Emmauella and Medi take a swing during the first week of school. 76292
By Nicole Williams
IT MAY be the first year of school for these preppies but St Mary’s School has seen it all a hundred times.
This year marks 100 years since the Dandenong school opened on 12 February 1912 and it has come a long way.
Principal Greg White said the school opened to 75 students and was run by three presentation nuns from a Windsor convent.
The school was on weatherboard building separated by a partition and had no furniture except for desks and chairs.
The nuns stopped running the school in 1979 but have been involved in the school ever since.
Last week, St Mary’s School welcomed 46 new preppies, who are in for an exciting centenary year.
On Sunday, 100 years to the day of the opening, St Mary’s School will host an opening school Mass followed by cutting of the cake by St Mary’s Presentation Sisters.
“The school was established in 1912 but the Presentation Sisters will be here on Sunday to help cut the cake and over the year we’ve got them coming back to present a symbolic gift of a lantern which is their order symbol,” he said.
There will also be acentenary concert in June and Twilight school in March, where classes will start at 12.30pm and finish at 7.30pm.
To conclude the centenaryin November, ArchbishopDenis Hart will hold a celebratory Mass, where all past pupils, teachers and anyone associated with the school are invited to attend a school opening.
Anyone who wants more information about the centenary celebrations can contact the school on 9791 7650.
