St Monica's High School Administration Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Monica's College - Sr Cecilia Building |
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St Monica's High School Administration Building, 1996
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| Location | Abbott Street, Cairns City, Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1939–1945 (World War II) |
| Built | 1941 |
| Architect | Vibert McKirdy Brown |
| Architectural style(s) | Modernism |
| Official name: Sister Cecilia Building, St Monica's College | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 1 July 1997 |
| Reference no. | 601748 |
| Significant period | 1940s (historical) 1940s (fabric) 1941–ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | office/administration building, fencing |
| Builders | VW Doyle |
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The St Monica's College Sr Cecilia Building is a special, old building in Cairns City, Australia. It's part of a catholic school called St Monica's College. A famous architect named Vibert McKirdy Brown designed it. It was built in 1941 by VW Doyle.
This building was once known as St Monica's High School. For many years, it was the main office for the school. Today, it holds classrooms where students learn. This building was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on July 1, 1997. St Monica's College is the oldest school in the Cairns area. It has two buildings that are listed as heritage sites: the Sr Morrissey Building and the Sr Cecilia Building.
Contents
The Story of St Monica's High School Building
The St Monica's High School building, which is now the Administration Building, was built in 1941. It was made for the Sisters of Mercy in Cairns. This two-story building is made of strong concrete. It was designed by Vibert McKirdy Brown, an architect from Cairns. VW Doyle was the builder.
How the School Started
Almost 50 years before this building was made, in the 1890s, a church leader named Bishop John Hutchinson asked the Sisters of Mercy to help St Monica's School in Cairns. The school had very few students at the time. Three sisters moved to Cairns in October 1892. They encouraged Catholic families to send their children back to St Monica's.
By 1894, the school had 80 students. By 1900, there were over 100 students! The sisters taught primary school subjects. They also offered extra classes for older girls. These included French, drawing, painting, sewing, and music.
Growing Needs for a New Building
In the 1930s, the school started teaching girls at the high school level. Even though a new St Monica's Church-School was built in 1927, teaching high school subjects was hard. There were no special classrooms for these subjects.
Cairns grew a lot between the two World Wars. By the late 1930s, a new high school building was really needed. VM Brown, the Cairns architect, was asked to design it. The Sisters had bought land for it in 1922. This land was next to St Joseph's Convent. An old boarding house that the Sisters used for music lessons was taken down before construction began.
Building During a Busy Time
St Monica's High School was built when Cairns was growing fast. New farms were set up in the 1920s. A railway line to Brisbane was finished in 1924. The sugar industry was doing well. The port facilities were expanding. Many buildings had to be rebuilt after cyclones in the 1920s. All these things led to a lot of building activity in Cairns.
The city center was mostly made of strong concrete and brick buildings from this time. St Monica's High School was an important part of this rebuilding.
Construction and Opening
Work on St Monica's High School started by January 1941. It was finished by late August of that year. The cost was about £5,000. The plans were approved before the Australian Government put limits on building costs during World War II. Bishop John Heavey officially opened the High School on Sunday, August 31, 1941. The Sisters and students moved in the very next day.
The new building was seen as a great addition to the city's look. It was built in the Moderne style. This style uses clean, simple lines and not much decoration. The entire building, including the floors and roofs of the verandahs, was made of strong concrete.
On the ground floor, there were two large classrooms. There was also a main entrance hall and a back entrance with a cloakroom. The classrooms could be split into two using folding doors. A staircase led from the ground floor to a central hall upstairs. This upper floor had music rooms. There were 12 small rooms for pianos. These rooms were soundproofed and had glass windows. The building was designed so that another section could be added later. A third story could also be built on top.
Changes Over Time
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, St Monica's School grew. It became a high school only for girls. The 1941 building was not extended as planned. Instead, new high school buildings were built behind it. The original St Monica's High School building was updated. It became the school's administration center. In 1989, the ownership of the property changed. It went from the Sisters of Mercy to the Diocese of Cairns.
What the Building Looks Like
St Monica's High School, which is set back from Lake Street, is a two-story concrete building. It has a rectangular shape. The roof is a fibrous cement hipped roof. It has verandahs on three sides. These verandahs are now enclosed with aluminum windows.
Long, wide concrete hoods run above the verandah windows. These hoods have rounded corners. They make the building look very horizontal. Small decorative edges also run around the building.
The main entrance in the middle stands out. It has stepped pillars on each side. These pillars go up to a decorated top part with a small cross. Below this, on the first floor, is a large cross design. On each side of this, you can see the name "ST MONICA'S - HIGH SCHOOL." Solid railings on both floors have striped patterns. These are placed between concrete pillars that support the verandahs.
The original fence along Lake Street is still there. It's a low concrete wall with pillars. It has "Cyclone" chain mesh panels between the pillars. There are also two concrete gateposts in line with the entrance door.
The ground floor has two large classrooms. A central hall divides them. This hall connects to a small back porch and cloakroom. Stairs at the end of the hall lead to the first floor. After 1949, the room on the left of the entry on the first floor became a science room. It had wooden, curved seating and benches. It stayed this way until at least 1970.
Why This Building is Important
The St Monica's High School Administration Building was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on July 1, 1997. It met several important rules to be listed.
Showing Queensland's History
This building is important because it shows how Catholic high school education for girls grew in Cairns since 1941. It also shows how Cairns was rebuilt between the World Wars. During this time, Cairns became the main port of Far North Queensland. The city center was largely rebuilt. The building also shows how people in Cairns liked to build with strong concrete. This was because concrete was better at surviving cyclones.
Together with St Monica's Old Cathedral, these buildings form a very complete group of church-related buildings. They help us understand the history of the Catholic Church and education in Cairns.
A Great Example of Its Kind
Even though parts of the building have been updated, it is still mostly the same. It is a great example of "tropical architecture" from the 1940s. It was built in the popular and modern Moderne style. Its concrete construction is interesting because it was thought to be more cyclone-proof than other materials. It is also a good example of how non-government schools were designed back then.
Its Beauty and Look
The St Monica's High School Administration Building is part of a group of buildings built before 1945. These include the nearby St Joseph's Convent and Bishop's House. Even though they are in different styles, they are all similar in size and materials. Both alone and together, these buildings make Cairns look beautiful. They help the city feel unique and show its history.
Important to the Community
This building is very important to the local Catholic community. It shows the hard work of the Sisters of Mercy. They provided high school education to girls in Cairns in the mid-20th century.
Connected to Important People and Groups
The building is a good example of the work of Cairns architect VM Brown. It is also important because it shows how the Sisters of Mercy helped expand Catholic education in far north Queensland.
