Obituaries Australia

Miss E. I. [Ellen Ida] Benham, B.Sc., whose death occurred recently, was one of those silent forces for good, whose worth to the State cannot be assessed. Her death will be sincerely mourned by all who have true educational methods at heart. Combined with an unselfish and a lovable disposition, she had the priceless gift of bringing out all that was best in children — a faculty for teaching them to "play the game." Miss Benham was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Benham, of Kapunda, and after some years of private tuition, her education was continued at the Advanced School for Girls, under Miss Rees George. Thereafter she took the science course at the Adelaide University, graduating with honors. A short period of teaching at the Kapunda Church of England school was followed by 18 months of study in England and Germany. Miss Benham then became assistant teacher at Dryborough House School, and subsequently filled a similar position at Tormore House School for 12 years or more. During this period Miss Benham returned to England, and obtained the Diploma of Education, Oxford. After the death of Professor Tate, and pending the arrival of Professor Osborn, Miss Benham lectured in botany at the University, and for some years she had been the principal of Walford School, Malvern. She will be greatly missed in University circles, especially by the members of the Women's Students' Society, of which she was for some time president, and which owes much of its present vitality to her enthusiastic support.