Page 39 - Bulletin 13 2009

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washhouse at Kalk Bay. Space was at a premium in the small classroom and in a letter,
dated September 1898 to the under-secretary for Agriculture, the Right Reverend

Bishop Leonard mentions that a Presbytery and a Mission School had been built “some
years previously” across the road from the chapel at a cost of £400. Therefore it is safe

to assume the little classroom at the back of the chapel must have operated for only

about ten years until the first St. James Mission School was built across the road, circa
1885. (Figs. 1.9 & 1.14). The move was no doubt caused by an increase in the number

of Catholic parents, both coloured and white, who wanted their children to have a basic
education from Father Duignam. An inspection report of 14 February 1894 indicated

that Miss Florence Crowly then assisted Father Duignam, with the school having a total
enrolment of sixty-nine pupils. There were sixty pupils present on the day of inspection

with nine white and fifty-one coloured pupils. The class was held in one undivided

room. It was recommended that this room be divided into two sections. (Sub A and Sub
B.) An interesting bit of trivia was the fact that the mission school was also referred to

as Kalk Bay (RC) Primary in a number of inspection reports.

By 1899, due to lack of funds, there was still no separate classroom. Miss Millicent

Searle was appointed Principal, but left after a short while. Fr. Duignam once again took
charge of the school. The inspection report of 8 February 1901 indicated that Fr.

Duignam single-handedly taught sixty-four children with the help of a twelve-year-old
child. Presumably this child was Frances Hilario, who was later to qualify as a teacher

and taught at the St. James Mission School until the early 1950s. On 25 February 1901,

Miss Elizabeth Murphy was appointed Principal, having previously taught freehand
drawing.

From the inspection reports of this time, the following recommendations were made:

A school library was needed.
There was still no separate classroom for the infant/junior primary classes.

The appointment of a qualified teacher to assist the principal was essential, if

justice was to be done to all the classes.