SES Open Day...Page 2 Teachers’ Tribute

TEACHING DEDICATION REMEMBERED

A group of past students from Mount Morgan State High School has organized a tribute to the Wetherall Sisters, Nancy and Winifred, who between them taught for 96 years with Education Queensland. A framed photograph of two ladies now hangs in the foyer of the High School. Nancy Mary, known as Miss Nancy, the eldest of the Wetherall siblings was born on 23 January 1897. Prior to 1912, Nancy was a student at Rockhampton Grammar but enrolled at MMSHS that year when the year the Technical College became the first State High School and classes commenced. In 1913 she became a Student Teacher and spent the early years of her career teaching at the Girls and Infants School in Mount Morgan. During this tie she taught her Pictured: Annette Turner (nee Morgan), John Wall, Dorothy Porter (nee Alden) and Jill Meikle (nee LYneham) - Members of the Class of ‘62.

youngest sister Lila, who always said she was Nancy on the way to school but became Miss Wetherall when they walked in the gate. In 1921 Nancy was transferred to Longreach where she spent the next 15 years. On 1 January 1931 she returned to Mount Morgan where she commenced duty at the Intermediate School. She remained there for the remainder of her teaching life until her retirement in December 1962; making a total of 49 years service. Miss Nancy was their Scholarship teacher. Nancy died on 13 December 1985 aged 88 years. Winifred, known to all as Miss Winnie, was born on 29 March 1902; the second eldest of the Wetherall children. She began her secondary High School education at Mount Morgan High School in 1914. On 23 March in 1920 she became a Student Teacher of Commercial subjects. Winnie spent her entire 47 years of teaching at Mount Morgan State High School. She was recognized throughout Queensland as an outstanding commercial teacher. Miss Winnie died on 10 November 1974, aged 72 years. Winnie often had the clerical task of entering student names on the Admission Register when they enrolled for high school. After finishing school for the day, four nights a week the sisters would walk up to Mullins’ Café (in Morgan Street) to have their evening meal. After finishing that, they would travel home, usually by Bobby Cole’s taxi. Thank you to Garricks Camera House for their assistance with the print and its framing. Submitted by John Wall and Annette Turner.