A lively group of alumnae from the Otago physiotherapy Class of 1961 got together in Dunedin earlier in 2019 to share some stories and laughs.
"In early February this year five of us who graduated in 1961 met in Dunedin for old times' sake and reminiscence. It was a very pleasant weekend with lots of laughs and memories shared.
Our flat was at the top end of Stafford St. Barton's butchers shop stood at the bottom of the hill with little pink neon pigs running around the top. The flat has long gone, as has Barton's. How on earth did we carry all the groceries for six people up that hill? There were no supermarkets or online shopping then.
We also passed the empty site of Irvine & Stevenson's St George jam factory in Filleul St where we worked after lectures in the summer, canning apricots. This was to earn money for our second-year textbooks. The factory environment felt like it was straight out of a Charles Dickens novel, however we all survived. One of our group, Diane Jorgensen (Doolan) was even promoted, and later went on to earn a PhD!
Pictured on a tour of the current School of Physiotherapy led by Dr Margot Skinner (left) are: Jill Miller (Cameron), Diane Jorgenson (Doolan), Beryl Hutchings (Grey), and Julienne Armitage (Morrah)
How different the building spaces and learning environment is from our day. It was impressive to see the sophisticated assessment tools available for planning evidence-based outcomes of treatment for undergraduates and for research by postgraduates. It was interesting to hear about the School's focus on an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving.
Over dinner we recalled hours of massage training with the formidable Miss Gwen Hislop (who almost always had a twinkle in her eye) but what amused us the most was remembering formal Swedish Remedial Exercises (SRE). It was compulsory to wear short black gym frocks, white shirts, black ties and long black stockings.
We decided that as much as physiotherapy education has changed for the better, our training has stood us in good stead. Some things, such as the learning of anatomy, physiology, pathology have not changed.
Two of our group are still practising physiotherapy part-time"
- Contributed by Jill Miller (Cameron)