People Australia

Ruth Don, 1951

Australian Women's Weekly, 3 March 1951, p 47

Ruth Edith Don (1902-2003) teacher and trade union leader 

Birth: 28 December 1902 at Laidley, Queensland, daughter of Queensland-born Alexander McDonald William Don (1867-1962), president of Queensland Teachers’ Union 1925, and Elizabeth Agnes, née Rees (1871-1962), who was born in Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales. Never married. Death: 9 July 2003 in Queensland. 

• Educated at Queensland state primary schools, Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School and Charters Towers High School. Graduated BA at University of Queensland in 1925.
• First taught school at Gympie in 1926. Had a distinguished career in Queensland Education Department: 1954 became first female senior mistress of a Queensland High School; 1955 appointed principal of the Domestic Science High School, Brisbane, and of Brisbane’s Office Training College.
• In 1941 was founding president of the Forum Club, in Brisbane, which sought to encourage women to speak in public and run meetings.
• In 1947 was instrumental in establishing equal pay as Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) policy and helped draw up arguments for submission to Industrial Court in 1948 (unsuccessful).
• 1948 was delegate to Australian Teachers’ Federation annual conference. Elected to union executive 1947, vice-president 1949. From 1951 to 1953 was the first woman to be president of the QTU.
• 1954 North Queensland Council Representative and appointed to executive of union, remaining until 1957 while continuing to represent North Queensland until 1962.
• Retired in 1968. Appointed life member of QTU in 1973.
• In June 1992 was awarded OAM for service to Association of women’s Forum Clubs.

Sources
Photo and profile, Education, vol 33, no. 03, 29 February 1952, p 11; Queensland Teachers' Journal, July 1973; Andrew Spaull and Martin Sullivan, A history of the Queensland Teachers Union (Sydney, 1989).