St Joseph's Tobruk Memorial School Explained

Motto:Courage, Faith and Love
Established:1953
Principal:Kevin Billion
Grades:Prep - Year 6
Enrollment:448
Enrollment As Of:2023
Website:https://www.stjosephsbeenleigh.qld.edu.au/

St Joseph's Tobruk Memorial School is an independent, Roman Catholic, co-educational, primary school, located in the Logan City town of Beenleigh, in Queensland, Australia.[1] [2] It is administered by the Queensland Catholic Education Commission, with an enrolment of 448 students and a teaching staff of 32, as of 2023. The school serves students from Prep to Year 6.

History

The school was announced in May 1951, under the name St Joseph's Convent and was to be an all-boys school.[3] The permit was granted in June 1951,[4] and the foundation stone was laid on 16 March 1952.[5] It opened on 25 October 1953,[6] to honour those who served in the Siege of Tobruk during World War II.[7] It had 97 foundation students.[8] The school was blessed by Archbishop Duhig, with Leslie Morshead and 55 members of the Rats of Tobruk Association attending.[9]

In 1955, the only replica of the Australian memorial in Tobruk was unveiled at the school.[10]

1998 saw the school celebrate its past by inviting the project team for the Rats of Tobruk to plant rose bushes in remembrance.[11] A rose garden featuring a memorial with 18 rosebushes was created.

On 21 October 2006 the school was deliberately set ablaze,[12] and was severely damaged.[13] The cost of the repairs was more than $500,000; being the second incident in the last 10 years (since 1996), the first fire caused roughly $60,000 in damage. A number of surviving soldiers from Tobruk were involved in the school's rebuilding efforts, assisting with the RSL sponsored fundraiser for the school.

The 60th anniversary was celebrated on 25 October 2013, with a Thanksgiving Mass and a 1950s dinner dance being held as the main events.

The students wore yellow clothing on 1 August 2014 to support the Wear Yellow for Allison Day movement to remember Allison Baden-Clay, after an 11-year-old suggested the idea to the school council.[14]

In January 2024, the school's playground was replaced.[15]

See also

References

  1. Web site: St Joseph's Tobruk Memorial School (Beenleigh) Department of Education . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240817071554/https://schoolsdirectory.eq.edu.au/Details/5079 . 17 August 2024 . 17 August 2024 . Schools Directory.
  2. Web site: ACARA Data Access Program - School Profile 2023 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240501085934/https://dataandreporting.blob.core.windows.net/anrdataportal/Data-Access-Program/School%20Profile%202023.xlsx . 1 May 2024 . 17 August 2024 . Australian Curriculum Assessment And Reporting Authority.
  3. News: 18 May 1951 . Tobruk Memorial for Beenleigh . 17 August 2024 . The South Coast Express . 1.
  4. Web site: 8 June 1951 . Permit Granted - Beenleigh Boys' School . 17 August 2024 . The Beaudesert Times . 3.
  5. Web site: 21 March 1952 . Beenleigh Boys' School - Foundation Stone Laid . 17 August 2024 . The Beaudesert Times . 7.
  6. Web site: 14 April 2019 . Opening and closing dates of Queensland schools . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240501085934/https://dataandreporting.blob.core.windows.net/anrdataportal/Data-Access-Program/School%20Profile%202023.xlsx . 1 May 2024 . 17 August 2024 . Queensland Department of Education . en.
  7. Web site: St Joseph`s Tobruk Memorial School . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122105032/https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/conflict/ww2/display/90525-st-joseph%60s-tobruk-memorial-school/ . 22 November 2023 . 17 August 2024 . Monument Australia.
  8. Web site: Ng . Emilie . 3 November 2013 . Tobruk memorial school turns 60 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240227200932/https://catholicleader.com.au/news/education/tobruk-memorial-school-turns-60/ . 27 February 2024 . 17 August 2024 . The Catholic Leader . en-AU.
  9. Web site: 3 December 1953 . Convent School Tobruk Memorial . 17 August 2024 . Trove . The Catholic Weekly . 9.
  10. Web site: 27 May 1955 . Replica of Tobruk Memorial for Beenleigh School . 17 August 2024 . The Beaudesert Times . 4.
  11. Web site: November 1998 . Rats of Tobruk - still serving our country - World reunion . 17 August 2024 . Vetaffairs . 10 . 0819-8934.
  12. Web site: 29 October 2006 . Blaze tests school spirit . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240221060737/https://catholicleader.com.au/news/blaze-tests-school-spirit_42256/ . 21 February 2024 . 17 August 2024 . The Catholic Leader . en-AU.
  13. Web site: Beenleigh Queensland Places . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240505131851/https://www.queenslandplaces.com.au/beenleigh . 5 May 2024 . 17 August 2024 . The University of Queensland.
  14. Web site: Feeney . Katherine . 28 July 2014 . Wear yellow and be kind on Friday for Allison Baden Clay's legacy, friends urge . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211129083808/https://www.9news.com.au/national/wear-yellow-for-allison-baden-clay-day-launched/d006cd46-e932-48c8-b524-90392639619a . 29 November 2021 . 17 August 2024 . 9News.
  15. Web site: 25 January 2024 . Pipes, planks, and tyres replace swings and slides at St Joseph’s . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240521033240/https://catholicleader.com.au/news/education/pipes-planks-and-tyres-replace-swings-and-slides-at-st-josephs/ . 21 May 2024 . 17 August 2024 . The Catholic Leader . en-AU.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "St Joseph's Tobruk Memorial School".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.