On Friday 2 August our College celebrated 120 Years of Catholic education in the Town of Victoria Park. This celebration brought together over 400 students and staff, both past and present, to reflect on our history and acknowledge how far we’ve come.

As part of the evening, guests were invited to take a tour of the facilities and many spent time reminiscing about their days here. Tea and coffee, cupcakes and conversations were enjoyed in the new Year 7 breakout space, while others perused the memorabilia in the Science building. The memorabilia provided everyone with an opportunity to look back on the history of the College; going through old photos, registry books, annuals and uniforms.

A particular highlight of the gathering was the unveiling of a commemorative art piece created by Linda James, a former St Joachim’s student. As artist-in-residence at the College, Linda, in collaboration with staff member Keziah Bin Sali, developed a design for inverted ceramic pots, which were then brought to life by Linda, Keziah and four Year 10 students. This was displayed in the Science area, with all the other memorabilia, showcasing a beautiful piece of artwork which depicts the journey of our College.

We were also presented with an exquisite tapestry, depicting our College Mercy values, by Sister Lisa Griffith, RSM (Executive Director of Mercy Education of the Americas) from Washington DC. Sister Lisa’s presence on the day afforded us a tangible reminder that as part of the Mercy family our College is connected to a much larger story and heritage.

Most importantly, everyone enjoyed spending time reconnecting with both the school and the people of Frayne. The success of the evening was captured perfectly by a former student:

“Just wanted to say how grateful my sister and I were to come back to St Joachim’s (Ursula Frayne) and reminisce. Last night was an amazing night; many wonderful memories kept flooding back as I tried to reconnect with former classrooms, friends and past classmates. It was a fantastic event. The ambience of the evening is one which I will never forget.”

 

Further information about our College history can be found on the website on the Heritage page or join our Alumni.