Penrith High Towers-Alumni

Welcome to our latest edition of Towers Alumni. At this time each year, we are marking the end of the HSC course and welcoming the latest group of students into this special club of former students. In 2020, Year 12 will be back for one more week of revision lessons and events before starting the HSC on Tuesday 20 October. The decision to add a week came many months ago as a response to COVID and it will be nice to spend some more time with this special group of students. We wish each of them well in the upcoming exams and are looking forward to celebrating their graduation after the HSC in the Alumni Garden so that we can have parents onsite and maintain social distancing.

Given the current rules around having non essential visitors onsite, it has been pleasing to see a high level of engagement from so many former students. Your notes, emails, photographs and stories are welcomed and many feature in this large edition of Towers Alumni.

The Hon. Penelope Wensley Award for the female Year 12 student most proficient in the subject of English

It has been a privilege to connect with our 1963 School Captain, The Honourable Penelope Wensley this year. Ms Wensley’s inspiring career is detailed in the feature article below as are her responses to the questions asked for the soon to be published PHS Captains’ Book.

I am in constant amazement at the success former students have across all fields, but the international significance of Penny’s work led a number of us to consider how we could both recognise this service and inspire current and future students to live up to the school motto of Altiora Peto.

After discussions, I am proud and grateful to announce that starting with the class of 2020, the highest performing female HSC student will be presented with this annual prize bearing Penny’s name. We have such a strong field this year, that we will not know the recipient until mid December when the HSC results are announced.

Penrith High School Captains’ Book

The final stages of bringing this publication together for the 70th Anniversary of the school is close. If you haven’t been able to respond to the questions and submit photographs, please use this link to find out more details. https://penrith-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/alumni/school-captain-s-book-for-our-70th-anniversary.html

In addition to Penny’s responses, you will find some fascinating insights about some of our other School Captains.

Rare photos of The Towers Mansion

A sincere thank you to Mr Wallace Donald who has shared photos that we did not have in the archives of the Towers Mansion. These photos from 1928 are a special insight into life on the site of the school all those years ago. The photos can be found in this edition.

I hope that you enjoy the wide range of articles below in this quarter’s edition of Towers Alumni and extend my thanks to our Editor, Cathie Fayle, who also works as the school’s library assistant.

Mark Long

Principal

Penelope was educated at Penrith High School where she was Captain in 1963.

She then attended the University of Queensland and joined the Australian Public Service in 1967, working in the Department of External Affairs in 1967.

From 1997 -2001 Penelope became the first woman to be Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations in New York.

Penelope was then appointed as the first female Australian High Commissioner to India, a role she held until 2004.When Australia established diplomatic relations with Bhutan in September 2002, Penelope, as High Commissioner in India, was appointed as Australia's first ambassador there from May 2003. From 2005 to 2008, she was Australian Ambassador to France, and non-resident Ambassador to Algeria, Mauritania and Morocco.

On 6 July 2008, the Premier of Queensland, Anna Bligh, announced that Queen Elizabeth II had approved Penelope's appointment as the next Governor of Queensland, in succession to Quentin Bryce, who was relinquishing the office prior to being sworn in as Governor-General of Australia. She held this position until 2014.

Post-governorship

Since 2015, Penelope has served as chair of the Australian Institute of Marine Science Council. She is also chair of the advisory committee for Reef 2050, an advisory body working with the Australian and Queensland governments on a plan to protect and improve the Great Barrier Reef. She also serves on the Board of the Lowy Institute.

Penelope was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2001, a Dame of the Order of St John in 2008, a Grand Officer of the National Order of Merit by the French government in 2009, and was advanced to Companion of the Order of Australia in 2011.

In 2016, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade named one of its 16 meeting rooms in her honour, in recognition of her work as a pioneering female diplomat. Wikipedia

Questions asked by PSHS for the Captains' Book

1. What is your best memory of Penrith High School?

I liked studying-especially English, French, History and Biology, but my best memories are of extracurricular activities. Playing Fiona in the school’s production of the musical “Brigadoon” in my fourth year, 1962, probably tops the list. I also have happy memories of biology class excursions to the lower Blue Mountains, schools sports days, and debating activities, most notably when the Penrith Girls’ team, participating for the first time, in 1962, in the Girls’ High Schools Debating Competition, won the Zone competition, (beating Parramatta High, Liverpool, Blacktown and Arthur Phillip High Schools), but alas, was narrowly defeated in the semi-finals by Strathfield Girls High School.

2.What did you think you would be doing after you left High School?

Exactly what I did! I wanted to attend the University of Queensland (where both my parents studied), undertake an Arts degree, including a French language major, and then become a career diplomat, representing my country overseas. I completed an Arts Honours degree at UQ, in 1967, applied and was selected as a diplomatic cadet in the Department of External Affairs in 1968 (the only woman in an intake of 19) and took up my first posting, at the Australian Embassy, Paris in 1969. (Many years later, in 2005, after postings all around the world (Pacific, Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and to the United Nations), I had a second posting to Paris, this time as Ambassador)

3.What are you doing now?

After four decades in the Australian Foreign Service (1968-2008), and six years as Governor of Queensland (2008-2014), I now have a number of part-time positions, dealing with international relations and the protection of Australian’s environment. I am Chairman of the Australian Institute of Marine Science Council, Chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Advisory Committee, a Director of the Lowy Institute- an independent think-tank; and National Patron of Soil Science Australia.

4.What is the best advice you could give to current PHS students?

Make the most of everything available to you at school. Work hard. Aim high. Make the school motto your guide, together with these beautiful words which have inspired me since I first read them :

“I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again”.

Jayden is a neuroscientist completing his PhD, and teaches neuroanatomy. In this video he talks about a number of topics including his work around neuroplasticity and life long learning. Thanks Jayden for contributing to the series and for giving up your time.

Planning is underway for the next part of our Alumni Garden and Year 12, 2020 have committed to donating towards a path connecting the carpark to the main pathway. Former students, staff and supporters of the school are invited to purchase a personalised paver as part of this project. Details about ordering and payment can be found here by clicking this link

Donations are Tax Deductible

The new path will start where the two sandstone cubes are in the third picture below.

The History Interest Club, led by our Head Teacher History are gathering information about all of our past captains. The plan is to create a book which has the male and female captain for each year on a double page. There will be the name and year on each page. Each page is intended to have a school photo of the captain (when actually the captain) and a more recent photo beside it.

Underneath this will be four questions:

1. What is your best memory of Penrith High School?

2. What did you think you would be doing after you left high school?

3. What are you doing now?

4. What is the best advice you could give to current PHS students?

We may be able to get some of these responses from the profiles in the back of The Towers but would enjoy hearing from as many former captains or their families as possible.

If you were a past captain or family member could you forward a suitable photo and your responses to the four questions. This will be passed on to the relevant students.

Each student in the History Interest Group has been allocated a five year period to research.

If you know the contact details of any past captain could you pass this information onto the school via the school email penrith-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au and make it attention to Clark Stone. Clark is our Head Teacher History.

The intention is to present this book to the school in 2020 for the 70th Anniversary with copies for sale and one to be placed in the school foyer.

Attention all Alumni.

My name is Maddy, and I am a current Prefect at Penrith High School. We are creating a mural for the main staircase that showcases the seven decades of our school. It will include significant events and students that shaped the environment of the school.

However, I need your help to collate images, quotes, stories and even nominate specific alumni that had a significant impact to be featured in the mural.

I will be extremely thankful to anyone who can assist in any way.

If you have any questions, comments or submissions please send through an email to the school with Attention Madeleine Reeves and it will be forwarded to me.

Madeleine Reeves

During COVID the school has still been conducting Assembly in a very different way to what we have been used to. Senior Prefects, under the direction of teachers, have been setting up television screens and participating in a school-wide Zoom meeting. The students can be still informed about what is happening around the school as the Principal presents his report, musical items happen being zoomed in from the music rooms and students or staff can give sport reports etc from around the school. This runs very smoothly each week.

Congratulations on overcoming this communication hurdle in these times!

In Week 3 PSHS said farewell to the school's long serving Librarian, Mr Wilcox. Since arriving in 1996 where he was initially an English Teacher, Mr Wilcox moved to the library in 2010. Over the past couple of years he has also looked after all of the Distance Education students(who farewelled him below).

Additionally, he has been the custodian of the school archives and built an important collection of memorabilia that capture the school's rich history.

Warm wishes from us all for a long and happy retirement! Thank you for so many years of amazing service to the school community!

Miss Reid has worked casually at Hawkesbury High, Richmond High and, of course, at Penrith Selective High since 2015. She is trained in Visual Arts and English and is a familiar face around the school.

In fact, Miss Reid studied at PSHS and graduated in 2008.

Welcome Miss Reid!

How was your experience at Penrith High School?

I attended Penrith from 2003 – 2008, and I always felt lucky to be able to work amongst a group of peers that celebrated diverse learning strengths and achievements.

What would you have done differently if you had the chance to redo high school?

I think I would have put less pressure on myself to figure it all out and define my future by the subjects I chose. I was always interested in English, Visual Arts and History, but as I have grown older I’ve embraced an interest in environmental science, ecology and natural history. I think if I went back I might decide to do Biology or Chemistry in order to know more about different disciplines.

Did the subjects you chose in Year 12 impact significantly upon what you are doing right now or in University?

I think that the subjects I chose did impact me, but sometimes in unexpected ways. I completed a Fine Arts Degree and an Honours Degree in painting, and felt that my career would have to lie in something creative in order to “justify” the focus on arts I had had in high school and university. However, during my art degree I ended up taking some electives in English Literature and Creative Writing, and this led to a Masters of Teaching with a focus on English and Visual Arts.

Do you have any advice for the students of Penrith High School?

I think that to get the best out of your experience at Penrith High School, it’s important to really value the positive and supportive community we have here at Penrith, while remembering not to define yourself solely by your academic achievements, the subjects you choose, or your plans for study or careers after high school. I think it’s really important to value your own individual achievements and passions, no matter what they are. I am constantly in awe of the connectedness, kindness and resilience that I see from students on a daily basis at Penrith, and this is something that makes me feel really positive about the future.

Lisa Andreatta graduated from Penrith Selective High School in 1995. After working casually around the Sydney Metropolitan Area she started at Penrith High in 2004. Lisa co-ordinates the very successful Duke of Edinburgh Program at the school.

Did the subjects you chose in Year 12 impact significantly upon what you are doing right now or in University?

About half of my subjects I studied in year 12 have impacted on what I am doing now. There are a few subjects that I studied that I haven’t found I needed as I progressed through my life, although at the time that is what I thought was best for myself. Since I have aged, my interests and strengths have changed and if ‘I had my time again’ I’d definitely swap out three of my subjects. That’s life, you live and you learn!

Your status as the Duke of Edinburgh coordinator is well known and highly appreciated. Why would you recommend the program?

I would definitely recommend the Duke of Ed to everyone. The skills that each student develops absolutely inspires me, as to what they can achieve when they set their mind to achieve their goals. Throughout each of the four sections students have their own individualised program and within that they learn many of the valuable soft skills they will need later in life.

After being in the bush for a few days on their Adventurous Journey, the students go home and reflect. They are often very grateful for a warm bed, hot shower and delicious meals cooked by those that love them, but whilst out there they immerse themselves in nature and appreciate the beauty around them. Disconnecting from the world for a little while and saying such things as ‘gee, I could marry that view’, or ‘lentils are meat if you try hard enough’ are some of the most famous quotes from ex-students that always make me smile.

Duke of Edinburgh participants are #Worldready.

What personal qualities or attributes do you possess that makes your teaching successful especially within the PDHPE course?

Patience!

What is your favourite part about working and teaching within Penrith Selective High School? What do you like best about your current job?

There are a lot of positive things about working here, such as working with great and inspiring staff, watching students grow in many aspects of their life and the learning that I myself am doing everyday as a result of this job. Learning about the amazing world around us and incorporating that into lessons to increase life skills in students is one that comes to mind. All the little quirky things that students take from school and how it inspires them in their own life is one of the things that I enjoy the most.

What has your experience taught you regarding communication and the idea of working together and collaborating?

Good communication is key in any workplace. Everyone knows something you don’t, so collaboration is paramount. Communication and collaboration are key elements in any workplace. You never know how someone can help you, or have a better or different way of doing things. By communicating and collaborating well you can share ideas so it can bring the best out in whatever you are doing.

What advice would you give students in order to help them achieve the best they possibly can?

Run your own race. Try not to be persuaded by others and remain strong. Learn how to be resilient in different situations and always make sure you are looking after yourself before you can begin to help others. Key foundations are eating well, move your body, get enough sleep and make sure you get fresh air every day!

1. What is your best memory of Penrith High School?

My memories are of a high school in a different era. School leaving age was 14/15 – most pupils left at that age and those that continued had the intention of pursuing some form of tertiary education. Penrith High was a comprehensive five year school which drew students from a wide area. There were far fewer high schools in NSW at that time. Penrith High had developed quickly in size and was larger than the present day 925. By 1960 there were about 1250 pupils with around 1000 in the first three years. Class sizes in the first three years were large then reduced somewhat allowing greater camaraderie and friendships to develop. We had good sporting teams and I enjoyed competing against other schools both in Rugby teams and in Athletics in particular. In the senior years I enjoyed the pressure of the inter-school debating competition while the out of school French class excursions organized by our young French Teacher to foreign movies or picnics were quite memorable.

2. What did you think you would be doing after you left high school?

I wanted to study Electrical Engineering at Sydney University and had applied for Cadetships with a range of companies and organizations that offered these at the time. The most interesting area for me was telecommunications and I accepted a Cadetship with the Overseas Telecommunications Commission (OTC), a statutory body formed by the Australian Government after World War II. OTC was responsible for all international telecommunications. It was facing rapid changes to the technology for their services at the time, from Short Wave Radio to Submarine Cable to Satellites, so promised to provide an interesting future. OTC agreed for me to undertake a combined Science (Pure Maths & Physics) Degree and Electrical Engineering Degree at Sydney University. The income from the Cadetship was able to fund residence for myself at St Andrews College within Sydney University which was fortunate as my parents moved to South Australia soon after courses started.

3. What are you doing now? (and since leaving school).

I completed the Bachelor Degrees in 1965 and worked with OTC initially in a team testing the recently laid submarine cable to South East Asia then as Project Manager at Carnarvon WA on satellite earth station conversion and construction. In 1969 I was able to assist in establishing a link to provide Perth with television coverage of the Moon Landing. I met a lovely young lady in Carnarvon at that time and we married in January 1970. The satellite experience led to a job offer from a company in California so seeking wider experience we migrated to the Bay Area of California in 1973.

The initial project was the construction of a modest satellite facility near Denver Colorado for use in demonstrations of television transmission to low cost receiving equipment via a NASA experimental satellite to remote underserved schools and hospitals in the Rocky Mountains of the US. We moved to Denver in 1975 and I joined a consortium of public sector organizations to continue working with a range of NASA experimental satellites and other US Government assignments. Our first child was born there in 1977.

We were lured back to Australia in 1980 with the prospect of an Australian National Satellite System. I joined AUSSAT eventually and for a time functioned as Marketing Manager. AUSSAT became part of Optus in the privatization changes made to establish a competitive market in telecommunications. I moved to join a startup Telco competitor in 1997 and then started another small competitor in 2003. I retired in 2019 when illness (since recovered) prevented continuing.

By this time we had three children who were all married and we now have five grand children and two step grand children. The Denver born daughter has her own law firm in San Francisco; our next daughter is a photographer married to an accountant in Port Moresby while our son is a geologist working for a very large gold mining company living in Perth but working in the Tanami NT. Each has circumstances currently affected by the COVID 19 pandemic.

4. What is the best advice you could give to current PHS students?

Enjoy your High School time. Participate in team sport to the best of your ability as it is preparation for work life in the future. Broaden your life activities within and outside school. Seek responsibility. Develop your personal networking and communications skills.

My memories of Jim is his difficulty with school after he had to skip third class with several others, because there was not enough room actually in third class. He struggled until her repeated sixth class and then he seemed to soar scholastically. He was also extremely interested in, and good at, sport, especially Rugby League and Athletics. At that stage he was in the Rugby League 5 11s , that is 5 stone 11 pounds and under, and it was only later that he grew.

1. I think his best memory of School was one of being able to achieve.

2. After leaving school, Jim went to work at a Paint Factory in Mortlake and went to Tech at night. Jim was awarded a Scholarship at Tech to study at Sydney University, and he applied for Medicine, which he commenced at the start of the Trinity Term. He had some catching up to do but he performed well, doing a BSc during his Medical Course, and graduated with Honours at the end of his studies.

3. Jim continued to study while he was was working at Sydney Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital, and achieved his Surgical Fellowship on the first attempt, which was not commonly done.

He married his “Flame”, Shirley Burton, from University and had three daughters. Jim was a very good meticulous Surgeon, as I know from working alongside him for many years.

He continued his passion for Sport, especially Athletics and Cycling.

Jim had to retire in the mid 1990s due to medical reasons, and lived another 10 years, dying at the age of 74. In the latter years he continued his passion for Sport.

4. I think the best advice that Jim would give to current students is to set your goals high, study hard to achieve them, but also to try to maintain a good work-life balance by enjoying regular exercise and surrounding yourself with people you love.

Jim was nominated for a Rhodes Scholarship. He was one of the last two nominations standing, the other was Bob Hawke, who was given the Scholarship.

This information about Jim is from David, Jim’s older brother, David’s wife Bernadette, and his daughter Julie.

Robert Wensley is seated in the front row, second from the left of the 1962 PHS Cricket team.

In his tertiary years Robert was heavily involved with the University of Queensland where he went on to become the Deputy Chancellor from 1999-2005. During his extensive services to the University of Queensland he maintained a very busy career as a Barrister and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1993.

At King's College UQ, The Robert Wensley Cultural Laureate Award is given annually to a student who makes outstanding contributions to the college's cultural life.

Photo courtesy of Robert's sister, The Honourable Penelope Wensley AC

1. What is your best memory of Penrith High School?

Jim would have had many happy memories of PHS as he was involved in debating, tennis and swimming as well as his studies. However, he played the piano and together with his class mates, John Davies and Neil Handley and Fay Kirkness and Ian Smith from another year, he formed a school band which used to play for the school dances held in the school auditorium.

2. What did you think you would be doing after you left high school?

I don’t think Jim had any particular idea of his future although he wanted to matriculate so that he could go to University. In this he succeeded and obtained an Economics Degree at Sydney University.

3. What are you doing now?

Jim went on to be accepted as one of the first 12 trainee Trade Commissioners in 1963 under a scheme introduced by John McEwen. His one year’s training with the Dept of Trade was followed by a long and successful career as an Australian Trade Commissioner first in Tokyo, Japan and then in many overseas posts returning on one occasion to Osaka as Consul General.

4. What is the best advice you could give to current PHS students?

In retirement, Jim returned to PHS one year during Education ‘week and addressed the students on his time at PHS and his career with the Department of Trade. I can’t remember his words but I’m sure he would encourage students to try their best and whatever they chose to do in life, always be honest, loyal and caring of your fellow-person.

I would like to include something that my sister-in-law said to me when I asked her for comment.

‘His experience at Penrith High was influential in setting his standards of conduct, his goals for the future and the conduct and behaviour of those he wanted to associate with. This was acknowledged by his bosses and colleagues in the Trade Commissioner Service and enabled him to pursue a stellar career with the international experience he desired.

Dianne Gallagher, Jim's younger sister, on behalf of Jim.

Dianne has kindly added these comments about her brother, Jim.

At the end of 1955 Jim completed the Leaving Certificate with matriculation results which enabled him to attend Sydney University where he studied Economics attaining his degree in 1959.

In 1963, Jim applied for an interview with the Department of Overseas Trade which was recruiting trainees for the OverseasTrade Commissioner Service under a scheme introduced by John McEwan. He was one of the twelve finalists from throughout Australia and began an eighteen month training course with the Department of Trade in Canberra.

In 1964 Jim was given his first appointment as Assistant Trade Commissioner to Japan where, together with his other duties, he threw himself into the task of learning the Japanese language, both written and spoken. In Jim’s words he wanted to know what the Japanese newspapers were writing about not a translation from English language newspapers. His posting to Tokyo lasted for four years by the end of which he had become quite fluent in Japanese and fascinated by the Japanese culture.

In 1972 Jim married Monika Wirtz whom he had met in Canberra and together they took up a new posting, firstly relieving a colleague in Kuala Lumpur and then finally again to Tokyo. Jim’s career as an Australian Trade Commissioner took him to many postings including the Middle East based in Cairo and on one occasion he returned to Osaka Japan as Consul General.

He and Monika had two daughters, both of whom, did their primary schooling in Tokyo.

After retiring from the Trade Department, Jim and Monika settled back into their home in Canberra and became active in their local walking club as well as completing several walks in France and Switzerland.

In 2006 Jim was diagnosed with breast cancer but after surgery and chemotherapy made a happy recovery. Sadly it returned just under 5 years later and he passed away in September 2010.

Marcia Kirkness was one of three students who finished at Penrith High School in 1952 and went on to successfully complete university. Marcia and Terrence Turnbull went to Sydney University while her husband to be, Wallace Donald, graduated from the University of NSW (as a Professional Engineer).

Marcia wanted to go to University to study medicine but was unable to get financial support. So having just turned 16, she won an Education Department Scholarship and also a Commonwealth Government Scholarship to independently finance an Arts Degree and to provide herself with a living allowance. She studied Economics, Philosophy, History, Psychology, English and the Theory of Education; all with distinctions each year and completed an extra year which allowed her to graduate with first class honours. The following year she completed the Diploma of Education.

Marcia taught English and History becoming a Head Teacher English.

Later in her career, the Education Department had decided to adopt special programmes for Gifted and Talented students and Marcia was chosen as an experienced teacher to join with Professor Jessica Milner Davis, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of NSW and a specialist in Education Theory to visit public and private schools in NSW to advocate and guide the adoption of these special programmes.

Marcia was also involved in curriculum development in NSW.

She also nurtured student teachers from Macquarie University in the Practical aspects of Teaching.

In her retirement she continued teaching by coaching students from mainly James Ruse and other selective High Schools. A whole referral network was soon established amongst parents to send their children to “Mrs Donald” for coaching in English.

The words of the Irish poet W B Yeats accurately summarise Marcia’s inspirational work for her students:

“Education is not only the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire”.

An excerpt from Marcia's Eulogy courtesy of her husband Wallace Donald.

L_R:

Mrs Pope - owner of the Towers

A. E. Wallace - Teacher Penrith Infants

M. Bannerman - Teacher

O. Pulman

It was sad to hear of the passing of former Head Teacher of Mathematics, Mr Frank Clatworthy, but an indication of his impact when a number of students from the 1960s still recalled his work. Mr Clatworthy was the Head of Maths at Penrith High and also James Ruse Agricultural High School. He went on to become the Principal of Hunters Hill High School and worked as a Maths teacher at Knox Grammar before retiring. Condolences to his family and thank you to former students for sharing their memories below:

Just letting you know that Frank Clatworthy aged 83 passed away on 4th August. He was one of the finest teachers I have ever met.

What a wonderful achiever Frank was and so very clever. I always loved his lessons. I worked with him for a few years when I taught at Hunter's Hill High and in the last few years I used to see him in IGA and at Mass.

A life wonderfully lived.

Sad to hear about his passing. He got me interested in Mathematics which served me so well in later life. A very specially gifted man.

Rest well Frank!

… “the best Maths teacher ever!”

… “a really lovely man!”

Although Mr Chatworthy was well known to me, he never taught me. But I can say he was a great teacher and communicator, always happy and witty and positive by my recollection.

Email: penrith-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Website: http://penrith-h.schools.nsw.gov.au
Location: 158-240 High Street, Penrith NSW, Australia
Phone: 02 4721 0529
Facebook: facebook.com/penrithselectivehighschool