As state governments begin to ease COIVD-19 restrictions, and our lives gradually return to a new iteration of ‘normal’, which for us in Queensland allows all our students to return to the School’s Main Campus, it is easy to forget how 2020 began for many Australians—the devastating bushfire crisis.
This year will arguably be one of the most challenging for many in our BGGS community, whether it be professionally—such as CEO of the Tourism and Transport Forum, Margy Osmond (Kelaher, 1977) and her perspective on the full industry shutdown of Australia’s Tourism sector —or personally—like Grammar graduate, Sylvie King’s (2018) two-month expedition to Antarctica earlier this year, which ended with her return to a very different Australia.
In my conversations with Grammar Women since the launch of Bishbar Blue, many have expressed an interest in learning more about the history of the School’s war cry. Alumna and long-serving staff member, Mrs Pauline Harvey-Short (1971), has kindly shared some information from her book, To Become Fine Sportswomen. In it, she notes the current Girls Grammar cheer was first mentioned in the 1923 School Magazine and created by the 1923 VIth form which was Marjorie “Babe” Elliott’s sister Phyllis Elliott’s form, and was used as ‘intense barracking’ at various sporting occasions.
From the 1980s to the 2000s, the war cry was used to lift School spirit in the lead up to major events such as a QGSSSA sporting carnivals or at Stage Lawn assemblies. Since then, the role of the war cry has become more diverse as Grammar girls embrace it to identify themselves as a unified sisterhood.
In 1996, my final year at BGGS, the Year 12 cohort expressed its joy about graduating by forming in a large circle and shouting the Girls Grammar war cry in King George Square.
While Speech Day and Annual Distribution of Prizes no longer takes place at City Hall, I’m pleased to say this tradition has continued and remains the parting gesture at Speech Day for each Year 12 cohort.
The words of the war cry, as so many of you have told me, are difficult to forget!
Oobla oobla sarramatta tong
Bishbar bishbar, hoola soola bong
Marrapatta marrapatta
Rangakarra coo
Come on Grammar, blue, blue blue!
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any comments, ideas or questions relating to our global community of Grammar Women, or if you have suggestions for future editions of Bishbar Blue.
I wish you well and hope that you are finding your own positives among the challenges this year continues to present.
Ms Antonia Swindells
Alumnae Relations Manager
