In view of their long service, I would guess most of you who were at St Mary's will have known some if not all of them, and maybe others in the picture as well.
This accompanying article about the occasion , which was also contributed to the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, gives details of their careers and the tributes that were paid to them .
THE STAFF of St Mary's School, Saltcoats, marked a rather remarkable occasion on Friday when they entertained to dinner in the Seamill Hydro three of their longest serving colleagues, now retiring officially. Miss Mary Conlan, senior woman assistant, has been on St Mary's staff since she started teaching in October 1927, almost 44 years ago; Miss Susan Lennox has served 33 years in the school and 10 in St Bridget's, Kilbimie; and Mrs Peggy McKay has served 19 years since she returned to regular teaching.
The head teacher paid tribute to the sterling work to which each of these ladies has dedicated herself over the years, to their marvellous influence upon the generations of children they have handled, and to their great worth as individuals.
Mgr. McGee, Bishop of Galloway, associated himself with Mr McCann's praise of the three teachers and Rev Frs Gunning and Murphy, as parish priests, brought out the power for good they had all exercised beyond the walls of the schoolroom.
Miss Conlan, in association with Miss Ellen Devine and Miss May Reid, founded St Mary's Guides in 1934 and was leader till a few years ago, when she became involved with a new Brownie pack in St John's, Stevenston (and is still with them!).
Miss Lennox has exercised profound influence over very many teenage girls attached to the Junior Legion of St Mary in St Mary's Parish and elsewhere, and Mrs Peggy McKay is very well known in the district for the generous use she has made of her great musical talents as accompanist and soloist at many concerts, and as conductor of St Mary's Singers.
The presentations were made to Miss Lennox and Mrs McKay by Miss May Reid, infants mistress, and Mrs McAllister, closely associated latterly with Miss Conlan among the P4 and P5 classes, and one of her first Guides recalled many highlights of her career in presenting her with a watch.
The replies of all three were full of good fun, as befitted teachers who had always looked, and continued to look, on the bright side of things. It was clear that, in the words of Fr Gunning, they had far from exhausted their potential for good.
Mr J. Sherry, depute head teacher, proposed a vote of thanks.
Each 'six' had their own song which was sung in turn after the main song.
