LORETO College is searching for boys who attended the now all-girls school.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
From its inception in 1875 up until 1973, boys could attend the school from kindergarten until grades two or three.
Loreto Sisters province archivist Robin Scott said boys were not permitted to attend later than that, with nuns not teaching boys beyond their first communion.
Boys first attended the Sturt Street campus in 1945 after moving from the Dawson Street campus, which is now Quest apartments.
The school’s new archives centre was the primary school from the 1960s, the room where many boys and girls attending through that time were taught.
Ballarat lawyer Andrew Byrne started at Loreto 51 years ago, with all of his six sisters and one brother also attending the school.
“My daughter goes to Loreto, and at a welcoming function they asked if anyone went to Loreto,” he said.
“I put up my hand and everyone looked at me like I was odd, because few people know that boys went to Loreto.”
Mr Byrne recalled that one of the sisters who taught him didn’t like boys and girls to be near each other.
“Boys sat on one side of the class and girls sat on the other and you weren’t allowed to interact,” he said.
He said after one incident in kinder where he kissed his cousin, the sister moved him up to grade prep to separate them.
“Then when I was in grade two, they pulled me back to grade one because I was too young for grade two apparently.”
Community relations officer Catherine Baker said she heard in her first week at the school that boys used to attend, and thought it was their turn to have a reunion.
“It started with one name and now I’ve been in contact with 30 or so,” she said.
“Everyone has been very receiving too, and proud to be a ‘Loreto boy’.”
She said many of the pupils were still connected, having moved on to similar schools in the region following their couple of years at Loreto College.
Slowly going through the register, she said she was constantly coming across families that attended the school.
Mr Byrne said his sister often got invitations for reunions, so was glad it was the boys turn.
Any males who attended Loreto College are invited to attend the reunion on November 22 by contacting Ms Baker at the school on 5329 6100.
nicole.cairns@fairfaxmedia.com.au
