Held at the Lyceum Club on Joan Montgomery’s 96th birthday on 6 July 2021 The Vetting of Wisdom is the gripping tale of a revered Principal—acclaimed nationwide as the leading girls’ school educator of her day—being assailed by a Presbyterian Church minority hell-bent on her dismissal and returning PLC to ‘bible-centred’ education. Biographer, journalist and former editor of the Canberra Times engages Joan Montgomery and Kim Rubenstein about Rubenstein’s book on Joan — a blow-by-blow account of the drama involving big personalities, legal manoeuvring, parliamentary intervention, fiery Council debates, outraged parents, packed public meetings, storms of mail and an incredulous press. Montgomery was eventually replaced with PLC’s first male Principal in 47 years.