miss Baxter's Argyle School and the Misses Garran's school at the Glebe.

All these, so far as we know, have passed out of existence.

Others have continued, sometimes under changed conditions. The Clergy Daughters' School, fifty-three years old, maintains a useful existence. The school founded by Miss Wallis, now the well-known Ascham, has just celebrated its jubilee.

Redlands, about fifty-two years old, founded by the Misses Liggins and Arnold, still flourishes

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in the capable hands of Miss Roseby. Shirley School, A little later the Misses Edgecliff, belongs to this time.

Clarke brought two strong personalities into the teaching strength of the country.

Their work still lives in Normanhurst, Ashfield, and Abbotsleigh, Wahroonga.

The efficient services of Mrs. Stiles to the former school will not be forgotten, while the latter has had a succession of very competent ladies, who have won for it a high reputation.

The Kambala of Miss Gurney and Mademoiselle Soubeiran, is now an Anglican possession.

Within the half-century several efficient country schools have been founded, too numerous to mention in detail. But Marsden School, Bathurst; the New England Girls' School, Armidale; and Miss West's Frensham, Mittagong, are among the most successful.

The Roman Catholic Church must have the credit of setting the example which has been so largely followed. For centuries its convents have taken in young girls to educate.

And we are not surprised to find that she was first in the Australian field. In 1851 the Benedictine Nuns opened at Subiaco, and continued for several years. When they found that other Orders were doing the work, they left it to them.

Six years later, in 1857, St. Vincent's College was founded.

And we are not aware of any girls' secondary schools that go back anything like so far. Monte Saint Angelo, North Sydney, dates from 1873, and the Sisters of Mercy, who conduct it, have another large and similar school at Parramatta.

The Convent of the Sacred Heart, Rose Bay, was founded in 1882. At that time it looked a striking building, with its background of native bush, but far from the haunts of men.

To-day a thick population has crept up to its boundaries, and its pristine loneliness has gone. Kambala has moved to be its next-door neighbour. Santa Sabina, Strathfield, founded by the Dominican Nuns in 1894, has grown to large dimensions.

Loreto Convent, Kirribilli, founded in 1901 by the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, educated many girls; while Loreto Convent, Normanhurst, founded by the same Order, confines itself to boarders.

The founding of the Presbyterian Ladies' College in Melbourne, was the inauguration of a new era.

With a highly-gifted scholarly man like Dr. A. Harper to give it a start, it quickly won a fine reputation. Shortly after, the versatile Dr. Fitchett founded the Methodist Ladies' College. These, too, have been followed by similar institutions in other States. In 1887, Dr. Marden came over from Victoria to found the Presbyterian Ladies' College at Croydon,

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which he did with conspicuous success. Subsequently, in 1915, he took a leading part in projecting the fine P.L.C. at pymble. A kindly friendship sprang up between him and Dr. Prescott, and the two worked together for many years in the interests of education. The Church of England was slow in following, but when it moved, it moved strongly with the opening of the Sydney C.E. Grammar School for Girls, Forbes Street, Darlinghurst. It secured for its first head the striking personality of Miss Badham, the gifted daughter of the distinguished Professor of Classics at the University. This was followed by the taking over of a number of existing schools, and the opening of new ones-all of these governed by Councils and never for profit.

That, indeed, is the distinctive note of all the Church schools.

It is not within our scope to tell of the Government High Schools, and their large multiplication in recent years. Suffice it to say that the first of them, Sydney Girls' High School, won a high and deserved reputation, and set a standard for the rest. Under the headmistress ship of Mrs. Garvin, and with such teachers as Miss Clarrie Whitfeld, it became a centre of keen intellectual activity. Not only did it figure prominently in examination lists, but it trained several women with literary tastes whose works have been eagerly read from that day to this.

This is the situation to-day in New South Wales, and it is much the same in the other States. All of them have State schools, which are either free or charge the lowest of fees. A small number of privately owned schools still survive. But by far the greatest number are the property of the various Churches. All these have to be supported chiefly by pupils' fees. This necessarily limits their range and their popularity in certain directions. But we live in a free country, and to those who hold that the Church schools can give elements that secular schools cannot give, it is an encouragement to know that people are willing to pay fo1' their girls' education, while, if they choose, they can get it for nothing.

The number of girls' secondary schools is so large now that it is impossible for anyone to know all. Close and intimate relations are necessarily limited. Yet it is safe to say that their common aims promote mutual understanding. All alike share the satisfaction that comes from knowing that they are a powerful force in training the women of future Australia.

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Letters froln Old Girls Letters have come from Old Girls, and some extracts will be read with interest.

Some of them come from the pupils of the first year of the School's life. <$

From Mrs. Mander-Jones (nee Margaret Arnott): "1 am proud to remember that 1 was one of the very first pupils on that opening day in the year 1886, and that those three years that followed were very happy ones indeed.

I always remember, too, the affection and esteem in which you were held as Headmaster, how fair and just you were, how interesting you made the lessons, and how deeply you interested yourself in each one of us. The kindness of Mrs. Prescott to us all is also very affectionately remembered....

It is a matter of pride to me to think that I was one of the original scholars of a school that has achieved so much and become one of the foremost in the Commonwealth."

From M,路s. G. W. Payne (nee Thompson): "It is a long time since I was a boarder at M.L.C., and I still cherish many sweet and very hallowed memories of the dear old College. I was not a girl, but a grown woman, and was engaged to my present husband. I did not want the usual curriculum.

I wrote to Mr. Prescott, explaining the situation, and received from him a kind and sympathetic reply.

On entering the College I was introduced to the late beloved Mrs. Prescott. Her gracious charm captured my heart from the outset. Her interest, counsel, and advice have proved of inestimable value. Through all succeeding years and the varied experiences incidental to the life of a minister's wife, that influence has been with me. I am probably the oldest ex-pupil of M.L.C., but among the tender associations of those days are memories of intimate spiritual fellowship with other girls."

Miss Alice Friend was one of the first to be entered on the College roll. Two of her sisters, Lucy and Madge, followed her. After unselfish lives of usefulness and service they have passed away.

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Miss Friend writes as follows: "We who went to the School in the early days-it is a long while ago now-shall be glad to read of our schoolmates. They are so scattered that it is difficult to keep in touch with them. My time at the College was very happy, and it is a great pleasure to recall old scenes with a contemporary when opportunity occurs. At the party for Old Girls this year, 'Do you remember?' will be heard on every side.

We shall then miss from our gathering those who have passed on to a more peaceful home than this troubled world could ever be."

M1路s. Kelk (nee Vance) was one of the first group oj pupils, and she recalls an interesting episode: "There was a little happening between D-- and me which seemed to us important at the time. D-- was bubbling over with some news she wanted to tell me, so she decided to take a risk and write me a little note. It was as follows: "My cousin, M.C., is engaged to Lord B--" Alack and alas! Mr. Prescott saw the note being passed to me, and said, "D--, bring that note to me." So poor D--, in fear and trembling, took it over to him. He was standing at the time on his little platform by his desk.

He asked D-- to stand near by, and he would read it to the school, which he did with a twinkle in his eye, yet trying to look severe. Then he said, "D--, this is interesting reading; however, when the time comes to announce your engagement, if you will send me word, I will read it to the School."

D--, in the meantime, felt like nothing on earth, ready to sink through fifty floors. She told me she was in agony.

But she also said to herself, "If I do get married I will get Mr. Prescott to marry me." A few years after, this actually came to pass. She really was a dear, and without guile of any kind. She and I met on the doorstep of the College fIfty years ago on the day it opened, and our friendship is as happy and sincere to-day as in the days of our childhood.

She was my chief bridesmaid, and there has never been the slightest rift right through the chapter. What happy times we had! Lots of fun. Some is not for publication." ~

Mrs. W. B. Larke (nee Robson) writes: "Since school days the years have been happy and full ones, but none happier than those spent at M.L.C. We probably owe to our training there the capacity to make the best of the years that followed.

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"Help we had from the wise counsels of our dear Head, inspirations for high ideals from our beloved mistress and friend, Miss Minnie Wearne. The College has grown, and the girls have many privileges which we had not.

But when we sat around the old table (we had no desks then), we were all as one family and shared each others' joys and sorrows.

"Foremost among the girls then was Amy Wearne, dux of the School, best of friends then as now. There were also Marie and Cissie Lomont, from New Caledonia.

Marie, now Mdme. Breton, whom I met in Paris a few years ago, is a beautiful woman. Marguerite Dezarnauld, also from New Caledonia, now Mdme. Lecoste, whose beautiful home in Paris we visited, is married to a Judge (a Doctor of Letters and President of the Society of Poets).

They were ~ager for news. "What has become of--?'

We laughed a great deal and were young again.

"I remember well our Principal giving us lessons in cricket, which I, for one, loved. We were really advanced in those days. Brothers were a bit scathing, but what of that?

We were happy.

I wish I had the gift to write a suitable appreciation of what the memory of those days has meant in my life."

Miss Daisie Moore, Principal of Park College, Drummoyne. After referring to a nervous breakdown, which led her doctor to insist upon her avoiding mental exertion, writes:"My memories of myoId School are very happy ones, and become more so as time goes on. The longer I live, the more forcibly the truth is borne home to me that any good that may be in me, and any success I may have achieved in life, are largely due to the training and teachings of my old School, under you, my beloved Chief." ~

Mrs. Richards (nee Hay) writes: "One night several of us-Maggie Arnott, the two Dangars, Gertie Brown and myself-were telling ghost stories till 2 o'clock, when a bed gradually sank till it reached the floor and we were too terrified to speak. Mr. Prescott was in his study in the room underneath, making his sermon!

One day he asked the class who John Brown was. N one of us knew, and he was very disgusted. At last Maggie Arnott said, 'Old John Brown had a pimple on his nose,' for which levity she was requested to leave the class. He explained --6( 114

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that John Brown was Queen Victoria's faithful personal attendant. When I visited Balmoral Castle, on the Dee River, I saw the wonderful monument to John Brown.

"On one occasion Jack W--, Don. C--, Les. B--, and Matt. K-- waited by our side gate and had a few sweets for us. While we were talking, one full of mischief shook the gate hard and the bells rang.

Dash, the dog, barked wildly, and Mr. Prescott rushed out, but he could see nothing to cause the noise, for the boys were at the end of the street, out of sight, and the girls were in the schoolroom." c$

Mrs. R. Cowlishaw (nee Kelynack) writes: "I should like to voice my appreciation of the many happy memories I possess of my school life at Burwood.

Foremost amongst them is my vivid recollection of our beloved Head, Dr. Prescott, with his marvellous Scripture periods, which make chapters in Isaiah stand out in my mind, as some of the gems of the Bible; and his unfailing patience with our stumbling efforts at Horace's odes. Then Miss Wearne, who was a favourite with us all; and Monsieur Bulteau, whose weekly lectures on our shortcomings I shall never forget. Time has changed the outward face of our School, but the ideals which were instilled into us are unchanged, and will continue to influence the girls who will be the home-makers of the future." c$

Mrs. J. Portus (nee E. I1-eland) writes: "It is a long gaze back to my College days, but I have a vivid memory of Miss Wearne, with her very blue eyes and a stray strand of hair falling across her forehead as she bends her head forward to speak to me, giving me the impression that her whole interest is centred in me. I found a kind of worship of Miss Wearne among the girls the first day I went to the College. At first I was inclined to question it, but soon I understood, and shared in that feeling.

"I wonder if our generation regarded our teachers with more respect and reverence than the present one. The girls of my day certainly regarded our Head (Dr. Prescott) in this way. Coming as I did from a small "Ladies' Col-lege" in a country town, I was rather apprehensive of a man being in charge of a girls' school. I soon discovered his sympathy, encouragement, and interest in the girls, and well remember his good-bye talk when I left the College, and my feeling of gratitude that he should take so much trouble with me. He gave individual attention to everyone of us, -<'J{ 115

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and was never too busy or self-absorbed to advise and help.

He has his reward in the affection and respect he has implanted in the hearts of his girls. Away from the College, but still a part of it, was Mrs. Prescott. She had a young family in those days, but she found time for the College, and, what is more remarkable, she never forgot an Old Girl. One could always count on recognition and a warm welcome from her.

"The outstanding girl of those days was Susie O'Reilly.

She was always friendly and smiling to the lesser fry.

"I occasionally meet a group of old College friends, and thoroughly enjoy recalling the Burwood days.

"A few months ago-more than a thousand miles from Burwood-three women met by chance in a private home.

To our mutual surprise, we discovered we were all M.L.C. girls. Strangers before, and generations apart, the memories of Burwood quickly bridged the gulf and set us chattering like youngsters." <$ Mrs. Blessing (nee Healey) writes: "In 1896 my mother took me from Glen Innes to Sydney, 426 miles, to leave me as a boarder at the College. Devoted to my parents as I was, never absent from home before, many girls similarly placed can understand how I felt. To find myself among 50 or 60 girls nearly broke my heart, and night after night I cried myself to sleep. Gradually I became accustomed to the new surroundings, and began to enjoy the comradeship of the girls. I shall never forget the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Prescott, who tried to comfort me in my loneliness. How we all loved dear Miss Wearne, whose influence was marvellous.

Only once did I hear a girl say anything derogatory about her. I think we all felt disposed to do the Lion Act and tear her to pieces. It was the first and last time she dared to utter such a remark.

"Dear old Susie O'Reilly and Birdie Holloway, what Britons they were to me! I was not clever like them, and when they arrived in the morning, being day girls, I waylaid them with a plea, "Susie (or Birdie), do help me with this.

I can't understand it." With a smile, whichever it was, she would say, "What is the trouble, Daisy?" They were dears.

Grammar was a great trouble to me. I could never get my shalls and wills right, and I must confess they often trouble me to-day. I formed many friendships that have lasted all my life. Though we cannot often meet, as I live in the country, myoId friends are always the same to me.

Like many others, I have to thank the dear old Doctor and

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his wife for the part they played .in influencing our lives for good. One incident I remember well. I was coming one day down the front stairs, or what was then the old entrance hall. I met Mrs. Prescott, who was standing there. I was wearing a pair of black stockings with much openwork showing. I do not remember the special name for that article, but I thought it very smart. Mrs. Prescott called me to her and said, "Daisy, young ladies do not wear stockings like that. They are too showy.

Don't wear them again." I never wanted to wear them again. Her appeal impressed me, and as I went through life I realised what she meant, the importance in dress of avoiding the merely conspicuous and showy. Times and fashions have changed much since then. Yet the words hold good still and the principles remain. It is quite possible to combine what is attractive, and even smart, with the refined and quiet style that marks the lady.

"The dear old school has many happy memories, and I am thankful that my two daughters were able to attend it when it was under the direction of Mr. Potts and Miss Sutton. The depression hit many parents very hard. Several had to remove their girls when the storm broke, and others who had hoped to send theirs were unable to do so. I have one daughter left, and I hope to send her in due time. May the School and the goodness it radiates be everlasting!" ~

Mrs. Paine (nee Furner) writes: "Most people have happy recollections of the days of youth and school life, and the writer is one of them. A term of two and a half years at the Burwood M.L.C. will ever be one of the green spots in my life. Associations were then formed with the staff and other pupils, that bring joy and satisfaction. In the year 1914 I was enrolled, and Mtss Sutton was Headmistress, and all through the years her gifts have brought forth fruits of the best kind in many lives.

There was strict discipline, perhaps more necessary then than now; but the writer, like others in all ages, managed sometimes to get through unnoticed, and thus escape detention.

"It was a very strict rule that gloves should be worn on entering and leaving the College. One day my chum and I had only one pair between us, so each wore a glove to hold our cases with, and the gloveless hand we hid in a pocket of our blazers.

"Some humour and narrow escapes are probably part of the spice of life, but apart from any suggestion of serious -~{

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M.L.C.-The Potts Assembly Hall.

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breaking of rules, one loves to think of the days of training by competent and cultured teachers. Wherever I have been throughout the State, I have met old College friends, and have we not talked in highest praise of the old days?

So with every confidence and whole-heartedness, I suggest to all who can see their way clear, to send their daughters to M.L.C., where they will be efficiently equipped mentally, socially, physically, and above all, spiritually, for their life's work." c$ Miss Helen Mackay writes: "It was on a winter's night, about the middle of June, 1904, that a shy country girl arrived at the College for the first time. Shy, but with very definite ideas of courageous behaviour, strengthened by the reading of boys' school stories, such as the "Fifth Form at St. Dominic's," so that she insisted on being left at the door alone, and parted from her mother outside. It was bedtime for the boarders, and she was soon between the blankets listening to the trains shunting at Strathfield, lonely but happy, having achieved her heart's desire of boarding school!

"There were then between 30 and 40 boarders, all country girls with different tastes in colour and dress.

When we went out walking in 'crocodile,' the effect was somewhat startling, especially on Sunday. Some of the more artistic spirits among us formed a deputation to Miss Wearne to ask for a uniform, and after some discussion amongst the 'powers that be,' it was granted-navy for school wear and cream for 'best'-a distinct advance on the old style!

"It was at this time that basketball was started. The rules were rather variable, each school having different ones, and we had to change ours for those of another team when challenged by them. At one time our team was champion, having beaten all others; then we went to P.L.C., Croydon, to play by their rules, and were beaten! The othel" P.L.C. girls were very elated, and I remember one youngster jumping up and down and saying, 'They're the champions and we've beaten them.' " c$ Miss Dorothy Smith writes: "I was a boarder, and I am pleased to remember my school life. I think the different seasons of the year stood out with marked clearness, spring and summer, with their early morning practice in the light and warmth: winter, with its dark and murky mornings, not so pleasant, yet not without its charm. I never even hear some Chopin waltzes and -.fJf 119 f,lo-

other pieces which in those days were laboriously practised by my fellow-boarders, without instantly being back again at school.

"I think with great pleasure of the Sunday afternoons.

And loving books. I enjoyed the Anne series and other stories dear to school girl hearts. Saturday mornings I remember well, their mending and tidying of drawers. Not being a tidy soul, this did not thrill me. I almost wish someone was going to examine mine now!

"Late, late, last night, when the whole world slept, Along to the garden of dreams I crept, And I pulled the bell of an old, old house When the moon dropped down like a little white mouse.

I tapped the door and I tossed my head, "Are you in, little girl? Are you in?" I said; And while I waited and shook with cold, Through the door tripped ME, just - - years old." ~

Mrs. Borland (nee Thomas) writes: "It was a happy day when I knew that I was to start at M.L.C. For some years past I had been fascinated on Speech Day by the rows of white-robed girls and by the dignity of Miss Sutton, as she read her report or smiled on her girls as they mounted the platform. I well remember, too, during the holidays before I started, the thrill of meeting Miss Galbraith swinging along the road with a large tin of biscuits under her arm. 'Arrowroot of all things,' I mused in bewilderment. 'Are they a help in remembering historic facts?'

"I felt rather like Mary's little lamb when the great day actually came. Miss Sutton kissed Lulu, and led her into the study, and I followed behind. I sincerely wished I were the old girl and Lulu the new. Miss Morris spoke to me as I emerged from that awesome place and earned my sincere gratitude for the kindly way she took me to Tower wing. There she introduced me to the group of girls who were to become my very good friends; first, my especial friend, Hilary Muncaster, a bright and lovable girl, whose early death in my last year at school left me rather bewildered, but the memory of whose true friendship has been with me ever since-Dorothy Toole, Irene Taylor, Mollie Thorpe, and Roma Rabone. The pleasantest memories still linger of the happy times we six had together.

"Rightly or wrongly we were convinced that Miss Sutton knew everything we did, from talking at 'roll-eall" to thinking that natural orders were an abominable nuisance -(f 120 !iI>-

and not worthy of our attention. We did think that two 'condies' was a very severe punishment for a stray word at roll-call, accompanied, as conduct marks were, with detention and a 'wigging' from our form mistress. One day there came a welcome change. Instead of the usual, 'Those talking, report to the study,' Miss Hill told the transgressors to gather in No.1 Class-room (now the rest-room) at lunch time. Those of us who had managed to curb our natural inclination that morning were amazed to hear an unheardof din issuing from No. 1 Class-room as we went to the field. Full of curiosity, we passed and repassed the windows, but all to no purpose. Finally, when we were joined by the exhausted culprits the mystery was solved. They had never talked so hard before. They had been made to talk as hard as they could, in spite of the fact that no one could think of anything to say. The hall was remarkably silent at roll-call for a few days.

"I remember the thrill of the first hockey match of the season, Miss Morgan groaning, 'Why don't you shoot straight?' when the ball was unkind enough to go the wrong side of the goal post; Phyl. Moulton dancing up to the attacking ball and invariably sending it halfway down the field. r remember, too, being one of a long crocodile of girls in their Speech Day finery vainly trying to protect themselves from wind and rain, as they made their way to the marquee.

"The prefects' room was a little dream that came true in my day. How hard we worked, and what fun we had preparing for our little concert. Our hope seemed impossible, and yet Miss Sutton listened sympathetically to our wild schemes, advised and helped us with our appeal for gifts, found a spare corner in the school; and 10, to our surprise and joy, our dream had come true.

"As I look back over my days at M.L.C. I feel how great is the debt lowe first to Miss Sutton and then to other members of the staff, not only for their untiring enthusiasm for our scholastic success, but also for their interest and help in all that concerned our welfare. At this Jubilee time her buildings and scholastic records testify to the greatness and progress of our School, but who can measure the greatness that is hers in character building?" ~

Dr. Ida Burchall writes from St. Mary's Hospital, Manchester: "I was only at M.L.C. for two years, but they are among the best in my life-1923-1924. All manner of pictures pass through my mind as I think back on those years.

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"Long crocodiles of boarders going to Burwood to Church-the patch of very white concrete at the far end of the park, which always made Leonore Charlston, with whom I headed the "Croc.," sneeze violently-the small choir stalls where VIA sat under the pulpit, and I regret to say made patterns on the collection plate with their threepences. Then the longer crocodiles, when the whole school went forth to the All-Schools' Sports functions-such outings being preceded by much cleaning of tunics and blazers, and inspections of ties and hat-bands.

"The VIA class-room was so delightfully select, having a verandah and lawn of its own-Saturday mornings there were always rather fun-with letter writing and hair washing in the sunshine-and Saturday afternoons in the field with water melons! I tasted my first there.

"The hard-fought fights on the courts I shall never forget-one in particular I remember well, when Margaret Gale and I played off for the first team.

It was a great match, and I was just lucky enough to win. It was a proud moment in my life when Miss Sutton mentioned it before the whole school the next morning.

"One of the best rules in the school was that of absolute silence after the lights were out. I have often said that never once did I hear things talked about which could not have been mentioned in any society.

The boarders' feasts and occasional rather wicked (as we thought) mid路 night parties were all part of the life.

"We played hard and we worked hard. How carefully were we prepared for the Leaving Certificate by Miss HUl, Miss Law, Miss Chapman, Miss Wheen, and Miss Morgan.

Our results were full of delightful surprises-three tops of the State-Frona Stark in Botany, Ruth Heighway in Psysiology, and myself in Modern History.

"In 1925 I went to the Women's College and remained there for seven years. In 1930-1931 I was the senior student."

<'P Miss Inda Blessing writes: "Will any of us ever forget the School Church Service held at the end of each year, particularly the last service ea'Ch of us attended-with, I am sure, a feeling of regret in every case. No outside intruders, our own Principal conducting the service, the flowers in the church placed there by our sixth form girls, at the organ one of our own mistresses. A school service, which filled us with deeper feelings and a desire always to uphold and honour the School, to which we owe so much. How many years this service has

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been taking place I do not know-but I compliment the originators of the idea.

"To every school girl I would say, "If you have the opportunity, do fourth and fifth year." Even if the Leaving, the goal of these years, is not accomplished-the companionship, the deeper understanding between mistress and pupil, the added responsibility, and the knowledge that you are looked to for help and example, all tend, more than one realises at the time, to broaden the outlook, to gain deeper general knowledge, to make one think and form opinions of one's own. All of which, I find, are so valuable in the years following one's school life.

"I remember our first School Swimming Carnival-instituted to encourage a greater interest in this branch of sport.

The school travelled en masse to Abbotsford Baths to shout itself hoarse; and who cared if an enthusiastic excited competitor dripped salt water on one's best panama hat, or if one had been left the 'only wet patch' to sit upon.

That first carnival will always be a vivid memory. How I envied our few crack swimmers who carried off the trophies, and how thrilled I was when I had joined this rank of prizewinners by winning the Backstroke Championship! The first thing I had won in my school life!

That only the 'splashers' competed in these fancy races did not detract from great achievement in the slightest. There were two such "splashers" in my victorious race!

But the poorer swimmers, I am sure, had more genuine fun than did the champions, and what enjoyment our mothers of the more conservative school days missed! I can hear now the shout of my room-mates, "Come on, Toot," and recall how that night I was feted with forbidden fruits.

"What kindness was shown to the new boarder, who entering the quiet building for the first time, felt with a momentary pang that she would dislike boarding school. The quietness and the strange faces filled this first impression with a cold loneliness. But this was replaced soon by excited expectancy, as with the arrival of more and more present boarders the School awakened to life and was filled with movement. Old friends greeted each other happily, and with much clamour and clatter climbed the stairs with heavy cases. Friendly smiles flashed towards the newcomer, and she was drawn into the merry talk-but somehow she c.,ouldn't just fit in, and wondered if ever she would feel as happily about school life as those about her.

"But I have yet to find the girl, who, after the first term of school life, does not fully appreciate what it means to her."

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The Miniature "Surry Hills, "Dec. 17, 1857.

"Dearest Mamma, "In compliance with Miss Middleton's request, I have to apprize you that the Christmas vacation will commence on Monday, the 21st Dec., and our studies will be resumed the 25th January.

"I trust you will find me improved; I have endeavoured to make progress and I hope I have been successful.

"Ever, Dear Mamma, "Your aff-ect daughter, "E. A. TERREY. "Mrs. Terrey, "Campbell Street."

So, from "Miss Middleton's Academy for Young Ladies" in Surry Hills, when that suburb was a fashionable one on the outskirts of Sydney, wrote little Annie Terrey.

A miniature of her, as she was in those days, shows her to be a demure maiden in a low-necked, puff-sleeved black velvet frock, her sweet face set with wide-apart, clear, gray eyes, her cheeks and lips of the colour of roses and cherries, needing no hint of rouge or lipstick for their adornment.

Framing the girlish face is a wealth of nut-brown curls, rippling softly from the middle parting in waves so "permanent" that they still persisted charmingly, when, after four-score years, their colour had changed from nut-brown to purest white.

It would be interesting to know just what was the curriculum of this academy of long ago. Letter-writing obviously formed an important item-also the proper mode of address to one's parents; deportment, too, needle-work, and the three "R's," though the last "R" would be in a very elementary form-vulgar fractions were considered altogether too highbrow, and not quite feminine. French and music were added as accomplishments.

Scripture was taught with great thoroughness, and became a part of Annie Terrey's very being, so much so that, in extreme old age, when she lay dazed after a severe illness, her memory for

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all other things playing her sad tricks, she yet could quote faultlessly verse after verse of those chapters which had been her daily companions through her long life.

We smile a little indulgently at this simple list of studies, yet it fulfilled the purpose for which all true education exists, namely, to give an adequate preparation for life. It fitted Annie Terrey and her contemporaries for the simple though exacting demands made upon the women of those days. It fitted her for the duties of a minister's wife, and for the responsihility of rearing a large family, and it helped to form in her those principles of life which, in every age, go to make up character.

The years passed, and Annie Terrey's daughter had reached a school age. Her father being stationed in a country circuit, the little girl was sent as a boarder to Burwood Ladies' College, the denominational school, then in its infancy.

School life at Burwood in 1890 was not such a simple affair as that of Miss Middleton's Academy.

The curriculum for girls had widened as the outlook of women had widened.

Girls were beginning to understand that to be a wife and mother was not the only thing required of a woman, and they were being prepared for a life of much greater freedom than that of their mothers. Yet it remained comparatively simple, in spite of its added subjects; careers for girls were the ex.ception rather than the rule. But in those early days of Burwood, the building of Christian character was made a foremost objective, and it was then that the foundatiom, were laid of that fine tradition which has distinguished the school through all its vicissitudes.

Still other years passed, and in 1898 another minister's daughter was entered as a pupil at B.L.C. She had spent her earlier school life at a school which in many ways strangely resembled Miss Middleton's, though it existed about half a century later. It was kept by the two daughters of a retired English missionary.

They had been educated in England, probably at a school for the daughters of missionaries, which, it would seem, had kept its traditional customs unaltered through many generations.

These customs were, to a large extent, transplanted to the school in Sydney. On its gate was a brass plate bearing "the strange device," "Establishment for Young Ladies." This was probably an exact replica of its English prototype, and gave the clue to the general tone of the school.

Innunlerable rules, covering every possible offence, carried equally innumerable penalties for their infraction. Thus, no pupil might enter a class-room in her walking shoes, on

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pain of punishment; house shoes were kept in lockers in an ante-room, and had to be put on before lessons began.

The punishment for the offence known as "talking" was a curious one. It consisted of "taking the backboard," the backboard being a flat piece of wood with a long polehandle at each end. This was held by the handles in both hands, was then lifted over the head, and held firmly in position so that the shouder-blades rested against the flat portion. It was designed, of course, to cure round shoulders, and may it be said in passing, the present writer was thereby saved from any tendency towards curvature of the spine!

This surprising survival of a school, in spite of its cramping atmosphere, attracted a large clientele, in its heyday, and it gave a thorough, if limited, grounding to the "young ladies" admitted to its class-rooms.

But, as has been said, the day came at last for promotion to B.L.C" and the new girl set off from home in a blue zephyr frock with a stiff stand-up linen collar, and a hard straw sailor hat, the hat-band of which bore no college crest, for the time of school uniforms was not yet.

"Burwood," even at that early stage, was a wonderful experience after the seclusion of the "Establishment for Young Ladies." It opened up a new life for the eager little pupil who responded immediately to the sympathetic influences in which she found herself.

By this time the curriculum for girls somewhat approximated that for boys, both competing in the same public examinations; but the numbers then at Burwood were less than two hundred, the buildings were sadly incomplete, and the only playing field was "The Paddock," which, however, contained two tennis courts. The organised games consisted of tennis and rounders, the latter, as many Old Girls will attest, providing much amusement and many thrills.

The study of child psychology had not then reached the stage which, in later days, allows senior pupils some choice in the books they are to receive as prizes. A volume on "Thrift," by Smiles, adorns at least one bookshelf in this community. It looks very beautiful behind the glass, in its place among its peers-and, after all, "a thing of beauty is a joy for ever." Maybe this fact would mitigate the resentment which might very reasonably be felt by the late Dr. Samuel Smiles, that his words of wisdom have remained all unread, though carefully preserved between their handsome closed covers.

School life in those days was still simple when compared with the modern M.L.C., but there was one great compensa-

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tion which made up for the lack of the larger opportunities of a later day. This was the close personal touch which, with fewer numbers, was possible between teacher and pupil.

Boarders under the care of Dr. and Mrs. Prescott were like one big family, and Miss Wearne, as Headmistress, knew all her pupils individually in a way which would be impossible to anything like the same extent, in a great modern school. This personal contact had a marked effect upon those who were fortunate enough to come within its scope, and for some of them a real friendship continued far beyond school days.

And now the time had come for the grand-daughters of Annie Terrey to begin their school life at M.L.C. So that on a day two very frightened children came from their home in the country to be taken to the great modern boarding school, which is the M.L.C. of the present day. Dressed in their neat uniforms, their hat-bands embroidered with tht' College crest, they set out with that same girl, since become their aunt by marriage, who, in her high-collared, blue zephyr frock, had begun life at Burwood so many years before.

These little girls, the elder very serious in her care for her almost-baby sister, whose nut-brown curls might have been Annie Terrey's own, certainly were the "heirs of all the ages," for M.L.C. by this time was a highly organized modern school of something over four hundred pupils.

The wide range of subjects taught by specialised teachers, under the Head Mistress, whose outstanding capabilities and services to education have been honoured by the King, provided unlimited opportunities for every type of mind, while its variety of sport, gymnasium, and playing fields, gave ample scope for physical development.

At the end of their first year in residence, two happy little girls came eagerly home to tell "Auntie" all about their wonderful first Speech Day. "Auntie," cried Curly-Top, bubbling over with excitement and holding a book in her hand, "I got a prize!"

"Did you, dear? How lovely! What did you get it for?" said auntie.

"Improvement in bed-making and unselfishness," came the proud reply.

"Auntie" suppressed the smile which came involuntarily to her lips, feeling well satisfied with the sympathetic management which made such a prize possible, and recognizing, too, a touch of genius in the merits selected for reward.

In the happy years which followed, these children grew and developed under those subtle yet powerful influences of a corporate life-its privileges and its disciplines-which a modern school affords, and their last Speech Day found them ready to enter upon the careers which they had chosen.

"The careers which they had chosen"-the very naturalness with which this phrase is written is true indication of the distance travelled by the girl of to-day since the time when "Dearest Mamma" received that quaint communication from her "Aff-ect daughter, Annie Terrey." Her sweet, serious face looks down from its place on the mantel-shelf.

Surely there is something of challenge in that calm, steadfast gaze. The red lips are parted as if they would speak.

Is it only fancy which catches the words from the Book she loved so well: "To whom much is given, of him shall much be required ?"-F.A.P.

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Tales Out of School As the years go by one's thoughts turn back-a little wistfully perhaps-to scenes upon which we did not always love to dwell, but Fond Memory brings the light of other days Around us.

Do you remember the long table in the school-room on quiet sleepy Sunday afternoons? How we scrambled out of our dressing gowns and descended the stairs, decorously rearrayed in our "Sunday best," to take our places round the table and await the arrival of Mr. Prescott!

The older girls sat on his right hand, and ages descended round the table to the poor little youngest beside him on the left.

The ordeal began.

"Muriel, we should like to hear something which appealed to you in the sermon this morning."

How cool and collected the older girls appeared as they began. "Mr. Rodd said '--,' and oh, how fluently long, difficult words seemed to trip from their tongues. But as it progressed round the table there came painful pauses, when eyes turned appealingly to the ceiling in search of fresh inspiration, and a youthful voice might falter, "Oh, Mr. Prescott, Daisy said my piece."

"Can you only recall one small idea from the whole sermon, Margaret? Think again."

By the time it came to the turn of the unfortunately placed youngest, surely that sermon had been drained dry of every pretty simile, much less its outstanding thought.

But there is always the silver lining, of course. Little tenand-a-half acquired the habit of almost desperate attention to the sermon, in the hope of some day being lucky enough to seize upon a point which had escaped all others.

One wonders how many of the girls who sat round the school-room table have had cause to bless that early training in good listening and quick selection of essential points.

A year or so passes, and one has become the average school girl. Dust motes dance in the sunbeams that slant

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through the school-room windows, the air is drowsy-and at least some of the pupils are, too. Dear old Mr. Morley -not old then, except to very youthful eyes-is busy at the blackboard. A paper pellet sails across the class, and, being undiscovered, is followed by a miniature hailstorm. An unlucky aim flicks one on to those black cloth shoulders -do you remember that correct black coat, and the striped trousers, girls?

Next morning at assembly, a shamefaced row of culprits listen to the verdict: "As you seem to wish to behave like babies, you had better take your places among them. For the next two days you will remain in charge of Miss Scheer in the Kindergarten, doing exactly as the smaller babies do."

Will you ever forget marching round the Kindergarten to the tunes of nursery rhymes, and endeavouring to tuck your lengthening black cashmere legs under its tiny tables?

The punishment fell hardest on those happening to have a small sister or brother attending Kindergarten.

In those days the teacher's class-room was situated on the back corner of the main block of buildings; and between it and the weatherboard Kindergarten there extended a green lawn, bordered down the street-side with coral trees, and down the opposite wall with small squares of garden, wherein we grew violets and heartsease, marigolds and snowflakes.

Up and down this green strip of grass, before the bell "went," you paced; arm round the waist of your best friend, history book in hand, the while you feverishly tried to memorise the dates you had not prepared in "prep." time.

William the Conqueror, 1066 to 1087. Such a string of them there were, but I fear that those are all that have accompanied me down the years.

The Kindergarten extended right across the top end of the lawn, so that one wall formed. part of the street boundary. Very high up on this end wall a fanlight helped with the ventilation, while preserving a decorous reticence towards the outside world.

But those who practised alone there during evening "prep." will recall the face at the fanlight. There were no school rules to prevent an innocent young gentleman from enjoying an evening stroll on stilts, up and down a public footpath.

And the sight of anything masculine was such a welcome change for eyes which chiefly enjoyed the prospect of Duggan, the gardener, who appeared to have one eye on the future while the other gazed back into the past, and the baker, who was bald and bandy, that it was strange that the

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fanlight was never associated with the thought of stilts, and whispers, and notes.

Time was to prove the young gentleman's taste more for science than adventure, however.

Names supplied on application.

No, I am not betraying you, girls. The Kindergarten and its fanlight are only memories now. Stately halls cover its site, as also all that was once grass plot and home of the little purple heartsease.

First class-seven or eight littlies in those days-was always kept under Dr. Prescott's own eye. One wonders if we found a warmer corner of his heart before we began to assume those young ladyish airs that come with teens.

Years afterwards, when we had reached the dignity of sixth, we were permitted the joy of reading a batch of our own old examination papers, retrieved from an obscure corner of the Doctor's study. What spirit of fun prompted you to keep them, Doctor?

One recalls a very good little girl-chiefly two small stiff pigtails and very imposing glasses-and her reply to the question, "Tell what you know of Judge Jeffreys."

"Judge Jeffreys was a very wicked man. He said, 'Ha, I can smell a Protestant forty miles off.' He was a horrible liar."

And, then came the happy little person at the very bottom of the class, whose tastes ran rather to noughts and crosses than to science. The question before her was, "Describe what you can of the formation of pearls."

And her answer ran thus: "Pearls are like little white lumps in an oyster. The oyster does not like them."

Science lesson-on red-letter days-was given in the garden. How diligently we searched for "wogs" up and down the rows of peas! The vegetable garden was so delightfully "out of bounds," and diligence might prolong the pleasure just a little longer, if the Doctor perceived the budding of a turn for Science. We were even encouraged to hiring along interesting specimens for the great microscope in the Study-until the Scientists became a well-nigh endless procession, for the first was back with another grasshopper before the last had taken her departure with a skeleton leaf.

It was explained that the microscope had gone into recess.

But the habit of keeping one's eyes open for "wogs," and plants, and wayside stones, has made of the simplest walk :l delight, through all the years.

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of "the paddock"? Do you remember the parcels from home that were opened and shared in the old cloakroom, and the "Fun Evenings" once a month, when we donned our party frocks and party manners, and played games in the Schofield Hall? One might turn back page after page, smiling at funny old frocks, and priggish little ways, and warming to the memory of old friendships. But one recalls a twinkle in the Doctor's eyes, and hears him say again, "Whenever If come to an essay that is high-flown and long-winded, and oh, so shockingly spelt, I know it is Annie's."

And so, good-bye.-A.F.W.

Central Wing and Tower Bridge.

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Burwood in M.y Time "Burwood in my time." What a tall order for one who began as the veriest baby in the Kindergarten, and worked her way up to be head girl of the School for a couple of years or so! If I may be pardoned a little boast, I think I can safely claim the record for length of attendance at M.L.C., or Burwood Ladies' College as it was then (the home of the Beautiful Little Cherubs), my actual school days numbering in all about 15 or 16 years.

Though only a small pupil under my father's regime, I have many memories of the time. In Kindergarten days the little girls were mostly good little girls, who liked bringing their dolls with them to share their brain fag; but the boys were little imps. They used to delight in tying the little girls' hair to the back of their chairs (no bobs and shingles then), and hearing the poor victims' "Ow!" as the slightest movement resulted in a painful jerk.

One day two of the little boys were put to "stand in the corner" on each side of a cupboard; they were forgotten for a while, but when the time came for their release they were not to be seen. The little imps had edged the cupboard out from the wall, squeezed themselves down on the floor, and were having a fine game of marbles!

The housekeeper used to keep the store-room key attached to her waist by a long string. One day my brother Arnold managed somehow to cut it off, without her notice, and strange to relate, there was a big stock of freshly-made lemon syrup arrayed on the shelves. Is it necessary to tell the sequel? As always happened, his kindergarten cronies of the neighbourhood sprang up like magic from nowhere, and some of the boarders were rounded up to share in the unexpected feast, and soon the shelves were as bare of lemon syrup as if the locusts had passed over in swarms. Sometimes at nights these same cronies would forgather with contributions for a secret supper, and the girls would lower a basket on a long string, which would be hastily pulled up if possible, or played like Zane Grey with one of his swordfish, if there was danger about. On safe arrival at its destination, it would be duly emptied in record time.

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In the "big school," as it was always known in the Kindergarten, one of the outstanding features of the time was the bi-weekly game of rounders, Boarders, led by my Father, versus Day girls, headed by Mr. Morley.

The piece de resistance was always the despatch of Mr. Morley, as it invariably resulted in a surprised, "Well, I'm jiggered!"

No school entertainment was ever complete without the rendering of his famous humorous song, "The Cork Leg," which article developed a perpetual motion, that ultimately precipitated its owner into the next world. Whereupon, to the accompaniment of a chorus (somewhat chirpy for what should be such a sad event), and the vociferous applause of his audience, ,Mr. Morley sang the unfortunate man's "El-e-gy."

We used to have grand singing classes with Mr. Morley, which resulted annually in our spirited renderings on Speech Day of pathetic part songs, such as "Blow, Soft Winds" and "My True Love Hath My Heart" (the latter a prime favourite). Some of us who had just been promoted from the Kindergarten, found even such sweet themes a bit too highbrow for us, and we found other means of passing away the time. One afternoon I had slid under the table 1:tnd was indulging in cat-calls to attract the attention of <l crony at the other end of the table. Unfortunately for me, the music stopped abruptly. "Miaou!" I couldn't stop in time.

"Who was making that noise? Hmph? Hmph?" To me as I crawled out from the depths below, it sounded like the trump of doom, and a very quavery and ungrammatical voice piped up, "Me, Mr. Morley." At first he couldn't see me, I was so small; but when he did, I feel sure now that his eye must have twinkled; but as he was hurrying off after the lesson, he told me I was to report myself to my father for my shocking behaviour. Well, I never knew such a week-end~ It took me a couple of days to brace myself to the ordeal, but in due course I reported myself, and received in return a stern reprimand from headquarters, and orders to write out 50 times, "Little girls should be seen and not heard."

When Mr. Morley arrived the following Tuesday I quite expected to find he had been pondering seriously over my misdeeds all the week-end, but to my surprise, he never said ;mother word about it. It probably went straight out of his mind. If only I could have known!

This reminds me, as I look back, of my father's utter impartiality to us, his children.

In school we received exactly the same treatment as the other girls, and, in fact, it never entered our heads that any other treatment was possible. But looking back now from a grown-up point of

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view, and knowing it to be such a rare gift, I can only marvel at it.

We were fortunate in our preceptors and preceptresses (or should I have said just "preceptors"? Professor MacCallum, when lecturing, always addressed his mixed University class as "Gentlemen," explaining that the greater included the less!) At any rate, we were very fortunate, as I said, and it would be impossible to write any account of Burwood days without referring to the wonderful influence of Miss Wearne and Miss Amy-who, though now married, will never be anything but "Miss Amy" to her girls. Though in some ways totally different in character, they both imbued us with the highest principles of loyalty and honour, and set an example of devotion to duty that would be hard to surpass. Even though Miss Amy occasionally sharpened her tongue on us, we generally deserved it, and were able to enjoy the joke of her pithy, spicy comments, after which, I might add, she was always extra solicitous to make up for it. We can never adequately thank her for her great interest in our sports, particularly for her unstinted and efficient coaching in basket ball.

Poor Monsieur Bulteau, how we used to worry him!

His outlook on life was serious; ours gay and flippant. So when he uttered words of wisdom, "As you sow, that will you reap," or "As you make your bed, so you will lie," we carelessly relegated them to the "pi-jaw" category, perhaps to be thought of later on in life. But when he used to warn us, "You cannot do two things at once," we never failed to reply pertly, "Oh, Monsieur, I can.

I can write with my hand, nod my head, and waggle my feet all together," with practical demonstration. I fear that to him the genus school girl was a type of "queer cattle."

At one time we had several Greek classes. They began with Dora and myself, but before long, a few more Joined, then still more, till we must have had a record number for any girls' school struggling with ho, he, to.

But, dear friends, you must guess there was a reason for it, and there was. The Greek instructor was a handsome young man! Thus you will not be surprised to learn that before Greek classes there was a great rush for the mirrors, and much prinking of hair, manicuring of nails, etc., while the number of girls who suddenly remembered they wanted to borrow a book from us or to bring us a message, was iruly amazing. And when a friend of his was once pressed into the service as a temporary substitute, curiosity knew no bounds, and I think the whole school must have visited us on some pretext or other. When later a lady teacher

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appeared on the scene, the numbers dropped like a cake that has sunk.

Miss Knight taught us Physical Culture and Botany.

She must surely have congratulated herself on the great interest apparently aroused in the juveniles' minds, as a lesson hardly ever passed without a specimen flower being brought to her for description. We took it in turns to bring one with the hairiest stalk we could find, the point being that she could give her "r's" a wonderful roll, and our cup of bliss was always full when the verdict was pronounced, "The stem hir-r-r-sute."

Occasionally one would run into some girl slinking down a passageway bearing a bread-board, on which reposed a loaf of bread and a knife, an interesting-looking bottle, and I mustn't forget the old ginger-jar.

At first glance one might suspect a surreptitious boarder's spree, but alas! the bread was stale, the knife wouldn't cut, and the bottle and ginger-jar were both empty, and all of. them stodgily unaware of their impending immortalisation. For, of course, it would be just a member of Miss Douglas's drawing class, and we guessed that soon there would arise from the hands of budding Royal Academicians monstrosities that would be proudly displayed on Speech Day, and labelled as "Art." Seeing t at Dora and I travelled backwards and forwards daily from a school where many of the girls had brothers, and so many more had "cousins" (!!), it is not to be wondered at that we were looked on as a sort of General Information Bureau, regarding those brothers' and cousins' movements, and on that score enjoyed extreme popularity.

Matters did not always rest there, for in some cases wedding bells rang later, but so far no disillusioned or disgruntled husbands have heaped opprobrium on our heads for our share in the business. Dora's school career was unfortunately cut short by a severe attack of diphtheria.

But popular as we both were for the above reason, when I took round the old Hospital Box, which it was my "privilege" to do with another girl for some years, you would think the box enclosed a plague germ rather than the few miserable pennies we collected each month. Everyone vanished like magic before its onslaught, except the few wise virgins who had remembered to bring their pennies, and had, furthermore, refrained from depositing them in a confectioner's shop en route.

What a shock we got once when a little girl dropped a whole sixpenny bit into the box-unheard-off riches in those days!-and explained that it was not for time payment, so to speak, but just a single

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contribution. We felt we indeed had a Rockefeller in our midst.

Another institution of our time was the Tea Party, a small and select circle, the members of which were devotees of the cup that cheers, and imbibed tea with their lunch.

When Sylvia Vickery and I were graciously allowed to join, we were, as junior members, allotted the daily task of waiting by the pantry door and collecting the big brown teapot when filled by one of the maids, whose one idea at that time seemed to be to get the boarders into dinner and "feed the brutes."

"Drat that teapot" occasionally came through the half-open door, by which token we knew there was a hurry and a scurry in the kitchen; but at times the language was stronger and unprintable here, and we thus knew that Cook was in the tantrums, or the dinner had got burnt.

We had VIth Form Maths. at the top of the old schoolroom (the present palatial Boarders' Rest Room), and at times we wrestled with Geometrical problems and exercises on the blackboard, much to the delectation of the small fry at the other end of the room, whose joy knew no bounds when we got stuck, at which times the word went round the class like wildfire. I can still hear Miss West's patient voice bidding her restive charges attend to their spelling lesson. "Edith, you must stop talking or you will get a conduct mark"-clothes-basket, clothes-basket.

Iris, you are a naughty little girl: you must turn round and listen to me-coal-scuttle, coal-scuttle," and so on, ad. lib. The same Iris, I might add, was a real history expert. She was able to answer any question in her examination paper by one of the two alternatives: " - - was a good Queen." " - - was a bad King"; the only variant being: " - - was a crewl King: he stole the people's jewls."

Miss W earne made us all tidy our lockers or shelves just before Friday afternoon roll-call, the penalty for failure to comply with this rule-one conduct mark. This was an excellent plan, and it was astonishing to find how many books that "someone had taken" were disgorged from their owner's own desks.

The Christian Union was a flourishing institution in my time, and it was presided over first by Mrs. W. B. Larke (nee Robson) and then by Mrs. F. G. Phillips (Frida Allen) J who has always rendered most loyal service to her old School. It was the Secretary's job to provide a speaker, suggested by the President or subject to her approval, for the Monday meetings, and one Monday morning she woke up to realise that no one had been asked for that afternoon -(0{ 138

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Surrep titious ly she rang up the Rev. C. T. Newm an, who was station ed in Burwo od at the time, and throwi ng herself on his mercy, asked if he could possibl y fill the gap. Well, he did, and that afterno on he duly arrived to addres s the assemble d girls. Like a true sport, he never mentio ned the mornin g's inciden t, except to remark , as he fixed his gaze on the Secret ary with a twinkl e in his eye, that it was an "unexp ected pleasu re" to be with us that afterno on. Alas! r was the default ing Secret ary.

One of the end-of -the-y ear institu tions was a compu lsory readin g compe tition, which took place in the school vicpoor the school, and staff led assemb the room before tim mount ing the dais and regalin g the audien ce with her pet piece of poetry in her very best style, while the mistresses were ranged all round the room to see how the voice carried . Unaba shed girls got up and read unfalte ringly; to elocuti on girls it was a happy huntin g ground for practic e (for they didn't always carry off the prizes -far from it), though they someti mes forgot they were only reading , and On one occasio n a bright young put in gesture s as well! her title, "My Lost Youth ." ced announ and up got thing Sotto voce came from the top desk, "Ab, poor girl!"

They crawle d misera bly But the poor nervou s ones! on to the dais, looked at the sea of faces gazing at them, made one or two ineffec tual attemp ts to utter a sound, and then-b urst into tears. "All right, Mary," would come sympatheti cally from the desk, "You may be excuse d," and down would go a big "0" by her name. Alas! this was the breath of the small fry's nostril s, and they have been heard to report, "We had a lovely time this mornin g. Six girls cried!" Little ghouls !

And now school days are long past, and some of our ; friends have gone to the land from which there is no return gonehave s porarie contem and friends dear my of many Hilda Shuttle worth, Myrtle Edgint on, Doris Vicker y, Florrie Chann on, Ola Trusco tt, and others. But many still remain, and for good friends give me school friends of the dear old days at M.L.C .-K.M .P.

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~miniscences

By Mrs. Cotton-Stapleton (nee E. Williams).

My memory goes back over the years to the early days of the College, when Florrie Dixon (Mrs. Lodge), who was then a boarder, persuaded us to join in. I remember all the other girls, or most of them, very well; but naturally those in the same class. The one Mr. Prescott taught I remember best. I shut my eyes and see the big round table.

Two of the girls have passed away, and perhaps there are more. Ethel Sampson, who married Rev. W. H. Ash, is one of these. Her marriage was quite a romance. They were travelling in the same train, he sitting behind her, and he fell instantly in love with her. Though unknown to each other, they were invited to tea by Rev. John Ferguson (of St. Stephen's Church). They alighted at the same stopping place and went to the same gate. It was a very happy marriage, cut short, alas! by her untimely death.

For day-girls especially school life was quiet and uneventful, but I recall the happy little gatherings, now a little play, now a concert, with the grand finale at Xmas, when we assembled in the Burwood School of Arts. Prizes were distributed and a programme of music, recitations, and the like, were given by the girls. One year we rendered the cantata, "Father Christmas," for which we had been duly trained by Mr. Morley. I remember the choruses and songs to this day. I can see dear Miss Shiels, during the practices, sitting at a table near by, presumably writing or otherwise engaged. But her eyes were open and her attention fastened on the class where she checked any tendency to disorder, and corrected mistakes in pronunciation-for instance, she stopped the singing once and said the "t" in Christmas must be sounded.

I have lost sight of many of my contemporaries, but with some I have kept in close touch.

I have sent Alice Friend a list of those I remember. Of her I may say that I regard her as one of the best friends I have to this day.

Those who know her know what a splendid woman she is.

No one knows, except herself, of all her good and charitable deeds. I think she must be loved and respected by many who come in contact with her. We saw a great deal of Miss ....:{ 140 jl.

Shiels, for she was a constant visitor at our home, "Holmwood," now demolished to make room for the large extended Strathfield railway station.

I met her in Melbourne, while on my way to England some years ago. She subsequently died, and her sister sent me a photograph of her taken shortly before her death.

Addie Bull married Mr. McKay, who was Federal Commissioner for Taxation in Melbourne. Addie died there about two years ago.

She was a beautiful woman and moved in a large circle of friends. Her husband and son died within a few weeks of one another. He was a handsome boy of 21, a lieutenant in the army, and was killed in action.

Edie Bull married Mr. M. de Chateaubourg, manager of an insurance company. She was also a fine-looking woman.

She had an only son, but died within a few weeks of her sister. Beatrice Hay has been married twice, and is now a widow. She had three sons. Ethel Crossing married Mr. Mitchell, and has several children, who are nearly grown-up.

Florrie Dixon was married twice. Her two children by her first marriage lived to grow up, but are now dead. Her second husband is still living, and so are their two sons.

I remember the excitement when Mr. Prescott's daugh-ter Dora came into the world, and the pride of Miss Shiels when she brought her down, and showed her to us-such a wee thing-smothered in wrappings and flannels and wool.

J think she was only a few hours old.

How long ago the years! But how I feel that it is almost yesterday. They were happy days, and all too brief.

Of all our teachers, no one was more beloved than Mr. Prescott. I have never heard one of the girls, before or since, 5peak of him in anything but terms of respect and endearment. To many boarders he was "Pa." I remember dear Mrs. Prescott, and Gertie and I often came in contact with her at school and after.

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u'7Jfemories

By Mrs. Brett (nee Holloway).

Jubilee Year! Fifty years since our lovely School first opened its doors to seekers after knowledge and othersand my knitting falls unheeded into my lap, as my thoughts wander back into the past, and personalities and incidents almost forgotten crowd again into my mind.

I see again a funny little girl in a brown print dress and a white pinafore (no uniforms in those days!) walking slowly up the Park towards the College; I see her in the study (present girls know it as Miss Mitchell's office), facing the Headmaster across a big table-desk, her heart going pit-a-pat as she stands in the room lined almost to the ceiling with shelves of books. I see her being taken to the paddock by a tall girl who wore glasses, and her hair in ringlets falling to her shoulder; she had a habit of throwing these curls back with a jerk of the head.

She is the first College girl I remember; her influence was a very marked feature of the school life of that day, and though her days on earth were destined to be few, Old Girls of those years can never forget Effie Channon, with her warm smile and kindly, shining eyes.

How many readers of this book will recognise the punctilious master who, at every lesson, bade us "pay carefully attention"? He would assure us each week, when he came, that "French is not English, and English is not French" (didn't we just know it!!!), and solemnly inform one of our number that he wished she were as good a scholar as her brother at Newington! (Did he tell the boys there, I wonder, how charming and diligent the Burwood girls were?)

He would count it a mistake if the dot of the "i" were out of place even a fraction, and we never seemed to convince him that our French pronunciation was pure Parisian. Finally, he would close his eyes and mans an argument we had as to whether he were actually asleep or not. Well do I remember how it was finally settled; one damsel flicked a small piece of paper at his head. To our horror it hit him on the forehead and rolled slowly down his face. With bated breath we waited to see what would happen! Nothing -so he did sleep, and thus encouraged, we all spent the

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remammg moments in class, aiming small paper pellets at his defenceless head, till the floor looked as if it had been in a snowstorm. Did I say nothing happened? First period that afternoon Miss Wearne approached our class to know who had littered the floor of the teachers' room, and a dozen sadder and wiser girls spent several moments on their knees picking up the debris! Ah, well, in spite of all such drawbacks, those were happy hours at French on Monday mornings!

Another joy was the last period on Tuesday and Friday afternoons, when we had class singing lessons. Isabel's long pigtail held out an irresistible appeal to be tied to the back of her chair, and what normal school girl could resist it?

Especially as the said Isabel's efforts at song consisted of a monotone on one note or thereabouts, while Mr. Morley exerted his efforts to evolve harmony out of such unpromising sounds! I wonder did he ever catch, for the words, "Stir the fire and make it blaze," the popular version, "Stir the jam and make it boil!"

How hard it was not to give utterance to the latter on Speech Day! Drawing class was a sheer delight to some of us. Our homework for the week would be, say, a jug and basin.

"That is quite good-yes, it is very good indeed, the best you have yet done." And then, after visions of receiving maximum marks as the reward of your labour, Miss Douglas would hand back your book with the magnificent mark of 2!

Dear Miss Douglas, we loved her, all of us, and Old Girls were deeply sorry when ill-health caused her to discontinue attending the reunions.

The special elocution class was held on Monday afternoons in Schofield Hall, under Mr. Lawrence Campbell's able tuition. A small piece of glass was missing from one' of the swing-doors, and it became the custom for many a "nonelocution" girl to spend a few moments watching the various members of the class in their efforts to emulate E.1len Terry or Sarah Bernhardt.

By our quiet glances in the direction of the door each Monday, Mr. Campbell, in time, became aware of the spy-hole, and you can imagine the horror of one of the inquisitive, on applying her eye to the hole, to realise that there was another eye just on the other side of the door, looking straight into hers!

Some of us, sometimes, strange to say, rendered ourselves liable to punishment and lectures. It was the fashion for a time to answer each other with a quotation from the Bible, and it gave us great satisfaction to adjure some temptress to "get thee behind me, Satan," or to assure some

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calumniator that "whoso calleth his brother a fool," etc.

But as was bound to happen, the Head became aware of this tendency among his girls, and to this day I can remember the lecture received by a couple of us, delivered

by Dr. Prescott, with stern aspect (but with a kindly twinkle in his eye) as he ended by assuring us that "ministers can and do use such quotations; but it is not fitting for school girls to do so."

And Speech Days; imagine one-half of the platform in Schofield occupied by the "potent, grave, and reverend" members of the Council in their academic robes, while the other half accommodated the girls, row upon row, and in the body of the Hall, parents and friends crowded in to suffocation point. For a week previous to Speech Day, we rehearsed our stately march into the Hall and on to the dais; then names would be called and the several girls would leave their seats, approach Miss Ellis to receive a fan (simulating a possible prize-book) from her hand, and after a dignified bow to her, each would return to her place, with as little confusion as possible. In the early years of my time at school, pupils wore just what they pleased for that event, and you can imagine the great excitement as each girl arrived to see what her dress was like and how she looked in it.

Speech Day, however, in its essentials, has not altered; it is still followed by the long Xmas holidays, and I think that just here my memories must come to an end, with the reflection that Past or Present girls are still the same, the same in their hopes and fears, the same in their likes and dislikes, and above all, the same in their love for the dearest school of all, and their desire so to live that those who follow them "may find beauty like daily bread" under the banner which bears the motto, "Ut Filiae Lucis Ambulate."

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Reminiscences, 19 J 5- J 9 I 9

By Miss H. Webb.

The main feature of my reflections on these years is "building." A staff full of love and earnest endeavour to build worthy characters, amongst the ever-growing number of girls. The standard of the games was raised considerably during these years, and competition matches entered into and played with keen contest. We worked our way from "B" grade to "A," and succeeded in holding our own there.

We were greatly helped and encouraged by the careful <:oaching of Eily James, an Old Girl, who unselfishly gave t:,p much of her time in this way, as well as umpiring matches, for many months. During this period the Tildesley Shield Competitions were instituted, and though not winning, M.L.C. managed to maintain a worthy place. Daphne Akhurst, of Normanhurst, was then the school girl champion.

Her keen sporting spirit and happy nature were pleasurable to meet.

In the hockey sphere we had very happy times, and sometimes very muddy fields, but nothing daunted, we played on, taking our losses in the spirit our school had taught us. Minna Lyall, also an Old Girl, was our coach for years, I think, and her untiring efforts and staunch umpiring should have been an inspiration to all the players. Ina and Chrissie Sharpe also gave up their time in umpiring matches occasionally. Though these were years of war and desolation, they were years of earnest endeavour, which was not unrewarded, and for three years in succession there was not one failure in either Intermediate or Leaving Certificate Examinations.

Possibly the striving of our fighting brothers to win, inspired our girls to strive to win through also. We remember with reverence the Great War days. special days to raise special funds, and days of prayers for peace, days when our young hearts swelled and throbbed, to the beating of drums and tramping of feet. Such impressions were deep. I remember well our knitting of socks and comforts. We each contributed one penny per week of our pocket money for buying wool, and knitting bags were on every desk and swinging on our arms at odd moments.

For half an hour after tea each night, wh'le Miss Sutton would read aloud, we all knitted hard and in silence, except

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for the uncanny clicking, clicking, of hundreds of steel needles. One week, in a supreme effort, we made almost 100 pairs of socks, to send in parcels to Newington Old Boys at the front. And then the great wild, joyous excitement of the signing of the Armistice, we shall never forget. Early the following year came the outbreak of pneumonic influenza, when school commenced late, and we boarders were quarantined for several months. I remember the strange procession to the "hospital" for inhalation every morning, and stranger still, when it came to holiday time, and we boarders had to be medically examined, before being allowed to travel by train, and were lined up four abreast, in turns, with a thermometer in each mouth. The impulse was to laugh, but this being impossible, we could only look at each other's plight, and sympathise inwardly. This particular year our one penny per week donations went towards buying and dressing dolls for the Children's Hospital, and on Speech Day such an array of sweet baby dolls was on view, ready for the little ones' Xmas stockings.

These were great pleasures in our lives.

Our home life was full of love and laughter, deep friendships, practical jokes, conduct marks, and indignation meetings; but we Joved our school and enjoyed its discipline along with its lighter side, and our last good-byes were said with deep regret. Its lasting traditions go with us through life.

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:JJ1emories

By Miss C. Jenner.

M.L.C.!" What a wealth of memories these initials recall! In fact, to many even B.L.C., for it was still called by that name when I was first privileged to enter its precincts.

But what's in a name? Nothing, for it is what one gives and receives under that name, that really matters. The face of M.L.C. has changed beyond all recognition, but the foundations upon which the work and character of the School have been built, can never alter. It is with difficulty one recalls many of the old rooms.

To see the Boarders' Common Room now, with its cosy and cheerful furnishings, one would never realise that that very room was the room in which the entire school used to have prayers and roll-call.

Yes, a roll-call, taken each morning by Miss Hill, during which time we used to occupy ourselves carving our initials into the wooden desks. The new Potts' Assembly Hall also brings back memories of very cramped singing lessons in the Schofield Hall, and the much-dreaded elocution classes, when we used to escape under the large tables, hoping not to be discovered! The keen competition between Forms for sports of all kinds was an excellent means of encouraging the typical characteristics of all British people-their true sportsmanship in winning and in losing the game. Drill in the old kindergarten paddock, neath the old "Flame Trees," was a new venture which was quickly adopted and very much appreciated. In fact, it was regarded, by many, as a welcome break from the montony of lessons. "Good-oh! Drill next lesson!" was quite a familiar phrase. This has now developed, and the addition of a properly equipped gymnasium must mean added delight to all who use it.

Nevertheless, ours were very good old days-not so old really-and extremely happy ones. Day girls' lunches in the field, 'mid clouds of dust and flies, are also another very vivid memory, and what a welcome change came, on entering Sixth Form, having lunch in peace in the Kindergarten, away from the dust!

Time and progress change places so quickly, but it is a high satisfaction to return to the "Best School of All,'" and find there the same influence pervading everything still. As a girl at school, I realised, and have been fully convinced since, that this influence is directly due to the whole-hearted,

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never-ending, and never-tiring work of Miss Sutton. She never failed through all the years to put before us the highest ideals and aims on which to build our characters, and showed us many hundreds of ways of serving and helping others, living up to these ideals herself, and always for the honour of the School. Her many sacrifices for us girls will never be known; her many anxieties with so many obstreperous children; her difficulties fitting in to cramped buildings, have all been borne with quiet fortitude, and never shown, for she has always radiated happiness to all around her. Miss Sutton was greatly helped in her hard task by a very happy and united staff-a necessity to the happy working of such a School.

The College Church at Burwood.

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Reminiscences

of a

Boarder

By Miss Emma Clarke.

The first day at any school is more or less of a nightmare. But the first day at a Boarding School is worse than all. The front door closes, and one is shut out from relatives, and shut in with complete strangers. Really, rather a terrifying experience.

An examination is given to see for which class one is fit, and then work begins. It is best to draw a curtain over the first week, with its home-sickness, for although a brave face was shown in the day time, one's nightly pillow was bedewed with tears.

By the end of a fortnight it is "Our School," especially as the boarders were in sole possession for two whole days (Saturday and Sunday).

But on the arrival of the day girls on Monday morning came that faint-veiled hostility which always seems to prevail amongst previously established guests towards, as it were, the newcomers.

By lunch-time they were "one of us," and were welcomed for their news of the outside world, and their oft-times generous gifts of glorious flowers.

What struck one very forcibly was the wonderful way in which everything was run to schedule time-even meals!

Yet even the slowest eater had time for a second helping, and then time to talk.

The weariest time was study hour in the morning and evening. It was a trial to keep from talking for all that time, but lessons were learnt, and learnt well, in that quiet hour.

One dullish afternoon the few girls who had colds were left home (thus luckily escaping the usual walk). When the Principal appeared on his way to Conference and inquired if anyone had seen his umbrella, only to be told that the Governess (Miss X--) , who only possessed a very pretty sunshade, had "borrowed" it for fear of a shower, with his keen sense of humour, he first laughed, and then took his walking stick to ward off the rain. _...:{ 149

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Tennis matches, pillow-fights, clandestine midnight sup-pers, take place in every school, so no need to detail those.

Of course minor sicknesses, such as colds, measles, chicken-pox, and influenza, all unwelcome visitors, came occasionally amongst the boarders, and it was then that one realised the kindness of Mrs. Prescott. Her careful attention and loving sympathy made one in no hurry to get better, and the convalescing stage was a particularly happy one, for one felt that there were other places beside home where one could be "spoiled."

The boarders' evenings were joyful times, with their varied programmes provided by the boarders themselves, as well as the suppers, which last were generously augmented

by Mrs. Prescott.

On Thursday evening one's thoughts were led to higher things. Just a little helpful talk by the Principal for those who cared to spend half an hour in his cosy sitting-room, and scarcely one ever missed that "apart" time. We knelt -how weak; we rose-how strong, to meet the common round, the daily task."

How well one was coached by teachers, from the Head down, for University and Music examinations, and when the results came out, the whole School was given a half-holiday. The boarders were taken on to Hen and Chickey Bay, and had Al Fresco tea on its foreshores. One rudderless boat caused consternation (till righted), and amusement as it whirled aimlessly round and round. Amusement, as one fair maiden kept bewailing the fact that her "made" curls would all "come out" as the boat and its occupants sank to the bottom! But, as was expected, all were rescued from a watery grave, and the curls were seen in all their glory at the social evening that same night.

Half-hour testing-time came on Sunday afternoon, when the Principal asked for one thought from the morning's sermon. It is doubtful if the various preachers would have recognised from the terse remarks of the boarders their own erudite utterances.

The years pass, and it is time to move on! One could not believe that "leaving school" would be a sad day-but so it proved.

With sorrowful heart, teachers, school friends, and our beloved Headmaster, were farewelled, and all that remained was the happy memory of days of long ago at M.L.C.

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From a number of contributions kindly sent us by Old Girls, we have made extracts, as many of them unavoidabl-y cover the same ground. The name of the writer is printed at the head of each one:Mrs. JEAN EDWARDS (nee Angelinetta).

During 1912 Miss Hetherington was Headmistress of B.L.C., as the College was then known. Those were days of some confusion for those in charge of educational establishments. The old order of things was changing, and the Junior and Senior examinations were in process of being discarded in favour of the Intermediate and Leaving Certificate examinations. The first couple of years of the new system were difficult; French was taught by the Direct in place of the Indirect method, and the syllabus of English and History was entirely different from the old ideas.

Miss Sutton was then on the staff of the College, and brought us safely over the shoals of Botany, Geography, and some Mathematics. Upon Miss Hetherington's departure for England, Miss Sutton was appointed Headmistress, to the joy and delight of all her pupils and associates.

How well Miss Sutton has filled her position is more than proved by the standing which M.L.C. to-day holds amongst the schools.

She has more than proved that a school reflects the personality of its Head.

About this time a definite move was made to introduce a school uniform. This, I think, was started by the girls of the hockey team deciding to wear shirt blouses and blue skirts for the games.

This dress became so popular that soon most of the girls took to wearing these blouses and skirts with a dark blue coat; and later on the tunic uniform was adopted as fashions changed.

In these far-off days, assembly and prayers were held in what is now the Rest Room, where on Friday midday, we all confessed publicly our misdeeds of the week in the number of conduct and order marks received. Music Rooms and the hospital were in a small building on the side lawn. This lawn was called "The Principal's Lawn," and was hallowed ground for the "big" sixth-formers for extra study. Many a happy hour was spent there in learning Latin verbs or watching the clouds sail by, just before the big examinations.

The year 1914 saw the last Speech Day held in the Schofield Hall. The dais was filled with tiers of seats, and the girls, in white frocks, marched into these--big girls at the back and the tiny ones in front. One happy institution of -~f

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those days was the "Boarders' Evening." Once each month boarders entertained their "special" day-girl friends in the Hall, and staff and girls all joined in the fund.

We are all scattered far and wide now, but on Old Girls' Day and reunions, quickly go back to the days at B.L.C. ~

1906-1913-Mrs. COOPER (nee M. Henry).

M.L.C.-Scent of Privet in flower, the smell of hot asphalt, the shrill humming of locusts and chatterings of small girls: that is always my first memory.

I started in second class, then in charge of Miss West; she radiated kindliness and common sense, and was beloved by the small folk whom she gently but firmly accustomed to the school routine. Every year was better than the last, up to sixth form, with its extra responsibilities and deeper fellowships. Everyone of us loved those last two years.

The work was so interesting: Maths. and French with Miss Shortland, a born teacher; Botany with Miss Sutton, an unforgettable experience; History with Miss Griffiths, who made it live and encouraged us to argue, quite the first time we had been allowed, much less encouraged, to indulge in this practice; English with Miss Wise, who had read and thought so widely.

The Sports took an important part in our lives: we played tennis and basket ball, and were considered very "modern" because we had a Sports Day and ran races like our brothers. Later, hockey was introduced, and at once became very popular. The sporting spirit was always excellent, from the lordly "A" teams to the small folk playing Prisoners' Base or Chasings.

Surely it was this early developed team spirit which enabled the School to be so successful in inter-school contests. There were many other activities and amusements, Christian Union with Miss Vickery to lead us, Concerts and Dramatic efforts, Debates, all of which have developed and increased in number since our time; but though girls of the present generation have untold <ldvantages of which we never dreamed, I venture to say they could not be happier nor could they have a greater love and loyalty for their College. ~

Miss MARY WOODHOUSE.

We who have been Old Girls now for eight or nine years remember the old building and saw it change.

Tower was then the new wing, luxurious with electric light. In Old Wing and Central, a little girl carrying a taper, ......,{ 153

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lit the gas lights at supper time. On Friday nights the taper lit bath-heaters. They were old and popped. They heated only mildly too.

On Saturday morning the boarder dried her hair in front of the old kindergarten, under the coral trees.

How bright they were, their flowers like scarlet birds on the bare winter branches! The girls' hair dried and shone in the sun too. On Saturday evening she rioted in the wooden Kindergarten Hall, and can still recall its characteristic: rather dusty, smell. Coral trees and wooden building have become the stately block with the spacious and immaculate Assembly Hall. There is a visible procession of laundry nights, lazy Sunday afternoons in the sunny field, hockey practice on St. Luke's, and the walk home in the half-light, the white cedar tree in flower and berry, the jacaranda that had showered the lawn, pride in the newly-acquired Abbeythorpe, the complaint of the front seat in Burwood Church during the sermon.

Our memories of the time when we grew from little girls, are less those of the visible procession, than of the intangible feelings of first glimpses of beauty and purpose, and a sort of ardent pursuit of these, with a delight in their momentary revelations in our friends, in books, in the School. Within these memories are those of people who were an intrinsic part of the School for us; members of the staff, the Potts family, Miss Sutton, whom we loved, and who live in the hearts they lit and cherished.

In this we feel sure the School has not changed. q) Miss ETELLA WILLIAMS, J oint Principal of Claremont College, Randwick

Life at school in the mid-nineties was uneventful when compared to the present-day thrills of "pictures" and sports; the former are frequently included in the School's curriculum, the latter are now quite part and parcel of school existence, and frequently the prime factor for a child's, if not parent's, consideration when a new school is under discussion. In our time the School was called Burwood Ladies' College. One can remember visiting missionaries or pianoforte recitals by Mr. Barron Morley; of course these were long before he went to America to his great position in Chicago.

Third form was the class of the youngest children. They ranged in age from ten to thirteen years. No younger children enlisted then, except in the Kindergarten. There, Miss Scheer was the guiding spirit. Needless to say, the Holy

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of Holies was the Sixth Form, which was next to the study, where a Greek studen t used to work at times and cause much excitem ent to the inhabi tants next door. Few girls though t of the Univer sity. Susie O'Reil ly, Birdie Hollow ay, May Sutton , and Rachel McKib bin are the only girls I re, memb er who went there. Of these girls, Susie is the medico when , Rachel ; School our of May the presen t Headm istress last heard about, was a mistre ss at the Sydne y Girls' High School ; but Birdie decide d to enter into matrim ony.

Monsi eur Bultea u tried to impres s upon our insular minds that "oi" in French was "oo-ah ," and that a final "e" unacce nted in French was mute. Miss Jessie Stephe nson was my earlier form mistres s; her attract ive little person much impres sed our small eyes and minds; then Miss Wearn e was the next stage of our school progre ss, and she was our ideal of all that was worth while in though ts and studies . Last of all came the sixth form, with Mr. Presco tt, and the memor y of how he made our history lessons living events , and the beauti es of Englis h literat ure real, still lives in our minds.

Mrs. WHITE HOUSE (nee Somerv ille).

B.L.C., 1908---M.L.C., 1936.

That is the range of my memor y of the School . What a change there has been, and how the School has grown!

But on revisit ing the Colleg e now, one feels that it is still the same dear old Schoo l-the same spirit is still living and growin g in it.

Mr. Rodd was Princip al, Miss Wearn e Headm istress , with Miss Amy as her right-h and. We had roll-ca ll for . the whole School in the school room (now the Rest Room) proone as nd lOO-a about then was ent enrolm total The gresse d in seniori ty one's name came earlier on the roll.

There were singing lessons for the whole School in Schofield from Mr. Morley , and what surpris ingly good results he got at the end of the year when we did justice to his training in our Speech Day songs on the dais of the Hall!

One of my favour ite lessons which I don't think figures in the presen t school syllabu s, was "Topog raphy, " when we learnt to know our Atlas. Botany was also very popula r, and when in the senior classes we attend ed excurs ions in , the bush, and comme nced our collect ions of wild flowers our enthus iasm was fired and kept burnin g by the enthusiasm and keenne ss of Miss Sutton , wI 0 led us. It was this work in Botany which inspire d me to attemp t a Univer sity

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Science Course later. In the field of sport we also had tennis and basket ball. Then when Miss Hetherington was Headmistress she introduced hockey, and, I believe, we were the first private girls' school to play the game in New South Wales. The Junior University Examination was our halfway house in school work. This for me was in 1911. I was quite sure I was never going to the University, so had dropped Latin before this. The year after I took the examination, the new Leaving Certificate Syllabus was introduced in the school in place of the old Senior. Several subjects which had been taught for the Junior and Senior were omitted from the new examination, and I found that two of my subjects, Theory of Music and Geography, had no place now. This prevented my taking the L.C. examination. As I had decided to matriculate in Science, I was faced with the necessity of having to work up to Higher Standard Latin in about 15 months. That I was able to do this, and also higher English, and thus pass my Matriculation examination, is a tribute to my teacher, Miss Dorothy Wise. Now two of my daughters are following in their mother's footsteps, and are loyal pupils of M.L.C.

Mrs. CLUNIES.ROSS (nee Carter).

How often are childhood's memories simply an illusion when put to the test in later years!

But, strangely enough in memories of M.L.C., the expected does not happen-the illusion is the reality-because everything there has enlarged itself to such an extent in the last few years that one's youthful impressions of space, numbers and size, justify themselves; even the "gOddesses," though descended to a certain extent from their heights, have retained their semi-divine aura as they preside over domains and subjects (in both senses of the word), which have almost doubled themselves in the last sixteen years. Why! Sixteen years ago (and less) the old dining hall seated the whole school for general singing and drawing classes-now I doubt if all the girls would be able to stand in it packed closely together! Sixteen years ago, on surely the wettest Speech Day ever known, December, 1920, it even housed th~ guests as well as the staff and pupils, although only by a miracle, it must be admitted-a miracle which must have been largely due to the general good humour of all and sundry, stimulated by the cheerfulness and genial charm of the late Dr. Sugden, who presided, and who prevented everyone's feelings of damp and "sardinish" discomfort from overcoming their interest in the proceedings.

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To one girl at least, on that memor able day, the weeping of the heaven s seemed approp riate to the mingle d feelings of sadnes s and a "fearfu l" excitem ent with which she was saying her first conscio us farewe ll to a world -safe, well-k nown and adjust ed-for one vaguer and wider and harder to mould to one's liking than a happy school life had been.

In my time the short, loose, pleated tunics were just replaci ng the distinc tly waiste d skirts and blouse s which But now appear so matron ly in all the old photog raphs. but ing refresh those of place the taken has anythi ng else caused have must which s, lunche melon watericy over-ju the mistre ss on field duty such discom fort-sh e could hardly refuse the large slices so gallant ly and urgent ly presen ted to her, and, a fact which no one seemed to realize at the time, probab ly accord ed ill with the hot lunch she must afterw ards consum e in haste, and amidst the bustle of the staff commo n room! Someh ow, I feel that chaste and dis: creet slices of block ice-cre am served with plates and spoons in s melon waterc histori those of place the may have taken these more advanc ed and "grow n-up school girl" times.

One feels someti mes that our moder n prototy pes could never consid er with such awe as we did the upstair s precincts of the Schoo l-so grimly forbidd en to day girls-s o y much so that to be ill and allowe d to go upstair s to a friendl g excitin and nt pleasa a but g nothin seemed room boarde r's advent ure.

Nowad ays Old Just see how things have change d!

Girls revisit the scenes of their youth with short hair and shorte r skirts, and often lookin g young er than their youth (aids to beauty being now so much more genera lly accept ed -and disguis ed!): and strang e now seems the awed excite sixthd revere our seeing ment we felt sixteen years ago at former s return ing in a few month s with hats perche d and pinned on precar ious and inexpe rt "buns, " and dresses reaching to the ankles . And one who herself rejoice d in her turn in the pride and glory of a "bun" and long skirts, hopes that her sincere but very inadeq uate tribute to her old Schonl , and its happy memor ies will not appear so dull to the presen t inhabi tants of M.L.C . as those old fashion s now seem to them, or so slow as do, no doubt, the times she is attemp ting to recall. For to these presen t girls and those but recent ly made "old," accust omed as they now are to the increas ed tempo of a school world sixteen years older than t my last recolle ctions of it, those days, withou t the presen hs, tograp cinema ed impro aids to educat ion-wi reless, "talkie s," organi zed debatin g and drama tic societi es, and -"!l 157 1:+-

tours to other States and even other countr ies, must seem a trifle tame. Why! Nowad ays a real sports oval is necessary to accom modate Sports Day, which shared with Speech Day the chief excitem ents of the school year, and even less than sixteen years ago the old school field, in its "imme nsity," was more than adequa te in space and grande ur! But fortun ately all things to the fresh and youthf ul eye and ear are fraugh t with interes t and myster y, and even withou t these moder n aids we manag ed to find in those old days plenty to make of school life at M.L.C. sixteen , sevent een, even (!) twenty years ago, "some thing rich and strange ."

Miss JOYCE VICKE RY.

As an Old Girl attemp ting to set down her impres sions of her old School , I felt at first handic apped, not for lack of impres sions- these are legion -but becaus e I was one who knew no other school than M.L.C. All my school days from Kinde rgarten to "Leavi ng," were spent within its gates.

For "What doth he know of Englan d, who only Englan d knows ?" Nevert heless, the passag e of years, and the opportunitie s of mixing with women from other halls of learnin g, bring a certain perspe ctive which allows one to pick out those impres sions which are peculi arly those of OUT School , not those of any school. In any gather ing of young women of similar interes ts, such as at the Univer sity, it has always seemed to me that above the wide diversi ty of individ ual person alities, there is yet stampe d upon each the mark of the school from which she came. Each school has a character, distinc tive and individ ual, a charac ter which is discovere d in the bearin g of those who leave her walls. Burwood M.L.C. has a charac ter of which we have learne d to be pl'oud. It is a great school, great enough to be able to ignore the cheap criticis m that from time to time is levelle d at any institu tion, to ignore it, not in any spirit of compl acent self-rig hteous ness, but in the confide nce of continu al endeav our.

Lookin g back for the influen ces which have mould ed this charac ter, for those things which are not learne d with Latin verbs nor Algebr aic formul ae, not found in books, but in the daily contac ts with one's fellows , my mind first skims lightly over gay memor ies of friends , and follies, pranks and punish ments. These things have their part. But focusse d brightl y above them all are the "roll-c alls" in the old Schofi eld buildin g, on Sports Days and Speech Days: Swimm ing Carniv al Days, and many other days when our -+j{ 158

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belove d Headm istress made her special appeal s to us not to let the School down, but to bear her colour s honou rably and proudl y. Certai n phrase s come to mind- perhap s they are as familia r now as they were then. "A sport is one who wins gracio usly and loses genero usly." "A lady is one who never delibe rately hurts anothe r's feeling s." These things and others formed the backbo ne of our trainin g.

In sport we learne d to play our best, to play to win, but never meanly , and always remem bering that the game was the thing, not the winnin g; that the way we played was far more import ant than the victory . We learne d to be proud of our athlete s, rejoici ng when their efforts carried our name to an honou red positio n, but sincere ly congratula ting those of other school s who proved their superio rs. We gave a clap to the winner s, no matter where from, and-w as it just that we were a big school ?-or that I was nearer to our own girls? -but it did sound a more hearty clap than came from other parts of the field.

To those of us who detest snobbe ry, which is all too a freque ntly found among st private school girls, it is ratic democ truly a found we M.L.C. happy memor y that at atmosp here. Our friends (and ourselv es) were judged on charac ter, not cash. Our outloo k was to "talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings- not lose the common touch." We remem ber gratefu lly the many women who steered us throug h the work and play of school days. But most of all, we remem ber the outstan ding influen ce of Miss Sutton . We have come to think of M.L.C. and Miss Sutton as being almost the same thing, the one incomp lete withd out the other. In her the charac ter of the school is vitalise beneand gs readin ure Script the not is It ified. and person t diction s, not the work, nor the sport which left their deepes r honou ual individ our to s appeal impres sions, but her direct and our collect ive pride, her guidin g hand in proble ms of our daily life. These we shall remem ber when all else has faded from our memor ies. ~

Miss LOTS CARTE R.

When, as a small girl of eleven or so, I was abando ned within the mighty walls of M.L.C. , I remem ber my first :feeling of astonis hment and relief that the atmosp here was Heave n knows what exactly I human -even welcom ing. ve readin g of Boys' Own intensi an but had expect ed, Annua ls, 1880 model or thereab outs, had perhap s encour g. bullyin minor and ess, aged a belief in genera l fear, lonelin As it was, my hand was taken, and I was led to a large and -+11 159 j-:--

sunny classroom, introduced to a not in the least formidable personage therein, and soon settled down among my cheerfully good-natured peers.

There was also the thrill of really belonging at last to a big college, after the semibabyishness of one's prep. school. How mature the senior prefects seemed in those days, with their long tunics or longer skirts, and their carefully banded hair.

Betty Bingle, Elaine Shorter, Annie McFadyen, were names to c:onjure with. The whole of First Year was then consoli-dated under the title "VB." It was a large unwieldy class of female urchins, newly graded to a diet of French, Latin and Geometry, whose inchoate stirrings towards English literature were nourished by Miss Godfrey. Her influence and teaching are one of the strongest impressions that remain of those days. Her mixture of sweetness and strength, and her transcendental outlook, earned for her a nickname that was both euphonious and apt.

We all professed unbounded admiration for her, till the more incisive charm of Angela Galbraith deflected the fickle homage of some. But for the most part that time is a pleasant haze of half-resuscitated memories.

There was swimming at Mortlake, with its tarry and heavily industrial atmosphere, and later at Abbotsford, where the greater freedom and openness made up for the prevalence of jellyfish. There were forage parties. surreptitious and otherwise, to Burwood shops, where the game was water-melon or potato chips, eaten deliciously in the dusty shade of the coral trees that then lined Rowley Street. Unfortunately the pips thereof proved our undoing, and from an early date water-melon was "verboten."

There were (since one must face the facts) detention classes, later to be replaced by a rearranged system of conduct and order marks.

I can still remember the thrill of my first crime, the suppressed air of jaunty devilment with which I took my place among my scarcely chastened fellows.

An innovation was Play Day. In spite of the somewhat restricted scope of the productions, a lot of fun, and perhaps knowledge, was derived from these functions. There was the day when Caesar's bier-a wire mattress-jammed irretrievably in the door behind the stage, and the general himself, stiff with anxiety, if not with the rigours of death, had to be borne sacrilegiously by his extremities. Such bugbears of the amateur may now have been outlived, but they certainly added spice and an air of dramatic tension to the proceedings. Another day high in favour-though not in my time an innovation-was the annual netball match against the staff.

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always thoughtfully claiming right of pre-emption on the outfit of the biggest girl in the school.

After the Intermediate, we achieved comparative ease in the sphere of VIB. Otium cum dignitate! The burden of seniority weighed not heavily upon us, unless perhaps on those who were already tasting the powers of senior prefectship. It was not till that ultimate empyrean VIA claimed us that the stresses of our years became apparent.

Here, withdrawn from the crowd, with an uninterrupted view of "Mr. Potts's lawn," we collected our forces for the fmal debacle, and for our responsibilities as heads of the School. Though a heavy year, it was in many ways the most delightful. There was the sense that one had arrived; one'e; teachers seemed now more on a footing of equality; all sorts of intriguing prospects began to open out in the last glow of adolescence. In the Old Wing was a little cubbyhouse of a room, devoted entirely to the use of senior prefects, containing a teaset of singularly perfect blue, and tins of biscuits. Here deep-laid plots were hatched for the betterment of the smaller fry. When we finally left, it was ill a whirl of approbation and expectancy.

I ha ve mentioned two personalities among the staff who impressed themselves upon my youthful consciousness. In later years there were others, and I feel particularly grateful to Miss Law, who sustained the keenness for English literature begun by Miss Godfrey, and gave M.L.C. girls a place in the sun among English students.

I have pleasant memories, too, of the cheery figure of Mr. Potts, which lit the background of the canvas during most of those years, and of the gentle charm of his wife and daughters, while for all of us the presence of the Headmistress meant an allpermeating influence for strength and good. I could mention the names of such faithful servants of the School as Miss Morris, Miss Kitson, Miss Hill, Miss Irvine and Miss Chapman, and touch on the weekly elocutionary visits of Mr. Allen., who is surely something in the nature of an institution (one can't conceive a generation that has not heard the Flight of Little Em'ly). And I have not yet referred to the Annual Swimming Carnivals and Combined Sports Days, that (preceded by their sometimes embarrassing dress inspections), were gala days in excelsis, nor to the church services so happily arranged by Mr. Potts, that seemed to round off each school year.

I am pleased to express my gratitude to the school that moulded six of the most vital years of my life, and whic:h has given me impressions, such as they are, both favourable and lasting. )(

Thirty Years Ago: Fashions Change-the Badge Remains.

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Miss DOROTHY ROSEBY.

Looking back on my years at M.L.C., I find it hard to specify just in which way the School really impressed me. In the word tradition, however, lies most of the secret, of which anyone who becomes one of its pupils can so readily catch the spirit; and it is primarily through the devotion of the staff and pupils to their School, that the traditions have been made and realised. I can remember Miss Sutton once quoting to us the American colloqualism, "Hitch your waggon to a star," not as a phrase for literary imitation, but as an ideal to cherish, a particularly apt ideal in consideration of the M.L.C. crest. In that instance lies' part of the secret of the way in which we were moulded.

An ideal was set for us to follow, and in every phase of our school life we had a star to keep in sight, a torch to carry on, and never could we slip into the despondent treading of a weary path with no goal in sight. One who has gone through the School can never forget the gentle insistence upon the fine ideals which have been instilled in her from childhood-honesty and integrity, religion, devotion to duty, courtesy and those many qualities which can be taught not as other lessons are taught, but rather by constant recognition of the traits that have ever been inherent in the tradition of the School.

In our class work the highest principles were set, and in consequence the highest standards were achieved. I can always remember the overwhelming pride which, even as a child, knowing little of the significance of it, I felt in seeing the results achieved by the School at public examinations.

No individual success was aimed at, rather collective achievement, and there could be no doubt but that that ideal was attained. An unfailing zeal on the part of the teaching staff could not fail to find response in the pupils. Their patience and ability, and above all, the lively interest both in their work and their pupils, won them success, and evoked a responsive keenness from nearly all, and if a pupil is interested in a subject, she has in part conquered it. I can always accord the highest praise to our much-loved heads. The School owes so much to the fine administration of the Principal of my time, Mr. Potts, who was so much our friend, and to Miss Sutton, whose every word was a word of wisdom to us, of kindness and yet of the highest discipline. Those of us who were privileged to have insight into Miss Sutton's methods of handling her pupils, could not fail to love and admire her for the great spirit of loyalty, devotion. and understanding which she possessess, and no words could fully express the :regard in which she is held by them. It would be hard to

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find a more efficient or a more respected body of teachers than is found at M.L.C. Sport is by no means the only outside interest sustained. Religion, too, is a very large part of the girls' life, and as well as morning prayers, a voluntary Christian Union has its place in the weekly timetable, and a deeper understanding of religion is fostered. In my time, too, the Debating Society was inaugurated, and from the untiring efforts of those members of the staff who created and supported it, and of the committee who did not fail to catch some of their zeal, this society soon had its place in school life. To have found friends of whom one can always be proud-and the friendships of girls at M.L.C. are fine and lasting friendships-is to have found a happiness there; and to have lived in that atmosphere of tradition under such fine guiding influence is to have known indeed a true education.

Mrs. B. BUZACOTT (nee Bingle).

I am indeed humbled, and feel that my days approach the sere and yellow leaf as I realise that my association with the School dates back to 1914, and being now the mother of three prpspective pupils, I suppose I shall be intimately connected with it for as many more years. My imagination fails to encompass the School's growth in the years to come, but I can recall some of those early days and small beginnings: myself, ten years old, in a blue print frock, bewildered by the many strange faces and bustle of a new term; an august sixth form girl who conducted me and my mother to the Headmistress; the old Schofield Hall, and new girls seated round the tables releasing the limitations of their knowledge; finally myself in III. Form.

In those days, as I remember, there were six classes, and of the present noble structure there was but the original nucleus, centering round the old Schofield Hall, which then was the very hub of the School's wheel.

In it morning assembly was held; singing classes for the lower and middle school were conducted twice weekly by kindly old Mr. Morley; OIl Wednesday afternoons Miss Williams presided over our Drawing lessons; and the inevitable "extra" classes drifted into it as a matter of course.

It had one drawback which I realise now must have meant considerable planning to overcome-for at 12 noon each day the tables had to be laid for dinner and all classes had to withdraw.

The lines for morning Assembly still assembled in the quadrangle, but it was a miracle of manoeuvring to accom-

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modate them all, and still more so to find space for all the girls in the old Schofield Hall. I remember an extra General Assembly, and a long and solemn talk on the evils of bobbed hair-this for the benefit of two of my greatest friends who were pioneers of what is now an universal fashion among school girls.

School tunics were, as yet, only compulsory for members of the teams; the rest of us wore blouses and skirts.

It was about 1918 or 1919 that the Prefect system was established, modelled on that in other large schools, one which has proved of incalculable value, both to the girls in office and to those whom they serve. Prefectship is an honour, and as such, not lightly borne, and the Headmistress each year, as she announces the names of the new Prefects, makes it apparent to all that their authority has her sanction, and then very wisely expects that they will enforce it for themselves. Living down many sad, bad misdeeds, I came at last to Sixth Form, which had a classroom with a large sunny verandah, in the new northern building. There were many of us who had come up through the School together, who had shared many escapades, so for us all our Sixth Form year has most delightluI memories of responsibilities mutually borne; of loves and hates similarly experienced, of jokes planned and executed together. Need I recall our dislike of the didactic Mr. Wordsworth, of his Ode to Duty, which we all faithfully eulogized in the words of the editor at the back of our text-book as "the finest ode in the English language," or the vase of weeds which we prepared against the day when our English mistress would declaim: "To me the meanest flower that blows can give Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears."

Thus I passed on to the University, and three years later went back to M.L.C. as a mistress. On Back-to-College Day, Old Girls go back to M.L.C. to see the changes time has made, to meet again their school friends; but above all, they feel that for them M.L.C. is the Headmistress; with her they associate their most painful and their most pleasant memol'ies; to her they know that they owe any merit that life has shown them to possess; she, in truth, is their "Alma Mater." <$

"Qtwm Dulce Est Meminisse."

Miss J. BOWDEN.

The years 1920-25 were years of rapid expansion for the College. Changes were inevitable and extension a necessity, for the influx of new pupils in that short period well-nigh doubled the enrolment, and many of the old cus-

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toms had perforce to be forgone. No girl could forget her first day at a new school, nor can I forget mine at the M.L.C. The memory is still vivid of the quaint old reception room, with its dingy pre-war upholstery braided and beflowered, and of the short interview with the cheery Principal, who seemed so unofficial, and asked such a minimum of questions, that I wonderel almost uneasily if I were properly initiated in the new school after a catechism so brief! Then two of my acquaintances among the school girls were sent just to set me at ease and show me round, so: that by eleven o'clock I had learned who were Miss Hill and Miss Irvine and Miss Wade and Miss Morris and Angela and "Bid" and Miss Beecher, and had met, in word picture at least, half the members of the dux boards in the old No.1 classroom and three-quarters of the Council scholars. It was better than any boarding school story-this life of the quadrangle, this buzz of conversation, this friendly invitation into the merits and demerits (for what purposes be it not known) of this and that classroom, and the tales of "middies" passed and "middies" to come. Never had I imagined a more friendly place. Even the great sixth, and the staff moving everywhere in all the bustle, with calm dignity, had the gayest smile for the new girl, and a word about the holidays for the mere VC child or the little kindergartener.

It was just like stepping from a lonely world into a great happy family.

Yet I was not altogether to escape the pangs of the new girl. I went to roll-call in Schofield. I leaned against a chair, which inevitably leaned against a table, and just as inevitably creaked. It sounded through the hall like the crack of a stock-whip in a tin-shed! The next day I was caught running-down off the wooden verandah into the quadrangle-and by the Headmistress too; but I escaped the running-round-the-quadrangle-all-eleven-o'clock punishment, since I was a new girl, and went my way wiser, but not, I fear, mortally troubled. The dolours of the new girl were ended.

As the events of the year swung round in their orbits, there was the friendly introduction to each-the water-melon parties, the swimming afternoons in the "pea soup" at Mortlake, the Carnival where Phyl. and Nancy Kelynack and Mollie and Betty Simmons and Rosalie Locke were already coming into fame, the team practices, the sports in the field with the College flag aloft on the old flag-pole, and the Council taking its afternoon tea in state on the top tennis court.

Those were the days before slimming, and the Old Girls won the "tug" just as surely as the day girls won the re-

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lay. Those were the days when competitors faced the starters with ha.ir done up in shaky coils under large black ribbon bows. Then solitary performers at the single line of hurdles had their times taken, and the winner was deduced in private by simple processes of arithmetic; and competitors in the Open Hundred ran down the field; toed a line, and raced back to the starting point. And how we cheered them on to victory, our Phyl. and Nancy and Pat and Moll an.d Helen and Duckie and J o-a group of splendid athletes, who carried all before them in the early years of the All-Schools' Sports.

Then there were the drill competitions in the old kindergarten paddock, under the coral trees, and the finals of the tennis championships at the end of the year, played before the whole school, when quite frequently the contestants not only shook hands at the conclusion, but kissed affectionately as well.

Abbeythorpe was purchased, and VIB began its involuntary exile to superintend the kindergarteners during the lunch hour. To the little ones their new home was a veritable fairy castle, whose dark recesses and winding passages and slithery banisters and rickety back stairs were explored with the infinite variety of the newest pranks of 1924-not to mention the joys of having sixth form at their service.

A certain lisping request threatened to become the fashion of the day with the kindel's: "Peel my orangeth for me, pleath." Inevitably sixth form dignity would succumb to the dimpled wiles of the four-year-old.

Then someone saw a vision and dreamed dreams: "I dreamt, I did, that Schofield Hall had had a coat of paint, Though at this startling fact, I know, you may feel rather faint; .... Just fancy!"

They published it in "Excelsior."

The Council read "Excelsior," and hey, presto! the coat of paint was won.

Later on a laboratory appeared-and we felt truly modern. VIB rejoiced for reasons all its own. Its members dwelt next door to the science room, and found its resources excellent for the provision of a luncheon beverage of sweet refreshing tea-a practice which provided a man with a problem sans solution. The person was a certain medical student, who coached a sixth form heroine in a subject, inspiring no little awe in the mind of the rest of the school -physiology. The gentleman lived in constant perplexity at the conduct of his sucrose. He would not so much as -"il{ 167

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look at it, and it would vanish. Using it lavishly, he would return to find it full-in truth, a modern version of the widow's cruse (or an index of the vitality of conscience of the tea addicts of the sixth!).

Sports Day now drew such a crowd of onlookers that it was removed to St. Luke's, and became more efficient and more formal, and less of the social gathering when Old Girls flocked back to display the latest E.O.G. infant, and to visit the haunts of their childhood.

And so with this almost inevitable and seemingly relentless expansion, much perforce that we had loved and enjoyed passed into the limbo of other days. Old ceremonial occasions that marked the school girls' year disappeared one by one. Gone were the delights of the Inter. Picnic in tht! field (during school hours!), when the Intermediates fed their wearied staff on fruit salad and cream, and the sickliest of toothsome confectioneries that the school girl mind could invent. Gone, too, was the Inter. Dinner, when the Intermediates, hot-foot from victory on result day, rejoiced together at Farmer's.

Sixth form gave up hatpins, lowered its hair, took to plaits and shingles, abandoned prim blouses and skirts for the freedom of tunics, and animated its lunch hours with the solemn pursuit of pip-firing competitions from their verandah, with the hospital as target, and administered to their weight of learning an antidote of "Russian Hymns" on the treasured VIA piano.

In truth, not only had the school routine and buildings and traditions been subjected to change, but the temper of its girls had altered by almost imperceptible gradations from that of a generation, whose youth had inevitably been moulded by the years of war, to that of those more carefree, whose days were set in the term of irresponsible liberty which succeeded in the season of peace.

However, in this short time two new and great institutions, equally indicative of the character of the period, had come to birth in our school world-Play Day and the final service of the school year in the Burwood Church, services which must be to most of us still poignant in inspiration and fragrant in memory. Yet in this kaleidoscope of moments and events, two things stand immutable, the relationships of girls and staff, and that intangible illusive phantom, the spirit of our school. No recollection of the School can come to mind without an image of its staff. Some have seen generation after generation pass through its classrooms, and others have come for a brief space and are gone.

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There have been great names among them, names known and respected in the sphere of education, of scholarship, and of art.

But it is not so often for these qualities, I think, that we remember them, but for the frankly high standards of thought and conduct with which they consistently confronted us, and to which they held themselves true. And as we dallied on the lawn on our last Speech Day, and fabricated a score of minor tasks to keep us lingering in corridor and hall among old scenes, there was with each of us, different as we were, and varying as had been our experiences, the sure knowledge that the spirit of the College endured through all the changing circumstances of our time.

With the candour of such moments of reflection, we knew that to our generation, as to others, M.L.C. had given not only gifts of physical development, of friendship, and of happy girlhood, but the priceless gift-the longing and the power to live wherever we might be as "Daughters of the Light."

Miss HELEN PETHERBRIDGE.

Everything about M.L.C. seemed to be just what one wanted, when one was new there-and it was always like that to me, from the staff, the girls, down to the merest weed in the Field.

I suppose now that it was the school spirit, that tender flower that we were always prayed to protect by continuing to "Walk as the Daughters of Light."

Of course there were, and still are, all sorts of cross-currents about "school spirit." When we were prefects in Sixth Form we were often moved to tear our hair in desperation at our juniors, and wondered whether any such thing existed. Generally, those who came to school with a kindly bearing towards work as a means of becoming wise, were those who unknowingly gave the School its traditions and carried them on. But those who came to school because school is law, were always against the government, and they were the cross-currents.

A school can be a dreadful place if it is wrong.

The teaching staff makes the school just as the general makes the victory. The staff at M.L.C. was a united body-not a number of people all doing the same thing, but patient, sympathetic, and interested in their work and us. This resulted in the friendship between girls and staff, that is no doubt responsible for the School's success in work and play.

And about the girls themselves: in 1930 I believe there were the biggest numbers on record, and that year and the next, seem to have been outstanding in every way. It seems -+:{ 169

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that there were students and athletes at the head of the School, and personalities, who were appreciated by us of the lower forms, as we were never appreciated when we were seniors ourselves.

It is rather interesting to notice the way girls group themselves at school. They gather into a class-some newcomers, and those who came from the previous year. The most serious ones were in the "A" class, doing the hard Latin course, grading through the "B" to the "C" class, where one found the "dead--enders," as we used to call them.

But really they were girls who would stay at home when they left school, for the most part, and they learnt easier subjects that would probably be of more use to them.

The divisions were friendly at heart, but often differences came to show that they were not as wise as they were inevitable. They were known by the girls themselves as "mobs," each mob bearing the name of its leader, for always one girl was more conspicuous than the others because of her personality and accomplishments. This "mob" business continued to Sixth Form, and to a certain extent until school-days were well past; but in the last years at school it was weaker. For one reason, there were fewer girls in a class to make a division; and again, those who reach the higher forms have the common aim of the Leav-ing Certificate to hold them together, and make them all 5tudents, whether it is their nature or not. And, as older people with the Intermediate behind us, we were just a little wiser and kinder to one another than before.

Of the School's activities and fixtures, Play Days were the most exciting. There were three Play Days each year -senior plays in the first term, middle school in the second, and juniors in the third.

The seniors and middle schools mostly did Shakespeare, with plays set for their English papers. Also Maeterlinck's "Blue Bird" was often in evidence, and ever-popular; middle school adapted scenes from Dickens' books, with a few others. Then the juniors were usually the producers of "Alice in Wonderland" or "Winnie the Pooh," and similar tales, invariably stealing their big sisters' thunder with their naturalness and charm.

The end of the year deserves note, for it was such a busy time.

Examinations over, new activities began to hum. The school reading prize, voting for the school prize, the S.C.M. party, Abbeythorpe's Christmas Tree, the Annual Church Service, the Boarders' Feast, many unofficial class Christmas parties, and then the Breaking-up, with Speech Day on the following afternoon.

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13urwood as it Was) and Is

By Miss MabeL Cambage.

The College is about ten minutes' walk from Burwood and Strathfield Stations, but when it was opened, Burwood Station was on the west side of Burwood Road.

Strathfield Station was opened in 1876, and was situated opposite the hotel.

It was entered from the street level with a subway at the west end to the other platform.

There was a level crossing with gates beyond the west end.

In 1885 the name was changed from Redmyre to Strathfield, and in 1900 new platforms were built, with an overhead crossing at the eastern end. These erections gave place to the present station in 1927.

The way to Strathfield was a bush walk. There was a path across the paddocks from the corner of Gordon Street, and Rowley Street (before Mr. Henderson's house was built), to the top of Everton Road. Before the houses in it were built, there were beautiful gum trees growing.

There was beautiful bush land opposite the station where the hotel and the flats are built. Some of the soil for our fern garden came from the bush near Oroya Hospital.

Close to the College in Park Road is Burwood House, supposed to be the oldest house in Burwood. Many dances and parties were held there in the early days, and history tells of people riding, and even walking, out from Sydney to attend them. The land, a grant to Thomas Rowley in 1799, extended to Parramatta Road and Burwood Road.

Burwood was the name of a property in Cornwall, near which Captain Rowley lived. The College is situated at the corner of Park Road and Rowley Street.

Burwood Park has changed. The white picket fence all round gave place, about 1905, to a single rail fence, and later to no fence at all, as at present. The paths at first were tracks, but gradually the park developed into the fine park and playing ground it is now. A small stream crossed the Park at the bottom south corner, and caused a lot of trouble in wet weather. The stormwater channel follows the bed of the stream which crossed the block of land near the park-the back of Dunn's shop now-through the park to the back of Miss Hoctor's school to Esher Street. Dunn's

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shop is well known to the present girls and recent Old Girls, but before the present group of shops were built, there was the fine residence and surgery of the College Doctor-Dr. E. G. Blaxland.

The shops, as now, were mainly along Burwood Road: but they were smaller and fewer. Every Tuesday afternoon the boarders would go shopping after school. Murray & Coo's was the largest shop, but it did not cover the area it does now. It was a little further up the street, and where it is now there were three houses, in one of which Dr. Peach, and later Dr. Gates, lived, and had their dental rooms. One of these houses was taken down and re-built in Wyatt Avenue, and the other two were re-erected in Railway Parade. The now-a-days' College girls are interested in St. Luke's Park, where they hold their Sports. The Sports Ground used to be in Burwood Road, near Wyatt Avenue. A Fancy Dress Football match is remembered being held there. One of the biggest thrills in Burwood was "Bullock nights."

On Monday and Thursday nights, bullocks and flocks of sheep were driven along Parramatta Road from Flemington to the abattoirs at Glebe Island. It was the usual thing to stop and listen for the tramping of the animals or whip cracking before reaching Parramatta Road when wishing to cross. Occasionally a bullock would get away) and there would be a great chase for the horsemen, with whips cracking and dogs barking. There were no motor cars and trams in Burwood for many years, but there were many walks. Harcourt's Estate, beyond Enfield, which was surrounded with bush-Walker's Bush in Concord, where now there are many rows of cottages-Mortlake Cabarita, and Burwood Wharf, where boats could be hired and river picnics enjoyed, were all within walking distance.

Mortlake was honoured with a horse 'bus to Burwood until September, 1901. The electric tram replaced the steam tram in February, 1912.

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~(hool ~ong Music by LINDLEY EVANS.

Words by JOHN MASEFIELD.

Here in this house where we are singing thus Long generations will come after us: Friends we have never known will come to share This life of ours, wondering what we were.

Long after we are gone their minds will take The human pathways our endeavours make.

We shall not see them, but we can endow This place with beauty for them here and now, We can so live that after we are dead They may find beauty here like daily bread.

We can so live that they may find each one A life here of truth said and kindness done: The knowledge that this world of mysteries Wants many thousand true for one that's wise, The faith that when a twilight finds us gone, All we have consecrated will live on To help the souls of other unseen friends Into a calm where beauty never ends.

-By Permission of the Poet Laureate and the B"itish Society of Authors.

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epilogue: The M.L.C. of To-day

By Rev. H. C. Foreman, Principal.

The M.L.C. celebrates its Jubilee quietly and unassumingly. No trumpets are sounded, no bells are ringing, no ecstasies are indulged. Fifty years is a considerable space in the life of an individual or of a school. Crowded into the records of fifty years are many successes, some failures; but, above all, calm and clear, like a sunset cloud shot through with evening glory, lies the verdict of assurance.

That is the note of to-day. The M.L.C. has accomplished much; it is accomplishing more, and its future is as bright as the promises of God. The School takes pride in being regarded as a great secondary school. In point of numbers it is the largest Non-State Girls' School in New South Wales.

The enrolment is very near the 500 mark, and boarders are approximately 100. Many regard this as a desired maximum, and increase beyond these numbers must present some problems. The problems of M.L.C. to-day are the problems of Increase and Expansion. More class-rooms, more laboratories, more playing fields, a swimming pool, a new kindergarten, domestic, science classes-the list of desirabilities is very great. Not only are these things to be desired, but they are pressing needs. This School has no resources save current income; the handicap on extension may readily be admitted. The M.L.C. of to-day rejoices in a very efficient staff, whose zeal and devotion are beyond praise. The Headmistress, Miss Sutton, continues to be a magnetic leader, who wins and retains the confidence of scholars, teachers, parents, and friends. Her record as a Headmistress for so many years is brilliant. It is not to be wondered at that with such a staff and with such a Head, the School holds a splendid record in education, in sport, and in other interests. Above all things else, M.L.C. is a Christian School, and the contacts of the girls with the noblest ideals of our common faith, must result in the deepening of character and the inspiration of Christian service.