Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney

Foundation In 1883 the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of NSW formed a special committee to investigate a proposal to establish boarding schools for girls and for boys, to provide Presbyterian alternatives to the proliferating number of Roman Catholic secondary schools in the colony. Marden was a strong believer in equal opportunity in education, and has been described as an "early feminist". He rejected the idea that PLC was to be merely a finishing school for the daughters of the wealthy, and was once quoted as saying: I am ... out of sympathy with the cry that education is unnecessary for girls, and that all they require is a few accomplishments. Women have also to live their life - in most cases a harder one than men have. This notion of accomplishments being sufficient for girls is surely a remnant of those barbarous days when women were looked on as the plaything of men. Growth In the early years at Croydon, girls tended to be enrolled at an older age, typically over fourteen. It was apparent that despite Marden's insistence, many parents viewed the college as a finishing school. As today, it was not a requirement for students to be Presbyterians, and early school records indicate there were a number of Roman Catholic and Jewish students. By 1900, the reputation of the school had spread, and pupils were starting to come from a wider geographic area, including New Caledonia, Fiji, New Zealand, the Northern Territory, Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia. The increase in enrolments also convinced the Council of the need to set up a branch school on another site, preferably on the North Shore. In 1913, Marden reported that many applications were being refused because of "shortness of space." Second World War In 1941, both the Principal Mary Hamilton, and the Senior Mistress (novelist, critic and historian) Flora Eldershaw, left the school to fill wartime positions in the bureaucracy. In 1942, the new principal, Dr Helen Wilkie, arrived to find falling enrolments, staffing problems and food shortages due to the effects of the Second World War. Word was soon received that Australian military authorities wished to inspect the school with a view to taking it over. On 24 March 1942, it was requested that PLC be occupied by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) for the purpose of establishing a top secret Radar Unit and military barracks known as No.1 RIMU (Radio Installation and Maintenance Unit). In order to accommodate PLC's students and classes, the Council approached Meriden School in Strathfield. Meriden agreed to house the boarders and the singing, domestic science, and physical education classes. PLC also purchased Lingwood, a property in Strathfield, as a centre for the school's remaining activities. In 1970, after Bill McLeod spoke to some of the seniors and advised those intending to become a nurse or a teacher to learn Greek or Italian (to aid communication with immigrants), Miss Whitlam took up the suggestion: 'We have people with time to do something after the exams at the end of each year – let's organise Greek classes for them'. In March 1972 the school also produced a newsletter ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΝΕΑ providing background on Greek culture and language and a bibliography of relevant books in the school library. In 1977, a Union of the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches took place, forming the Uniting Church in Australia. Approximately one third of the Presbyterian Church decided to remain Presbyterian, and consequently the property of the Church had to be divided. In May of that year it was announced that PLC Croydon was to remain Presbyterian and PLC Pymble would be transferred, with its name changed to Pymble Ladies' College. Then in 1978 it was decided that PLC Croydon should return to its original name: The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney. Freda Whitlam took part in the movement to form the Uniting Church and thus ended her principalship of the school. She was moderator of the New South Wales Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia (1985–1986). In late August 2005, due to financial troubles at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale, it was announced that PLC Armidale and PLC Sydney would join to form an alliance, with both schools coming under the executive leadership of Dr William McKeith, the Principal of PLC Sydney. Members of the PLC Armidale Council formed part of the new joint school Council, essentially making the two PLC's true sister schools. The aim of this alliance is to strengthen PLC Armidale through cooperative marketing, a change in management, and a stronger financial base. It is also meant to benefit both schools by providing student exchanges, accommodations for sporting events or excursions, and an additional "country or city" option to prospective students. Both schools will maintain their separate identities in order to preserve the unique histories and traditions that both have developed over many years. ==Principals==

The following individuals have served as Principal of PLC Sydney: ==Campus==

The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney, initially opened on 30 January 1888, at Fernlea, a 14-room gentleman's residence set on in Ashfield. But by August they had already outgrown this location, so they purchased Shubra Hall, the home of department store owner Anthony Hordern III at Croydon, for £7,500. Plans were drawn up for the additional buildings required, and Marden worked closely with the architect, Albert Bond. Marden was responsible for most of the ideas for the new buildings, based on those he had seen at MLC Melbourne. By the beginning of the 1891 school year, the new site was complete and ready for furnishing as the permanent home of PLC. The Presbyterian reported the opening of the College on 10 March 1891, by the Governor of NSW, the Rt Hon Victor Albert George, 7th Earl of Jersey at its new site: Standing in of ground, laid out in lawn tennis courts, gardens, etc., in an elevated position, it forms, with its tower [26 m] high, a very conspicuous feature in the landscape. The central feature of the building is the tower, and the architectural design of the facade is classic. Altogether the effect is very imposing ... The main staircase window is a work of art well worth seeing. The central window is beautifully designed, and contains two female figures representing Literature and Music. By 1902 PLC was running out of space again and Marden urged that new classrooms be built. The Council reluctantly agreed and an extension was made to the Main School, with six classrooms downstairs and 18 rooms upstairs. The addition was completed on 6 October 1904, at a cost of £2,000. ==Curriculum==

The Presbyterian Ladies' College is a comprehensive school with a traditional academic approach designed to prepare students for attending a university. The school is registered and accredited with the New South Wales Education Standards Authority, and therefore follows the mandated curriculum for all years. Primary Students in stages 1 to 3 (Kindergarten to Year 6) study the six Key Learning Areas: English, Mathematics, History/Geography, Science and Technology, Creative Arts, Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PD/H/PE). The youngest students also follow the Reggio Emilia approach to education. Specialist extension courses are offered to select students from Year 2 to 6 with gifts and talents in special areas (SPEC). In the 2006 Higher School Certificate, a PLC student received a perfect UAI score of 100, and in 2007 The Daily Telegraph named PLC the best-performing independent school in Sydney's inner–west. Special education PLC also offers a unique special education unit catering to students with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. The transition programme was developed in 1992 in response to a decision by academic staff to provide a special-needs stream. Through this unit, up to 20 girls between the ages of 11 and 18 are provided with an individual curriculum incorporating mainstream classes where possible. Senior students focus on the NESA Life Skills programme. Girls spend time as residential students in the on-campus Transition House, learning to manage their lives independently. Transition students also run an outdoor café to gain small business skills. ==Co-curriculum==

Sport PLC Sydney is arguably one of Australia's best girls' sporting schools. The college has been a member of the Independent Girls' Schools Sporting Association (IGSSA) since its foundation in 1922, and through this association senior students compete against 27 other girls' schools in graded weekend sports and carnivals. Sports available to students through IGSSA include swimming, diving, rowing, cross country, athletics, gymnastics, softball, tennis, basketball, soccer, Field hockey, netball, cricket and water polo. The college also offers sports such as skiing, snowboarding, equestrian and badminton through other competitions. and gymnastics. Primary school girls have the opportunity to participate in interschool sports through PLC's membership in the New South Wales branch of the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA). In September 2007, the college broke the under-19 female Australian record for 24-hour non-stop rowing, with a distance of . Also in 2007, PLC was named the New South Wales School Snowsports Club of the Year by the NSW Snowsports Association, later winning the national award at the 2007 Ski and Snowboard Australia Awards. The 2008 rowing season has been one of the school's best to date. In March, the PLC 1st Eight crew won the Schoolgirl Eight race at the IGSSA regatta for the first time in the school's history. This crew was also successful at the 2008 Australian Rowing Championships, winning the A Final of the Schoolgirls Eight race (the Sydney Cup), ahead of St Catherine's School, Toorak and Pymble Ladies' College, thus ranking them as the best schoolgirl eight in Australia. Ensembles Junior and Senior School students can participate in musical ensembles, both selective and non-selective, including several bands, string orchestras, a full school orchestra, chamber music ensembles, choral groups and several smaller instrumental and vocal groups. Debating and public speaking One of the strengths of PLC Sydney is their long history of achievement in debating and public speaking. The college has competed in the Independent Schools Debating Association (ISDA) for the past five years and has had a long-standing commitment to the Archdale Debating Competition. PLC students have had success at the semi-final level, and they won the competition in 2006 and 2017. PLC Sydney enters teams in the Junior and Senior sections of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS) Festival of Speech, producing the best results of any AHIGS school over the history of the competition, with 10 consecutive wins in the competition's 12-year history. Students may also participate in the Macquarie Cup and the Commonwealth Bank Senior Debating, vying with students from a range of public, Catholic and independent schools. There are also Social Debates with surrounding schools as well as a regular competition with Trinity Grammar School called the PLC/Trinity Challenge. Current projects undertaken by the school include the establishment and on-going management of two Kindergartens in East Timor, the management and support of Birla Children's Orphanage in Vietnam, and the establishment of the "Adopt a School" programme. This programme was developed and is directed by the principal, Dr McKeith, and matches schools in Australia with schools in Sri Lanka requiring rebuilding following the 2004 Tsunami. PLC's school, allocated through this programme, is the Senehasa Counselling, Training and Rehabilitation Centre for Girls. ==Motto and crest==

The school crest was adopted at a College Council meeting on 23 August 1888. The College Council decided to use the same crest as that used by the Presbyterian Church of New South Wales, with minor modifications. The Church's crest consisted of a shield with the words Nec Tamen Consumebatur (translated from Latin as "And yet it was not consumed") surrounding it. On the shield were the stars of the Southern Cross, a burning bush, and a Latin cross in outline. At the base were the floral emblems of Scotland, England and Ireland. Surrounding the shield was a border with the words "Presbyterian Church of New South Wales", with a Star of David placed on top. Behind both shield and borders was the cross of St. Andrew in blue. The school modified this crest by changing the words "Presbyterian Church of New South Wales" to "Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney", placing a Maltese cross at the top of the shield and inserting the School motto Sancte Sapienter. The motto had been adopted by the school on 23 August 1888, and although no translation was given of the Latin, it may be loosely translated to "be holy wisely" or "holy, wisely." ==School badge==

The school's symbolic badge was inspired by the first principal, Dr. Marden, and designed in 1888 by the first art teacher, J.A. Bennett. The maiden on the lion represents Knowledge, which is crowned by a tower representing the home, and holding a trident representing Sovereignty. A laurel wreath represents the victory of true womanhood, while the sun symbolises light and energy, and the crescent moon stands for youth. The words "Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney" surround the badge. The motto ''All'ultimo lavoro'' is Italian and comes from Dante's Commedia (Paradiso I, 13). It has variously been translated as "for the crowning task", "strive for the highest", "the utmost for the highest", or "I work for the highest", with the first of these being the most direct translation. The badge is reproduced in the leadlight over the front door of Shubra Hall, and may also be found on the recently opened Ex-Students' pathway. It was traditionally worn as part of the uniform on the Tam o' Shanter, until it was phased out in 1995. The badge is currently not worn on the academic uniform, partially due to its adoption by Pymble Ladies' College as their school crest in 1977. It was, however, reintroduced in 2003 as an addition to the Beret of the PLC Pipes and Drums uniform, and is also used by the college's Ex-students' Union, as it has been since 1905, with the addition of the words "Ex-students' Union" below. ==Uniform==

When the college first opened in 1888 there was no uniform, instead the girls wore long cotton dresses, gloves and hat. A straw boater was introduced in the early 20th century, worn with a red and white hat band featuring the college crest with its burning bush woven into it in red. During this time Prefects wore red silk arm-bands embroidered with a gold crest. The distinctive Black Watch Tartan of the college was introduced in 1908. Senior girls wore heavy box-pleated skirts and white blouses; junior girls wore pinafore dresses. All girls wore a navy blazer and heavy woollen stockings. Prefects also wore a special hat badge with a ring of bright blue enamel. A black felt Breton was introduced for winter use, and no change was made until the introduction of the green beret in 1952. It was replaced by the current Panama hat, but the Beret was reintroduced in 2003 as an addition to the Pipes and Drums uniform. The current junior (R–10) uniform was introduced in 1997. In summer, girls wear a Black Watch tunic, short-sleeve white blouse, green blazer with tartan piping, short green socks and black leather shoes. The winter uniform consists of the tunic, long-sleeve white blouse, the blazer, green jumper or vest, Black Watch Tartan tie, Black Watch Tartan scarf and either green knee-high socks or black stockings. School pockets are awarded for student achievements, and are embroidered in red on the pockets of junior blazers (R–10 girls), and white on the left breast of senior blazers (11–12 girls). College tartan The school has adopted the Black Watch tartan of the Royal Highland Regiment as its school and Pipes and Drums uniform. PLC was granted permission to wear the tartan after its brother school, The Scots College, was issued a royal decree allowing them to use Black Watch as their Pipes & Drums and Cadets uniform. The Black Watch is the oldest of the highland regiments. The 1958 Aurora Australis (the school yearbook) explained the tartan's origin: "This tartan was specially designed for the regiment to prevent the jealousy which would have been aroused, if any existing clan tartan had been used." ==House system==

The house system was established by Dr. John Marden, shortly after the opening of the school, with three houses: East, West and Boarders. In 1924 the senior houses were reorganised and renamed Kinross, Harper and Ferguson (with Anderson added in 1968), followed in 1926 by the introduction of junior houses, named Vicars and McQueen (with Thompson added in 1937). The school moved to four houses in 1979, from primary to secondary, and thus the junior houses disappeared. Ferguson Rev John Ferguson was a minister of St Stephen's Church, Sydney, and in 1917, Acting Principal of St Andrew's College at the University of Sydney. He was appointed Senior Chaplain and Chairman of the PLC Council in 1913, serving until 1923. Pickard Marion Pickard was appointed to the college as a teaching governess in June 1888. She was Lady Superintendent from 1894 until her resignation in 1907. In 1905 Pickard was elected the first President of the Ex-Students' Union. Wilkie Dr Helen Wilkie was the second Headmistress at PLC Armidale (1938–1941), and then the fourth Principal of PLC Sydney (1942–1946). On her appointment to Croydon she was immediately confronted with the takeover by the RAAF, and organised the move of the College to Strathfield. ==Ex-Students' Union==

The Ex-Students' Union is the school's alumnae association, inaugurated on 9 December 1905. At the invitation of Dr. Marden several former students discussed the proposal, elected Marion Pickard (who was at that time Lady Superintendent) as their President, and formed a committee to produce a constitution. These actions were confirmed at a General Meeting on Jersey Day 1906, and the committee took office until 1907. In the beginning, the main objectives of the Union were "the accumulation of a special fund to be devoted to the erection of a chapel and library at the College, and an Ex-Students' prize to be awarded annually to the girl most proficient in work and sport." The Union achieved much in its first few years: renting a building in the CBD to serve as a club and committee meeting place, making garments for hospitals, visiting kindergartens, the YWCA, Home of Peace, Infants' Home and the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children. An Ex-Students' Orchestra and Dramatic Club were formed, and tennis and croquet matches were held between current and former pupils. Marie Byles, the first practicing female solicitor in New South Wales, Jessie Aspinall, the first female junior resident medical officer at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Florence Mary Taylor, the first qualified female architect and first woman to train as an engineer in Australia, and the first woman in Australia to fly in a heavier-than-air craft, and Annabelle Williams, Commonwealth Games Medallist and current world-record holder of the EAD 100m freestyle (S9 classification). == Gallery ==

PLCFernlea1888.jpg|Fernlea, PLC's first home in Ashfield, JohnMarden.jpg|PLC's first principal, Dr John Marden PLCShubra1892.jpg|Shubra Hall and PLC students, 1892 PLCSketch1935.jpg|Sketch of PLC, featuring gardens and the Shubra Hall and Main School towers, PLC War time 1942.jpg|Advertisement for PLC at its temporary residence in Strathfield, 1942 Strathfield Santa Maria Del Monte Lauriston.JPG|Lauriston, Part of PLC's wartime Strathfield campus PLCSyd120years.jpg|PLC Sydney 120 year anniversary logo PLCSyd1930.jpg|PLC pupils doing eurythmics, s PLCTennis1894.jpg|Tennis courts at Croydon, 1894 ==See also==