Page 37 - Luce 2020

A l umni News

life that we 18 year-olds shared. We repertoire and I remember how very theatre productions alternated in the
loved that old section of JCH with the relieved and gratified I felt that it was so lower ground space and following a
double bedrooms and great windows well received. We gained considerable successful first half decade, in 2007
looking out over Royal Parade. I greatly kudos from that performance and I know fortyfivedownstairs expanded and took
enjoyed going to Trinity College Chapel, I was very appreciative of Bailey’s kind over the derelict basement of number
with the really special Chaplain Barry encouragement! I still have the brass 45 to create a dedicated performance
Marshall in 1963-66. bowl she gave me as a gift after the space on the floor below. Upstairs, the
performance. space became two dedicated galleries, in
Because I was learning so much about which a curated program of exhibitions
animals, I was identifying which I married a resident of Trinity College, has hung almost constantly since.’
creatures were in our meat… but I was Bruce Sterling, whom I met in the Choir
told not to talk about that, as those Arts and we moved to Shepparton after Toni Meehan (2013)
students did not want to know what they he finished his medical degree and I The four years I
were eating! Then there was a dead rat my Bachelor of Music and Bachelor spent living at JCH
which had been autopsied but I hung of Education. In the 1990s I started are ones I will never
it up on a light switch in our corridor, a whole range of degrees and post- forget. Coming
which nearly resulted in my abrupt graduate diplomas in Asian cultures and from Bendigo, the
departure! However, I gradually became several languages at UNE in Armidale. inclusive nature of
part of JCH and made great friends, some In fact, I believe I have travelled to every the College was a
of whom have remained my close friends civilisation in the world, apart from must for a student like me who knew
for life. Antarctica, in my studies, including very few people in the area when
Astronomy and Australian Rock Art embarking on the next chapter of her
Halfway through 1966 I had to move – because I could! University and my life. It was here that I not only forged
down to Werribee for the last 18 months beginnings at Janet Clarke Hall began my connections that will last a lifetime, but
of Vet study, doing practical work with true quest for learning. was gifted the beautiful cello that I play
animals. In the last year I became a good at every opportunity.
friend of classmate, Kevin Bell. In 1968 I Bruce and I have become very involved
worked as a vet at the Lort Smith Animal in community and musical life. Although Whilst at JCH I completed my Bachelor
Hospital, near Parkville and rented a he has retired as a doctor and I as a of Music (Cello) and the first year of
room on Royal Parade, quite close to St. classroom teacher of Music and Co- my Master of Teaching (Secondary -
Carthage’s Catholic Church, where I was ordinator of Distance Education language Classroom and Cocurricular). I have
having discussions with the Jesuit priest, students, I still maintain my private always been drawn to the profession
Fr. Tom Furey. I became a Catholic in teaching piano practice and we are both of teaching – from sport coaching to
that year and in January 1969 Kevin and very involved in the Goulburn Valley instrumental tuition – and the power of
I were married. We crossed the road and Concert Orchestra and other musical music, so these two degrees were the
had our wedding reception in the JCH and artistic initiatives in the Shepparton obvious choice for me.
Dining Hall, a wonderful experience for community.
all of us! I stepped into my first classroom teaching
Our congratulations position at Melbourne Girls Grammar
Vet work took us to Werribee and to Mary Lou Jelbart the very same day I submitted my last
Bacchus Marsh, then voluntary vet AM (1958) for being university assignment in June 2017 and
work in the Jeju Island of Korea on a named a Member of have been there ever since.
Columban Missionary farm development the Order of Australia
project, and at the end of the 1970s we in the 2021 Australia These past four years have been
moved our growing family to Western Day honours. extraordinary. I have had the privilege of
Australia, where we pursued our working with young people both in the
respective careers. We are in now in The award was an acknowledgement of music classroom and through various
Broome, far from Janet Clark Hall. her ‘significant service to the performing pastoral care opportunities. My role
However, JCH is a very good memory and visual arts, and to the community’. as a House Coordinator and Personal
in our life, and we enjoyed visiting the Dimension Mentor (Year 7 and 8
College and meeting up with Dr Powell As an extract from the website of wellbeing support teacher) have allowed
at the end of 2017 when we had just popular Melbourne performance venue, me to support the wellbeing and mental
celebrated our 50-year graduation from fortyfivedownstairs notes: health of these young people in ways that
Melbourne University. ‘Until the middle of the twentieth I couldn’t have previously imagined.
century, the building at 45 Flinders I have shared the love of reading with
Leona Sterling Lane housed the industrial equipment like-minded students and heard from
(Donnelly 1966) and cloth bales of the rag trade. In the Stella Prize short-listed guests such
I have very fond early 1990s, with Span Galleries on as Chloe Hooper, Sofie Laguna and
memories of my the ground floor, the lower ground Charlotte Wood. I have been welcomed
days in JCH. I vividly warehouse space was first set up as a to North East Arnhem Land to live with
recall rehearsing commercial gallery. Mary Lou Jelbart and learn from the Yolgnu people on a
and performing and Julian Burnside AO QC took over weeklong Year 8 Camp in 2018.
the Prokofiev Flute the space, founding fortyfivedownstairs
Sonata with Bailey Barash (Smith in 2002 with a vision for it to become After months of teaching Years 5 through
1966) at a Trinity Warden’s soirée a unique curated space for both live to VCE Music Performance over Zoom
held in Robin Sharwood’s residence. performance and visual art. from the kitchen table, I look forward
I was quite shy of performing such a to the new challenges that 2021 and
high-powered, high profile item in the For the first five years, exhibitions and beyond will bring.

J anet Clarke Hall 37