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to provide instruction in drill. Connon was closely involved in the education of the girls, visiting classrooms, reading exam papers and providing extra teaching as needed. She also provided extra tuition, in her own time, to the brightest pupils of the school, encouraging them to apply for university scholarships. One of her star pupils was
324:
In 1916, Helen Connon Hall was opened on Park
Terrace, Christchurch. It was the first hall of residence for University of Canterbury students, and was home to up to 70 women students each year. When the university moved from its inner city site to its new site at Ilam in the 1970s, the building was
269:
While she was a student, Macmillan Brown asked Connon to marry him; however she asked him to wait and also stipulated that he must allow her to continue working after their marriage – an uncommon state of affairs for the times. Connon and
Macmillan Brown were eventually married at Christchurch on 9
249:
Under Connon's leadership, the school curriculum was expanded to include practical subjects such as cookery, nursing and dressmaking. She was an advocate of physical exercise and introduced lessons in gymnastics, swimming and tennis to the school. The school was also one of the first in the country
208:) was considered inadequate by her mother. At this school she soon outshone the boys. The principal was impressed and opened a class for girls, placing the 15-year-old Helen in charge. When she was 16, she received a school prize called "Facile princeps" – "Easily the Best".
293:
In 1892 Connon and
Macmillan Brown took leaves of absence from their positions and travelled to Europe. In 1896, after Connon had retired, they returned with Millicent, and in 1900 they went again, with both daughters and their governess.
317:
After his wife's death, John
Macmillan Brown established the Helen Macmillan Brown Bursary, to be awarded to up to ten women students of the University of Canterbury each year. Her former pupil,
246:, teaching English, Latin and mathematics. In 1882, at the age of 25, she was appointed the school's second principal, and held this position until her resignation due to poor health in 1894.
261:
As a result, the school was highly successful – between 1879 and 1883, Christchurch Girls' High School won more awards and honours than any other secondary school in New
Zealand.
777:
234:
When Connon graduated with an MA with first-class honours in
English and Latin in 1881, she became the first woman in the British Empire to gain a degree with honours.
301:
and the effects became increasingly serious for her. She also had two miscarriages which appeared to take their toll on her. She fell ill while travelling through
223:'s first woman student. She matriculated in 1878, and graduated with a BA in 1880 – the second woman arts graduate in the British Empire. She was beaten only by
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701:"Scholarships at UC H1 (WYSIWYG), Search for scholarships (WYSIWYG editor), Scholarships at UC (WYSIWYG)"
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In 1878, while still a university student, Connon became one of the first five teachers at
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Christchurch Girls' High School awards a memorial prize in Connon's name each year.
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Through shaded glass: women and photography in
Aotearoa New Zealand 1860-1960
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There is a memorial plaque to Connon in the Great Hall of the present-day
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340:", celebrating the contributions of women to knowledge in New Zealand.
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wife Helen Hart. She was their second child. The family arrived in
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in 1903 during a holiday with her husband, and was diagnosed with
64:
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and Connon's mother pleaded with the newly arrived
Professor
321:, wrote a biography of Connon, which was published in 1905.
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In
Dunedin, Connon was taught by a newly qualified teacher,
92:
First woman in the
British Empire to gain an Honours degree
145:
1860 – 22 February 1903) was an educational pioneer from
517:. Wellington, New Zealand: Te Papa Press. p. 226.
270:
December 1886. They bought a property in the suburb of
484:"Easily the Best: The life of Helen Connon, 1857–1903"
373:
Easily the Best: The life of Helen Connon, 1857–1903
587:. Wellington: Bridget Williams Books. p. 152.
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149:, New Zealand. She was the first woman in the
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343:A marble bust of Connon is displayed in the
332:In 2017, Connon was selected as one of the
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838:. University of Canterbury. 28 June 2007
752:Kōtare: New Zealand Notes & Queries
400:
617:. New Zealand Journal of History. 2005
169:, in 1859 or 1860 to George Connon, a
778:"Helen Connon Hall from Park Terrace"
16:New Zealand women's education pioneer
7:
782:Canterbury Museum Collections Online
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254:, who became a writer and taught at
899:Australian emigrants to New Zealand
784:. Canterbury Museum. Archived from
748:"Edith Searle Grossmann, 1863–1931"
675:Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
643:Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
553:Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
455:Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
583:Macdonald, Charlotte, ed. (1991).
354:; these buildings were originally
14:
680:Ministry for Culture and Heritage
648:Ministry for Culture and Heritage
558:Ministry for Culture and Heritage
460:Ministry for Culture and Heritage
347:at the University of Canterbury.
309:. She died there on 22 February.
282:in 1897. Millicent later married
231:, who graduated on 11 July 1877.
858:"Clock Tower & College Hall"
746:Moffat, Kirstine (8 June 2012).
612:"New Zealand Journal of History"
924:19th-century New Zealand people
919:University of Canterbury alumni
371:Lovell-Smith, Margaret (2004).
244:Christchurch Girls' High School
37:Helen Connon in academic dress
1:
585:The Book of New Zealand Women
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46:
833:"Chronicle, Vol, 42, No. 10"
211:In 1874 the family moved to
929:Educators from Christchurch
894:New Zealand women academics
377:Canterbury University Press
286:and was mother to the poet
950:
934:New Zealand schoolteachers
200:After the family moved to
812:Royal Society Te Apārangi
334:Royal Society Te Apārangi
256:Wellington Girls' College
219:to enrol her daughter as
30:
638:"Edith Searle Grossmann"
511:Mitchell, Lissa (2023).
352:Christchurch Arts Centre
327:Cathedral Grammar School
193:; he would later become
670:"Brown, John Macmillan"
345:Macmillan Brown Library
274:and had two daughters:
548:"Edger, Kate Milligan"
409:"Distinguished Alumni"
338:150 women in 150 words
319:Edith Searle Grossmann
252:Edith Searle Grossmann
914:New Zealand feminists
862:www.artscentre.org.nz
297:Connon suffered from
115:Viola Macmillan Brown
217:John Macmillan Brown
101:John Macmillan Brown
165:Connon was born in
868:on 21 January 2016
788:on 5 February 2016
636:Roberts, Heather.
356:Canterbury College
221:Canterbury College
173:carpenter and his
83:Canterbury College
524:978-0-9951384-9-0
386:978-1-877257-27-8
155:university degree
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413:canterbury.ac.nz
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284:Archibald Baxter
197:of New Zealand.
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125:Archibald Baxter
111:Millicent Baxter
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65:22 February 1903
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450:"Connon, Helen"
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365:Further reading
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288:James K. Baxter
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79:Alma mater
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808:"Helen Connon"
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722:"Scholarships"
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151:British Empire
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89:Known for
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67:(aged 43)
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265:Personal life
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229:New Zealander
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181:around 1862.
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153:to receive a
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127:(son-in-law)
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904:1860s births
870:. Retrieved
866:the original
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840:. Retrieved
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786:the original
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278:in 1888 and
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213:Christchurch
210:
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191:Robert Stout
188:
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147:Christchurch
139:Helen Connon
138:
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25:Helen Connon
18:
909:1903 deaths
358:'s campus.
206:Dame school
55:, Australia
888:Categories
872:5 February
842:4 February
792:4 February
731:5 February
706:5 February
685:29 January
621:4 February
594:0908912048
563:29 January
533:1374563763
493:4 February
465:29 January
418:17 October
395:References
307:diphtheria
225:Kate Edger
161:Early life
132:(grandson)
764:1174-6955
276:Millicent
272:Fendalton
227:, also a
185:Education
167:Melbourne
121:Relatives
53:Melbourne
653:23 April
325:sold to
299:insomnia
202:Hokitika
175:Scottish
107:Children
303:Rotorua
179:Dunedin
71:Rotorua
817:10 May
762:
591:
531:
521:
383:
313:Legacy
238:Career
97:Spouse
836:(PDF)
758:(1).
615:(PDF)
280:Viola
171:Welsh
874:2016
844:2016
819:2021
794:2016
760:ISSN
733:2016
708:2016
687:2016
655:2017
623:2016
589:ISBN
565:2016
529:OCLC
519:ISBN
495:2016
467:2016
420:2012
381:ISBN
336:'s "
113:and
61:Died
49:1860
43:Born
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
