Rona Glynn

Glynn was born at Woodgreen Station in Central Australia, the daughter of Ron Price and Topsy Glynn, a housemaid and cook. She had one half-sister Freda. Topsy and her two children were placed in a "half-caste institution", a home for people of mixed European and Aboriginal descent known as The Bungalow at the Alice Springs Telegraph Station in September 1939. Glynn was just three year's old at the time. Topsy worked as a laundress at the institution in order to stay with her children.[2]

Glynn attended the Alice Springs Higher Primary School in 1951 and was known to be an excellent student. At the age of 16, she became the first Aboriginal school teacher in Central Australia.[3] She was appointed by the South Australian Department of Education as junior teacher at the Alice Springs school after gaining her Intermediate Certificate in four subjects.[4] She then took the position of a grade two teacher at Hartley Street Primary School. She later wrote a column for the Centralian Advocate.[5]

She was evacuated from Alice Springs to New South Wales during World War II.[6] When she returned, she lived at the newly established St Mary's Church of England Hostel on the Stuart Highway.[7]

In 1954, Glynn moved to Melbourne to train as a nurse.[7] She undertook General training at the Melbourne School of Nursing, graduating in 1957.[8] The following year she undertook Midwifery training at the Royal Women's Hospital, also in Melbourne, where after completing the year long course she remained on staff, becoming a Charge Sister. In 1962 Glynn returned to Alice Springs where she became the first Aboriginal Charge Sister (Maternity Ward) at the Alice Springs Hospital.[1] She delivered around 2000 babies. She was known for taking grapefruits from the garden of the matron's quarters and distributing them among the new mothers on the ward. Annoyed, the matron stormed the ward asking whether anyone what was happening to the fruit. Glynn apparently placed her finger to her lips indicating the mothers to be quiet. When the matron left, they continued eating the grapefruit.[4]

In 1964 Glynn married pastoralist Bill Schaber. She died the following year after complications from childbirth.[7]

A pre-school located at Ross Park Primary School was named after her in 1965.[9] She was the first Aboriginal woman to have a pre-school named in her honour in Australia.[1] Over 100 people attended the opening in September 1965.[4]