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ISSUE 3 — January 2020
Editor: Michele Dunn, Head of Marketing and Community Relations Editorial Team: Barbara Hoffman, Archivist; Shelley Kirkwood, Production Manager Photography: Joel Mesas, Nicole Anderson
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Ph | 02 9747 1266 General enquiries | enquiries@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
Collegiate magazine | oldgirlsunion@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au MLC School Archives | Barbara Hoffman on 02 8741 3214 or bhoffman@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
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Contents 2
MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
legiate 21 Principal’s message....................................................... 4
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OGU President welcome................................................ 6
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The Louise Bee Fountain gets a beautiful new home...................................................... 7 40 years since the closure of Boarding at MLC School.... 8 Leaders in building ......................................................12 Thanks for everything, Mr Finlay................................. 16 Reunions.......................................................................18
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Overseas..............................................................18 1969....................................................................19 1979................................................................... 20 1989................................................................... 21 1999................................................................... 22 2009................................................................... 23 2014................................................................... 22 Networking – Doing things differently........................ 24 Welcoming back our beloved Sapphires...................... 26 A passion to give back................................................. 28 An agent of change..................................................... 30 Supporting the legacy of MLC School......................... 31
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Vale.............................................................................. 34 MLC School Alumnae Awards..................................... 38 Dates for 2020............................................................. 39
Cover: General Sir Peter John Cosgrove, the 26th Governor-General of Australia, and Lady Lynne Cosgrove are accompanied by Pauline Johnston (Blight, 1988), Chair of Council; Lisa Moloney, Principal; Frances Booth, Deputy Principal and Jessica Kuo, 2019 School Captain, to the official opening of the Senior Centre. Disclaimer: MLC School has compiled Collegiate from various sources. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the information published is accurate, the editor cannot take responsibility for inaccuracies in the content or the authenticity of that information.
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I have also met many other Old Girls at our reunions in Hong Kong, Singapore and Perth as well as our 2014, 2009, 1999, 1989, 1979 and 1969 reunions, which were held here at School.
Principal’s message I am now at the start of my third year at MLC School and it has been a delight getting to know so many of our Old Girls. Many familiar faces have returned for our annual Back to School evening and, of course, our Sapphires’ Luncheon. This year we celebrated Nola Hewitt’s 99th birthday, which is an outstanding achievement.
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I look forward to seeing you on Friday 15 May 2020 when we hold our inaugural Back to College Dinner and Alumnae Awards. These awards will enable MLC School to acknowledge and celebrate our Old Girls for their outstanding efforts in a range of areas. I am thrilled that we will also have The MLC School Young Alumnae Award, an award to recognise the achievements of Old Girls under the age of 40 years, who have made a significant impact in their field of endeavour in one or more of the award criteria. This is an exciting initiative and one I am confident the Old Girl community will fully embrace. Please see further information about the Awards and the nomination process on page 38 of this Collegiate. At the end of 2019 we farewelled our long-serving Deputy Head of Junior School, Douglas Finlay and celebrated his 24 years of dedication to our girls. Our Director of Music, James Allington also retired after five years of outstanding leadership of the MLC School Music Department. We wish them both a wonderful well-earned retirement and offer them our great thanks for their incredible contributions to the School. In this issue, we look back at the history of boarding at MLC School, to commemorate the closure of the MLC School Boarding House 40 years ago.
MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
I am sure you will be fascinated by the article covering the development of the School campus over the last 134 years, a story that begins with our founder, Rev Dr Charles Prescott and highlights our proud history of being a leader in building spaces for exceptional learning. The most recent addition to our impressive range of facilities is the new Senior Centre, officially opened in May 2019, by Sir Peter Cosgrove, the 26th Governor-General of Australia. On a gloriously sunny day, MLC School flags were waving madly as Their Excellencies, Sir Peter and Lady Cosgrove, stepped out of their car on Friday 24 May 2019 to officially open the Senior Centre. Our Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 girls lined the footpaths on Park Road, resplendent in their full School uniform, as they cheered on the Governor-General. After meeting Principal, Lisa Moloney; Chair of Council, Pauline Johnston; and the School Executive, Lady Cosgrove was presented with flowers from our School Captain, Jessica Kuo; and our fifth-generation MLC School girl, five-year-old, Poppy Frederick. A fanfare of Taiko drums welcomed the Governor-General and the official party as they made their way along Park Road and into the grounds. The opening of the Senior Centre was the Governor-General’s last official school event before his retirement. The Opening was attended by Mayor of Burwood, Councillor John Faker; architects, BVN; the Senior Centre builders, Lipman; and the MLC School community.
5M L C S C H O O L O L D G I R L S ’ M A G A Z I N E
In his address, Sir Peter Cosgrove spoke of the MLC School tradition, over 130 years of educating girls to exceed expectations and to push the boundaries. ‘Because an extraordinary life, a full life, one of contributing to community and nation, doesn’t just happen by going through the motions, by accepting the status quo. It happens by questioning, by challenging, by dreaming of more. ‘And this is the MLC School way, to Dare to be more. Since inception MLC School has been a force for empowerment, a force for the education for girls.’ It is a privilege to lead MLC School, a place where our current students push the boundaries and expectations of what girls can and should achieve; where our Old Girls are leaders in society who profoundly impact others both professionally and personally.
LISA MOLONEY PRINCIPAL
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OGU President welcome Welcome to Collegiate – your magazine celebrating both our links with the School in days gone by as well as MLC School today. I am proud to represent you as President of the OGU and would like to update you on a few of the activities we have undertaken this year.
Connecting with Old Girls In late September, I had the pleasure of meeting with the outgoing Year 12 girls at their Old Girls’ Morning Tea. As I circulated, listening to the excited chatter, I was truly impressed with these young women who are now our newest Old Girls. They, like us, are fiercely independent, and have a bright future because of the education they received at MLC School. Then a month or so later I joined our oldest Old Girls (and one Old Boy) at the Sapphires’ Luncheon and Chapel Service. Our oldest attendee was just shy of her 99th birthday, and the youngest guests left school 51 years ago. Our Sapphires are also a fiercely independent group who have thrived, due in no small part to the well-rounded MLC School education they also received.
Chapel and Potts Hall refurbishment The OGU has continued with the restoration/ refurbishment of the Chapel. This has included French polishing all the timber, replacing brass plaques, installing some curtains and cushions, replacing the modern alter with the beautiful table from Potts Hall that many will remember up on the stage at assemblies and, most recently, we placed an order for pews to replace the linked chairs from Potts Hall. Heating/air-conditioning is still a work in progress which is waiting for the Chapel roof replacement, part of the School’s maintenance program. The beautiful new stage curtains in Potts Hall are also a donation from the OGU. 6
OGU Teaching Fellowship The Teaching Fellowship has just wrapped up its third round of applications. This year we sent David Latimer, Head of Department – Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE), to the USA on a study tour to identify new and exciting ways to utilise IT in the learning space. We look forward to David’s presentation.
School Bursary Initiative Perhaps our most significant commitment this year was the decision to support the School’s Bursary Initiative with a very generous sum. This initiative will benefit the daughters of MLC School Old Girls as well as girls currently at school who would otherwise not be able to benefit, or continue benefiting, from an MLC School education and all that it has to offer. Perhaps you have been thinking of a way that you can support the generations who will come after us? Perhaps you would like to share both your love for your old School and the benefits you derived from your time here? I invite you to support this initiative by considering a gift in your Will (also known as a Bequest). By leaving a gift of any size, you can remember your time at the School in a very tangible way and, importantly, you will contribute to the future generations of young women who will shape the direction our world takes. I head out today to meet with a group of my 1981 MLC School classmates for a girls’ weekend where we will laugh, reminisce, and sing the School Song as well as our final assembly performance song (I Am Woman). As I know there may be a little House rivalry, I have been thinking about the four Houses that shaped our time at the School. MLC School was (as always) an early adopter of many things and the House system was no different. Many of you would have been a part of the House system that ultimately changed MLC School forever and became an important part of the way the School works. Today there are ten Houses, but I would like to remind you of the original four and their meanings –
Mooramoora means ‘good spirit’ Leawarra
means ‘uprising’
Churunga
means ‘sacred place’
Booralee means ‘an ideal to which we must aspire’ All of these still represent much of which is the spirit of MLC School, and are captured in our School Song. As an MLC School Old Girl you would know intimately how our School Song speaks of the tradition of passing on to the generations who follow, a place of beauty, truth and kindness – and this has never been more important than today. So, I would like to leave you here today with an invitation to join us at any of our meetings, and with a reminder of these words that we carry in our heart and memories. Let’s put them into action in our lives every day:
Long generations will come after us; Friends we have never known will come to share, This life of ours, wondering what we were. We shall not see them, but we can endow This place with beauty for them here and now. With warm regards,
SUE CARTWRIGHT (PACKHAM, 1981) MLC SCHOOL OGU PRESIDENT
Sue Cartwright (Packham, 1981) OGU President
Helena Grahame (1959) Vice-President
Joanne Brady (Foster, 1989) Secretary
Ingrid Zhang (2001) Treasurer
MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
THE
Louise Bee Fountain
GETS A BEAUTIFUL NEW HOME Louise Bee (1972) was an MLC School student from 1968 (Year 8) until the completion of her HSC in 1972. Her first two years were as a Day Girl, and from the beginning of Year 10 she became a Boarder, which she loved wholeheartedly. Louise was the daughter of Joy Bee (Cunynghame, 1942), sister of Judith Everitt (Bee, 1964) and Susan Comrie-Thomson (Bee, 1974), and aunt of Elizabeth Comrie-Thomson (2004). School friends and teachers said she was bright, creative, generous and brave and had a vivid, joyous personality, a great talent for friendship and an outrageous sense of humour. At school, Louise excelled at Literature, Drama, History, Geography and Sport. In 1972 she was a Senior Prefect, Captained the School’s A teams in Netball, Softball and Hockey and was awarded the Old Girls’ Union Prize ‘for outstanding scholarship, sportsmanship and leadership’ at the 1972 Speech Night. Louise was a lover of sailing and in 1981 she and her partner purchased a sailboat and travelled for over a year around the North Atlantic, Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, and across the South Pacific. In an interview in the Jan-Feb 1981 issue of Cruising World, Louise said she loved that their boat’s features also allowed them to sail in the shallow water around the many islands they visited. They were able to meander from place to place and then spend the nights in coves. Tragically, Louise and her partner were lost at sea between Ulithi and Yap (Marianas Islands) during Typhoon Ruby on 29 June 1982. Louise was 27. In 2007, the Louise Bee Fountain was donated to MLC School by Louise’s family in memory of their cherished daughter, and was positioned in the landscaped area near the Whitley Building. Earlier this year, with the major building and landscaping works completed, the Fountain was given a new home in the area bounded by the Year 6 Centre, the Senior Centre, Independent Learning Centre and the Sutton Building. Louise’s parents, Joy and Robert Bee, who regularly join us at the Sapphires’ Luncheon, were able to view the Fountain in its new home in October last year. Their Fountain is a beautiful and touching memorial to a loved Old Girl and her special family. 7
40
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1958 Boarders
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since the closure of Boarding at MLC School We reflect on a significant part of the School’s heritage. When MLC School opened on 27 January 1886, most of the 12 students enrolled were Boarders. By the late 1890s the number of Boarders had increased to 55. Over the next 60 years, the Boarding House population steadily increased, reaching its peak of 130 (its maximum capacity) in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1976, a few months before the destructive fire of 7 January 1977, the idea to cease boarding at MLC School was already being considered by the School’s administrators. Boarding numbers had steadily declined from 130 Boarders in 1970 to below half that number by 1976. Boarding at MLC School was established to accommodate students from rural and regional areas, and traditionally they had been both the heart of the Boarding House and the reason for its existence. Due to the devastating 1970s rural recession, the number of rural and regional Boarders plummeted, and by the 1970s the boarding population had changed to a blend of overseas students and local senior students who were boarding from Monday to Friday only. In addition, statistics collected in the 1970s confirmed a trend away from boarding in Australian schools. Anticipating great opposition to the idea of ending a significant School tradition, in 1976 the School Council decided to postpone any action on closing the Boarding House for a few years. This would allow the MLC School community time to consider the reasoning behind the decision and also give them opportunity to comment on the proposal.
The fire in January 1977 changed everything and the future of boarding at MLC School was self-evident. The fire completely destroyed or significantly damaged most of the Boarders’ accommodations: sleeping dormitories, bathrooms, sitting rooms, kitchens and dining room. Since the demand for boarding at MLC School was not there, the School Council decided not to rebuild the damaged and destroyed boarding areas and to phase out boarding at MLC School by the end of 1979. The decision was met with much concern and distress, particularly amongst our rural Old Girls who felt a great sadness that their old school was abandoning one of its traditions. Many appeals were made to change the decision, but financial considerations meant that the Council’s hands were tied, and at the beginning of 1980, MLC School opened its doors to day students only. The final ‘Boarders’ Notes’ in Excelsior 1979 ended with: ‘Although the closure of boarding will inevitably change the character of the School, we look forward to a new era of growth and development.’
The unique Boarder experience Sinker pudding, Midnight Feasts and Boarders’ banquets – for MLC School Boarders these words evoke memories of many happy times shared with their boarding ‘sisters’. As a Boarder, friends were not limited to year groups. The deep sisterly relationships that developed from living together went on to become friendships that lasted a lifetime. The Boarders’ life at School was quite different to that experienced by the ‘daybugs’. Lunch didn’t come out of a paper bag; the always
hungry Boarders were able to raid the Boarders’ biscuit tin in the tuck-shop after school; and occasionally, as a special treat on a Sunday, they might enjoy a slice of cake. Our Boarders hold traditions and memories of a very different MLC School experience, and so a gathering of Boarders is a special occasion that brings Old Girls together who share a unique bond, both with each other and with their School.
Boarders’ Banquet The annual Boarders’ Banquet (also sometimes named House Banquet in Excelsior) commenced in 1928. It was an end of year celebratory dinner for Boarders and invited guests. Over 50 years later, the final Boarders’ Banquet took place at the end of 1979, just before the closing of the Boarding House. Although it was an emotional occasion, the last MLC School Boarders made a ‘valiant effort to keep their chins up’. However, at the following morning’s Assembly, when Rev Cornwell referred to ‘the traumatic experience’ of the last of the Boarders’ Banquets, emotions were released and many tears fell. In April 1997, a group of Boarders decided to gather for lunch on the Principal’s Lawn. The sinker pudding dessert only heightened the nostalgia and joy of the event and a date was quickly set for a Boarders’ reunion for the following year. April 1998 saw many Old Girl Boarders at MLC School enjoying a luncheon dubbed the Boarders’ Midday Feast. It was decided to return to the original name of Boarders’ Banquet, and in 1999, 2003 and 2005 successful Boarders’ Banquet events were held.
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Reflections on Boarding at MLC School ‘One thing that unites the Boarders is their unanimous decision at each Boarders Vs Day Girls event, that they will conquer the “Daybugs”.’ Boarding Staff, 1960s One Boarder from the 1950s recalls that the lack of entertainment provided to the Boarders on weekends led them to become quite ingenious.
‘Sliding down the staircase on a mattress in the middle of the night. Would have received a BIG detention if we’d been caught!’ 1974 Boarder ‘A Boarder is very partial to food. Time and place have no bearing at all on this fact, and the variety of food is of only secondary importance’.
‘This year has been a year as full as a Day She particularly remembers how Dr Wade Girl’s lunchbox’. refused to allow playing cards in the Boarders’ ‘Midnight Feasts existed in perfect harmony Dormitory, due to her strict Methodist views with a colony of cockroaches’. that playing cards would lead to gambling. She says, ‘we had to make our own fun’ and she and her fellow Boarders would always find a way.
‘We lived for fourteen weeks on traditional Boarding House fare of bread and jam (with no butter), tinned fruit and endless sausages’.
From around the School grounds they collected large leaves which they pressed and dried. These were then shaped and patterned into a deck of cards.
‘Whenever food is mentioned to the Boarder, eyes light up with greedy anticipation.’
Once the cards were discovered and confiscated, the inventive and indomitable Boarders simply began again. Boarder from the 1950s Wanting to distinguish themselves as MLC School girls, it was the Boarders of 1906 who ‘formed a deputation to the Headmistress, Miss Wearne, to ask for a uniform’.
Boarders’ Unique Experience ‘One cannot live under the same roof with people without getting to know them well, and living at such close quarters with others we have learned to tolerate and appreciate each other.’ Mrs G. R. Kroiter, House Superintendent, 1979
1965
On their own initiative the senior girls planned to have their School frocks made all in the same style, and returned after the holidays in a ‘uniform’ of their own design (a white blouse with long dark-blue skirt with light trim). Walk in the Light, 1986 ‘No homework was set on Fridays, as this was Bath Night. There was a wood copper stoked by “the man”. The room also contained pegs for raincoats and shelves for rubber shoes. Early Boarders still associate the smell of rubber with the weekly “tub”.’ Boarder from the 1890s
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1974
epout e l s r e w o T the Boarders in
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Leaders in building spaces for exceptional learning experiences SINCE 1886 ct stru ’ con e s o u lt Ho 5 hoo g nt t sc ildin ‘Ke v 188 s r s ’ u fi er No a’s n b est rali rte s L d in ust derga Mis chase A in pur ak
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MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
Pioneering the education of girls and young women
with things … which would fit them for any position in the world’.
From the early days of the Wesleyan Church in Australia, the higher education of women and girls was considered an important objective.
He further stated that women were entitled to take their place ‘as the co-equals of men, in every avenue of human activity’.
In 1872, the Wesleyan Conference of NSW resolved that: ‘the superior education of the daughters of our people was a worthwhile objective’.
For the late 1800s, these ideals – the core of MLC School’s foundation – were revolutionary. For over 134 years, MLC School has continued to subvert preconceptions of women’s roles by preparing girls to be ‘fit for any position in the world’.
On 4 May 1883, a Committee (which included our future Founding Principal, Rev Dr Charles Prescott) met at the Wesleyan Centenary Chapel York Street, Sydney and the idea of our School began: ‘considering the great importance to our Church of higher education… the time has now come for the immediate establishment in the Colony of a high school for girls.’ The Committee spent three years searching for the right property and in November 1885 Miss Lester’s ‘Kent House’, on the corner of Rowley Street and Park Road, with adjacent paddock, was purchased. Within six weeks, Rev Dr Prescott had sourced furniture, hired staff and the School was ready for students. The Sydney Morning Herald advertisement on 23 January 1886 announcing the imminent opening of the Wesleyan Ladies’ College, included that the School would ‘make provision for those who wish to prepare for University honours’. This radical statement was only five years after women had, for the first time, gained admission to The University of Sydney. Delivering the Schofield Hall opening address in November 1892, Rev Charles Stead stated that the ambition of the Wesleyan Ladies’ College was that its graduates would ‘possess a store of knowledge and breadth of view, and a reliance upon their own acquaintance
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1971 1961
5m t2 l Firs g poo in imm sw
x Ma
hs rap l tog choo o h S n p the pai Du
ns ope m u asi mn Gy
Mens sana and corpus sanum The paddock, acquired with the original purchase of Miss Lester’s Kent House, now greatly expanded, has remained a sports field for the life of the School. Developing the ‘whole person’ with a ‘mens sana’ (healthy mind) as well as a ‘corpus sanum’ (healthy body), as Rev Dr Prescott stated in 1886 in his first Speech Day report, has always been at MLC School’s core. The School’s focus on physical activity and sport reflects a commitment to building leadership skills and developing within our girls a strong sense of fair play and resilience.
Rather than following education trends, MLC School has created them. From the time of its inception there was a clear intention to acquire land and construct buildings to provide a superior level of educational experiences for its students. By being at the forefront of innovative teaching methods and evolving our educational spaces, MLC School has consistently been able to offer its students exceptional learning environments.
On 3 November 1906, MLC School held its first Sports Day on the Sports Field – the first Athletics Carnival for girls in Australia. Old Girl Marguerite Cooper (Henry, 1913) reminisced that ‘we were considered very “modern” because we had a Sports Day and ran races like our brothers.’
Australia’s first school to construct a kindergarten building Shortly after the opening of MLC School, Rev Dr Prescott, who firmly believed in the importance of educating very young children, persuaded the College Council to establish a co-educational kindergarten.
Expanding with the help of bequests A second donation from Mrs Ellen Schofield, our first great benefactor who made possible the construction of Schofield Hall, led to the building of the Tower Wing that housed classrooms as well as the Principal’s residence. The hand-drawn plan for the construction, dated 11 July 1918, is one of the oldest plans held in the School’s archives.
The importance of this innovation cannot be understated. The Kindergarten Movement, based on ideas developed in Germany by Friedrich Froebel, was in its early days in Australia and was struggling to gain support.
1978 1977
The success of the kindergarten was evident within the first year, leading the College Council to approve the building in 1890 of a ‘one-storey wooden structure with a wide verandah’ to house the new kindergarten. It stood at the corner of Rowley and Grantham Street in the corner of the existing School grounds and was the first purpose-built kindergarten in Australia.
A history of building spaces for exceptional learning experiences
ys tro des ions e r t fi da 977 mo d ry 1 ccom a l an atre u a ’ an ape he 7 J arders Ch ma T Bo Dra
use Ho de a W
Rev Dr Prescott’s vision placed the Wesleyan Ladies’ College in the forefront of educational practice when it established a kindergarten in 1889.
c usi ry M a n te Cen ntre Ce
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1998
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2009 2003
1987
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2019
2011 ool Sch or i n Ju
tre Cen or i n Se
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Our first gymnasium, opened 1890 (circa 1912)
The Potts years of expansion and growth The much-admired Rev Potts was Principal of MLC School from 1922 to 1933. Under his stewardship the School purchased many new properties and expanded significantly. He directed the building of numerous classrooms, tennis courts and a hockey field, and beautified the School by laying many gardens.
Architect’s drawing of Sutton House, opened 1949
He also remodelled the School’s frontage, wrapping Miss Lester’s original Kent House to match the rest of the facade, and with that he created Prescott Wing. Within the Prescott Wing, Mabel Sutton, Old Girl (1896) and Headmistress (1912–1940), organised the construction of our first Science Lab which opened in Term 1, 1924. At the same time, Miss Sutton added Physics to the MLC School curriculum (to accompany Chemistry, Biology, Botany and Geology) and MLC School became the first school in Australia to have girls sit Physics in the Leaving Certificate. In 1923, Rev Potts was instrumental in procuring Abbeythorpe which played an important role in the life of the School for over 50 years, accommodating Kindergarten and Primary classes as well as weekly Boarders.
Our first Science lab, opened 1924
Youngarra purchased 1949 and renamed Kent House
Rev Potts’ final and greatest achievement was overseeing the construction of our Assembly Hall, with ‘numerous gymnastic rooms, and other conveniences, beneath it’, opening in 1926. After his sudden and tragic death in 1933, the Assembly Hall was renamed the Potts Assembly Hall in his honour. In 1929 and in the 1930s further properties along Park Road were purchased and the School’s property grew once more. In 1936 ‘Cartreff’ at 36 Grantham Street was acquired and renamed Sutton House in honour of Miss Mabel Sutton.
Abbeythorpe purchased 1923 Potts Hall with Wade House (L) and Prescott Wing (R), 1961
Max Dupain’s The Young Violinist , Sutton House, 1971
The next great expansion of the School was with the 1949 purchase of ‘Youngarra’, which stood on the corner of Rowley and Gordon Streets. At the same time the School celebrated the opening of the newly constructed Sutton House along the Grantham Street edge of the original ‘Cartreff’ property. ‘Youngarra’ was renamed Kent House, in tribute to the first property purchased for the School in 1885. From 1949 to 1965, this Kent House was occupied by the Kindergarten and Lower Primary School. It was replaced by a
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MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
new and larger building (the Kent House we know today), which finally brought the whole Kindergarten and Primary School under the one roof in 1966. Wearne Library MLC School established a fiction library in its second year, and in 1922, with funds donated by the Old Girls’ Union, a Reference Library was established. The Reference Library was renamed ‘The Minnie F. Wearne Library’ in 1932 in memory of the former MLC School Headmistress (1887–1909) – and one of the first women to graduate from the University of Sydney – who had died that year. Sutton House was built to house the contents of the Fiction and Reference Libraries. The new combined library retained the name Wearne Library, and a full-time trained Librarian was employed. The Library occupied most of the first floor of Sutton House and contained shelving for 8000 books. In 1971, while on assignment for the Department of Trade, Max Dupain visited MLC School and on the landing outside the Wearne Library in Sutton House, he ‘strikingly captured the silhouette of a young violinist rehearsing’. This photograph was used by the Department of Trade to promote Australia’s education system, and was also used by the National Archives of Australia for the cover of their 2007 publication Max Dupain: On Assignment. In 1983 the new Wearne Library was opened (since incorporated into the Independent Learning Centre (ILC). The site chosen for the new Library was almost directly behind the old one (in Sutton House). The building was elevated to first-floor level and the area underneath was paved, providing landscaped gardens and seating. In 1998 the Independent Learning Centre was opened with the Wearne Library located on its first and second floors. Our first swimming pool The idea of a swimming pool began in 1929 with the establishment of the Parents and Friends (P&F) Association. The original members chose as their first objective ‘the provision of a swimming pool in the College grounds’. The Great Depression and WWII meant that fund raising was a challenge, but on 9 March 1957 the P&F had their ‘fulfilment of a dream’ and the first MLC School pool was officially opened.
Design for the Seventies At the beginning the 1970s many urgent needs were identified: more boarding house accommodation, renovations to existing boarder facilities, additional class rooms and laboratories. A campaign Design for the Seventies was established to achieve these goals. The final ‘dream’ was to build a ‘first class gymnasium’. This dream came to fruition when in 1978 the gymnasium (now capped within the Aquatic Centre) was opened. From the ashes The devastation of the 1977 fire was substantial – the whole of the Rowley Street and Park Road corner was destroyed. As always, the School rallied and within a few years two new and important buildings were celebrated in a grand opening in 1981. For the first time on the campus, the School had a Chapel as well as an impressive new Drama Theatre. MLC School’s centenary The building project chosen to commemorate 100 years as a school was the Centenary Music Centre. Opened in 1987, the new home for Music at MLC School contained a recital auditorium, keyboard laboratory, three classrooms and twelve studios, adding great energy to the already flourishing department. A home for technology When the Independent Learning Centre was opened in 1998 it was the physical centre for the Information Technology and Network Communications for the whole School. Building the ILC demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the development and improvement of flexible learning spaces that incorporate technological advances. ILC now is the home of Café 1886, the Wearne Library and the Ailsa Butcher Room on ILC3. This room contains Foundation Boards recognising our generous donors who made the ILC possible. Expansion of our swimming and diving space The award-winning MLC School Aquatic Centre was opened in 2003 by Dawn Fraser AO and Old Girl Olympian, Lorraine Thurlow AM (Crapp, 1955). Its construction expanded physical education programs and provided a comprehensive, year-round learn to swim and
squad training program. Generous donors who made the Aquatic Centre possible are recognised on the Foundation Boards within the Aquatic Centre.
Developments in the last decade The last decade at MLC School has been about consistently challenging classroom boundaries to improve outcomes for students. Two factors key to continuing this tradition for 21st century learners – tailoring learning to individual needs and the integration of technology – are difficult to achieve in traditional classrooms. The inspired designs of the MLC Junior School (opened in 2009) and Year 6 Centre (opened in 2011) utilise the relationships between space, colour and light to create places that encourage children to develop their full range of senses and experiences, to nurture their intellectual and creative development, and to capture the young, playful and imaginative world of the inquisitive early learner.
Today All of our innovative spaces have informed the ideas behind the Senior Centre, which was officially opened in May 2019. This impressive new building features light and comfortable, flexible and agile spaces for collaborative, individual or contemplative tasks. They are equipped with technology and other learning tools to facilitate the development of challenging and relevant curricula for girls to engage in their learning. It allows each girl to interact, imagine, multi-task, focus, collaborate, create, and innovate, and brings out the best in every student.
With gratitude to our Community The story of MLC School’s expansion over the last 134 years would not have been possible without generous contributions from our community. Donations raised by the MLC School Building Fund have assisted, and will continue to assist, financing major capital works of extraordinary vision for the future of all girls at MLC School.
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for everything, Mr Finlay After 24 years’ service to MLC Junior School, Douglas Finlay heads off on his retirement adventure.
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MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
Doug commenced as a class teacher at MLC School in January 1996 after a year teaching in London. Prior to this he was the inaugural Master of the Junior School at All Saints’ College Bathurst, and the Headmaster of Gib Gate (a Frensham School) at Mittagong. At the start of his MLC School career, Doug taught Year 4 with Diana Drummond, at the time a graduate teacher, who went on to become the Head of MLC Junior School. Doug was the first male teacher in almost 20 years to join the Junior School staff and he says ‘employing a male teacher in the Junior School at that time had an element of innovation to it’. Two years after Doug joined the Junior School, the then Headmistress of Kent House (as the MLC Junior School was known from 1949 to 2008) retired. This prompted a restructure, and Doug was made the Head of Department Kindergarten to Year 5; essentially a Deputy Head role. In 2015, when Doug was asked whether he would like to no longer have responsibility for teaching a class, he demurred as ‘I had always been reluctant to cut back on my teaching load, because the relationship a teacher has with his or her class is a special one, in fact it is the aspect of teaching which motivates teachers above everything; it’s what makes me get up every morning and look forward to the day ahead.’ One aspect of working at MLC School which has always been an absolute joy for Doug has been the quality of music in the School and the dedication of the amazing people who have run the Music Department. Doug was involved in two major musical events put on by MLC School, the first being Noye’s one-act opera Fludde – a medieval miracle play set to music by the renowned British composer Benjamin Britten. Doug played Noah in the opera, with every girl in the Junior School dressed as an animal taking refuge in Noah’s ark.
2000s), in collaboration with the librettist Mary Elizabeth. The opera was commissioned by MLC School and was held over two nights in September 2008 at the outdoor stage in the Homebush Bay Olympic site. Although most of the performers in the opera were Junior School students, Doug was delighted to be given the role of Old Father Time, one of the few adult roles in the performance. Another aspect of school life which Doug says has been especially gratifying is the role he has had with Student Leadership in the Junior School. Doug says that for the last 20 years it has been his great pleasure to meet with the School and House Captains at weekly Leadership Lunches. He says that although every group has had different personalities and different collective skills, a significant constant has been the girls’ desire to serve and to make the School a better place for all of the girls. Doug imagines that many people might wonder how somebody could remain working at the same school for 24 years without becoming stale or bored. He says that it has only been possible because MLC School is different. ‘With inspirational leaders, both within the Senior and Junior School, for whom life-long learning is a way of life, change and innovation became part of the fabric of life at the Junior School. Each year had its new learning challenges, new personal and school goals and, of course a new group of girls to work with. The girls are the spiritual and intellectual life blood of the school. Simply put, they are what makes MLC School the best learning environment in the world’. Old Girl Dionne Wong (2005) sent Doug a touching tribute. It was a wonderful surprise ‘retirement present’ for a great teacher.
“
Dear Mr Finlay,
It’s been quite a few years now since I was sitting in 4F listening to you. I still remember fondly when you read to us, especially Midnight’s Tale and Watership Down. I have memories of when you taught us gravity and about depth and perception. Once you told us we could keep a 10 dollar note if we could catch it between our fingers, all the while knowing that our reflexes would never be able to achieve this. And thus the science lesson began.
I could go on and on, but to my point: You must have taught hundreds of students by now, and I’ve had a dozen or more teachers since I was in Year 4 … but I think there are always those teachers who really stay in your memory. When you’re nine or ten years of age, you never really realise the gift of a good teacher. At the age of 31 I can now say, you are one of the teachers to be remembered. After all these years, I wanted to contact you to say thank you. Thank you for the great memories and lessons – both formal, and as I look back now, the life lessons that you passed on to us. Thanks for everything, Mr Finlay! Dee (Dionne Wong, 2005)
“
We can only echo Dee’s thoughts on behalf of the hundreds of girls and parents that Doug has nurtured during his days at MLC School.
Another memorable musical event for Doug was the staging of Kiravanu, an opera for children written by James Humberstone (MLC School’s Composer-in-Residence in the
17
Overseas
Reunions
18
Old Girls in Hong Kong and Singapore In May, Principal Lisa Moloney travelled to Hong Kong and Singapore, and caught up with Old Girls in each city. ‘One of the things that regularly strikes me about both our Old Girls and our current girls is their strong sense of self and commitment to their own learning and intellectual growth (whether that be while at School or beyond). Recently, I had the opportunity to meet a number of our Old Girls who are currently
living in Hong Kong and Singapore. Despite their different ages and professions, as is the hallmark of our graduates, they were all strong, independent women who are making their mark on the world in their own way,’ said Ms Moloney after her trip. The events were also a chance for enrolled and prospective families to interact with MLC School Old Girls and meet Ms Moloney.
Ms Moloney will travel to Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong in the first week of March 2020 and there will be events for Old Girls and prospective parents in each city.
MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
How time flies The MLC School cohort of 1969 has always been a tight knit community with generational links with the School. Some friendship groups in this cohort celebrate annually and others join them from all over Australia for the milestone decade reunions at MLC School. Those who were in attendance for their 50-year reunion at MLC School were delighted to see old faces and catch up with friends they have not seen for some time.
1969 Although much has changed, a tour of the School still brought back memories. The Tower is still there, the Boarding House dining room is now the Chapel – the Boarders still remember the chairs! The 1969 Old Girls were pleased to see that the School is still at the forefront of girls’ education when they visited the new Senior Centre and the Junior School.
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1979 Members of the Class of 1979 gathered for their 40-year reunion in the Sutherland Rooms in July. It was a lovely event where memories were shared from both previous reunions and life at School in 1979. The photo display put together by the School Archivist, Barbara Hoffman, sparked many memories of friends, good times and secret visits to the Tower. The 1979 Old Girls commented during their tour of the School, that it was impressive how the new developments showcased the wonderful exciting educational and sporting opportunities available to this and the next generation of MLC School students.
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MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
Thirty years has passed since the Class of 1989 walked out the MLC School gates ready to take on the world and to embrace life and all it has to offer. For the 62 of us who returned to the school for our reunion on 17 August, it was an awesome afternoon of bonding and sharing, and included messages from another 12 girls who couldn’t be with us in person but shared their stories via a video presentation. We laughed, and even had some tears together, recounting our proudest moments and our most heart-breaking challenges. We acknowledged that life gets real in our late 40s as we deal with marriages, teenage children, career highs and lows, our own mortality and that of our families.
Whilst we were amazed at the physical transformation of the School with its new Senior Centre and other worldclass facilities, it was reassuring that the character of the courageous, compassionate and sassy ‘MLC School girl’ has endured through the years. Here’s to the amazing bond of our year group, and the true gift of life-long MLC School friendships. Let’s not leave it another ten years to catch up again!
KYLIE BRYDEN-SMITH (SMITH, 1989)
1989
21
1999
2014
A large and enthusiastic group of Old Girls returned to School to celebrate their 20-year reunion. The room was a buzz with happy faces who enjoyed the chance to catch up with one another and reminisce about days gone by at MLC School.
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MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
It may be only 10 years since the Class of 2009 left MLC School, but these Old Girls were excited to see the changes made during that time. We overheard quite a few comments and memories about old classrooms, teachers and locker areas, which have now been replaced by the wonderful new Senior Centre. The Old Girls gave a rousing rendition of the School Song, from the steps of the new Senior Centre, as their final farewell.
‘Whilst the school buildings had changed in the short time since we have left, the heart and spirit of MLC School still rings throughout the grounds. It was a great afternoon to be able to walk around the School and reminisce about old times.’ Although only five years out of school, the young women from the 2014 cohort commented on how MLC School prepared them to step into the world, whether it was to work in technology, be a lawyer, care for the environment or be involved with people. The 2014 reunion fell on the same day as the 50-year reunion and the young women from 2014 were inspired by the enthusiasm and friendship of those MLC School Old Girls who have remained close after 50 years.
2009 23
Networking Doing things differently The Old Girls’ networking breakfast at the Royal Automobile Club of Australia on Wednesday 28 August looked at ways to do things differently. The 45 Old Girls in attendance graduated between 1981 and 2013. They represented a very diverse range of careers and expertise, each one in her own way making her mark. We had representation across a wide range of fields including the Finance sector, Medicine, Marketing, Law, small business owners and Entertainment. Many were parents of current MLC School girls. After introducing the event, Head of Marketing and Community Relations, Michele Dunn, led panelists Megan Lavender (1988), Pallavi Sinha (1993) and Lija Wilson (Sutherland, 1993) through a series of questions which explored how each had ‘done things differently’ and the challenges and lessons they encountered along the way. The three panelists revealed how they have worked towards continued change in the workplace in diverse fields. Lija Wilson was named as a 2019 Flexible Work Day Ambassador in recognition of the work she has done to support women and men in senior positions to create flexible career options through an organisation she established called Puffling. Pallavi Sinha is a lawyer, academic and notary public and was selected in the prestigious AFR & Westpac 100 Women
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of Influence list. She also won a Corporate Vision Business Innovator Award in 2018 for her initiatives such as establishing Lawyers with Solutions – a multi-disciplinary firm, and active community work especially in the area of domestic and family violence.
Other themes that emerged were the realisation that perfect doesn’t matter, that it is more important to know your strengths and play to them, and the importance of giving back and understanding the responsibility that we have to do so.
Megan Lavender is a transformational leader of organisations and an experienced public company director and government board member. She is also peer recognised as one of the Asia Pacific’s best third sector CEOs – having held senior executive roles in the corporate, government and third sectors.
Less positively, we heard about the lack of diversity on corporate Boards, the tendency of women to undersell themselves, and the lack of flexibility available to parents and carers who wish to balance work, family and life. While there has been progress, it is slow.
Presently Megan serves as a federal government appointed board member of the Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service and a state government appointed board member of the NSW Ministry of Health Centre for Health Record Linkage and has been commissioned by the NSW Minister for Lands as deputy chairman of the 107-year-old Gosford Showground Crown Lands Trust.
Questions from the audience were insightful, and evoked nods around the room. Discussions and questions continued well into the morning with many Old Girls renewing old connections and building new networks. In addition, a number of Old Girls offered to mentor current students and to make themselves available to speak at assemblies and other School events.
Their stories resonated with everyone in the audience. Lija reminded us that there is still a 14 per cent disparity in salaries earned by women and men, which is equivalent to each woman working for free for 59 days each year. Each of them emphasised how important networking is to effect organisational change. They also pointed out that workplace change can only be successful if it is seen as important for both men and women.
The next MLC School Networking Breakfast will be held on 12 August 2020 – we hope you will join us.
MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
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WELCOMING BACK OUR BELOVED
Sapphires On Tuesday 15 October 2019 we welcomed over 120 of our Old Girls, and one Old Boy, to the annual Sapphires’ Luncheon.
Potts Hall was full of excitement and laughter as our Sapphires, our Old Girls who left MLC School more than 50 years ago, renewed acquaintances and shared memories. The strength of the connections between our Old Girls and their continuing love for their School was inspiring to all the MLC School students and staff who were present that day. Guests included 13 Old Girls who left between 1938 and 1948, including Nola Hewitt (Freeson, 1938) who turned 99 the week following the Luncheon. Five guests
Generational
High Tea 26
The strong connection to our School that passes from generation to generation is a cornerstone of MLC School’s history.
came from interstate and we were thrilled to welcome back two Old Girls who had travelled from abroad to be at the Luncheon. We spoke with them about their lives after MLC School. Elizabeth Craft (Fullerton, 1961), our 1961 School Captain, now lives in Greensboro in the USA. Attending this year’s Sapphires’ Luncheon became a priority for Elizabeth when she experienced a sudden and dramatic change in her life. ‘I had surgery for endometrial cancer last December and had set a goal of the Sapphires’ Luncheon for
In 2018 we welcomed our first fifth generation girl directly through the matriarchal line. She joins a multitude of MLC School families who have generations of women following in the footsteps of their forebearers.
MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
my return trip to Australia. The Luncheon was a delightful occasion and my friends and I all agreed everything was first-class. I hope that next year we can do it again.’ An ASF Scholarship at the end of Elizabeth’s first year at university in Sydney changed the course of her life. During her year away in Rutherford, North Carolina she met Bill Craft. After Elizabeth’s return to Australia they corresponded, and not long after Bill came to visit. After he was granted a visa allowing him to stay, Bill completed a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics at the University of Sydney. They married in 1965 and returned to the USA in December 1966. Bill and their granddaughter, Maria, accompanied Elizabeth on her trip this year. ‘It was a joy to return to MLC School for the Sapphires Luncheon. I have so many fond
‘I have so many fond memories of my years at the school and I am truly grateful for the values that were instilled in us.’ memories of my years at the School and I am truly grateful for the values that were instilled in us that have helped me to remain grounded for my entire life. I do hope I will be able to return again next year.’ Sue Williams (Harrison, 1962) left Sydney the day after Speech Night at Sydney Town Hall in December 1962 and has lived in the United Kingdom ever since. By happy chance, an already-planned trip to Australian coincided with the 2019 Sapphires’ Luncheon. Since leaving MLC School, Sue had only visited once before and that was 47 years ago. Of that visit she said ‘I popped in briefly,
We invite all the mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, aunts, cousins, etc, of current students to our inaugural Generational High Tea. The afternoon is a chance to connect across generations, share happy memories, and discover what’s new at MLC School.
when Dr Whitley was still Headmistress, for Assembly and a cup of coffee when I was out here visiting my parents about ten years after leaving the School.’ Sue was grateful to be able to return and reconnect with nine friends from her Class of 1962, saying ‘it was an excellent opportunity to revisit the establishment where I spent 12 years of my life.’ The inaugural Old Girls Chapel Service that preceded the Sapphires’ Luncheon was very warmly received and will remain a feature of the day.
‘These Old Girls helped to create a place of beauty, truth and kindness where our current girls thrive.’ The inaugural Generational High Tea will be held at the School at 4pm on Saturday 21 March 2020.
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A passion to
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MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
give back Evangelyn Carr (1951) is passionate about giving back to the community and is an example of an MLC School Old Girl who has been an agent of change in her own life and in the lives of others. Evangelyn’s can-do attitude has been a driving force in all aspects of her life and one that led to a distinguished career in nursing. She credits her parents for instilling this drive within her. Her father, George Carr, was a master builder who could draw plans freehand and who kept his building license active his entire life. He went into ministry later in life, and he and Evangelyn’s mother, Zen, created a wonderfully active and culturally rich community in the Riverina region in south western NSW. Once they decided that the nature and quality of the education at MLC School would be a good fit for their daughters, they moved to Sydney and sent both Evangelyn and her sister, Carol Miller (Carr, 1952), to the School. MLC School fostered Evangelyn’s love of music and art; passions that shaped her life. The two hundred framed miniatures in Miss Deer’s art room introduced her to the work of the great masters that she was later able to admire in art galleries around the world; and her violin teacher, Miss Simpson, built on her love of music that was inspired by her parents. To this day Evangelyn is responsible for all the flower arrangements at St Stephens Uniting Church and she credits Miss Deer for instilling in her a great sense of colour and design. After school, Evangelyn had a long and exceptional career in nursing and hospital management; most impressively as the Director of Nursing at Tresillian House for 21 years. Her work at Tresillian was featured in the Wentworth Courier, a local Sydney newspaper, in March 2016. In the article, Evangelyn refers to the days when she cared for a number of babies at the same time as ‘absolutely delightful’.
Under her tenure, Tresillian House pioneered new methods in the care of premature babies, and created a program to support parents who were struggling with post-natal depression. Evangelyn grew up in a world that was shaped by music and was very aware of its importance. During the construction of Tresillian House’s Kathleen Winning Unit in 1975, Evangelyn made sure that each nursery had an inbuilt sound system. She knew that music would both soothe the newborn babies and assist in their cognitive and sensory development. Several years ago, while reflecting on her time at MLC School and the impact it has had on her life, Evangelyn decided to leave a gift to the MLC School in her Will. ‘I will always be grateful to my parents for making it possible for me to attend MLC School,’ says Evangelyn. ‘I chose to give to the education of music because music plays such an important and underestimated role in living a healthy life from infancy to old age. ‘I feel that children should listen to music from day one. I directed the gift in my Will toward music at MLC School to create more opportunities for it to be enjoyed and available to as many people as possible. ‘I now realise how fortunate I was to have had the vast number of experiences I have lived in my life.’ In making her bequest known to the School, Evangelyn became one of the first members of the Ellen Schofield Society when it was launched in 2014. This Society is a means by which the School can recognise and thank generous members of our community who have left a gift in their Will during their lifetime. It is also an important way for the School to stay connected with bequestors so that their wishes are fully honoured. A gift in a Will has lasting impact and ensures that future generations of young women will be able to enjoy the benefits of an MLC School education. Gifts of any size leave an enduring legacy.
A gift of celebration and connection to MLC School
Though your time as a student at MLC School may be over, your connection to the School endures. You will always be a part of the community of MLC School as one of our cherished Old Girls. A paver in your name is a permanent recognition of your schooldays and your family’s involvement with MLC School. This can also be an opportunity to celebrate your family’s generational links at MLC School. Pavers bearing the names of grandmothers, mothers, granddaughters, etc, are all placed together as a permanent tribute to your family. To purchase a paver and leave your mark in the School’s foundation, visit payments.mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
For more information, contact MLC School Development Manager, Heleen Fourie on 02 8741 3129
If you would like to discuss your intention to leave a gift in your Will, please contact Heleen Fourie on 02 8741 3129 or hfourie@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au 29
An agent of change Subeta Vimalarajah (2011) commenced at MLC School in Year 7 in 2006. During her time at school, Subeta developed a passion for both feminist issues and helping others. Her views were formed by her contact with Old Girls who were her debating coaches, as well as by her teachers and by her involvement with Collective Voice (a lunch time club focuses on feminist issues). Subeta left MLC School in 2011 and commenced a Bachelor of Arts/Laws at the University of Sydney. Elected to the University of Sydney Students’ Representative Council, Subeta held the position of Women’s Officer. She also wrote for and edited the University’s student newspaper Honi Soit, as well as a number of other campus publications and student journals. During her final years at university, she worked at a number of community legal centres including the Refugee Advice and Casework Service, and the Central Land Council at Alice Springs. During this time, for six years, she maintained her connection with MLC School as a debating coach. According to Andrea Rowe, MLC School’s Debating Coordinator, ‘Subeta was passionate about debating and arguing about issues, particularly to do with the role of government and human rights in society. ‘She inspired the students in her Debating teams to display the same commitment to excellence, and under her coaching, several MLC School teams won championships.’ Subeta’s interest in others and the issues that affect them made her a natural spokesperson for the Pink Tax Movement in 2015. Subeta launched a campaign with
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GetUp! calling for the removal of the GST on sanitary products. As part of her campaign she directly lobbied federal, state and territory Ministers, organised protests across Australia and gathered 105,000 signatures via an online petition. Subeta’s campaign was widely covered in the media; she gave interviews to international newspapers and was interviewed on national television and radio. (The GST on sanitary products was eventually removed on 1 January 2019.) Later in 2015, she co-founded a not-for-profit that trains volunteers to deliver gender equality workshops in high schools across NSW. Subeta’s journey, however, may have been very different. In Year 9 her family considered moving Subeta to another school to significantly lighten their financial load. Principal, Mrs Barbara Stone, saw great potential in Subeta and offered her family financial support by means of a bursary. Not only did Subeta benefit from her final years at MLC School there’s no doubt that the School benefitted from her involvement, both as a student and as an Old Girl. ‘I will always be grateful that I was given the opportunity to be an MLC School girl. MLC School exposed me to many mentors and to values I still hold.’ Subeta now works in Canberra as a constitutional lawyer at the Australian Government Solicitor (which is part of the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department). If you are interested in a conversation around how you might support other young women like Subeta enrol or remain at MLC School through the Bursary Program, please contact Heleen Fourie on 02 8741 3129 or hfourie@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
Supporting
of MLC School
the legacy
“
‘There was an art teacher who kept 200 artwork miniatures in her classroom that changed the way I looked at life.’ ‘They could feed me a vegemite sandwich and I will come back to sing the School Song.’ ‘What an amazing group of women. Here’s to the true gift of life-long MLC School friendships.’ ‘He truly was an inspiring wonderful and irreplaceable teacher.’
“
These quotes are from Old Girls reflecting on their relationship with the School and what they took with them into the world. These memories of growing as a person and belonging to something special sets the School, and the women who have attended it, apart. As an Old Girl you are part of the MLC School spirit that has, from the time of its foundation, challenged the community’s assumptions about women and their capabilities. Inclusion and diversity have always been fundamental MLC School values. The burning philanthropic question for our community now is how to offer as many girls as possible the opportunity to benefit from an MLC School education? In the words of Principal, Lisa Moloney, ‘We have to consider our social responsibility and how, as a Uniting Church school we are rising to the challenge of being diverse, inclusive and just.’
MLC School has always supported girls whose futures at the School were tenuous due to unforeseen family circumstances such as illness, death and redundancy. For instance, in the early 2000s, 26 girls were able to complete their studies at the School as a result of a half or full bursary. This practice continues to this day. Helping girls like Subeta is the motivation behind the MLC School Bursary Initiative. This Initiative will benefit current girls at MLC School who suffer from unexpected hardships, as well as the daughters and relatives of Old Girls. It will also enable the School community to reach out and provide
opportunities to girls who would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend the School. The Old Girls Union has stepped up and offered to support the Initiative. The OGU has provided a significant sum to enable us to start the Bursary Initiative. These funds will make it possible to develop and grow this program and also allow us to start supporting current MLC School girls. Your love for the School and the role our Old Girls play in shaping our local and global communities, are the roots of philanthropy at MLC School. Donations from the Old Girls Union and individual Old Girls are vital and make a real and lasting impact. Late last year, an Old Girl contacted the School and explained that she wanted to support Indigenous students. As a result of her generosity the School has been able to reinvigorate our Indigenous Scholarship program. In partnership with the Inner West Indigenous Council, a handful of local Indigenous girls will now be joining our community next year. This Old Girl’s gift has been truly life changing. The size of a donation does not matter, recognising and contributing to the School at a level that is manageable sends a powerful measure of support. Equally, one should never underestimate the value of small, regular donations. A number of Old Girls contribute to the School on a monthly basis and have done so for many years. Their regular donations have now grown into substantial contributions. Gifts in a Will have changed the landscape of our campus over the years. In 2009, the School was surprised and delighted to discover that Old Girl Dr Daphne Line (1943), sister of Shirley Dixon (Line, 1945), had made a substantial bequest to the School in her Will. This generous donation covered a substantial portion of the cost of building the new Junior School. Daphne Line’s bequest to MLC School was in recognition of the education she received here; the education that led her on a journey of remarkable service and academic excellence. It is only through the ongoing support of our Old Girls and our community that we will be able to fulfil our philanthropic mission: to offer as many girls as possible the opportunity of an MLC School education, and to remain on the cutting-edge of girls’ education.
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2019 CURRENT STUDENTS WITH OLD GIRL MOTHERS, GRANDMOTHERS AND GREAT-GRANDMOTHERS
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STUDENT
YEAR
MOTHER
Amelia Ko
Pre-K
Sovan Ko (Tran, 1996)
GRANDMOTHER
GREAT-GRANDMOTHER
Amelia Lee
Pre-K
Shirley Liu (2005)
Avni Narang
Pre-K
Baneesha Narang (Chugh, 1999)
Henrietta Britton
Pre-K
Jane Britton (Greville, 1998)
Peita Nikolakopoulos
Pre-K
Stephanie Kazacos (2004)
Vaani Narang
Pre-K
Baneesha Narang (Chugh, 1999)
Estella Tran
K
Catherine Vu (1998)
Eve Hutchison
K
Danielle Hutchison (Oag, 2002)
Georgia Sioutas
K
Golfo Sioutas (Belogiannis, 1995)
Hannah Girgis
K
Christina Girgis (Salib, 2001)
Kyrani Countouris
K
Sandra Countouris (Loupis, 1997)
Olivia Smith
K
Emma Munro (1991)
Peta Bianchi-Howden
K
Poppy Frederick*
K
Sarah Prince (1996)
Vera Papaluca
K
Virginia Papaluca (Sim, 2000)
Victoria Cassar
K
Marie Cassar (Kazacos, 2002)
Alicia Suen
1
Valerie Cheung (1995)
Evelyn Tran
1
Catherine Vu (1998)
Fedra Nikolakopoulos
1
Stephanie Kazacos (2004)
Halimah Bokhari
1
Sakinah Ahmad (1998)
Aunts
Zoe Fotoulis
1
Amber Fotoulis (Pardy, 1997)
Aunt
Amara Sivagurunathan
2
Vicki Sivagurunathan (Sathasivam, 1993)
Anastasia Countouris
2
Sandra Countouris (Loupis, 1997)
Eloise Wong
2
Polly Chan (1990)
Emilia Sarayar
2
Natalie Sarayar (Yong, 1995)
Imogen Bush
2
Marion Bush (Jones, 1994)
Lucia Cicinelli
2
Mellissa Cicinelli (Manikas, 1989)
Olivia Burke
2
Jodie Burke (Moate, 1994)
Sophie Hong
2
Angela Hong (Au, 1999)
Anakha Nalliah
3
Christina Nallaiah (1994)
Ethelia Cassar
3
Marie Cassar (Kazacos, 2002)
Jade Scott-Rogers
3
Lara Scott (1992)
Jasmin Srisathkurunathan
3
Manjula Srisathkurunathan (Kumar, 1998)
Joanna Williams
3
Nicole Williams (Papamanuel, 1998)
Madeleine Girgis
3
Christina Girgis (Salib, 2001)
Milla Papaluca
3
Virginia Papaluca (Sim, 2000)
Pip McGuire
3
Dee McGuire (Seeto, 1992)
Amritha Ravichandra
4
Abirami Ravichandra (Senthilkumaran, 1996)
Chloe Miller
4
Tamara Carlin (1985)
Eleanor McKeough
4
Zoe McKeough (Barker-Whittle, 1994)
Imogen Wong
4
Polly Chan (1990)
Kyra Narang
4
Baneesha Narang (Chugh, 1999)
Rose Lin
4
Lillian Tsai (1995)
Anisha Sivagurunathan
5
Vicki Sivagurunathan (Sathasivam, 1993)
Ashley Denton
5
Pamela Quane (1992)
Ava Roins
5
Helene Roins (Dracos, 1997)
Chloe Kypreos
5
Mariel Kypreos (Pinfold, 1997)
Evelyn Kerr
5
Gauri Nathan
5
Ranita Nathan (Sungaran, 1991)
Abigail Bush
6
Marion Bush (Jones, 1994)
Amaya Karunakaran
6
Nirosha Karunakaran (Ganeswaran, 1996)
Evie Papamanuel
6
Francene Papamanuel (Dracos, 1995)
Amelia Glastonbury
7
Amelia Norton
7
Amanda Rowe (Clayton, 1993)
Chloe Arnold
7
Nirusha Arnold (Olegasegarem, 1990)
Crystal Balleine
7
Isabel Baudille
7
Carolina Baudille (Moll, 1993)
Isabelle Lin
7
Lillian Tsai (1995)
Keira O’Connor
7
Pennie O’Connor (Ypsilantis, 1985)
Matilda Banfield
7
Shannen Banfield (Lubrano, 1991)
Megan Ebel
7
Rebecca Ebel (Salter, 1994)
Susan Munro (Burgess, 1965)
OTHER
Aunt
Jocelyn Howden (Anderson, 1967) Heather Prince (Walker, 1965)
Heather Walker (Scott, 1928)
Great-Great-Grandmother, Aunt, Great Aunts
Jane Noake (1974)
Aunts
Janice Anne Quane (Harper, 1961)
Reta Harper (Anderson, 1932)
Aunt, Great Aunts Aunts Aunts
Helen Phyllis Kerr-Roubicek (Hazelton, 1965)
Gwenyth Hazelton (Balcomb, 1940)
Great Aunts
Aunts Beverley Glastonbury (Hammett, 1956)
Great Aunts
Lois Balleine (Walker, 1951)
Aunt, Cousin
MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
STUDENT
YEAR
MOTHER
Riley Chantler
7
Michelle Chantler (Tan, 1993)
Samantha Brady
7
Joanne Brady (Foster, 1989)
Tiana Roins
7
Helene Roins (Dracos, 1997)
Vishaalini Ravichandra
7
Abirami Ravichandra (Senthilkumaran, 1996)
Zara Constance
7
Ainslie Constance (Thomas, 1991)
Alexandra Scherf
8
Helen Scherf (McFadzean, 1988)
Athena Nikolakopoulos
8
Joanne Nikolakopoulos (Ronis, 1994)
Chantelle Wan
8
Claire Lam (1992)
Claire van der Stel
8
Nicole van der Stel (Tebbet, 1993)
Grace Scanlon
8
Joanne Scanlon (Dent, 1988)
Isabel McKeough
8
Zoe McKeough (Barker-Whittle, 1994)
Indigo Devlin
8
Layla Hamdan
8
Sarah Hamdan (Chehab, 1993)
Lucinda King
8
Kristi Jones (1984)
Romy Dobbie
8
Yvette Dobbie (Clarkson, 1982)
Seetha Nathan
8
Ranita Nathan (Sungaran, 1991)
Yianna Mitropoulos
8
Alexandra Mitropoulos (Tzavellas, 1988)
Zara Kilborn
8
Kimberley Pressick-Kilborn (Pressick, 1990)
Anna Gough
9
Kylie Smith (1987)
Annabelle Banfield
9
Shannen Banfield (Lubrano, 1991)
Hannah Bathgate
9
Julia Gough
9
Kylie Smith (1987)
GRANDMOTHER
GREAT-GRANDMOTHER
Aunts Aunt Gwen McFadzean (Marshman, 1928)
Aunt Gwynthelyn Blunden (Richardson, 1932)
Rhoda King (Davis, 1954)
Aunt, Great Aunts
Aunt
Beatrice Bathgate (Black, 1951)
Juliette Beattie
9
Kylie Beattie (Smith, 1989)
9
Sophie Chan (1989)
Madison Clemens
9
Felicity Clemens (Hill, 1991)
Renae Varvaris
9
Dorette Varvaris (Mitrothanasis, 1994)
Sophie Thomas
9
Michelle Thomas (Crowhurst, 1990)
Tina Papamanuel Ana Trigg +
9
Francene Papamanuel (Dracos, 1995)
Aunts, Great Aunts, GreatGreat-Aunt, Grandmother was MLC Junior School teacher Aunts
Helen Devlin (Blunden, 1963)
Laryssa Latt
OTHER
Great Aunt Aunt
Julienne Hill (Cush, 1964)
Aunts
10
Margaret Trigg (Waterhouse, 1925)
Annabelle Bailey
10
Jeanette Bailey (Horley, 1958)
Charlotte Bathgate
10
Beatrice Bathgate (Black, 1951)
Claudine Talbot
10
Shelly Talbot (Harrington, 1990)
Emma Webb
10
Melissa Webb (Allum, 1986)
Barbara Allum (Jay, 1958)
Freya D’Mello
10
Amanda D’Mello (Navin, 1998)
Vikki Navin (Martin, 1973)
Holly Herden
10
Jane Herden (Adams, 1991)
Aunts
Lily Scanlon
10
Joanne Scanlon (Dent, 1988)
Aunt
Maya Simpson
10
Rani Sachdev (1982)
Aunt
Miranda Norton
10
Amanda Rowe (Clayton, 1993)
Anastasia Giannakakos
11
Elpida Giannakakos (Vlach, 1982)
Anika Lammers
11
Melissa Lammers (Bush, 1989)
Annaliese Konidaris
11
Tina Konidaris (Countouris, 1992)
*
Brianna Chapman
11
Charlie Kairaitis
11
Heather Kairaitis (Knox, 1986)
Ellena Hartzenberg
11
Jacqui Hartzenberg (Cameron, 1989)
Gabrielle Cadena
11
Kate Cartwright
11
Mia Novati Olivia Hempel
Janet Horley (Martin, 1933)
Great-Great-Aunts Great Aunt Great Aunt Aunt
Marilyn Martin (Dobson, 1950)
Olga Bush (Makaroff, 1969) Patricia Chapman (Binns, 1959)
Dorothy Binns (Hume, 1927)
Aunt, Great Aunt
Faye Knox (Turner, 1965)
Aunt, Cousins
Rosemary Cadena (Empson, 1982)
Pamela Empson (Waters, 1954)
Aunts
Sue Cartwright (Packham, 1981)
Val Packham (Hedge, 1955)
Aunt, Great Aunts, GreatGreat- Aunt, Grandfather was Council Chair
11
Sarah Novati (Trollope, 1988)
Beryl Trollope (Houston, 1962
Aunt, Great Aunts
11
Katherine Hempel (Pittendrigh, 1987)
Paris Mitropoulos
11
Alexandra Mitropoulos (Tzavellas, 1988)
Rahni Ong
11
Sughan Ramakrishna (1989)
Danielle Mikhael
12
Ina Mikhael (Torrisi, 1988)
Eleni Kaloterakis
12
Yvonne Kaloterakis (Kostopoulos, 1986)
Georgia Ventouris
12
Hellan Ventouris (Tzavellas, 1991)
Lily Rodgers
12
Rachael Rodgers (Musgrave, 1990)
Madeleine Aitken
12
Karen Aitken (Ludlow, 1982)
Tayla Casey
12
Jodie Kelleher (1980)
Zoe Scoufis
12
Natasha Burtenshaw (1989)
Aunt
Aunt
Poppy Frederick (Kindergarten) is MLC School’s first fifth generation student through the matriarchal line. Her Great-Great-Grandmother was Sarah Matilda Scott (Evans, 1894) who was known as Tilly. Tilly enrolled into MLC School at the age of 10 in 1886.
+ Ana Trigg (Year 10) Great-Great-Great-Grandfather was Gustavus John Waterhouse. He is commemorated on the Potts Hall Foundation Stone. His wife, Mary Jane Vickery, is on the Tower Wing Foundation Stone (as Mrs G. J. Waterhouse). They were early benefactors of the School. Mary Jane Vickery's brother, Joseph Vickery, was a benefactor of MLC School from its foundation. When in 1914 it was seriously proposed to close the School, he led the charge to ensure that it didn’t. All his six daughters attended the School.
33
VALE Margaret Morgan (Thornton, 1942)
Esma Robinson OAM (Strudwick, 1932) Esma Hilda Robinson (Strudwick, 1932) died on 23 February 2019, aged 101 years. Aside from the years she was a Boarder at MLC School, Esma lived her whole life in Coonamble, NSW where she married Jack and raised her three children Carollyn, Ian and William (Kent). In 2005, when she was 88 years old, Esma was recognised for her for years of service to the community of Coonamble, particularly through service organisations, with a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Thank you to Anne Wise (Furnell, 1965) who informed us of the sad news. Marjorie Gliddon (Adcock, 1941) Marjorie Gliddon (Adcock, 1941), passed away on 19 December 2018 aged 95. After leaving MLC School, Marjorie studied at the Macquarie Secretarial School. Her first job out of college was working for the Red Cross during WWII. Once the War had ceased she fulfilled her desire for travel and set off overseas for two years. After her travels, Marjorie married Dr Keith Gliddon and settled in Adelaide where she raised her children Keith and Rosemary. Returning to Sydney with the family, Marjorie worked for many years as a real estate agent. Marjorie leaves behind her two children, eight grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren, all of whom miss her greatly. Our condolences to her daughter Rosemary Speirs (Gliddon, 1971) who contacted us to let us know the news, and all Marjorie’s family.
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Margaret’s daughter-in-law, Merilyn has sent us the news that Margaret died peacefully last year on 15 May 2018 aged 92. Merilyn said that Margaret looked back on her days as a Boarder at MLC School with great fondness and would often looked at her photos from that time. Margaret’s time at MLC School was cut short when Japanese submarines were spotted in Sydney Harbour during WWII. Her concerned parents brought her back to Wallacia so they could keep her safe from any potential harm. For many years Margaret was a tireless worker for the community. Both she and her husband Geoffrey were devoted to bush care and regeneration in the Ku-ring-gai area. In 2001, they both received awards of appreciation for their many years of voluntary work with the Ku-ring-gai bush care group. Merilyn says that ‘Margaret was a devoted wife to Geoffrey, a loving mother to Robert and mother-in-law to me, and a beautiful grandmother to Thomas, Alexandra and Ryan. She has left us an abundance of wonderful memories and she is greatly missed.’
Ngairetta Brennan AM (Vout, 1946) Susie McKinnon, Ngairetta’s daughter, shared the sad news that her mother, one of the four MLC School Vout sisters, died on 11 June 2019 at the age of 89. Ngairetta and her sisters Margaret Messenger (Vout, 1949), Judith Willis (Vout, 1952) and Dianne Nicol (Vout, 1953), all Boarded at MLC School and were known for being loving and kind friends who were devoted to each other. Ngairetta’s capacity for love and devotion was also deeply felt by her husband John, their three children, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Ngairetta’s eulogy, delivered at her funeral by her eldest son-in-law, Ross McKinnon AM, stated that they were all gathered ‘to celebrate the life of a ‘Great Australian’, who, for her family, was one of the last of “Australia’s greatest generation”’. During the Great Depression Ngairetta’s parents were heavily involved with ensuring the wellbeing of their community in Forbes. Their example set the tone for the life of public service and strong social conscience of Ngairetta and her siblings. Traveling by steam train from Forbes to MLC School, Ngairetta became a popular Boarder and a great achiever. In her last year at the School she was a Senior Prefect, a House Prefect, Mooramoora House Captain, and was the senior swimming champion. She graduated with high distinction and enrolled in a Science degree at the University of Sydney.
Julie Boyle (Larkins, 1950) contacted us to let us know that Marie Geddes (Grellman, 1944) died on 26 February 2019.
After her marriage in 1950, husband John’s job with CSR took the family to many places across Australia: North Queensland (where Susie was born), Brisbane (Jennifer and Michael were born), Melbourne and Mt Osmond, SA. Tragedy struck the family in June 1997 when Ngairetta’s beloved son and youngest child, Michael, was involved in a very serious car accident. Michael died of his injuries in 1989 aged just 31 years. Ngairetta’s and John’s resilience during this terrible time was an inspiration to their family and friends.
Marie was a devoted wife and loving mother, and her many nieces and nephews adored her. She is remembered as a beautiful, warm and vibrant person and is very much missed by all who knew her.
Ngairetta’s favourite quote was Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s ‘Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but of looking outwards in the same direction.’ She was an organiser and achiever who could always see the ‘big
Betty Carroll (Walker, 1944) Betty Carroll (Walker, 1944) passed away on 16 November 2018. Betty was the beloved wife of John and a loving mother to Greg and Julie. She was loved and is missed by her family and many friends. Marie Geddes (Grellman, 1944)
MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
picture’. In the 1960s she became involved with the international conservation group ‘Men of the Trees’ and founded the first Australian branch in Queensland. She was the President of the group for 18 years. Her efforts and her inspiration led to the reforestation of many areas via the planting of hundreds of thousands of trees across SE Queensland. Ngairetta was recognised for her efforts in 1995 when she was awarded Australia’s highest civilian honour, the ‘Order of Australia’ (AM) for a lifetime of conservation and community work. Ngairetta is a Maori name that means ‘sunshine’ and anyone who knew Ngairetta said she was very appropriately named. Her family and friends all remember her as a wonderful person, a gracious and generous host, who was deeply loved by all who were lucky enough to know her. Elaine Clarke (Hurd, 1946) Elaine’s daughter Kate contacted us to let us know that her dear mother had died in October 2018. Elaine was a well-respected and much-loved member of the Melbourne Girls Grammar School’s music department from 1970 to 1989. She delighted in sharing her immense knowledge and musical ability as both a teacher and accompanist and she will be remembered for the joy of music she introduced to countless students through lessons and extracurricular activities. Lorna Alford (Dean, 1946) Lorna’s son Linton shared the news that his dear mother passed away peacefully on 18 August 2018 at the age of 90. She is missed every day by her two children and eight grandchildren. Vivienne Turner (Ward, 1947) Winsome Watson (Turner, 1972) wrote to let us know of the passing of her dear mother, Vivienne Turner (Ward, 1947) on 14 December 2018 at the age of 89. In 1947, Vivienne completed the Commercial School course at MLC School and then went on to work in a solicitor’s office in Sydney. She married in 1952 and became a doting mum to her three sons and her daughter Winsome.
Winsome says that Vivienne was a very proud MLC School Old Girl, and in her final years even with her dementia progressing, she would happily engage in conversations about her school days and would smile as she reminisced. Each year at Winsome’s Speech Nights, she recalls that Vivienne would proudly stand with the other Old Girls and heartily sing the School Song, remembering every word. Winsome concluded her tribute to her mother with ‘Mum loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren; she lives on through all of us’. Margaret Kealey (Buzacott, 1948) and Joan Copeland (Buzacott, 1950) Helen Britton (Buzacott, 1954) called to share the very sad news that her sisters Margaret and Joan had died in 2018; Margaret in April and Joan in September. Both completed their entire education from Kindergarten through to the Leaving Certificate at MLC School, as had Helen and their younger sister Mary McBean (Buzacott, 1952). Their brother John (who is Helen’s twin) also attended MLC School from 1941 to 1943 for his first two years of school. Their mother, Jean Elizabeth (Betty) Buzacott (Bingle, 1921), attended MLC School from 1913 to 1921. She was the Head Girl, won an exhibition to the University of Sydney, and after completing a BA (Honours) taught at MLC School from 1925 to 1929. Their aunts, Betty’s older sister, Edna Bingle (1919), and younger sisters, Mollie Huntley (Bode, 1929) and Nancy Loveday (Bode, 1932), also attended MLC School. Both Margaret and Joan were Senior Prefects; Margaret in 1948 and Joan in 1950. They participated actively in the life of the School, Margaret in tennis and hockey and Joan in the choir and swimming. Both made friendships at MLC School which lasted their lifetimes. Margaret in particular attended almost all of her year reunions and kept in touch with her many MLC School friends.
Margaret initially trained as a nurse at the Children’s Hospital. She worked for two years in the UK, where she did a course on Spinal Injury nursing. This led to her becoming one of the nurses for the Australian team at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 1964. Some years later she went to Auckland, NZ to do a one year course on cardiothoracic nursing. During that year she met her future husband and settled with him in Auckland, living there for over 50 years. Joan worked as a dental nurse for some years then met her husband Bill Copeland with whom she had two children. Bill’s job took the family to South Africa, where Joan was to live for over 30 years. One of her granddaughters, Emily Rule, won a Round Square Exchange scholarship at her school, St Stithians College, Johannesburg, and was able to attend MLC School for Term 4 Year 10 in 2005, thus reviving the family connection to the School. Helen says that ‘both Margaret’s and Joan’s lives were marked by their sincere and committed faith, their outstanding organisational abilities, and their years of service to their communities’. Constance (Connie) Bartley (Minturn, 1948) Connie’s daughter-in-law, Zenta Bartley (Rizzo, 1985), shared the sad news that Connie had died on 5 July 2019 at the age of 85. Connie attended the Sapphires’ Luncheon regularly and will be missed by her family and many MLC School friends. Enid Simpson (1950) Enid passed away on 26 November 2018 at the age of 84 years. She had two sons and many nieces and nephews as well as many great nieces and nephews; all of whom loved her dearly and miss her greatly.
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Australia Quest and was crowned Miss Wagga Wagga. She later married and had two sons. For many years Judith lived in Gosford where she served as President of the Inner Wheel Club. This was the start of her involvement in many community organisations. She later moved to Tamworth and joined Day View Club where she became President in 1996. Judith was also involved with the Rotary Club and was a Meals on Wheels volunteer.
Jennifer Matheson (Dare, 1952) Jennifer’s husband wrote to us from New Zealand to let us know that his wife, and mother of their four daughters, died in September 2018. Jennifer was a Boarder at MLC School from 1st Form in 1948 and completed her Leaving Certificate in 1952. Her elder sister Patricia Dadge (Dare, 1948) was also at Boarder at the School for her high school years. Jennifer was from a multi-generational MLC School family. Her mother, Irene, and aunts, Emily, Winnie and Susanne (Suwannee), were the Alcorn sister, all of whom boarded at MLC School in the early 1900s. Their parents owned a dairy farm on the far north NSW coast and the girls travelled to Sydney from Byron Bay via boat (the ‘Wollingbar’) as there was no bridge across the Clarence River at Grafton at the time. Just months before her death, Jennifer had written to us about her favourite teacher at MLC School, Miss Sutherland who taught her Geography. Jennifer says Miss Sutherland ‘took our imaginations on a journey as we studied various cities around the world – it was very interesting and engaging. I got an ‘A’ in Geography in the Leaving Certificate which was a tribute to her teaching’. Judith Ann Thompson (Blamey, 1952) Judith’s step daughter-in-law, Jo, has written with the sad news that Judith passed away on 6 October 2018. Judith was a Boarder at MLC School from 1948, completing her Intermediate Certificate in 1950. After school, she returned home to Wagga Wagga where she completed a secretarial course and worked in local businesses and also in her father’s bakery. In 1954 she was persuaded to enter the Miss
36
During her Boarding years, Judith was an enthusiastic member of the MLC School Boarders’ Choir. Jo remembers Judith telling her once that she loved the ‘P.S.A.s (the Perfect Saturday/Sunday Afternoons)’ when Mrs Lew (Principal Rev Lew’s wife and founder of the Boarders’ Choir) would organise for them to sing at many local places. On occasion they ‘hopped on the tram and sang at the Epping Methodist Church’. Jo says that Judith always spoke very fondly of her days at MLC School. Margaret Lawrence (Savage, 1953) Margaret (Marg) passed away peacefully in Sydney on 22 December 2018 surrounded by her family. Margaret’s fond memories of her time at MLC School stayed with her until the very end. Margaret maintained close contact with her MLC School contemporary and best friend Margaret Grey (McLachlan,1953) known as Margie Mac, who became her first daughter’s godmother. Margaret is survived by her Old Girl younger sister, Elizabeth Gamble (Savage 1970), and daughters, Cathy Palmer (Lawrence, 1979) and Jane Lawrence (1982). Until her health declined, Margaret regularly attended Sapphires Luncheons with cousin Elaine Hardinge (Cumming, 1953) and Margie Mac. After school, Margaret completed training at the Sydney Teacher’s College and pursued a career as an infants and primary school teacher. She loved helping children to learn and, fortunately for her own family, was creative in finding imaginative ways to allow children to explore their world and develop their own interests. Margaret could play the piano and her passion for music, especially classical and opera, was her particular comfort. Margaret met her husband Ron in 1952 in the company of Margie Mac. They married six years later and celebrated their 60th wedding
anniversary in August 2018. Margaret adored her four grandchildren and travelled regularly to Vancouver to spend time with three of them. Her gentle manner belied the cheeky humour she reserved for those closest to her. She is much missed by her family and many friends. Diana Shaw (Reynolds, 1954) Diana’s daughter Nicki has sent us a tribute to her Mum, who passed away on 27 January 2019. Diana was a student at MLC School from Kindergarten at the age of 4 in 1941 right through to the completion of her Leaving Certificate in 1954. Nicki says that her Mum had extremely fond memories of her ‘old school’ and always enthusiastically perused Collegiate when it arrived. Just prior to suffering the stroke that incapacitated her, Diana returned to MLC School and had a wonderful day reminiscing about old times, the teachers, and her many school friends whilst taking a tour around the School. Diana passed away after suffering a second stroke and is survived by her daughter, her son and her four grandchildren, all of whom she totally adored. Joan Clough (Edmonds, 1955) Joan’s son, Andrew, has written to say that his dear Mum passed away on 5 May 2019 in Hobart, where had lived since 1970. Joan enrolled at MLC School in 1946 into 2nd Grade at Abbeythorpe and completed her Leaving Certificate in 1955. After graduating, Joan began her professional life working in a variety of legal and hospitality administration roles where she was always highly regarded. She went on to forge a very successful career in hospitality, working with many significant hotels well into the early 1990s. On her ‘retirement’, Joan became a volunteer with the Cancer Council. She followed this with a remarkable 20-year role as a research assistant within the University of Tasmania’s esteemed Menzies Institute for Medical Research. Joan’s dedication to her work and her family was matched by her constant association with MLC School and the strong friendships made during her school days that she valued so highly. She was a very proud Old Girl.
MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
Dr Barbara Dunne (Slater, 1955) Barbara’s son Phil has passed on the sad news that his mother died peacefully and surrounded by family on 15 April 2019. Barbara attended MLC School on a full scholarship and later went on to study Medicine at the University of Sydney, graduating as one of Australia’s first female anaesthetists. Phil says she was an amazing lady who had lived an incredible life. She managed to forge an impressive career while always having time for her three children and five grandchildren who all adored her. Helen Cooper (Rhodes, 1958) Rosemary Maclean (Graham, 1958) has sent the following tribute to her life-long and dear friend, Helen Cooper (Rhodes, 1958): It is with great sadness that I share with you the news of the untimely death of our dear friend Helen Cooper (Rhodes, 1958) who drowned as a result of a tragic boating accident off the coast of Newcastle on 11 July 2019.
Jeanette Loy (Maddox, 1960) MLC School Old Girl, ex staff member, and former member of the MLC School Council, Jeanette Loy (Maddox, 1960) passed away on 27 January 2019. At school, Jeanette was a regular prize winner for both English prose and verse, as well as a high-achieving violinist. She went on to complete a BA and a Teaching Certificate.
Helen’s death has come as a tremendous shock to the MLC School Class of 1958 as she was a much-valued member of our group who meet for a luncheon each year to remember our years at the School.
In 1975, Jeanette returned to MLC School as the Head of the English Department. She married in 1977 and following the birth of her son in 1980 she resigned to raise her children.
Helen joined our class in Abbeythorpe and continued on with us all into the senior years. We were all sad when Helen’s mother took Helen to England in the latter years of high school.
But the pull of MLC School soon had Jeanette back and she was elected to the MLC School Council in 1981 and served on Council until 1985 when she decided to return to teaching.
Helen trained as a nurse at University College Hospital in London, married, and then happily returned to Australia with her husband. She was very glad to be back in the land of sunshine and wide blue skies, and she very soon reconnected with her MLC School friends from the Class of 1958. She was very pleased to again be surrounded by her MLC School community.
In 1986, Jeanette was again teaching at MLC School, this time in English and Drama. In 1992 she was appointed the Head of Religion.
Helen is remembered as a gentle and loving person, and very much as a good friend. She will be sadly missed by all those from our class who will treasure her memory forever.
Maureen Drinnan (Bilton, 1962)
Jeanette retired in 2007 after more than three decades of dedication to MLC School. She is greatly missed by her two children and four grandchildren.
Maureen passed away on 9 September 2018, aged 73 years. She leaves behind her dear husband, two children and three grandchildren.
Christine Halloran (Newcombe, 1967) We have received word that Christine peacefully passed away in Murwillumbah after a short illness on 20 June 2017 aged 67. Julie Markham (1967) There was an outpouring of grief from the Class of 1967 when they heard of the sudden passing of the much-loved Julie Markham at the age of 69 on 9 August 2019. After finishing at MLC School, Julie completed a BSc and MSc at the University of Sydney. She went to forge a muchadmired career in the health sciences, most recently at the University of Western Sydney where she was an Adjunct Fellow, Dean’s Unit – School of Science and Health, as well as a Lecturer in Medical Science. Julie was described as irreplaceable and beloved by her family. Her son Ben said all who knew her knew of the deep connection Julie had to MLC School and to her 1967 classmates.
37
MLC School
Alumnae Awards Old Girls of MLC School help to make the world a better place. Their contributions lead to progress that benefits society as a whole. MLC School would like to recognise and celebrate these women who are prepared to think differently, have courage and conviction and lead with passion, and is proud to introduce the MLC School Alumnae Awards which will be announced at the 2020 Back to College Dinner and Alumnae Awards on Friday 15 May. Please nominate or encourage Old Girls you know so they can receive the accolades they deserve.
The MLC School Alumnae Awards Old Girls may be recognised for their outstanding efforts over a sustained period in one or more of the award criteria.
The MLC School Young Alumnae Awards
The assistance of the nominee may be sought in compiling the nomination.
This award recognises the achievements of Old Girls under the age of 40 years, who can be shown to have made a significant impact in his or her field of endeavour in one or more of the award criteria.
The award winners will be chosen by the Principal, Head of Marketing and Community Relations and President of the OGU, and are at their sole discretion.
The Award Criteria for both areas are:
You can submit your nomination in one of the following ways:
• • • • • • • • •
Cultural contribution Philanthropic endeavours Social welfare and impact Innovation and entrepreneurship Professional achievement Academia Sporting achievements International achievements Contributions to MLC School
Please complete the nomination form included in this edition of the Collegiate, accompanied by the nomination submission, by 24 April 2020. This form is also available on the MLC School website at (https://www.mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au/ourcommunity/mlc-school-old-girls/alumnaeawards). Self-nominations are accepted. The nomination should not be more than two pages or 800 words in length. Brief nominations are encouraged.
38
The nomination should clearly and succinctly address the criteria for selection. A short resume of three pages or 1000 words may be appended to the nomination to illustrate the nominee’s career and achievements; this is not an essential requirement. No other appendices will be accepted.
• Complete the online form at https://www.mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au/ our-community/mlc-school-old-girls/ alumnae-awards • Complete the form which has been inserted into this issue of Collegiate, accompanied by the nomination submission. • Scan and email to MLC School Development Manager, Heleen Fourie, at hfourie@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au • Or post to: Heleen Fourie Development Manager MLC School Rowley Street, Burwood NSW 2134 Every nomination will be acknowledged. For any further questions please contact MLC School Development Manager, Heleen Fourie, at hfourie@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au or on 02 8741 3129.
MLC SCHOOL OLD GIRL S’ MAGA ZI NE
Stay connected facebook.com/MLCSchool/
Dates for 2020
twitter.com/ mlc_school?lang=en instagram.com/mlcschoolnsw/ linkedin.com/school/ mlc-school-sydney/
Our Old Girls are warmly invited to attend these events. Keep an eye on your inbox for more information and booking links. OGU Meeting
Wednesday 19 February 2020
2pm–5pm
Meet the Principal in Singapore
Wednesday 4 March 2020
5.30pm–7pm
Meet the Principal in Hong Kong
Friday 6 March 2020
5.30pm–7pm
Generational High Tea
Saturday 21 March 2020
4pm–6pm
Back to College Dinner and Alumnae Awards
Friday 15 May 2020
6.30pm–8.30pm
OGU Meeting
Wednesday 20 May 2020
6pm
Meet the Principal in Melbourne
Friday 29 May 2020
5.30pm–7pm
Class of 2010 – 10-Year Reunion
Saturday 13 June 2020
2pm–5pm
Class of 2000 – 20-Year Reunion
Saturday 13 June 2020
2pm–5pm
Class of 1990 – 30-Year Reunion
Saturday 13 June 2020
2pm–5pm
Meet the Principal in Brisbane
Friday 19 June 2020
5.30pm–7pm
OGU Meeting
Wednesday 5 August 2020
6pm
Hunter Valley Old Girls’ Luncheon
Saturday 8 August 2020
Time to be confirmed
Old Girls Networking Breakfast
Wednesday 12 August 2020
7.30am–8.30am
Old Girls’ Union Chocolate Recess
Monday 7 September 2020
10.30am
Class of 1980 – 40-Year Reunion
Saturday 12 September 2020
2pm–5pm
Class of 1970 – 50-Year Reunion
Saturday 12 September 2020
2pm–5pm
Sapphires’ Chapel Service and Luncheon
Tuesday 13 October 2020
11am Chapel 12pm–2pm Lunch
OGU Meeting
Wednesday 28 October 2020
6pm
Annual Music Gala Concert
Wednesday 18 November 2020
Time to be confirmed
Old Girls’ Union Annual General Meeting
Wednesday 25 November 2020
6pm
BOARDERS AND DAY GIRLS
Reunion Luncheon
SAVE
THE
Please direct all enquiries to MLC School Events Coordinator, Jillian Avramis on 02 8741 3180 or email javramis@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au
DATE
A luncheon for our countrybased Old Girls will be held in the Hunter Valley on Saturday 8 August.
More information will be available in the months leading to the event. Register your interest with Heleen Fourie: hfourie@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au or 02 8741 3129
A UNITING CHURCH DAY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, PRE-KINDERGARTEN TO YEAR 12 Rowley Street, Burwood NSW 2134 Australia PO Box 643 Burwood 1805 Ph +61 2 9747 1266 Fax +61 2 9745 3254 enquiries@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au ABN 75 549 644 535 | CRICOS No. 02328D The Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (NSW) (trading as MLC School)
mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au