The
Madras College Magazine
for December 1959
reports:
Miss Grace C. Normand, DIP. COM., F.S.C.T.
On Wednesday, 28th September, 1959, staff and pupils of
Madras College took leave of Miss Grace Normand. Few people are blessed
with the abundance of energy that the head of the Commercial Department
has and even fewer are prepared to use that energy in the interests of
others as she does.
Miss Normand, who made her first appearance in Madras
College in 1929 for a brief spell, returned to us in 1950 and in these
nine years she has given of herself unstintingly. There is not one
department in school which has not benefitted from her help.
Her work called for an exactness and thoroughness which
was carried over into any job she undertook and these jobs were many.
She took over the Savings Movement and the First Aid, and no school
activity, be it party, concert or overseas expedition, was launched
without Miss Normand's guiding hand at the helm to steer it clear of
financial rocks.
But perhaps to Miss Normand one of the most satisfying
facets of her stay in Madras was her 'side-line' job of Careers'
Mistress. Here her wide experience made her particularly successful. Her
advice was sought by many and accepted by many. That that advice was
appreciated is evident from the number of people who returned to school
to report progress and say 'Thank-you!'
Nor did she confine her energies to purely school
activities. She was an active member of the Madras Parent Teacher
Association and gave invaluable assistance there in the typing,
duplicating and sending out of notices, and she was an equally
enthusiastic member of the Madras P.P. Girls' Club.
But even in these activities there was not sufficient
scope for her energy and she showed her interest in the affairs of St
Andrews by being a member of the Womens Citizens' Association. Her love
of music was such that not content with encouraging the appreciation of
art and music in her home town of Cupar she was also a member of St
Andrews Music Club.
In Cupar itself her activities were many and varied but
pride of place must be given to her work for the church.
Fife itself does not limit Miss Normand's activities.
She still finds time to keep in touch with two previous phases in her
career. She returns annually to George Watson's Ladies' College, her
former sphere of activity, and through the Exchange Teachers'
Association of which she is a committee member she keeps strong links
forged with Canada in the thirties.
She has always shown an interest in, and a desire to
see, places foreign and in the past she has been able to visit some of
these desired spots. As she leaves us in the prime of life with
enthusiasm unbounded and energy unflagging may we wish that she will
have very many years of health to visit more of these places and enjoy
life as only she can.
