Carolyn Carter says farewell

Ms Carolyn Carter, retiring principal of Brisbane Water Secondary College Woy Woy campus has written a farewell in a school newsletter.

"This is the last report that I will write for the newsletter as I am retiring from teaching at the end of this week," she wrote.

"As with most significant events in our lives l have mixed feelings. I have found teaching to be wonderful in many ways, learning and educating, watching students develop into fine young adults, celebrating their achievements, and re-living old times when we meet up years later.

"Of course there is the down side of teaching, but this is far outweighed by the wonderful things.

"I began my education at a one-teacher bush school at a place called Rouchel.

"I rode my horse three miles there and back each day.

"I then went to high school at Maitland Girls' High School and stayed at a hostel run by the Department of Education for girls who lived in the outlying rural districts.

"There were no school buses for those areas at that time.

"I then did my teacher training- at Newcastle University and Newcastle Teachers' College.

"I grew up in the protest era as a growing number of people opposed our involvement in the Vietnam War.

"The message in those days was 'make love not war', 'flower power'.

"Grown ups were convinced that long hair meant something terrible, and that transistor radios and ballpoint pens would be the end of civilisation as we know it.

"I started teaching at Newcastle Girls' High School when I was 19.

"I was only one or two years older than the sixth form (as Year 12 was called then) girls.

"I also taught at Broad-meadow Boys' HS (Newcastle), Walgett Central School, Henry Kendall HS, Peel HS (Tamworth), Narrabri HS, and Woy Woy HS.

"Now I'm twice or three times the age of the students.

"I have had a great experience.

"Many things have changed, but some things haven't.

"The students' spirit is still as bright as is the spirit of the teaching and support staff.

"Even in our darkest hours we continue to work together for the noble cause of scholarship and learning for all comers.

"Knowledge, learning and education are still the key to a successful and worthwhile working life; connectedness and forming strong positive relationships with others the measure of our humanity.

"Independence is important in our society, but the interconnectedness of the human spirit that the group brings is vital to us.

"Farewell and thanks for making my time here interesting, educational, warm and friendly.

"I'll be looking on with interest.

"I haven't yet decided whether I will be a concerned citizen and ring the school with the names of the students I see down the street during school hours, hopefully, I'll have more to do with my time.

"Best wishes to you all."

Carloyn Carter, April 11