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Two Generations of Canteen Rosters
Fifty years after enjoying her first canteen duty, Christ Church grandmother Rosemary Hodder has officially done her last duty as her grandson Ben finishes Year 12. But keen to stay involved in the School, and despite no longer having any sons or grandsons at the School, she said she would be happy to help out in the future if there weren’t enough mothers available.
Rosemary started helping out in the Canteen when her son James, now 55, was five. She said it was just the normal thing to do as a mother – join the roster in the Canteen. She did the same for St Hilda’s where she had three daughters. Six years ago Rosemary returned for more volunteer work at Christ Church when Ben started at the School.
“I always enjoyed working in the Canteen and chatting with the girls who worked there,” Rosemary said. “And it was always great to stand back and watch the boys rushing in. It was just good to be with the kids.”
Rosemary said she had seen many changes take place at the School in the last 50 years, highlighting the Chapel, Swimming Pool and Prep School as the biggest changes. “These structural changes have been the biggest things, but I don’t think a lot has changed in the way boys are educated,” she said. “The ethics of the School haven’t changed.”
And in terms of the Canteen? “The Canteen has changed completely,” Rosemary said. “The main thing is that the variety is a lot better. And of course back then we had sweets and all those things you shouldn’t have now.”