Methodist Ladies' College, Perth
Encyclopedia
The Methodist Ladies' College, Perth (MLC Perth), is an independent
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
, Uniting Church, day
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
and boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
for girls, located in Claremont
Claremont, Western Australia
Claremont is a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia on the north bank of the Swan River.-History:Prior to European settlement, the Noongar people used the area as a source of water, for fishing and for catching waterfowl. In 1830, John Butler, a settler, set up an inn at Freshwater Bay to...
, a western suburb of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Founded by the Methodist Church of Australia in 1907, MLC is a non-selective school, and currently caters for over 1,000 girls from Kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
to Year 12, including 70 boarders.
The college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
was ranked as the number one TEE school in the state for 2006 and 2008 seeing 55.1 percent of students achieving a mark of seventy five percent or above in at least one subject.
History
The foundation stone of the Methodist Ladies' College was laid, and building began in 1907, by the Methodist Church of Australia. Classes were first commenced in February 1908 with 31 day girls and 23 boarders.The early traditions of the College were established by Maud Connell, Head Mistress
Head teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
from 1908 to 1913, who chose the colours of green and gold, and the school motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
Per Ardua Ad Alta, which may be translated from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
as "Strive for the Highest". In 1917, MLC's first university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
students graduated from the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
, which had begun teaching in 1913.
MLC became a school of the Uniting Church of Australia in the 1970s, as the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
Churches came together to form the Uniting Church.
House system
As with most Australian schools, MLC utilises a house systemHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
through which girls participate in inter-house activities. When the house system first came into effect in June 1927, there were four houses: Athens, Rome, Sparta and Troy. In 1967, two more houses were added, Corinth and Olympia. Each house is named after a famous European city.
- Athens – Green
- Corinth – Purple
- Olympia – White
- Rome – Red
- Sparta – Gold
- Troy – Blue
Annual house events include:
- House Singing, Mime and Drama Day (HSMD), in which every girl competes in at least one activity for their house.
- A choir performance conducted by two Year 12 students. Each house performs one song chosen by the conductresses. Part of HSMD.
- A mime performance for students in Years 7, 8 and 9, directed by two Year 11 students. Part of HSMD.
- A drama performance for Years 10, 11 and 12 students, directed by two students from Year 12. Part of HSMD.
- Interhouse Sports – Throughout the year the students participate in many sporting activities for their house, such as swimming in term 1, and athletics in term 2.
A new initiative in 2010 is The Spirit Cape. In all house events, houses will also compete for the Spirit Cape with it being awarded to the house the shows the most spirit over the course of the day. At the end of the year, one house will be awarded the Spirit Cape for the showing the most year long house spirit. In 2010, Athens won the inaugural year long spirit cape.
Annual events
MLC holds a large number of events annually for sports and the arts, including:- The Heather Lamont Festival, named after Heather Lamont, a boarder from 1958–1959, who was killed in an accident on her parent's farm during the Christmas holidays. It became a house competition featuring activities such as singing, dancing, music, Languages; French, German and Japanese, cooking, photography, visual art, debating, public speaking and drama.
- College Sunday, a church service held in late March for all students and their families. Attendants wear white and there are performances from different groups in the college.
Notable alumnae
Alumnae of MLC are known as Collegians. Some notable Collegians include:Entertainment, media and the arts
- Jill BirtJill BirtJill Birt is an Australian rock musician and architect, best known as the keyboardist of the 1980s band The Triffids.-Early years:Jillian Birt was born in Tambellup, where she attended Tambellup Primary School. She attended Methodist Ladies College in Perth, as a boarder...
– Keyboard player for The TriffidsThe TriffidsThe Triffids were a seminal Australian alternative rock and pop band formed in Perth, Western Australia, in May 1978 with charismatic, David McComb as singer-songwriter, guitarist, bass guitarist and keyboardist. They achieved negligible success in Australia, but greater success in the U.K... - Estelle BlackburnEstelle BlackburnEstelle Blackburn is a journalist who has played a crucial role in the review of some controversial criminal cases in Western Australia.-Early life:...
– Award-winning journalist - Isla FisherIsla FisherIsla Lang Fisher is an actress and author. She began acting on Australian television, on the short-lived soap opera Paradise Beach before playing Shannon Reed on the soap opera Home and Away...
– Actress in television show Home and AwayHome and AwayHome and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
and film Wedding CrashersWedding CrashersWedding Crashers is a 2005 American comedy film directed by David Dobkin. It stars Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, with Christopher Walken, Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher, Bradley Cooper, Diora Baird, Jane Seymour, and an uncredited Will Ferrell....
and Confessions of a Shopaholic. She married Sacha Baron Cohen on 15 March 2010, in Paris. Fisher and Baron Cohen have a daughter, Olive, born 19 October 2007, in Los Angeles. - Trilby GloverTrilby GloverTrilby Glover is an Australian actress known for her roles as Shoshanna in The Starter Wife mini-series opposite Debra Messing and Jessica in the feature film Righteous Kill with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.-Career:...
– Actress in television show The Starter WifeThe Starter Wife (TV series)The Starter Wife is a USA Network television series based on the miniseries by the same name, and based on the novel by Gigi Levangie Grazer. It premiered on October 10, 2008. The series stars Debra Messing as Molly Kagan, the now ex-wife of former studio executive Kenny Kagan... - Dorothy Hollingsworth – Creator and presenter (known as 'Miss Fleming') of ABC RadioAustralian Broadcasting CorporationThe Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
series Let’s Join In from 1951–1989 - Rose Skinner – Art-dealer
Medicine and science
- Freda Jacob – Founder of the Independent Living Centre of Western Australia
- Marjorie Jean Lyon – Surgeon and Prisoner of war
Politics, public service and the law
- Chris McDivenChris McDivenChristine Ann McDiven is an Australian businesswoman. In 2005 she was elected the first female president of the Liberal Party of Australia. In February 2008 she was replaced as president by Alan Stockdale....
– Federal President of the Liberal Party of AustraliaLiberal Party of AustraliaThe Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
(also attended Penrhos College, PerthPenrhos College, PerthPenrhos College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for girls, located in Como, a southern suburb of Perth, Western Australia....
) - Lisa ScaffidiLisa ScaffidiLisa Scaffidi is the first female lord mayor of Perth, Western Australia. Scaffidi won the seat in the October 2007 council elections following the retirement of her predecessor, Peter Nattrass, after a record twelve years in the position.Scaffidi was educated at Churchlands Primary School and...
– Lord Mayor of Perth
Sport
- Elise RechichiElise RechichiElise Rechichi OAM is an Australian sailor from Perth, Western Australia. Rechichi and crewmate Tessa Parkinson represented Australia in the 470 class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Qingdao, China, winning the Gold Medal.- References :...
– Olympic Sailor 2008 Beijing Olympic Games - Allana SlaterAllana SlaterAllana Amy Slater is a retired Australian artistic gymnast. The Australian senior all-around National Champion in 2000, 2003 and 2004 and a multiple medalist at the Commonwealth Games, Slater is considered to be one of Australia's most internationally successful gymnasts.-Early life and...
– Olympic Gymnast 2000 Sydney Olympic Games