1998 - 2007
1999
Mrs Judith Brown resigns after almost 11 years as headmistress. Mrs Meg Fargher takes over as headmistress in 2000.
2001
After having been closed down at the end of 1997, boarding is reintroduced at St Mary’s. Burn Street House, an adjacent property bought by the school in the 1990s, is the first building opened to boarders, and eight girls move in.
The school does other infrastructure work, too: Diemont Drive, a main thoroughfare with its entrance on Athol Street, is completed, and the headmistress’ and secretaries’ offices are redesigned.
2003
St Mary’s celebrates its 115th birthday.
The Desmond Tutu Natural Science Block is built, and the Archbishop Emeritus attends the grand opening; a tennis court and the games equipment building are demolished to make room for the block. The school’s pathways are extensively upgraded.
2006
Mitchell House is built for boarders. In the Junior School, the Clare Rossouw Media Centre is opened.
Tsotsi becomes the only local movie to win an Oscar: Old Girl Janine Eser is script editor and associate producer.
Decade 12
The AstroTurf, vital to bolstering St Mary’s dominance in hockey, opens in 2000
Building projects, excluding boarding
The school moves unequivocally into the 21st century.
Senior and Junior school headmistress
At St Mary’s, “sound values are perpetuated”.
Politics in South Africa and at St Mary's
St Mary’s plays its part in a country that continues to face challenges.