Page 26 - Luce 2017

A l umni News

Alumni News

moving to Melbourne in 1961 to do our
Matriculation year at Taylors College.
The Edith Head Club in Spring St was
our residence.

We were both offered places in the
Faculty of Medicine at the University of
Melbourne in 1962, the centenary year
of the Melbourne Medical School. I
was accepted at Janet Clarke Hall while
Valerie was accepted at University Dr Genevieve Grant
Women’s College (now University
College). Unlike at the other college, there didn’t
seem to be anyone heading home on the
On Saturday 16 December, 1967 we weekend to have their washing done.
were the first twins in the Faculty of
Medicine to graduate together, receiving I very fondly recall my time at JCH. A
our degrees from Sir Robert Menzies, lot of those memories centre on ‘against
the University Chancellor. It was the day the odds’ intercollegiate competitions –
that Sir Harold Holt, the Prime Minister, debating and hockey particularly come
2009 Senior Student Dr Adam Chong, was lost in the surf at Portsea. On that to mind! So many of my JCH friends
seen here with resident tutor in Music Saturday evening, we were featured were prepared to pick up a hockey
Julia Hastings, visited from the United on the ABC news broadcast, but the stick for the first time so we could put
Kingdom where he is Lecturer in Monday newspapers omitted this news! together a team. For Tasmanians, there is
Linguistics at Queen Mary University of something very familiar about David and
London. A former chorister in the Choir Our clinical years were spent at Goliath struggles, and JCH teams always
of the Canterbury Fellowship, Adam has the Royal Melbourne Hospital. proudly held their own.
continued his singing during studies at Subsequently I specialised in
UCLA and now in the St Martin’s Chorus Anaesthesia and Valerie in General I also remember being fascinated by the
of St Martin’s-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Practice. At University House on 1 way friends in other disciplines studied
Square, London. December, 2017 we celebrated, along – whether it was the models being
with 119 other graduates, the milestone constructed by architecture students, or
Dr Beverley Peers (1962) of 50 years in Medicine. the rote learning of anatomy by medical
My twin sister Valerie and I were born Valerie and I are now both students. Most significantly, though, I
in 1945 and were reared at Murrayville, grandmothers. Reflecting on my time remember feeling part of a welcoming
in the Victorian Mallee. Our mother, at University, I feel it was a privilege community and being supported by the
Stella, was a schoolteacher, a graduate to reside at Janet Clarke Hall. Miss College and my peers to make the most
of the Melbourne Teachers College Margaret Dewey was the Principal of the massive opportunities afforded to
and our father, Peter, an engineer, in 1962. Dr Eva Eden succeeded her. students at Melbourne University.
was a graduate ofthe Working Mans It was then a women’s College and When I finished my undergraduate
College (later RMIT) and devoted medical tutorials were held at Trinity studies in law and politics, I went to
most of his life indirectly to education. College. work as a personal injury litigation
Understandably, he was keen to see his lawyer. It wasn’t long into that role
daughters well educated. I remain grateful for the community that I started to reflect on how legal
life at JCH, the proximity to the systems work and affect the injured
We were boarders at Queens C.E.G.G.S. University, the friendships and the many people they are designed to assist. I
Ballarat from 1958 until 1960 before opportunities to share ideas with other applied for a PhD scholarship I saw
students and tutors. advertised in The Age (yes, in a hard
copy newspaper!), and took up a joint
Dr Genevieve Grant (2002) position in the Melbourne Law School
I was a resident of JCH during 2002 and Melbourne School of Population
and 2003, following a year at one of the Health. My research investigated the
neighbouring colleges. Having come way compensation systems contribute
to study Arts and Law at Melbourne to claimants’ health. I studied
University from a terrific state school epidemiology and biostatistics, and had
education in Hobart, I found the culture the new experience of being the target
of the larger college a bit bewildering. I of merciless teasing by public health
remember realising I had made the right academics about the innumeracy of
move when I very quickly felt at ease lawyers. There’s nothing like that kind of
amongst JCH’s diverse body of regional, pointed critique to inspire you to
interstate and international students. do better.
Dr Beverley Peers with sister Valerie

26 LUCE Number 16 2017