Schooling

My Story

DescriptionMONTESSORI
I’m unsure how long we lived at Muratai house, but I started to go to Montessori from number 9 Puketahi St. Montessori was at the river end of Alexander St, next door to the presbytery, where the priests from the Catholic Church lived. (Montessori must have been a bit like todays pre schools)

SCHOOL
From there, I went to the Convent, a mixed sex part of the school, [whatever sex is] to be taught by the Nuns. In those long black dresses [“habits“] which reached the ground, and stiff white material over their chests and framing their faces. A big set of rosary beads hung from a heavy leather belt around their waist, and from memory, some had a long heavy leather strap hanging from that belt. A crucifix of about 6inches [150mm] hung from around their neck. All pretty scary for a 5 year old. I’m unsure how long I was at the convent school, but I think it would have been about 18 months.
My memories of being in the Convent over that time are few, but today when I smell chalk dust I think of my days with the nuns.
Linda Beams, I’m not sure if she was in my class or not, but she was a very pretty girl with jet black hair, and I had a crush on her, but she never knew it. After all I was only 6 years old.
At the start of 1949, I was moved next door to the boys school, “The Marist” run by the Marist Brothers [once again in long black dresses] I’ve never thought about it until now ,that I went to a “private school.” There I was, green cap on my head, which showed off my wing nut ears even more. Grey flannel shirt, black and green horizontal hooped tie, about one and a half inches [40mm] wide, black flannel shorts, with a green and black striped elastic belt, with a snake shaped hook to hook it up on. Black socks, with two green bands, pulled up under my kneecaps and black shoes. The whole uniform was topped off with a green blazer. It must have cost Mum and Dad a lot of money.

ContributorBrian McIntyreDate of story eventsBetween 1st January 1950 and 31st December 1950

In school uniform with my sister Mary

Relates to

Location (city or town)Greymouth Last edited by: Tracey Butler

Landmark (Place)MontessoriSaint Mary's Convent School

Category Information

Category Tagschool

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Schooling