St. Catherine High

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

St. Catherine High School is a Roman Catholic co-educational school in Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica.

[edit] History

St. Catherine High School was established on September 6, 1948 on the premises that now house the St. Catherine Primary School on White Church Street in Spanish Town, Jamaica. The idea of establishing a Catholic High School in Spanish Town originated with the Reverend Father Matthew Ashe S.J., and Sister Mary Mercedes Doorley R.S.M., who saw the need to establish a school for children in St. Catherine who were unable to gain places in the traditional grammar schools in Spanish Town and Kingston. The school was originally intended to be a co-educational Catholic High School and it was firmly established on the Catholic vision of the total development of the student with the focus being primarily upon student centered learning.

The school began as a co-educational institution having an enrollment of ten boys and thirteen girls. As the numbers increased, the need for additional space became necessary and so the school was moved to 5 Brunswick Avenue, the present site of the St. Catherine Preparatory School and Basic School as well as the former home of the Convent in 1951. By then it had become an all girls school. In 1958 10 years after its establishment, the school under the direction of Sister Stanislaus, R.S.M (now know as Sister Ann-Marie) became grant aided and was funded by the Ministry of Education.

In March 1960, the school moved to its present location at 35 St. John's Road where 15 acres of land had been purchased to accommodate it ever increasing numbers. Sister Mary Paschal R.S.M., became Principal in 1962 and served in that capacity until 1979 when she was succeed by then Senior Vice Principal, Ms. Magdalene Anderson.

Sister Mary Paschal R.S.M. was instrumental in negotiating with the Roman Catholic fraternity as well as the Ministry of Education to admit boys once again and thus the school became a co-educational institution again 1972.