Page 35 - Luce 2020

A l umni News

in the study. I used to go to symphony Colleges, but still shared some facilities lunch, as well as the tutorials and the
concerts with her in the Town Hall and and traditions. College subscribed to a French literary
she used to come to my plays. Our big magazine. I was doing my Master of Arts
study was on the first floor overlooking You’ve mentioned Miss Joske. What then and was often in the College library
the courtyard. are your memories of Dr Eden, who to work on my thesis.
served as Principal from the 1960s to
At Clyde I had shared a room, so sharing the 1980s? Miss Bagnall (who succeeded Miss
with six other girls on the balcony did Joske as Principal) invited University
not worry me. I think it may have been When I began my work as a tutor at an academics to dine and give talks –
glassed in in my day – I just do not independent JCH, Dr Eden was Principal. opening us to the wider community. Dr
remember being cold. Miss Joske used She served for 21 years and I admired Eden continued that practice and did it
to come round and tell us when it was her very much. She was a strong person. well. I was Vice-Principal for only a very
time to go to bed – she liked to turn She had had a difficult early life. She was short while, less than a year, when Dr
off the lights to save electricity. It was a Jewish refugee, educated in Hungary. Eden was unwell. She was not keen on
always hard to get up in the morning, She and her parents had to escape. having a VP and I was not available as I
have breakfast and make it on time to had too much going on in my life with
the 9am lectures! family commitments: my busy husband
David, Professor of Physics at the
Do you think being in JCH had a University and two school children, as
particular impact on your studies and well as teaching and writing my Master
future career choices? of Arts thesis on the poet Francis Ponge.
I was French Tutor for JCH, Trinity,
JCH opened up my mind and broadened Ormond and St Hilda’s and taught
my knowledge – the collegiality was (part-time) in the University’s French
wonderful: sitting at the dining table Department.
with students from different backgrounds
and countries who were studying in During Dr Eden’s time as Principal,
other disciplines. I enjoyed hearing the spacious new common room was
about their studies – architecture, built; as well as much modernisation
medicine, science. It was a great gift, and renovations to the building. She
opening up new worlds intellectually. admired the work of John Mockridge,
the architect of the new building works.
In my French and German Honours Dr Eden did excellent work in terms
classes, we made friends with other of education. The academic life was
Honours students who were not in what she stood for. She wanted the
JCH – it helped that we were a very students to be serious and wanted them
small group. So non-College students to take responsibility and grow up.
did become friends, but admittedly they Miss Joske was anxious for us to grow
were not as close as those we lived with up but also to keep us safe. Eva Eden
every day. We were friends with Trinity was less concerned about the students’
and Ormond students – our rather noisy social lives. She was the Principal who
neighbours! abandoned the cooking test. In my
day, we all found it a bit of a joke! I
In terms of career, I was keen on 1950: Fiona plays Dorinda in the think I cooked Irish stew and I do not
languages. I think I probably thought Restoration Comedy ‘The Beaux remember that it was a big challenge
I was going to be a top diplomat in Stratagem’ (as published in the for us… It was part of the terms of the
Geneva, but I really did not think too Melbourne Argus). Manifold Bequest.
much about it! I definitely felt I was
not going to just be a housewife and She did her PhD in England, then went After your time as a tutor, you also
spend my life cooking! I think my school to Sydney and Western Australia in served on the College Council. Can
headmistress was a very good influence University positions and then on to JCH you tell me a little about your time on
in that way. She was very supportive of as Principal. She probably thought we Council?
the idea of women having a career and were old-fashioned. She was not keen
a good education. She and Miss Joske to continue the close association with I served on Council from 1969. In my
were great role models for me. We had Trinity and wanted to broaden the intake early days as College Tutor it seemed
to enrol at Trinity as well as at JCH – and of students from a range of schools, to to me a very serious affair. The Bishops
Trinity’s Warden, Dr Ron Cowan, gave get a different mix into the College. She from each region attended the meetings.
us a lecture and told us to behave and was very egalitarian and strong minded Later, when I became Chair of Council
made us promise not to climb out of and, I think, was shy underneath her in 1985, there were concerns on Council
windows – an important rule! In 1961, strong façade. I liked working with about our investments – especially late
there came ‘the separation’. Trinity and her as a tutor. On two days a week
Janet Clarke Hall became independent we had a ‘French language table’ at continued on page 36

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