The Women's College Magazine Spring 2014

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AFFILIATE PROGRAM

MARITIME PAINTING

M AG A Z I N E

SPRING 2014VOLUME 30 # 2

MEDICAL COLLOQUIUMP7

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MUSIC AT COLLEGEP8

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THE WOMEN’S COLLEGE MAGAZINE VOLUME 30 / NUMBER 2

C O N T E N T S S P R I N G 2 0 1 4V O LU M E 3 0 # 2

3 FROM THE SENIOR STUDENT Ms Rebecca Holdt

NAAUC REPORT

4 FROM THE CHAIR Ms Lucinda Warren

5 FROM THE PRINCIPAL Dr Amanda Bell

NEW ADMISSIONS REGISTRAR

6 FORMAL DINNER SERIES

7 ‘OURSELVES UNBORN’ Medical Colloquium

8 MUSIC AT COLLEGE

10 AFFILIATE PROGRAM Julia and Alice Gilmour

11 ACADEMIC RESULTS

12 STUDENT ACCOLADES AND INITIATIVES

14 STUDENT EVENTS PICTORIAL

15 LEADERSHIP SEMINAR SERIES AND OPEN DAY

16 LINGELBACH NAVAL BATTLE PAINTING

18 ALUMNAE PRESIDENT AND ALUMNAE AWARDS Ms Tori Edwards

19 ALUMNAE HONOURS AND EVENTS

20 VALE

21 WOMEN’S COLLEGE 1912

22 BOOK REVIEWS

23 DONORS AND BEQUESTS

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F R O M T H E S E N I O R S T U D E N T

N A AU C R E P O R T


The Women’s College promotes a strong philanthropic stance and this year’s Students Club has aimed to promote a culture of being kind and generous to others. Various College initiatives capture this sentiment such as Kindness Week, the extensive fundraising and volunteer work of the Charity Committee, student volunteers providing academic collegiality through the new Science and Medicine Club and the student-led ‘Pay it Forward’ scholarship highlighted in the last edition of the College magazine. It is evident the students at Women’s College are willing to give.

The Women’s College is proud to be a diverse community with students coming from different backgrounds, schools and hometowns. With this, we acknowledge that some students can find themselves in challenging financial circumstances and may have difficulty supporting themselves throughout the semester. House Committee has recently established a Student Relief Fund as a means of providing emergency financial assistance. Owing to the terrific financial management of the Students Club accounts by past treasurers, we are in a promising financial position to

establish this fund. To perpetuate the fund, future House Committees will be encouraged to contribute an annual donation from Students Club fees, around the price of a coffee per student. Each year up to $5000 can be provided for students in need to assist them with fees, textbooks and essential expenses. All applications will be confidential and assessed by the Principal and the executive. Through incorporating interest earned and contributions of future House Committees the fund in its current format stands to last for at least the next 12 years.

This emphasis on helping others and providing widespread support networks is a unique attribute of the Women’s College, represents the collective leadership of the student body, and the vibrant and inclusive home our College provides.

Rebecca Holdt Senior Student 2014

2014 House Committee: Martha James (Secretary), Rebecca Holdt (Senior Student) and Anna Lorigan (Treasurer)

Second-year Women’s College students Mary Grimwade and Micha Birkby attended the week-long National Association of Australian University Colleges Conference (NAAUC) at Melbourne University during the winter University break. The conference comprised a variety of workshops, seminars and academic sessions with discussion on many issues relevant to college life. Stand-out speakers included Jack Manning Bancroft, founder and CEO of the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), and Susan Carland, lecturer in the School of Political and Social Inquiry at Monash University and a notable commentator on women and Islam.

Micha and Mary reported that their experiences at the conference have highlighted the importance of fostering strong and transparent intercollegiate communications, and of continuing to create a wide variety of social events to appeal to the diverse student community at colleges. This year’s conference provided a particular focus on promoting greater awareness of mental health issues. “We learnt how vital it is to educate students to stay in tune with their individual mental health and to develop strategies to help peers struggling with personal wellbeing and mental stability,” say Micha and Mary.

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F R O M T H E C H A I RThis year the Council’s focus has been on confirming the College’s strategic framework, progressing the governance projects identified in the 2013 Council evaluation, and planning for new campus developments in the future.

The Strategic Framework 2014-2017 identifies four key categories to classify the College’s initiatives for our students and the organisation as a whole. They are Leadership, Scholarship, Philanthropy and Environment. As will all organisations that are self-sufficient, the College looks to balance general operational expenditure with opportunities to “future-proof” itself through progressing program and infrastructure developments. For example, the College seeks to:

• continue to distinguish itself as a leading provider of advantageous academic, professional and co-curricular programs for female students;

• deepen and broaden alumnae and community support to strengthen organisational resilience;

• maintain strong credibility within the university and leverage an expanding external profile;

• build the global identity of the College to expand and consolidate brand awareness; and

• grow the financial base to provide more scholarship opportunities and achieve the campus improvement plan—predominantly through philanthropic endeavours.

With a donation revenue base of 2% in 2013, the College is keen to expand the potential for future philanthropic engagement. Our philosophy is one of “volume of donors” as opposed to “volume of donations.” In other words, our philanthropic key performance indictor is growing our donor base, as opposed to measuring our donation base. There are many benefits associated with this strategy beyond a basic fundraising appeal. The greater the number of donors, the stronger the community engagement and the more our supporters will understand and value the contemporary work of the College for our young women.

In accordance with Section 6 of The Women’s College Act, 1902 (as amended 1997), nominations were sought for five vacancies on the Council of The Women’s College. With a strategic focus on enhancing its leadership in the sector, rejuvenating the campus as a result of an ambitious master plan, promoting its capacity for scholarships and developing its

philanthropic outcomes, the Council particularly encouraged candidates with demonstrated skills and experience in the following areas: accounting; building project management; fundraising/philanthropy; business management; education; finance/investment; governance; health/medicine; and legal. Our community will be notified of the outcome of the five appointments for 2015-2018 in late November, 2014.

I am pleased to announce that following Mr Dick Persson’s resignation from Council in March this year, Mr Richard Alcock was appointed to the casual vacancy created. Richard is an experienced non-executive director and a past parent of the College. His qualifications and experience in law and investment banking, plus his passion for supporting careers of young women, are a valuable addition to our Council.

Lucinda Warren

T H E W O M E N ’ S C O L L E G E R E V E N U E 20 1 3

T H E W O M E N ’ S C O L L E G E E X P E N D I T U R E 20 1 3

STUDENT RESIDENTIAL 77%

CASUAL ACCOMMODATION, CATERING & CONFERENCES 16%

INVESTMENT INCOME 4%

DONATIONS 2%

MISCELLANEOUS 1%

CATERING 31%

EMPLOYMENT 29%

MAINTENANCE 15%

DEPRECIATION 10%

CLEANING 6%

UTILITIES & RATES 4%

ADMINISTRATION 4%

MARKETING 1%

Through decades of careful financial management, the College enjoys a robust balance between revenue and expenditure. For the benefit of our community and on behalf of the Council, graphs shown illustrate the composition of key financial drivers in the January – December, 2013 year:

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F R O M T H E P R I N C I PA LThe proposed changes to the Higher Education sector have informed much of our strategic planning anticipating future challenges, particularly with potential degree cost increases for students and the impact this may have on our own current and future College students. Therefore, more than ever, we look to provide exceptional value in every way for students who choose the College either as a Resident or Affiliate.

Women’s has a long history of providing not only a welcoming and happy home for our students on campus, but also for delivering high quality additional programs which enhance the whole tertiary experience. These include our new Academic Assistant Program to help our freshers transition from school to university study; the Resident Assistant Program, which has been developed and refined over many years to provide relevant pastoral care and guidance for all students on each wing of the College; the benchmark Mentoring Program to assist older students with trialling career options; our Professional Development Program centred on personal leadership and career readiness; the new Internship Program identifying exclusive opportunities for Women’s students to access internships across a range of professions; and more recently the post graduate scholarship information sessions and access to faculty briefings on Masters degrees available in the Business, Management, Education and Social Work fields.

Access to education in all its forms is advantageous for not only an individual, but for the future growth and prosperity of this country and the world generally. Our young women who have chosen the University of Sydney for further study, also qualify for the added advantages offered by Women’s College. We are mindful of the costs associated with tertiary qualifications, their potential increases and the additional cost of a college experience. The University’s scholarship program is extensive

and the College’s scholarship program also assists students of merit who face financial strain. We are indebted to our many benefactors who contribute towards our scholarship fund.

The evolution of the Higher Education sector in Australia will present opportunities as well as challenges, but for The Women’s College our mandate is clear: to provide the very best academic care and professional development for every student.

Dr Amanda Bell

N E W S TA F F : A N N A R M S T R O N GIn June 2014 Ann Armstrong was appointed to the newly created role of Admissions Registrar at Women’s College. Ann’s responsibility is to build further upon our capacity to attract a diverse range of high quality resident and affiliate applicants, thereby enhancing the College’s reputation as the premier tertiary institution of its kind for aspirational young women.

Ann comes to Women’s College with fifteen years’ experience in independent schools in Sydney and Brisbane. She holds a Bachelor of Business, a Postgraduate Certificate in Marketing and a Diploma in Art History. With her background in strategic marketing and business development, Ann brings to Women’s College her professional strengths in relationship management, enrolment

maximisation and identification of new student markets here in Australia and overseas.

Ann has remarked that “Women’s College has a reputation for having stellar alumnae and I was attracted to a place that had turned out so many interesting scholars who had made their mark in their chosen vocation. The place and the programs are for women and I’m pleased to be part of the team that creates those opportunities. It gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

The College is currently interviewing undergraduate, post graduate and affiliate students for 2015. The application process is on our website (http://www.thewomenscollege.com.au/apply-to-college) or contact Ann Armstrong on [email protected]

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F O R M A L D I N N E R S E R I E S

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G A I L K E L LY Choose to be positive no matter what life presents you with. Do what you love and love what you do. Be generous of spirit. Don’t put off doing the important things. Always prioritise family.

These are some of the key life lessons Westpac CEO Gail Kelly shared with Women’s College students at Formal Dinner on 7 August. Ms Kelly gave a highly personal account of her remarkable professional career – its highlights and its sometimes difficult transitions – encouraging students to set themselves a goal to strive to be happy and fulfilled in life.

Ms Kelly explained her conviction that following your heart and intuition, believing in the power of people, and making meaningful connections builds confidence, brings energy and joy, and enriches a woman’s life and career.

S T E L L A R S P E A K E R SThe College community has been treated to a stellar line-up of Formal Dinner speakers this semester. In addition to Gail Kelly, Google Marketing Head Lucinda Barlow spoke about the excitement of working with big thinkers. Recently graduated from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, Boston Consulting employee and Women’s College alumna Julia Fetherston spoke of her recent thesis on “nudge” economics. American Professors Keith Moxey (Barnard College) Michael Holly (Clark Art Institute) undertook a rare dual Formal Dinner speech, and Head of Directing at NIDA Dr Egil Kipste gave a practical demonstration of his work teaching the next generation of Australian theatre directors.

Students have been eager to show their enthusiasm for the variety of speakers by taking the opportunity to meet with them for coffee and further discussion with members of the Senior Common Room after Formal Dinner each week.

University of Sydney Chancellor Belinda Hutchinson AM, Gail Kelly, and Women’s College Chair of Council Lucinda Warren

Lucinda Barlow, Google Head of Marketing Julia Fetherston, Boston ConsultingMichael Ann Holly & Keith Moxey, Power Institute Visiting Fellows

Egil Kipste, Director Graduate Studies, NIDA Hanan Charaf, Near Eastern Archaeologist

S E M E S T E R T W O F O R M A L D I N N E R S P E A K E R S I N C LU D E :

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‘O U R S E LV E S U N B O R N ’ M E D I C A L C O L LO Q U I U M


Three distinguished Women’s College medical alumnae presented a joint colloquium on their renowned research in the field of embryology in the Menzies Common Room on 17 September. Titled ‘Ourselves Unborn,’ the colloquium brought together for the first time Dr Janet McCredie AM, Professor Margaret Burgess AO and Professor Elizabeth Elliott AM to speak on their respective areas of expertise in the study of birth defects: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), rubella, and the effects of the drug thalidomide. In her opening comments Dr McCredie acknowledged that the colloquium was intended as a gesture of thanks to College in return for the Alumnae Awards both she and Professor Burgess had received in 2009 and 2011 respectively. The event was moderated by Women’s College Alumnae Committee President Tori Edwards, and attracted an audience of medical alumnae of all generations, as well as current students, research collaborators and friends of College who contributed to a lively Q&A panel discussion.

Dr McCredie traced the history of the drug thalidomide, its prescription as an anti-nauseate and the epidemic of birth defects which followed in its wake between 1958 and 1962. Her research has shown that thalidomide causes neural crest injury which in turn leads to birth defects in the developing infant. Professor Burgess discussed the cataclysmic discovery in the 1940s that rubella caused congenital malformations in newborn babies, including cataracts, deafness, heart disease and low

birth weight. Her talk explained the work involved in isolating the virus and initiating immunisation programs in the 1970s in Australia where, unlike the developing world, the virus is now rare. Professor Elliott’s presentation examined the research into FASD and its translation into public policy and community programs in Australia. A current member of the Women’s College Council, Professor Elliott paid tribute to her co-presenters, acknowledging them as mentors in the embryology field. Professor Elliott’s research into the dangers of maternal blood alcohol and the related effects on the developing child has been presented at a United Nations forum, and resulted in campaigns to raise awareness and reduce the problem of underdiagnoses by the medical profession.

The colloquium highlighted the remarkable research synergy of the three presenters and the often far-reaching interconnections created by the College community and its alumnae. Current Advanced Science/Medicine student Maryam Eghtedari remarked after the colloquium: “It was very impressive to see Women’s College alumnae from different years working together. Usually people are working independently all around the world on research problems. Women’s College is not a big place but it has had such a big impact on this area of medicine and that’s so unusual and inspiring.”

Egil Kipste, Director Graduate Studies, NIDA Hanan Charaf, Near Eastern Archaeologist Colloquium presenters Professor Margaret Burgess AO, Professor Elizabeth

Elliott AM, Tori Edwards (moderator) and Dr Janet McCredie AM.

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M U S I C M AT T E R S

VOLUME 30 / NUMBER 2THE WOMEN’S COLLEGE MAGAZINE

A walk through Women’s College at any time of the day or evening will typically involve an encounter with live music: a student practising on the Main Common Room grand piano, a group or ensemble rehearsing in the Menzies room, a soloist singing or instruments being played in one of the College’s dedicated music practice rooms. Women’s College students, whether musical or not, attune their ears to an appreciation of harmonious sound. In addition to a number of students studying voice, flute, cello, double bass and violin at the Conservatorium of Music, many students in a range of other non-musical degrees continue to keep up their practice and are encouraged to do so by the many performance opportunities the College provides.

The annual intercollegiate Palladian Cup competition centres on a series of top-drawer competitive evenings over the academic year, showcasing the remarkable breadth of talent across the colleges at the University of Sydney. Students compete in solo and group vocal and instrumental music sections, in addition to dance, drama and debating. The standard is impressive and Women’s College has regularly outperformed its competitors, this year winning solo vocal for the third year running, with our talented a capella choir taking the group vocal section for the second year in a row.

As well as nail-biting competitive performances, there are numerous more relaxed opportunities to perform at weekly Formal Dinners, special events such as the Mother Daughter and Father Daughter Dinners, alumnae functions and light-hearted revues. The College’s annual Cabaret performance includes a live backing band of college students and a jazzy nightclub atmosphere with talented singers and dancers. It’s a night not to be missed in the College calendar. Since 2013 the colleges have combined musical talents to produce an annual Intercol Musical, a large-scale and entirely student-run production held at the nearby Seymour Centre.

Women’s College continues to nurture up-and-coming young performers, offering young women of outstanding musical ability and potential the opportunity to apply for The Women’s College Music Scholarship to assist them financially to attend the College to study Music Performance. Further information on scholarships is available at www.thewomenscollege.com.au/scholarships.

First-year Music/Medicine students Rebekah Kwa (cello) and Annabelle Carter at Mother Daughter Dinner.

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Palladian Tweet: our winning a capella choir performing “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.”

Fourth-year Music Performance Student Charlotte Merz singing at the Chancellor’s Dinner in April.

Chelsea Witham, in her fourth year at the Conservatorium, performing at Formal Dinner.

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A L I : I’ve found that University suits me much better than school: I prefer the independent style of learning. It was great coming to College as an Affiliate and having discussions with other girls doing my subjects. I had philosophy and chemistry tutorials at College in my first semester and it was so helpful to have people to talk through concepts with. Good study habits rubbed off and I found myself getting distinctions in my results. Because home is 45 minutes’ drive away, College gave me a base where my friends were, as well as great food, conversation, and people to go to class with.

Staying at College during Orientation Week was really important in making those first friendships. I felt really comfortable coming to College every day and growing those friendships. Being able to decorate my room and organise my folders when I moved in at the beginning of second semester was fantastic. The transition was easy and I was able to settle in really quickly.

My relationship with Julia grew much stronger last year too: we’d become adults at different times and I’d been away on Gap. As an Affiliate I’d stayed in Julia’s room, and we coordinated our lives around each other. Now she sometimes stays in my room so I’m repaying the favour!

J U L I A : Ali came along to Spring Cocktail in her Gap year and was really impressed. That was the decider about her coming to College. She found her niche as an Affiliate and immediately started getting good marks: the community here was very beneficial and her confidence grew enormously. The shared experience of College has brought us together really closely over the last couple of years.

I’d had a leadership role in my last year at College and that experience has been really formative. Earlier this year I founded the Masters of Management Society and was voted its first President. Being Secretary of the Students Club at College gave me confidence in my ability to lead a cohort of very driven and intelligent students. College got me used to an environment of high achievers – it has definitely developed my character and communication ability.

Being an Affiliate this year has allowed me to make the most of my time while I’m on campus. I eat in the dining hall and go to Formal Dinner and enjoy all the things I’ve loved about College. A lot of my friends are still here so I have lunch with them regularly and hang out in their rooms. Strengthening my friendships with them even further and still having their support

is really nice. My Masters timetable is very intense – sometimes 9am to 10pm for days at a stretch. Coming back to College between classes is so convenient and it allows me to work to my full potential. Sometimes I stay in Alice’s room and it’s lovely to have that option but the place I spend the most time is the Senior Common Room. I know all the girls studying there and we respect each other’s study time and are totally productive in that space.

Affiliate students enjoy many of the benefits of being a member of Women’s College, without being in residence. More information on this program can be found at: http://www.thewomenscollege.com.au/affiliate-program.php

A F F I L I AT E P R O G R A MGilmour sisters Julia and Alice (Ali) share their experiences as Affiliate (non-resident) students of Women’s College. Now in the second year of her Liberal Arts and Sciences degree, Ali was an Affiliate in Semester One 2013, before moving into College in second semester. Julia took up an Affiliate place in 2014 after three years at Women’s College. She is enrolled in a Masters of Management program at Sydney University, and now commutes from home in Sydney’s northern suburbs.

Sisters Julia and Alice Gilmour

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A N A+ AC A D E M I C A DVA N TAG EIn 2014 Women’s College has piloted a program aimed at helping first-year students to make the transition from high school to the different demands of tertiary study. Each fresher has been assigned an Academic Assistant to work with over the course of the academic year to meet and discuss her progress at university. Academic Assistants are senior students at Women’s College who are in at least the third year of their degree, with a minimum distinction average across all of their university results. The Academic Assistants meet regularly with their students both individually and as a group to discuss strategies to tackle their university work more effectively and refer students as necessary to the additional tutorials run by the College.

The Academic Assistant program is managed by Women’s College Senior Teaching Fellow, Dr Tamson Pietsch. A former Rhodes Scholar and a current postdoctoral fellow in the

University of Sydney History Department, Dr Pietsch is pleased with the results of the program so far: “We know anecdotally from the students that navigating the first year of university can be extremely difficult and daunting,” says Dr Pietsch. “No matter what their entry score, students need to acquire a new toolkit to excel at university – time management, taking good lecture and exam notes, writing for different disciplines. Having access to their Academic Assistants to decipher some of these questions has given the freshers this year greater confidence, and hopefully will assist them to upskill and transition to the rigors of university study more quickly.”

Although it is still too early to ascertain whether the Academic Assistant program will translate to collective higher first-year academic averages than in previous years, the initial signs look promising: of the twelve undergraduate students who gained a High Distinction average (85%+) across their first semester university results this year, five were in first year – an impressive 42% of that scholarly group. With only 32% of the College in first year, the freshers are already punching well above their weight.

AC A D E M I C R E S U LT S

Semester One high distinction scholars: Amelia Freeman (4th year Education), Emily Fell (1st year Vet), Maryam Eghtedari (2nd year Advanced Science /MBBS), Lauren Mewburn (2nd year Physiotherapy), Principal Dr Amanda Bell, Lauren Wright (1st year Aerospace Engineering), Cheryl Wong (5th year Engineering/Science), Mira Odgers (3rd year Economics/Law). Seated: Clara Wilkins (1st year Vet), Emelia Milliner (1st year Engineering/Commerce).

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Our Rosebowl basketball team has a secret weapon. Second-year Engineering/Commerce student Kathryn Rendell launched her international career this year as a member of the Great Britain National Basketball Team. An elite athlete with the Sydney University program, Kathryn is a member of the Sydney University Flames basketball team, and plays for the North Sydney Bears in the off season. Earlier this year UK talent scouts spotted Kathryn at a Bears game and offered her a spot on a squad of twenty who were flown to the UK for further trials. Kathryn was one of the final twelve chosen for the Great Britain Team. Although she grew up in Australia, Kathryn’s British heritage made her eligible for selection (she was born in Britain and holds a UK passport).

Kathryn spent seven weeks in the UK and Europe undertaking intensive training, practice games in Italy and Russia and playing against Belgium, Macedonia and Lithuania. “It was an incredible experience” she says. “Playing at an international level is something I’ve always dreamed of doing. It has clarified what I want to achieve with my future basketball career.”

Kathryn is clearly adept at keeping two balls in the air: on top of her basketball commitments she maintains a high distinction average in her university results. Kathryn says that in addition to her studies, she will concentrate on improving her game with the Flames in their upcoming season in readiness for trialling again for the Great Britain team in 2015. Ultimately her goal is to play in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Of course, College looks forward to Kathryn perfecting her game in the intercollege Rosebowl competition!

U N B R I D G E C L I M B F O R P E AC EFirst-year Engineering student Rhys Munns was one of just ten designated representatives from United Nations member countries to ring the peace bells on the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of the UN International Day of Peace on 21 September. An Indigenous student from Mt Isa, Rhys found the experience inspiring: “It was the first time the peace bells had been rung on the Harbour Bridge. Each of us played a different note and we had a crash course in chiming together. The engineering of the bridge

is crazy and intricate and the bells sounded amazing up there against the backdrop of the harbour and the Opera House.”

The bridge climb was one of a number of events held around Sydney to promote the UN Day of Peace, and Rhys’s special invitation to join the climb was sent by UN International Day of Peace Program Director (NSW) and friend of Women’s College, Dr Zeny Edwards. The United Nations Association of Australia is a national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to informing the community about the work of the UN and seeking to advance its goals in Australia and around the world.

S T U D E N T L I F E


Rhys is pictured front row, third from the right, next to Olympic athlete Sally Pearson.

O N H E R G A M E

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S C I M E D C LU BSecond-year Advanced Science/MBBS student Maryam Eghtedari has established a club at College this year which aims to create a new forum for discussing scientific and medical issues. Aptly named SciMed, the club’s forty strong membership has created its own Facebook group and Twitter account @SciMedw to post articles and share information on events and scholarship opportunities. “Given the number of students at College studying science, I felt a need to acknowledge its status as a discipline,” says Maryam. “The place of women in science is crucial and giving this expression at College will help encourage more women to think about aiming for the best positions in science leadership, research and medicine. We have such fantastic precedents in our alumnae and College definitely teaches us how to balance social life, family and profession.”

Members are planning workshops on GAMSAT preparation and scientific report writing in the second half of semester, and there are ideas forming to extend their reach to medical charity work next year. Maryam says she was thrilled to see her idea take root so swiftly, with the help of a few enthusiastic College friends. She will continue to nurture the group next year, while juggling her studies and continuing her involvement in a research project in the University’s new Charles Perkins Centre on signalling pathways in cardiovascular disease.

Asking for opportunities comes naturally to Anna Colless. The fourth-year Arts Law student has launched the Intercollegiate Musical, landed some fantastic internships and has recently established her own production label, Edgewise Productions, all through using her nous and asking for help. She’s fast establishing herself as an up-and-coming young professional in the entertainment industry, with a number of performing credits to her name.

Over her summer breaks Anna has interned at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Australian production company The Really Useful Group, feature film public relations company NixCo, Hopscotch Films and social entrepreneur support company Vibewire Inc. These experiences have helped Anna hone her knowledge of the industry in which she intends to work. In 2013 Anna was founder and producer of the inaugural Intercol Musical, Sweeney Todd, a production involving more than sixty performers, musicians and crew from across the University of Sydney colleges and supported by the University of Sydney Union.

Her latest venture, Broadway Bound, is a two-night cabaret performance in the Sound Lounge of the Seymour Centre on 1 and 2 October. A not-for-profit event, it aims to give 18 to 25-year-old musical theatre performers and composers the opportunity to showcase their skills and connect with like-minded artists by collaborating on original and established contemporary musical theatre works. The event is partially supported by the University of Sydney Union’s Kick Start Grant program, but Anna is providing funding through her new production company. “Edgewise is all about helping young people get a word in to create the opportunities they

want to see in the arts industry” says Anna. “I’m seeing it as a personal investment and a learning opportunity. University teaches you the theory, but there’s absolutely nothing that comes close to practical experience. If you throw yourself into the deep end it will almost always be the best way to gain the skills you need to undertake anything in the future. You can’t beat the reward of nurturing something from inception to fruition.”

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Anna playing gangster girl Irma in Sydney University Musical Theatre Ensemble production of Anything Goes in March this year. Photo: Wen Ray Wang

SciMed founder Maryam Eghtedari

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1. Wizzie spirit at Rosebowl basketball. 2. Maddison Summerhayes singing at Women’s College Cabaret in August. 3. Eliza Brooks and her grandmother Ann Brooks at Grandparents’ High Tea in September. 4. Welcoming committee on Open Day: Jade Davis and Julia Keyworth. 5. Rosebow tennis line-up. 6. Basketball supporters show their colours. 7. Julia Donnelly and Gladys Tan perform at Grandparents’ High Tea. 8. Kate St John and Bridie Gell performing at Cabaret. 9. Rosebowl basketball. 10. Jessie Burns at High Tea with her grandparents Alicia and John (CJ) Williams. 11. Grandparents enjoy time with their granddaughters.

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FINDING A VOICEThis year’s Aspiring Leaders seminar series was attended by over forty Women’s College students eager to develop their professional edge through tailored training sessions on personal branding, behavioural profiling and an employability workshop covering resumé writing, recruitment and graduate interviews. Notable additions to the program this year included a highly interactive and empowering morning with voice coach Lucy Cornell, an experienced corporate coach who specialises in assisting women to use their voices more consciously and to greater effect in the workplace. Women’s College alumna Kerryn Gamble ran a session on DISC behavioural profiling, helping students to identify their dominant working styles in order to play to their strengths, and to work more effectively with others. One student commented: “I was fascinated by the way we can profile someone from behavioural cues, and use that information to improve communication and learn how to get the best out of people.” Westpac’s Ruby Connection and Women’s Markets ran a session on financial literacy, opening students’ eyes to the financial landscape ahead in their professional lives, and encouraging them to plan early to ensure smooth financial seas in later life.

The Aspiring Leaders series runs across each Saturday in August and culminates in the University and College Open Day on the final weekend. This year an unprecedented number of students volunteered to take tours and staff booths on Open Day, with over one hundred eager volunteers signing up to put some of their newly acquired professional skills into practice.

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Top: What’s your vocal style? Middle: Students at the Leadership Seminar. Below: Voice projection: Dani Lotzof and Jo Heron learningthe power of the pause.

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…churning seas, bold colours, the tension between a glorious blue sky and sailors blowing each other out of the water under billowing flags, sails and cannon smoke…

The College Collection holds some beautifully eclectic pieces and we are seeking support to restore this quite unusual painting of a naval battle. Its provenance reaches back in history to Women’s College in the 1920s, and before that to the Dutch Golden Age in the seventeeth century.

When our new Principal arrived at College last year, Dr Bell was keen to explore all the nooks and crannies of College—especially the archive. There, she found some paintings stacked against a wall. Amongst some unremarkable framed prints and a number of large 1960s abstract works, this treasure appeared from under its dust cover.

This is the kind of moment that makes an art historian’s hair stand on end: was the painting authentic? When did it date from? And how on earth did a sizeable painting of a sea battle end up in the Women’s College collection?

Records in our archives state that the painting came to College in 1922 as part of a bequest from the estate of a Mrs Mary Ann Dalley (nee Shirbin). On her death at the age of 80 Mrs Dalley left the College £500 in memory of her daughter Mary Catherine Dalley. She also left a number of paintings and articles of vertu from the drawing rooms of her home Buninyong in Ashfield. Many of these items remain in the College collections today. Amongst the twenty or so items she specifically bequeathed to the College, no mention is made of a sea painting. However, her will stated that in addition to the listed items, she gave to the Women’s College “any other picture [in her drawing rooms] which the Principal of the college may choose.”1

Mary Dalley’s connection with the College is not clear: her daughter Mary Catherine was not a past student, and the family were not associated with the founding of the College, as far as available sources can reveal. But the Dalley family was well known in Sydney in the nineteenth century, and were notable philanthropists: Mary Ann’s brother-in-law William Bede Dalley was a famous New South Wales statesman and barrister, renowned for his wealth and patriotism, a man who “found it virtually impossible to resist any appeal to his generosity.”2 Among the objects left to Women’s College from Mary’s estate was a Chinese table which had been “given to the late William Bede Dalley by a Chinese client.”3

When she died in 1921 Mary Dalley left an estate totalling £28,000. In her will she left a number of sizeable bequests to charitable institutions. She left money to the University of Sydney to establish academic prizes and bursaries in the names of her parents, her husband, and her son and daughter, all of whom had predeceased her. Mrs Dalley bequeathed the gates and grilles of the Chapel

N AVA L B AT T L E


1717


entrance to St John’s College, as well as a bursary at St John’s in the name of her son. Curiously, apart from the Art Gallery of NSW, Women’s College was the only institution to which she bequeathed paintings and objects.4

It is tantalising to imagine the Principal of the Women’s College in 1922, Miss Susannah Williams, making her way to Mrs Dalley’s gracious Queen Anne style mansion in Ashfield to choose a painting for the College collection. Undoubtedly it was she who selected this wonderful sea battle to bring home to College with her. One can only speculate as to why she chose this painting among those she saw: the horrors of the battle fronts of World War I were still fresh in the minds of the citizens of Australia, and possibly the choice reflected this sentiment. Like her predecessor Louisa Macdonald, Miss Williams was a classical scholar who

had studied archaeology at the University of London at the turn of the twentieth century.5 Possibly the painting for her held historical and intellectual appeal. Or maybe she was just struck by the wonderful anomaly and anachronism of acquiring a seventeenth century sea battle, emblematic of masculine imperial power and aggression, to grace the walls of an historic educational institution for women. Perhaps she saw it as symbolic of the battles ahead for the educated female.

In the College’s archival register the painting is listed as 17th Century Naval Battle in the style of Johannes Lingelbach. Lingelbach was a well-known painter of the Dutch Golden Age, a period in which marine art was hugely popular, reflecting as it did the importance of overseas trade and naval power to the Dutch Republic. He painted a number of battle scenes on land and sea, including his 1660 painting The Battle of Livorno (Leghorn) the original of which is held in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Our work, painted in the style of Lingelbach, probably dates to the seventeenth or eighteenth century. It has similarities to Lingelbach’s Battle of Livorno, but may depict a different sea battle. Since its rediscovery in the College archives last year a number of experts have looked at our painting. The Director of Maritime Art at Christie’s in London thought it a very good example of the genre, and offered to take it into their next maritime sale where, she said “I am sure it would perform well, appealing to all our old master dealers and collectors.”6

The picture is in sore need of restoration and conservation. Parts of the surface detail have been lost and the painting is showing its age through surface cracking. It also needs a new and appropriate period frame to do justice to its grandeur and antiquity. Our conservator David Stein, who last year restored the portrait of Louisa Macdonald, has assessed the work for the College and is excited by the prospect of seeing it returned to fine condition—worthy to grace the College walls once again.

1 Will of Mary Ann Dalley, March 1922, College Archives, SER0017.2 Australian Dictionary of Biography.3 Will of Mary Ann Dalley, March 1922, College Archives, SER0017.

4 “A Catholic Will.” Freeman’s Journal 20 October 1921 (Trove). 5 Biographical Register Volume 1 1892-1939, page 26.6 Email from Jane Turner to David Stein, 28 August 2013.

S e e k i n g A s s i s t a n c eIf members of our Women’s College community would like to assist us in raising the $9,900 to restore this historic painting we would be very pleased to hear from you. Donations to The Women’s College are tax deductible and if any potential benefactor would like more information please contact Dr Bell or Dr Donnelly on +61 2 9517 5002 or email [email protected]

18

A LU M N A E CO M M I T T E E R E P O R T

18


The College welcomed Alumnae to a special Formal Dinner on 26 May at which the fifth Women’s College Alumnae Awards were presented. For the first time, the award presentation was held as a part of the regular Formal Dinner series and attended by current students, a move which received positive feedback from both other attendees – including members of Council, Alumnae, and Faculty of the University – and the students themselves.

The Awards were presented by past winner Professor Margaret Burgess AO, who spoke briefly about her time at College and her own career in paediatrics and child health. The awards aim to recognise the achievements of our alumnae and their service in their professions or to the community. For the first time this year the awards were judged by two of the College’s three Honorary Fellows, Stephen Harrison AO and Janet McCredie AM, an unenviable task given the calibre of the nominees. The winners of the awards were:

Alumna Award:

Elizabeth Dennis (1961-1964)

Young Alumna Award:

Leanne Robinson (1999-2001)

Community Award:

Jointly awarded to Sally Crossing (FLETCHER: 1963-1965) and Christine Weston (FREEBAIRN: 1987-1989)

On behalf of the Alumnae Committee I would like to congratulate the winners as well as all nominees for their achievements and thank them for their enthusiastic participation in this biennial event in the College calendar.

The Alumnae Association’s Annual General Meeting was held in June 2014, and attended by Alumnae from a range of eras. The meeting addressed a number of governance issues, and included the election of a new committee to represent the Alumnae in the coming year. The 2014-2015 Committee consists of:

Tori Edwards (2000-2002) President

Antonia Waddy (1998-2001) Vice President

Victoria Harper (MORGAN: 1981-1984) Secretary

Carolyn Gavel (1984-1988) Treasurer

Laura Hamilton (FRAGIACOMO: 1984-1985) Committee Member

Magdalen Malone (1983-1985) Committee Member

Eliza Newton (2002-2005) Committee Member

Serena Porges (HOOK: 1983-1984) Committee Member

Edwina Tidmarsh (2007-2009) Committee Member

I look forward to working with the Committee, all of whom volunteer their time to participate in keeping our alumnae community vibrant and connected to the College.

Tori Edwards President, Alumnae Committee

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ALUMNAE HONOURSWomen’s College is proud to acknowledge the awarding of the title of Dame in the Order of Australia this year to former Principal The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO and distinguished alumna Her Excellency Professor The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO. Both are great friends of and advocates for the College and we appreciate their support immensely.

Queen’s Birthday honours were granted to former Fellow of the University of Sydney Senate and former Women’s College Council member Professor Katherine Georgouras, who was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to medicine in the field of dermatology.

In addition to her recent Women’s College Alumnae Award for Community Service, alumna Sally Crossing AM (FLETCHER 1963-1965) was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Health Sciences by the University of Sydney. The award was given in recognition of Sally’s “extraordinary leadership and contributions to supporting those with cancer from diagnosis, through treatment, care, support and survivorship in both advocacy and research.”

Lucy Moloney (DENHAM 87-89) was a finalist in this year’s Wynne Prize for Australian landscape. Her painting City Edge III, an abstract modernist work, drew on her background in architecture and design. The piece was exhibited at the Art Gallery of NSW.

MELBOURNE REUNIONMore than forty alumnae, family members and friends gathered at Persimmon Restaurant in the National Gallery of Victoria on 26 July for our annual Melbourne Reunion lunch. Chair of Council Ms Lucinda Warren attended, along with Principal Dr Amanda Bell and Vice Principal Dr Tiffany Donnelly. Guests were treated to complimentary tickets to the Italian Masterpieces from Spain’s Royal Court, Museo Del Prado exhibition. The College extends warm thanks to the NGV for its generosity and support.

Lucy Moloney with her entry, City Edge III (photo: Susanne Briggs)

Anne Mulholland (HAMILTON: 1952-54), Jenny MacLennan OAM (WATERMAN: 1958-60) and Helen Hazard (McKIBBIN: 1959-60)

Lucinda GARLING (2003-04), Amy BASTOW (2004-07), Kerryn GAMBLE (1996-97) and Claire BERRY (2004-06)

Jan Anderson (HURLEY: 1962-65), Angela Nordlinger (COOKSON: 1961-63) and Joanna Tapper (HEALEY: 1961-62)

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VA L E

7 JULY 2014

Eva Eden will be remembered, within and beyond the university College community, as a gifted scientist and educational administrator who devoted much of her life to public service. In 1964 she attained her preeminent appointment as Principal of Janet Clarke Hall within the University of Melbourne, and over two decades she guided the College through a period of unparalleled change.

Born in Hungary in the period between the First and Second World War, Eva Gizella Eden was educated in England. Entering Cambridge University on an Agricultural Research Council Grant, she received her BA, MA, and PhD from the University of Cambridge between 1946 and 1950. These Cambridge years also offered Eva her first experience of residential life, as a student of Girton College from 1943 to 1946.

Following the completion of her doctorate, Eva commenced a career in biochemistry with the UK Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries before taking up the post of Lecturer in Biochemistry at the University of Sydney in 1951. Rapidly advancing to the rank of Senior Lecturer, Eva was recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to the United States in 1957 and became a Research Fellow at the University of Rochester’s Department of Medicine. As an academic, Eva taught in varied departments and faculties over her career including Science, Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Agricultural Science and Pharmacy, with tasks ranging from first year lectures to doctoral supervision.

From 1958, Eva’s academic interests became increasingly entwined with leadership in a residential setting – initially as Vice-Principal of the Women’s College in the University of Sydney, and from 1961 as Warden of St Catherine’s College in the University of Western Australia, a role she combined with a part-time lectureship in Biochemistry at UWA. Serving as Warden of ‘St Cat’s’ from 1961-1963, Eva moved to Melbourne in 1964 to take up the position of Principal of Janet Clarke Hall. It was a position she held for 21 years until her retirement in 1984.

Throughout Eva Eden’s years of College leadership, she provided voluntary leadership to a range of educational bodies. She served on the councils of several schools, and from 1977 to 1979 was Chairman of the Association of Independent Schools of Victoria. In the tertiary sector, Eva served on the Council of the University of Melbourne from 1972 to 1975. From 1981 to 1983 she was President of both the Australian Residential Colleges and the Australian College of Education. Eva’s commitment to the principles of good governance and management in education never wavered: upon retirement she took up a new position as a member of the Preston TAFE Council, and retained her links with the University as an Honorary Senior Associate in the Department of Education.

One might have thought that, even for a single woman without the demands of family, this may have been a particularly ‘full card’ – but somehow Dr Eden found time for service to a range of other bodies that promoted, in particular, the rights of professional women. In 1975, she was appointed by the State Government to Chair the Victorian Status of Women Committee. It was her recommendations through this landmark committee that led to Victoria’s first Equal Opportunity Legislation. Eva’s ability as a wise and hardworking Chair made her nationally prominent in an age in which women were typically underrepresented in senior leadership positions.

Dr Damian Powell, Principal of Janet Clarke Hall

EVA G. EDEN AM PhD (Vice Principal of Women’s College 1959-60)

19 April 2014

Lee MacCormick Edwards contributed richly to the cultural and artistic life of Australia and America and made her mark as a lecturer in art history, an author and a photographer. Born in 1937, Lee came from illustrious ancestors: her paternal grandfather was a renowned surgeon who had studied under Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and her maternval grandfather worked at General Electric with Thomas Edison and founded global chemical company SI Group. Lee sat on its board until her death. Lee inherited from her grandfathers not just wealth and a philanthropic instinct but vitality, talent and keen intelligence.

Lee was schooled at Frensham and entered Women’s College in 1956 but did not complete her Arts degree. In 1959 she married Byron

Edwards. Their daughter Alison was born in 1966 but the couple divorced in 1976, the year Lee graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in Westchester. She gained an MA in 1978, an MPhil in 1981 and a PhD from Columbia University in 1984. Lee lectured and taught widely in the US, Europe and Australia, specialising in the arts and social history of the nineteenth century. In 1989 she met and formed a union with Scottish artist Michael Crane. The couple actively supported many prestigious cultural institutions in New York. Lee was also a talented photographer who exhibited her work annually and drew much inspiration from her Australian roots. Her philanthropy at home extended to the National Gallery of Australian Foundation, the Australian Ballet and Opera Australia.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

ADALEE MACCORMICK EDWARDS PhD (1956)

MARTHA CAMPBELL BA (RUTLEDGE 1955-58)

27 April 2014

Martha Rutledge was the backbone of the Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB). Over 46 years, under the first five general editors, Martha was subeditor, checker, research editor and author of 172 entries, including many members of her own illustrious family. As a member of staff from 1967 to 2002 she edited and rewrote thousands of entries for the ADB.

Martha’s childhood home was “Gidleigh,” Bungendore, the Rutledge family property since 1874. She boarded at Frensham, where she excelled academically, and attended the University of Sydney and Women’s College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts

in 1959. She completed an MA from the Australian National University, writing on her great-great-grandfather Sir Alfred Stephen’s divorce reform. She tutored in history at ANU under Manning Clark, and joined the staff of the ADB a year later.

Martha specialised in the nineteenth century: on her kin – pastoralists, judges, knights – and their friends. Despite her affection for her distinguished family, she was scrupulous in her sources. In 1970 Martha married Charles Campbell. They had two sons, Patrick and Daniel, and lived in Woden, the property Charles had inherited from his father. Martha became the most senior of the research editors on the ADB. Her long tenure fostered among the staff a sense of community and pride. She continued to write entries for the publication after her retirement. The last, in 2008, was on her uncle, solicitor and company director Sir Alistair Stephen.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

21

The Women’s College,

University of Sydney,

27th Nov., 1912

Dear Girls,–

The Editor of the School Magazine has asked me to write and tell you about College. I shall do my best but am afraid I cannot

make it very interesting, though a person with even an ordinary capacity for writing, having College for a subject, should be

able to make quite a fascinating article.

To begin with College is built within the University grounds so we feel in every way that by being in College we are living a

purely University life. And it is a charming life. People are for the most part keen on everything they do, work and sport. This

in itself makes things seem very vital.

The days are filled with lectures, more or less. More for medical, less for arts students. It is only right for me to tell you that

there is a friendly though none the less undying feud between arts and medicals as to who does the more work–and I am a

medical student.

I remember when I was at school I had very little idea of what the different courses meant. So in case some of you do not know

I shall tell you a little about them. An arts course is practically a continuation of the work one has done at school, though, of

course, on a much broader plan. Lectures are given in languages, literature, history, philosophy, and such things. It of course

involves wide general reading.

To leave school and begin a science course seems a very big step. Except for a little botany or geology one has done very little

science at school and everything seems very new. Biology, geology, chemistry, and physics are probably now met with for

the first time and they all seem very practical. In this course one is so busy with practical things that general reading is

unfortunately apt to be neglected. This also applies to medicine, a course which explains itself.

There are a few girls doing dentistry, but there are none in the other faculties, law, engineering, agriculture, or veterinary

science, though I have heard that there may be some in veterinary science in the near future and as there are a few women

agriculturists in New South Wales we may expect to have some doing a course in agriculture soon.

There is a Sports’ Association which comprises hockey, tennis, and boat clubs. Hockey is played keenly by many of the girls in

the winter. It would probably be too hot in Rockhampton for hockey, but it is a very good game.

I have so far only told you about the University part of our life, but to many of us College life is as charming if not more so.

There are twenty-five girls in residence and we really have a most happy time.

We have large airy rooms and are provided with a certain amount of furniture. We have to arrange the rooms ourselves and

it is wonderful how pretty they are when a few pictures, flowers, and books are added. It is remarkable how different they all

look though we are given the same kind of furniture, and how each room takes on the individuality of its owner.

There is a nice garden with grass and shady trees. It is, of course, a favourite spot for working at certain times of year.

Until four or five o’clock we are mostly working at the University, but after we have tennis, hockey on the lawn, walks or

bathes at some sea side place not too far away. After dinner we have coffee parties, and then work until ten when we meet

again for supper.

As you see we have a great deal of fun as well as plenty of work.

I hope some of you girls will come here to College, though, I suppose, most of you will go to Brisbane.

With best wishes from,

Yours sincerely,

DOROTHY M. VOSS.


In 1912 Women’s College Medical Student Dorothy Voss wrote a letter for her high school Magazine in Rockhampton. A copy of this letter found its way back to Women’s College this year via Dorothy’s granddaughter, Dr Alice Killen. The letter is a lovely reminder of the major changes in women’s education to which the College has been witness.

T H E M O R E T H I N G S C H A N G E …

D. Voss, M. Windeyer, C.Little

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B O O K R E V I E W SA Woman of Inf luence: Science, men & history by Ann Moyal (HURLEY: 1943-45), UWA Publishing, 2014.

The eminent historian of science and biographer, Ann Moyal, was a resident at The

Women’s College during the final years of the Second World War. While her 1995 autobiography Breakfast with Beaverbrook traced the idiosyncrasies and opportunities of that time, and her subsequent work as personal research assistant to the British press magnate and influential owner of The Daily Express newspaper, Lord Beaverbrook, the central focus of this second volume is the last two decades and her work as author and scholar in Canberra. Yet it is also far more than that. Reaching out through memory and association, it is an entertaining and often intimate account of life at the intersection of the personal and the professional. Along the way we get observations on the changing nature of universities, on falling in love in later life, the richness of ideas and scholarship, a meditation on aging, and on friendship.

Many of these friendships have been with women. From old friends, who ‘link past and present, circling from a shared and eager young womanhood to old age,’ to newer connections, that ‘spring up in

unusual places,’ the book stands as testament to the relationships Moyal has made throughout her life. Her network has been a continually expanding one, and it is this enduring desire to connect with new people that animates so many of Moyal’s stories and opens out her world as she moves into her later years. ‘Always make friends with younger women’ Moyal advises, and if the pages of this volume are anything to go by, it seems wise advice indeed.

But running throughout the book is clear evidence of another kind of affection as well, and that is Moyal’s love for her subject and for the world of ideas. Alongside her friends, husbands and lovers, are the men of nineteenth-century science, the platypus, the koala, the telegraph and telephone. They too have kept her company throughout her varied life, and she sees them as precious company as she grows older. The greatest good fortune for the old person, Moyal writes, quoting Simone de Beauvoir, is to have their world still inhabited by projects, and on this criteria Moyal’s is a rich world indeed. Seizing the opportunity – granted to so few young women in the 1940s – to pursue ideas has brought her into contact with some remarkable people, many of whom make an appearance in these pages. Keith Hancock, Manning and Dympna Clark: the well-known characters of twentieth-century Australian culture, and the changing patterns of its cultural and intellectual life with them, stand in the pages of this book alongside other minds – less well known but equally stimulating – and point to the conversations and the laughter that one suspects have rippled out from Ann Moyal throughout her life. Long may they continue.

Tamson Pietsch Senior Teaching Fellow

A History of Australian Schooling by Craig Campbell and Helen PROCTOR (1979), Allen & Unwin, 2014.

It is quite challenging to write scholarly and commercially viable history books on specialised subjects. The authors here have taken up that challenge. They argue that the post-1970s reform effort in education has been going long enough for it to have its own history, and that planning for the future needs to be informed by earlier phases of Australia’s education history. Further, they point out that there are significant differences between histories of education and histories of schooling; the latter broadening the scope of historical interest to include influences beyond schools which have an impact on the formation and lives of children. Astute readers, upon a moment’s reflection, will appreciate how quickly and persuasively social problems and their purported remedies are sheeted home to school education, notwithstanding already over-crowded school curricula.

It is significant and laudable that the authors have identified distinctive contributions this book can make by consideration of topics neglected in earlier histories, in particular the school experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the story of Catholic schooling. The former has been minimally recorded and latter has tended to be recorded within its own immediate contexts. As part of the broad and influential non-government sector, Catholic education and its counterparts in that sector form a powerful voting block which governments of all persuasions at state and federal level have to accommodate.

The other claim to distinction the authors make is that the locus of history here has shifted away from an over-concentration on Victoria and New South Wales to capture the narratives of schooling emanating from small localities with unique schooling histories, notwithstanding the limited records available. In summary, the authors’ aim here is to re-interpret the published record and bring ‘new perspectives to old controversies.’

I found the section ‘Educating the young before European contact’ both thought-provoking and moving, especially the comment that ‘for Aboriginal peoples, education was essential for life’ but the schooling brought with colonisation ‘must have appeared a mean affair ... the mean literacies of the slate and book ... characterised by a powerful irrelevance to the conditions of daily life.’ It is a forceful aspiration of education and schooling that no student anywhere finds books and learning powerfully irrelevant.

Given that the likely readership of this book includes university students studying education at undergraduate and postgraduate level, policy-makers, administrators, school leaders and other interested professionals, discerning choices had to be made about depth of coverage of topics and a balance struck between content and interpretation. The strategic suggestions for further reading listed at the end of each chapter take care of one of those challenges.

My own rather dull memories of studying the history of education in my first degree are completely re-shaped by reading this book. Contrary to expectations, I found it riveting.

True, I am an avid reader and professional educator but the way the authors add colour to their broad canvas and weave a narrative thread through it makes the past fascinating and important in just the ways they intended. Given their distinctive authorial voice, my hope is that their next book addresses the stories about the distinctive role of women in education and schooling.

Roslyn Arnold Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Education

and Social Work University of Sydney

23


Gordon Abbott

Richard Alcock

Pacita Alexander

Roslyn Allan AO

Anonymous

Mulan Ashwin

Marian Baird

Victoria Baker

Mary Barton AO

Marie Bashir AD CVO

Amanda Bell

Margaret Beveridge

Camille Blackburn

Carolyn Bourne

Peter Brazel

Sarah Brazel

Roderick Brooks

John Brophy

Peter Bull

Alexandra Bune

Angus Burns

Christopher Burt

Rosemary Campbell

Wendy Carter

Tim Castle

Margaret Chaffey

Janice Chapman

Diana Choquette

Julie Cole

Jennifer Combet

Arna Cook

Dawn Cook

John Copland AO

William & Gwendoline Cowman

Helen Crane

Robert & Kim Creighton

Annabelle Cruikshank

Jennifer Davidson

Gineke De Haan

Gregory & Anna Deacon

Hugh Donaldson

Paul Donnelly

Tiffany Donnelly

Gwenneth Downes

Catherine Drayton

Robyn Drew

Mark & Jean Eames

Amelia Eames

Fardin Eghtedari

Elizabeth Elliott AM

Tim Fairfax AC

Judith Fitz-Henry

Erin Flaherty

Janet Flint

Heather Fogerty

Jill Forrest

Christine Freak

Amelia Freeman

John Gan

Olma Gan

Samantha Gavel

Carolyn Gavel

Antonina Gentile

Jennifer Giles

Carolyn Griffin

Harriet Griffin

Joan Grimwade OBE

Alexandra Grimwade

Jane Gulliver

Dinah Hales

Cindy Ham

Anne Harbers

Alexa & David Haslingden

Margaret Hawkins

Jill Henry

Rebecca Holdt

Suzanne Howarth

Theresa Jacques

Martha James

Stuart Jordan

Tiffanny Junee

Jane Keir

Sally Keir

Elise Kelly

Alisha King

Lilian Kirk

Rachael Kwa

Zoe Lenard

Tina Leung

Lily Liu

Jocelyn Lloyd

Anna Lorigan

Margaret Lowe

Susan MacDonald

Lisa Macqueen

Susan Maple-Brown

Dianna Martin

Janet McCredie AM

David McDonald

Honor McFadyen

Mary McGuirk

Leah McKenzie

Adele Millerd

Ann Moffatt

Stephanie Moffitt

Prudence Murdoch

Margaret Murray

Kenneth & Helen Neale

Jill Nes

Angela Nordlinger

Elizabeth Palmer

Louise Parsons

Rachel Peterson

Eleanor Putnam

Josephine Quarisa

Ruth Rae

Alistair Rendell

Nance Park Richards

Ian Roberts

Patricia Roby

Lorraine Ross

Catherine Rothery

Gabrielle Royle

George Shamoon

Dora Shapiro

Trish Sharp

Lorna Siah

Dale Spender

Melanie Strongman

Anne Sutherland

Amelia Sweeney

Gladys Tan

Jennifer Thompson

Margaret Tink

Jennifer Tooby

Daniela Torsh

Leo Tutt

Erica Van den Honert

Saskia Vischer

Elizabeth Walkley

Lucinda Warren

Ann Warren

Alison Watts-Lawless

Judith Webb

Danny Wetherall

Alan & Ethel Wigzell

Helen Wiles

Chelsea Witham

Margaret Wood

Peter & Sonia Zawal

1 January – 30 June, 2014Our sincere thanks to all who supported the College in the first half of 2014. This list acknowledges the generous and diverse range of philanthropic support received from our donors. No matter how small or large, each gift and gesture makes a difference to our students—current and future.

Launch of the Russell-Copland Table, generously donated

by John Copland AO, at the Alumnae Awards Dinner in May.

PAU L E T T E M I L L I N E R B E Q U E S TFor the benefit of generations to come, Paulette Milliner (BA., Dip. Ed. 1973 , Post Grad. Cont. Ed. 1978), and husband David, LLB 1959, are investing in scholarships for Women’s College country students through a generous bequest, in support of The University of Sydney Women’s College.

T H E W O M E N ’ S C O L L E G E D O N O R S

24

9 772204 102002 >

POSTAL: The University of Sydney NSW 2006

LOCATION: 15 Carillon Ave Newtown NSW 2042

PHONE: +61 2 9517 5000

EMAIL: [email protected]

TWITTER: @WomensColl

www.thewomenscollege.com.au

EDITOR: Dr Tiffany Donnelly PHOTOGRAPHY: Sugarlove Pictures, staff, students and alumnae of the College PRINTING & DESIGN: OneCreative

FRONT COVER: Distinguished Medical Alumnae and Colloquium presenters: Professor Elizabeth Elliott AM, Professor Margaret Burgess AO, Dr Janet McCredie AM at Women’s College in September

BACK COVER: Claire Armitage, Isabella Fahmy, Rebel Haslingden

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The Women's College Magazine Spring 2014

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