Leaving a Lasting Legacy
SCEGGS has always had a very strong and pro-active community which is held in great regard and affection by Old Girls, parents, staff and friends of SCEGGS.
In recognition of those strong ties, SCEGGS has been the fortunate recipient of bequests from generous benefactors who have benefitted from and enjoyed their association with SCEGGS.
Bequests are extremely important, and all bequests received, no matter the size or value, work towards providing the best possible education for SCEGGS girls over many generations.
The Barham Fellows Program
All those who have informed SCEGGS that they are considering leaving a bequest to the School, of any amount, are invited to become a Barham Fellow. It is our way of honouring and thanking the bequestor during their lifetime and it enables us to share with them the life of the School today.
Named after the original building where SCEGGS moved to in the early 1900’s, Barham signifies the history, the heart and the future of the School. The Barham Fellows Program is a way for SCEGGS to acknowledge the essential role that those leaving a bequest play in securing the future.
Several celebrations and events take place during each year to honour our Barham Fellows. Our Barham Fellows are also recognised on a special Honour Board in Barham as well as presented with a beautiful nine carat gold pin.
Why I am a Barham Fellow
Deborah Aitkin (VINE-HALL 1970)
In my family the education of women was the paramount consideration. I am a multi-generational SCEGGS alumni, commencing with my Great Aunt Dorothy who matriculated at the turn of the 20th Century.
My cousin, my sister and my daughter attended SCEGGS and benefited from the facilities available. In many cases these were the result of the generosity of Old Girls and members of the SCEGGS community donating and bequeathing funds to the Building Program and other projects which SCEGGS has carried out over many years. These projects have made SCEGGS the school it is today, with alumni making their way in every walk of life. I decided to leave a bequest in my Will as a gesture of gratitude for the great education I received. Not everyone can promise a large amount, but every bequest is a significant step to ensure that the important work of providing education to girls from all financial backgrounds can continue.
Julie MCCROSSIN (1971)
I’ve enjoyed the benefits of my time at SCEGGS Darlinghurst every day of my life, since that lucky first day in 1966 when I walked through the Green Gate as a new girl. Everything was possible because parents, Old Girls and friends made donations and gifts over the years to supplement the fees and the limited government support.
Our much-loved oak-panelled Chapel was paid for by Old Girls in Dorothy Wilkinson’s time and dedicated on Ascension Day in 1926. My choir lessons in that Chapel with Miss Spencer, who was at SCEGGS from 1917 to 1968, instilled a life-long love of liturgical music. Barbara Chisholm led services there in my student days, reading the rich language of the King James Bible and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
We couldn’t have survived the crisis of 1976 without the $1 million raised by parents and Old Girls – an astonishing figure for the time. The giving continued through Diana Bowman’s and now Jenny Allum’s time. We enjoy the organ in the Great Hall because Old Girl Ruth GLEDHILL (1934) provided the money, and the Joan Freeman Science, Art and Technology Centre because of a generous bequest from Joan Jelley (FREEMAN 1934) and significant support from parents, Old Girls and friends of SCEGGS, and soon, we will enjoy a redeveloped Wilkinson House.
I have now joined the white-haired women who left the school 50 years ago or more, we gather in the Chapel every Ascension Day to say thank you and remember.
Giving is part of our tradition.
Contact
For a confidential discussion or further information please contact Katrina Lonergan, Director of Development.
P: 02 9332-1133
We are very grateful to all our Barham Fellows for their support and generosity in making a lasting gift to SCEGGS.