Reminiscences of My School Days at Santa Maria
Few people could say they were among the very first students to walk through the doors of Santa Maria College in 1938. Rae Cooper (Carroll, Commins), who attended the College from 1938 to 1943, was one of them. Following Rae’s recent passing, we are honoured to share her remarkable recollections of those early years, written in 1992 for the College’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Through her memories, Rae captures the excitement, friendships and traditions that helped shape the Santa Maria story. We extend our sincere condolences to Rae’s family and friends.
Reminiscences of My School Days at Santa Maria
My very first memory of Santa Maria was a bright sunny day going with my mother and father to see this beautiful white building set in the bush overlooking the river.
There was quite a lot of people and to a little girl who had been born and lived near here since her birth in 1929, had walked this bush with her mother and father seeing almost nothing but birds, wildflowers and kangaroos, plus the wandering cows from the nearby dairy farms and one or two wood constructed homes, this was a very exciting day, especially after a man in a long robe spoke to the people which all, sounded very important and I heard my Father say “I think the girls should be happy here”.
Little girls in those days were supposed to be seen and not heard, so I did not dare ask what he meant.
It was several weeks later when our parents told my sister Pam and myself we were to start school at Santa Maria the following year, and we would be among the first children to attend this beautiful new school!
Our father was part owner of the South Suburban Bus Co, which in 1937 merged with the Metropolitan Bus Co and would supply the transport for the day pupils to go to Santa Maria and for the boarders and visitors as required. What an exciting year 1937 had been.
January 1938
Sister Mary Bertram met the Day pupils off the bus and we ‘walked into that wonderful building in our green uniforms for the first time. No ties, as these were not ready for the start of the new school, but I well remember our blouses had to have long sleeves with hemstitched collars (Peter Pan I think) big and flat I know. Bottle green tunics almost to our knees, brown socks with brown Whybrow shoes, button-up strap across the instep. Wraparound green aprons that MUST BE WORN over our uniforms at all times during school hours.
We were taken into a lovely classroom with a beautiful dolls house and I remember being impressed with the double glass doors with SMC in the glass panel. These opened into the school entrance hall from which that mysterious staircase of cream terrazzo with large chrome rails rose to the boarding school above. That was forbidden territory to day girls.
As time does not permit me to ramble on at will, I will just mention briefly incidents that stand out in my memory.
Excitment the day Sister M Bertram issued our school ties – green pleated with two red stripes to pin at the neck of our blouse.
Tuck Shop: Table at the dining room door in the first year – little pasties for one penny and cups of soup in winter, thanks I think to Sister M Silvester. Second or third year the tuck shop was moved into the cloakroom.
Prefects: Very important people.
New Bathers:Â Can anyone else remember how excited we were with the first issue, green wool with a very large red “S” on the skirt? We all looked very smart as we marched down the hill to the river. When we came out of the water, all our bathers had stretched below our knees, what a sight! I can remember us all giggling all the way back to school. There was another issue of bathers the next year!
The Opening of the Pool: We were very proud. I think Santa Maria was the first school to have its own pool. I remember we won the swimming sports for many years.
Swimming Lessons:Â Mr Hughes – the only male teacher I ever had.
Sports & Gymnastics: Miss Saw.
Music: A very important part of our education both pratical and theory. “Wonderful Sister M Aquinas, the hours she put in with us both for private lessons and orchestra. It was an honour to play in the SMC orchestra and to walk the mile (as we called Moreing Road) to school every Saturday afternoon. I learnt piano and cello, Pam the violin.
Singing Choir:Â Taught by Sister M Union, we respected and loved her.
Elocution & Verse Speaking Choir: Sr. M Bertram – we were petrified, but as I grew older and visited school I appreciated the lessons of life she had taught us. We certainly achieved high results under her guidance.
End of Year Concerts: We certainly turned on some very talented efforts. Does anyone remember the concert at Anzac House, when Joan Curtin played her newly imported Xylophone from America. It arrived at the death-knock.
Pam and I, were perhaps, privilaged pupils at Santa Maria, as every Easter we spent at school as boarders while our mother and father went to Bridgetown for the South West Tennis Tournments. Dad was involved with driving the bus.
As well as being a good tennis player. Pam and I were very happy with the arrangement. Sr M Cecilia fussed over us and I always remember the coloured eggs for breakfast on Easter Sunday morning.
We slept in what was then called the “Bubs Dorm”, with a beautifully dressed doll on each bed.
We were also boarders for the year 1940 when our one and only brother was born. Great excitement after nine years. I think the whole school shared our joy. Sisters Cecilia, Bertram, Aquinas and Union certainly made a fuss of us, as well as scold us when we played up as all girls will at times!
I well remember Sr Cecilia telling me I had a “Backbone like a Jellyfish”. A group of us had been cleaning our shoes on the 2nd floor balcony (a nightly ritual), this night mischief prevailed, and we were dropping our shoes over the side so we could sneak down to retrieve them, a big NO NO after dark. We were caught red-handed!!!!
Another misdemeanour – talking in study at night – silence was golden. Sister M Bertram walked in – “Stand up those talking” – up I stood, sending my chair flying, crash bang, the girl behind had tied my apron strings to the chair. We all ended up with the cane!
Music Practice: I had to practice the cello in the corner of the main entrance hall. I thought this place (as a small girl) was part of heaven. It was so white and echoed, and the beautiful statues! I think I spent a lot of time just staring and dreaming until I heard Sisters beads rattle as she approached.
‘Another memory is of the old music rooms by the old hall. These were locked during our practice time. I think a few girls did climb out the windows. Not me this time.
The War Years
The little calico bags we had to carry each day with biscuits, chocolate, bandage etc. for emergencies. Our identification disk, worn around our necks with our name on one side and our blood group on the other. Big girls were measured and extra clothing coupons issued.
Trenches were dug in the school grounds, but our main shelter was the corridor from the main entrance to the double doors near the Dining Room outside Sr M Aquinas’s music room. Here we all sat on the floor, said our prayers and sang loudly during the mock taids, thank goodness it always remained a practice.
Some of the People I Remember
The Sisters I remember in my years at Santa Maria were Sisters M. Cecelia, Bertram, Martha, Claude, Union, Concelli, Philemina, Aquinas, Ulton, Sylvester, Monica and Collette.
First Year Day Girls
(From memory) Betty and Pat Kelly, Carmel Lardi, Joan Curtin, Julie Colleran, Pauline and Val Shepherd, Pam and Rae Carroll.
Second Year
Averil Lambert (could have been Ist year) Helen Smith, Pam and Wendy Wray, June Shenton-Turner, Erica Mobiglia (deceased). Erica’s father supplied our Santa Maria hats, lovely green velour felt and white panama with green under brim and thin red ring. Silver Santa Maria Badges pinned to front. I am sure I have missed some, but perhaps others will fill in. Other girls I remember were Peggy Clare (idolised senior girl) and Pat Brown (we looked up to Pat) Connie Ord, Mary and Pat Anderson, Pat Rodreda, Pat Prendeville, Marion and Barbara Corbert, Rosemary Payne, Pat Honour. Laurine O’Brien, Amy Hearn, Sullivan Sisters, Mary and Rose McAleer, Sally, Joan and Pat Dolan, Greta Young, Robin Hooper, Nancy Young, Rosemary Coin.
There are many more and I know if I could be at the reunion seeing faces would help. Maureen and Eileen Cream, Mary Negus, Majorie Rigg, Barbara and Geraldine Johaston, Sheila and Eileen Sawle, and so the names return!
The war was still going when I said a sad farewell from Santa Maria to attend Business College as Santa Maria in those days did not cater for a full Business Course. Sister M Claude had started me at typing, and I decided that was what I wanted to do. I spent six years working in offices then went into the nursing profession.
I am now the mother of four grown up children and proud grandmother of two grandsons.
My daughter Rilla Commins attended Santa Maria from January 1969 to December 1971, when we left Attadale to live in Busselton. I was proud to think that Rilla had followed in my footsteps, if only for three years.
Years after leaving Santa Maria, I attended the first Debutante Ball held at the City of Melville Civic Centre, where my father Ronald Francis Carroll, 0BE, JP Mayor of the City with my mother the Mayoress received the Debutantes. How proud I was.
Santa Maria holds’ many happy memories for me. I am sorry I cannot be at the 50 year celebrations but I send Greetings to both the Sisters and old girls who may remember Pam and I. May I wish Santa Maria, the Sisters and present pupils all the best for the future.
Rae’s memories are more than a personal reflection; they are an important part of Santa Maria College’s history. Through her words, we are reminded of the friendships, traditions and Mercy spirit that have shaped our community from the very beginning. We are grateful to Rae’s family for sharing her reminiscences and for helping preserve this remarkable piece of our College story for future generations.
Written by Rae Cooper (Carroll & Commins) in November 1992 and shared with permission of her family.
- Alumni Stories, College heritage, early school memories, Mercy Education, Perth girls' school, Rae Cooper, Santa Maria Alumni, Santa Maria archives, Santa Maria College History, school history
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
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