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 friend raiser 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 School’s annual Kookaburra publication, 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 Members 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 PLC currently boasting nearly 20per cent of its current student base being daughtersgranddaughters, 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). suggestions were put forward concerning Miss Barr’s suggestion at the AGM that arrangements be made for Old Collegians to tell the girls at school about their careers. Barbara Finch (1950), ABC; 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.” (Tuesday 1 April 1969 OCA Committee Meeting Minutes).

In the OCA President’s Report for the 1991 Annual General Meeting 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. 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.

In 1932 the OCA Kookaburra Report shares “after a successful fundraising event proceeds from this entertainment were donated towards to the upkeep of the School Cot at the Children's Hospital”. When Carmichael Hall was officially opened in 1956 “Mr Baird expressed his gratitude to the OCA for their donation of the grand piano” (1968 Kookaburra). “Our Association has made a number of presentations to the school, including donations to the Library, Cot Fund, Prize Fund, Kookaburra Magazine, and a tennis trophy”. (1968 Kookaburra).

The OCA has also made ongoing contributions to the School’s building projects like the swimming pool in the 1960s “The new school swimming pool, named in honour of Dr Summers, was built this year by the Parents' Association with considerable help from the Old Collegians' Association” (1960 Kookaburra). Science room upgrades and other school equipment was gifted to PLC in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1997 the OCA proudly donated the magnificent stained-glass windows featured in the School Chapel. More recently the OCA has contributed to the Senior School Building Fund and donated funds for the Year 12 Common Room, Quad Rowing Boat and Junior School STEM Room.

Paramount to the enduring and ongoing success of the OCA is thanks to the extraordinary number of Old Collegians who have volunteered countless hours, days, weeks and even years as Committee Members contributing to each and every event and activity undertaken by the OCA. Thanks to all these wonderful women the OCA has existed and thrived for 100 years. The OCA and its managing committee has been and continues to be an integral part of the ongoing success of our beloved school, PLC.