Myra Roper

Myra Ellen Roper AM (1911–2002) was a British-born Australian educationalist, author, broadcaster, and expert on China. She was principal of University Women's College, at the University of Melbourne from 1947 to 1960.[1]

Roper wrote five books about China to encourage sympathy and acceptance of the new People's Republic of China, including a book for children.[2]

Her papers are collected in the National Library of Australia.[3]

Early life and education

Born in Haworth, Yorkshire in 1911, Roper was educated at Newnham College, Cambridge,[4] graduating in 1933, and a Diploma in Teaching from the Institute of Education, London University in 1934.[5] She taught in England and Canada, and was an Assistant Education officer in England.

Career in Australia

Roper came to Australia in 1947 to become the third Principal of University Women's College, at the University of Melbourne, a role she held until 1960.[1] She gained her MA from the University of Melbourne in 1947.[5] She was an active fundraiser and built three new accommodation wings for female students who came from the country and from Asia, tripling the college's size.[6] The third building, completed after she left the college was named for her. The building is being replaced by the College in 2017, and will retain her name.[7] A scholarship for a graduate student from China to University College also bears her name.[8] A biography of this time was published in 1989.[9]

Roper was an active broadcaster, appearing regularly on television, for example on the ABC program Meet (1957), and on Channel 7 as co-host with Bill Acfield of Letter Box (1962) and Party Time (1963).

She sat on the ABC Advisory Committee, the Elizabethan Theatre Trust and the Melbourne State College boards. She also published articles and gave speeches on education[10][11] and encouraging women's representation in public life.[12]

Australia–Asia relations

Roper was particularly influential in her work travelling to Asia and building Australia–China relations between the 1950s and 1980s. She visited China 15 times,[2] and wrote four books about her travels. She was also 'the first Australian to make a television documentary of China during the Maoist era".[13] She became the President of the Committee for Australia China Relations.[5] After retiring from University College, she focused on her broadcasting and the delegations to China. In 1965 she moved to Canberra, the national capital, to continue her work.

Images of her travels to Thailand, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, among others, are held in the Monash University Library.[14]

Awards

She was named a Member of the Order of Australia in 1985, for "services to international relations."[15]

First annual award of the Rostrum Club of Victoria, the Award of Merit, for excellence in the art of public speaking over a considerable period and his demonstration of an effective contribution to society through the spoken word. Awarded on 23 July 1977.[16]

Publications

'An Idea is a Fact' in Australian theatre year book (F.W. Chesire, 1958), pp. 11–17[17]

China: The Surprising Country (Heinemann, 1966)[18]

China in Revolution 1911–1949 (Edward Arnold, 1971)[19]

China: A world so changed with Charles Patrick Fitzgerald, (Heinemann, 1973)[20]

Modern Chinese history, 1793-1949 : from first European contacts to the Communist Revolution (Heinemann, 1982).

Emperor's China, People's China (Heinemann, 1981)[21]

References
  1. "Our History | University College". University College. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  2. Sobocinska, Agnieszka (1 September 2014). Visiting the Neighbours: Australians in Asia. NewSouth. ISBN 9781742241807.
  3. Roper, Myra (1958). "Papers of Myra Roper". National Library of Australia Catalogue. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  4. McDonald, Jennifer; Egelton, Gemma; Forster, Ian (2012). "Celebrating 75 Years at University College" (PDF).
  5. Flesch, Juliet (2015). 40 years 40 women : biographies of University of Melbourne women : published to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the international year of women / Juliet Flesch. The University of Melbourne, Victoria: The University of Melbourne Library. ISBN 9780734051028.
  6. PATRICIA EDGAR and LESLEY FALLOON (4 January 2011). "Pioneer in women's education". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  7. "The Expansion of UC | University College". University College. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  8. "Scholarships and Financial Assistance | University College". University College. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  9. Wilson, Valerie; Lloyd, Dorothy; University College Association (University of Melbourne) (1989). A Liberal discipline: reminiscences of University Women's College and Myra Roper 1947–1951. Parkville, Vic.: University College Association. ISBN 073167524X. OCLC 27579246.
  10. "Miss Myra Roper says... 'SCHOOL CAN BE TOO FASCINATING'". Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957). 29 April 1952. p. 6. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  11. "Democracy's Debt To Education". Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : 1869 – 1954). 11 August 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  12. "WHY ARE THERE NO WOMEN IN OUR PUBLIC LIFE?". Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957). 5 May 1952. p. 2. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  13. Fung, Chi Ming (1 November 2005). Reluctant Heroes: Rickshaw Pullers in Hong Kong and Canton, 1874–1954. Hong Kong University Press. ISBN 9789622097346.
  14. "Myra Roper Image Collection". Monash Collections online. 1950–2000. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017. Alt URL
  15. "Honours Australia Day 1985" (PDF). 1985. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  16. Award Certificate, Rostrum Victoria, 23 July 1977
  17. "AusStage". ausstage.edu.au. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  18. Roper, Myra (1966). China: The Surprising Country. W. Heinemann.
  19. Roper, Myra (1971). China in Revolution, 1911–1949. Edward Arnold. ISBN 9780713116847.
  20. FitzGerald, C. P.; Roper, joint author.), Myra (1972). China : a world so changed. Melbourne : Thomas Nelson (Australia). ISBN 0170019721. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. Roper, Myra; Smith, C. A.; Wood, Edward J. (1981). Emperor's China, people's China (1st ed.). Richmond, Vic. : Heinemann Educational. ISBN 0858592401.
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