A century of support Since April 1920, the OCA has proudly existed to continue to nurture the connections between the women who have had the privilege of attending PLC with each other, with this amazing school and also with the larger PLC community. For a century the OCA has been an enviable friendraiser bringing together Old Collegians each and every year at various events. For many decades the OCA Committee organised the very successful annual school ball, annual school birthday dinner, golfing days, reunions and regular country luncheons to bring together Old Girls to reconnect and remain in touch with each other and PLC. Many events are fondly noted in past Kookaburra publications, like the 1946 entry stating: “On August 19th, the School's Birthday, the first dinner since the war is taking place and promises to be a great success and re-union as some Old Girls are coming up from country towns to attend, and there are others coming who were at school in 1921”. Now together with PLC, the OCA continues to provide Old Collegians the opportunity to connect and reconnect with each other at regular reunions, events and activities each year like the annual OCA Art Exhibition. The investment made by the OCA Committee working tirelessly ‘to foster a spirit of community between past and present collegians and the College’ and to consolidate the special relationship established between collegians during their college years’ as outlined the OCA’s Constitution, is evidenced by nearly 20 per cent of PLC’s current student base being daughters, granddaughters, or relatives of Old Collegians. The OCA and PLC also have a long history of offering learning opportunities for Old Collegians and PLC students dating back to 1969, when Principal Heather Barr suggested at an OCA Committee meeting, not long after she commenced as the Principal of PLC, a “Talks to Girls” concept “suggested inviting Old Collegians who had been successful in any particular field speak to the Old Girls on some future occasions” (4 March 1969 OCA Committee Meeting Minutes). Miss Barr’s first group of Old Collegians nominated were science and medically focused. “The following offers or suggestions were put forward concerning Miss Barr’s 6
PLC OCA Centenary
suggestion at the AGM that arrangements be made for Old Collegians to tell the girls at school about their careers. Barbara Finch (1950), Physiotherapist; Barbara Evans (Baty 1951), Physiotherapist; Margaret Benson (Martin 1964), Chemical Research; Audrey Chrystal (Bolton 1950), Biochemistry; Tricia Wood (Hodgkin 1951), OT; Nancy MacKenzie (Hardie 1935) Psychology Department, UWA.” (1 April 1969 OCA Committee Meeting Minutes). In the OCA President’s 1991 AGM Report it shares: ”During 1991 the OCA has taken an active part in giving career information to students. Thirty members of the Network will be involved in the Careers Information Evening for Year 10 girls and their parents on August 27th”. Miss Barr’s idea set the stage for the next 50 years as these lifelong learning opportunities continue today through various professional development, mentoring and career networking functions like the Tartan Lawyers’ Breakfast and Inspiring Women Programmes offered to Old Collegians and PLC girls alike. Since its inception in 1920 the OCA has always worked with and supported the School Principal and School Leadership Team to further the educational objectives of PLC through donations and bursaries for the benefit of all PLC students. Thanks to the OCA’s ongoing fundraising activities which have been so well supported by all in the PLC community for a Centenary, the OCA have been able to give annual scholarships and bursaries, as well as make other financial donations to PLC for generations. The OCA has proudly made regular financial donations of varied sizes since its inception. Numerous accounts of the OCA’s continued support of PLC are mentioned in the OCA Kookaburra Reports and Committee Meeting Minutes; from an annual library fund from the 1950s though to the 1980s; to Scholarships and Bursaries funds since the 1950s; and annual gifts to PLC from the 1970s through to the 1990s.
