From breeding rats to chewing gum and miniskirts, it is safe to say Sister Therese Masterson has seen it all during her decades of service as a beloved teacher and mentor.
Sr Therese, a Sister of Mercy, began her career in 1963 at St Monica’s College in Cairns, from where has had a front-row seat to every triumph, change and advancement in Queensland education. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Teaching has always brought me joy,” she said.
“There is something so special about helping a child to think independently, to see the light go on when they begin to understand something they’ve struggled with.”
Hard work is something Sr Therese became very accustomed to throughout her career. During times of no financial support for non-government schools, when finances were tight, the Sisters cleaned mildew off the timber desks before the beginning of the school year and regular classroom cleaning and sweeping was done by students on a roster after school.
Sr Therese also participated in many extracurricular activities, including athletics coaching, coordinating the YCS (Young Christian Students) movement, organising and being part of the volunteer transport fleet for Wednesday afternoon sport and breeding and feeding the science lab rats.
The launch of the Russian satellite ‘Sputnik’ resulted in a demand for science studies. In 1969, Sr Therese joined the student body for Chemistry and Physics classes and obtained science matriculation. The early 1970s saw her achieve a science degree from James Cook University in Townsville and she returned to St Monica’s with a new passion for teaching, now in the field of Chemistry, Physics and Biology.
Since retiring from the position of Deputy Principal – Pastoral Care at the end of 2006, Sr Therese has maintained her contact with the College through some religious education teaching, occasional guest speaking in classes, presenting the annual Tree Planting Ceremony and collaborating at Year 12 Retreat. She is currently organising the College Archives.
“There is something so special about helping a child to think independently, to see the light go on when they begin to understand something they’ve struggled with.”
Sr Therese has witnessed many changes during her years of experience. Report cards were once a list of results and a two-line comment on achievement and behaviour, while most students rode bikes to school. “Bikes were their ticket to freedom,” Sr Therese said. Uniforms have also transformed. The ’60s brought eight-panelled, box-pleated skirts, while the ’70s heralded mini skirts, which were problematic with both students and lay teachers. The ’80s created an “untucked” blouse problem, so in the ’90s St Monica’s got smart and introduced over blouses.
When asked what she thinks of St Monica’s College today, Sr Therese said she was “proud to have belonged to a College which has been, and still is, focused on the education of the students, to be people of faith, hope and charity.”
For more about St Monica’s College, Cairns visit the website here.
