Our Legacy of Light is a book about the 185 year history of St Patrick’s College Campbelltown.
But ultimately the book, which was launched at the school last Saturday, is about the history of Campbelltown.
It is also about the Irish people who settled in Campbelltown, and who wished their children to receive an education.
To some degree they ensured the school survived financial tough times – and there were a few of those since Governor Lachlan Macquarie established the settlement of Campbelltown 225 years ago.
The book was written by St Patrick’s own Fran Musico Rullo and Joanne Cavallin.
Both authors took part in a Q&A in which the mayor of Campbelltown Darcy Lound asked the questions, and which was an engrossing part of the book launch in the Mary Shiel Centre, the school’s impressive auditorium.
Councillor Lound asked Ms Rullo what would be one word she would use to describe St Patrick’s, and without hesitation the book author responded with “tenacious’’.
Ms Rullo explained her answer by saying St Patrick’s needed tenacity to survive the tough times it went through during its 185 year history, especially in the first 40 years or so.
The author also pointed out that there aren’t too many other schools in the Sydney metropolitan area that are older than St Patrick’s.
Ms Cavallin spoke about the principals of the school over the years, including one who introduced child care as a way of ensuring teachers didn’t leave St Patrick’s.
Current principal Mary Leask, in her first year as head of the school, welcomed guests to the book launch.
The book was published with the help of the members of Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society, who set up a stand at the launch inside the auditorium.
One of the highlights of the launch was a parade of all the uniforms worn by the girls at St Patricks across the school’s 185 year history (pictured above).
Our Legacy of Light can be bought from the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society via their website: https://www.cahs.org.au/the-society-shop
