Pymble Ladies' College

Infobox Aust school private
name = Pymble Ladies' College


motto = " _it. All'Ultimo Lavoro"
(Dante:"Strive for the highest")
established = 1916
type = Independent, Single-sex, Day and Boarding
denomination = Uniting Church
slogan =
key_people = Mrs. Vicki Waters (Principal)
Kate Mason (Chairman)
Rev Jonathan Humphries (Chaplain)
fees = AU$11,000–19,000 p.a (Day)
AU$33,500–34,500 p.a (Boarding)cite web |url=http://www.pymblelc.nsw.edu.au/PLC/about-pymble/college-fees.cfm |title=College Fees 2008 |accessdate=2008-01-15 |work=About Pymble |publisher=Pymble Ladies' College]
city = Pymble
state = New South Wales
country = Australia
enrolment = ~2,100 (K–12)
num_employ = ~210 [http://www.pymblelc.nsw.edu.au/shadomx/apps/fms/fmsdownload.cfm?file_uuid=044F6A11-1708-5467-DEB7-E1EEED4E1AE3&siteName=plc Pymble Ladies' College Annual Report 2005] (accessed:24-04-2007)]
revenue =
colours = Red, Navy Blue and White color box|#FF0000color box|#000080color box|#FFFFFF
homepage = [http://www.pymblelc.nsw.edu.au www.pymblelc.nsw.edu.au]

Pymble Ladies' College, (known as P.L.C or Pymble), is an independent, non-selective, day and boarding school for girls, located in Pymble, a suburb in the North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

The college, formerly a school of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, is now administered by the Uniting Church in Australia, and is a founding member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS). Girls of any religion may attend the school, although they are expected to also attend a weekly chapel service with the rest of the school. The school caters for all classes from Kindergarten to Year 12.

Twenty hectares in size, the grounds of the College feature a 50m swimming pool, gymnasium, several fields, tennis courts, an agriculture plot, library, buildings dedicated to specific subjects: an art building, a technology and applied studies building, a languages building, and a science block. There is also a music building, a chapel, healthcare centre, three boarding houses (Lang, Goodlet and Marden) and the most recent addition: the Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts.

History

Pymble was founded in 1916 as the Presbyterian Ladies College, Pymble, a branch of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney in Croydon, by the Presbyterian Church of Australia.

The idea of a second P.L.C was first recorded in 1902. A significant increase in enrolments at the Croydon P.L.C (established 1888) convinced Council of the need to set up a branch school on another site, preferably on the North Shore. A committee was set up in June 1907 to study the feasibility of a second school, yet recommendations were not considered by the Council.cite book | author=McFarlane, John | title=The Golden Hope: Presbyterian Ladies' College, 1888-1988 | publisher=P.L.C Council, Presbyterian Ladies' College Sydney, (Croydon) | year=1988 | id= ISBN 0-9597340-1-5]

By 1913, space at the Croydon college was at an absolute premium. The schools principal, Dr. John Marden reported that many applications were being refused because of "shortness of space". This matter was taken to the General Assembly of 1913, resulting in the approval of the establishment of a branch at Pymble under the Council of P.L.C Sydney. The Council was given £5,000 by the school to erect new buildings and lay out the grounds. Fifty acres of land close to the western side of the railway line at Pymble were purchased and building was commenced almost immediately. The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Pymble was subsequently opened on 8 February 1916 with 48 day girls and 86 boarders. The Pymble branch was officially opened by Lady Helen Munro Ferguson, wife of the Governor-General, on 31 July 1919.

Dr Marden remained principal of both schools until ill health forced his resignation in 1919. A principal was appointed to each branch - Dr McQueen to Croydon and Miss Everett to Pymble.

In 1924, Council negotiated to sell some of the Pymble land. Subsequently, 80 acresRef_label|a|a|none were sold to Mr James Reid at £160 per acre. Mr Reid together with some other gentlemen commenced the Avondale Golf Club on this land.

In 1977 the Pymble College was awarded to the Uniting Church after Church Union and became known as Pymble Ladies' College.

Principals

School Uniform

The school uniform has undergone considerable changes through the years. The College's Presbyterian heritage has meant that the fabric of the uniform takes on the blackwatch tartan, even though it is now a school of the Uniting Church. Currently, Pymble has a summer uniform and a winter uniform.

The summer uniform consists of a white hat, tartan dress, bottle green socks and regulation black shoes for all girls. Upper school girls (Years 10-12) used to wear a belt with their summer uniform, however, this changed at the beginning of 2006, and with a new manufacturer, the uniform has now been changed to include concealed buttons, and adjustable tabs in lieu of the belt and no buttons going down to the bottom but end near the waist.

The winter uniform consists of a white blouse, tie and woollen tunic for younger girls - Preparatory school and Junior school girls wearing knee-length black socks. Senior school girls (that is, both Middle School and Upper School) wear 70 denier black stockings. Upper school girls wear a skirt instead of a tunic, and their colour of jumper and blazer are bottle green instead of navy blue.

The Tam O'Shanter was well-known for many a year as being a part of the Pymble uniform, however it has been replaced by a navy felt hat that predates it in Pymble history. It is said that it was replaced because it was difficult to get students to wear it properly. A recent addition to the Pymble uniform has been a vest, which has proved popular with both Upper and Middle school girls.

Notable alumni

;Academic
*Angela Cummine - Rhodes Scholar (2007) [http://www.usyd.edu.au/registrar/rhodes/previous.shtml "NSW Rhodes Scholars"] — University of Sydney list, (retrieved 27 June 2007)]
*Patricia Dyson - Educator; former Principal of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney (1978-1985)cite web |url=http://www.plc.nsw.edu.au/public2/past_principals.asp |title=Principals of P.L.C Sydney |accessdate=2007-04-23 |work=History |publisher=Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney]

;Entertainment, media and the arts
* Jenny Coupland - Miss Australia 1982
* Melissa Doyle - Co-host of the Seven Network breakfast television programme "Sunrise"
* Dame Joan Hammond - soprano, singing coach and golfer [http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms8648 Papers of Dame Joan Hammond (1912- )] . "National Library of Australia"]
* Amber Higlett - Finance Presenter/Reporter and Newsreader National Nine News
* Caroline Pemberton - Miss Australia 2007
* Sophie Wilcox - Anchor for Channel WT5-Idaho's "Shopping with Sophie" segment

;Politics, public service and the law
*Marie Byles - First practicing female solicitor in NSW, Mountaineer, Explorer, Author and Feminist (also attended the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney)cite web|url = http://www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/properties/files/mariebyles_online.pdf|title = Marie Byles: A Spirited Life|accessdate = 2007-08-01|date = 2006|format = PDF|work = National Trust Online Exhibition |publisher = The National Trust of Australia (NSW)]

;Sport
* Sophie Ferguson - Professional Tennis Player
* Ellyse Perry - Australian Football team and youngest ever member of Australian cricket team
* Ming Xiu Ong - Commonwealth Games Swimmer

Notes

* P.L.C council had acquired further land between 1916 and 1924. The reason for the sale is unknown.

References

Further reading

*Coleman, M. 1991. "This is Pymble College: The First 75 years, 1916-1991". Pymble Ladies' College.
* McFarlane, J. 1998. "The Golden Hope: Presbyterian Ladies' College, 1888-1988". P.L.C Council, Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney. ISBN 0-9597340-1-5.

See also

* List of non-government schools in New South Wales
* List of boarding schools

External links

* [http://www.pymblelc.nsw.edu.au/ Pymble Ladies' College website]