OSA Update

OSA COUNCIL MEETINGS 2021

OSA COUNCIL MEMBERS 2021

All regular OSA Council Meetings are held in the Chiverton Boardroom at 5.45pm.

Tuesday 7 September

Tuesday 2 November If you are interested in joining the Old Scholars’ Association Council or require further information on events, please contact Megan McCormack via 08 8334 2239 or mmccormack@ stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

President

Tori Moore (Patteson 2009)

Treasurer

Charlie Aykroyd (Kennion 2010)

Secretary

Anne Daniell (nee Crisp, Kennion 1969)

Committee

Helen Starr (nee Austin, Selwyn 1961) Judith Bruce (nee Yeoman, Patteson 1962) Jacqui Seppelt (nee Roll, Kilburn 1964) Helen Cant (nee Geue, Selwyn 1965) Rebecca Parry (Kilburn 1980) Kylie Rundell (nee Schuster, Kennion 1980) Bec Farquhar (Selwyn 1988) Sinead O’Shaughnessy (Kilburn 2008) Emily White (Patteson 2010) Stephanie Hannah (Patteson 2010) Hannah Butenko (Kilburn 2011) Mel Stevens (Kennion 2013) Emily Smith (Selwyn 2013) Ellen Mitten (Patteson 2013) Isabella Farina (Kennion 2014) Saumya Chanana (Patteson 2015) Georgina Sarah (Kilburn 2016) Madison Bateman (Kennion 2016) Lily Habel (Kennion 2017) Hannah Brown (Kennion 2019) Bella Bernardi (Kennion 2020)

OSA AGM and Year Leaders’ Event

The OSA AGM and Year Leaders’ Event was held on Tuesday 2 March and it was wonderful see many familiar faces and to welcome many new ones. Drinks and canapés were enjoyed in the Arts Centre foyer prior to the meeting formalities. We are delighted to announce that Tori Moore (Patteson 2009) was re-elected as President, Charlie Aykroyd (Kennion 2010) as Treasurer and Anne Daniell (nee Crisp, Kennion 1969) as Secretary. A warm welcome to new council members Emily White (Patteson 2010), Stephanie Hannah (Patteson 2010), Emily Smith (Selwyn 2013), Ellen Mitten (Patteson 2013), Isabella Farina (Kennion 2014), Saumya Chanana (Patteson 2015), Lily Habel (Kennion 2017) and Helen Starr (nee Austin, Selwyn 1961).

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: ELIZABETH SHILLABEER (NEE MORROW, PATTESON 1967), HELEN CANT (NEE GEUE, SELWYN 1965), JACQUI SEPPELT (NEE ROLL, KILBURN 1964) AND JUDI BRUCE (NEE YEOMAN, PATTESON 1962); CHARLIE AYKROYD (KENNION 2010), STEPHANIE HANNAH (PATTESON 2010) AND EMMA WHITE (PATTESON 2010); ATHENA ZOGOPOULOS (NEE HILL, KILBURN 1978) AND JENNY LAMB (NEE OLSSON, PATTESON 1979); LILY HABEL (KENNION 2017), GEORGIE SARAH (KILBURN 2016), ISABELLA FARINA (KENNION 2014) AND ELLEN MITTEN (PATTESON 2013).

Are You Linked In with Us?

The Community Relations Office has been streamlining our LinkedIn communications.

To assist with the migration of alumni to the St Peter's Girls' School page, please follow the St Peter's Girls' School Company page if you have not already done so, and join our newly-created St Peter's Girls' Old Scholars' Association Group via

linkedin.com/groups/13865514

You can also stay connected with us on Facebook via facebook.com/

SaintsGirlsOldScholars

Thank you for your ongoing support of Saints Girls.

Old Scholars Reunite in the West

The Old Scholars’ Perth Reunion was held on Saturday 27 March at the Millpoint Caffe Bookshop. Once again, the ladies enjoyed their annual catch up and afternoon tea. Pictured above are Jill Simon (de Kievit, Kennion 1956), Pauline Faulds (nee Sharrad, Kilburn 1953), Sue Ridgway (nee Waite, Patteson 1961), Caroline Rainsford (Selwyn 1978) and Reunion Leader Fiona Poole (nee Newton, Kilburn 1991).

SAVE THE DATE

SYDNEY REUNION

Saturday 19 June at 12pm Q Dining, Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour 61 Macquarie Street, East Circular Quay, Sydney $70 per person (includes a two course meal and welcome drink) Book via: www.trybooking.com/BNBDI

CANBERRA REUNION

Saturday 26 June at 12.30pm Hellenic Club Woden 1 Matilda Street, Woden A la carte menu (pay as you go) Book via: www.trybooking.com/BNBDI

Old Scholars’ Netball

Saints Girls’ Old Scholars’ Netball enjoyed another successful season. Once again, we had four teams participate in the Wednesday night SAUCNA competition on Anzac Highway. All teams achieved success throughout the season, but a well-deserved congratulations goes to our A2 and B5 teams who made it to the semi-finals.

It was great to see so many recent Old Scholars join the competition, with the D1 and D2 teams made up of players from the 2018 and 2019 graduating classes, and Old Scholars from 2001 also signing up this season. Meantime, the senior A2 team has now played together for more than eight years. A big thank you to the managers and to the friends, partners and parents who scored and cheered from the sidelines. If you are interested in participating in Old Scholars’ Netball next summer, October 2021 to March 2022, please contact Megan McCormack via mmccormack@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or Emma Weber via eweber@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au for more information.

TOP: ST PETER’S GIRLS’ OLD SCHOLARS’ A2 NETBALL TEAM; BOTTOM: ST PETER’S GIRLS’ OLD SCHOLARS’ D1 NETBALL TEAM.

OLD SCHOLARS IN THE COMMUNITY

Congratulations Professor Katherine Daniell

At the age of 39, Katherine Daniell (Kennion 1999) has been promoted to Professor at the Australian National University. Although Katherine has held many positions at the university since her joint French and Australian doctorate in Engineering and Management in 2009 under a John Monash Scholarship, her mission to support more inclusive policy, education and action for sustainable development has not faltered. Over the past two decades, she has worked around the world to improve water governance and adaptation to new technologies and processes including responses to climate change. Most recently, this has been as a part of the Initiatives of the Future of Great Rivers, a thinktank led by Erik Orsenna, famous French author and former speechwriter to President François Mitterrand, and at the ANU where Katherine is part of the leadership team of a new Institute for Water Futures.

Never finding one job or disciplinary area sufficient to address our current global and national challenges, Katherine has been on secondment in her role in the ANU Fenner School (now as Professor of Environmental Policy) to work with Distinguished Professor Genevieve Bell AO FTSE FAHA, Vice President and Senior Fellow at Intel Corporation, to set up the 3A Institute (3Ai) – the ANU’s first innovation institute with the mission of building a new branch of engineering to take artificial intelligence-enabled cyber-physical systems safely, responsibly and sustainably to scale. She has convened a new Master of Applied Cybernetics to teach this emerging branch of engineering and is now helping to further scale the work as the institute transitions into the newest school at the ANU – The School of Cybernetics – which has the purpose of leading change that embraces the interconnections of human, technological and environmental aspects of systems. During 2019-20 and the COVID-19 crisis, Katherine was acting as Associate Dean of Education of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, where she and colleagues across the university successfully transitioned to online teaching and learning, and developed more inclusive practices and cultural change to support educators and students to cope more effectively with the disruption. This year, she is relishing being back in the classroom teaching a diverse range of students, and in her spare time supports a range of professional and not-forprofit associations as President of the Australian-French Association for Research and Innovation (AFRAN) Inc., a member of the National Committee on Water Engineering (Engineers Australia), Editor of the Australasian Journal of Water Resources, and director and board member of the Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust.

At Saints Girls, Katherine studied French, Chemistry, Physics and Double Mathematics in Year 12, and was Dux of the School. She went on to complete a double degree in Civil Engineering and Arts, specialising in French, at the University of Adelaide, and graduated with a University Medal. Katherine had many inspirational teachers at Saints Girls who drove her love for thinking and exploring the world. She credits her education at Saints Girls with providing opportunities for leadership and a diverse range of sporting, musical and extra-curricular volunteer activities. She acknowledges that the supportive environment provided by the School was an important part of building calm confidence in her own abilities and a sense of responsibility to use her education in the service of others through her career and life. Katherine now takes much delight in seeing her young children build and code their own robots. Appreciating their imagination and potential for building new technology makes her excited to be working to support technology’s sustainable and responsible integration in the world.

Old Scholar Authors

Congratulations to Dr Janet Scarfe (Kilburn 1964) and Suzanne Scarfe (Kilburn 1968) on their wonderfully researched family history. Janet and Suzanne spent their whole school lives at Saints, moving from the North Adelaide site to Stonyfell in 1957. Janet was Vice Head Prefect and Dux of the School, and Suzanne played in the A Softball and B Hockey teams. Suzanne’s final year coincided with the last year of the Sisters.

From the History Trust of South Australia:

“The History Trust was thrilled to be able to support Janet and Suzanne

Scarfe in their recently published book, The Campbells of Anlaby: 1860-1940, through the South

Australian History Fund.

A meticulously researched and fascinating family history, the book also gives a broader understanding of working life in pastoral South

Australia. We get to know members of the Campbell family well, their travels, their careers and their social lives.

The lovely cover art was taken by Tanunda-based photographer

Dragan Radocaj. Designed and printed by Openbook Howden.” For more information about the book, contact Janet via janet.scarfe@internode.on.net

Friends of the Founders Gather

On a beautiful autumn Adelaide day on 31 March, the Friends of the Founders joined the whole School for their annual Friends of the Founders’ Chapel Service. This year, we are celebrating Women in The Arts and we were fortunate to have as our guest speaker Meena de Silva (Kilburn 2013). Meena spoke enthusiastically about her time at Saints and how the School fostered her love of music. After leaving school, Meena began tertiary studies at the University of Adelaide, undertaking classes in Law and Science. Realising this wasn’t for her, she decided to apply for study at the Elder Conservatorium of Music and began her Bachelor of Music in Popular Music and Creative Technologies. She has since completed her Honours and is working on her Master of Philosophy in Research. Since leaving school, Meena has worked with several bands, writing songs and performing at venues across Adelaide. She recently released her debut album, ‘Call On Me’, which was launched at a sold-out show at the Jade in January this year. Meena’s passion for her music is obvious and we wish her well as she establishes herself in the music industry. During the function, a light lunch was ably served by the Year 9 Leaders. Our next function is a morning tea on Wednesday 27 October at 10.30am on the lawns of Chiverton. I would like to extend an invitation to Old Scholars, Former Staff, past parents or anyone who has an interest in the School. All are welcome.

CASSANDRA MOORE CHAIR, FRIENDS OF THE FOUNDERS’ COMMITTEE

TOP (FROM THE LEFT): CASSANDRA MOORE (NEE JEWELL, PATTESON 1978) AND MEENA DE SILVA (KILBURN 2013); MIDDLE: JILL BEST (NEE COUMBE, KILBURN 1960) AND BERNIE WHITINGTON; ABOVE LEFT: LUCILLE HADDY (NEE GUY, KILBURN 1949), DIANA WILLIAMSON (NEE SMITH, KENNION 1964) AND DIANE NICHOLLS OAM; ABOVE RIGHT: HEATHER MCINNES, BETTY HELE AND ANNE FISHER.

Historic Photos

Can You Help?

Can you identify your mothers, aunts or grandmothers in this photo of our School’s Girl Guide Company in 1945? Please contact School Archivist Anne Daniell via adaniell@stpetersgirls. sa.edu.au if you can help with names.

Former Staff Profile:

Airlie Kirkham

In March, we welcomed former staff member Airlie Kirkham, her mum Pamela and her long-term carer Deb to the School’s Museum for a visit.

Airlie, who is now 55 years old, began teaching Japanese at Saints Girls back in 1987. She was the person who initially introduced Japanese language classes at Saints Girls. At first, Airlie was a paid instructor as Japanese studies originally began as a club after school which she initiated. The following year, due to popular demand, she was asked by Principal Doug Stott to teach Japanese lessons at the School part-time and offer it as an official subject. Unfortunately, after a number of successful and fulfilling years teaching at Saints Girls, in September 1991, Airlie was in a terrible car accident. The collision happened on a gravel road on her way to a kitchen tea at Balaklava. She lost control of the car and crashed into another vehicle. She was permanently paralysed and in need of constant care.

Airlie had really enjoyed her time teaching at the School. In the beginning, she taught Year 5s, increasing the year levels over her time here. During her recent visit, she shared some of her teaching memories with us by writing on a small notepad held by her mum. She said, “I loved teaching all the classes and playing games with the students. In my Japanese classes, they wrote and acted out plays about going to the beach and played and pretended to go shopping.” One of her most favourite times was right before the accident, when a group of Japanese students from Sapporo in northern Japan came to Adelaide for an exchange. Their family delighted in hosting one of the Japanese students in their home. Airlie and Pamela reminisced about an occasion when their homestay student spent all day cooking them an authentic Japanese meal. Another interesting story she shared with us is an example of how farreaching our wonderful Saints’ community extends across Adelaide and SA. In early 2020, Airlie was very unwell with pneumonia and was admitted to hospital. Two of the emergency nurses were St Peter’s Girls’ Old Scholars who recognised her name and recalled her from their time at School. She was then treated by Dr Jane Conway (nee Ninnes, Kennion 1994), an Old Scholar who remembered her fondly from Saints as Airlie had taught her Japanese. Before the accident, Airlie earned a Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education and a BMus. Ten years later, her resilience and educational prowess shone through. Against all odds, in 2001 after re-learning to write, she resumed her studies at the University of Adelaide and completed a higher degree and her Master of Music. At the top is a photo that she is extremely proud of from her graduation in April 2011. Her story is one of inspiration, hope and determination, and we are so happy that Airlie has a special place in her heart for Saints Girls after all these years. Following Airlie’s visit to the School, she wrote us a poem about her visit:

My Visit to St Peter’s Girls’ School

My visit to Saints Girls.

How I have been longing to return.

My thanks to you both.

My memories are strong,

You have revived my love for all I lost in 1991.

I can’t thank you enough.

I cherish all your words today.

- AIRLIE JANE KIRKHAM

Airlie’s spirit and writing exemplify our values of courage, creativity and compassion. Since finishing her formal education pursuits, she has published two books which she has kindly donated to our Museum. One book is a biography (in which Saints Girls is featured), and the other is a book of poetry. If you are interested in buying one of these books, they can be purchased from Pamela through the School via mwestgate@ stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au

Remembering Senior Mistresses Miss Stolz and Mrs Paech

Quotations are from the Chronicles June 1947 and Miss M.M. Frost’s History of St Peter’s Girls’ School Miss Sabina Stolz was Senior English and History Mistress at St Peter’s Girls from 1919. “With her work in English she had outstanding success, and her students gained Tennyson Medals in the Public Examinations on five different occasions. This in itself was an achievement, and the School is indebted to her for the splendid foundations she laid in the teaching and appreciation of the English language. The English section of the Library was always her special care, and it was she who encouraged girls, on leaving School, to help build up the Library by donating new books. She was also keenly interested in the Literary and Dramatic Society, and at all times gave valuable advice and help in the production of plays.” “In 1927, Miss Stolz was appointed Senior Mistress, and in this capacity her powers of organization had full scope. In the same year, on the introduction of the House system, she became Senior Mistress of Kilburn House. As head of the House she worked untiringly in its interests, and it was owing to her efforts that each year, on April 5th, Kilburn House held a special party. Miss Stolz showed unbounded energy and enthusiasm in making this occasion a success, and encouraging the girls to bring gifts for orphanages and hospitals.” “She had an amazing faculty of keeping in touch with Old Scholars, no matter what part of the world they happened to be…. In 1945, the Association made Miss Stolz an Honorary Life Member in recognition of her valued work on their behalf. She was also the School representative on the Parents’ Association Committee, and here was able to give many useful and helpful suggestions.” Miss Stolz retired at the end of 1946. “Regularly at her charming cottage at Stirling she received letters from hundreds of Old Scholars and it was from this great fund of information concerning her former pupils that we gained a valuable source of news for our Magazine.” She was a much loved member of the School community and the great-aunt of Anna Stolz (Patteson 2007) and Ellie Stolz (Patteson 2012). Old Scholar Mrs Mary Paech (nee Reynolds, 1918) succeeded Miss Stolz as Senior Mistress in 1947, after taking up the appointment of Senior History Mistress the previous year. “From 1947 to 1955 she served with Sister Scholastica, and then…with Sister Gabrielle. From the middle of 1966 until the withdrawal of the Sisters from the active running of the School in March 1969, she was chief assistant to Sister Jessica…To Miss Pike, when she became Principal in succession to Sister Jessica, Mrs Paech’s knowledge of the School and its ways and her ready and warm-hearted support were quite invaluable.” Mrs Paech retired from our School at the end of 1969.

Miss Frost added: “As Senior House Mistress of Kilburn, Mrs Paech’s enthusiasm and strong love of her House have been an inspiration to wave after wave of new members as they have come into the School, and she spurred them on in their efforts as they moved up from class to class.“ “As Senior History Mistress she is also deeply entrenched in the hearts of the girls she has taught, for they can remember with gratitude the vivid and interesting way in which she could bring the dead past to life and show them, too, the relevance of contemporary developments, eagerly scanning the daily papers for news items or editorial comment which might add completeness to the information of her classes and put an extra gloss of polish on their papers.” There were “almost countless credits at all levels in the Public Examinations.” Three of her students won the Annie Montgomery Martin Prize and Medal for top of the State in Leaving Modern History and four of her students did the same in Leaving Honours Modern History. In addition, four of her pupils were top of the State in Leaving Honours Ancient History. Mrs Paech’s daughter Bernice Robbins (nee Paech, Kilburn 1944) and granddaughters Frances Robbins (Kilburn 1975) and Bronwyn Robbins (Kilburn 1979) attended our School. Bernice was also a teacher here.