Taken at the annual sports carnival at Singleton
Another successful day of competition for OLM High School
In 1953 Our Lady of Mercy Home Science School opened, providing secondary education for the older girls of Monte Pio for whom secondary education was simply not available. A small kitchen, a dining room, a bedroom and a bathroom were part of the new building project, but no provision was made for classrooms, so the old Sacred Heart dormitory belonging to the Monte Pio Home had to serve as a regular classroom.
Not only did the girls who lived at Monte Pio benefit from the opening of the high school. During its ten year existence the school developed a good reputation for scholastic and sporting achievements.
As a result of the Wyndham Report and limited resources the high school was forced to close in December 1962. At this time the high school’s curriculum was varied and well rounded, providing the pupils with a solid basis for further education and the opportunity to pursue careers in any field. Subjects taught at the school included English, Maths, History, Physiology, Business Principles and Bookkeeping, Home Science and Cooking, Textiles, Sewing and Drafting, and of course Religion. Shorthand and Typing were extra subjects taught after school hours.
History
1949
In 1949 when plans were being drawn up for extensions to Monte Pio Orphanage, a proposal was presented to Bishop Edmund Gleeson to include secondary school facilities for the girls from the Home. Consequently, the Bishop gave permission for two Home Science Units to be included in the building program, but no provision was made for classrooms.
1953
In 1953 Mother Mary Augustine appointed Sister Mary Jude to teach home science at “Monte Pio”. Mr Harold McGrath, the Diocesan Inspector for Schools at that time acted as chief adviser to the project and arranged for Sisters Mary Columbkille and Jude to visit the Hamilton State Home Science School. Mr Paddy Cunningham, Principal gave them advice and guide-lines regarding the necessary equipment that would need to be purchased to set-up the Home Science Units. A timetable and suggested textbooks were also provided.
1953
At the beginning of the 1953 school year there were ten pupils from the local Sacred Heart Primary School and 15 from Monte Pio who enrolled as Year 1 – as an extension of the Sacred Heart Primary School.
The Sacred Heart dormitory belonging to the Home was set up as a classroom. Subjects taught were English, Maths, Social Studies, Dressmaking and Home Science.
1954
In 1954 Sister Mary Joachim was appointed to assist Sister Mary Jude by teaching one period of Physiology each day to the combined Year 1 and Year 2.
1955
In 1955 Sister Mary Aquinas was appointed to share the class loads of Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3. At the end of that year six pupils sat for the External and Internal Intermediate Certificates as required by the Board of Secondary Studies. All candidates were successful in both examinations.
1956
In 1956 Sister Mary Eucharia replaced Sister Mary Aquinas. During this year a Panel of Examiners from the Department visited the School and examined the Internal Intermediate papers set by the School, as well as the marks awarded for such for the preceding year. Registers, Time-tables, Home Science facilities were all thoroughly examined as well. This examination resulted in full registration being granted to function as a Secondary Home Science School. The number of pupils attending the School at this time was 53.
The School became registered as “Our Lady of Mercy Home Science School, Campbell’s Hill”. The School now had its own entity. A motto was chosen “Mary Our Hope” and school colours for hat-bands, ties and pockets, the school badge and a specific school uniform were decided.
1957
In 1957 Sister Mary Malachy replaced Sister Mary Eucharia. The range of subjects was now extended to Book-keeping and Typewriting. Each year the students sat for examinations from Newton Business College and were rewarded, with great success, with Diplomas in Book-keeping and Typewriting, which equipped them for future secretarial and office employment. Shorthand was introduced as an optional, extra subject and taught after school hours.
1962
Pupils were now attending from Campbell’s Hill, Rutherford, Maitland, East Maitland, Greta, Branxton, Morpeth, Raymond Terrace and Miller’s Forest. By 1962 the enrolment had risen to 122.
1962
A real problem arose during 1962 by the compulsory implementation of the State Wyndham Report in all schools. Such required more adequate rooms and teaching facilities as well as qualified staff. No provision was possible or available for the teaching of Science, one of the compulsory “core” subjects of the Report. Negotiations were attempted on parochial, provincial and diocesan levels but all failed. So at the end of 1962, Our Lady of Mercy Home Science School closed its doors and provisions were made with the Maitland Dominican Secondary School to assimilate the pupils of the School.
During this decade, Our Lady of Mercy had become a closely-knit unit with a strong school “spirit” clearly evident by all when participating as a School in local, diocesan or provincial events, where successes were many in spite of, or because of restriction of numbers, as compared with surrounding secondary schools.
It should also be noted that the school received registration on the first attempt without any corrective actions having to be put in place – this confirms the calibre of the school and its teachers, the very high standards by which the school was operated.