Loreto Convent School Skinner Street Home Page

2. 13h00 Mass in the Convent Chapel – our thanks to Father Chris Townsend for saying the Mass and to Felicity Mullan for playing the piano

3. 14h00 Proceedings in the School Hall (the Hall is dedicated to Sister Shirley Kay)

5. 14h30 A word of welcome and a vote of thanks by Kathy Wisselo, Mistress of Ceremonies

- Felicity Mullan will play the piano for, “For they are Jolly Good Old Girls”

9. Our special thanks to all who helped with the arrangements and preparations for this afternoon’s Reunion, both Old Girls and Staff, and a very special word of thanks to Kathy for all she has done for us.

REPORT: 1 October 2011 Loreto Old Girls Reunion, Pretoria and Durban, South Africa

Mass was said at 13h00 by Father Chris Townsend in the Convent Chapel of Loreto Convent Skinner Street.

Our thanks to Father Chris Townsend for saying the Mass and to Felicity Mullan for playing the piano.

Mass was followed by Celebrations in the Shirley Kay Skinner Street School Hall.

In general, all agreed that the 2011 LOG Reunion was a happy affair, scintillating, yet relaxed and uplifting. There was much to celebrate – convivial chatting, renewing old friendships, catching up of news, and presentations, followed by tea and delicious finger snacks.

The presentation of a Red Rose to each of the following was done by Kathy in a cheerful and informal manner, and Felicity Mullan led the singing of “For they are Jolly Good Old Girls” with light-hearted piano playing.

“Thank you for a most enjoyable afternoon. It was good to see so many faces that we knew and being able to catch up on the missing years.”

“Everyone enjoyed themselves, the catering was perfect and I am sure most will be there again next year.”

“I thought it was great fun. We missed the Pretoria Reunion but you were all in our thoughts and hope you had a good day up there. Our lunch was delicious and the company great. Just to meet and discuss our lives and things that have happened in the past is so interesting.”

Lola Neethling (1950) commented on the pleasant atmosphere of the Pretoria Reunion and her sister, Winifred Snyman (1955), was bubbly with commendations for the Pretoria Reunion, for the first time without long speeches!

Another year is speeding past and it is almost time for our Annual Reunion. We are hoping to remind everyone that the first Saturday of October is always Reunion Day- please join us ladies! It will be fun to see you all again. PLEASE REMEMBER- the FIRST SATURDAY OF OCTOBER IS ALWAYS THE REUNION DATE, AND IS UNCHANGED FROM YEAR TO YEAR. (This year the date is 01 October, 2011). The Reunion will start with Mass in the School Chapel at 1pm, followed by tea in the School Hall. (Registration will take place at 12.30pm). The entrance to the School grounds will be in Visagie Street, where sufficient parking will be available. There will be Security on duty.

This year, Frances Olver and Margaret Collins have kindly offered to help me with updating the data base and trying to contact everyone. The School's Deputy Principal, Mrs. Suzette Truter, has been “meeting” many of the more recent Old Girls on Facebook, inviting them to the Primary School’s Concert, which will take place at the end of August. (This concert will not take the place of the Annual Reunion- it is just an additional event, in which we thought that the LOGS would be interested). The Social Networking phenomenon is very worthwhile in this way, as the word spreads quickly among those who have a profile on Facebook – many friendships are reinforced and restarted.

In May this year, Loreto International invited representatives from all Loreto Convent and Schools worldwide to attend a conference on the life of Mary Ward, our Foundress. Sister Linda Prest (the Provincial) led the South African delegation, which consisted of Mrs. Sherilyn Haupt (Skinner Street) Mrs. Tessa Westwood (Loreto Queenswood) and Mrs. Vanessa Oertle (Loreto Strand). It was a wonderful and important ten days, as ideas and information was shared by all attendees, which will be filtered throughout the various affiliated institutions during the coming months. Of course, it was not all work, and there was an opportunity to visit the gorgeous Niagara Falls one day- fabulous. (Sister Linda is writing more on this event, elsewhere in the newsletter).

I am sure you are all interested in news of Sister Shirley. She is well and happy, having recently celebrated her 92nd birthday (on 01 July) and sends her love to you all. She would welcome letters and emails (Sister Immacula's email address is annette_bolger@yahoo.co.uk -please do keep in touch with her and give her all your news. (Her letter to you all is attached).

Loreto Convent School, Skinner Street, achieved 100% Matric pass rate in 2010 (18 years in a row!!) and there were 93% University Exemptions, which was an excellent result in World Cup Year, as it put a good finishing touch on an exciting twelve months. Naturally, we all participated in Football Friday and the learners joined in enthusiastically. Camaraderie and National Pride were very much in evidence all the time.

How many of you remember the signatures of British soldiers, garrisoned in the Convent Redoubt during the Boer War? Well, a team of British Historians visited South Africa earlier this year, and our Convent was on their itinerary. They were thrilled to see the signatures and to learn some of the history of the School and we were delighted to welcome them.

The School sees many visitors during the course of a year, incidentally, as many past pupils or members of their families come to catch a glimpse of remembered classrooms, and places that hold happy childhood memories. They usually have several giggles as they recall mischievous escapades and the reactions of their teachers.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mrs. Catherine Sluyter (mother of Irma and Cecile) who celebrated her 100^th birthday recently. What a wonderful occasion and the School sends its warm message of congratulations to her as well.

Other messages of congratulation: Mrs. Antionette Darlington, a past pupil and a member of the Loreto Convent School staff, recently became a mother-in-law, as her son Clayton married in Richards Bay. Mrs. Lee Anne Goosen (Soley) became an Integrated Learning Therapy Practitioner. Mrs. Maria Pinto (Alves) has been appointed Head of Department at our School.

All past pupils who are celebrating either 50 (Golden Girls) or 60 years (Diamond Girls) since leaving school, will be acknowledged at the Reunion.

There are some Obituaries as well this year. Mrs. Lupke, and Mrs. Docherty, much loved teachers and very inspiring ladies, passed away this year. Their warmth and kindness will be remembered by all their former pupils. Dr. Brian Addis, husband of Mrs. Helene Addis, the First Lay Principal of Loreto Convent School, passed away at the end of June, as did Mrs. Magdalen Shillinglaw, mother of our present Principal, Mr. Stuart Shillinglaw. We extend sincere messages of sympathy to their families and pray that time will bring comfort and healing.

We note with sadness and sincere condolences the passing of the following: Jackie (Warden) Van Kan on 17 February 2011, Dorothy (Du Plessis) O'Grady on 25 June 2011, Agnes (Reister) Stut on 14 June 2011, Evelyn (Donaldson) Webb and Yvonne (Karras) Sinovich in February 2011, Val Roberts, husband of Rosemary (Henkel) Roberts on 26 May 2011 (his father was Austin Roberts, famous for compiling the encyclopaedic Bird Book), in February 2011 at the age of 100 years and 11 months, Thomas Alfred Bower, husband of Dicky Bower (d. 2006 at the age of 93 years) and father of Ann (Bower) Gray, Maxie (Swacina) Fouche on 18 June 2008, Amorie (Denoon) Swacina on 17 April 2008, Ann (White) Williams on 3 October 2008, Deloryse O'Connor on 6 June 2004, John, husband of Pam (Brown) Edwards on 2 October 2001, Quinton, husband of Frances (Swacina) Olver on 16 January 2009, the husband of Brenda (Savage) Human in 2006 and the husband of Barbara (Savage) Sand in June 2010, Anne Egan, Alice Mitchell and her brother, Tony, Carol (Hill) Davenport, Rose Silva, Joan (Botha) McIntyre, Annette Lipschitz, Antoinette/Toinette Heydenrych and finally in 2010 Polly (Dermatis) Tassopoulos and Shirley (Rolandi) Acquadro.

Note: Should there be any omissions or mistakes, please let Kathy know. The LOG Deceased Register will be used when the name of a deceased LOG is taken off the Database. Please inform Kathy in this regard.

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Frances Olver (Swacina) and I hail from way-back in 1951, and have tried to keep up our contact with Loreto- Frances through being involved with the school throughout the years (with her children at Loreto) and myself by being on the Skinner Street Old Girls’ Committee for 11 years

The very first thing that we would like to say is that, although we both spent all our school years at Skinner Street, we feel very strongly about ALL Loreto Old Girls who may have ended up here in Pretoria over the years, or those able to reach here for the Annual Reunion, being able to get together at a central point and meet with others who were with them during their school years. Never would we wish any Loreto Old Girls to lose their separate identity as ex-pupils of their own Convents, whether Hillcrest, Strand, Seapoint, Lydenburg, Kenya or Mombasa.

It depends on each one of you to try and contact the girls who were at school with you and so make sure that there is a good group of your own school friends who can meet and reminisce together here, although you may not be able to get back to your own alma mater. Loreto Skinner Street will welcome you with open arms and hope that you and your own friends will feel at home here with us.

We have been hearing about various reunions which have been held, or are planned, in other cities such as Durban and Cape Town, and even in London, by Old Girls of the various Convents. This is a wonderful idea- let’s keep the Loreto memories and connections going, no matter where we started out from or where we end up.

We are working closely with Kathy Wisselo, the School Secretary at Skinner Street, who has been co-ordinating the LOG affairs since Sister Shirley left. She has been doing a sterling job, but we have realised what a major operation it is trying to trace all the LOGS over the many, many years. Please everybody, you can help by sending to Kathy at the school (email: kathy@lorskin.co.za)

or 012 – 3266352\0722405004 any changes in contact details (either your own or your friends contact details) the Convent, and year, of Old Girls who may presently not be on our database, so that this can be kept current and circulars can reach as many of us as possible. Her fax number is : 012 – 3242780.

In speaking to many of the LOGS over the last month or so, Frances has picked up various points of interest:

Over the last year or two, many LOGS have asked : What has happened to the October Reunion? Why do we not receive the notification or news any more? The reason has been that so many envelopes were returned : “UNKNOWN” over the years, that postal notifications were discontinued and the annual circulars were sent out by email. This was not very successful, as many Old Girls do not have email or Loreto did not have the email addresses. This is what we are trying to correct so that ALL Our Old Girls receive the annual circulars. If you do not have an email facility, they will in future be posted, if we have a confirmed postal address. Once again, please help.

Many of the girls who have passed their Golden Girls (50^th) reunion, feel that it would be great to also acknowledge those who reach their 60 year reunion.

So many LOGS miss seeing their teachers, both the Sisters and the lay teachers. We are going to invite all teachers, past and present, to the Reunion.

There is a need for a support base between all of us. We have happy times in our lives and many of us know the difficulties when things just don’t go right or we lose loved ones. Very often continued contact with persons who go a long way back with us can make a big difference, which is a very good reason to keep in contact with our special school friends of long ago or even after all these years, to renew those friendships. Help us to re-contact as many Old Girls as we can.

Lastly, my personal appeal to all the younger Old Girls- please, please keep coming back and return the Loreto Old Girls Association to the large, vibrant body that I knew so many years ago.

I welcome each one of you who have taken the trouble to be present this afternoon. I welcome very specially those I taught at Loreto Skinner Street off and on between the years 1944 and 1998, and I also welcome those who attended the school either before or after these dates.

My own memories are of eager young people – eager to learn in order to get on in life.

I am now quite adapted to Ireland and its climate. As Loreto is the same all over the world, the change was easy for me. Today I met a past pupil of Loreto Skinner Street, right here in Balbriggan. She was at school in early 1970s and her name is Mrs. Mary Anne Connol. Some of you may remember her.

I had the good fortune of visiting England recently where I stayed with my grand-nephew and his mother, who is my niece. She was visiting him.

As you know, I am 92 and keeping very well, although my eye sight is not very good. Sr. Ignatius Jackman belongs to the Kilkenny Community, but has been in a nursing home for the last year. I saw her a couple of months ago and I am afraid she was very weak, and has to have everything done for her. She will be 98 this year.

Sr. Clare is also in a home and keeps going, but is not very well either. Sr. Immacula is with me at Loreto Balbriggan and is in very good health.

Sr. Peter Claver now lives in the Kilkenny Community. She is 96 and although she has failed somewhat, she is holding her own. She visited us in Balbriggan in July and while she was here, organised a visit to the St. James Hospital for her to meet Una French, Sr. Joseph Anne Hart’s sister. Una is heading for the age of 102 in December.

When we have meetings, Kathleen MacLennan lives in one of the apartments attached to Abbey House. She visits Immacula and we meet often and she is doing great work, running Mary Ward International. This takes her on trips all over the world, and she is definitely the right person for that job. Recently, she took a contingent of Loreto pupils to Spain for the International Youth Day. Pope Benedict XV1 was there. I feel sure that some South Africans were also there.

Coming together from all parts of the world as one Loreto family-this was one of the highlights for me\us. We shared, played and worked together in various groups and got to know the face of Loreto in different countries.

The film and input on Cosmology stressed the connectedness of us all. No one can say “I do not need the other”. We are all made from the star dust, and being “stars” we are an important part of the universe, which is ever spreading out further and further. We are in fact ONE with all. This just confirms what the gospels say that ‘we are one’ and we are responsible for every other creature, plant or inanimate substance on Earth and in the universe.

The input on migration showed us the why and the how of migration. Mostly people, our sisters

and brothers, are in desperate situations (political, starvation, drought etc.) and need to get themselves or their families to a better place where they are safe and can find food. This fitted into the theme of our interconnectedness and our responsibility for the world.

Between the working sessions, we enjoyed the outing to the Niagara Falls- majestic and ever flowing. We, clad with special rain coats, boarded small boats and went as close to the falls as possible. Of course we were splashed by the spray of the falls, but this was part of the tour. After this, we enjoyed a meal near the Loreto Convent there.

Before the grand final Mass, the Indian members anointed us with their “muti” and gave the Mass an Indian flavour. This was followed by a finger supper, dancing and singing.

It was just a great experience and we thank God that it was possible for all there.

We have just completed a big move into flats at the Nazareth House complex and are settling in well.

Sister Oliver and Sister Margaret Mary are “not so well”, but are happy at the Holy Cross Home in Suiderburg. Sister Therese and Sister Rosaleen are likewise being cared for in Nazareth House in Cape Town.

I……………………….(Name and Surname) will\will not be attending the 2011 Reunion on 01 October, 2011. Contribution towards tea and admin costs : R70.00

Year Left Loreto:…………….School attended:……………………………………….

…………………………………………Email address ………………………………..

Telephone numbers: (Cell)………………….…Work:………………Home…:…………

Please return this slip(together with the Cheque or Postal Order made out to Loreto Convent Old Girls’ Association) to : Loreto Convent Old Girls’ Association, P.O. Box 11381, The Tramshed, 0126: Telephone : 012 – 3266352\0722405004 (Kathy)

We hope to see you: but if you are not coming, please send us your updated details.

Mrs. Truter would like to thank all the people that attended for making it a HUGE success!

2010 has been an exciting year indeed, and the World Cup provided an opportunity for everyone to join together in welcoming the world to our shores.

2010 was also the year that the 401^st anniversary of Mary Ward was celebrated. At the beginning of August representatives of Loreto Institutions, throughout the world, gathered at the Bar Convent in York for a conference. Loreto Skinner Street was represented by Miss Nyirenda (our RE teacher) and two Grade 10 learners. Mr. Pallozzi (the Principal) and Mrs. Blignaut represented Loreto School, in Queenswood. They had an absolutely wonderful experience and have returned with many mementoes and memories, which they will share with the schools.

We are very happy to report that Loreto Convent School received 100% Matric pass rate in 2009, with a record number of University exemptions. As an added achievement, two of our Matric learners excelled in the Moot Court Competition, organised by the University of Pretoria.

The various School Choirs, and the Drama Groups, took part in the Tshwane Youth Arts Festival recently, and three of our learners were in the Jakaranda Children’s Choir, which won the Grand Prix award at the Bratislava International Youth Music Festival in Slovakia. A great achievement! The School’s Arts and Culture Department is organising an Arts Evening on 15 September, to showcase the talent in our school.

Of course, the High School is looking forward to the annual Miss Loreto Competition- this is traditionally organised by the Grade 11 class, as fund raising for their Matric Dance. This will take place in Mid-September. Naturally, this year’s Matric Dinner was a great success and the girls all looked absolutely beautiful- now, however, they are working hard in preparation for the final examinations. We wish them the very best of luck.

There have been two weddings of staff members (Ms. Lee Anne Soley married Mr. Clinton Goosen and Ms. Crystal Urquhart married Mr. Justin de Moor) and babies were born to other teachers- three baby girls- one to Mrs. Caro Rascher (Grade 1 teacher),one to Mrs. Hermien Greyling (Drama teacher) and one to Mrs. Yolandé Venter (Remedial teacher). Congratulations everyone!

We are delighted to announce that several of our Old Girls are bringing their own little ones to begin their education at Loreto Convent School- it is always wonderful to welcome past pupils, and their families, at the school.

Please remember the reunion on 02 October, the first Saturday of October (as usual). Time : 1.30pm (13h30).

Our Golden Girls for 2011 will be (just so that you can make your plans well in advance, girls!)

Ladies, you will all be our special guests this year- will you please R.S.V.P. me to let me know if you will be attending? If I have left out anyone, will you please pass the message on to your friends and let me know their names, for the database.

The annual subscription will be R70.00 each (you may pay at the door on 02 October) and this will cover the cost of our tea, etc. We would like to earnestly ask you, as well, to consider donations towards the upkeep and maintenance of the school building- we work hard to maintain the school but, it is an old building, and constantly in need of repair. The school is starting a Building Fund, and contributions may be made directly to this cause. No matter how small the donation, it will be very welcome and we would be extremely grateful. Loreto Convent School is a piece of History and, as the custodians, the School Body is really conscious of its responsibility towards the Past Pupils and to those yet to come. We would be really glad of your help.

Sr. Shirley sends her love to all Old Girls and, although she will not be able to join us this year, I am sure she will send a special message to you. She celebrated her 91^st birthday on 01 July and had a most enjoyable day.

The L.O.G. Committee extends its sympathy to Sr. Eileen Gallagher and her family of the passing away of her brother in July. Our prayers are with you, Sr. Eileen.

Please R.S.V.P. Kathy at 012 – 3266352\3266342\3216880 or email at kathy@lorskin.co.za, if you will be able to attend the Reunion. Please make every effort to attend- bring your friends and family and make it a joyous occasion.

Speech Tumelo Molope

This is a speech given by Tumelo Molope, a Loreto Old Girl, at the 131st anniversary of Loreto Skinner Street:
Good morning everyone, thank you so much for inviting me to speak you on the 131^st anniversary of the founding of our school.
This is truly an honour for me.
I thought of preparing a big fancy presentation but in the end I decided against it and thought I should just speak from the heart. So here we go…
I was on the school website as I was preparing what I was going to say. I went through the school time line and read all the significant events that have happened since the school was founded.
I looked at the year I finished matric, 1997, it said “the building of the hall was started”.
I then noticed the year 2006. It said Mr Shilinglaw succeeds Mrs D’Oliviera as principal. I noticed this event particularly because Mrs D’Oliviera was on of my favourite teachers and had been my principal.
I then came to the year 2008 and it read “all the sisters leave the convents”. My heat just sank. I was very sad. The reason for that is because the sisters had formed such an integral part of my growth as a student. I couldn’t imagine the school without them.
I would like to share with you my experience of being a student at Loreto. What I call my Loreto journey.
My sister Lopang and I came to Loreto for the first time for an interview with sister Fergus, accompanied by our parents. I was very nervous then. I hardly said a word and yet I was accepted. Sr. Fergus must have seen the determination all over my face.
On my first day at Loreto, I was wearing a blue tunic with a white collar, brown shoes and white socks and a navy blazer. This well put together outfit was rounded off by a cream hat with a blue ribbon.
When I think about it today, I must have been pondering that day over what this meant for me. This huge transition from the township school that I knew and the township neighbourhood from which I was raised, where all my friends up till now had lived.
We walked through the school with a very keen and purposeful eye. Everything was new to me, everything different, exciting, and interesting.
What I remember most about Loreto was the strong sense of discipline that was instilled in me as a student.
I remember Sister Cecelia, Sister Peter Claver, Sister Shirley, Sister Celine, Sister Immacula, and Sister Ignatius (who buy the way always wore the most amazing Esteé Lauder fragrances – the Sisters had lost of personality!).
I remember the nuns with the fondest of memories, especially Sister Fergus, she was my favourite. I had huge admiration for them. They made me who I am today.
Loreto for me was a journey filled with endless opportunities and endless possibilities. We were encouraged to dream. We were encouraged to do and to be our absolute best.
I was one of those students who (despite my heaviness as a child) was involved in absolutely everything. I got involved in and was a member of the hockey team, I was captain of my swimming team, and I took part academically in the history and English Olympiads. I participated in the Knights of Da Gama speaker’s circle, it felt as though the entire world was my oyster and I could sample any little part of it I wished to.
We didn’t have the best swimming team of hockey team. We were always the most outstanding team on the field. I remember, however, still being proud of where I came from and who I was representing.
On Friendship: I credit this school with bringing me closer to people from all walks of life. I credit the school as being the first place where I understood the meaning of Diversity. Coming together with people from different backgrounds, different cultures and races.
So all in all what’s happened since I left the school? Well… I went to the University of Cape Town. My hard work had paid off and I was offered an Entrance Merit Scholarship by the Faculty of Humanities. I initially wanted to study Law. My undergraduate degree however was in the field of Human Resources and Industrial Sociology. I registered for my LLB at a later stage at the University of Pretoria.
University was a lot of fun – the freedom of being away from home. The awesome and beautiful new city to explore. The parties. I really came out of my shell. I enjoyed being a student. I never strayed.
A lot of people get to university and completely let loose. I have friends who didn’t graduate. I have friends whose parents’ money went down the drain because they lost focus of why they were there.
I never lost focus. I couldn’t. The foundations that had been laid down for my future were too solid to ever be shaken. They would never be shaken. They will never be shaken.
I give thanks to the people who were responsible for that, my parents, my teachers, the sisters, this environment.
My twenties were hard. Being a young adult and trying to gain financial independence is not easy. I struggled. I struggled in relationships, with work. But I never gave up. I never lost hope. I always wanted to find my way back to the person I knew I was, what I’d been taught to be – a devoted catholic girl with strong and sensible morals, caring and loving to the people around me.
I finally find my self (at 30 years of age) in that space again. Life can test your resolve, test your morals, and make you question yourself. I think that even though it was hard, it feels good to know that my faith above all was what carried me through. The faith instilled in me by my parents and nurtured my Loreto.
I am humbled by this request from the school to come and speak to you about my journey here at Loreto. I am grateful for all the blessings the blessings I have received in my career and in my personal life because of the opportunity to attend a school of this calibre.
I thank God for the Sisters, their influence. My teachers, Mrs D’Oliviera, Mrs Van Loggerenberg, Mrs Pinto, Ms Swartzburg, Mrs Louw, Mrs Haupt and Mrs Van. Each of these people had a role to play in where I am today.
My Loreto journey was about hard work, possibility, wonder, dreams, good solid Christian values, friendships. I haven’t stopped working hard, I haven’t stopped dreaming and I believe I will climb even higher because of this journey. A lot of things might have changed, but I remain what I have always been - a humble servant of the Lord.

Letter from Ofentse

Good Day Mrs TR.
This is Ofentse Motlhasedi from the class of 2007. I was part of your last maths SG class. Remember that. What follows is a very long e-mail so its best if your seated or whatever.
I read somewhere that one of the hardest things for a human being to say to another human being is "I am sorry”. But I think after the past year and so what I find to be of equal difficulty is saying “Thank You". How do you tell someone who has done so much for you that you are grateful and that you are a better person because of them? How do two little words encompass something so deep? I suppose this rather lengthy email will attempt to answer that.
I came to Loreto in 2003, I was fresh out of primary and a little depressed at the lack of males in my new school. Like so many others I complained about Loreto and probably even considered changing schools. The long skirt, the blazer, the prayers, the values preached to us, compulsory sport, knitting of squares and so many other things I felt wasted my time.
Fast Forward to my first year in varsity and all I can say is thank God for Loreto, and I cant believe I am saying this but thank God for Ms Nyirenda !!
1. A Loreto girl is a hustler: 3 months into my 1st year I saw a Human Rights Competition @ school. The winner could travel to one of three African States and research the state of Human Rights in that respective country. I had to submit my CV and a letter of motivation. Out from a plethora of applications I was blessed and got chosen. I am told today that the one thing that stood out about my overall application was my command of the English language and my ability to express why I wanted to go on this academic field trip. I would be an arrogant ignoramus if I thought that this had anything at all to do with me. I went to a school that encouraged me to 'speak out' and 'step up'. I went to a school where keeping quiet brings no change or clarity but speaking up (using the right forum) creates results. I also had a wonderful English teacher (Mrs Parker) who taught me that English is not just a coloniser’s language but a language one can use to redefine societal norms and to simply get your point across properly.
2. A Loreto girl is the best: Later on in the year I tried out for the Tuks Moot Court team and from the entire first year group (2000 plus) I along with 3 others got chosen. We went to the Supreme Court of Appeals in Bloem and argued a fictional case before a bench of retired judges. There we won and my partner and I became national moot court champs. See Mrs TR again it would be arrogant of me if I believed that all this was because of me. No! I went to a school that allowed its pupils to suggest which sports/clubs should be started and if it’s reasonable and possible it would be founded. The Debating club @ Loreto was founded in such a way and from that club I learnt principles I could apply in moot court. Principles I hope I will never forget. I went to a school where your age and grade didn’t define you and I knew I was good enough simply because I was.
3.A Loreto girl is always proud :I went to a school where I felt respected and appreciated (I was Ms Motlhasedi).Not just another student I am pleased to see that this cycle of excellence and culture is still being continued. Last year two Loreto girls won the Pretoria School Moot Competition @ Tuks (beating St Mary's in the final). I was so proud maam_you would not understand. I was just as chuffed when I read in Destiny Magazine that Loreto Convent Sk is one of the Top 50 Independent Schools in Gauteng. I am very proud to have come from such a school. The sisterhood continues here @ Tuks in that so many older girls from Loreto made me feel welcome when I came to Tuks.I in turn aim to be the same towards the new Tuks students from Loreto.(Malebo,koketso,Cecilia etc)
I hear my new friends tell me that because of undedicated teachers they taught themselves many of their matric subjects. I hear people complain that varsity scares them and that they can’t cope with academic and social pressures.
This is one of those rare moments where I am silent. Loreto is one of those schools where its one weird yet happy family and when your teachers are committed and you don’t pay for extra lessons. Your teachers have only hope for you and encourage you to walk with God. I went to a school that where my teachers and friends were excited to see me go to varsity because they knew that not only was I properly prepared but I that I had faith in Gods will for my life.
Between Mrs May’s RE classes and Bosco camp we were taught what we needed to know about making tough choices.
Point is Mrs TR-all this is because Loreto is a well oiled machine with you at the helm. We have watched day in and day out how had meetings and urgent things to address but still had the time to crack a joke with your students. I was never really a fan of mathematics but your commitment to the subject made me enjoy it. To such an extent that I studied and practised it very hard.
You clearly have no regard for your job description because I clearly remember you paying so that I could do speakers circle back in 2006 and hey that made me realise that you really believed in me.I am grateful not just to Loreto but to the force behind Loreto.
I don’t know how you manage but it’s not in vain.
There are young ladies all over who are grateful to have met you.
Love and Blessings
Ofentse

Venue: Loreto Convent Skinner Street Pretoria

REPORT: 1 October 2011 Loreto Old Girls Reunion, Pretoria and Durban, South Africa