BRENDA MAZZUCCHELLI
mothers appreciated the opportunity to help
with the catering.
At that time I was
not allowed to walk up
the staircase with the
men. I was escorted up
in the lift. How times
have changed with
political correctness!
I would like to finish by telling you about one
other special event that for me exemplifies
the regard parents had for Guildford
Grammar School and the extent to which
they were prepared to freely give their time
and service to the School.
on not over-charging and giving value for
money. More value was placed on the
service we provided to the School and the
camaraderie we shared with our Guildford
friends.
Completely out of the blue at the end
of 1984 I was contacted by Alan Terry,
Chairman of the School Council, who asked
if he could nominate me for a position on
Council. I am embarrassed to say I knew
very little about the School Council. I had
just been elected as President of the Ladies
Auxiliary and was very involved with the
Board of Anglican Homes, so I declined
Alan’s proposal. He tried to persuade me
by saying I would be making history as the
first woman to serve as a Fellow of Council.
Finally Richard persuaded me to accept the
proposal and I thought no one would vote
for me so I agreed. What I hadn’t realised at
that time was that the process was a matter
of straight selection!
So began thirteen years of service on
Council. I valued the opportunity to serve
the School at another level. I was a member
of the Works Committee. One of the most
memorable things I did was inspect the
ceiling of the Chapel between the ceiling and
the roof. I will never forget that experience.
Looking down into the nave through the
small cut out areas in the ceiling and viewing
the sanctuary above the curved ceiling. We
had the occasional meeting and dinner at the
Weld Club. At that time I was not allowed
to walk up the staircase with the men. I
was escorted up in the lift. How times have
changed with political correctness!
I suppose my greatest achievement on
Council was to chair the Ceremonies
Committee for the Centenary of the School.
I formed a committee with representation
from Senior and Preparatory School parents,
staff, Old Boys, Ladies Auxiliary, P & F and
past parents. We worked together to
organise the launch at Woodbridge, the Ball
at Government House, Speech Night at the
Concert Hall, the Centenary Blazer and the
brooch for women.
It had been the tradition, as it is now, to
conduct the Speech Night on the Chapel
Close. Over the years there had been nights
when the weather was threatening and
there was the rumble of thunder. However,
a few years prior to the Centenary, the rain
started shortly after the official party was
seated on the stage. Janet Moody ran home
and gathered all her umbrellas. We were
soaked but John Moody, sheltered by a
brave student holding an umbrella, pressed
on regardless. It was so funny to watch
the response of the school body seated on
plastic chairs in front of us. Most ran for
cover. Others covered their heads with chairs.
Some, including Bishop McDonald and
the special guests, braved it out. This was
the reason for the change in venue for the
Centenary Speech Night.
The Chapel is the heart and spiritual life
of this Christian school. It has, and always
will, play an important part in my life. The
school year ended with the Carol Services
in the Chapel and the choir was of such a
high standard that they were held on three
successive nights. In 1979 the Service was
recorded and produced in record form. For
the duration of the recording the flight path
of the planes to the airport was diverted.
Imagine that happening today!
Every year following the Carol Services, the
congregation went to the Dining Hall for
supper and here again the Ladies’ Auxiliary
excelled. The lights were dimmed and the
room lit by candlelight from the tables, which
were decorated with holly and ivy. The food
was always Lyons fruit cake and homemade
shortbread provided by the ladies. It was
on occasions such as this that our working
The Australian Heads of Independent Schools
Association (AHISA) was holding their
conference in Perth, hosted by Wesley. A visit
to Guildford Grammar School was not on
the programme and John Moody desperately
wanted the delegates to visit our school. He
contacted me and asked if there was any way
we could organise the conference dinner.
There was a limited budget and to succeed
I needed to put in a proposal against Scotch
College. They featured a Scottish menu, we
featured wildflowers. To keep the price down
I rallied past parents to help and they all gave
their time willingly. Drinks and savouries were
served in the library and the staff room. We
had a father cook the main meal, which
was served in the Dining Hall and dessert
was prepared and served by Kate Lamont
in School House. The drinks were organised
by past parents Dorham Mann and John
Barrett-Lennard. A team of ladies, mainly past
mothers, served at tables and young Old Boys
were the drink waiters. All areas visited by
the guests were decorated with wi