St Michael's Academy 1921-2007

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The story of St Michael's Academy in Kilwinning and Irvine
now being prepared for the Web – current address: www.irvineayrshire.org/stmichaels
St Michael's Academy opened in Williamfield Convent in Irvine in 1921, then moved into its first buildings nearby. In 1965, it moved into new premises in Kilwinning, and merged with St Andrew's in Saltcoats in 2007 to become St Matthew's Academy.
If you reached this page trying to contact St Matthew's, phone them at 01294.606680

St Michael’s magazines on CD

Mr John Walsh, formerly of St Michael’s, then of St Andrew’s, and now PT Computing at St Matthew’s Academy, has produced a CD containing scans of all twelve St Michael’s magazines (1957-64, 1966, 1968, 1977 and 1990). To purchase a copy of the CD, contact him at St Matthew’s Academy, Saltcoats, enclosing a cheque for £5 payable to Mr J Walsh. The proceeds are divided between Father Martin Chambers Mission in Ecuador and SCIAF.

St Michael’s history on CD

details to follow (during 2008)

Book originally published in 2007 -
1000 copies were printed and sold out between June and September 2007

Content is being added to these pages - return monthly to check progress. Underlined hyperlinks are now active. Latest items - interviews and timeline.

Foreword
Buildings
Staff
The last pupils
News Snippets
Memories
Trips
Sports
Four Past Pupil Interviews
Songs
Timeline
Activities
Head Teachers
Nine feature articles

We have a NEW Guest Book - either read comments - or add your comment


Then and Now (from p. 94)

This article was written in 1966 by Edward Thomson (5th year), but both its title and its sentiments seem just as relevant in 2007, as we move into a new building.

I looked upon the old St Michael’s buildings as an old, well-worn pair of socks. They have done their job.

The new school is being broken into a routine. To do this, pupils are needed. I am one.

On first entering the new school, I felt that there was something missing. It had no character. The walls were cold, awaiting life. Despite the bright colour and the excellent lighting, there was no cheery glow. I felt lost. But soon after the pupils filed through the new building, I sensed a heart beginning to beat; faintly at first, though developing a much livelier rate on the second day. Now I feel the new school has a character. I think it has the same character as the old school, possibly because of the presence of the same teachers!

At this school I am happier when I am learning. I know I need not walk across a playground in pouring rain, when I am changing classes; I know that the scientific equipment is up-to-date, and keeping pace with the progress of science.

I know that the teachers are proud of this new school, and that they are teaching just a little bit better than before. These things urge me to do a little bit better too.

The old school with its out-of-date buildings never held any attraction for me. The character and atmosphere were there but sometimes they were eclipsed by the dreary surroundings. Battle-scarred desks and well-worn floors do not inspire a pupil to success. I was then proud of the school as a society, not of its physical appearance. Now I am proud of both.

The modern building makes one look to the future – an attitude necessary in this age of fast living. The mere fact that I am a pupil of the new St Michael’s has broadened my outlook, lifted the clouds of depression from my ‘student mind’, lightened my step, and made me look forward to a further year of education.

EDWARD THOMSON, V


Foreword (from p.3)

Celebration was the keynote of our Kilwinning era Silver Anniversary magazine, published in 1990, and is so again in this our final publication. However this time we are celebrating St Michael's College and Academy from its birth in 1921 until its demise in 2007.

St Michael's has a long and proud history. Our motto "Aeterna non caduca" serves to remind us that “Eternal things do not perish." So, despite the fact that the fabric of the building will soon disappear, the "eternal" things which made our school special will live on. We can remember with pride the achievements of our former pupils – not only those who have excelled in the fields of politics, literature and business, or who have gone on to serve the community as priests and nuns, teachers, dentists and doctors, but others too whose lives have been fashioned by the education which they have received over the years.

Mrs Josephine Buchert, chairman of the Book Committee


An aerial view in 2001

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