Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.” – Abigail Adams

When travelling, I believe the most ideal way to understand the nuances and culture of a city is by exploring it on foot. Boston, as a city, is not too dissimilar to Melbourne with a love of the arts and fabulous galleries to meander through, exceptional universities drawing international crowds, a love of rowing, running and cycling clearly evident along the Charles River, and many exciting opportunities to be part of crowds enjoying sport. Attending a Red Sox baseball game at the famous Fenway Park was both fun and rousing.

As one walks through the acres of parklands at the Boston Common, there is an extraordinary collection of statues that extend from the manicured gardens to the beautiful Commonwealth Avenue.

After admiring the magnificent statues, all positioned in a line, one after the other, I began to wonder: where are the statues of women?

To my delight, and after one hour of walking, I came across the Memorial to Women where I found a statue of a particular woman that I have referenced to our students on many occasions, Mrs Abigail Adams.

Abigail was the wife of John Adams, U.S. President from 1797 to 1801, and mother of John Quincy Adams, U.S. President from 1825 to 1829.

Historians have long debated whether Abigail Adams was a feminist. Many will have heard of her “Remember the Ladies” letter in which she asked her husband John to remember women when Congress wrote a code of laws for America:

“be more generous and favorable to women and not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands… If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or representation”.

Abigail’s most significant regret about her own life was that she was not afforded the opportunity to receive a quality education like her male counterparts. She often wrote on the topic in her letters to both men and women. Abigail felt that “young women were developing a false and inflated self-assurance based upon the most trivial of accomplishments.”

Some 200 years later, I wonder how much has changed with increased pressure for women to adhere to unrealistic social standards of physical beauty that are deepened as a result of the commercial influences of social media. And, in light of the current #MeToo movement, Abigail’s words some 200 years ago provide an interesting reflection on the progress for women in society.

Abigail was certainly a pioneer and early role model for women’s rights advocates and a force for the improvement of the condition of women. She has long been considered as someone who helped plant the seeds of the feminist movement, although she may have had little idea that her words would have such a powerful effect on future generations of women. Abigail’s ideas would provide a foundation for the women who would use her words as inspiration and guidance for the creation of the women’s suffrage movement and eventually the right to vote.

But it was Abigail’s reference to ‘learning’ that I used to inspire our VCE students at assembly recently:

“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.”

This week, our Year 12 VCE students were also reminded by our Director of Teaching and Learning, Mr Rob Marshall, at the VCE and Tertiary Information Night, of the diligence, hard work and attentiveness required in their approach to studies this semester. Reassuring the girls that while there are ‘only’ 13 weeks until their first VCE exam, there is in fact enough time to make a difference to their academic results.

Some of Mr Marshall’s suggestions to lift results included:

  • Study every day in a quiet environment with minimal distractions.
  • Balance study across subjects.
  • Study with a pen – handwriting is now essential with three hour exams to condition for.
  • Complete practice papers and exam questions every weekend and under exam conditions.
  • Replicate the exam conditions in practice, remove the headphones.
  • Find supportive family members and friends.

As for my now ‘love of statues’, it comes as no surprise that in almost every city, most of the statues in public spaces are of men. Groups like the United Nations and the Girls Scouts are working to address this gender imbalance. ‘The Whole Story Project’ also offers a way to create immediate awareness and access to the amazing history women have made around the world.

St Catherine’s School will also add one more statue to the female side of the ledger with Barbreck Girl being cast at the foundry this week, after months of clay modelling. It is anticipated she will be installed this term in the new Barbreck Forecourt. Our Junior girls have also enjoyed brainstorming names for the accompanying owl sitting beside Barbreck Girl and I look forward to unveiling the name in the coming weeks.

Mrs Michelle Carroll, Principal