Buzz ST HILDA’S MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2015
The
Our ANZAC Spirit
Contents From the Principal
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From the Chair of Council
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Thank you!
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2014 Academic Results
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Our ANZAC Spirit
8
An Indian Summer
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Sugar and spice
20
Learning in the great outdoors
21
Sport Gallery
22
Music Gallery
24
Drama Gallery
26
Outdoor Education Gallery
28
Sundowner 30 Garden Rhapsody
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HotMaths is hot stuff for our boarders
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President’s Update
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Front Cover: Ruby Evans and Lara Hinkley
It has been an absolute pleasure to have been given such a warm welcome into the St Hilda’s community. Initial impressions of sharing the Sunday morning service and breakfast with our new boarders and boarding parents were reinforced later that day with the Sundowner event. That first Sunday showcased a very important aspect – our welcoming parents, friendly staff and happy students. We are so grateful to the P&F Association and parent helpers for organising an event which made for a great start to 2015. As I reflect on the first term, I am sure all in the St Hilda’s community would feel the same sense of pride at watching our students involve themselves in the array of opportunities we offer. Our Junior School and Senior School students have readily engaged with different subjects and assessments, with the 2015 academic calendar’s new year of learning. In mid-February, the Year 7 students embarked on their outdoor education program at the Woodman Point Recreation Centre. Students were able to take part in a variety of activities including: rock climbing, paddling, surf lifesaving, orienteering, archery and the flying fox. More recently, towards the end of term 1, our Year 9 students were involved in a different experience, due to the bushfires in the National Park areas of Walpole. This experience meant the students spent two days taking part in an internal school based program and two days taking part in an off campus ‘Amazing Race’. They spent the fifth day engaged in Clean Up Australia activities. The location was based on the school campus, the Perth Metropolitan Area and Rottnest Island. Programs such as these focus
From the Principal
Great School spirit and remarkable achievements
Year 9s cleaning up Australia
on students developing individual self-reliance and organization, in conjunction with resilience, responsibility and reflection. I am grateful to the Outdoor Education team and teachers for ensuring these activities happened. We felt so proud of our swimmers, who retain the crown as winners of the IGSSA Swimming Carnival for the fourth consecutive year. Sincere congratulations to the girls and their coaches, who diligently trained with a quiet confidence and determination that led to their success. Our Junior School swimmers also experienced success at their JIGSSA carnival, showcasing their perseverance in the pool. Another highlight for our Year 12 students was the annual Ball, held at the Fremantle Sailing Club. It was an
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From the Principal
Georgina McCabe and Alisa Dowson in Chemistry
enjoyable evening for the girls, partners and staff in an elegant setting. I was particularly impressed by the high standard of behaviour and the genuine fun had by all who attended this function. Personal experience of being welcomed into classrooms has meant that I have enjoyed a taste of Science, Maths, English, Food Technology, and Urban Studies classes. It has been difficult to return my office, because I became so involved in the lesson content and student contributions! It is quite apparent that St Hilda’s teaching staff are an incredibly dedicated group of professionals. Meeting teachers face to face throughout this first term, for an individual “Principal/Teacher” meeting, has allowed me to gain insight into the dynamic nature of teachers from our Early Learning Centre through to Year 12. I recognise that our teaching staff generously give up family time to ensure great experiences for our students. It has been interesting to become acquainted through conversations with members of our Support Staff and Boarding Staff and Maintenance Team, who are acknowledged for their willing contribution to St Hilda’s students and facilities. It was a pleasure to be invited to enjoy the Welcome Morning Tea with the Old Scholars’ Association in March. It is evident that the GHS & OSA network is alive and well, as I heard many stories from past St Hilda’s scholars, who have been supporting each other and the School in various capacities since the early days. I really enjoy learning about past traditions and value the close
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relationship between the Old Scholars’ Association and the School. I was honoured with the invitation to be the Patron of the Old Scholars’ Association. Arts Festival was such a culmination to the term! I had been advised this was a special day. The impact of the events, which truly showcased the depth and range of student talent, really left me in awe. Our senior students are congratulated for their work in arranging music and rehearsing their House Choir. I have been privileged to attend assemblies, to enjoy the different sections - the Solo Dance, Solo Classical Instrumental, Solo Spoken and Solo Classical Song. The final festivities on the last day of term have left an indelible impression on my mind. With such a successful term behind us, we look forward to watching our St Hilda’s girls continue to work hard and grasp every opportunity they are given. Kim Kiepe
These days St Hilda’s girls travel throughout the world sharing their kindness and giving back to those less fortunate than themselves. It is wonderful to see this spirit of philanthropy alive and well in our School. This spirit is a key part of our values which are core to all that we do. Everyone, including the School Council, works to uphold our values. Traditions are an important way of reminding ourselves that we are doing this. The
Council meets once a month throughout the school year and begins every meeting with the School Prayer and concludes with the Grace. This tradition reminds us of our mission and our role in keeping St Hilda’s at the forefront of women’s education in WA. The School’s mission is to ensure every girl becomes the best she can be. This mission is inextricably linked to our values of justice, respect and concern for others; self acceptance and respect of self; a pursuit of knowledge and a commitment to achievement of potential; social and civic responsibility; environmental responsibility. These values can be applied to everything we do in our lives. The important thing about the values that bind a community such as a school is that everyone can uphold them and even hold others to account where necessary. I encourage you to discuss these values as a family so that we can all be part of the St Hilda’s tradition.
From the Chair of Council
When I attended St Hildas in the 1970s I remember feeling like I was part of an extended family that included not only my fellow students but many wonderful women who had attended the school in the years before. St Hilda’s students were widely recognised in the community and we were often invited to participate in community activities which gave us the opportunity to give back to the community.
Deidre Willmott
Pilgrimage to St Christopher’s in Fiji A group of 27 students including 15 St Hilda’s girls and 12 Christ Church Grammar School boys along with five staff recently returned from our Pilgrimage to St Christopher’s Home in Fiji. This is the ninth year the schools have visited the Sisters and the children.
The aim of our trip each year is to serve the children and Sisters in any way possible. This year we took a large amount of donated goods including medical supplies, stationery, sporting equipment, computing goods, shoes and clothes. We repainted the hall, outside walls and older girls’ room. We sorted their library, gardened, worked in the nursery with the two newly-born babies, cleaned and sorted their dispensary, cooked meals and reorganised their computing lab. The Sister in Charge, Sr Kalo, also asked the group to take the children to the local swimming pool for a swimming lesson, as most of the children and Sisters are unable to swim. We joined in their daily church services every morning and singing and reflective time in the evenings. We also went to school with the children and were able to teach a little about Australia to each classroom. It was very difficult to leave but we were so fortunate to have such a unique and life changing experience.
Pia Higgins (Year 8) with her new friend
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Thank you! 3% Current Families
Whitby Other
8%
(Staff, Friends of St Hilda’s, Grandparents)
Old Scholars
50% 39%
Supporters of Annual Giving 2014
Science Building
Library Hub
10%
Catherine House Staircase
4%
59%
Student Scholarship
13%
Thank you to everyone in the St Hilda’s community who supported us financially last year through our 2014 Annual Giving and Women in Science campaigns. We raised $135 875 through Annual Giving and our results are summarised in these charts. In addition to the donors who made a considerable contribution, for which we are incredibly grateful, we also received many modest gifts which greatly boosted our results. It is the willingness of everyone to do their bit to help that has seen us deliver great facilities for our students. Without your ongoing generosity, we cannot hope to continue to develop landmark projects for St Hilda’s.
14% Performing Arts Centre
Annual Giving Projects Donors to St Hilda’s in 2014 Dr Julian & Mrs Deborah Andrews Mr Robert & Dr Cathy Barber Rodney & Fiona Baxter Mrs Anne Bluntish (‘45) Bray Family Peploe & Browne-Cooper Family Mrs J Brown (McNaughton, ‘55) Mrs I H Button Chow Family Melanie & Simon Coleman Colton Family Mrs Diane Coxon (Robbins, ‘57) Douglas & Moira Craig Dallavanzi Family Mrs R Dans (Trenaman, ‘54) Mr & Mrs A N DeSilva John & Penny Di Giovanni Ms H Draper (‘87) Michael & Jill Elias Chris & Tia Ellison Mr & Mrs R Eva Mr R S Fang Mrs T Ferguson (Brown, ‘47) Fitzgerald Family Andrew & Ann-Maree Foster GHS and St Hilda’s Old Scholars Association
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Gillett Family Mr & Mrs W Gower Mrs M Montenegro Mrs Jody Hardcastle (Vincent, ‘73) Astrid & Michael Hughes Jiang Family Murray & Catherine Johns Mrs G Jorgensen (Gwynne, ‘58) Julian Family Mrs A Keall (Mitchell, ‘54) Ben & Jo Kimberley Robert & Angela Kirtlan Mr & Mrs K R LaPaul Mark & Briony Lee Mrs Jan Lord (Ransom, ‘62) Mrs Audrey MacKay (Manuel, ‘48) Mrs Wendy Marshall (Boulden, ‘58) Mrs Pia-Louise Prior (Martin, ‘04) McCabe Family McFarland Family McMurray Family Mr H & Mrs E Miyahara Ms A Moore (‘06) Mrs R Hammond (Morris, ‘54) Enrico & Elizabeth Moschetti Ms A Nixon-Lloyd (‘03) The Stan Perron Charitable Trust
Jon & Jennifer Petelczyc Mrs Ruth Phelps (Rowell, ‘61) Karl & Donna Plunkett Pudney Family Mark & Ingrid Puzey Mrs G H Rinehart Dr Thomas Rose & Ms Helen Mifka Sandl Family Joy & John Shepherd Mr & Mrs J Steel Dr I H & Mrs J Stewart (Manford, ‘59) St Hilda’s Foundation (Inc) St Hilda’s Parents’ & Friends’ Association Mrs Allison Stralow Mr D Tam & Ms A Lo Paul & Christine Taylor Mr & Mrs D C Wallwork Dr Olga Ward (‘83) Mrs J G Williamson (Ball, ‘49) Miss Margaret Wonson (‘51) Mrs Nancy York (Negus, ‘51) and 21 donors who wish to remain anonymous
2014 Academic Results 2014 was another year of academic excellence for St Hilda’s and we congratulate the class of 2014 on their outstanding WACE results. We are equally as proud of the contributions these young women made to our St Hilda’s community throughout their school days and the value they will add wherever their life path takes them. Thanks also to the supportive and caring teachers who enabled them to achieve their potential. Three students were awarded General Exhibitions, placing them in the top 40 students in Western Australia. They were placed 6th, 8th and 40th. Two students were awarded Course Exhibitions in Geography and Literature. Certificates of Distinction are awarded to the top 0.5% of students in each course. Our students achieved eight certificates of distinction across the following courses: Drama, French, Geography (2 certificates), Human Biological Sciences, Literature and Modern History. Sixteen students were awarded Certificates of Commendation for achieving a minimum of 20 A grades in their WACE courses.
General Exhibitions Emily Leung Emily Wilson Tithi Kulkarni
Course Exhibitions Geography
Eleanor Brennan
Literature
Emily Leung
Certificates of Distinction (top 0.5% of course) Drama
Eloise Hamill
French
Emily Wilson
Geography
Eleanor Brennan Hannah Steel
Human Biology Eloise Hamill Literature, Emily Leung Modern History and Music
The median ATAR for our students was 93.6 compared to the state median of 79.00. Of the 75 students who achieved an ATAR, they obtained the following results: • 15% (11 students) achieved in the top 1% of the State. This means that they obtained an ATAR of 99.00 or above. • 23% (17 students) achieved in the top 2.5%. This equates to an ATAR of 97.50 or higher. • 64% (48 students) were in the top 10%. (ATAR 90 and above.)
Certificates of Commendation (20 As) Stefanela Amidzic Eleanor Brennan Juliet Brook Claudia Cardaci Phoebe Carrington-Jones Clara Forbes Katie Grainger Eloise Hamill Tess Hosking Ashani Jeyadevan Tithi Kulkarni Isabelle Leclezio Emily Leung Su-Yin Lew Abigail Lyons Emily Wilson Nicole Wong
Australian Tertiary Admissions Ranking of 99.00 and over The following students achieved an ATAR of over 99.00 and deserve special mention. Emily Wilson Emily Leung Nicole Wong Eleanor Brennan Su-Yin Lew Clara Forbes Tithi Kulkarni Eloise Hamill Hannah Steel Tess Hosking Juliet Brook
99.95 99.9 99.6 99.6 99.6 99.55 99.55 99.55 99.45 99.15 99.05
Vocational Educational Training results
13 students completed vocational educational certificates this year and may use these certificates to apply for State Training Provider entry or special entry to universities. Amy Lee Agar
Certificate II in Hospitality
Amber Hillam
Certificate III in Events
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Our ANZAC Spirit The centenary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli was a time for reflection across our St Hilda’s community. From personal stories, books, plays and attendance at memorial services, everyone paid tribute to those who have served and remembered those who serve Australia today.
Making a contribution today Sarah Hayward (2007) is one of our recent graduates who pursued a military career and has taken time to speak with our senior History students and assist with our ANZAC Day assembly. Since leaving school, I have completed a Bachelor of Commerce at UWA, and am currently in my last year of Law at Murdoch University. I recently spent time in The Hague as a legal consultant at the Special Tribunal of Lebanon, and assisted one of the Defence’s senior counsel with other war crimes cases and international humanitarian/human rights cases, including a heavy involvement in researching human rights abuses in post-Gaddafi Libya. My research and assistance for this lawyer is ongoing. I have also been a member of Murdoch Moot Court Bench, represented Murdoch at a Constitutional Law Moot competition in Canberra and have been invited to speak at a Red Cross seminar on the topic of teaching International Humanitarian Law. 8
Cassidy Dunn (Year 12) with our guest speakers for our ANZAC Assembly – Sarah Hayward (’07) and Major Jackie Willis CSM
I have also served five years in the Australian Army Reserves, and am currently a Lance Corporal in the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police. I am very proud of this service. I remember the St Hilda’s services while I was a student and am passionate about sharing the significance of the contributions of Australians- and, Australian women- in the armed forces. Beyond law and army, I have spent most holidays volunteering in Africa. In Uganda I taught teamwork, leadership, HIV/AIDS awareness, first aid and hygiene in a primary school and in local villages. In Ethiopia I counselled neglected and abandoned street girls during the day, and visited public hospitals in the evenings to fund treatments and procedures for the most desperate patients.
ANZAC train Our Year 1s and 2s were at North Fremantle train station on 31 October last year to play their part in the ANZAC centenary celebrations. The girls had made Australian flags for the occasion as well as the poppies they proudly wore on their blazers. 12 days after World War I was declared, the first WA troops marched on to Blackboy Hill in Greenmount and began training. After two months, the first of 32,000 troops to go through the camp began their journey to the Great War on a train bound for Fremantle. This train trip, on 31 October 1914, was re-created last year as part of the ANZAC Centenary celebrations.
Remembering Villers-Bretonneux Each year French teacher Madame Veronique Preau outlines the unique link between Australia and the north east French town Villers-Bretonneux to her Year 9 classes. The village always celebrates ANZAC Day in a big way every year to honour the ANZAC soldiers who saved the town in 1918 and helped to rebuild the school. The school has a permanent Do not forget Australia sign. The town’s link to the Australians was also honoured in 2009 when the villagers raised funds for schools damaged in the Victorian bushfire L to R: Alex McLaren, Lily James, Annabella Sullivan with a French edition of the story
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Katie Andrews and “Digger” the teddy
Katie Andrews (Year 3) and Hilary Andrews (Year 6)
James Patrick O’Haire
James O’Haire was Katie and Hilary Andrew’s great, great, great uncle. He was in the 11th Battalion and trained at Blackboy Hill. He sailed on 2 November 1914 from Fremantle to Egypt and was in the first landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915.
Fiona Allan (Richmond ’83), Marion Allan (Haywood ’51) – Old Scholars and Jessica Allan (Year 9) Marion Allan’s father (grandfather to Robyn (‘74) and Gillian Allan (‘77)), William Alban Haywood, joined the Warwickshire Yeomanry Reserves (a mounted regiment) after school and when war broke out, was sent to Egypt for training. There he met, trained and served in Turkey with Australian regiments. In 1915 he was sent to the English landing at Sulva Bay which adjoins ANZAC Cove. The Warwickshire Yeomanry were dismounted so they could support their Australians in their ANZAC Cove landing. William survived but was badly wounded. After nine months in hospital in England he was classified as ‘not fit for active service’ and was given an office based job. William was so determined to fight again he moved his record card into the ‘fit for service’ filing cabinet and rejoined his regiment in France where he served for the remainder of the war.
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William Alban Haywood
Jean Beaton (Newman ’51) and Patricia Throssell (Newman ’51) Old Scholars Our uncle Alexander Howard Parker Fyfe served in Gallipoli with the 10th Light Horse from October to December 1915. He was then posted to the Suez Canal to defend it from Turkish troops. Following this successful campaign, he was sent to England for officer training and on completion, posted to the Western front where he was killed in Polygon Wood in September 1917. Although he had no children, his link to St Hilda’s remains strong with his great nieces attending – Robyn Beaton (1977), Wendy Perry (Beaton 1979), and Suzanne Sebo (Beaton, 1987) – and his great, great niece Claudia Perry (2010). Back Row (L-R): Wendy Perry, Robyn Beaton, Claudia Perry, Suzanne Sebo Front Row (L-R): Jean Beaton, Emily Sebo, Patricia Throssell
Jill Anderson (Samson ’63) – Old Scholar Joseph Kenneth Donaldson was my maternal grandmother’s much loved brother. He went to secondary school in Perth on a scholarship, and trained at the Midland Workshops as a Mechanical and Electrical Engineer. Ken Donaldson’s sister (and my grandmother’s sister) Evelyn (later Sholl) went to the Girls’ High School. His great nieces, Jill Anderson (Samson 1963), Ann Horn (Samson 1967) and Rosemary Brent-White (Samson 1972) all went to St Hilda’s, as did daughters Emily Anderson (1996), Jessica Anderson (1999), Melia Brent-White (1997), and Billie Brent-White (2002). Ken was a member of a citizens’ military force the St George Rifles Regiment where he was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in 1912. He was married in June 1914 and two months later, aged 28 left with the 18th Battalion for Gallipoli. Arriving at dawn on 22 August, they walked through the night and were at dawn told to attack Hill 60 with bombs and bayonets only. They had not been issued with bombs, and there was inadequate artillery backup. They were decimated. A diary entry, J.R. Liddle, 22 Aug 1915. JR Mitchell Library MSS records: Several of our men were hit here. Ernest Nunn was hit through the windpipe and killed, our first real casualty, we got to the hop off trench with only a few casualties and remained there for about 20 minutes and then got
the order to charge where to no one knew. Over we went and were mown down like weeds; a shell burst and caught Lieut. Donaldson in the breast. Capt. Lane was alongside him and picked up Lt. Donaldson in his arm, and held him up and gave him a drink; pulled out his revolver and emptied it into the Turks, then laid Donaldson down, picked up a rifle and let go at the Turks for all he was worth. Capt Lane was already wounded in the knee. Ken would have died in the dry watercourse at the bottom of the quite insignificant hillock. Due to the heavy shelling, a scrub fire ignited and many of the injured were burnt to death. The 18th Battalion emerged with just 386 of its 1000 men. My grandmother used to talk about her brother and for many years his family had no details of his whereabouts or even confirmation of his death. He is probably buried in a mass grave at Hill 60 and his name is on the Lone Pine Memorial. When Charles Bean, the Australian War historian, went to Hill 60 in 1919, dead bodies still lay exposed to the elements. It wasn’t until 1999 that I began some research and obtained his war records which give little information. We went to Gallipoli for ANZAC Day 2000 and made our way to Hill 60 and walked down the slope to the vicinity where Ken Donaldson most probably was killed. The action at Hill 60 has been little recorded. It is disappointing it has not been accorded the status of a noble encounter as other battles of World War I.
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Year 11s performing The One Day of the Year. Left: Jessica Lee, Sascha Turich and Annie Gooch Above: Lucy Goodrick and Ella Crust
Year 11 Drama students take another perspective Our Year 11 Drama students have been looking at WWI from different perspectives. Studying and performing Alan Seymour’s 1958 play The One Day of the Year and Tom Wright’s 2014 play Black Diggers recently performed at the Perth International Arts Festival. One hundred years have passed since the Great War yet some stories remain untold – Black Diggers is one of them. Through interweaving vignettes, a cast of male actors tells of the hundreds of dispossessed Indigenous soldiers who heard the call to arms and stepped up to fight for Australia on the battlefields of Europe. Drawing from interviews with the families of these soldiers, as well as conversations with veterans, historians and academics, this production tells a story of honour and sacrifice, with a lightness of touch and an Aussie-larrikin attitude.
Alan Seymour’s play The One Day of the Year, written in 1958, was met with huge controversy on release due to its criticism of ANZAC Day celebrations. It was initially rejected by the Adelaide Festival of Arts Board of Governors in 1960. In April 1961, at the first professional season dress rehearsal, police were forced to clear the theatre due to a bomb scare. The play centres around a father-son conflict which comes to head during the alcohol fuelled celebrations of ANZAC Day. Set in a period of great change, of “teenagers”, pop culture and anti-war demonstrations, The One Day of the Year questions the way in which we remember those who have served.
Year 7 book review Lighthouse Girl by Dianne Wolfer Lighthouse Girl by Dianne Wolfer is a wonderful, well written book with amazing illustrations. The book is set way back during the time of World War I and is based on a young girl named Fay, who lives with her father and her best friend Jacko (a donkey) in the lighthouse at Breaksea Island, off Albany, W.A. The family is isolated from the mainland and is very poor. One day dozens of war ships pass the lighthouse and the men try talking to Fay using the semaphore alphabet. Fay writes lots of letters and postcards to the soldiers and receives many back, addressed to “the little girl on Breaksea Island.” This is an outstanding book with a lot to offer and to learn. I would recommend Lighthouse Girl for all ages. Dylan Carter Year 7B Left: Eloise Young reads Lighthouse Girl 12
Ernest Charles Hull
Harold Martin Brooks
Giles Dolphin McColl State Library of New South Wales, a871907
Jane Putigny
Vicki McAlinden
Andrew McColl
Head of Year 12
House Coordinator Fitzroy
IT Support
My maternal grandfather, Ernest Charles Hull, was a member of the 10th Light Horse Regiment. He was 22 and a butcher when he signed up in and left from Albany in 1915. He fought in Turkey, Lebanon, and the family has a book of pressed flowers he collected in Jerusalem.
My grandfather Harold Martin Brooks was born in London and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces in December 1914. He landed on 25 April 1915 at the Dardenelles as part of the 5th Battalion. In May 1915 he was wounded in action and was transferred to a hospital ship and had his left arm amputated. He was discharged as unfit for service in December 1916 and went back to London, finally immigrating to Fremantle in 1920.
My grandfather, Giles Dolphin McColl, served in World War I. He joined up late after his brother was badly injured in the trenches in France. Grandfather served mainly in what was then called Palestine - now Israel. He was at the Charge of Beersheeba, the world’s last successful cavalry charge. Although he was second wave and didn’t actually have to go in against the Turkish machine guns. The first wave of Australian Light Horse got the job done.
Honouring our teenage ANZACs at the Feast of St Nicholas Tragically many of those soldiers killed in WWI were little more than boys. With St Nicholas the patron saint of children, they were remembered with a special service in St George’s Cathedral in December 2014. The service was conducted entirely by young people under 18 and our own Amelia Beck (now Year 7) was chosen to deliver the sermon. In doing so it is believed she is the youngest guest preacher in the cathedral’s history. Amelia said she was excited to be given the opportunity and spoke about the young WA soldiers who did not come home. “I think they wanted to be brave,” she said. “But as soon as they got into the war, they changed their minds. It’s very sad.”
Amelia Beck at St Georges Cathedral © The West Australian
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Girls’ High School 1914 to 1918
During the Great War, St Hilda’s was known as the Girls’ High School (GHS) and was located in Claremont on the site that is now Christ Church Grammar School. The Principal was Miss Parnell and the school had a regular publication – the Chronicle. Looking back through the Chronicle, the GHS was a place of learning and cultural studies not to mention fierce tennis, hockey and swimming competitions against Perth Modern School, Methodist Ladies College and Perth College. Nicknames for girls and teachers were common and lifelong friendships were celebrated with regular news of Old Scholars. War was distant but it did creep into school life as the Chronicle excerpts below show. Learning to sew, knit and cook was an important part of the girls’ education and their skills were also directed towards the war effort.
In 1914 Miss Parnell reported that the girls filled 89 billies with presents for the soldiers at the front and 57 Christmas puddings had been made. Book prizes were not awarded at Speech Day 1917 as the girls unanimously agreed to donate the money to the Red Cross. That year the girls were also given a holiday to see the march through Perth of the 29th Battalion and they lined the route and threw violets in the soldiers’ path. When the war was over, the girls went to a thanksgiving service at Christ Church Claremont. To their amazement Miss Parnell cried all through the service – they had never witnessed such emotion.
otes Class N s Senior
n Germa w e f y r ve have ve had rm but we a h e ing W this te me in draw g s e s s a i t in cl d mark ed our employ the Pacific an no longer f ow maps o t are n sions. We a h w n thereo man posses illiam II, er W the G nder what ay if o ould s w w n e r t o f r o e ents n Emp the complim n. Germa so r ld hea ng this les of i he cou r r im du numbe sspaid h from the la c e th g Judgin s adorning likely inap a war m ll, all take aval. a n uphe r 1914 w a e p o r e room u b E in the Chronicle, Decem terest
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“Everybody was very conscious of it (the war) because there were so many of the boys that we knew at Scotch and Hale. And we used to go yachting in the summertime every Saturday and we would… meet at Point Walter and... go swimming and then have a picnic or catch crabs – and of course, a lot of the boys then were called for training. And with my brothers going away and their friends of course we used to go down to see them off at the troop ships.” Flora Anderson (Mackay)
Old Girls’ Notes
erland at the time ased to school in Switz ple be l wil ers mb me All of the Consul are in but on the advice ich wh , ges bad t tha r hea urned to Ensafety General she ret er silv all sm a of m for the arrived safely enam- gland where she red in 3’ 191 S ‘GH h wit pin er refugees. ur together with oth ...O ble ila ava be y rtl sho l el wil sent in t they Bessie de Burgh is at pre president announces tha y. an return rm to Ge England but is expected are NOT made in ly a rce sca h it is ls had shortly. Thoug kma y Several of our Old Gir ida hol r was happy time to be l wil she an exciting time when wa e we hop was at ing in England r. wa the declared. Evelyn Elgee enjoy herself in spite of
Chronicle, December 1914
Certificate awarded to Helen Wansbrough in 1918 in lieu of a prize.
Old Girls’ News
Lorna Hannay has lat ely received slight injuries to her head, the result of an air raid on Folkstone. We wish her spee dy recovery. Chronicle, August 1917
Class Notes University enced we war comm Since the resting acmany inte have had m the fort d to us fro t a re G e counts rea Th per called e v a h r e nightly pa b of our num of the War. Some s e d themselv also availe g ‘brothin it is v f o y it n opportu and there ckboy Hill p life. ers’ at Bla y of cam ber 1914 d u st a make ronicle, Decem Ch
Old Girls’ Co lumn In the mid
dle of the se cond term a ‘birthday e vening’ was arranged in connectio n with the O ld Girls’ Association . The proce e d s were extended to the Trench forts Fund Com. The arra ngements were made with regard to each girl’s age. Each year was to be represented by a penny, and the sum of the age was en closed in a sealed enve lope. … The privilege
of breaking the seal in each case was extend ed to the se cr – who was tactful. A m etary inimum and maxim um charge was set. Not less th an eighteen p e nce was accepted, w hile (in defe rence to the Princip al) five shil lings was the top hole … The eve ning was very success ful and a m ost satisfactory su m was han ded over. Chronicle, Nov ember 1918
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An Indian Summer
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Amber Fort, Rajasthan
Try and picture yourself sleeping on the top bunk of The Pathankot Express to Jaipur, India with your backpack as a pillow. What about reaching the summit of a mountain in the Himalayas? Or maybe playing a match of cricket (Australia v India) on the side of a mountain village with school children? Perhaps exploring the Taj Mahal at sunrise is slightly more conceivable? These activities might seem pretty far fetched, but true to St Hilda’s ethos of Opportunities for Life, 14 Year 10 and 11 girls set off with Antipodeans Abroad to do this and much more on the trip of a lifetime in the 2014 summer holidays. The 23 day expedition saw us travel to Northern India on 28 November. The trip was divided into the three categories of sightseeing, trekking and a community project and had a focus on leadership and teamwork. This meant that almost everything was organised and decided by us. We booked our own accommodation every night, chose where to eat our meals, decided on our modes of transport (from rickshaw to elephant!) and ensured that we did all of this within a tight daily budget. Although this responsibility could be stressful at times, it was so satisfying learning that we were all capable of travelling without our parents to organise every detail for us.
Riding like royalty to the Amber Fort, Rajasthan
We touched down at Delhi airport and got straight onto a long bus ride to Agra, allowing us to slowly adjust to our surroundings. We learnt that road rules do not exist in India and the only way to make sure other ‘vehicles’ know you are nearby/ turning/stopping/in motion is to honk your horn as loud and as often as possible. And that if you want to cross the road, just do so in a large group and any cows or rickshaws will find some way to dodge you.
elephant!), City Palace, The residence of the Dalai Lama, Jantar Mantar and countless temples, mosques and shrines. Aside from visiting these sites, we fitted in hours of bartering in crowded bazaars, a cooking class, having traditional henna tattoos done, two Ranthambore National Park safaris and tried as much street food as possible - think samosas, countless cups of hot masala chai, Indian sweets (jalebis) and anything that lots of the locals were eating.
The Taj Mahal at sunrise is collectively at the top of the lists of most beautiful things we’ve ever seen. We had lots of fun taking ‘tourist’ photos - even if our selfie stick did get us in a bit of trouble with security! Seeing this spectacular building was something we will never forget, along with a multitude of other incredible historical sites throughout our trip. As a major part of our sightseeing, we selected sites from The Lonely Planet book to visit such as The Red Fort, Amber Fort (by
In between travelling from city to city and taking in the organised chaos that is India, we spent time working with a school in a Himalayan mountain village called Sarthi. Before our trip, we organised a number of fundraisers in order to purchase new learning equipment and building materials for the school. When we arrived at the school, we were given the warmest of welcomes with a beautiful ceremony in which people from the village (and far away) came to greet us. We were garlanded and
Opposite page: 3497m above sea level and views all the way to Tibet! From back left: Alice Nixon, Izzie De Nardi, Alex Finlay-Jones, Isi Higgins, Darcy Roe, Olivia Fitzpatrick, Jane Storm, Catherine Fenna, Niobe Fitzgerald
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Himalayan Trekking – Lambhari Crystal Mines, Himachal Pradesh
We got a taste of how it feels to explore a new place, embracing the Indian food, the rich culture and most importantly the people we met along the way.
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A traditional welcome from the people of Sarthi
The Taj Mahal at sunrise
Painting educational murals at the project in Sarthi
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Spending time with the locals in Sarthi
The school children of Sarthi
The whole group at Sarthi From back left: Darcy Roe, Niobe Fitzgerald, Isi Higgins, Rebecca Kempin, Mairi Krauklis, Alex Finlay-Jones, Izzie De Nardi, Olivia Fitzpatrick, Jane Storm, Catherine Fenna, Lauren Young, Georgina McCabe, Emily Price, Alice Nixon
given traditional forehead bindis and hats and treated to performances by the school children. Throughout our week in the village we stayed in the mud walled barns and storage rooms of generous families, enabling us to play cricket with the local boys and teach the girls Aussie songs and schoolyard games. During the day we worked hard to make the school a more exciting and happy environment for the children to come to everyday. We painted educational and fun murals on every wall, built fencing around their playground, secured posts for badminton and a game the children play known as ‘koko’, installed a rainwater tank, made a basketball hoop and donated lots of new educational resources and toys to the school.
It was incredible to be able to see how grateful the kids and villagers were for our work and just how happy the kids were to have received standard school equipment you would expect in every classroom across Australia. We developed close bonds with the kids and adults of Sarthi and we were sad to say goodbye to them all, but excited about the challenging week ahead of trekking.
us climb to the summit of Lambhari Crystal Mines (3497m above sea level) and gave us 360° views of the snow-capped Himalayan mountain ranges – we could even see all the way to the Tibetan border. The trek was full of amazing experiences like seeing snow, learning what it is like to be really, really cold (we’re talking 4-5 layers of clothing cold!) and seeing nothing but mountains in the distance everywhere you look.
The trekking element of our trip saw us walk every day from village to village, staying in home-stays. Our walks ranged from 3 – 7 hours and our friendly guides led us through the incredible Himalayan landscape. At times the hikes were challenging, especially when we had to climb up or down almost vertical slopes and with the altitude always slowly creeping up. Our longest hike saw
Our India trip taught our group so much. We learnt that we each have what it takes to be extremely independent and to work together with people you probably never would have before. We got a taste of how it feels to explore a new place, embracing the Indian food, the rich culture and most importantly the people we met along the way. They taught us you can be very happy even if you have few possessions.
The 2014 India Trip team
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Sugar and spice Our Junior School spent Term 1 creating a stunning and beautiful mandala out of 200 kilograms of coloured sugar and found objects. Lead by artist in residence Nicole Andrjevic, the girls demonstrated the power of co-operation and thoughtfulness to create a work of great beauty. This mandala symbolised what we can achieve when we work with one another towards a common goal. The word ‘mandala’ comes from the ancient Indian Sanskrit language, meaning circle, unity and wholeness. It embraces what it means to be a community and to cocreate with one another. The centre of the mandala is the ammonite which symbolises our foundation - St Hilda. In other cultures, such as India, the ammonite is a symbol of God. In this mandala, the ammonite, having taken many of millions of years to form, symbolises evolution. The pale olive green is a colour that symbolises hope and feminine leadership. Within the ammonite are the hand prints of Year 1 and Year 3 students, symbolising the next generation of females who are stepping into their roles to care for the planet, to bring new changes and ways of thinking and to co-create with one another. Following the ammonite, we have the wheel that symbolises the fertile Earth. Rice is a symbol of abundance and fertility. In many countries when there is a year of abundant harvest, the whole village prospers
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in good health and happiness. Within that fertile environment, we have the space to be able to dream and wish for what we truly want in life. The Year 3 girls planted their wishes and dreams in the seeds within the fertile soil. The seeds then begin to open. The girls illustrated the tiny sprouts that are emerging from those seeds. It was wonderful to see how unique each one was. The Year 5s and 6s designed the next wheel around the theme of ‘blossoming’. Very appropriate for girls soon to make the transition to senior school. The design incorporated the water element and lotus flowers blooming in a pond, along with some gorgeous decorative borders and patterns. Next the Pre Primary and Year 1s worked on the butterflies. This was the perfect symbol for girls moving into a new school environment. The Year 6s collaborated in groups to come up with the designs for each of the corners, which came to symbolise the elements of air, earth, water and fire. Their designs were further developed by Year 4, 5 and 6 girls, who created a beautiful textured patterning that looked as if it had been knitted or felted. Surrounding the mandala we have an inner border of flower designs by the Year 1 and 3 girls. Although the mandala has now been swept away, it will stay in the memories and experience of each and every one who was able to participate and marvel in its creation.
Learning in the great outdoors The days of school being about hours sitting at a desk staring and a teacher writing on a blackboard are thankfully long gone. Our Junior School students are benefitting from learning outdoors with The Eucalypts, the Indigenous Garden and the new Russell Brown Adventure Park. The Eucalypts is a natural bushland area tucked away on our Chidley Campus which entices students to connect with nature. This connection with nature imparts a mix of feelings and attitudes which has proven to have positive effects on student learning, physical health, emotional well being and personal interactions. Richard Louv, the author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, says it is important for children to have frequent and varied opportunities for outdoor play. When they do, they are: - happier, healthier and smarter - more self-disciplined - focused and self-confident - creative and cooperative - better problem-solvers - more optimistic and physically fit
Students have access to nature on a daily basis with recess and lunch times seeing a mix of age groups problem solving to build dens, cooperating to invent games, honing their physical agility to climb the olive tree or simply contemplating life nestled among the trees. At other times The Eucalypts become an outdoor classroom where teachers run sessions such as poetry writing, mathematical investigations, scientific field work, or art classes. Special events such as the recent Popup Library run by the FOLASH volunteers and damper cooking in the fire pit in conjunction with volunteers from First Fleet Fellowship. Located near Minim Park Cove and across the road from our Chidley Campus, the Russell Brown Adventure Park is another outdoor area that will be well used by our students. Thanks to a $5000 donation by our Auxiliary and the design advice and input from Andrea McNally and Beth Stubbs, this is an area the whole community will enjoy. Teachers are planning regular visits to this park. Students will have the opportunity to build confidence and become competent with self-discipline and collaboration, creativity and problem solving as well as improving their fitness and ability to monitor risks and challenge themselves in the great outdoors.
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Sport Gallery 4th consecutive win at IGSSA Swimming Carnival JIGSSA Swimming Carnival St Hilda’s finishes 2nd in IGSSA tennis competition – Junior B, Junior C, Senior C and Junior D win their pennants. Year 7/8C team finishes 2nd in volleyball pennant. 14 students attend the Australian Open Schools Rowing Regatta in Sydney for the first time. Junior and Senior Running Clubs have record attendance in 2015. St Hilda’s Netball Club launched.
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Music Gallery House Choirs Solo Classical Instrument Arts Festival Group Classical Arts Festival Group Pop Arts Festival Solo Pop Music Tour to the South West region Christ Church Grammar School and St Hilda’s Combined Concert
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Drama Gallery
Year 9/10 Production - Shakespeare’s Wife or Behind Every Good Man... Arts Festival Group Spoken Senior Drama NIDA Tour to Sydney
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Outdoor Education Gallery Year 9 camp – Urban Adventure Sailing Stand Up paddle boarding Coral Bay trip
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Sundowner Our school year always starts with friendship thanks to our Parents’ and Friends’ Association funded family Sundowner. It’s an opportunity for our Junior and Senior School families and staff to catch up and meet new friends at our beautiful Chidley Campus.
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Garden Rhapsody Our Auxiliary is a group of hard working volunteer parents who fundraise and support our St Hilda’s families in a variety of ways. This year their Garden Rhapsody fashion parade raised over $6200 for the redevelopment of our Food and Textiles department. Our heartfelt thanks to our Mums and Old Scholars who bravely tackled the catwalk as well as our generous sponsors – Flannel, Sara Fox & Co, Zomp, Keiko Uno, Annabel Cribb, Clover Canyon and Alliance Catering.
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HotMaths is hot stuff for our boarders Extra maths after school may not initially sound appealing but for 12 country girls this was part of Term 4 2014 getting ready for life as a Boarder in Year 7 at St Hilda’s.
“After an initial assessment, I set the girls weekly tasks over a seven week period to fill in their knowledge gaps. Most found it hard to get going but with encouragement and support from parents they really made great progress.”
Under the guidance of Ms Isabel Bucher, the girls used the online application HotMaths to improve their mathematical abilities as part of a St Hilda’s trial to support boarding students in the transition to secondary school.
Dr Maree Baddock, Dean of Curriculum, was encouraged by the results of the program. “From my perspective, I think the trial has been very promising and we look forward to developing it further in the near future,” she said.
“Along with other staff teaching Maths in the lower secondary years, I have noticed that our new Boarding students sometimes had a large knowledge gap compared to the girls coming from metropolitan schools into Year 7,” said Isabel. “We felt that some extra support before they come to St Hilda’s would really give them a skill and confidence boost and HotMaths would be a simple tool to use.”
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Remaining interested in the welfare of the School, many Old Scholars joined the Morning Tea to mark the commencement of Mrs Kim Kiepe as School Principal. Kim recognised the strength, vibrancy and inclusion of the Association and its tremendous value within the St Hilda’s community.
President’s Update
Over 10,000 former students have attended St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls (previously the Girls High School) and remain connected through the Old Scholars Association (OSA). Linking our Alumni to each other and to the School is at the core of the OSA’s service, reinforcing a special bond between those with whom we share so much in common. The photographs below tell our story of social occasions that prompt fond memories and plenty of laughter. The annual Bridge Day, 50 Year reunion and Morning Tea were amongst recent events that bought together Old Scholars of all ages.
Old Scholars are encouraged to follow our Calendar of Events and take advantage of the wonderful opportunities that present throughout the year. In particular we encourage young professionals to join our Mentoring Program and support current students through career guidance. This is a richly rewarding program for everyone involved and we’d love to see Old Scholars return to the School in this meaningful capacity. Angela Heaton President GHS & St Hilda’s Old Scholars Association
School Reunions 2005: 10 Year Reunion
Saturday 24 October 5pm Mosman Park Golf Club Contact: Deborah Hill Email: deborah.hill@sthildas.wa.edu.au
1995: 20 Year Reunion
Contact: Anna Casellas and Gillian Griffiths (Fowler) Email: acasellas@claytonutz.com; gillian.fowler.griffiths@gmail.com
1985: 30 Year Reunion
Saturday 24 October 4pm Cottesloe Hotel Contact: Katherine Ireland (Gardner)and Rowena Walsh (Keall) Email: Katherine.Gardner@cch.com.au; rokeallwalsh@westnet.com.au
1975: 40 Year Reunion
Saturday 19 September 11am Bay View Campus School tour (optional) followed by lunch at the Mosman Park Golf Club Contact: Debbie Mitchell (Brenkley) Email: debbie.mitchell@iinet.net.au
1955: 60 Year Reunion
Friday 30 October Chapel service, refreshments, School tour and lunch at Bay View Campus Contact: Jill Lewis Phone: 0407 251 317 Email: sjjalewis@bigpond.com
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Old Scholars Association Events Month
Date
Event
June
Sunday 14
Commemoration to mark the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta 5pm, reception to follow St George’s Cathedral
Monday 22
Mentoring Morning School Hall, Bay View Campus, Bay View Terrace, Mosman Park Contact: Anu van Hattem Phone: 0414 842757 Email: anuvanhattem@gmail.com
August
Tuesday 11
70+ Morning Tea Bay View Campus, Bay View Terrace, Mosman Park Contact: Deborah Hill, Alumni Officer Phone: 9285 4246 Email: deborah.hill@sthildas.wa.edu.au
September
Friday 4
OSA Social Golf Day Mosman Park Golf Club Contact: Bonnie Tollafield Phone: 0448 882 654 Email: bonbon@bigpond.net.au
Monday 21
GHS and St Hilda’s Old Scholars Association AGM 6pm The Gallery, Hope Nicholas House Bay View Campus, Bay View Terrace, Mosman Park RSVP by Sept 14: Libby Hocking (’71) Email: libbyhocking@iinet.net.au
Monday 12
CIGS Golf Day Royal Perth Golf Club Participation is open to anyone with a golf handicap Contact: Ann-Marie Tsaknis (Lilburne, ’77) Phone: 0417 969 336 Email: tsaknis@iinet.net.au
Wednesday 28
Country Lunch and Garden tour Darkan Contact: Pam Casellas Email: casellas@bigpond.net.au
October
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Morning Tea
50 Year reunion Bridge Day Morning Tea
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Postal
PO Box 34 Mosman Park WA 6912
Telephone 08 9285 4100 Email sthildas@sthildas.wa.edu.au
www.sthildas.wa.edu.au St Hilda’s CRICOS Provider Code 00452E
Bay View Campus Bay View Terrace Mosman Park Chidley Campus McCabe Street Mosman Park