Pymble Ladies’ College

Pymble Ladies' College was established in 1916 by John Marden due to the increasing number of students at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney, which was another institution initiated by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of NSW. In 1921, the leadership of the college was taken over by Nancy Jobson, following the departure of Gladys Gordon Everett. Under Jobson's direction, student enrollment rose from 256 in 1921 to 414 by 1929, and the boarding population grew from 95 to 161. However, the Great Depression led to a decrease in enrollments, dropping to just 208 by 1932. Jobson left the school after a conflict with the school council regarding proposed reductions due to the economic difficulties. Her successor was Grace Mackintosh, a Scottish national who previously served as a head in New Zealand. Mackintosh struggled in New Zealand due to health issues and difficulties with the climate, and faced similar challenges at Pymble College. Her accent was difficult for younger students to understand, and her efforts to implement new initiatives, particularly those related to Presbyterianism, did not resonate well, especially as the Depression worsened. Losing her faith in 1936, she resigned in July of that year. Dorothy Isabel Knox OBE AM then took over as Principal. Before joining Pymble, Knox had been the head at the Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Orange. Knox led the school until her retirement in 1967, a period that saw significant growth and development of the institution. During her final year, the Wyndham scheme was introduced, reforming secondary education in New South Wales towards a more comprehensive education system, a change that Knox welcomed.