|
History
The Jesuit Fathers of North Sydney asked the Marist Brothers to establish a school in Ridge Street. At this time, North Sydney was a rapidly developing, working class area well known for times of poverty, depression and struggle.
The school of the present site in Ridge Street, North Sydney, was opened by Cardinal Moran on 26th February, 1888. It began as a small, two roomed school.
It was surrounded by bush on one side and open paddocks on the other. It opened with sixty-five boys on the role and a staff of three Marist Brothers. The first director (Principal) was Brother Walter Moore.
By the end of 1888 the enrolments had grown to over one hundred. An extra room had to be added to the school in 1896. By 1913 enrolments had reached three hundred boys, far too many students to be confined to the three-roomed building at Ridge Street and for three members of staff to handle.
In 1916 the Marist Brothers and their students moved to a new site at Mannessa Hall in Carlow Street.
The School site in Ridge Street was handed over to the Sisters of St. Joseph to replace their Mount Street premises which had been condemned. In 1916, the primary pupils moved to Ridge Street and occupied the building vacated by the Marist brothers, while the Sisters lived in the house adjoining the school.
The Ridge Street school became known as the “Practice and Demonstration” School of St. Josephs Training School.
The Principal of the school was Sr. Mary Donatus Egan, RSJ. During her term of office the needs of Catholic Education demanded that the teaching be raised from Primary to Secondary, so that the pupils of the Ridge Street School were educated to intermediate standard, together with Commercial Training.
The need grew to such an extent that the Sisters did not hesitate to build a new school at Mount Street which provided full facilities for all commercial subjects, Cooking, Domestic Science and Dressmaking.
Sr. Donatus remained the principal of the Ridge Street School until she was transferred to the Mount Street Commercial and Domestic Science School. Sister Cordula Mcmahon, RSJ, was then appointed Principal of the Ridge Street School.
When the Archbishop of Sydney established an Education Office, it was deemed necessary to centralise the schools. In 1955 Mount Street was made the Regional School and received the senior pupils from Ridge Street, Naremburn and Lavender Bay.
The Sisters of St. Joseph vacated Ridge Street in 1955 and transferred to Lavender Bay, while the Sisters of mercy took over in the Ridge Street School. In 1956, St. Mary’s became a Primary School, Further cutbacks in classes took place due to the building of the expressway and the demolition of homes. The School at this time catered for kindergarten to year 4.
School records show that enrolments were down to 69 in 1978. However, in 1980, the need was seen for the school to again go to year 6.
From 1981 to 1988, the mercy Sisters continued their leadership of the school under Sister Ellen Cahill RSM.
In 1989, the first lay Principal, Mrs. Susan Clifton, was appointed. The enrolments in February 1989 was 186 Students. It was a single stream school catering for boys and girls from kindergarten to Year 6. The school was staffed entirely by lay staff.
By this time, the building was too cramped for the number of students and the buildings and outside areas needed major upgrading.
After consultation with all concerned Fr Joseph Sobb SJ, the Parish Priest of St. Mary’s decided that a building project was to be undertaken. This project was to be totally funded by the parents and parishioners of St. Mary’s School and Parish. This project was to include the upgrading and refurbishment the existing building and outside areas. As well as this, a new school block of six classrooms was to be built adjacent to the existing building. Construction work began on 12th October 1992.
The Blessing and Official Opening of the new building and renovations took place on Sunday, 24th October 1993. Bishop Peter Ingham presided and over five hundred people were in attendance.
|
