St Joseph's Convent School was constructed near St Joseph?s Church to house the Sisters of Compassion and to serve as the base for their work. The convent was originally a rectangular building, with gable roof. The building is two-storeyed and distinctive features include the rows of small windows on the first floor, and matai flooring.

The Sisters moved into the new convent building in 1892 along with seven children in their care. From the Convent, the Sisters ran a local day school until 1969, and a home for ?orphaned? children from 1892 to 1907. The convent was extended in 1897 to include a children?s wing to accommodate the growing numbers of orphanage children.

During her time at Jerusalem, Mother Aubert became widely known throughout New Zealand as a result of her work with poor and destitute children and for her medicines, which were made at Jerusalem and distributed commercially. She left Jerusalem in 1899 to extend the work of the Sisters of Compassion among the poor of Wellington, but the Maori mission continued. Since 1990, the Sisters have been seeking the lengthy process of canonisation for Mother Aubert

from the WANGANU CHRONICLE, 21 December 1916
St JOSEPH'S CONVENT SCHOOL The prize-giving ceremony was held yesterday morning, when the following awards were made:-

CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE:-
Gold Medal presented by Very Rev. Dean HOLLEY

SENIOR DIVISION
Eileen BROWN
Mollie O'MEARA

JUNIOR DIVISON
Veronica SHALE
Jean BURR

FULL ATTENDANCE AT CATECHISM:- Sundays
Pearl AUSTIN
Eileen BROWN
Lorna BROOME

GOOD CONDUCT:-
STANDARD VII
Lizzie O'LEARY

STANDARD VI
Nellie McWILLIAMS

STANDARD V
Maud McKENZIE

STANDARD IV
Ethel SLATTER

STANDARD III
Teresa CONDER

STANDARD II
Connie FORBES

STANDARD I
Irene CONDER

DUX OF SCHOOL:-
Rita CROTTY

ATTENDANCE:-
Violet EMENY
Pearl AUSTIN
Marie Foy Jean DUNCAN
Phillis EMENY
Eileen CARMODY
Bernie KENNEDY

SINGING:-
Gold Medal presented by A. FRIEND
Mary KOOREY
Ray DUNCAN

MUSIC:-
Veronica SHALE
Rita CROTTY
Nora POWELL

THEORY OF MUSIC:-
Muriel CRAIG

POLITENESS:-
Maisie BURR
Kitty CHELLEY
Evelyn O'REILLY
Lizzie MARSH

PHYSICAL DRILL-
Eileen HOWARD
Margaret PINSENT
Alexander DONALD

ESSAY:-
Special Prize, gift of Rev. Mother
Iola REED

NEEDLEORK:-
Florrie EMENY
Muriel BENEFIELD
Maudie EMENY
Mollie HARTSHORN
Vera VERNON
Mary BARRY

DILIGENCE:-
Phyllis WALKER
Clare KRUSE

IMTERMEDIATE CLASS
Mary KOOREY

BOOK KEEPING
ADVANCED
Mary KOOREY

JUNIOR
Nellie CRONIN
Joan O'LEARY
Rary DUNCAN

SHORTHAND
Maggie DONALD
Muriel CRAIG
Ray DUNCAN

TYPEWRITING:-
Muriel CRAIG
Maggie MELODY
Nellie CRONIN

DRAWING:-
CRAYON
Ray DUNCAN
Maggie DONALD

MOUNTMELLICK WORK
Nellie CRONIN

COOERY
Clare KRUSE

ARITHMETIC:-
Nellie CRONIN
Joan O'LEARY
Murial CRAIG

ENGLISH:-
Maggie DONALD
Nellie CRONIN
Muriel CRAIG


HISTORY:-
Joan O'LEARY
Lizzie O'LEARY

GEOGRAPHY:-
Muriel CRAIG
Nellie CRONIN

HYGIENE:-
Ray DUNCAN

WRITING:-
Muriel CRAIG

STANDARD VI
PROFICIENCY:
Maisie BURR
Rita CROTTY
Iola REED
Volet EENY
Florrie EMENY
Eileen HOWARD
Maggie O'LEARY
Cecilia LAWSON
Nellie McWILLIAMS
Eileen BROWN
Bessie BOYLE

COMPETENCY
Marie LUXFORD
Lorna BROOME
Maggie MELODY
Ada WHYTE

STANDARD V
Mollie O'MEARA
Maud McKENZIE
Foreen MADGWICK
Dorothy BRADY
Nora POWELL
Clarried CORNEY
Rita MARSHALL
Florrie MEACHEN
Elvene BURCHELL
Daisy McGUIRE
Elsie BRIGGS
Queenie CONDER

STANDARD IV
Veronice SHALE
Monica WELSHE
Bessie DWYER
Dorothy SMITHICS
Tui HERD
Jean BURR
Muriel BENEFIELD
Mona GROGAN
Clarrie BROWN
Kittie CHELLEY
Jean DUNCAN
Ethel SLATTER
Zita WHITE
Isla BROOME
Maura WALDEN
Bessie COOPER

STANDARD III
Agnes DURRAN
Zoie GREENING
Phyllis EMENY
Eileen COURTNEY
Irene CAMPBELL
Rita ANTHONY
Joyce FRASER
Mollie TUKA
Teresa CONDER
Lily LAWSON
Doris GIBSON

STANDARD II
Maudie EMENY
Nora O'MEARA
Clorine McALISTER
Melville PINSENT
Vera VERNON
Eileen CARMODY
Connie FORBES
Annie BUISSON
Evelyn O'REILLY

STANDARD 1
Joe CRONIN
Mollie HARTSHORN
Brigie CAHILL
Irene CONDER
Alf KEARSLEY
Arthur CRONIN
May TUFFIN
Bernie KENNEDY
Jack STOWERS
Tom HIPANGO
Zita DURRA
Mary BARRY
Fred COURTNEY
Jack WINDELBURN
Joe HITCHCOCK
Dick STANAWAY
George McMASTER
Alexander DONALD
Josephine NOLAN
Cyril CARMODY
George HARRISON