Founding & Early Years
In what year was St Rita’s College established?
1926
What was the name of the large house purchased to become the school buildings?
Stanley Hall
Who was the foundation headmistress from 1926–1932?
Mother Patrick (Mary) Madden.
Until what grade was the school coeducational (boys and girls)?
Coeducational to Grade 3
Which saint’s life is depicted in stained glass windows in the Acqua Rosa Centre foyer?
St Rita
How many students enrolled when St Rita’s College first opened?
16
Who sold Stanley Hall to the Presentation Sisters?
E. G. Blume
Name one of the two Presentation Sisters who took out the loan to buy Stanley Hall.
Mother Ursula (Alice) Kennedy or Mother Patrick (Mary) Madden
Around the late 1950s, St Agatha’s School merged with St Rita’s to form what?
St Rita’s Primary (offering Grades 1–7)
What statue and artwork were added to the College in 2006 to celebrate the 80th anniversary?
The St Rita’s Cross and the bronze statue of St Rita
On what date was the school opened (day, month, year)?
27 September 1926
In which decade was the first floor of Stanley Hall originally built by John Forth?
Mid-1880s
Who became the first College Principal (separate from the Superior) in 1960?
Sr Veronica Casey.
In which year did the boarding school close, making St Rita’s a day school for girls?
1976
What is the name of the facility completed in 2003 that houses stained glass windows of St Rita’s life?
Acqua Rosa Centre (the pool)
Which school had the Sisters taught at before St Rita’s was established?
St Agatha’s School
Which two buildings were officially reopened after refurbishment on 30 May 2014?
Stanley Hall and the Kennedy Centre
Which Principal served the longest continuous term from 1989–2008?
Sr. Elvera Sesta
By roughly how much did enrolment grow from the mid-1950s to the 1960s (give the approximate start and end student numbers)?
From about 250 to 600 students.
Which organization did St Rita's become part of on 27 May 2014?
Mercy Partners
What grades did St Rita’s originally serve when it opened?
Kindergarten to Grade 12
What artwork in the Nagle Centre is described as a “representation of Nano Nagle with the light from her lantern”?
The Presentation mosaic (figurative mosaic of Nano Nagle with light from her lantern)
In what year did the College appoint its first lay Principal, Mrs Dale Morrow?
2009
What major change to governance occurred in 1992 to secure the College’s independent governance?
It became incorporated as a Company, Limited by Guarantee (1992)
Which building contains a stained glass window of Nano Nagle after its ground floor was remodelled into administration?
Sacred Heart