Above and Beyond: A Life Well Lived

By Annie Jordan

Often the most outstanding people are the most unassuming and humble folk you will ever meet: Margaret Rice is one such individual.

You would never guess she had recently been recognised in the Scottish Parliament for her 62 year career in education by a Motion presented by Marie McNair, MSP of which she has a framed copy in her living room.

I have a feeling her career in education is just the tip of the iceberg and Margaret has many ‘strings to her bow’, but she dismisses her many achievements as nothing out of the ordinary and is puzzled I should be interested in her.

“I just did it,” she says. “Why would anyone want to interview me?”

I suggest her education career is probably unparalleled given she firstly worked in the Education offices in Clydebank, then in St Columba’s High School office, and she also taught typing in Helensburgh Academy and in Clydebank College, at night school.

She has also been a Chief Invigilator for the SQA, first at St Columba’s and subsequently at St Peter the Apostle.

In addition to her working life, and life as Mum to son Gerard, Margaret volunteered on numerous committees and associations for the community.

She helped set up her local residents’ association in 1982…and held several roles over the years, helping out in both our Lady of Loreto and St Stephen’s where she is still involved.

She also sings in St Stephen’s choir and Clydebank Ladies Choir which she helped set up and where she still serves as secretary.

Guiding Light for Many

Not everyone gets involved in their local community, some people actively shy away from it, but Margaret, embraced a life of service, starting when she was very young, as a Guide and then a Guider.

In fact, she was my Guider when I joined the Guides.

Too shy to join the Brownies and reluctant to join the Guides, Margaret skilfully took me under her wing and made me the Sixer of the Snowdrop Patrol.

“That was my own patrol when I was a girl…” Margaret recalled.

This made me feel ten feet tall.

What an honour!

Guiding stayed in Margaret’s life for around 30 years: 1st Drumry, 2nd Duntocher and 4th Dalmuir.

Who knows how many little girls Margaret transformed by her unstinting faith in them and her gentle, cajoling manner?

Her ‘can do’ spirit made us see our own potential and believe in it.

Margaret also served as Assistant Commissioner for Faifley and Duntocher District, training Brownie Guiders as well as Girl Guiders and testing their leadership.

She was also the Catholic Representative for Dunbartonshire Guides and Brownies on the Scottish Catholic Commission for the Guide Movement.

Moving Fast

Margaret worked as the Senior Clerical Officer, then the Administrative Assistant in the former Saint Columba’s High School where she embraced her fast evolving role, changing from manual typewriter to electric, then word-processor and finally the computer.

We chat about the ‘olden day’ challenge of drawing a table manually using tabs and a lot of arithmetic.

And let’s not forget shorthand… Remember those days?

Margaret gladly welcomed new technology: her work today is on her laptop which she uses regularly.

“Everything moved so fast in the world of business, and you had to make sure you kept up, but they sent us on plenty of courses….”

And keep up, she did!

When Margaret first qualified, she was hired immediately by the Education office in Kilbowie Road, Clydebank.

She particularly enjoyed Friday afternoons when workers collected their wage packets.

Till this day, she can still hear their voices and chuckles at the memory…

“Of course, that’s all changed now: no pay packet any more!”

Favourite School Days

Margaret’s highlight of the school calendar was the annual show where she usually helped out in the tearoom, chatting to audience members.

“When Saint Columba’s was 25 years old, Leo Duffy, the headteacher at the time asked me to invite former teachers back to celebrate this milestone.

"He then welcomed all the ladies back with a corsage…A lovely touch…”

Another highlight was non-uniform day where the students raised funds for charity.

Margaret and her colleague Catherine, turned this on its head by dressing up in school uniform to much hilarity from staff and pupils alike: “Those were the days!” I muse.

Her capacity for organising is legendary: she even had a whole folder of documents and photos ready for me to peruse.

What a fascinating kaleidoscope of a very busy life well-lived!

Above and Beyond

I notice a postcard of West Dunbartonshire Women’s History Group special VE day street party in the Town Hall in 2016.

I congratulate Margaret on this event but she says: “All credit due to my friend, May Semple.

"She also compiled ‘A Wartime Collection’- stories from more than 30 women…”

She gives me her own private copy of the book and a DVD to watch.

Such a treat!

After Margaret retired, to stay on as Chief Invigilator, a role which has changed beyond recognition with many students having separate arrangements for sitting their exams.

“So much responsibility!” I exclaim, and she confessed it had become harder and harder.

She had to spend hours on advance preparation to make sure all students felt supported and comfortable in their exams and that everything ran like clockwork for her team.

“Above and beyond,” I remark, summing up Margaret’s life in just three words.

Footnote: If anyone recognises themselves from the black & white photo of the parade in Old Kilpatrick, particularly the wee baby in the pram. please get in touch with Clydesiders

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