Looking back, moving forward

Mary Surtees

Assistant Head of Primary School – Wellbeing and Operations

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As I reflect on my forty-plus years’ association with St Margaret’s, I note that much has changed physically but the very soul of the school remains steadfast. The Sisters’ ethos permeates all that we do; in more than 125 years, their values and beliefs continue to underpin all that we do and all that we are, and it is this strong tradition that is St Margaret’s. My first time at St Margaret’s was in 1978 as I began my sixweek final block practice as a pre-service teacher. St Margaret’s already had a formidable reputation at the university, so it was a daunting task to front up for my first day. I was extremely fortunate to have as my mentors Miss Sheena Dyason and Mrs Penny Clarke, who taught me to love teaching and to love the school. In 1979, I returned as a bona fide teacher who had, in the back of her mind, that she would stay five years and then move on to discover the world. That five years became 42. We were the envy of all schools in Brisbane because we had two pools – the historical 25yard pool (still in use today) and the Olympic sized 50 metre pool. And we had that view from the grandstand! We had ant-bed courts, both netball and tennis, and many a skinned knee was had. Our gym was where the School Supplies Shop is now. It was a stroke of genius to be able to conduct a class of twenty-five girls in there on beam and bars, providing you did not do a back-hip circle on the high bar! Miss Dyason and I coached all the teams, with the exception of tennis. Life was definitely busy but much simpler. The Angelus bell would be rung at midday every day – a gentle reminder of the presence of the Sisters in our lives. The present Pre-Prep Centre (the Advent Centre) was then the Wafer House

Looking back,

MOVING FORWARD

where the Sisters would produce the communion wafers for Anglican schools and churches throughout Australia. The Sisters would also check the length of the middy skirt by asking the girls to kneel down – it was measured with a ruler. The gym tunic and bloomers are the stuff of legends as girls participated in a myriad of activities, ahead of their time. I was appointed by our first secular head, Mrs Kugelman, and have worked under every new secular head since then. In 2021, we have our highest enrolment numbers in our history – a testament to our staff and families who believe in what St Margaret’s stands for. National awards have been presented to individuals at the school as well as programs and innovations presently in action. The Thredbo trip was a rite of passage for so many girls. We travelled to the snow for over forty years. Originally, we bussed it down. We did fly for a time but in the later years returned to bussing for convenience and cost. We had ski instructors who were personally hand-picked for us and we had some truly amazing experiences. A building program over the years has seen some structures disappear and new ones take their place. The old rendered tennis wall hid the fact that it was the original sandstone wall built when Mooloomburram was a stately home and the stables were nearby. It has now been fully restored using sandstone that was found in the rubble when the ‘Loft’ was demolished. The front doorbell at Mooloomburram still works – ask me how I know?!

Every two years, we would hold the St Margaret’s Fun Fair. It would start early on Saturday and continue all day into the night. Hugh Cornish always had a hand in its organisation, and through his contacts, we had some big-name stars attend the concert. The cake and lolly stalls were a sight to behold and raised substantial amounts of money. We also had a flower show and an art show for a period of time. Several of the works of art adorn the walls of my own home. The Sisters were always present in the day to day running of the school – many in teaching or boarding roles. Sadly, as the numbers dwindled, their appearances decreased. It is still a delight to see the Sisters who remain at school functions. We had a few very sporty Sisters and some would delight in taking part in one of my PE lessons if they happened to be walking past. We had some very able javelin throwers and tennis players! While staff may come and go, the values of the school have remained unchanged and the expectations for the students remain constant. The house spirit has never diminished, and houses may have a run of wins for several years until another house pips them at the post. The primary school introduced house coloured shirts – both sun shirt and polo – and normal swimming classes then became a sea of colour as both sun shirts and bathing caps were coloured according to the houses. Play hats were also introduced into the primary school as we gained sunsmart accreditation and ‘no hat= no play’ and ’no sunshirt= no swim’ became recognised incentives to be prepared! Technology continues to make a huge impact on the way we operate the school and teach our lessons. Large desktop ‘monsters’ have been replaced by the sleek laptops and iPads in the classes today. The onset of COVID further developed our technology skills when home learning became a reality. The skills that the girls are presently acquiring are skills unheard of several years ago. Technology also means that everything – or nearly everything – is done online. In the Archive Centre, there are the beautiful enrolment ledgers of a bygone era with the perfect copperplate writing. Our salary is electronically transferred fortnightly. When I first began here, we were paid monthly, and we had to go to the office to sign for our pay. If we did not do it within the required timeframe, we missed out on our pay and waited another month to collect it.

Life was simpler then, demands were fewer, expectations not so grand. Our Old Girl reunions conducted around the date of St Margaret’s Day bring many girls back to the school – some for the first time – and what changes they see! I enjoy taking tours on this day and hearing tales and reminiscences of the Old Girls about their school days and what they got up to (and laughing that the staff did not know). I hate to disabuse them of that fact, but the staff always found out in the end! By looking back, we can continue to move forward. We have a rich history and a strong legacy from the Sisters. I am honoured and privileged to have been a small part of it. As we continue to win accolades for our innovative programs and dynamic staff, we continue to move forward but maintain our history and values. There is nothing a St Margaret’s girl cannot achieve.

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