Headmistress | 1952-1970 | Girton CEGGS & College
Featuring extracts of a speech delivered by Girton’s Principal, Dr Emma O’Rielly, at the school’s 140th Anniversary Assembly on Monday 7 October 2024
It is not the physical structures but the people who have breathed life into Girton over 140 years. It is the people who have given the school its soul. So, as we commemorate Girton’s 140th anniversary, it is only fitting that we honour not only the exceptional place that Girton is but the exceptional people who have shaped it. Among them stands the remarkable Miss Jean d’Helin, a former Head whose imprint on our school survives to this day.
Born in 1910, Jean was among the few women of her time to graduate from Melbourne University with a degree in science, majoring in mathematics and chemistry. After subsequently obtaining her diploma of education, she began her career at the Victorian Department of Education, where she gained experience teaching at government schools around the state. However, Jean soon realised that her own distinct educational vision could not flourish within the restraints of government bureaucracy. This led her to the realm of private girls’ schools, accepting an appointment as deputy head at the prestigious Clyde School in Woodend.
Those who knew Jean described her as an unflappable, courageous woman with a keen sense of humour, a happy disposition and a true sense of style. She demonstrated these traits in abundance in her handling of a perilous situation at Clyde that sounds as if it were pulled straight from a movie script. On the evening of a formal school dinner held to honour the Bishop of Bendigo, a disgruntled ex-employee entered the school in a rage, attacking the school’s chef and running amok through the grounds. Far from hiding in fear, the police and bishop arrived to find Jean, unperturbed and dressed in her formal evening gown, bravely confronting the attacker. As the police made their arrest, she is said to have turned calmly to the Bishop and enquired: “A glass of sherry in the drawing room m’lord?”.
Jean’s leadership experiences at Clyde paved the way for her to take up the headship of Girton College in 1952. However, when she arrived, she found the formerly great school in a state of decay. Described as “poverty stricken” by a student of the time, the school’s fibro classrooms were incapable of protecting students and staff from our hot summers and cold winters, let alone facilitating the study of subjects at a high level. Unsurprisingly, academic standards had dwindled, with no final-year students seeking to enter university.
Miss d’Helin’s shock upon arriving at the decrepit campus was possibly only matched by the great surprise of the students themselves, who had gathered in the hall expecting to greet their new male Headteacher, who they had heard through the school grapevine was named “Mr Lang”. The pronunciation of Jean’s name continued to give the students difficulty until they settled on the affectionate nickname of “Ding”.
Jean had a formidable task ahead of her in facilitating the school’s rebirth, but it was a challenge she took on with her characteristic optimism and zest for life, adopting the mantra “There is no fun like hard work”. Like the school’s original founders, she shared an enthusiasm for education and the conviction that girls should have the opportunity to do well in all fields, and this provided her with the motivation she needed for the task ahead.
Jean immediately set about reorganising the school and restoring its academic standards. She did this by recruiting more and better qualified staff and increasing subject offerings, encouraging students to take on disciplines that had traditionally been considered the domain of men – such as her beloved physical sciences – while continuing to cultivate the school’s traditional strengths in the arts and languages. She also initiated a new era of construction, expanding the school’s landholdings and building progressive teaching facilities, including the school’s first science laboratories.
But perhaps most importantly, Jean ensured Girton was a happy school with a caring, community atmosphere. Despite being a staunch Anglican, she embraced students of all faiths and backgrounds. And even as enrolments grew, she remained a friend to all, always with time to hear a problem or have a friendly chat. In an educational period that was characterised by strict discipline and authoritative teaching, Jean’s educational philosophy was ahead of its time, focusing on developing students’ confidence and building strong connections. She stated that: “Education is something personal between two people, the teacher and the pupil – and if there is no link between these two people, true education has not passed from one to the other.” Her approach was clearly effective, with her students crediting her for playing a leading role in developing their personalities and deciding their futures.
Reflecting on her time at Girton prior to her retirement, Jean said: “I had dreamt to come to Girton for a long time before my dream came true. I realised that it wasn’t the academic and physical developments but the spiritual wellbeing of the students that attracted me. A school has to have a soul.” After 19 years as Head, Jean moved to Macedon, where she led a happy and fulfilling retirement. At the age of 89, she was deeply honoured to be awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her services to education, passing away peacefully just seven months later.
Jean d’Helin’s impact on Girton was profound. She had left the school in a much stronger position than she found it, with improved facilities, a growing student body, and academic standards soaring to new heights, evidenced by the number of students attempting university entrance exams increasing from 0 to 22. Under her leadership, Girton became the leading private school of the region, with a reputation for educational excellence that remains to this day.
In Jean’s story, we can clearly see the link between the college founded in 1884 and the school of 2024. The values that she instilled – of connection, curiosity, confidence, and perseverance – continue to guide it today. She managed to cultivate the special blend of academic success and student wellbeing for which we are still renowned, reviving and preserving the school’s soul for generations to come. By sharing Jean’s journey, we honour her legacy and the countless others who have strived to leave Girton an even better place than they found it, and we challenge ourselves to do the same.
