Eleanor Roberts
Eleanor Roberts passed away at the Katanning Hospital on Thursday, January 11, 1945, following a period of acute ill-health.
Miss Roberts, who came from England to take up a position with the State Education Department, was posted to the Katanning State School in October 1910. Over the intervening years until 1943, when she resigned, she directed the education of the junior children throughout that long period, earning the love and affection of the hundreds of children who passed through her hands.
During that time, she had the unique experience of teaching the children of the children that first passed through her hands, and of being able to congratulate her boys and girls on their marriage to each other in the passing years. With such complete contact with the growing generation, she established an understanding which earned her the lasting respect of parents and children alike, becoming at last the veritable female prototype of the renowned “Mr Chips.“
In November 1935, Miss Roberts was accorded a public social evening at the Town Hall to mark the completion of her 25th year of service at the Katanning school, when she was the recipient of presentations from ex-pupils and parents. Eight years later, in November 1943, on her resignation, she was again honored in a similar manner. The presentations including a lounge chair from ex-pupils and a sum of money contributed to by her many friends.
Inside the Eleanor Roberts Children’s Library
TO THE MEMORY OF ELEANOR ROBERTS
DEDICATION OF CHURCH WINDOW
“Suffer little children to come unto me.”
This window was dedicated on Sunday, October 5, 1947, by Ven Archdeacon Burbidge
Photo by J. R. Taylor – 1947
Great Southern Herald
The window today (Aug 2023)
Photo credit: Arthur Todd
Great Southern Herald
10 October 1947 – P4
On Sunday afternoon, October 5, the Anglican Church of St. Andrew’s was filled by friends of the late Miss Eleanor Roberts who attended the service to dedicate the stained-glass window installed in the church in loving perpetuation of her memory.
The story of Eleanor Roberts is almost the story of Katanning, so closely are they interwoven. Coming to Western Australia from England in 1910, Miss Roberts was posted to the Katanning State School in October of that year, retaining the position of infant teacher until her resignation, due to ill-health, in 1943.
During the 33 years of her zealous service, the very large majority of children of the town and district passed through her hands, absorbing her high ideals in their daily contact with a greatly loved teacher. So deeply was she loved that, on her death, former pupils conceived the idea of establishing a Youth Library, which bears her name, in order that her teachings might be continued amongst the adolescents by the reading of selected literature suitable to their various ages.
This library was established successfully and with a increasing, number of books is attracting the attention of a wide circle of youthful readers. As useful a memorial as the library proved, the adult friends of Miss Roberts felt the urge to provide a memorial that would represent more nearly the spiritual life of one who endeavoured to frame her work on the Christian ethics, and so came into being the proposal to install a stained-glass window in St. Andrew’s, the Church which she so regularly attended, as a symbol of her Christian life and ideals.
The duty of raising the necessary funds was undertaken by Mrs A. T. Crouch who, as a former teacher herself, knew and fully appreciated the wonderful influence her old friend had exercised over the children attending her classes. And so the project took shape and grew until the required money was in hand and the order placed with a Melbourne firm for the designing and manufacturing of the window, the actual installation of the window being carried out by Mr Bob Coventry, another old friend.
The service of dedication on Sunday was performed by the Ven. Archdeacon Burbidge, who had known Miss Roberts in England and whose son, Rev Edward Burbidge, M.A., received his early education under her care. The Archdeacon and Mrs Burbidge came from Bunbury to officiate.
The Lesson for the Day was read by Mr Tom Edmonson, Chief Inspector of Schools, who as District Inspector, resident at Katanning, had close contact with Miss Roberts in the course of his official duties and had learnt to appreciate her high ideals. The service took the form of Evensong, with Mr A. T. Crouch as organist. Others present were Miss Oborne, a fellow teacher and life-long friend of Miss Roberts, who came from Kalgoorlie with her sister, Mrs Perkins, to be present at the ceremony.
In his address, the Archdeacon stressed the virtues of intelligent, unselfish service which, he said, the late Miss Roberts put into practice most fully. At the conclusion of the service in the Church, the congregation adjourned to the Parish Hall where afternoon tea was served by members of the Women’s Guild.
Middle window – Main building – Today, August, 2023.
Photo credit: Arthur Todd
