St Margaret's Day: A Tribute to Sister Mary

Please find below a copy of Lucy and Ellen’s speech:

“As we pause to celebrate our present and look towards our future, it is important that we also reflect on our school’s rich 131 year history – to appreciate those whose vision, determination and care paved the way for our school experience today.

So, before we look forward, I would like to invite you all to look back.

Let me introduce you to a truly remarkable woman in St Margaret’s history – her name was Sister Mary, and for 25 years, from 1940 to 1964, she served as principal of St Margaret’s, making her the longest-serving principal in our school’s history. 

Yet, her significance cannot simply be measured by the length of her service. Her true impact lies in the way she led: with resilience during times of challenge and uncertainty, vision during times of change, and an unwavering belief in the importance of educating and empowering young women. But her story began long before she served at St Margaret’s.

Born Gwendoline Roberta Innes in Hobart in 1888, Sister Mary was both a student and teacher at the Collegiate School before dedicating her life to education and service through the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent. In 1920, she began her religious formation as a Novice at St Catherine’s School in Stanthorpe, and two years later, in 1922, she was professed as a Sister at St Margaret’s. Over the following 18 years, she educated at girls’ school across Queensland, including: St Catherine’s, Stanthorpe; St Gabrielle’s, Charters Towers; St Mary’s, Herberton; St Michael’s, Clayfield; and St Faith’s, Yeppoon.

To truly appreciate Sister Mary's work as an educator and a leader, we must understand the world in which she lived.

Picture this: women across the world were participating in what is historically known as the “First Wave” of feminism, and women’s suffrage was being achieved all across the western world. In this time, the notion of women wearing pants was scandalous, let alone pioneering female education in the small city of Brisbane. However, these barriers were simply not accepted by Sister Mary and the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent, who advocated that girls deserved an outstanding education – one that would equip them to think independently, lead confidently and help shape a more equal society. In 1940, Sister Mary was entrusted with carrying that vision forward as the new Principal of St Margaret's.

However, her appointment came at a difficult time – just months after the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939.

Called upon to lead the school in such a challenging time, Sister Mary’s role as principal transformed. As well as being responsible for the education and wellbeing of the students, she was now also responsible for guiding an entire school community through uncertainty, disruption and fear.

She immediately faced rationing and material shortages. Items like fabric and clothing were restricted – each adult receiving just 112 clothing coupons a year. To put that in perspective, that is the equivalent of roughly seven dresses. Considering that was expected to cover your entire wardrobe for a whole year, I’m not sure many of us would have coped particularly well. And, for growing school children, maintaining uniforms was indeed particularly challenging. Yet, Sister Mary responded practically, modifying the traditional middy uniform by shortening the sleeves to the length we have today – because yes, before the 1940s, the St Margaret’s middy top had full length sleeves.

In 1942, when Singapore fell and the threat to Australia intensified, Sister Mary made the difficult decision to temporarily close the school. But, even during this time, she refused to allow the war to disrupt the education of her students. Just like during COVID, lessons continued through alternative arrangements, including correspondence and classes held away from the campus, all without the invention of the internet. For boarders who could not simply return home, Sister Mary arranged for them to stay at St Catherine’s school in Warwick. Although this period was certainly challenging, what remained constant was Sister Mary’s determination that every girl would continue to learn.

While the school was closed, Sister Mary also adapted and prepared the campus for the possibility of attack, so that students could be reassured a safe return to school. Parents and local volunteers helped to dig two zig-zag air raid trenches: one where Eton Hall now stands, and another where the Arts Centre is located today. Windows were lined with black tape to reduce the risk of shattered glass, and air raid drills became part of everyday school life. With these changes in place, Sister Mary reopened St Margaret’s just three months later.

Students carried small “dilly bags” attached to their uniforms containing emergency supplies, including cotton wool for their ears, wooden clothing pegs to bite down on during explosions, and even a camouflage hood and cape designed to disguise the bright white St Margaret’s collars and sports shirts.

While fear and uncertainty filled everyday lives, Sister Mary ensured that in a time of crisis, St Margaret’s did not disappear, but rather became the beacon of stability, reassurance and hope – a place of normalcy and consistency for the girls and their families.

It is perhaps no surprise then that former students remembered Sister Mary with immense admiration and respect. Though her unwavering standards could sometimes be intimidating, they recalled her strength of character, steadfast leadership and dedication to every girl, remembering her as a woman who inspired them to strive for their very best.

After the war, Sister Mary’s leadership entered a new chapter.

As Australia experienced significant growth, it was time for St Margaret’s to expand. With a vision of providing greater opportunities for future generations, Sister Mary oversaw a period of major development across the school.

The Chapel, Eton Hall and East Wing – all of which are still in use today roughly 70 years later – were all built during Sister Mary’s principalship, along with a gymnasium – which has now given way to the Circular Drive classrooms – but which some of our mothers and grandmothers will remember fondly.

These projects were designed to broaden horizons for students, each enabling new and improved educational opportunities, equipping girls with the skills and memories to step into the world and fly upwards.

After 25 remarkable years as principal, Sister Mary retired in 1964 at the age of 76. She remained connected with the St Margaret’s community and the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent until her passing in 1980.

On St Margaret’s Day, we remember and celebrate an extraordinary leader whose courage, resilience and unwavering dedication helped shape the St Margaret's we know today. We give thanks to Sister Mary and to the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent, whose vision and steadfast belief in the education of young women laid the foundations for the opportunities, community and values that continue to enrich the lives of every student who walks through these gates.

Sister Mary's story reminds us that leadership is not measured by titles or years of service, but by the positive difference we make in the lives of others. It is found in meeting challenges with courage, serving our community with compassion, and creating opportunities that will benefit those who follow.

So, we encourage each one of you to not only reflect on the legacy that Sister Mary left behind, but also on the legacy we are currently creating together.

May we honour the foundations she laid, so that one day future generations of St Margaret's girls will look back on our time here and see that we valued the opportunities we inherited, upheld the values entrusted to us, and left St Margaret's stronger than we found it, just as Sister Mary did.”