Ellen(Ella) Wyllie

Ella was born Ellen Mary Wyllie on 12 August 1902 at West Taieri, Otago, New Zealand, the second of three children of David and Margaret (Grant) Wyllie. She was educated at Outram primary School where she was awarded the Dux medal in 1915. She spent four years at Otago Girls High School and then was appointed Probationary Teacher at the Outram School for one year. She then spent two years at the Dunedin Teachers Training College. After two years she transferred to the University from which she graduated with a BA in 1923. She took up a teaching position at Berwick primary school in 1923 and taught there until 1932. She was the sole teacher for about four years and one of the first woman head teachers in Otago. A newspaper report of the 125th reunion of the Berwick school has the following description of her. "A colourful character from the Berwick School's past is the young woman, straight from teacher's college in the 1920's arrived for work each day on a big block motorbike". A motorbike was the only transport available as she could not afford a car until the 1930's. She is quoted as saying that her teacher training was directed towards becoming a district high school teacher but she liked the country work so much that she stayed at small country schools throughout her career.

After a holiday stint in the UK exploring and visiting with her brother Jim, she obtained a teaching position at Tokoiti Primary where she taught from 1933 to 1939. In 1940 she became the Head teacher at Wendonside primary where she taught till her marriage in 1947. At 45 she married Charles Wilfred Keeley in New Zealand and moved on to the Keeley farm, "Stonehaven' at Hinds. They retired from the farm in ca. 1950 and lived in Ashburton for some time before moving to Nelson. On Fred's death in 1974 she moved to Mosgiel. At 87 years of age, on 3 Nov 1989, she died at Mosgiel, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.

On Friday evening in the Berwick Hall a complimentary social was given to Miss E. M. Wyllie, who has been head teacher at the Berwick School for the past nine years, and who is leaving to take the position of head teacher at Tokoiti. Songs were rendered by Mrs Marr, Misses Southgate, and Fiddis, and Mr J. Hamilton, and duets were sung by Messrs Hamilton and Walker. The remainder of the programme, which consisted of items by the children who had been specially trained by Mrs J. Wither, was much appreciated. The chairman, Mr G. Lyall, thanked Miss Wyllie on behalf of the residents and the children for all she had done, assured her of the high esteem and respect in which she was held, and wished her every success in the future. He then presented her with a leather writing case, a fountain pen, an Eversharp pencil, and a hand bag. Mrs Drake, on behalf of the Women's Division of the Farmers' Union, Mr J. Wither, and Mr M. Reid also spoke in eulogistic terms of Miss Wyllie. Mr David Wyllie suitably responded on behalf of his daughter. After supper an enjoyable dance was held. .

OTAGO DAILY TIMES, ISSUE 21814, 29 NOVEMBER 1932.

A noteworthy record has just been established in Outram School. The members of the family of Mr and Mrs David Wyllie, three in number, have each in their turn been dux of the school, and so have gained the Snow memorial gold modal, Graham D. Wyllie being the winner this year.

OTAGO DAILY TIMES ISSUE 17814 22 DECEMBER 1919

A newspaper article of unknown provenance.

A colourful character from the Berwick School's past is the young woman who, straight out of teacher's college in the 1920's arrived for work each day on a big block motorbike. Mrs Ellen Keeley’s arrival at the Labour Weekend reunion might not have the same flourish, but many former pupils will have vivid memories of their teacher's unusual mode of transport. Mrs Keeley, then Miss Wyllie, began teaching at the Berwick School after finishing her training in December 1923. She was the sole teacher for about four years. I was just straight out of college and had to tackle about 32 children on my own, so it wasn't a light task. Her mode of transport to the school from her home in Outram made Mrs Keeley a well-known figure on the local roads. It was very unusual and I was well-known between my home and Berwick," she said. A motorbike was the only transport available to Mrs Keeley, as during the early stages of her teaching career she could not afford a car, something she finally bought in the 1930's.

Accidents. Even two accidents in one day did not deter the adventurous teacher from riding to school, Mrs Keeley can well remember the two falls from her bike which happened in one afternoon. It was a very bad road and the bike got caught in a rut the first time, and I must have still been dopey from that fall and later skidded into the gravel," she said. However travelling to and from school by motorbike was not always possible. Mrs Keeley can remember one occasion when the Berwick flat was flooded and she was taken out on a dray motorbike and all. Mrs Keeley had sole charge of the Berwick School until about 1928/29, when it became a two teacher school and she had the head teacher position. Mrs Keeley said she was one of the first woman head teachers in the Otago area, which was usually frowned upon by the school committees of those days. Mrs Keeley said most committees were opposed to woman heads because they were worried they would not cope with the children's sports training. Mrs Keeley said she coped with this problem, by doing some of the training herself, and co-opting help from others. But while she enjoyed her career as teacher, Mrs Keeley said it is not a job she would like to take on in today's schools.

Discipline. "I would not like to be a teacher today because of the lack of discipline in the children," she said. Mrs Keeley said that generally school children were better behaved during her teaching career than they are now. She also added that during her time as a teacher parents were also very helpful and cooperative. Mrs Keeley made her mind up at quite an early age to either be a teacher or a nurse, the fancy for teaching winning through. She taught at Berwick nearly 10 years. until December 1932. and continued her teaching career in country schools until 1945 when she married. However Mrs Keeley said she actually did her teachers training to become a district high school teacher, but liked the country work so much she stayed at small country schools throughout her career. "I was country born and bred, and that's what appealed to me." she said. Mrs Keeley now lives in Mosgiel at Taieri Court and she hopes to make it to the school reunion on the Saturday of Labour Weekend.