Bradshaw, Wayne, and Lucas, Helen (2021) Encountering the History of Catholic Education in the Townsville Diocese [Exhibition]. [Creative Work]

	Image (JPEG) (Exhibition Photograph) - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only
	Image (JPEG) (Exhibition Photograph) - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only
	Image (JPEG) (Exhibition Photograph) - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only

Abstract

An exhibition comprising more than 150 photographs and 10,000 words of text first displayed at the Townsville Diocese teachers’ Gathering on 15–16 April 2021.

The reusable exhibit consists of three, 2m x 3m, double-sided, fabric skins stretched over a collapsable aluminium frame.

Research Statement

Research Background	Despite a 150-year-long history, significant gaps remain in the historical record relating to the Catholic Church's contribution to northern Queensland's education system. The most exhaustive source on the subject is Martin Sullivan's 2016 book, Blessings from Boughsheds, but even this work raises many further questions about the history of Catholic education in the region. Conflicts remain unresolved, for example, around the establishments of the earliest Catholic schools in norther Queensland and the individuals and organisations responsible for establishing them.
Research Contribution	The exhibition, Encountering the History of Catholic Education in the Townsville Diocese, was commisioned by the Townsville Catholic Education Office as a project undertaken by the Townsville Catholic Archive with assistance from JCU in the form of a paid internship. The research method of this project consisted of a broad historical survey of existing work on the history of Catholic education in north Queensland followed by more detailed archival research on the history of each school in the diocese. While there are currently around 30 Catholic schools in the region, historically there have been more than 70 schools that have operated in northern Queensland at one time or another. To add to the breadth of this project, it was soon discovered that existing scholarship on the history of Catholic education in the region contained several points of significant contention.
Research Significance	Primarily due to the existence of significant gaps and ambiguities in the historical record,this project had multiple opportunities to generate new knowledge about the region. The research proposed that a church-based school was established in Ravenswood prior to the earliest schools established by holy orders in northern Queensland. The research also settled an ongoing debate about the chronology of the two oldest Catholic schools to be established by holy orders in Townsville and Bowen.
Item ID:	81323
Item Type:	Creative Work (Curated/Produced Exhibition/Event - Exhibition/Event - NTRO)
Media of Output:	Digitally printed fabric skins on aluminium frames
Event Details:	Townsville Diocese teachers’ Gathering 2021 Townsville Entertainment Centre, Townsville Queensland 15-16 April 2021
Copyright Information:	© Catholic Diocese of Townsville 2021.
Date Deposited:	12 Dec 2023 23:56
FoR Codes:	43 HISTORY, HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGY > 4303 Historical studies > 430302 Australian history @ 100%
SEO Codes:	28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280113 Expanding knowledge in history, heritage and archaeology @ 100%
Downloads:	Total: 6
	More Statistics