Amy Jane Best (1844 – 28 May 1932) was an Australian schoolmistress. She founded and led "Miss Best's" - the Central High School for Girls in Perth. She was involved in the opening of the

Karrakatta Club The Karrakatta Club is a female-only women's club in Perth, Western Australia. Established in 1894, it was the first women's club in Australia. History The Karrakatta Club was founded in 1894 by members of the St George Reading Circle. The St G ...

in Perth.

Life

Best was born in 1844 in

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

in Tasmania. Her parents were Jane (born Whyte) and her husband Henry Best, who had married the year before. Her mother's father, Thomas Whyte, had been a mariner who was pardoned after being transported to Australia. Her father was a newspaper printer who was in business with his brother Charles Best. Her siblings included Henry Best who was a bank manager, Douglas Best who worked for the Bank of Australasia and Francis Best who was a lawyer. She was a teacher in Tasmania, but she moved to Perth in 1884. She was employed to run the Girls' College as its headmistress. The Girls' College was a boarding school that the short-lived idea of the Bishop of Perth, Henry Parry. His school closed in 1888 because of money problems, leaving a hole in the educational provision. Parry was at the time successfully organising the construction of Perth's cathedral, but which was also facing financial issues. Best had created the St George Reading Circle in 1887 where women members could discuss current affairs and exchane ideas about books and literature. Following a visit from an American, Emily Ryder, the Circle decided to form the

modelled on American Education Clubs. Best and J.A. Nisbet called the founding meeting and Best constructed the constitution. Best's ''Central High School for Girls'' was known as "Miss Best's" and it had no similar competition. She employed six staff of whom two were part-time and they provided education for girls until they were eighteen. She believed in equal pay, votes for women, the truth and in justice. Best though that the most important subjects were English literature, history and languages, and of this literature was the most important. The school closed in 1907 as other schools opened to deal with the influx of people attracted by the gold-rush. She had a long retirement as Best died in

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

in 1932. Two years after she died a group of ex-students organised an ''Amy Jane Best prize'' to be given each year to the best second year English literature female student at the

University of Western Australia The University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Perth, the state capital, with a secondary campus in Albany, Western Australia, Albany an ...

. In 2023

The West Australian ''The West Australian'' is the only locally edited daily newspaper published in Perth, Western Australia. It is owned by Seven West Media (SWM), as is the state's other major newspaper, ''The Sunday Times''. It is the second-oldest continuousl ...

newspaper identified the 100 people who had shaped the state of Western Australia and they included the botanist

Georgiana Molloy Georgiana Molloy (23 May 1805 – 8 April 1843) was an early settler in Western Australia, who is remembered as one of the first botanical collectors in the colony. Her husband, John, was involved in the Wonnerup massacre, and she has been the ...

, the educationalist

Ursula Frayne Ursula Frayne (5 October 1816 – 9 June 1885), born Clara Frayne, was an Irish nun who became a Mother Superior of the Sisters of Mercy and spent her life in missionary work, initially in Canada but largely in Australia developing schools and ac ...

, settler Emma Withnell, suffragist

Bessie Rischbieth Bessie Mabel Rischbieth, (née Earle; 16 October 187413 March 1967) was an influential and early Australian feminist and social activist. A leading or founding member of many social reform groups, such as the Women's Service Guilds, The Aus ...

, politician Edith Cowan, Sister Margaret O'Brien, Dr

Roberta Jull Roberta Henrietta Margaritta Jull (née Stewart, 16 August 1872 in Glasgow, Scotland – 6 March 1961 in Subiaco, Western Australia) was a medical doctor who, spurred by poor living conditions and high infant mortality, worked towards social refo ...

and Amy Jane Best noting that she had started the school and the

References

External links

Biography at ADB
{{DEFAULTSORT:Best, Amy Jane 1844 births 1932 deaths People from Hobart School principals and headteachers People from Perth, Western Australia