La Rochelle Yearbook 2024

ALUMNAE

A legacy of grace, written by the author of Grace: La Rochelle. They will call us old school, traditional, conservative and preppy – I call it vintage and classy. I adored this – a novel perspective, the observation to see how you’ve grown and celebrating the ability to evolve and pivot into a new season: la beaute de devenir . Standing here, ten years later, the realisation that reaches my heart's surface, is that most memories will become ghosts in our own Chelsea Hotel, but we will choose to remember them as the Villa Casa Casuarina moments. C’est la vie . I looked back on the sandcastles of memories stacked in vials, draping every wall. I twirled off to the music department that became our terra firma in those days, the solidity and the hideout where improv became the maxim. It was necessary to see the ideas and the traditions that shaped identity and perspectives. So why would you revisit an era that has long since passed? I just call it: for the “pièce de résistance” … In the history of 164 years, the following cornerstone shapes the traditions and ideas, and it rings as follow: “She believed that women should receive the best intellectual training possible. She also believed in the cultivation of a truly moral and religious character and that should be of supreme importance. To seek first the Kingdom of God. On her tombstone there was also written: "I fear only one thing in the world: that I should fail to know my duty, or know I should fail to do it.” My opinion: you have to remember where you came from, to be thankful for the person you are becoming and cultivating. Was the perception conservative? Yes. Are we most probably the O.G.’s for feminism? Yes. But one thing that will keep our heads, heels and standard’s high is the legacy: cultivate a spirit of excellence, but advocate grace in the process. We will always be vintage inspired. How do we do that, you may ask, to cultivate a spirit of excellence? 1. Stand firm on the traditions that created structure over the past 164 years, and still forms the corner stones. 2. Nourish an equal place for the head, heart and hand. 3. Do not ask what was pleasant, but be ready gladly and in stantly to do the right thing. 4. Celebrate one another with grace and elegance. 5. Carry yourself with grace, poise and authenticity. 6. Do it in style: always feminine and with class. 7. Know you are unable to stand alone – no man/woman is an island. 8. Move forward: En Avant. I am extremely thankful for these memories, cornerstones, traditions and haunted school halls, but also thankful for every new chapter, the change in seasons and the ability to evolve – moving forward: elegantly, like a lady. For everything is made perfect in its season. Annemie Nieuwoudt – Head Girl 2014

ALUMNAE Gwenodine du Plessis, Karelien Venter, Sunette Swanepoel, Marisa Calitz, Lydia Moller Afwesig: Maria Bellmunt, Cilmie Genis ALUMNAE Dit is met ‘n vol hart dat ons as die Alumnae kan terugkyk op ‘n besige maar baie dankbare 2024! 14 Maart 2024: Ons besoek die matrieks en gee weer aan elkeen ‘n lip balm met ons pragtige Alumnae wapen op. Ek beklemtoon bietjie hoe bevoorreg elkeen van hul is om eendag te kan sê ek was in 2024 in matriek by La Rochelle! Mei 2024: Ons hou ‘n heerlike kuier oggend te Pontac Manor op die 25ste Mei met verskeie Larries … hierdie is altyd net so ‘n inloer en opvang met mekaar. Ons Sosiale Media (Facebook en Instagram) gons dit omtrent van al die lekker nuus wat ons reg deur die jaar vir julle bring. Indien jul nog nie vir ons volg nie, gaan loer gerus op: Dit is altyd lekker om te sien waarmee die oud-leerders besig is en die ongelooflike prestasies wat gelewer word waarop ons baie trots is. September 2024: Die hoogtepunt is natuurlik ons Jaarlikse Alumnae funksie wat op 14 September plaasgevind het! Daar was 5,10, 20, 30, 40, 50 en 60 jaar Reunie groepe teenwoordig gewees. Die oudste Larrie was Marie Hammann wat in 1953 matriek was en sy het vir ons met ‘n paar staaltjies van haar jare op Larries vermaak. Ons is bevoorreg om die matrieks op Uitstapdag te mag bederf met ‘n blommetjie pendant en ons is dankbaar vir oud-leerder Dianne (Mchlauchlin) Rynhoud van die 1974 jaargroep wat vir ons hierdie jaar dit geborg het. Dankie vir elke oud-larrie se ondersteuning en liefde in 2024! Ons sien uit na 2025! Mev. Karelien Venter en Alumnae-komitee Laroldgirls La Rochelle Old Girls

140 | Hoër Meisieskool La Rochelle | Girls’ High School