Page 22 - Luce 2016

College M emories

College Memories

The formative role of College life is felt by students across the generations. Here three groups
of friends from the forties and fifities, nineties and ‘noughties’ and more recent years share
their memories and reflections on life since leaving JCH.

Through informal chats and recorded interviews, Shelley Roberts captures some of the fond reminiscences of
alumnae Jenny Taplin (1948-1951), Mary Playford (Dettmann 1953-1955) and Floranne Everson (Taylor 1956-1958).
Much has changed, but it is clear that what made the College special to these students all those years ago still
resonates with the members of today’s JCH community.
memories from the
40s & 50s

Jenny Taplin, Floranne Everson, Dr Mary Playford

Jenny Taplin studied Science. She Floranne Everson studied Arts /Social Dr Mary Playford studied Science and
enjoyed a long and successful career Studies. She had a career in social went on to complete higher degrees
as a bacteriologist in the Public work/child psychology, working in in palaeobotany at the Universities of
Health Laboratory at the University child guidance clinics in Brisbane. In Melbourne and Cambridge. She was a
of Melbourne. In April 2016 she will her retirement Floranne has studied oil research scientist at the University of
celebrate her 87th birthday. painting. Queensland, and also lectured and was a
consultant to industry and governmental
agencies. In retirement she is an Honorary
First impressions Research Fellow at the Queensland
Museum.
Jenny: In my first year Mum drove Mary: I also came from the country. The study had a fire place and two tiny
me down from Ballarat. I had a huge My sister, Margaret, had been at JCH balconies. We loved it! It was a cosy
trunk. We brought our own linens so I went there too, from Kyneton High contrast to the breezy balcony where we
and bedspread and we made our own School. A lot of the other freshers had slept!
curtains for the study. The first few days I been at boarding schools and for them,
spent unpacking and I remember taking JCH felt familiar. But for me it was a Jenny: In my second year I got my own
all my heavy books to the first lecture brand new experience and broadened room in Main, down a few steps just
and being very relieved that they weren’t my horizons. before Traill. The room had double
needed! In addition to my science windows and a fire place – I felt very
subjects we all had to study English in Accommodation lucky, but the only drawback was that
our first year. the room was too close to the telephone
Floranne: As freshers we slept out on cupboard. We had a telephone
Floranne: I came to Melbourne the balcony which overlooked the tennis answering roster but it often fell to me
University from Bendigo High School courts at Trinity. It was really open to the to shout for who was needed on the
and was anxious to find somewhere air but gauzed in and during the winter phone!
that felt safe and secure. JCH was a they put canvas blinds up to shelter us,
very welcoming place and I loved the but it was still pretty chilly and open
architecture of the building, its location to the elements! I remember we had
on College Crescent and the sense of torches – not sure if there was electric
tradition and history. College was a light on the balcony. I shared a study in
wonderful new experience for me – Main with Jane Craig from Launceston.
quite exciting!

22 LUCE Number 14 2015