5 December 2023
Isabelle L, Community Ribbon
On Thursday 30 November I visited Duchesne House in Roehampton to interview Sister Mary Hinde, who was Headmistress of Woldingham from 1972 to 1985. Everyone who lives at Duchesne House belongs to the Order of the Sacred Heart. The Sisters have a long association with our school as they came here as part of the novitiate programme and taught here after their final profession.
Sister Mary Hinde and I had a lovely chat over tea, and I asked her a series of questions about her memories of Woldingham. She shared many stories of her time here, and it was obvious she still has so much love and affection for our wonderful school. We spoke about the school’s history and future, the Sacred Heart values, as well as the strong sense of community among students and staff. Sister Hinde shared a fond memory of when she and another Sister took to the school stage, dancing rock and roll with their microphones, leaping about! Naturally, the school’s response was nothing short of wonderful.
I will be writing up the whole conversation for Woldingham’s archives, but this comment from Sister Hinde particularly resonated with me: “Clearly, the school has evolved enormously in activities, interests, motivations, responsibility… There is lots of social involvement, and that’s so important. You build this rounded person, not just academic. That has all developed hugely, but it came from a tradition.”
As students, we feel very proud of our long association with the Sacred Heart Sisters. We also feel blessed that we are continuing to build on the wonderful legacy the Sisters left when they moved on from Woldingham in 1985.