Boarding History
The Josephite Sisters are a teaching order founded by Blessed Mary MacKillop and Father Julian Tenison Woods at Penola in South Australia in 1867. At the invitation of Bishop Quinn, Mary MacKillop sent three Sisters to open the first Convent School at The Vale (now Perthville) in 1872.
On arrival at The Vale (now Perthville), the Sisters livedin a small room off the weatherboard church as the convent was not completed.This is commemorated in MacKillop Court.
THE FIRST CONVENT
The convent was built in 1872. Originally it was a neatconventual looking building with in six rooms. Tradition has it that Father Woods wrote the rule for the new institution in the front room. In 1875 Mary MacKillop came twice to the Vale. In August of that year she gave a retreat atthe Vale for all Sisters who came in from Wattle Creek, German's Hill, Borenoreand Trunkey Creek. The front room of the first convent is now dedicated to the founders.
MACKILLOP COURT
This is a holy place. It was here that the first Sister of St Joseph walked, prayed and dreamed. The white weatherboard church school where they lived from July to October was located at the eastern end of this courtyard. Mary MacKillop would have attended Mass and visited the school children in this original building. She walked these grounds and so this area has been dedicated to her memory.
The original Church provided the first accommodation for the pupils at The Vale. This was used as a Primary School until it was demolished in 1957. The first brick school building was erected in 1913 to train novicesand matriculation students and is now the Library.
FR WOOD'S MONUMENT
Fr Julian Edmund Woods met Mary MacKillop at Penola, SA, and together they founded the Sisters of St Joseph in 1867. Fr Woods spent a number of years in the Diocese of Bathurst preaching missions and retreats. In 1876 at Bishop Quinn's request he wrote the new rule for the Diocesan Congregation of Sisters. Between 1872 and 1882 Fr Woods preached retreats for the Sisters and encouraged the Sisters and children during numerous visits.
Julian was a scientist and geologist of note, studying coral fossils in particular. He wrote many scientific treatises that were published. He travelled through Java, Malaysia, Japan and the Philippines and mapped out deposits of coral and minerals. He died in Sydney in 1889 and is buried at Waverley cemetery.
The monument is a beautiful piece of granite, marked by aplaque and located in the front grounds of the College. This monument was erected to commemorate the centenary of the death of Fr Woods.
THE ORATORY
A foundation stone for the Oratory was blessed in 1902. The Sisters used the Oratory until the new chapel was opened in January 1960. The Bell in the Chapel Bell Tower was the gift of Father Woods to the Sisters forthe first foundation. The Bell bears the inscription 'Our Lady of Dolours' 1875. The Oratory is now the memorabilia room.
