"It was the tradition, you went into those areas.
"It was bandied about you could be an air hostess or something like that but being a lawyer or an accountant or anything, that was really out of the box," she said.
Her decision to take up teaching must have been a good one, because not only did Ms Scorgie find a career but also St Peter’s College, where she started 50 years ago and has stayed to this day.
It is rare for someone to work at the same place for half a century, but Ms Scorgie said she greatly enjoyed working at St Peter’s.
She said she quickly found the school was a good fit for her.
"The ethos of the school [made me stay]. I think the open-mindedness among staff had a huge appeal to me. When I first came here, the priests were in control of the school with the Sisters of Mercy.
"They were all very well-educated, very open-minded — they weren’t judgemental," she said.
As new teachers come and go, and Ms Scorgie said her breadth of experience and knowledge really came down to a few key things she would share to help others thrive.
"Be consistent, be compassionate and have a sense of community. It’s really essential. Not just within the school, but out as well," she said.
We have some things planned which will be a bit of a surprise, a few messages from people, some dignitaries, to mark the occasion because this never happens in any school.
Ms Scorgie said it was always a wonderful experience to see who those bright-eyed students she had taught became, and where they went after they left St Peter’s.
"[We had a reunion] and when you ask them what they were doing, there were entrepreneurs, there were lawyers, TV presenters like Mike Puru and Alice Wilkins. There was every profession.
"And I remember, they’d be sitting and nodding their heads in the social studies class. It’s just amazing," she said.
A celebration at Croydon Lodge will be held on March 28 to mark Ms Scorgie’s milestone.
Principal Kieran Udy said it would be a day to look back and recognise this historic occasion and a very special member of the faculty.
"This milestone of Prue’s is unique. We have some things planned which will be a bit of a surprise, a few messages from people, some dignitaries, to mark the occasion because this never happens in any school," he said.
Mr Udy said even after 50 years, Ms Scorgie still had plenty of gas in the tank and was exemplary of what a teacher should bring in terms of attitude and commitment.
"She’s got a lot of energy and enthusiasm for teaching. The kids like her. She’s teaching grandkids of people she taught. She has multigenerational knowledge, experience.
"Often, in my short time here, you’ll hear a story or a memory about her, they’re always positive.
"She’s still working fulltime with remarkable energy, turning up sometimes with more energy than the younger staff — it’s impressive.
"I think there’s also a genuine love and care and concern for the kids in this community.
"She’s one of those people who, even in challenging times, stays very positive, very professional, and is in it for the right reasons," he said.
Tickets for Ms Scorgie’s 50th anniversary event are on sale at the school’s finance office.
