The Dominican Sisters’ and Brothers’ are admired by all as they showed great vision when acquiring the site which became Siena Dominican Girls’ High School, the Holy Rosary Primary School, St Catherine’s Convent, Our Lady of the Rosary Church and the Dominican Fathers’ Priory. This land, located between ocean and hills stands high above sea level and the Perth city landmarks are visible as are the hills.
1957 marked the first Mass to be celebrated in the newly established Holy Rosary parish in the home of Mr and Mrs D Sydney-Smith.
On Sunday 8th February 1959 just six months after being shown the land by Fr Campbell the Dominican Sisters were invited to staff the new foundation of the primary school in South Doubleview on Williamstown Road. Bishop Rafferty officially blessed and opened The Holy Rosary School.
Essential services were non existent and the parish school lacked two main necessities - water and electricity. The suburb of neighbouring Woodlands was nothing more than a recorded name on a map. The initial absence of such commodities was never a drawback for the Dominican Sisters as they sort for and provided two large tanks of water on the site of the future Siena Girls’ High School which would be piped down to the primary school premises.
The lack of school amenities was also overcome by the support of willing parents in particular Mrs Slavin who would volunteer to make sandwiches and cakes, then return to school at midday to help sell the prepared food to aid the school funds.
The children’s playground consisted of loose black sand. Equipment was kindly donated by parents and other friends of the community. The first Holy Rosary Sports Day was held at Jackadder Lake alongside a cleared dairy. Mass was held in the new school a week after its official opening and the regular Sunday service followed by all Catholics living in the area.
Sister Philomena Punch was appointed the school’s foundation principal, with Sister Martin Doyle (Sr Treasa) assigned as a member of staff. Classes commenced in February 1959, with a roll call of 21 primary school pupils in Grades 1 and 11, and also accommodated in the building were 27 First Year students (Year 8).
The early 1960s proved to show rapid growth in the number of children being enrolled at the Holy Rosary primary school and parishioners, recognising the need to increase the size of the buildings , managed to raise the sum of $10.900 to cover the cost of erecting three additional classrooms. Archbishop of Perth, R Prendiville, assisted by the parish priest Father F X Brown OP. officially opened the new extensions on 30 September 1962. From the time of his appointment in 1961, Father Brown visited the school each week and displayed a great interest in its development and in the welfare of the students. A keen supporter of all things in the parish Father Fintan Campbell, sadly was not present in 1962 to witness the opening of the new extensions to the primary school, or the erection of the Siena Dominican Girls High School on an Adjacent site. By then, Holy Rosary had a pupil intake from Years 1 to 7 with Sister Mercedes Clune (Sr Pauline) in charge as principal and Sister Maria Goretti Power and Sister Alice Wilkinson (Sr John) on the staff.
Mrs Snowden became the school’s first lay teacher, in 1963. Some three years later, another dedicated lay teacher, Mrs Irene Grasso, was also appointed. Mrs Grasso remained at the school for over 30 years and is well remembered by the many pupils she inspired. 1964. heralded a total of 240 primary school pupils were in attendance and the staffing was one lay teacher Mrs Snowden, and four Dominican Sisters, including Sr Thomas Short who lived at St. Dominic’s Priory in Bedford Park and travelled daily from Doubleview.
On 20 January 1966, the principal of Holy Rosary Sister Declan Callaly and another member of staff, Sister Eileen Leahy (Sr Reginald), moved into a community house built b the Dominican Sisters in Huntriss Road, Doubleview, initially to accommodate the staff teaching at Siena. From the time Sister Martin Doyle (Sr Treasa was assigned to the school in 1959, both enrolments and improvements continued to grow under the following principals: Sister Mercedes Clune (1961-62) Antoninus Campbell (963-64). Declan Callaly (1965-68) Dominica Davis (1969-75), Anthony Sachse (1976-81). Rosari Keenan (1982-87) and in 1988 Marlene Laracy (Sr Mark). The Sisters steadfast in their endeavours continued to uphold the original purpose of the founding Sisters to provide an education which would best suit the children’s needs in every aspect of their primary school lives and to prepare them for the next stage at secondary school level.
The Sisters were particularly concerned about helping children with special needs. In a very bold and visionary act Sister Anthony Sachse, with the support of the community set up in conjunction with Churchlands Teachers College, a Special Education Unit for intellectually and disabled children in 1978. Mrs Pauline Hogan was employed as a teacher under a government-sponsored scheme. This arrangement continued until 1987 when, like the remainder of the Holy Rosary School classes, the Special Unit came under the auspices of the Catholic Education Commission.
In 1983, Sister Rosari Keenan was responsible for introducing a pre-primary class for children turning five years of age during the year and Miss Linda Ingate was the first teacher appointed to care for the new group.
Sister Marlene Laracy is blessed with the ability to deal calmly with almost any situation Appointed to the teaching staff at Holy Rosary in 1984, a position she retained until 1988 when she was appointed principal of the school. Sister Marlene was always understanding, and helped make the difference in the children’s’ lives who attended the Special Education Unit and, in order to keep pace with the latest trends and methodology, she studied abroad. Through her natural compassion and the knowledge she has gained over many years, parents of these special children have found in her a fervent advocate.
The staff and pupils at Holy Rosary were extremely fortunate in having the strong support of Doubleview’s parish priest Father Stephen Tarrent as well as an active and enthusiastic Parents’ and Friends’ Association and a dedicated School Board. The first of several major projects to upgrade the school’s facilities began in 1992 when, under a capital development plan earlier drawn up by the Board and approved by the Catholic Education Commission, the Special Education Unit was repositioned and upgraded and two new pre-primary centres were completed in time for the opening of school the following year. Stage Two of the program, which began soon afterwards, involved the relocating of Year 1 classes and the administration centre. Archbishop Barry Hickey officially blessed the extensions and Mrs Therese Temby, Director of Catholic Education opened the new areas, on April 8, 1994.
The proactive community continued with improvements and in 1995 the roof of the Year 2 classroom was replaced and in 1996 upgrading of the school’s technology equipment was well under way with funds provided through the Board and the Parents’ and Friends’.
Holy Rosary entered teams in the State Tournament of Minds. (T.0.M.) In 1993 and 1994, Holy Rosary came first in Social Science section and second in Language/Literature. In 1995, the school team was placed first in Social Science and first in Mathematics/Engineering. This record was repeated in the consecutive year. 1997 was the year Tournament Honours were introduced for the top 15 per cent of teams in each category. Holy Rosary received Tournament Honours in all three categories.
Holy Rosary offered a wide range of cultural pursuits. Among the many opportunities available to students was the change to become involved in the Performing Arts Festival, held each August for Catholic Schools.
1998 marked the opening of the first kindergarten class and Mrs Rhiana Hornby was the inaugural teacher. The school has continued to develop first class facilities that included a hall and the library. Both of these facilities were shared with the parish. From sandy soils with little or no amenities the Holy Rosary Primary School in Doubleview has developed into a thriving and popular educational cornerstone for many families in Doubleview.
In April 2007, the Dominican Sisters passed the leadership of the school to the first lay Principal Mr Darryl Winsor. Sr Marlene retired after more than twenty years as Principal.
In recent years many changes have occurred in the school. The Special Education Unit, The Siena Centre, has relocated to class rooms which have been renovated and made into one room underneath the library. In 2007 work was completed on refurbishing six old classrooms in the former Newman/Siena middle school. The High School gym has also been acquired by the school and is a welcomed by the Physical Education teacher on very hot or wet days.
Major changes to the play areas have occurred also, Holy Rosary now has the use of the tennis courts and oval from the High School. The once sloping middle playground has been transformed into a magnificent amphitheatre commemorating The Dominicans who established the school. The development of this area was due to the hard work of Paul Roberts, Phil Kavanagh and Phil O’Connor, who lead teams of parent volunteers who gave their time to work in the areas. Many families also donated goods that made the area the wonderful play area that it is today. At this time (2006-07) two of the old classrooms were demolished and plans are underway for the community to remodel the area into passive play and learning zone with the centre piece high points a sculpture of Our Lady and St Dominic.