S.H.P.S.A.-SHPSA History-
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The following is an edited version of the article written by past student Charmaine McKenzie. It is reproduced from the Commemorative Magazine, June 1999. Copies of the magazine are available at a reduced cost.
The
St Hugh’s Past Students Association Since 1933
The St Hugh’s Past Students’ Association (SHPSA), formerly called the “St Hugh’s Old Girls” Association”, was formed in 1933 with eight members. Its first president was the School’s principal, Miss Hermione Wilhelmina Joels, and for several years afterwards, the School’s principal served as its president. The first past student to serve as president was Iris (Sorror) Jones in the early 1940s.
By 1938/39, the Association had 70 members.
Its purpose was two fold: to foster a spirit of camaraderie and
“togetherness” among past students and to help raise funds in support of the
School. In an effort to achieve the first objective, the Association held its
first annual reunion dinner on 28 January 1939 at the South Camp Road Hotel with
Bishop Hardie as the guest of honour. To achieve the second objective, a dance
was held at Springfield on 15 April 1939. This dance was said to be a success
and a second dance was planned for November of that same year. The
Association’s second dinner was held on 27 January 1940, again at the South
Camp Road Hotel, with the Colonial Secretary Mr Grantham as the guest of honour.
Since those early days, the Association has
expanded its objectives to meet the needs of a larger membership and a much
larger student body at the School. The objectives of the Association as
expressed in its Rules are:
1.
To
bring girls who have been educated at St Hugh’s High School into closer touch
with one another.
2.
To
foster the interest of past students in the School and to promote a feeling of
unity among its past and present girls.
3.
To
keep a permanent record of all past students with their present addresses and
outstanding achievements.
4.
To
play its part in the community and help those less fortunate than themselves by
displaying civic responsibility.
5.
And
generally, to promote the social, athletic and intellectual welfare of its
members and the School in such manner as may from time to time appear expedient.
These objectives are fulfilled in a variety of
ways. Here’s a brief overview.
Keeping
in touch:
Since 1984, the Association has produced a newsletter to facilitate this.
Now called Leinster Links, it highlights major activities and events of the
Association, the School and its student body, and notes milestones in the lives
of past students. A website has been created through which past students can
make contact with old friends and keep abreast of activities at their alma
mater. Overseas chapters of the Association have also been formed, in
Atlanta, Miami and New York in the USA and in Toronto, Canada.
What’s
happening at School?:
This is a question frequently asked by past students. Leinster Links provides answers. In
addition, through the executive
committee and subcommittees of the SHPSA, the membership
participates in activities that benefit the present students of St Hugh’s.
Past students are involved in worshipping with present students, they organise
careers’ day talks, mentoring, rap sessions and a breakfast feeding programme,
the Beryl Rae Breakfast Feeding Programme, in recognition of past student Beryl
Rae’s (1897-1994) generous contribution to the programme. Mrs Rae was an
active member of the SHPSA up to the time of her death (28 November 1994) at the
age of 97.
Keeping
track:
The Association maintains a database of past students. Outstanding past students
have been recognised for their achievements through the Distinguished Past Student Award
since 1984.
Community
and civic activities: Over the years, the Association has assisted children’s homes and
places of safety such as the Levy Home (no longer in existence) and the Primrose
Child Care Centre and several basic schools. Needy individuals have also been
given assistance.
For
the welfare of all:
Since that first dinner attended by Bishop Hardie, the Association has continued
to attend to the “social, athletic and intellectual” welfare of its
membership in various ways. General meetings and annual general meetings are not
just cut-and-dried- affairs where the business of the meeting is done and then
it’s all over until next meeting. Guest speakers and demonstrations of all
kinds enliven meetings and give us food for thought. The entertainment aspect of
social life is taken care of by a variety of activities such as membership
mixers, tea parties, wine and cheese parties, you name it. Let’s see …
should membership mixers count as athletic events?
The word “welfare” should conjure up images of fundraising to any St Hugh’s past student or present student, for that matter. It’s an integral part of life at St Hugh’s and always has been so. The Association strives to hold one major fundraising event per year. In the past, dances or parties, brunches, musical evenings and art auctions have been among the events held. The proceeds from fundraising events go towards designated school projects.
Since 1987, a bursary for academic excellence
has been awarded to a Grade 12 student to enable her to continue her education
to Grade 13. The first recipient of the bursary was Audrey Elizabeth Powell. In
1995, the bursary was renamed the Beryl Rae Bursary in honour of Mrs Rae.
The
St Hugh’s Past Students’ Foundation
is the most recent and perhaps the most ambitious venture undertaken by the
SHPSA to date. Established in 1996, this endowment fund seeks to raise funds to
assist with major projects undertaken by the School.
Editor’s note: In November 1999, the SHPSA organised a week of
celebration in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the School.
Past students are still talking about the banquet and are asking when is the
next reunion. Plans are being developed for a reunion in 2004.
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