Rona Glynn

Rona Ellen Schaber (née Glynn) (24 September 1936 – January 1965) was the first Indigenous school teacher and nurse in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. In 1965 she became the first Aboriginal woman to have a pre-school named in her honour in Australia.[1]

Rona Glynn, the tallest student in the centre back row, at the St Marys, the Anglican Church of England Hostel
Not to be confused with Ronan Glynn.

Early life

Glynn was born at Woodgreen Station in Central Australia, the daughter of Ron Price and Topsy Glynn, a housemaid and cook. She had one half-sister Freda. Topsy and her two children were placed in a "half-caste institution", a home for people of mixed European and Aboriginal descent known as The Bungalow at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station in September 1939. Glynn was just three year's old at the time. Topsy worked as a laundress at the institution in order to stay with her children.[2]

Career

Glynn attended the Alice Springs Higher Primary School in 1951 and was known to be an excellent student. At the age of 16, she became the first Aboriginal school teacher in Central Australia.[3] She was appointed by the South Australian Department of Education as junior teacher at the Alice Springs school after gaining her Intermediate Certificate in four subjects.[4] She then took the position of a grade two teacher at Hartley Street Primary School. She later wrote a column for the Centralian Advocate.[5]

She was evacuated from Alice Springs to New South Wales during World War II.[6] When she returned, she lived at the newly established St Mary’s Church of England Hostel on the Stuart Highway.[7]

In 1954, Glynn moved to Melbourne to train as a nurse.[7]. She undertook General training at the Melbourne School of Nursing, graduating in 1957. The following year she undertook Midwifery training at the Royal Women's Hospital, also in Melbourne, where after completing the year long course she remained on staff, becoming a Charge Sister. In 1962 Glynn returned to Alice Springs where she became the first Aboriginal Charge Sister (Maternity Ward) at the Alice Springs Hospital.[1] She delivered around 2000 babies. She was known for taking grapefruits from the garden of the matron's quarters and distributing them among the new mothers on the ward. Annoyed, the matron stormed the ward asking whether anyone what was happening to the fruit. Glynn apparently placed her finger to her lips indicating the mothers to be quiet. When the matron left, they continued eating the grapefruit.[4]

Legacy

In 1964 Glynn married pastoralist Bill Schaber. She died the following year after complications from childbirth.[7]

A pre-school located at Ross Park Primary School was named after her in 1965.[8] She was the first Aboriginal woman to have a pre-school named in her honour in Australia.[1] Over 100 people attended the opening in September 1965.[4]

References
  1. "Rona Glynn". Her Story Archive. National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  2. "Half-caste Institution 1940 - 1941". Narional Archives of Australia. 2007. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  3. "LOCAL GIRL AS TEACHER". Centralian Advocate. VII (319). Northern Territory, Australia. 17 July 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 26 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. Attwood, Elisabeth. "RONA GLYNN: A WOMAN WITH A BIG HEART IN THE HEART OF AUSTRALIA". Alice Springs News. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
  5. "SCHOOL NOTES". Centralian Advocate. IV (171). Northern Territory, Australia. 15 September 1950. p. 20. Retrieved 26 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "The life of Rona Gynn". Centralian Advocate. January 1965.
  7. Nelson, Alex (22 May 2008). "The joker in the pack". Alice Springs News.
  8. "Ross Park Primary School". Ross Park Primary School. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
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