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SISTERS OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE BD VIRGIN MARY |
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| CONGREGATIONAL FOUNDATIONS | ||||
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| BELLINGEN | DORRIGO | URUNGA | WEST KEMPSEY | |
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| 1950 | BELLINGEN | 19?? |
| FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II THE DAUGHTERS OF OUR LADY OF THE SACRED HEART WHO HAD FOUNDED THE SCHOOL IN BELLINGEN IN 1911 WITHDREW IN ORDER TO FOCUS ON REBUILDING THEIR MISSIONS IN THE PACIFIC. AN APPEAL WAS THEN MADE TO THE PRESENTATION SISTERS WHO ALREADY STAFFED THE SCHOOLS AT DORRIGO AND URUNGA TO TAKE OVER ST MARY'S CONVENT SCHOOL AT BELLINGEN. THE TRANSFER WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN MARCH 1950 WITH THE SISTERS MOVING INTO THE FORMER PRESENTATION CONVENT NOW PLACED UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF ST ANNE. THE SCHOOL CONTINUED TO GROW UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE SISTERS FOR SOME THIRTY YEARS. IN THE 1980's AS A RESULT OF DECLINING VOCATIONS LAY STAFF BAGAN TO TAKE OVER MOST OF THE TEACHING AND BY 1990 THE SISTERS HAD WITHDRAWN FROM THE SCHOOL. SUBSEQUENTLY THE CONVENT WAS CLOSED AND THE SISTERS BID A SAD FAREWELL TO BELLINGEN. CONVENT OF ST ANNE | ||
 | CONVENT OF ST ANNE |
| WHEN THE PRESENTATION NUNS FIRST ARRIVED IN BELLINGEN THEIR CONVENT CONSISTED OF THE BUNGALOW ADJACENT TO THE SCHOOL WHICH HAD SERVED THE DAUGHTERS OF THE SACRED HEART SINCE THEIR ARRIVAL IN 1911 (BELOW LEFT). ON TAKING OVER THE CONVENT THE SISTERS PLACED IT UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF ST ANNE, MOTHER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN WHO WAS THE PATRON OF BOTH THE PARISH AND SCHOOL. IN 1961 THIS BUNGALOW WAS DEMOLISHED AND REPLACED WITH A HANDSOME TWO STORY BRICK BUILDING (LEFT & BELOW RIGHT) WHICH WAS TO SERVE AS THE CONVENT UNTIL THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE SISTERS IN THE 1990's. THIS CONVENT WAS TO BE LATER DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR MUCH NEEDED EXTENSIONS TO ST MARY'S SCHOOL. NEXT |
| FIRST CONVENT OF ST ANNE | SECOND CONVENT OF ST ANNE |
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| THE FIRST CONVENT (^^^^) AND THE SECOND CONVENT (>>>>) BUILT IN 1961 SHOWING THE CHAPEL APSE MARKED BY THE WALL CROSS. ST MARY'S PRIMARY SCHOOL |
| ST MARY'S PRIMARY SCHOOL |
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| NEXT |
 | THE PRESENTATION SISTERS INITIALLY TAUGHT IN THE OLD WOODEN SCHOOL OF 1911 UNTIL THE NEW BRICK SCHOOL (LEFT) WAS OPENED IN 1953. NEXT |
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 |  | THE NEW SCHOOL (ABOVE LEFT) WAS A FUNCTIONAL BRICK BUILDING FACING THE PARK. IN KEEPING WITH THE TIME OF ITS CONSTRUCTION IT COMPRISED SEVERAL CLASSROOMS FRONTED BY A VERANDAH (LATER ENCLOSED) WHICH PROVIDED SHELTER FOR THE STUDENTS. WITH THE GROWING NUMBER OF LAY STAFF A STAFFROOM WAS ADDED DURING THE 1970's (SEEN ON THE RIGHTHAND SIDE IN THE PHOTO BELOW). NEXT |
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| CONTINUED GROWTH IN SCHOOL NUMBERS RESULTED IN THE NEED FOR MORE CLASSROOM SPACE AND SAW TWO MAJOR EXTENSIONS TO THE SCHOOL. THE INITIAL EXTENSION, A TWO-STORY BRICK BLOCK (BELOW LEFT) WAS BUILT ON THE SITE OF THE FORMER CONVENT OF ST ANNE DURING THE 1990's AND IN 2005 ST MARY'S CLASSROOM BLOCK (BELOW RIGHT) WAS BUILT BETWEEN THE TWO EXISTING BUILDINGS. NEXT |
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| TOP SCHOOL WEBSITE CONGREGATIONAL INFORMATION | |
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| 1924 | DORRIGO | |
| IT WAS SOME YEARS AFTER THE FOUNDATION OF THE PARISH OF DORRIGO THAT A SCHOOL COULD BE ESTABLISHED AND IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1924 THAT THE PARISH PRIEST WAS ABLE TO INVITE THE SISTERS AT LISMORE TO FOUND A SCHOOL FOR THE TOWN. THE SISTERS ESTABLISHED A CONVENT AND OPENED A DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL CALLED MOUNT ST JOHN'S. FOR OVER 50 YEARS THE SISTERS PROVIDED A CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOR THE PARISH CHILDREN BUT IN 1980 THEY WERE WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY THE GRAFTON SISTERS OF MERCY. WHEN SISTERS OF EMRCY WITHDREW IN 2000 THE PRESENTATION SISTERS RETURNED TO DORRIGO IN THE FORM OF TWO HOMETOWN SIBLING MEMBERS OF THE ORDER. TODAY THEY CONTINUE TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE LIFE OF THE PARISH. MOUNT ST JOHN'S CONVENT | ||
 | MOUNT ST JOHN'S CONVENT |
| MOUNT ST JOHN'S CONVENT WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1924 AND STOOD WHERE THE PRESENT SCHOOL STANDS. IT WAS A CAPACIOUS HOUSE TYPICAL OF RURAL CONVENTS OF THE TIME. TO THE FAR RIGHT CAN BE SEEN THE BOARDER'S DORMITORY WHICH STILL STANDS AS PART OF THE SCHOOL. NEXT | |
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| THE CONVENT WAS SEPARATED FROM THE BOARDER'S DORMITORY BY A HEDGE AND WAS NOTABLE FOR THE STATUE OF ST JOHN WHICH STOOD, AND STILL STANDS ON A PLINTH IN FRONT. THE BOW-WINDOW OF THE CONVENT CHAPEL CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTO BELOW LEFT. IN 1950 WITH THE NEED FOR A LARGER SCHOOL THE CONVENT WAS MOVED TO A SITE NEXT TO THE CURRENT PRESBYTERY AND A NEW BRICK SCHOOL BUILT. THE CONVENT ITSELF CONTINUED IN USE FOR ANOTHER THIRTY YEARS SERVING BOTH THE PRESENTATION SISTERS AND LATER THE GRAFTON SISTERS OF MERCY. IN 1980 THE CONVENT WAS BROKEN UP AND SOLD AS NO LONGER NEEDED AND TWO BRICK UNITS BUILT BY THE PARISH (BELOW RIGHT). TODAY THESE UNITS, THE CURRENT PRESENTATION CONVENT, ARE KNOWN AS NAGLE HOUSE. MOUNT ST JOHN'S CONVENT SCHOOL | |
 | NAGLE HOUSE |
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| MOUNT ST JOHN'S CONVENT SCHOOL |
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| FOR 26 YEARS THE CONVENT SCHOOL WAS CONDUCTED IN THE OLD CHURCH BUILT IN 1915. IN 1950 THE CONVENT WAS MOVED AND A NEW BRICK SCHOOL (ABOVE) BUILT IN ITS PLACE. THE STYLE OF THE SCHOOL WAS IN KEEPING WITH THE GENERAL 1950's BOOM IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE BELLINGER VALLEY BEING A PLAIN AND FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURE. THE ORIGINAL BOARDER'S DORMITORY WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE NEW BUILDING AS A GYM AND HALL (BELOW LEFT. IN 1980, WITH DECLINING NUMBERS, THE SISTERS FACED THE NEED TO RATIONALISE THEIR COMMITMENTS AND WITHDREW FROM THE SCHOOL BEING REPLACED BY THE GRAFTON SISTERS OF MERCY. NEXT |
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| THE ORIGINAL BOARDER'S DORMITORY WAS NOT DEMOLISHED WHEN THE CONVENT WAS MOVED BUT WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE NEW SCHOOL (ABOVE). AFTER 75 YEARS OF SERVICE THIS SIMPLE WOODEN STRUCTURE CONTINUES TO BE USED AS A GYMNASIUM AND HALL. NEXT | |
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| ^^^^ DURING THE 1970's THE PARENTS AND PARISHIONERS COMBINED TO BUILD A SIMPLE MEETING ROOM AND CANTEEN (ABOVE). THIS SIMPLE WOODEN STRUCTURE IS TODAY THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE. ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN FEATURES OF CATHOLIC CONVENTS PRIOR TO VATICAN II WAS THE PRESENCE OF A STATUE OF THE CONVENT PATRON SAINT USUALLY LOCATED IN THE FRONT GARDEN. THE CONVENT AT DORRIGO WAS NO EXCEPTION AND THE STATUE OF ST JOHN CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTOS OF THE OLD CONVENT ABOVE. WHEN THE CONVENT WAS MOVED THE STATUE OF ST JOHN THE PATRON OF THE SCHOOL AS WELL WAS RETAINED IN THE FORECOURT OF THE SCHOOL WHERE IT STANDS TO THIS DAY. >>>> | |
| TOP SCHOOL WEBSITE CONGREGATIONAL INFORMATION | |
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| 1923 | URUNGA | 2000 |
| URUNGA WAS THE FIRST PRESENTATION FOUNDATION IN THE BELLINGER VALLEY PRECEEDING A HREF=#DORRIGO>DORRIGO BY ONE YEAR. THE INVITATION CAME FROM FR FITZPATRICK, PARISH PRIEST OF BELLINGEN. IN 1923, ACCOMPANIED BY THE MOTHER SUPERIOR OF THE LISMORE CONVENT, TWO SISTERS UNDER MOTHER CARTHAGE ARRIVED TO TAKE UP THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A SMALL PRIMARY SCHOOL IN URUNGA. THE SITUATION AS THEY FOUND IT WAS NOT IDEAL. ALTHOUGH A LARGE HOUSE HAD BEEN PURCHASED AS THE CONVENT THE CHURCH AND SCHOOL WERE HALF A MILE AWAY ACROSS A SWAMP. FOR TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS THE SISTERS WERE FORCED TO NEGOTIATE THIS SWAMP EACH DAY UNTIL THE CHURCH AND SCHOOL WERE FINALLY MOVED TO THE SAME SITE AS THE CONVENT. URUNGA WAS ALWAYS A SMALL SCHOOL AND BY 1975 IMPROVED TRANSPORTATION TO THE LARGER SCHOOLS IN BELLINGEN HAD CONSIDERABLY REDUCED THE NEED FOR IT. CONSEQUENTLY THE DECISION WAS TAKEN TO CLOSE HOLY NAME SCHOOL IN THAT YEAR. THE SISTERS REMAINED IN URUNGA FOR ANOTHER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS RUNNING THE CONVENT AS A RETREAT CENTRE BEFORE WITHDRAWING AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. CONVENT OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES | ||
 | CONVENT OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES |
| HAVING OBTAINED THE AGREEMENT OF THE SISTERS TO THE OPENING OF A SMALL SCHOOL THE PARISH PRIEST, FR FITZPATRICK ARRANGED THE PURCHASE OF A LARGE HOUSE (LEFT) SET ON A HILL FACING THE CHURCH ACROSS A SWAMP. ALTHOUGH THE SITUATION WAS NOT THE BEST THE SISTERS SOON SETTLED INTO THEIR NEW HOME AND COMMENCED THE LITTLE SCHOOL MAKING THE DAILY TRIP ACROSS THE 'PLANK' BRIDGE AND BACK. IN 1950 THE SCHOOL AND CHURCH WERE SOLD AND LAND BOUGHT CONVENIENTLY NEXT TO THE CONVENT TO ERECT A NEW CHURCH AND SCHOOL (BELOW RIGHT). AFTER 1975 THE CONVENT BECAME A RETREAT CENTRE UNTIL 2000. TODAY IT IS RENTED OUT PRIVATELY AS A HOME. THE LOURDES GROTTO (BELOW LEFT) IS A STANDING REMINDER OF ITS HISTORY. NEXT |
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| HOLY NAME PRIMARY SCHOOL | |
 | HOLY NAME PRIMARY SCHOOL |
| WHEN THE SISTERS FIRST ARRIVED IN URUNGA THERE WERE NO BUILDINGS AVAILABLE FOR A SCHOOL APART FROM THE PRIEST'S FLAT ATTACHED TO THE CHURCH AND THE SMALL GARAGE ON THE SAME PROPERTY (BELOW LEFT). THE THEN PARISH PRIEST MADE THESE TWO SMALL ROOMS AVAILABLE TO THE SISTERS AND ALONG WITH THE CHURCH THEY FORMED THE SCHOOL FOR THE NEXT TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS. IN 1950 THE ORIGINAL CHURCH SITE WAS SOLD AND A LARGE BLOCK OF LAND BOUGHT NEXT TO THE CONVENT. AN OLD HOME (BELOW RIGHT & LEFT) ON THIS SITE BECAME THE TEMPORARY PRIMARY SCHOOL AND A SMALL TIMBER INFANTS SCHOOL WAS BUILT (BELOW RIGHT). IN 1953 A NEW LARGER PERMANENT BRICK SCHOOL BUILDING (LEFT) WAS ERECTED. TODAY IT IS RENTED AS PILOT ST UNITS. NEXT |
| THE TINY WOODEN SHED ON THE ORIGINAL CHURCH SITE THAT SERVED AS THE INFANT'S SCHOOL UNTIL THE RE-LOCATION IN 1950. NEXT | THE OLD HOUSE THAT SERVED AS THE PRIMARY SCHOOL FROM 1950 UNTIL 1953, LATER SOLD, RELOCATED AND USED AS A CHICKEN RUN. NEXT |
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| ANOTHER VIEW OF THE TEMPORARY PRIMARY SCHOOL WITH A CLASS OF PRIMARY STUDENTS AND THIER TEACHING SISTER. | THE INFANTS SCHOOL BUILDING ERECTED AFTER THE MOVE TO PILOT STREET CAN BE SEEN BEHIND THIS GROUP OF STUDENTS. |
| TOP CONGREGATIONAL INFORMATION | |
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| 1896 | WEST KEMPSEY | 1898 |
| ST JOSEPH'S SCHOOL AT WEST KEMPSEY HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED IN 1884 BY THE SISTERS OF ST JOSEPH OF THE SACRED HEART BUT IN 1895 THEY WERE FORCED TO WITHDRAW DUE TO DIFFICLUTIES COMMUNICATING WITH THE MOTHER HOUSE IN SYDNEY. FR DOYLE, THEN PARISH PRIEST OF SMITHTOWN BUT LIVING IN KEMPSEY, MADE A REQUEST TO MOTHER MARY STANISLAUS, SUPERIOR OF THE LISMORE CONGREGATION FOR SOME SISTERS TO TAKE OVER THE SCHOOL AND IN 1896 A SMALL BAND LED BY MOTHER IGNATIUS BARNEWELL ARRIVED IN WEST KEMPSEY. THEY WERE ACCOMODATED IN THE OLD ST JOSEPH'S CONVENT AND REOPENED THE SCHOOL AFTER THE MID-WINTER BREAK. THE SISTERS SOON EXPERIENCED THE SAME DIFFICULTIES AS THEIR PREDECESSORS IN MAINTAINING COMMUNICATIONS WITH THEIR MOTHER HOUSE IN LISMORE AND IN 1898 THEY WERE WITHDRAWN LEAVING THE PARISH PRIEST TO LOOK AFTER THE CHILDREN. CONGREGATION INFORMATION | ||