Adelaide Lyceum Club Oral History

Sheila Martin was born in Western Australia and the family moved to Belair when she was five. She enjoyed riding and music. Sheila went to the Kindergarten Training College in Palmer Place North Adelaide and opened a kindergarten at Blackwood. Sheila and her students were involved in the pageant for the South Australian centenary in 1936 and Sheila was the Spirit of SA. She became the Director of the Franklin Street free kindergarten and then taught at the PGC in the junior school. She married Harry Wesley Smith and in 1939 left for England. World War II broke out so they returned to Australia in 1942. Harry joined the AIF and Sheila raised four sons. Music was important to the family. Sheila joined the Kindergarten of the Air and worked on programs for five years in the 1960s. She was involved with community work with handicapped children and people in nursing homes.