I had the opportunity to read Sonia Hornery's Thesis, "Monte Pio - Memories of daily life in a Maitland Orphanage" in which she acknowledges 'that memory is selective and can be contested as to its legitimacy'. Having read through the information obtained through interviews, I found myself agreeing with Sonia's sentiments about memory being selective at times, and would like to correct at least one of the misconceptions.

[Two Quotes] "High school education was not available to the Monte Pio girls even into the early 60's" and "High school was virtually non-existent and study not encouraged...."

Our Lady of Mercy Home Science School operated for ten years in the classrooms above the Sacred Heart Primary School. Between 1953 and 1962 a well-balanced education, was available to the girls of Monte Pio. Having said this, I acknowledge that some girls were taken out of school from time to time, to work in either the kitchen or laundry. Also from the mid 1950's, the Monte Pio girls were more than encouraged to study, we in-fact, had a compulsory study period between 5:00pm and 6:00pm for girls in 5th Class through to 3rd Year and another hour from (I think) 8:00pm to 9:00pm for the high school girls, five days a week. How each girl used that study time was up to the girl herself. I can only speak for myself and say that I was and still am happy with the education I received. It gave me the flexibility to consider a number of educational and career options when I left school. Ten years may not seem much over a span of 62 years, but by acknowledging this era in the history of Monte Pio, we validate the commitment and dedication of the teachers, as well as honour the experiences and perseverance of the hundreds of girls taught at the School. From 1963 till its closure in 1972 the older girls of Monte Pio attended high school at either the Dominican Convent or the local public high school.

Patsy - 1953-1962