DATING back to 1938, Shakespeare Day remains one of Fintona’s most enduring and beloved traditions. The event began with students being invited to read sonnets at a special assembly in celebration of the playwright’s birthday. Immediately adopted as an annual event, the day soon evolved into performing selections from the plays. Staged in the Tourmont Courtyard, girls managed to act while performing on desks. Former Headmistress, Miss Elizabeth Butt, continues to attend Shakespeare Day, and remembers her own performance as Sir Toby Belch from Twelfth Night in 1946.

TODAY, Shakespeare Day is one of the most anticipated events on the School calendar. Produced by the English faculty, students study Shakespearean plays in Years 9 – 11 and in Year 12 Literature. As part of their assessment, the girls enact a scene of their choice in the classroom, with the best of these performances chosen for Shakespeare Day. Still staged in the Tourmont Courtyard, festooned with satin banners for the occasion, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and the myriad of other characters fight their duels, trick, tease and profess undying love on specially built theatre platforms.

Shakespeare Day: an enduring Fintona traditionTHE BEAUTY OF SHAKESPEARE DAY CAME FROM THE INSPIRATION AND THE SHEER HARD WORK OF MISS CHILVERS. SHE WAS THE PRODUCER AND MUCH MORE.” MARGARET CUNNINGHAM OF FINTONA BY JOAN GILLISON

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MIDDLE & SENIOR SCHOOL 79 Balwyn Road Balwyn VIC 3103 Australia

ELC & JUNIOR SCHOOL 80 Balwyn Road Balwyn VIC 3103 Australia

P. (03) 9830 1388 F. (03) 9888 5682 E. fgs@fintona.vic.edu.au www.fintona.vic.edu.au

120 YEARSCELEBRATING

120YEARS1896

2016

Age Quod Agis

120YEARS1896

2016

Age Quod Agis

Pictured: Girls performing Antony and Cleopatra in 1951 [Photo courtesy of Margaret Ross (Reid ‘51)]Pictured: Students performing a scene from Taming of the Shrew as part of Shakespeare Day in 2016

1990sElizabeth Butt retired

and Deborah Seifert was appointed as Fintona’s headmistress in 1991.

She was the first married woman to be Head

of Fintona.

The uniform changed back to blue in 1994.

Fintona celebrated its Centenary in 1996.

The Centenary Music Building was opened

in 1997.

The Year 9 Connections program

was introduced.

Fintona introduced kindergarten in 1994 and Middle School

in 1999.

120 YEARS OF EDUCATING GIRLS TO THE HIGHEST STANDARD

1890sIn 1896, Fintona Ladies College was founded by Annie Hughston and her

brother William. The School was located in Mayston Street, East

Hawthorn and commenced with 14 students. Johnston

Hughston, Annie and William’s father,

suggested the motto, Age Quod Agis which we

still use today.

Fintona was named after a town in Ireland, close to

the place where Annie and William’s mother

was born.

In 1899, Fintona moved to Burke Road,

East Hawthorn.

1930sJeannie McCowan became the third

Headmistress from 1931-1934.

Margaret Cunningham bought the School from Miss Hughston in 1934 and became Fintona’s

second owner Principal from 1935-1961.

Hobbies Day was introduced in 1935.

Margaret Cunningham purchased St Duthus

school on Mont Albert Road where the Junior School operated until

1952.

In 1936, Fintona moved to Balwyn Road, Balwyn, its current site. Glencairn was purchased and used

as a boarding house.

Shakespeare Day was introduced in 1938.

1960sMargaret Cunningham

gifted the unencumbered deeds of the School to

the Old Fintonians’ Association at Speech

Night in 1961.

Margaret Cunningham retired and Elizabeth Butt commenced as Fintona’s Headmistress in 1963.

2000sDeborah Seifert retired

as Principal in 2000. She was replaced by Karen Starr who commenced in 2001 and left at the

end of 2005.

Suzy Chandler was appointed Principal

in 2006.

Fintona celebrated 110 years.

New ELC building was opened in 2008.

1940sShell, a new class, was

introduced in 1941. It was positioned between Years 6 and 7 and enabled girls who were very young to mature for a year before

commencing senior classes.

Miss Hughston died in 1943.

Students formed voluntary labour squads

to clean and help maintain the School during the war years.

Fintona no longer accepted boarders

from 1947.

school in Victoria with approximately 450 pupils.

The House system commenced in 1923 with

five Houses: Boyne, Clarke, Maxwell, Murdoch

and Ower.

Marjorie Black became the second Headmistress (1927-1930). Her most notable innovation was

changing the uniform from blue to brown in 1928.

1. Annie Hughston, Principal, 1896-1934

2. Essington, Mayston Street, East Hawthorn, Fintona’s first home

3. Fintona moved to Burke Road, East Hawthorn in 1899

4. Miss Hughston having tea with students, 1906

5. Early Physical Education class, 1911

6. Tourmont, 1934

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7. Tennis team, 1918

8. Margaret Cunningham’s portrait by William Dargie

9. Creative dancing in the Junior School, 1945

10. New Junior School building, designed by Melbourne architects, John and Phyllis Murphy

11. A still from the School film With all our Hearts

12. Mrs Pattie Menzies opens the new Junior School

13. Centenary Music building was opened in 1997

Fintona’s History1896-2016 1980sRowing began in 1986.

Fintona celebrated 50 years in Balwyn.

Fintona File was introduced.

The E M Butt building was opened by Dame Beryl

Beaurepaire OBE in 1988 which included the

Beatrice Chilvers Library, named after Fintona’s Deputy Principal and

English Teacher.

1910sIn 1913, the school song was written. It had only

three verses.

2010sThe Margaret Ross

Centre opened on the site of the netball court.

It included a gymnasium, dance studio, weights

room and four classrooms.

The Art Precinct, designed by former parent Corbett

Lyon, was opened in 2015.

1920sWhile Annie Hughston remained Principal, she

employed a Headmistress, Isobel Macdonald

(1921-24), to take over the daily management of

the School.

In 1921, Fintona was, according to The Argus, the largest private girls’

20. Margaret Ross Sports Centre opens in 2011

21. Purpose built ELC building opens in 2008

22. Former and current principals at the 110 Year Celebration: Elizabeth Butt, Karen Starr, Suzy Chandler and Deborah Seifert

23. Art Precinct opens in 2015

15. Mrs Gwen Dyson, President of the OFA, receives the Gift of the School from Miss Cunningham in 1961

16. Raising the flag to celebrate 50 years in Balwyn, 1986

17. Science Lab, 1980s

18. Fintona’s brown uniform changes to blue in 1994

19. Tourmont today

1900sIn 1901, 100 pupils

were enrolled.

In 1909, Fintona was recognised by the

Presbyterian Church and from this point onwards was known as Fintona

Presbyterian Girls’ Grammar School.

14. Mrs Peggy Young, Fintona’s first official librarian (1953-1979), in the Beatrice Chilvers library

1950sIn 1951, a school film was made by the girls called

With all our Hearts.

In 1953, the new Junior School opened on its

present site. It was formally opened by Old

Fintonian, Pattie Menzies.

Senator system was introduced in 1959, replacing Prefects.

1970sHughston House was established in 1974.

Junior School goes to three Houses: Blue,

Brown and Gold.

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