From the Archives
This week I received a copy of a book written by a past pupil, Maria Lacey (née Grimes). Maria’s “Reflections of a Travelling Teacher”, published in 2021, gives an insight into the experiences shared during a year’s exchange in Canada in 2010. While there, Maria kept detailed diaries which “have been transformed into a compelling read”. The many experiences of Maria and her husband Tony Lacey, include being baffled by Canadian slang, experiencing extremes of weather while driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road and being introduced to Canadian pastimes like dog sledding, curling, ice-hockey and rafting on the Bow River in Banff. Then there were the day-to-day events of a teacher in ‘normal’ life in a very different education system.
While there, they celebrated Tony’s 60th birthday and dealt with him breaking his elbow. One of the main themes which comes through is the incredible welcome they received. One Canadian couple, Roy and Sue, whom they had met whilst they were on exchange in Bendigo, had offered Maria and Tony a place to stay. “If you ever come up to Edmonton, come and stay with us. If we’re not available, you can stay with Mum and Dad”. “On Australia Day, Cathy Barsony from the office came to school clad in green and gold. ‘Ged-day, Maria’. She almost had the pronunciation of G’day right by the end of the year. She was the first of many to wish me Happy Australia Day. Students I’d never met kept coming up to me all day with the same greeting”.
Maria finished at Kilbreda in 1969, with my aunty Trish, who was College Captain that year. They meet regularly at past pupils reunions. Maria’s younger brother Brendan has been my life-long friend. Her sisters Angela (1972) Catherine (1977) and Geraldine (1986) were students here too. Doctor Geraldine Exton (in green), was in fact, one of the original members of the Stewardship Council 25 years ago. Maria and Tony had six children and live in Maryborough, in country Victoria.
Damian Smith
Archives
Image Credit: https://www.maryboroughadvertiser.com.au/local/local-puts-pen-to-paper-to-reflect-on-a-year-abroad