Somerville House is an independent, boarding and day school for girls, located in South Brisbane, an inner-city suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Established in 1899 as the Brisbane High School for Girls, the School was eventually named after the Scottish scientific writer, Mary Somerville (1780–1872), though the school's official name is still Brisbane High School for Girls. Today, Somerville House is owned by the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association (PMSA), and provides classes from Preparatory to Year 12, within two sub-schools — Junior School (Years Prep to 6) and Senior School (Years 7 to 12). Within the Senior School it is also split into Middle Years (Years 7–9) and Senior Years (Years 10–12). The school currently caters for approximately 1,385 students from Prep to Year 12, including approximately 100 boarders currently ranging from Years 5 to 12.
Somerville House is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA), the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA), the Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA), and is a founding member of the Queensland Girls' Secondary Schools Sports Association Inc (QGSSSA).
The former boarding house, Cumbooquepa, meaning waterholes that existed below the house, is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
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History
The Brisbane High School for Girls (later to be known as Somerville House) was established with 39 students in the basement of the Baptist City Tabernacle at 183 Wickham Terrace, by Eliza Fewings in October 1899. The early school consisted of a large Assembly hall, drill hall, and a number of separate classrooms, with the four founding boarders living with Fewings at her home, "Glen Olive", in Toowong. Fewings, who had previously been Headmistress of the Brisbane Girls Grammar School, but after being dismissed, decided to open her own school, she aimed to create a school community where girls could be educated and equipped with social graces, and would be able to take a leading role in the management of the nation. Based on English models, within three years it became the largest girls' secondary school in Queensland, with 150 students.
In 1900, the boarders moved to "Whytecliffe" at Albion, a property which still stands in Whytecliffe Street. In July 1903, the boarders were moved again, this time to "Garth House" on Wickham Terrace, which was closer to the Day School. Early in 1906, after Fewings returned from a trip abroad, the boarding students were relocated once more to "Cheltenham", which was situated in what is now Jephson Street, Toowong.
Constance Elizabeth Harker had been an acting headteacher and she and Marjorie Jarrett purchased the school in 1909, and so began their partnership as co-principals. The two women had met while teaching at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney, where Harker was senior English and classics mistress. Following their purchase of the school, they searched for a site in Brisbane that could house the day and boarding schools under one roof, and in 1912, settled on "Erneton" on Wickham Terrace, which was located next door to the boarders previous residence, "Garth House". A paddock at the rear of Garth House was rented for a netball court. As time went on, space became limited at the new site, and so Athol Place, a few doors away on the Terrace was rented for extra boarders and two primary classes.
Harker and Jarrett gained little income from the school, as teacher-proprietors had little chance of financing a modern expanding school, especially one with boarding facilities. In 1918, due to these financial struggles, they transferred ownership to the newly formed Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association, while retaining their Principalship. In 1920 the school moved from Wickham Terrace to its present site on Mater Hill, in South Brisbane, opening with an enrolment of 225 pupils. The boarding-school occupied "Cumbooquepa",the now heritage-listed former home of prominent Brisbane businessman, newspaper publisher, and one time Mayor of Brisbane, Thomas Blacket Stephens and his son William Stephens mayor of the South Brisbane City Council (built 1890). A new classroom block was constructed in 1919, designed by architect Lange Powell. At this time the school's name was changed to Somerville House, in recognition of the work of Mary Somerville (1780–1872), a famous Scottish scientist and mathematician of the 19th century. Over the next two decades the school carried out a major building programme and established a good reputation.
Curriculum
Somerville House typically performs well in statewide examinations, scoring the second highest rating for academic outcomes from girls' schools, directly after Brisbane Girls Grammar School in the Queensland Studies Authority's 2005 report.
School badge
The School Badge appeared for the first time on the cover of the June Magazine in 1902, and was designed by architect, Robin Dods. The central figure represents Wisdom, standing upon or emerging from, the open book, representing Knowledge. In her hand is a lamp, representing Truth. The school motto Honour before Honours can be found at the base of the badge. The illustration is also a clear reference to the famous verse from Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
In 1912 the original school colours of yellow and white were changed to navy blue and green. The colours of the School badge are blue, green and white, with blue associated with loyalty, green representing growth, and white representing purity.
From 1949, the name Somerville House surmounted the badge and the side letters of B.G.H.S. were omitted.
House system
Somerville House utilises a house system. During World War II, a limited house system was first introduced to encourage participation in sport. The two houses were named Leslie and Cunningham, after two local pioneers.
After the school was reunited at Vulture Street in 1945, it was decided to divide the school from Form IVA (Year 12) to Form IIB (Year 3), into four groups. The Houses (Chisholm, Franklin, MacArthur and Osburn) were named after outstanding women in Australian history. It was not until 1983, when the school had grown significantly, that two more Houses were started – Durack and Gilmore.
Today the school has six houses, each named after an Australian woman who was a pioneer in her field:
Chisholm – Named after Caroline Chisholm
Durack – Named after Mary Durack (née Costello)
Franklin – Named after Jane Franklin
Gilmore – Named after Mary Gilmore
Macarthur – Named after Elizabeth Macarthur
Osburn – Named after Lucy Osburn
The houses have competed for the Adamson Shield since 1947, a gift of Dr R V Adamson, father of a past pupil. In 1948, Mr D.J Drysdale donated a shield for competition in Choral singing between the Houses, which is still presented at the annual Choral Festival. Inter-house competitions held throughout the year, include a Swimming Carnival, Athletics Carnival, Cross Country, Hockey, Speedball (fusion of netball and soccer – frequently played in physical education classes at Somerville), Chess Competition, Senior School Choral Festival (Years 10–12), and Middle School Arts Festival (Years 7–9).
Notable alumnae
Alumnae of Somerville House are known as Old Girls, and may elect to join the schools alumnae association, the Somerville House Old Girls' Association (OGA). The OGA was established in 1901. Some notable Somerville House Old Girls include:
Academic
Ida Nancy Ashburn – Founding Principal of Clayfield College
Abigail Allwood – geologist and astrobiologist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Susan Caroline Bambrick – Consultant; Emeritus Professor at the University of Southern Queensland
Isobel Bennett – One of Australia's most distinguished marine biologists
Hazel Joyce Harrison (1905–1970) – kindergarten principal
Margaret Hardy Fallding – Research zoologist
Joan Kerr – Art and architectural historian
Business and philanthropy
Ann Caroline Sherry – Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Australia; Director of Special Olympics Australia; Recipient of the Centenary Medal 2003
Valmai Pidgeon – Leading figure in the Arts and the construction industry
Entertainment, media and the arts
Olive Ashworth – Textile designer
Betty Churcher – Artist and former Director of the Australian National Gallery