The History of
St. Mary's School 1908 - 1939
The
History of the Catholic Church in the Kimberley and
the beginnings of St. Mary's school
The History of
St. Mary's School 1940 - 1975
THE HISTORY OF ST. MARY'S SCHOOL 1908 - 1995
In June, 1907, nine sisters from the Order of St. John of God (8 Irish and one Australian) left Subiaco Perth and after arriving in Broome were taken by lugger to the Beagle Bay mission. The community, under the direction of Mother Antonia O'Brien, was especially concerned with educating the girls and caring for the sick. During the first three years remarkable progress was made; the mission in (1910) numbered four priests, twelve brothers, and nine sisters. The Sisters assisted the priests and brothers in evangelising the coastal and later the desert areas of the vast Kimberley. They wore heavy dress habits, veils and forehead bands which were terribly hot in the Kimberley conditions.
The Sisters lived in tin sheds which had hessian for windows.
After twelve months in Beagle Bay it was clear to Mother Antonio as leader that for the Sisters to be able to live their mission as Sisters of St John of God they needed an independent place where they could care for their sick and elderly and train recruits. Mother Antonio therefore set out from Beagle Bay with Sister Mary Benedict to journey to the town of Broome arriving on the 4th June 1908. Here they arrived with no money, knowing no one but with faith that Providence would provide. They alighted at Streeters jetty and an Aboriginal boy took them to a local home where they were given a meal by an Irish lady married to a Fillipino. They then went down the street to beg the necessities of pots and pans and stretcher beds. They were given a small hut with a stove for them to cook. They slept in the lean too at the back of the Church. The original cement block of the foundation hut can still be seen in the Old Convent grounds in Barker Street. The old church is no longer there.
Two weeks after the sisters arrived, they started a school on the verandah of the old church on 29th June 1908. Aboriginal children did not attend at this time as they were not allowed in Broome except if they had a work permit. This came about because of the Native Act of 1905 which prohibited Aboriginal people from living in the Broome town area. Even today a single post from the common gate fence can be seen beside the mangrove on the outskirts of town. So the first children in the school were Chinese, Philipino and Japanese.
Sr Benedict Courtney was the first teacher and Principal of the school. Over the next 3 and a half years other Sisters also taught in the school as did two lay teachers. The school continued to prosper on the verandah of the old Church and then moved into the Church as the numbers grew. This stirred the local community who raised funds towards the end of 1911 and so a purpose built school was built by the Japanese community and was opened in February 1912 and this school was registered with the State authorities. Most of the children who attended St. Mary's school were Japanese. This school continued to be used into the 1970s until it was pulled down in this time period. It was situated where the present Nicholas Emo centre is located today. Therefore all these grounds form the foundation grounds/land of St Mary’s.
The sisters also did good works around the town by visiting the sick.
In 1924 Sr. Ignatius added the Holy Child Kindergarten to the school resulting in a total enrolment for the school of sixty six children.
Parents worked hard to support the school as there was no government funding. The basic curriculum included literature, speech training, hygiene, marching, dancing and gymnastics.
In August 1939 the St. John of God Sisters made a decision to establish a separate home for school aged girls down the street from the convent as by then they had 16 little girls in the convent living in hostel intended for working girls and so they had no room.
During World War II, the German Pallottine Fathers and Brothers were jailed and interned in Melbourne.
Most of the population of Broome was evacuated to Beagle Bay.
Broome became a military defence station. Together with more that 600 people, St. Mary’s was evacuated to Beagle Bay Mission where it became known as “Broome School” when it was re-established under a paper-bark shelter.
With minimum materials, the children’s education continued. Times were hard for everyone, with people displaced, separated and some fighting in the war.
1945, the school moved back to Broome and because of the poverty at the mission, many Beagle Bay families also moved
The school’s population was now a mix of Aboriginal and Asian students and once again families worked tirelessly to rebuild the school.
1954 Father McKelson came to Broome as Parish Priest. He started dances for Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal peope which was unheard of in that era. He held Bingo nights and raised money for the first classrooms to be built in Broome. A parents and friends group was initiated, language programs were established and annual school concerts became a tradition. There was no Government support.
Around this time a Pallotine hostel was built in Perth and some of the Kimberley students who could afford it, continued their education at Rossmoyne
1962 - Holy Child Kindergarden was closed and the buildings were later used as classrooms for the Junior grades of St. Mary's
In the early 70's the church funded the building of new class rooms for the Junior school. The Loreto sisters joined the St. John of God sisters to teach in the school
1973 the Loreto Sisters joined the staff and the Principal, Sr. Leone Collins recruited and trained the first fully funded Aboriginal Teaching Assistants made possible by a successful grant submission by Fr. Michael McMahon who was the Parish Priest.
1973 - an altar consisting of hundreds of carefully matched pearl shells was created in the present Cathedral.
1975, St. Mary’s began the first Pre-Primary in the State of WA
The first Diocesan priest was ordained in 1976.
1977 the Loreto Sisters took over responsibility of the school. During the 1970's there was a turning point in social attitudes towards the school. The Magistrate, the Postmaster and a teacher sent their children to St. Mary's. Sr. Leone (Principal from 74-76) commented on how 'white children'' were then 'allowed' to attend the convent school
Under the A.T.S.I.C. Capital Grants Program teh Federal Government provided the total cost of building a new school for St. Mary's. Stage one was opened in 1987 at Dakas St.
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The school crest - Love is Kind - was the outcome of discussion in the school community of 1976. The shape was a pearl shell the symbol of Broome. The shield within the pearl was the shield of faith |
Explanation of the Nulungu
waterhole dreamtime legend
Explanation of the Nulungu Chapel architecture
Explanation of the stain glass window in the
Nulungu Chapel
History of the
Beagle Bay Church
Brother Nick Bilich
(1930-2000)
The History of Nulungu College 1971
-1994
History of Nulungu Girls College
1974
The History of St. Mary's College
St. Mary's College was established on 1 January 1995 with the amalgamation of Holy Child Kindergarten, St. Mary's Primary School and Nulungu College.
PRINCIPALS
Br. Kevin Ryan (1995-96)
Ms Kath Heagney (1997 - 2001)
Mr Barry Baskerville (2002)
Mr. Tony Treacy (Head of Primary 1998- 2002) Secondary (2003 -
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION COORDINATORS
| YEAR | PRIMARY | SECONDARY | |
| 1992 | Joanne Shiosaki | Ms Cathy Reynolds | |
| 1993 | Joanne Shiosaki | Ms Cathy Reynolds | |
| 1994 | Damian Kelly | Ms Anne Belfrage | |
| 1995 | Clare Scanlon | Ms Anne Belfrage | |
| 1996 | Ms Julia Rahman | Ms Anne Belfrage | |
| 1997 | Ms Julia Rahman | Ms Anne Belfrage | |
| 1998 | Ms Veronica Parker | Ms Anne Belfrage | |
| 1999 | Ms Veronica Parker | Mr. Paul Treacy | |
| 2000 | Ms Veronica Parker | Ms Sarah Quin | |
| 2001 | Ms Veronica Parker | Ms Sarah Quin | |
| 2003 | Ms Veronica Parker | Ms Sarah Quin | |
| 2003 | Ms Veronica Parker | Ms Sarah Quin | |
| 2004 |
Ms Veronica Parker |
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| 2005 |
Mr. Brian Kane |
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| 2006 | Mr. Brian Kane | ||
| 2007 | Mr. Brian Kane | ||
| 2008 | Mr. Brian Kane | ||
Past students of St. Mary's College
Past teachers' of St. Mary'sNulungu College
Past staff of St. Mary's school (1985 -1995)
Explanation of
St.Mary's College crest:
(click on each symbol in the crest from this web link)
Religious of St.Mary's/Nulungu College
SISTERS OF ST. JOHN OF GOD
Sr. Pat Rhatigan
Sr. Veronica Ryan
Sr. Leone Collins Principal (1974 - 76)
SISTERS OF OUR LADY OF THE MISSIONS (1974-2007)
Sr. Pauline Pratley
Sr. Patricia Hogan (1974-75) RIP - 14/07/1987
Sr. Juliana Keane RIP (75-78)
Sr. Marie Elliot
Sr. Helena Brabender
Sr. Teresa McAuliffe
Sr. Anthony Keilor RIP
Sr. Margaret Spain (Principal 1979-85)
Sr. Helen Scammel RIP
Sr. Mary McFall
Sr. Lois Hannan RIP
Sr. Doreen Chan
Sr. Margaret Scott
Sr. Mary Maitland
Sr. Mary Evans
LORETO SISTERS (Joined St. Mary's school staff in 1973)
History of the Loreto Sisters in Broome (1973 -1995)
Sr. Mary Ellen Mc Cormick (1977-1981) now member of an enclosed Religious order in the U.S.
Sr. Angela Slattery (1975-1995) at St. Mary's
Sr. Mary Murray (1978-1984) (1981-84 as Principal)
Sr. Claire Gardiner (1984-1989)
Sr. Cynthia (Victor) Wright (1990-1995)
Sr. Mary Roarty
Sr. Myrene Erdman.
CHRISTIAN BROTHER'S
Br. Douglas Boulter RIP 11/12/1992
Br. Kevin Kent RIP 29/03/1993
Br. Desmond Howard RIP 10/02/1998
Br. Nicholas Bilich RIP 21/03/2000
Br. John O'Sullivan RIP 14/02/2002
Br. Laurie Negus
Br. Peter Negus
Br. Kevin Ryan
Br. Mike Lalor
Br. Trevor Gibbons
Br. Graham Down
Br. Pat Mohen
Br. Don Wedd
Br. Brian Cleary
Br. Terry Gee
Br. Bill Marchant
TEACHERS AND ATA'S AT NULUNGU COLLEGE
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| If the above list is missing
some names, it is unintentional - thankyou. Please email us to amend the
list.
kaney78@hotmail.com |
came to Broome in the 1972 with her
Sr.Alice, Sr. Joan, Sr. Pat, Sr. Philomena, Sr. Leone, Sr. Veronica (May 2007)
