Street view of Maryknoll Convent School, 1949
Back to School in Hong Kong
The Maryknoll Sisters have successfully founded, administered, and taught in hundreds of schools since their establishment in 1912. As their success grew, so did requests for their assistance in new mission locations and schools. By the end of World War II, requests for help far exceeded the number of Maryknoll Sisters in mission. Sisters today continue this tradition of educational excellence through the Maryknoll Sisters Institute for One Earth Community.
All history and traditions begin somewhere, and Hong Kong became a pivotal location for the Sisters. When the first group of Maryknoll Sisters came to Hong Kong in November 1921, their goal was to serve the people and their unique needs to the best of their abilities. Within a few short years, they were establishing the Maryknoll Convent School, one of the oldest and longest running schools in Maryknoll’s history.
Maryknoll Convent School – The Beginning
The Sisters’ first school in Hong Kong had humble beginnings. Starting in February 1925, Sisters ran a kindergarten in their convent’s community room during the day. The original kindergarten class consisted of twelve Portuguese students whose families wanted access to English language education. The first school year was successful and, under the direction of Sr. Mary Paul McKenna, more classes were added each year.
By 1928, the Maryknoll Convent School (MCS) had five classes. The school had taken over more of the convent to accommodate the growing student population and was quickly running out of room. The convent’s garage and industrial room had been turned over to the school, and the convent gardens were used for students’ recreation. That same year, Sisters rented an apartment near the convent as an additional classroom.
Renting an apartment was only a temporary solution. As the Sisters’ reputation spread and local demand for education continued to grow, something had to change. The Sisters decided it was time to consolidate under one roof. In 1929, the entire school moved to the Torres Building on 2 Kimberly Road. Despite its relocation, the school’s name remained as tribute to its origins.
Sr. Rosemary DeFelice pushing a student on the swings at Maryknoll Convent School
Sr. Marie Corinne Rost teaching students at Maryknoll Convent School
Portrait of Sr. Mary Paul McKenna, 1929
The Early Years – Building a School
Maryknoll Convent School continued to grow and thrive outside the convent. Demand exceeded expectations and by 1932 the student population had outgrown the school’s capacity once again. Thankfully, the Sisters had anticipated this possibility when they moved MCS to the Torres Building. Their new goal was to purchase land and build a girl’s school that properly accommodated their current students while providing room for their neighborhood’s growing population.
Members of the local Catholic hierarchy, such as Bishop Enrico Valtorta, Father Andrew Granelli, and Fr. John Spada, interceded with local government on behalf of the Maryknoll Sisters. As a crown colony of the United Kingdom, there was additional bureaucratic red tape to cut through. Purchasing land required approval from Hong Kong’s governor and approval from the British government. Everyone’s joint efforts paid off, however, and in 1931 the Sisters had a site for the new MCS in Kowloon Tong on Waterloo Road.
Preparations for a new MCS took some time, however, since the land needed to be cleared and leveled before construction could begin. Work on the school finally started in 1935. While anticipating the project’s completion, MCS relocated to a rented house on Prince Edward Road. The next year in May 1936, the school’s cornerstone was laid in a special ceremony conducted by Sir Andrew Caldecott, the Governor of Hong Kong, and Mother Mary Columba Tarpey.
Maryknoll Convent School officially opened in May 1937. The brand-new building included a Domestic Science Department, an auditorium, and a covered playground. Sisters celebrated their success while continuing to plan for the school’s future expansion, which included tennis and volleyball courts, a swimming pool, and a Convent on site. The school’s curriculum also expanded accordingly, adding courses in Chinese, cooking, sewing, history, arts, music, and theater.
War in Hong Kong
In December 1941, the Japanese military invaded Kowloon Tong. The school was forced to shut down, disrupting the lives of its 651 students, 21 Sisters, and nine lay teachers. Some Maryknoll Sisters remained on the property; however, it was quickly taken over by Japanese soldiers and converted into a hospital. The safety of the Sisters remained tenuous, but in 1943 all remaining Sisters were safely evacuated.
After WWII ended in 1945, Sisters were slowly reassigned to mission in Hong Kong. The initial returnees were unsurprised to find Maryknoll Convent School still functioning as a hospital, though under British control this time. The property had sustained damage during the war and had not been maintained during its occupation. Sr. Mary Paul worked with Lt. General Francis W. Festing to renovate the building and safely reopen part of the school on January 8, 1946. Injured Japanese soldiers continued to occupy a “hospital” section of the building until all individuals were well enough to be transported.
Maryknoll Convent School, c. 1953
Maryknoll Convent School class in the new Laboratory, c. 1950
Starting Again
School was once again in session for local children, although at a limited capacity. The building had been looted, structurally damaged, and part of it still served as a field hospital. MCS needed more teachers, class space, and classroom equipment to fully operate and teach effectively. The Sisters felt it was more important to return children to an imperfect school than continue to delay their education. In response to local need, boys were also enrolled at MCS during 1946 while other area schools were still closed for renovations. Boys’ classes remained until 1947, when they were transferred to a newly reopened La Salle College.
Refurbishing the school was a costly endeavor. Maryknoll Convent School was one of several Maryknoll properties damaged or destroyed during WWII. Thankfully the Sisters received financial support from the United States, the Education Department, and local families. By 1950, the school had undergone renovations and was fully equipped with the addition of a new Science Lab.
Building a Secondary School
During the 1950’s, the school population grew rapidly as Chinese refugees resettled in Hong Kong. It wasn’t long before MCS was at capacity yet again. Sisters determined the best solution was adding another building to their facilities. The new building became home to the Secondary students on September 1, 1960. The property’s original building was allocated for Primary School students.
Separating the Primary and Secondary grades into different buildings allowed both sections to thrive. The Primary Section had room to take in more students and better serve the needs of Hong Kong’s families. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, the school’s arts and music programs developed to include Music and Speech Festivals. Students were encouraged to continue their education outside of class through extracurricular activities and volunteer work.
The Secondary Section expanded their curriculum to include Chemistry, Physics, and Domestic sciences courses that would prepare students for further education, typically at the University of Hong Kong. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, the student body was active in sports, extracurriculars, and volunteer work after school. The Students’ Association was created during this time, and Economics and Public Affairs courses were added to the curriculum.
New Secondary Building of the Maryknoll Convent School
Maryknoll Convent School students distribute clothing
Maryknoll Sisters stand in front of Maryknoll Convent School, 1980’s
Ever Evolving
Maryknoll Convent School has consistently devoted itself to serving its students’ needs throughout the decades. As the school’s population changed, equal opportunities were provided for learning in English and Chinese. Starting in 1980, students had the option to attend Mandarin classes. In 1984, a Computer Club was developed for students by the MCS Former Students’ Association, a continuation of the Student’s Association post-graduation. Thanks to the generous support of alumni, computer classes were available to students by 1985.
The 1990’s also saw sustained growth for the school. Alumni joined together and, in 1992, created the Maryknoll Convent Education Trust. The Trust was established to financially sustain the school and support the administration’s efforts to provide the highest quality education possible. In 1997, the Maryknoll Sisters turned over their Convent/Regional House on campus so MCS could accommodate more students. This was followed by renovations to both the Primary and Secondary buildings. This undertaking would not have been possible without the Maryknoll Convent Education Trust. The project resulted in a new 5 story wing in the Secondary section, and 15 additional classrooms, an assembly hall, and several specialized rooms within the Primary section.
The Next Chapter
The Maryknoll Convent School Core Committee was the group of Sisters responsible for overseeing the school. In 2005, they decided to transfer full responsibility for Maryknoll Convent School to the Maryknoll Convent School Foundation. While Sisters are no longer present as teachers and administrators, MCS alumni and the Maryknoll Sisters have maintained a strong relationship throughout the years.
This year, MCS celebrated its 100th anniversary. Archives was honored to share hundreds of digitized photographs from our collections with alumni, which were showcased at the Maryknoll Convent School Centenary Gala Dinner in February. We anticipate celebrating further events with MCS as the school continues moving into the future.
Sr. Marie Corinne Rost and Sr. Agnes Cazale at the Maryknoll Convent Education Trust launch party, 1992
Sr. Agnes McKeirnan reading with three students at Maryknoll Convent School, 1976
Sr. Marie Ann Lipetzky leading a choir of students
Sr. Teresa Yeung working with students in the Industrial Room at Maryknoll Convent School
Interested in learning more about Maryknoll?
You can contact the Archives at:
Maryknoll Mission Archives
PO Box 305, Maryknoll, New York 10545
Phone: 914-941-7636
Office hours: 8:30 am-4:00 pm Monday-Friday
Email: archives@maryknoll.org
Website: www.maryknollmissionarchives.org
References:
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Chu, C. Y. (2004). The Maryknoll Sisters in Hong Kong, 1921-1969: In Love with the Chinese. Palgrave MacMillan.
Countdown to Centenary. MCS 100th Anniversary. (2025). https://www.mcs100th.com/
Forever Be True: The Love & Heritage of Maryknoll. (2009). Maryknoll Convent School Education Foundation.
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Sister Agnes Cazale, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2014, April). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-sisters/sister-agnes-cazale-mm/
Sister Agnes McKeirnan, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2014, April 29). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-sisters/sister-agnes-mckeirnan-mm/
Sister Marie Ann Lipetzky, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2021, May). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-sisters/sister-marie-ann-lipetzky-mm/
Sister Marie Corrine Rost, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2019, September 9). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-sisters/sister-marie-corrine-rost-mm/
Sister Mary Paul McKenna, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2014, April 30). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-sisters/sister-mary-paul-mckenna-mm/
Sister Rosemary DeFelice, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2014, April 17). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-sisters/sister-rosemary-defelice-mm/
Sister Teresa Yeung, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2014, April 24). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-sisters/sister-teresa-yeung-mm/
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