The Old Ruytonians Association formed in 1908 and is the alumnae association of Ruyton Girls’ School, Kew, Victoria. Circular gold and blue enamel lapel badge comprising of the Ruyton Girls' School crest encircled by the School motto and the letters ORA. Pin on reverse. On front: RECTE ET FIDELITER/R/0.R.A Stamped on reverse: 'STOKES MELB' ruyton girls' school, kew, old ruytonians' association, private school, badge, alumnae

girl, student, piano, music, ruyton girls' school, kew, alumnae, staff, 1960s

The subject of the painting is Hilda Daniell, b.1878- d.1970. Miss Daniell attended Ruyton 1893-1896 (matriculating twice 1895 & 1896). She became a teacher at Ruyton on and off between c.1898-1910 and was Chief of Staff towards the end of that period. In mid-1913 she purchased Ruyton after it closed during Miss Florence Earle Hooper's principalship. Miss Daniell was owner/Principal 1913-1930, when she transitioned Ruyton to becoming a company school overseen by a School Council. She was Principal 1930-1952. The painting was commissioned by the Old Ruytonians Association (Alumnae Association) on the occasion of Miss Daniell's retirement in 1952. The painting was unveiled at a Garden Party held at Ruyton on Saturday 8 November, 1952. (The Age, 10 Nov 1952, p5) The Artist was alumna Miss Judith Eagle (1950, later Mrs Judith Paton), who attended Ruyton as a Boarder 1941-1950. The Ruytonian, 1952, p49, notes that Judith Eagle had received the C.O.R. prize for painting and was leaving to study in Paris. Rectangular, gold framed portrait of an older woman looking toward the viewer. She is seated and is wearing glasses and a dark academic gown. Her grey hair is pulled back in a bun and she has a pearl necklace. She holds a blue book in front of her. Behind her is a mottled red/maroon backdrop.Signed in brown paint, lower right corner: "Judith Eagle" woman, teacher, principal, headmistress, education, book, hilda daniell, ruyton, ruyton girls' school, old ruytonians association, o.r.a., alumna, 1950s, 1952, school

Hilda Young Daniell was born in 1878 and died in 1970. She was a student at Ruyton 1893-1896. After qualifying as a teacher she taught at the school during the 1898-1910 period during Miss Eliza Bromby's period as Principal of Ruyton. She travelled to England in mid 1910, after Florence Earle Hooper took over as Principal. Florence Hooper's principalship was unsuccessful and she closed Ruyton in mid 1913 after enrolments plummeted. The families of remaining students rallied together to save it, and Hilda Daniell was invited by them to return from England and take over as owner-Principal. Hilda Daniell went on to be Principal of Ruyton from September 1913 until the end of the 1952 school year. In her retirement she wrote 'The History of Ruyton 1878-1956" (1956) The portrait AC/0097 is a reproduction of an original photograph in Album P150 in the Ruyton Heritage Collection. The source of Album P150 is unidentified but is likely to have been donated by an alumna of the school, sometime prior to 2013. The original photograph may be one of multiple copies preserved in albums from alumnae from a similar period as it was common practice to share photographic prints among school friends. The original photograph has been dated to c.1910 on the basis of the known dates of the other photographs in the album and the apparent age of Hilda Daniell (born in 1878,) and her Edwardian hair style. In addition, various school records indicate that Miss Daniell was teaching at Ruyton between 1898-1910, though possibly not continuously. In the period 1889-1920 Ruyton was located at 19 A'beckett Street, Kew. The date of the reproduction and framing of the original photograph has not been recorded, but is prior to 2016. (Personal observation, School Archivist)Timber framed black & white photographic portrait of a woman's head shown from the neck upwards. She is partly turned away from the camera, showing the side of her face in profile. She has long hair which is parted in the middle and pinned up in Edwardian style.hilda daniell, woman, principal, teacher, school, ruyton, ruyton girls' school, kew, portrait, a'beckett street, edwardian, 1900s, 1910s, 1910