We See What You Mean – St Dominic’s past in print

A history of St Dominic’s School for the Deaf was launched in March in Feilding and in Auckland.

We See What You Mean has been the culmination of many years’ planning and three years of hard work by author Dorothy Pilkington and the school’s Historical Society Committee.

As the subtitle says, the book is A History of St Dominic’s School for Deaf Children and the Catholic Deaf Ministry in New Zealand.

This history officially started with the opening of St Dominic’s School for the Deaf in Island Bay, Wellington, in 1944 and covers the years right up to the present. The book also covers some interesting pre-history.

It was fitting that the launch of this notable Catholic publication took place at the Feilding Civic Centre because the Feilding community had so much to do with St Dominic’s once it arrived in Feilding in 1953.

Among the 150 people who attended the launch were a number from the Feilding community marking the bond between the school and the town.

The Hato Paora Maori Boys’ College choir sang waiata during the launch and showed the strong link between the college and the school.

The Mayor of Manawatu, Ian McKelvie, headed the list of speakers which included Bishop Peter Cullinane, Dorothy Pilkington, Sr Maureen O’Hanlon OP and an early pupil at the school when it was in Island Bay, Maree Carroll.

Former pupils travelled from Auckland and Wellington and some former teachers and staff came from Dunedin.

We See What You Mean is available at the Catholic Deaf Centre, Private Bag 11012, Palmerston North, for $46 (hardcover) or $41 (soft cover). Prices include p and p. Please address cheques to St Dominic’s School for the Deaf Historical Society Inc.

Photo captions:

• Chaplain to the deaf David Loving-Molloy (centre) with friends Marlene Rush and Mary Johnson enjoying launch celebrations.
• Sr Maureen O’Hanlon OP, Jackie Davidson and author Dorothy Pilkington.