TheHallowian-2021Vol2 - Flipbook - Page 21
160 STORIES
Destiny
Claire Easton, Director of Mission
As I look back at my almost 30 years as a teacher at All
Hallows’ School, I believe I was destined to be here. At
the end of the second year of my Arts degree in Sydney,
my new husband Paul and I decided to move to Brisbane
to give ourselves a better chance of buying a house. Paul
was about to start his first job with Price Waterhouse and I
needed to complete my degree and then my Dip Ed.
Prior to moving to Queensland we came up for a holiday
with friends. We hired a ‘Rent-a-Bomb’ car from the Gold
Coast and drove to Brisbane for our first look at the city
that would be our home. Eventually, we found ourselves
on the Story Bridge and I said to Paul, “I wonder what
that building is there at the end.” As we drew nearer Paul
said that he thought it looked like a school, to which I
responded, “I’m going to work there one day”.
Two years later, towards the end of the recession, there were very few teaching positions in Brisbane – nobody
was moving jobs. It was April of 1992 before I even got a job interview. But withing 2 days I had an interview at a
school on the Gold Coast and one at All Hallows’ School. I really wanted the one at All Hallows’ because we had
just purchased our first home in Brisbane and… well, it was All Hallows’!
“
Eventually, we found
ourselves on the Story Bridge
and I said to Paul, “I wonder
what that building is there at
the end.” As we drew nearer
Paul said that he thought it
looked like a school, to which
I responded, “I’m going to
work there one day”.
After my Gold Coast interview, I had a feeling I might be
offered the job. The next day, I had the interview for a
part-time job at All Hallows’. I thought it also went well
but I couldn’t be certain. I was told a decision would be
made that afternoon and if successful, I would hear after
3pm.
I was so sure that I would be offered the Gold Coast job
that day, that I went home and took the phone off the
hook so they couldn’t contact me. At 3.10pm, I placed
the phone on the receiver and it rang soon after. I
nervously answered only to hear Paul’s frantic voice at
the other end.
“Where on earth have you been?” he said, “The Gold
Coast Principal has been trying to reach you all day to
offer you the job.” How they located Paul at his place of
work I don’t know, but now I was in a bit of a quandary
– do I put the receiver back on the phone or wait a bit
longer in case All Hallows’ called?
“
I decided to take the risk and put the phone back on the hook. Just after 3.30pm, the phone rang. To my delight,
it was Sr Anne Hetherington calling to offer me the job as an English/RE teacher for the remainder of the year.
The rest, as they say, is history!
2021 | The Hallowian
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