The Mary Dalton Hall was built in 1985 and opened in Sr Mary’s first year as Principal. The land for this building was purchased in the early 1970s. When I was at school, this area included a pet shop, bike shop and a petrol station, which was opposite Woolworths (now Coles).
When it was purchased, the shops continued as before and the petrol station shop became the school canteen and the other areas a staff car park. Between the shops and the Delany Wing (Science block), was a laneway, which led to two further laneways, one running down to Commercial Road along the boundary currently shared with houses. The other followed the tennis court fence down to Commercial Road. These were used to gather nightsoil in the days of outdoor toilets. Interestingly, the Mentone Coffee Palace was one of the first buildings in the district to be furnished with new-fangled flushing toilets!
The hall was mainly used for official purposes such as Parent Teacher Interviews, Debutante Balls, Trivia Nights, Assemblies and Masses. Physical Education classes did not use this building until after Sr Mary’s death in 1995. Subsequently, the floor was marked with lines for netball, volleyball and badminton courts, which have been used consistently since then. Additions were made in 2000, when the current Food Technology kitchens, PE office, circuit room and Function room were added, as was the bio box to facilitate the use of audio-visual presentations.
At this time, the undercroft was also created, with the demolition of a room known as the Drama Workshop on the corner of the Hall to the right of the stage. The Physics lab was added at this time and the library extended, creating an undercover space for students to gather and eat.
Prior to this hall being built, the school hall was situated on the top floor of the St Margaret Mary Wing, running along Mentone Parade. This hall was in use from 1959 until 1995. Prior to that, the former St Patrick’s church, purchased by the Brigidines from the parish, was the school hall from 1930-58.
A smaller, wooden building, called St Joan’s, was originally situated where the colonnade now is. It was moved to sit adjacent to the end of that building where the atrium now is in 1927. Part of this building was a gathering space or hall from that time until it was removed to create St Joan’s wing in 1967.