Saint Ignatius School, Wentworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saint Ignatius School, Wentworth |
|
|---|---|
The former Saint Ignatius School, in 2009
|
|
| Location | 30 Caddell Street, Wentworth, Wentworth Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1911–1912 |
| Official name: St. Ignatius School | |
| Type | State heritage (built) |
| Designated | 1 March 2002 |
| Reference no. | 1507 |
| Type | School – Private |
| Category | Education |
| Builders | Ducan McLean |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Saint Ignatius School (also called St Ignatius School) is a special old building in Wentworth, Australia. It used to be a Catholic school for young children. Today, it is a museum and an office for the National Trust of Australia, which helps protect important places.
The school building was constructed between 1911 and 1912 by Ducan McLean. You can find it at 30 Caddell Street. Because of its history and unique design, it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on March 1, 2002.
Contents
A Look Back at Wentworth's Past
Wentworth is a town located where two big rivers, the Murray and the Darling, meet. People first settled here in 1840. By the early 1900s, Wentworth was a very busy river port. Up to 100 paddle steamers would dock there each month!
How Saint Ignatius School Began
The Sisters of Mercy opened St Ignatius High School in 1892. It was known as a "select" school, meaning it offered special education. In 1898, a boarding school for girls also opened at the nearby convent.
Students came from all around the area to attend the school. They often traveled for many days. Some rode in horse and buggy, while others came by riverboat.
Building a New Schoolhouse
In 1911, a new schoolhouse was built. It was a tall, wooden building next to the convent. The nuns taught many different subjects there. These included languages, bookkeeping, painting, and music like piano and violin.
What the School Building Looks Like
The Saint Ignatius School building has a unique and balanced design. It is made of weatherboard, which is wood siding. The building has one main room with an entrance porch in the middle on the north side.
The main roof is shaped like a gambrel and covered with corrugated iron. A small gable over the porch has simple wooden decorations. The whole building stands on timber posts that are set into the ground.
Special Features of the School
Above the northern porch window, there is a curved, decorated iron hood. Inside the old school room, the ceiling is made of wooden boards. Many of the original wooden parts inside are still there. The large main windows look like they slide up and down, but they actually open outwards like casement windows.
The building has been carefully fixed up and restored. A brick fireplace and chimney on the west side were replaced to look just like the original. The building's first two-tone color scheme has also been brought back.
The School's Condition Today
The school building is in excellent shape. It was restored between 1988 and 1989. The building still looks very much like it did when it was first designed in the early 1900s. This means it has kept its original look and feel.
Why Saint Ignatius School is Important
Saint Ignatius School is a small, special wooden schoolhouse. It has many original details and shows an early color scheme. The building is important for both its architecture and its history in Wentworth. It played a big part in educating children from the surrounding areas long ago.
The school was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2002 for several reasons:
- It shows how history unfolded in New South Wales. The school is an example of "select" schooling in a town that was once a major trading center.
- It has a beautiful and unique design. The building is very well-proportioned and symmetrical. Its church-like design reminds us of its connection to religion as a Catholic school.
- It has a strong connection to the community. The Sisters of Mercy dedicated themselves to serving the Wentworth area through this school. Its long history of education has made it a recognized part of the community.
- It can teach us about the past. Students today can visit Saint Ignatius School to see the types of materials and settings used for education in the early 1900s.
- It is a rare and unique place. The schoolhouse has a special design and a unique history that began over a hundred years ago.
See also
- Lists of schools in New South Wales
- List of Catholic schools in New South Wales
