RETIRING FROM ONE POSITION WITH THE OFFER OF ANOTHER

Excerpt from 'THE CLOCK OF TIME" by Gertrude Ruston.  (pp 208-209)

"While we were trying to find my successor for the Perth Emergency Housekeeper Scheme I was asked by Mr George Smith, Director of the Christian Welfare Centre, Churches of Christ in Beaufort Street, Perth, if I would take over the running of the Centre from him whilst he completed his Master's degree at the University of Western Australia.

At the time I was over seventy and rather overwhelmed at the request as I thought there were others already connected with the Centre who were more qualified to take the position.  When I went for an interview I was very impressed with the work undertaken by the Churches of Christ at their Welfare Centre and would have enjoyed becoming part of it.  However, as I explained to Mr Smith, I could not leave the Housekeeper Service until a new Director was appointed and, at that time, we had nobody in view.  I therefore declined the offer, feeling sure that Mrs Peg Eaton and others at the Centre would be able to carry on until Mr Smith returned.

At last I approached Mrs W.W.Mitchell, one of our Board members, and asked if she would consider becoming the Director of PEHS.  After some deliberation she agreed provided that if I remained with her for three months, and I gradually relinquished direction and retired on 6th October, 1972.  (My mother at the time of this retirement was 75 years of age).

Mrs Mitchell arranged a special farewell function in my honour at the Gateway Inn at which Professor Saint was as unexpected and most welcome guest.  Both he and Dr Colin Anderson were kind enough to pay tributes to my services, and I received an Honorary Life Membership Certificate similar to that presented to Professor Saint when he left the Council of Social Service.

Mrs Mitchell carried on most successfully for some time ably assisted by Mrs Dorothy Walters as Chief Supervisor, while the service progressed and expanded. However, in due course Mrs Mitchell also found it necessary to resign for pressing family reasons, and incoming officers proved to be unsuitable and quite unsatisfactory.

Much water has gone under the bridge and, after some tribulation, Mrs Mary Scolly, a trained nurse with considerable experience as one of our Home Visitors, has become Director, and all is well again with PEHS.  Once again they have changed their address and now have excellent quarters on the ground floor in Hay Street.

I was present at the 1980 annual general meeting, at which Professor Eric Saint was guest speaker, and was very impressed to hear that the government grant for 1979/80 amounted to $75,000 and they had been able to assist 2,000 cases.

I feel very happy and satisfied to know that the PEHS is in such excellent hands.  As was commented in "Reflections" - it is "A BLESSING OF A SERVICE".

I know how proud mum was that the PEHS had prospered the way it did.  After her accident she fought tooth and nail to get it back on its feet, another battle she won outright.