Gwen Opie
The period 1917 – 1944 for Ladies’ College was marked with the stewardship of yet another great Principal, Ms. Gwen Opie.
Principal Information
- Name:
- Gwen Opie
- Term:
- 1917 – 1944
- Qualifications:
- M.A. MSc Principal
- Country:
It was a period of enormous expansion in terms of physical space and academic and extra-curricular activities. Ms. Opieʼs hardest task and major contribution lay in the manner in which she successfully guided the school through changes involved in becoming a “Grant-in-Aid” school, both conforming to the regulations of the Department of Education and helping to influence its policies.
In keeping with the tradition of involvement in the larger community which had been the founding principle of the school, Ms. Opie played an increasingly important role, serving on numerous committees in an age of governance by committees. Ladies’ College was fully established as a “Grant-in-Aid” school. It was fast earning a reputation for its high quality, resulting in increasing numbers of pupils. State grants meant that the enormous financial burdens Lilian Nixon had faced were somewhat eased.
Ms. Opie decided to construct new buildings and expand the premises, many of the projects being funded by donations from Ceylon and New Zealand. “If Lillian Nixon had the vision to acquire what had been then an idyllic tree filled property called ‘The Fernery’, Ms. Opie had the acumen and practical ability to turn it into what can today be termed one of the most
beautiful school premises in the country”.