From the Archives - Ladies of Lauries

50 years ago, something truly extraordinary unfolded within the walls of St Laurence’s College. In a place renowned for its enduring tradition of boys-only education, four young women quietly made history. It was 1975 and for the first and only time during regular school hours, girls were enrolled at Lauries.

Anne McKeaten, Alison Jones, Patricia Armstrong and Anne McInerney, students from the nearby St Ursula’s College at Dutton Park, walked into Lauries classrooms to study Senior Physics and Chemistry. Their presence wasn’t the result of a progressive education policy or a move toward coeducation, it was a necessity, sparked by the impending closure of their own school and a lack of specialist Science teachers.

The path that led them to Lauries was anything but simple. At the time, the Christian  Brothers, who led the College, were firmly against coeducation - exceptions were rare. But when the Ursuline Sisters overseeing St Ursula’s petitioned for the girls to continue their Science studies, approval came — not from a local office, but from the Head of the Christian Brothers in Rome or so the girls were told.

St Ursula’s College had a long and proud history. Founded in 1919 as a Primary School by the Ursuline Sisters at St Ita’s Parish, it expanded into secondary education in 1932 with encouragement from Archbishop Duhig. It became known as St Ursula’s College in 1956, evolving further in the 1960s. But by the early 1970s, structural changes in Catholic education meant its days were numbered. The final cohort of Year 10 and 12 students graduated in 1975, leaving a unique legacy behind including the story of the girls who crossed over to Lauries.

Their time at St Laurence’s was heavily regulated. Each day, the girls arrived at the College and waited by the female staff toilets until the bell rang, entered last and sat only in the back row. They weren’t allowed to mix with the boys at recess or lunch. As soon as class ended, they returned immediately to St Ursula’s accompanied by either a Nun or teacher.

Resistance wasn’t limited to the school’s leadership with some parents, particularly mothers, expressing their concerns about the girls potentially "distracting" their sons. Gossip flowed freely, often relayed back to the girls by Anne McInerney’s own mother, who worked in the school tuckshop.

Despite the scrutiny, the girls carried themselves with grace. Both girls named Anne had brothers at Lauries - Anne McKeaten had five and their presence unexpectedly boosted their siblings’ popularity. In the classroom, they found support from some teachers, like Mr Pound, but others refused to even answer their questions. The Christian Brothers largely ignored them.

Nevertheless, the girls persisted. They formed their own four-person science group while the boys worked in threes. Anne McKeaten even placed third in a statewide Science competition, but only the second-place boy was acknowledged in assembly.

Yet they still found moments of joy. Anne McKeaten and Patricia Armstrong attended the school formal, officially as St Ursula’s guests. Anne, a talented seamstress, made grey miniskirts, white shirts and borrowed Lauries ties from her brothers. The two girls also joined the TAS swimming carnival cheer squad, to the visible dismay of Brother Brady, the Principal, who reportedly fumed at the sight. But he never asked them to leave, perhaps out of respect for Anne McKeaten’s father, who was also in attendance.

All four young women went on to lead accomplished lives: Anne McKeaten became a midwife, Alison Jones entered the forestry field, Patricia Armstrong pursued physiotherapy and Anne McInerney became a high school Science teacher.

Fast forward to 1997 and another girl would step onto Lauries grounds, though under different circumstances. Natalie Mendoza (nee Smith), then 15 and in Year 11 at Our Lady’s College in Annerley, needed a school that offered Board Music. Her father, Wayne Smith, a Lauries Old Boy from 1970, made the bold request to Principal Mr Frederiksen.

Eventually, logistics were sorted and Natalie attended Lauries on Wednesday afternoons. Her father gleefully filled out the enrolment form, writing my daughter everywhere it said my son.

On her first day, a taxi delivered Natalie from Our Lady’s to the Lauries campus at 3:15pm. As she stepped out, the boys playing on Savio Oval froze — games stopped, balls dropped and a hush fell over the field. A girl had arrived.

Music class proved challenging. The assignment required software that transcribed played music into digital notation. The task? Recreate a piece of music from a TV show. Natalie chose ‘Ode to Joy’ the theme song from Suddenly Susan. 

A kind classmate named Keiren helped her install the software and connect her organ at home. That generosity left a lasting impression. Although Board Music was cancelled the following year due to low interest, Natalie fondly remembers attending the Semi-Formal with James Mendoza — now a teacher at Lauries. Her son Henry, currently in Year 6, carries on the family legacy.

The stories of these trailblazing young women, first in 1975 and then again in 1997, remain little known but deeply significant. They are stories of courage, quiet determination and resilience in the face of tradition. Though their time at Lauries was brief, the Ladies of Lauries left an indelible mark on the school’s history.

They were more than just students; they were our first St Laurence’s Old Girls.