A Spirit of its own Sister Gabrielle Kelly, first Principal of Aquinas Girls’ School 1967 - 1972
Though my connections date from 1967 when the Girls’ School began, memories of those early years are filled with gratitude for the experience of community and collaboration among all as we began the task of shaping this new place of formation for young people. Those beginnings are now far distant, and immense and life-enhancing transformation has taken place, as I have been able to see on later occasional visits to the College.
It is a pleasure to send my warm congratulations and best wishes to all on this Diamond Jubilee. May the ever new cohorts of young people with their fresh enthusiasms continue to renew the valiant educators at Aquinas College. Jubilee rejoicing in full measure for all in these trying pandemic times. Sister Gabrielle Kelly OP, October 2021
Principal Sr. Gabrielle Kelly with her Staff 1970
One of the many images I carry with me always, is of eighty four open faced eleven year olds, clad in motley garments, on the morning of the official opening of the College in the second week of February 1967. They, and those who were to join them and follow them in subsequent years were the heart of the Aquinas project; they were its meaning and its purpose. Fellow foundation staff members Sister Mel FDNSC, Mrs Anna Cocks and Sister Veronica RSJ, shared with me the joys and tears of that first year, as we began the task of shaping a new school community, with a curriculum, an organisation, a spirit of its own. But what sagas we had! In the early years, there was the ever present clay dust in summer and the mud in winter, the buildings constantly under construction, and never quite keeping up with additional enrolments. There were the very early days when to venture into the 'playground' at lunchtime was to risk injury from a frisbee in full flight, when shade and shelter from the sun and rain were practically nonexistent (except for the classroom), 10
when geography lessons on alluvial fans and floodplains could be illustrated by a quick trip outside to the unimproved landscape. There was the day when uniforms were worn for the first time, when we purchased the very first library books - and so many more 'first times'. Perhaps the dominant memory which remains with me from those early years at Aquinas is that of the quality of community which characterised the venture. It was all there potentially before we ever started - the existing parish groups of families with their priests - men and women of all faith and courage. In particular, there is the memory of Father O'Driscoll whose vision and support were constant and effective. However it was commitment to the project and basic trust in one another - families, priests, students, staff throughout all the risks and difficulties, which gave rise to a vital, new community which was itself Aquinas College. Extract from Interview with Sister Gabrielle Kelly, March 1982
