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Methodist Ladies College
Battye 1912-13:
METHODIST LADIES’ COLLEGE.
In the early days of the State the Government, in order to induce the various religious denominations to take up educational work, made grants of land to them by way of educational endowment. Amongst other grants was a large area in Newcastle Street given to the Wesleyan Methodist Church. For years the Church was not able to do anything, but with the extraordinay development of the State during the nineties opportunities for entering the field of education were opened up. After some discussion as to the relative advantages to be gained, it was decided to confine the efforts of the Church to the education of girls, and at the Conference of 1907 a committee was appointed to take steps to establish a Methodist Ladies’ College. The block of land in Perth being considered unsuitable, it was decided to dispose of it and apply the proceeds towards securing a more suitable location. After careful consideration the site was secured on which the present portion of the College Building is erected. The block of land, which is situated at Claremont, contains six acres with a frontage to the Perth Fremantle Road on the north and to Freshwater Bay on the south. From the brow of the hill, on which the college stands, a full view of Freshwater Bay and the Darling Ranges can be obtained. The position and surroundings are very healthy, and the sea breezes which blow from the ocean, which is only half-an-hour’s walk distant, make the building very cool in the hottest weather. Swimming-baths have been erected on the foreshore of Freshwater Bay for the use of the scholars. During the summer months the boarders bathe every day and lessons in swimming are given by the sports’ mistress.
The college building has been designed with the utmost care and foresight. The architect’s plans provide for every modern convenience and comfort. Special attention has been paid to the house and boarding arrangements. Acting upon the advice of similar institutions in other places, the committee decided to do away with dormitories and in their place substitute bedrooms for the boarders. These rooms are light and airy, each providing sleeping accommodation for three or four girls. Two balconies have also been built to provide accommodation for sleeping out of doors. It is proposed to spend the sum of £12,000 on the completed building. For the present only a portion of the building has been erected, providing accommodation for fifty boarders and eighty day scholars.
The present Headmistress of the College is Miss Maud Connell, M.A. (Melb.), who is assisted by a large staff of resident and visiting mistresses. s(Battye 1912-13: 79-80)
Methodist ladies' College, Claremont. Photo by C. H. Park.
References and Links
Battye, J.S. 1912-13, The Cyclopedia of Western Australia, Cyclopedia Co., Perth.
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 18 September, 2021 and hosted at freotopia.org/schools/mlc.html (it was last updated on 6 December, 2023). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.