Sigh Not the Past: Reminiscences and History of Geraldton Proddy Home and Dellahale Girls Hostel by Mavis Geddes

Book Description

Secondhand. Good condition. Wear to book corners and edges. Marks on covers. Signed by author. Some underlining of text.

A vital archival record, preserving the firsthand memories, photographs, and historical timelines of student housing and regional boarding institutions in Geraldton, Western Australia.

The Proddy Home: this colloquial name refers to the Geraldton Protestant Children's Home, established in 1921 by local Protestant churches. It originally served as a sanctuary for younger regional children, as well as a boarding facility for girls travelling from remote outback stations to attend high school in town.

Dellahale Girls Hostel: Established in 1964, Dellahale House directly replaced the original Protestant Children's Home. Managed under the Country High School Hostels Authority, it provided long-term residential accommodation exclusively for country girls attending Geraldton Senior High School.

Geddes' book weaves together personal reminiscences, old plans, and maps. It highlights the unique social culture of rural students navigating town life, communal dormitories, strict segregation from the nearby boys' hostel (John Frewer House), and the dedicated matrons, cooks, and wardens who looked after them.