HomeCollectionSt Dominic’s School for Deaf Children

We are all aware of the immense value St Dominic’s has contributed to the New Zealand Deaf education sector. St Dominic’s School for the Deaf opened in 1944 to provide a Catholic based education to deaf children, and ran for 45 years before closing in May 1989. SignDNA is thrilled that the St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre in Palmerston North has donated their full collection of St Dominic’s video footage to SignDNA, along with hundreds of documents and photos. Thanks to the Catholic Deaf leadership and David Loving-Molloy for their support.

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2014
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Deaf Southern Star: 2014 (Vol. 36, No. 4)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1987
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Ephpheta: June 1987 (Vol. 10, No. 1)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1970
video – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Teaching the Deaf: St Dominic’s School for the Deaf in Feilding

What was school life was like for pupils who attended St Dominic’s School for the Deaf in Feilding? Footage includes hearing tests, classroom teaching, and celebrating a pupil’s 5th birthday with his classmates, before Mass with the Sisters.
St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
2004
video – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

St Dominic’s 60th Jubilee

Ex-pupils talk about their memories and tell stories about St Dominic’s at the 60th reunion in Feilding, during Waitangi Weekend in 2004.
St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1979
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Ephpheta: June 1979 (Vol. 2, No. 2)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
NZSL Stories
  • Tony Walton
1987
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Ephpheta: December 1987 (Vol. 10, No. 3)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1968
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: Summer 1968 (Vol. 5, No. 2)

NZSL Stories
  • Kevin Pivac
  • John Hunt
1987
video – Taonga source: Television New Zealand Archive

Parents speak of their fears for the future of St Dominic’s School for Deaf Children

Following the potential closure of St Dominic's, parents express their concerns at a community meeting for their deaf children’s future if they were to be mainstreamed into a local school.
Television New Zealand Archive
1950
article – Taonga source: Zealandia

World Authorities Impressed by Catholic School for Deaf

A visit to the Catholic School for the Deaf, conducted by the Dominican Sisters in Wellington, was paid recently by Dr. Irene Ewing and her husband, Dr. A.W.G Ewing, renowed authorities on the education of the deaf.
1963-64
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: Summer 1963-64 (Vol. 1, No. 2)

NZSL Stories
  • Milton Reedy
  • John Hunt
2011
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Deaf Southern Star: 2011 (Vol. 33, No. 2)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1984
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Ephpheta: Winter 1984 (Vol. 7, No. 2)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
2011
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Deaf Southern Star: 2011 (Vol. 33, No. 3)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
NZSL Stories
  • Tony Walton
1954
article – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Archbishop Opens Feilding School for Deaf Children

Erected at a cost of £68,000 and standing in 23 acres of farmland and gardens, St. Dominic's school for the Deaf, at Feilding, was blessed and officially opened this afternoon by Archbishop T.B. McKeefry, Metropolitan of New Zealand.
St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
2002
video – Taonga source: Dorothy Jones

Memories of Marlene Rush

Marlene Rush was the 20th Deaf student to enrol at St Dominics School for the Deaf in 1946. Marlene looks back on her life and involvement with the Deaf community.
Dorothy Jones
1989
article – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Fielding school for deaf closes

New Government policy on educating disabled children has ended more than three decades of teaching deaf children at St Dominic's in Feilding.
St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
2016
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Deaf Southern Star: 2016 (Vol. 38, No. 2)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
2012
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Deaf Southern Star: 2012 (Vol. 34, No. 2)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1990-91
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: Spring/Summer 1990/91 (Vol. 24. No. 2)

NZSL Stories
  • Shona McGhie
  • John Hunt
  • Susie Ovens
1992
article – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Deaf wing ‘alive and well’

St Dominic's Wing for Deaf Children is alive and well and integrated with St Joseph's School in Feilding, says principal Sister Gemma.
St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
2014
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Deaf Southern Star: 2014 (Vol. 36, No. 1)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
NZSL Stories
  • Ruth Jessep
1983
publication – Taonga source: New Zealand Deaf News

NZ Deaf News: October 1983 (Vol. 20, No. 4)

NZSL Stories
  • Tony Walton
  • Susie Ovens
  • Jeff Went
  • Pam Croskery
  • John Hunt
  • Janet Watt
  • Shona McGhie
1960s
video – Taonga source: Manawatu Deaf Society

St Dominics Gala

St Dominics School for the Deaf hold their annual Gala Day – year unknown.
Manawatu Deaf Society
1980
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Ephpheta: September 1980 (Vol. 3, No. 3)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1986
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Ephpheta: Easter 1986 (Vol. 9, No. 1)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
NZSL Stories
  • Tony Walton
2013
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Deaf Southern Star: 2013 (Vol. 35, No. 4)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1978
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Catholic Deaf Newsletter: April 1978 (Vol. 1, No. 1)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
2015
publication – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

Deaf Southern Star: 2015 (Vol. 37, No. 3)

St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1954
article – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

NEW ST. DOMINIC’S SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF OPENING IN FEILDING: Over 3000 Attended Ceremony Yesterday

Over 3000 people flocked to St. Dominic's School for the Deaf yesterday afternoon to hear the Catholic Prelate, His Grace Archbishop P.T.B. McKeefry, bless the new building and officially open it.
St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
1989-90
video – Taonga source: St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre

St Dominic’s 45th Jubilee

There are many speeches from past pupils and staff recalling their time at St Dominic’s. The casually filmed footage covers part of the four-day 45th reunion at St Dominic’s School for the Deaf, with many speeches from past pupils and staff recalling their time at St Dominic’s.
St Dominic’s Catholic Deaf Centre
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