St George Motor Boat Club , Sans Souci
I am honoured to be here tonight at your Reunion . Ms Renton sends her apologies and her love – it is her 50 St George Girls reunion today as well. Mrs Hatton is on the Gold Coast, and sends her apologies.
I can scarcely believe that 30 years have gone by since I taught you in Year 12.
Whilst the years have flown by, they have never dimmed my fondness for your year. As a teacher, some Year 12’s are more memorable than others.
You were students when the ‘jolly girls of St George Girls “meant that. The school has changed so much that I believe the “esprit d’ corps” that we had, is somewhat diminished today.
You were students before Assessments. Whilst your desire to do well academically was always there, students today are driven by ATARS (Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank )–today it is a very competitive school environment.
St Georgians are everywhere …….. I bumped into Jill, the co- organiser of this reunion, lunching with her mother, at Ramsgate Beach last October.
In early June, whilst in Hong Kong, I caught up with a 1980 student, Connie, a lawyer and a 2001 student, Lydia, an employee of the (Australian) Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. We had a wonderful day together at Sha Tin Racecourse, and over lunch toasted “the jolly girls of St George.” Last Wednesday, in the Berry Tea Shop, I met a 1987-1990 student, Paulina. I am always pleased to hear what direction in life you have all taken.
We will all remember Berry for our wonderful Year 12 Geography excursion! We covered Urban Geography in the streetscape of Berry, and covered Dairying by visiting Mr McIntosh’s dairy farm. And the Berry pie shop …
( Marika Kontellis interrupted my comments in my speech with “ yes, artificial insemination.”)
I have already spoken of the changes within the school since your 20 year Reunion. I must thank Ms Brown, Social Science Department, for her valuable assistance on the afternoon of August 22 2013. We spent some time discussing the changes.
I will elaborate on my life after you left St George. ……. I have been privileged to serve 17 years on Council, following my stint on the St George Hospital Board. I left Council in 2008, and retired from St George Girls, after 35 years, in December 2011.
In “retirement”, I have taken a creative direction, working on my local history and recently, co-producing a Heritage Guide for NSW Communities, amongst many other things. The Heritage Guide will be launched on November 10 2013, and is a first for NSW, in the sense that it will be an online document. It will feature on various Heritage websites.
I am still involved in local political issues. I ran the local community’s campaign, from September 2012 to May 2013, to save a heritage property, Griffith House –St George Hospital campus, Kogarah.
Harold passed away in Calvary Hospital, from lung cancer, on September 30 2011. I have honoured his memory, with a Rookie of the Year Award, for the Under 21 Football Team at Dapto Dandaloo Fury Football Club, in Wollongong- the inaugural award was in October 2012; tonight is the second presentation of the award.
And, on May 25 2013, I attended the 50 year reunion in the North of England, of Harold’s former football team. They won the West Riding County FA Challenge Cup on May 22 1963.
Life moves on. I am blessed with so much in my life – the people I have met, the places I have travelled, the opportunities that I have had; and the friendships I maintain.
I know that I was privileged to be able to teach you, and more importantly, to be able to say this to you, all these years later.
I wish you all well for the future-good health, happiness and much love.
In conclusion, tonight’s Reunion reflects the fact that the friendship from our classroom, all those years ago, still binds us together.
Anne Field
November 2 2013
