IT WAS A LEGACY OF LOVE, A GRAND OLD LADY LEFT TO A LEGEND OF UNDERPRIVILEGED CHILDREN

Born: 31st March 1908
Died: 16th April 1998

A linguist and elocutionist, Miss Enez Domec-Carre was renowned for her physical education skills introducing grace and culture to Melbourne.

Miss Domec-Carre was raised by her Mother who became sole parent from Enez’s age of five years.

In 1927 she was selected as the first Miss Victoria and was subsequently runner-up Miss Australia.

Enez joined Melbourne Legacy in 1932, the organisation that continues to assist the widows and families of departed veterans who died in active service or later in life. She soon became Chief Instructress of Girls’ Physical Education (P.E.) and continued in this post with Legacy until retirement. After retirement from Legacy in 1973, having reached the compulsory retirement age of 65, she conducted classes for married women and business girls well into the ‘80’s.

In addition to her work with Melbourne Legacy Miss Domec-Carre taught weekly classes at convent schools at Windsor, Elsternwick and Gardenvale and at Geelong High School, covering P.E., ballroom dancing and debutante preparation.

In 1935 she was appointed to the Board of Studies at the Melbourne University which set and controlled the P.E. courses and served on this board for 15 years. For several years Enez was Director of Physical Education in Catholic Church Schools.

Enez had an outstanding ability to work with physically and mentally handicapped girls.
She was renowned as a strict but fair, disciplinarian and perfectionist, but such was her feeling for people that seldom was a girl left smarting over being corrected, for some time during the evening a word of praise was forthcoming, – usually ‘that was much better dear’ .

After WW2 and the resultant ‘baby boom’ about 400 girls were attending 10 to 12 evening classes at Legacy House. All classes were under Enez’s instruction and supervision, through Assistants, many of which have carried this training into their later livelihoods.

In order to spare girls the pressures of external competitions she adopted an annual public display of activities and girls’ abilities, as the general goal of the Classes.

She designed all the costumes and scenery and choreographed all items, ostensibly as dances, but underlaid with PE. Working within a small budget she organised the Legacy Widows and Legatees (members of Legacy) wives into sewing groups to make the costumes whilst she begged or borrowed props.
Some of the girls were very young when they first had lessons from Miss Domec-Carre. Lessons not just in exercise, ballet, deportment and etiquette.

She was a brilliant organiser with one of her proudest moments being a display by 1000 Junior Legatees (children of Legacy widows) on the MCG at the welcome of the Queen to Melbourne in 1954.

In 1971 she was awarded the British Empire Medal in recognition of outstanding service to the community in the field of physical education.

In September 1997, Melbourne Legacy also recognised her service to the community in general and Legacy in particular, by according her the title of ‘Guest of Honour’ which is the highest award the club can bestow on any citizen.

Her inculcation of the ideals of decency, team spirit and compassion for others less fortunate in life has lead in many cases to life-long friendships amongst the Junior Legatees.

The thumbnail sketch of her life with Melbourne Legacy surely portrays a magnificently qualified and dedicated, loving person, devoting so much of her life to the welfare of others. Her pupils say her rewards were spiritual not material.

Miss Enez Domec-Carre died of a stroke at the age of ninety. She will be remembered as a unique and great lady by the thousands of women who have come under her influence.