People Australia

Mary Reid, 1965

Education (NSW), 2 June 1965, p 76

Mary Alison Reid (1907-1993), school teacher and trade union official

Birth: 8 September 1907 at Yackandandah, Victoria, son of Robert Reid (1870-1941), an agent, born at Yackandanda, Victoria, and Alice Lillian, née Aveline (1881-1958), born at Queenstown, South Australia.  Unmarried. Death: 8 August 1993 at West Melbourne, Victoria; usual residence Brockley Street, Wodonga, Victoria. 

• Joined New South Wales teaching service as an assistant at Annandale Public School, Sydney, on 4 January 1927.
• Member NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF). Member Women Assistants Council 1938-1939. Member, NSWTF council in 1939, but transferred to Wagga Wagga in the same year.
• Returned to Sydney in 1944. Joined Infants Mistresses Association in 1944; executive member 1948; subsequently president for fifteen years. Encouraged association to become more active in federation and union affairs.
• Attended annual conferences of NSWTF from 1944 to 1971. Member, salaries Committee 1948-1971. Chair of Federation Library Committee over the same period.
• In 1950s was a staunch supporter of Sam Lewis and the strategy of direct action. Treasurer of committee established to support Lewis’s re-election to presidency.
• Member NSWTF executive from 1958 to 1971; also woman vice-president from 1959. Served on many departmental committees regarding infant education and contributed to shaping of NSWTF policies on infant schooling.
• Represented NSWTF at Australian Council of Trade Unions and Australian Teachers Federation conferences. Delegate to Indonesian Teachers Organisation.
• Retired about 1971 and returned to Victoria.
• Cause of death: acute gastric dilatation (1 hour), peptic ulceration, radiation induced diarrhea and carcinoma of endometrium.

Sources
Education, 22 June 1960, 2 June 1965, 26 May 1976.