St Mary’s Primary School in Williamstown has the rare honour of having its own postmark for the month of May to mark its 175th anniversary.
Principal Jim Sheedy and children on Monday visited the post office in Douglas Parade to mail the first envelope stamped with the shield emblem of the state’s oldest continuously operating school.
Mr Sheedy said that it was the first time a Williamstown school had its own postmark. Historically, Williamstown postmarks have all been naval themed, with Prince William being the sole exception.
“Kids need to know their place and they need to know their story,” he said. “Our story as a school is very significant in the history of Williamstown – as with all of our schools.
“The month we were formed, the principal of the day observed the Indigenous community meeting down at the botanic gardens because they had to leave their country because of the invasion that they were confronted with.
“Mary MacKillop was born the same year that our school was established and then she was here all those years later putting her sisters in the school … I have copies of her diaries related to the school.
“We have fire drills now – in the Second World War they had air-raid drills where they jumped into bomb shelters that had been dug on Maclean Reserve [opposite the school].”
An open day, for past and present students and the wider community, will be held at the school on May 21 from 12.30pm-4pm.
