Kindergarten at Mary's Mount

Just inside the front gates of Loreto College is a small building that has served many purposes throughout its history.

St Anne’s Primary School, 1908-1920

The building was originally constructed as St Anne’s Parish Primary School in 1908 for local Catholic students who could not easily access the schools in central Ballarat. A small gate in the wall was built allowing the primary students easy access to their school, where they were taught by Loreto sisters and novices. The school closed circa 1920.

Finishing School, 1920s-1930s

During the 1920s and 1930s the building operated as a finishing School led by accomplished artist and teacher, Mother Catherine Goddard.

Kindergarten, 1941

In 1941, the old primary school building became a kindergarten. In 1962-63 extensions were added to the existing brick building to accommodate the growing numbers of students. Girls who graduated from the kindergarten became the first day students at Mary’s Mount.

The kindergarten closed in 1978, with most of the equipment given to other local kindergartens.

The Cottage, 1978-2011

After Loreto Abbey and Loreto Convent schools amalgamated to form Loreto College Ballarat in 1978, the kindergarten buildings become known as “The Cottage”. At first it was used for Year 11 retreats and Religious Education classes. Later the building became a space for both drama classes and retreats.

Loreto Archives Centre, 2012 – present

In 2012 the buildings were renovated once more to become the Loreto Archives Centre.

At the age of three Nora contracted rheumatic fever and spent six weeks in hospital and a year recuperating. This left her with a permanent weakness which seemingly never held her back.

In 1915 Nora was sent as a boarder to Sacred Heart College in East Ballarat where she matriculated. She trained as a teacher at the Sisters of Mercy’s Ascot Vale Training College and studied art at Our Lady’s College Heidelberg.

Following a long held desire to become a nun, she made the choice to join the Loreto Sisters, with whom her family had been associated in Ballarat, where she would continue her study of art under the tutelage of artist and teacher, Mother Catherine Goddard. On entering in 1922 she was at first given the religious name, de Chantal, and then Brendan which later became Brenda when nuns were allowed to choose their names.

Mother Brendan taught at Loreto Mandeville Hall Toorak and then, SS Peter & Paul’s South Melbourne but became ill and was transferred to Mary’s Mount Ballarat where she remained for the rest of her life. She was head of the Junior School as well as teaching music and art in the senior school.

In 1941 a Kindergarten was opened at Mary’s Mount with Mother Brendan in charge providing, for many years, early learning for Ballarat’s boys and girls. The Kindergarten was located on the site of what is now Loreto College Ballarat, and in the building that had been built as the parish primary school of St. Anne’s in 1908 and is now the Loreto Archives Centre. In 1963 the Kindergarten underwent considerable refurbishment.  Mother Brendan remained in charge until 1948 and then, again in 1956 until 1972 when she retired from teaching.

During her retirement Sister Brenda contributed her handmade toys and gifts for community fetes and other Ballarat fundraisers. She made floral decorations, read widely and kept in contact with the many children she had taught during her over 55 years of teaching.

Brenda Regan died on 14 May 1987 at St. John of God Hospital.