From Ms R. Camilleri

I first met Connie Fenech in October 1960 when I entered Mater Admirabilis Training College for my two-year Teacher Training Course. She was president of the Council of Students. I remember I was immediately struck by her sense of duty. Somehow, she always managed to do the correct thing, and influenced others to follow her.

We met again at the Convent of the Sacred Heart School in the early 1970s, where she taught English and Doctrine to all the Form Ones. Now I saw Connie at work, and once again I was struck by her great sense of duty. To these young girls she was the firm mother figure at school, although perhaps a little too firm at times. However, she did help them tremendously in the transition period from Junior School to become independent individuals in the Senior School, besides getting on with the teaching of her two subjects.

No one ever forgot Mrs Fenech. They all treated her with respect to the very end of their school life. There was no fooling around with Mrs Fenech. She managed to transmit to the girls a sense of security, so much so that once, when I was admonishing a class of fifth formers for misbehaviour, I had asked, “So what type of teachers do you want?” A particularly mischievous student answered, “ We want people like Mrs Fenech, people who are good teachers, firm and loving and are not intimidated by us. She is wasted with the Form 1s.” Quite an eye opener! If we could we would have used her both with the young entrants and with the school leavers, but of course it was impossible. When I spoke to Connie and mentioned the remark, she just gave me her usual quiet smile and told me, “I am happy where I am.” And that is where she remained.

Come wind, rain or shine or floods Mrs Fenech was always at school. At times the girls used to ask “Is Mrs Fenech never away?” No, Mrs Fenech was ALWAYS at school and she did not even own a car.

Connie’s sense of duty even rubbed off on to the staff. When it was time to go to class, we did not ask “Has the bell gone?” Instead we looked out for Connie. If she was not there, then it was time to go to class.

Besides her excellent standard of work, I always admired Connie’s strength of character, her simplicity, honesty and straightforwardness. You always knew where you stood with Connie. Unfortunately, just as we started to enjoy a very relaxed relationship after our retirement with the wonderful group of the Golden Girls of the Sacred Heart School, Connie was literally snatched away from us after a relatively short and cruel illness.

I am sure that now, after all her hard work, she is in the arms of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who she loved and revered so much. Thank you Connie for the wonderful years together. Thank you for all the years you dedicated to educating Malta’s children in State schools and at the Sacred Heart. I would like to finish with the words that our friend Patricia Sant read out at the funeral Mass: “If there were more Connies in the world, it would definitely be a much better place!”

Rita Camilleri

Ex-Deputy Head

Senior School

Convent of the Sacred Heart

St Julian’s