168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø

I hope you enjoy this edition of the newsletter and I encourage you to share your or your friends’ stories or any other suggestions you may have by emailing me directly at ndevlin@stmargarets.qld.edu.au. I am looking forward again to connecting more with all of you and connecting you back to 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s.

The 2019 executive and committee

Patron Sister Gillian SSA

Vice Patron Ms Ros Curtis

President Mrs Nicole Devlin (nee Bender)

Vice President Mrs Sally Thomson (nee Harris)

Treasurer Ms Alexandra (Lexi) Watson

Secretary Mrs Norma Ticker (nee Wight)

Committee Members: Ms Penelope Bell; Ms Bianca Christophers; Mrs Anna Davidson (nee Graham); Mrs Jacky Garnsworthy (nee Roebuck); Ms Annie Goodsell; Dr Louise Gustafsson (nee Bender); Mrs Jennifer Leavey (nee Blanch); Mrs Anne Muggleton (nee Schmidhauser); Ms Grace Mullins; Ms Georgina Papworth; Ms Isabelle Slipper; Ms Georgie Tuffley; Ms Harriette Watson

Dates for Noting

10 May  Past Student Awards Dinner @ Arts Centre Foyer

26 July  10/20/30 Year Reunions

27 July  40/50/60 Year Reunions

28 July Old Girls’ Day Chapel and Morning Tea

29 July  VIP 60+ Reunion Luncheon

27 Oct OGA Annual Brunch @Arts Centre Foyer

26 Nov     Annual General Meeting

Our 2018 OGA Prize Winner: Annie Garland

My name is Annie Garland and I graduated from 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s in 2018. I began my time at 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø's in 2014 as an excited and nervous Year 8 boarder. Coming from the small town of Moree in North Western NSW, the hustle of the city and the seemingly never-ending traffic of Brisbane was a little different to what I was used to; however, the welcoming atmosphere of the boarding house and wider school community made it very easy to settle in quickly.

The welcoming, friendly environment extended into all aspects of 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s and I loved the opportunities that the school offered, from musical to sporting to philanthropic activities that I was able to be a part of throughout my time at school.

During my final year, I was fortunate enough to be named as one of the school captains of 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s. This experience enabled me to grow and develop as both a person and a leader, and at Speech Night I was honoured to be announced as the recipient of the Old Girls' Award.

This year I am studying a Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Laws (Hons) at QUT and am living at St John’s College, UQ.

My education at 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø's enabled me to explore my passions and realise my strengths. It allowed me to challenge myself and develop skills on which I will draw as I pursue my aspirations into the future.

I have no real hobbies, but I have always said that if teaching did not work out for me I would love to be a florist. I have so many memories of being at 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s and now, working back at 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s, I get to enjoy seeing current students forging their own paths and memories. In 2019, I am looking forward to leading the OGA as we move towards celebrating the 125^th anniversary of our school and connecting further with the Old Girl community.

Norma Leigh Tucker (nee Wight '65)

I have been working as an Administration Assistant for the Sisters of the Sacred Advent two days a week since 2016. Prior to this, I worked in both the primary school and in School Support at 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s from 2001 to 2015. I very much enjoy pilates, yoga and travelling, with a trip on the Queen Elizabeth to Japan to see the cherry blossoms next on my agenda. My fondest memories of my school days are the teachers and fun times at lunch with my school friends. I am pleased to say that a small group of us still meet regularly. I have found working at the school a wonderful experience as the staff, parents and students were very supportive at all times.

I hope by working on the OGA Executive Committee we can spread the word to the wider community that 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø's is a special place where friendships are formed for many years to come. It is wonderful to see many younger Old Girls joining the committee.

'A true friend reaches for your hand and touches your heart' ~ Attributed to Heather Pryor

Sally Thomson (nee Harris, '77)

I’ve worked in a variety of areas including Personnel Management, Office Management and some retail; however, I do Iove spending time with my family and extended family, especially my beautiful granddaughters. I love the connection I have had as a student, a parent of students and as an Old Girl of 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s. Having watched my father give so much to the school, and in particular the Sisters, it is my hope I can make a contribution as a member of the OGA Executive.

  

Lexi Watson ('14)

I was elected as the 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s OGA Treasurer in late 2017 after being on the committee for a year. I was a boarder for all of high school (Years 8 to 12) and I was in Spencer House. I am now studying Agribusiness and Veterinary Technology at The University of Queensland. I am working part-time in a law firm in the city as an administration assistant. On weekends, I like to go back to my parents' dairy farm near Kenilworth (Sunshine Coast Hinterland). One of my fondest memories of my time at 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s is of boarder weekends doing the amazing race around Brisbane City. I very much look forward to working with the OGA Executive Committee in the year ahead.

It is an exciting time and apparently one of our time capsules is due to be opened next year. In our centenary year, 1995, documents of the era and artefacts from 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s were buried in the capsule and deemed not be to open until 2020. Also, next year, the school will release a new history of the school, to complement the last history that was written, Per Volar Sunata, in 1996.

Of course, we are also living in the present and there is a lot of work happening on campus. The school is currently helping to steer students through the last year of the OP (Year 12) and the first year of the ATAR (Year 11). In addition, we are building a new sports precinct and work in the lower third of the campus is well and truly underway.

Nominations for our Past Student Awards are detailed in this newsletter and I would encourage you to help us acknowledge the great work of our past students by taking the time to nominate. Nomination is quite straightforward, and all nominations received are active for two years. Do you know a 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s Old Girl who has made notable contributions or achieved highly in her field? If so, we would love to receive your nomination and would also welcome you to come to the dinner when the awards are presented on Friday 10 May.

While many of our Old Girls have left their own or family name through making a tax-deductible donation of $1,000 or more to support the facility, others have chosen to acknowledge previous generations of proud 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s Old Girls within their families; their mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers.

For Jane Rutherford and her daughters, Darci (’18) and Piper, the decision to donate was a very personal one. Jane, Darci and Piper chose to contribute to the facility in honour of Jane’s mother, Beverley Green (’53).

“She was a boarder for the five years of her secondary schooling, and she would have been the first one to admit, sport was her thing, not so much the books,” said Jane.  

In Beverley’s senior year, she was a Prefect, Spenser House Captain, Athletics Captain, Swimming Captain, Lifesaving Captain and in the “A team” for Tennis. Jane said that as a family, given Beverley’s passion for and level of participation in sports at school, “our contribution to the sports precinct in honour of my mother felt appropriate.”

“Even though she passed away not long before they began their schooling here, we know she would be very proud of her granddaughters’ time at 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s.”

Just as Beverley will be honoured with her name etched into the school’s history of giving for future generations, past Old Girls’ Association President, Denice Foley (’54), will also be remembered and recognised alongside many fellow past and current students of 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s on the sports precinct Donor Wall.  Denice was a strong advocate for the 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s community and passionate about giving back to her school for the benefit of others.

168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø's has a long history of philanthropy with the facilities the past and current students benefit from today being delivered by the efforts of generations of past students, parents and staff who have gone before them.

We are very grateful for the support, at all levels, we receive from our community.

While we understand that not all past students will be able to contribute, if you are fortunate to be in a position to, and 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø's has served you well, we gratefully welcome your participation through a tax-deductible donation through the 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø's Foundation Building Fund. 

We also recognise that some of our past students may prefer to make a donation online to the Scholarship Fund to support students who may not otherwise have access to a 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s education. In keeping with the school’s mission and values, and the legacy of the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent, we are committed to assisting families who need financial assistance.

If you have an enquiry about making a gift, please contact our Director of Philanthropy and Stakeholder Engagement, Lara Pickering, by calling

(07) 3862 0884 or email foundation@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.  

 

In 1908 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s (known then as the Eton High School) was one of the three founding schools of the Queensland Girls Secondary School Sports Association. In the early years, teams competed in the sports of tennis and netball. 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s also had rowing crews.

168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s enforced a compulsory sports dress for netball and tennis in 1911.  Just a few years later a new and less constricting style was introduced.

    

 1911 basketball team                 1915 Dora Ganly

… Sports dress will be a tunic of dark blue cambric to the knees, with the school badge embroidered in white to the right of the left shoulder strap; plain blouse of white trebalco with square collar and sleeves to the elbow, brown stockings and white shoes. The Link 1918

  

1922 athletics team                1927 interschool tunnelling  

The ‘gym tunic’ – which comprised of a navy box pleated tunic, white blouse, brown belt and the dreaded navy bloomers – were worn by 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s girls up until the 1970s. Sleeves were shortened, socks replaced stockings and white sandshoes were changed to brown; however, the sports uniform remained basically the same.

 

     

1940 hockey                                              1958 netball 

1960 gymnastics

  

1927 tennis               1944 tennis 

Traditionally, tennis players always played in white, so their uniforms were different,

Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, athletics, swimming, netball, lifesaving and tennis were the only sports contested by the girls’ schools. As new sports were introduced, the tunic proved impractical and was replaced by a simpler uniform. However, during the war years, some changes needed to be made to training and facilities used. For example, swimming was cancelled completely in 1942 and for the duration of the war due to water restrictions.

1979 volleyball 

The following decades saw an increase in the number of sports offered – gymnastics, volleyball, hockey, cricket and rowing. Most of the other sports which are now an integral part of interschool competition were introduced during the 1990s. These new sports required more specialist competition uniforms. 

  

1984 athletics                            1987 tennis 

1975 softball 

  

  1996 possibly ballgames                         1999 rowing zooties
 

1997 cricket 

 

2009 hockey     2009 touch

 

2011 soccer

 

  

2013 netball                2015 rhythmic gymnastics

 

Sport has always been important part of life at 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s. With 18 sports available, over 92% of 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s students undertake, on average, a minimum of two sports each year. The school’s philosophy has always been to encourage as many girls as possible to participate and to strive to do their best regardless of the outcome.

After graduating from 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s in 2008, Katie worked as a station hand for agricultural company Consolidated Pastoral Company, in the Kimberley’s, before obtaining a Diploma of Agribusiness from Marcus Oldham College and a Bachelor of Management from QUT. Katie worked as an agricultural analyst and business consultant after graduating until returning to manage the family property in far south west Queensland in November 2017. Canaway Downs is a 230,000 acre cattle property, and offers a challenging and diverse workplace. On any given day, Katie can be handling livestock, carrying out general operational duties, flying a plane, doing business administration and developing strategic plans for capital development works.

Like many Australians living on the land, Katie faces the challenges of working through prolonged drought. Despite this, Katie maintains a positive mindset and is inspired by stories of innovation in agribusiness.  

In October last year, Katie featured in Revlon’s Bold Matters x Drought Angels campaign, sharing the stories of three rural women “who make the ordinary, extraordinary”. Revlon donated $2 from every Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick sold between 12 October and 11 November to Drought Angels, which provides financial and moral support to farmers and rural communities. The campaign was the best-performing in Revlon Australia and New Zealand’s history, with $152,754 donated to the charity. Katie enjoyed the experience filming with the Revlon team, with many laughs behind the scenes putting the project together.  

In February, Canaway Downs received three inches of rain. Though the drought is a long way from being broken, this rain provided much needed respite, and Katie says the country has responded well considering the impacts the drought has had on their property.

Watch the mini-documentary on Katie from the Revlon Bold Matters x Drought Angels campaign here:

Grace Mullins ('08)

Laurette was a prefect in her senior year at 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s and received credits for piano and singing. The Sisters made her an offer to stay on at the school in 1937, hoping that she would become a music teacher. In exchange for supervising the “babes’ dorm” in the morning and evenings, and on some weekends, she received free music and singing tuition and board, and five shillings a week as pocket money.

In 1940, Laurette married Berry Reynolds. The couple went on to establish and run “Moorlands”, a well-known Hereford cattle stud. Laurette was actively involved in the running of the stud and was known for her love of the cattle, wonderful knowledge of pedigrees and the fabulous parties she hosted after sales!

Laurette was sadly widowed at 50. In the first year after her husband’s death, she planted, with help from her daughter, Virginia, and cleaning woman Venettia, 2000 seedlings of primulas and cinerarias for the Carnival of Flowers competition, and was ultimately named the “Country Grand Champion”.

Around 1978, Laurette began “farm hosting” at Moorlands. A visitors' book with over 10,000 signatures is now a testament to her great success as a hostess with an ability to make all visitors to Moorlands feel special.

Laurette continued to live at Moorlands until only 15 months before her passing. In her later years, she continued to live a remarkable life, known for her lasting love of music, gardening and her community, and even taking out a two year gym membership, stating that one is never too old!

Denice Foley sadly passed away on 25 January 2019. Denice is very fondly remembered by the OGA for her contributions throughout her lifetime to the school and to the running of the OGA. Denice served as President of the OGA for a period of time during the 1980s.

 

Born on 9 August 1936, Denice grew up in Brisbane, attending Ascot State School, followed by 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s. During her time at 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s, Denice was very athletic, taking part in an array of sports, while also performing well academically. In her final year at school, she was elected as a prefect and Milton House Captain. She went on to combine these talents by studying Education at The University of Queensland, and subsequently became a PE teacher.

When Denice’s daughter, Lisa Butler (Foley ’84), commenced at 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s, Denice became very involved in the OGA and its annual activities. Taking an active role on the committee, particularly as president for a period of time, Denice involved herself in the organisation of reunions, the Annual Church Service, the Old Girls' Prize, and a variety of events within the school community. Denice particularly took pride in and enjoyed her role of presenting the Old Girls’ Prize at Speech Night each year. This role became somewhat of a tradition for Denice, as she continued to present the prize on behalf of the OGA beyond her time as president, up until recent years.

Denice was very proud to be the first of three generations of 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s girls, as her granddaughter, Georgie Butler ('15), also attended the school. She was also proud to maintain many relationships from the 168¿ª½±¹ÙÍø’s community throughout her lifetime, and the OGA is grateful for her support and friendship.

  There are two award categories: 

• Distinguished Past Student (for alumnae who have passed their 20th reunion)
• Young Past Student of Distinction (for alumnae in their 20th reunion year or younger)

Nominations close on Monday 18 March 2019 at 5pm (AEST) and winners will be announced at the annual Past Student Awards Dinner on Friday 10 May. Download a nomination form. (PDF 1.2MB)