History Club Girls Win Again!

On Monday October 23, my colleague Michael and I attended the presentation of the ANZAC Day Schools Award to the girls of the Year 11 History Club at St Patrick's College for Girls. This is another outstanding achievement for the History Club girls and their teacher Fran Musico Rullo. Fran's passion for Campbelltown's history is amazing and is reflected in the girl's dedication to whatever project they take on. The award was announced in August and resulted in a prize of $3000. This year's theme was Australians and the Vietnam War and the History Club researched the experiences of local people during the conflict. It included interviews of three veterans and the creation of a website. Each girl gave a short presentation and local Federal Member for Macarthur Mike Freelander was in attendance. 

Congratulations Fran and the girls of the History Club on this well deserved recognition!

This is the link to the website:

FINAL- Campbelltown NSW and the Vietnam War (1).pptx - Google Slides

One of the girl's presentations revealed something I was previously unaware of. On 8 June 1966 a 21-year old Campbelltown woman living in Rudd Road, Leumeah named Nadine Jensen was arrested and charged for offensive behaviour during a welcome home march for Vietnam veterans in the city. A video was presented of the incident. Miss Jensen had drenched herself with a mixture of kerosene, turpentine and red paint. She said it was symbolic of the blood being shed in the Vietnam War. Dripping wet, she threw her arms around the leader of the march who was the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion. Colonel Preece shrugged Miss Jensen off and kept marching. Nadine Jensen later said "I'm glad I did it. I wanted to make the politicians realise that some people in Australia are opposed to sending troops to Vietnam".

The protest was headline news in the press the next day. However, Nadine Jensen seems to have disappeared into history. Local researchers have attempted to trace what happened to her but without success. I have endeavoured to locate her, searching the usual resources for an answer. I have had no luck. Perhaps someone out there knows what became of Nadine Jensen?

 Nadine Jensen at the time of arrest (SMH)

The incident with the red paint at the march (SMH)

Written by Andrew Allen

Westview

In August 1888 the Sisters of the Order of the Good Samaritan purchased land for a college. The college, to be known as St John's Preparatory College, "Westview", was situated on a hill to the east of Campbelltown. The sisters came to Campbelltown in 1887 where they took over the parish school and established St Patrick's school for girls and is the current Campbelltown Tourist Information Centre.

The building that was used for the college was thought to have been an existing building on land that was owned by John Kidd and included part of George Carr's grant. It was partly bordered by Aston and Bayle's farms. A newspaper article describing extensions made to Westview in 1954 identified the building as "Hillview", however there is no evidence to support this. George Carr is likely to be the convict listed in the Campbelltown Pioneer's Register who was a labourer at Airds and died in 1940.

"Westview", St John's Boarding School for Boys around 1900. (Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society)

In an article written by Robert Parkinson in volume 11, issue number 4 of Grist Mills: the journal of the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society, the author writes "It is not clear if the sisters actually erected the cottage and called it Westview although Sr Claudia has spoken of "the old homestead where we (the sisters) had our dining room".

The buildings were added to in the following years, although they were inadequate for the college's requirements. The sisters had to make do for too long and it was decided to build substantial additions which were officially opened in 1922. The college became known officially as St John's Preparatory College, Westview. It cost £5000 and much of it was funded by parishoners. In 1954 a ceremony marked the laying of the foundation stone for further extensions and they were opened by Bishop McCabe on 2 December 1956.

Garnet Jennings and Frank Monaghan at the college in 1926 (Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society)

In 1969 St John's closed to be re-opened in 1970 as St Patrick's School for girls. This school had moved from the old St John's church in George Street.

I visited the school a few weeks ago and met one of the teachers and the school archivist. They showed me the excellent archives collection, including many objects and documents related to the school's history. I was also directed to the site of the original building that housed the college when the sisters moved there in 1888. The building was still standing in the 1940's but it is unclear when it was demolished. I hope to have an answer for this in the near future.

The area in front of the yellow signs marks the site of the original Westview building 

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

PARKINSON, Robert

St John's College Westview Campbelltown, NSW

In Grist Mills Vol. 11, No. 4, December 1998

Campbelltown Pioneer Register

Campbelltown-Ingleburn News, 4 December 1956