The Arts at Mary's Mount

A Loreto Education always included the Arts: Music, Dance, Theatre and Fine Arts.

The Loreto Sisters who taught these lessons had extensive educations and experience themselves prior to joining the convent.

The 1901 Loreto Abbey Prospectus features several photos of the school orchestra, and individual musicians.

In addition to performance arts, students were also encouraged to write articles, poems and stories for the school publication, ‘Eucalyptus Blossoms’.

Read the magazine here: https://www.loreto.org.au/records/loretto-eucalyptus-blossoms/

Music

The 1901 Loreto Abbey Prospectus features several photos of the school orchestra, and individual musicians. Students were taught individually, and how to play as part of an ensemble. Music examinations were held at the school, with students achieving university certificates.

Theatre

Dramatic performances took the form of religious tableaux, carefully costumed and posed to depict significant biblical and historical events. Later, with the building of St Cecilia’s Hall, the school staged theatre productions that involved all students, from the primary school through to matriculation years.

Art

Lucy Kerley, on art classes in the 1920s:

“Before this there was a subject called Drawing, which involved geometric drawing and perspective, etc. But, at Kate’s [M. Catherine Goddard] instigation, an alternative was devised which included History of Art and Architecture, Design, Free hand drawing and perspective… Kate had an ancient epidiascope, an antique contraption depending on the use of mirrors, which she used to throw reproductions of paintings of the Old Masters on to a large screen.”