Goodbye, Mrs Mackenzie

INTERVIEW Goodbye, Mrs Mackenzie!

I was invited to write a short piece on House Mistress Laura Mackenzie of School House. I have had the pleasure of being one of Kenzie’s girls for the past 14 months and plan on savouring every last moment with her. To sum her up in a word (well, two because I can’t decide): WHOLEHEARTED. Everything she does is done to the best of her ability. No matter how late it is, she remains patient. No matter how tired she is, she remains kind. No matter how small or big is an issue or interest, she remains engaged and compassionate. My other word is SUPERWOMAN. You’ll soon understand why.

Why Eastbourne?

She exaggerates on the word ‘serendipitous’ when explaining how all the doors that allowed her to get the job opened. She credits her Grandmother Wimpole’s 100th birthday as the reason for her even being in the country and able to attend the interview. This was long before the days of Zoom. A born and raised Sussex girl, after spending nine years in New Zealand, her husband’s country of origin, she knew she wanted to come home and be a housemistress. Kenzie, who also attended boarding school as a young girl, read the beloved ‘Malory Towers’ series by Enid Blyton and fell instantly in love with the concept of being a House Mistress.

What has been the best thing about your time at EbC?

She chooses School House and swimming in the sea. I was expecting Kenzo’s answer to the first question to be the proximity to the sea, but I knew either way it would come up sooner or later. She is an avid swimmer and known to nip down and swim in what I would consider to be ‘the coldest water on earth’ between lessons.

What has been the worst thing about your time at EbC?

She jokes about being able to tell the truth now she is leaving but decides to remain diplomatic, a trait she has mastered in her years as a mother, friend and sister to the girls and staff of School House. The worst thing, she says, is definitely the late nights and conflict between family and work. As a last thought she ‘dares’ to get political: “men just don’t get it”. The feminist in me wanted to tell her that unfortunately yes even from my very limited experience, many would consider that political but we both know it is in fact a sad reality #US GIRLS HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER

“Say yes. Be kind and take the initiative.”

Fondest memory? What will you miss most?

WINNING HOUSE SINGING. On a more behind-thescenes memory, filming on the downs with Ms Simmons and Ms Squire who were dressed as Patsy and Eddy, whilst all, admittedly, slightly intoxicated. She specifies it was not from “swigging vodka” but there was prosecco involved. Taking a group of leaving upper sixth to a karaoke joint where they sang hymns from the list of songs sung at Congo. Miss Simmonds ‘Gin gate’ which involved a saw, a gate and, you guessed it, GIN. She says she’ll miss hanging out with the people she works with and the girls. I think that last one sums up how right for the job she was. She knew she wanted to be a house mistress, went for it, got it and still enjoys even the smallest, easily overlooked parts of it.

One word you associate with the college?

Caring (“that’s so naff” she jokes), but upon further reflection admits, exhausting. Something I think we can all agree about this amazing institution is that it offers so much, in so many diverse fields: Music, Sports, Arts, Academics, Drama, but it does ultimately become your whole life. As students that’s the best part about this place, the real attraction, the balance between work and play has been found and nurtured. But this does not only extend to students; teachers who give their all not only reap the benefits but also suffer some of the consequences. Teachers are known to be in their classrooms from 7.50am onwards and not leave sometimes till after 7pm. To then have to come home, be a mother to three boys, a wife and then everything any of the 67 girls

If you could go back and give yourself a piece of advice going into the job, what would it be?

Her answer is something we both agreed should be a rule for life: Stand up for what you believe in, stand up for it right from the outset and DO NOT CRY because you believe in it.

Would you go back and change anything if you could?

Reluctantly, she answers “leaving” and as a rejoinder to her impulsively yet refreshingly honest answer is that she should keep more to herself. I must disagree with her there as I believe this to be one of her greatest strengths. There is an authenticity behind every conversation and every hug. Her ability to be honest creates a caring environment which allows others to come into their own and nurture all the best parts of themselves. Kenzo’s door is always open, not just the door to her office but the door to her home. Possibly that is why the Mackenzies have decided to embark on another adventure as we the girls have slowly invaded the family’s personal space. I think that fact speaks for itself: we don’t look to avoid her, but we seek her out, whether it be because we need her as a maternal figure for a hug, a cup of tea and some worldly advice or because our world is ending, and we need her to fight a battle for or alongside us.

You’re a mother to three boys. Do you think that being a maternal figure for so many girls changed your parenting at all?

The balance in this job is wrong. She finds the more time she spends with the girls, the more she realises she should spend with her own children. She feels she is unable to feel completely accomplished as both housemistress and mother and there is a constant desire to do both the best she can. She’s enjoyed learning so many different things about the world through all her girls since a lot of the boarding community is international.

What’s the most scandalous thing you’ve had to deal with?

The scandalous crimes have become less prominent; the consequences just aren’t worth it. Girls used to sneak out of a window at the back of the house to get to dinner early. It sounds like something out of Malory Towers .

What would be your advice for people coming into the college and for people leaving?

Say yes. Be kind and take the initiative.

If you could have three people for dinner who would they be?

The first thing to come flying out of her mouth was “only three?”. After going back and forth between authors, actors and actresses, singers, philanthropists, athletes and activists I received a late-night email with this list: Daniel Craig (I mean, who wouldn’t: have you seen those baby blues?), Maya Angelou,

INTERVIEW

Claire Tomalin, and Chris Martin from Coldplay.

Both Mrs Mackenzie and I started out reluctant to interview and be interviewed, but soon enough, cups of tea in hand, cats at our feet roaming round her office, we quickly settled into what felt like a casual mid-afternoon chat. I speak for everyone when I say Laura Mackenzie will be deeply missed and forever treasured as the endearingly chaotic, forever passionate, go-getting School House Mistress we have all grown to adore.

Loveday Rowlands, Yr13 School House