Reflections of Havergal: 1994-2019

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A Brief History of The Chronicle Chronicle , 1994

Did you know that 1994 is also the 80th birthday of The Chronicle? The first publication came out on October 19I4 and was called The Coverley Chronicle, after the Coverley Club. In 1896, with the endorsement of Miss Ellen Knox, a group of graduates had started the Coverley Club - a reading group and scripture union which met monthly. Significantly, in 1914 reading was discarded in favour of social work and the Old Girls’ new aim to support the school financially and have a say in its future direction. The newly published Coverley Chronicle pledged to record these endeavours and keep graduates in touch. In 1920, the Coverley Club became the Havergal Old Girls’ Association, and in 1937 The Chronicle reported that it had grown “from a meagre 8-page publication with a circulation of 450 copies in 1932, to the rather astounding proportions in the present issue of 20 pages with a circulation of 3,000.” In 1943, there was only one issue of The Chronicle (previously there had been two, if not three issues a year) due to war-time constraints. War-time Chronicles feature an Honour Roll of Old Girls serving in the armed forces, and poignantly, a “Pro Patria” list of husbands and brothers killed in action. The Jubilee number came out in June 1944 and acknowledged

Havergal’s 50th birthday: “We fight today for the privilege of freedom...and in our darker moments, when we summon that resource within ourselves which brings us through, we call unwittingly upon something which had its beginning in our School. ln wishing Havergal a happy birthday, we do so gratefully.” For the next 25 years, The Chronicle faithfully recorded our news and activities. Its format remained largely unchanged until 1969, when it celebrated Havergal’s 75th birthday with a “new look” - different typeface, different layout. Clearly change was in the air, and these changes are reflected in the 1969 Chronicle: “...The most exciting events at Havergal this year have been those responding to that ferment within society... a new look into education methods and some exciting experiment s in teaching.” After 1967, The Chronicle underwent a number of cosmetic changes as it recorded important events like the opening of the new academic wing in 1979, and the start of the computer science programme in 1982. No doubt The Chronicle will continue to record our expanding roles as women and as Old Girls in the years ahead. How fascinating to speculate what The Chronicle will be like 20 years from now when it celebrates its own 100th birthday!

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