en ▁to ▁ 1 4 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁needs ▁of ▁the ▁ever - expand ing ▁population ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁places ▁of ▁worship , ▁hosp it als ▁and ▁schools . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 4 ▁a ▁simple ▁single ▁a is led ▁stone ▁church , ▁consisting ▁of ▁a ▁nave ▁and ▁ch an cel , ▁was ▁constructed ▁on ▁land ▁granted ▁to ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁in ▁West ▁Melbourne . ▁This ▁building , ▁known ▁as ▁St ▁Mary ' s ▁Star ▁of ▁the ▁Sea , ▁was ▁to ▁serve ▁a ▁dual ▁purpose ▁as ▁a ▁church ▁on ▁Sund ays ▁and ▁a ▁school ▁during ▁week days . ▁Although ▁a ▁new , ▁much ▁gr ander ▁church ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁the ▁old ▁church ▁remained ▁in ▁use ▁as ▁a ▁school ▁until ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁demol ished . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁years ▁the ▁children ▁of ▁St ▁Mary ' s ▁parish ▁were ▁taught ▁by ▁Catholic ▁lay ▁teachers ▁and ▁were ▁mostly ▁seg reg ated ▁into ▁classes ▁for ▁boys , ▁taught ▁by ▁males , ▁and ▁girls ▁taught ▁by ▁women . ▁Class es ▁were ▁under ▁the ▁charge ▁of ▁a ▁teacher ▁who ▁had ▁received ▁their ▁training ▁and ▁cert ification ▁over se as , ▁to ▁a ▁large ▁extent ▁in ▁Ireland . ▁These ▁‘ head ’ ▁teachers ▁were ▁supported ▁by ▁one ▁or ▁two ▁assist ants ▁and ▁came ▁under ▁the ▁aus p ices ▁of ▁the ▁Par ish ▁priest . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁the ▁church ▁could ▁no ▁longer ▁co pe ▁with ▁the