Sisters of Mercy Schools, Auckland.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3026, 26 October 1878, Page 1

Sisters of Mercy Schools, Auckland.

(THAMES COBSBBPOKDENT NEW ZEALAND TABLET.)

At the distance of a mile from Auckland, to the right of the road leading from the city to Ponsonby, is situated Mount St. Mary, the site of the beautiful content of St. Mary, the content schools, a boarding and a day school,, an orphanage for destitnte children, and a neat convent chapel, and among the abiiflng memorials of the erections of the first bishop of Auckland, the late Dr. Pompallier, there are none which reflect to so much advantage the merit of his character, or which so well attest the success that has attended his labours in the cause of religion and education, piety and helpless humanity, as the sight of this group of useful and elegant buildings, with the charming scenery surrounding them. This site in the first instance was selected by him, and a better selection' could not have been made; it commands a full view of Auckland harbour., the vessels entering or leaving; of the North Shore across the harbour; of Auckland city, its principal buildings and a wide expanse of the surrounding country. It covers a space of about fifteen acres of a gentle slope facing the city and the harbour, and extends from the Ponsonby road, on one side, to the water's edge on the opposite; its situation gives it its chief beauty, and is perhaps the healthiest and prettiest in New Zealand; and although it is not too good for the occupancy of the Sisters of Mercy, or the use which they make of it, it is a most valuable possession, and will never fail to endear and perpetuate the memory of the pioneer Bishop of Auckland and New Zealand. He bought, the place in 1851 for a few thousands, four or five, and it would not now be had for ten timeß as much; the grounds are tastefully laid out, intersected By paths, and avenues, and scattered over with shrubs, pines, flower pots, &c, which, while enlivening the scenery, afford to the pupils every facility and ample scope for recreating and disporting themselves to their hearts' content.

The growth and expansion, of the Order of Mercy and their schools since 1850 until the present time are highly cheering ard satisfactory;' in that year they opened a small school near 1 St. Patrick's Cathedral for the children of tradesmen and the humbler classes; they were nine in number, and began duties within the first week after landing in Auckland; and from this poor beginning, of one school and a few sisters,, there have grown the. present beautiful. consent, and schools, at Mount St. Mary, Ponsonby; a convent and two schools at Onehunga; a convent and two schools at Parnell; a convent and two schools at Otahuhu; and a convent and three schools at the Thames; besides a filiation of three Bisters who were sent to Wellington, and who opened a convent there. Of course it would be needless to dwell upon the excellence of the training and education imparted in those schools, as it is nothing else but this very excellence which is the key of .their success and popularity, which has overcome the early prejudice and dislike of non-Catholics, and which has made many amongst them to; be as good supporters of the convent schools as the Catholics are;, and whose children, in consequence, have derived the 1 advantage of an education and train* ing, and have seen an example in the persons of their, good perceptresses, superior to, anything that could be either got or seen by them at other schools. While having stated so much in general of the convent schools, it would not be at all adequate unless something more - definite -was added in reference to the select or boarding school at St. Mary's. - This school is, at once, the highest in aim,and the most comprehensive in its scope of instruction, of all the convent schools in the district. In addition to a course of sound English education, Italian, French and German languages; science, painting, music, &c, are taught. Every attention h paid to personal neatness, orderly habits, and propriety of decorum ; children of all denominations are received as boarders or day pupils, and whose-principles, it is quite unnecessary to remark, are never interfered with; and this, the history of the *?hobl for the last twenty years most ■ri*;oV«^'H|ly guarantees, even to the most SS&Tv^- Itt ejection «* "2 ! "CM "^ client accommodaSTS& ere 1S e^ '^ for a hunSS k / rery "PPll^*ll- ' this numher dred boarders; there are not. room to at present, but there is little •" doubt that very soon there will be. It is not easy to overrate the value to society, in general, and to the Catholics in particular, of these schools in the difficulties caused by the unjnst Education Act to the latter; only for the nuns' as. sistance their case would be far worse than it is, and it is not too much to say that only for the convent schools, among * Catholics, educations matters would be in a deplorable state. It is a remarkable.fact that the convent schools are all self-supporting, and no ■cost to; the Catholic community; even the convents, except at the Thames and at Onehunga, have been built by the sisters themselves; they have paid for all their own schools, as well as the expensive furniture, and all this out of their means and the proceeds of their unceasing labors. Of course there have been some contributions received, but the gross amount would not be a large one; the cost of the St. Mary's schools were not under £4000, and this large sum, with the help of a bazaar and some benefaction, was paid oft by them in this way. There are 70 inmates at the Orphanage for destitute or homeless—the pitiable, waifs and strays, of neglected and bad parents (in the greater number of cases) , —who are well cared for, educated, &q. t v by the sisters. The Government gives a small grant, but it is so trifling that it

would scarcely be sufficient for the cost of maintenance, not to apeak of clothing, 1: education, &c.;J;be deficit must be borne by the Sisters..of.' Mercy* which is an unfair and unhappy arrangement. Some voluntary contributions are received by the sisters occasionally, but such support is, at best, spasmodic, and cannot in the hour of need, with any. certainty pr. satisfaction, be calculated, upon; and as the Government support is altogether inadequate to recoup the expenditure of the nuns, it would,be only fair s that the-; Catholics geiierally, in ; the different parishes should assist by giving a certain definite sum .each in^the year.: '\( ] : Between'the Convent of St. Maryland the sea a building is now in course of erection, intended for an Educational Institute for native children, to be under the care of the Sisters of Mercy ; its cost was fixed at .£6OO, and out of this, the Government has paid'£2so; the institution is very nearly finished, but,; unfortunately through, a scarcity of funds, the wort has come to a standstill, or at : least it is very nearly bo, which is very much to , be, regretted.