In the third row from the left stands teacher Ona Zamoiskiene; in the fifth row stands teacher Vladas Statnickas. In the fourth row from the right stand teacher Vytautas Neverauskas and priest Povilas Jatulis.

Adelaide, 3 December 1949

When Lithuanian families began arriving in Australia, their children needed Lithuanian schools. The first Lithuanian weekend school in Adelaide was established through the efforts of priest Dr. Povilas Jatulis. On 27 November 1949, P. Jatulis convened teachers who had taught in Lithuania, along with parents, for a joint meeting. Those gathered decided to establish a Saturday school in the hall and chapel of St. Joseph’s Church. The school opened on 3 December 1949, with I. Ivoska appointed as its head. 21 students registered. They were taught in two groups from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Seven teachers volunteered to teach.

Working and studying was difficult. Many parents worked on Saturdays and could not take their children to school, and the teachers had their own responsibilities. There were also problems with the facilities: the high benches were uncomfortable for the children, and there was a shortage of textbooks.

In 1954, the school was reorganized according to the statutes of the Australian District of the Lithuanian Cultural Fund weekend schools and was officially named the Adelaide Lithuanian weekend school. Students were divided into three groups. After 5–6 years, upon completing the weekend school, they received an appropriate certificate.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-001003

On stage, Laima Blandyte (centre) dances with her classmates.

Adelaide, 1960s

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000643

On stage are students and teachers. In the first row: 1 – Janina Zakareviciute, 3 – Ausra Blandyte, 4 – Kristina Paceviciute, 5 – Laima Blandyte, 6 – Dalia Viliunaite; in the second row: 8 – Dalia Kucinskaite, 9 – Elzbieta Pociute, 10 – Emilija Matiukaite, 11 – Rasa Paceviciute; in the third row: 12 – Marija Grebliuniene, 13 – community activist, singer, and choir conductor Genovaite Vasiliauskiene, 14 – musician Nemira Masiulyte.

Adelaide, 1960s

In 1953, Vladas Statnickas became the school’s headmaster and served in this position for 32 years. During this time, active efforts were made to find textbooks from publishers and distributors, a fixed and strict timetable was established, and the teaching staff became more stable. On 29 May 1954, the school moved to the premises of St. Cecilia’s School, where it operated until the end of 1957, when it relocated to the Adelaide Lithuanian House. The school had around 60 students each year.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000646

Students and teachers with Santa Claus on stage.

In the back row: K. Intas (Santa Claus), priest Petras Butkus, teachers M. Juraitiene, E. Badauskiene; in the front row, seated in the centre, teacher A. Savickiene.

Sydney, 1960

Photo by Alfonsa Savickiene.

Sydney Lithuanian weekend schools were established by Lithuanian chaplains in Australia. At the end of 1949, priest J. Tamulis founded a Lithuanian Sunday school. On 28 May 1950, priest P. Butkus opened another Lithuanian school. Classes were often interrupted but managed to resume, and the school locations also changed over time.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000529

In the second row from the left: 3 – community activist and teacher Ona Zamoiskiene, 4 – community activist and parish priest of St. Casimir’s Church Antanas Kazlauskas, 6 – Prelate Dr. Paulius Jatulis.

Adelaide, 10 December 1966

Photo by Alfonsas Budrys.

Australian Lithuanian Archives, PH1222

In the second row, seated in the centre: 2 – A. Bielskyte, 5 – school principal Vladas Statnickas, 6 – priest Antanas Kazlauskas, 7 – Ona Zamoiskiene, 9 – Nemira Masiulyte, 10 – Antanas Mazelis.

Adelaide, 1969

The Adelaide Lithuanian House marked the beginning of a prosperous period for the school: the number of students grew, and children attended eagerly. On graduation occasions, engaging programs were organized, giving each student the opportunity to participate and showcase their talents.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000656

Sydney, 1970s

Photo by V. M. Vilkaitis.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000637

In the first row from the left: 1 – S. Mauragiene, 2 – school head E. Badauskiene, 3 – community activist Viktoras Sliteris, 5 – A. Prizgintaite-Spykers.

Sydney, 1970s

Photo by V. M. Vilkaitis.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000550

In the first row from the left: 1 – V. Antanaitiene, 2 – E. Badauskiene, 3 – A. Prizgintaite-Spykers, 4 – G. Grybaite, 5 – community activist, priest Petras Butkus; in the second row: 6 – J. Maskvytis, 7 – B. Bartkus, 8 – J. Janavicius.

Sydney, 1970s

Photo by V. M. Vilkaitis.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000887

Seated in the centre – school head E. Badauskiene.

Sydney, date unknown.

Photo by V. M. Vilkaitis.

Australian Lithuanian Archives, PH0166

Sydney, date unknown.

Australian Lithuanian Archives, PH0252

In the third row from the left stands the school chaplain, priest Petras Butkus; in the centre – school head E. Badauskiene.

Sydney, 1970

Photo by V. M. Vilkaitis.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000638

Adelaide, around 1970

Australian Lithuanian Archives, PH0770

On stage, students perform the folk dance “Ziogelis.”

Adelaide, 1 December 1973

Working under primitive conditions, Lithuanian teachers demonstrated great creativity, initiative, and resourcefulness, often reconstructing songs, folk dances, and poems from memory. By staging children’s fairy tales, they organized numerous festive performances for school graduation celebrations.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000645

Adelaide, 1 December 1973

Photo by Alfonsas Budrys.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000648

Adelaide, 1 December 1973

Photo by Alfonsas Budrys.

Over the years, it was observed that children aged 11–12 who had left Lithuanian weekend schools were most likely to lose touch with their heritage. Many expressed the view that efforts should be made to keep young people in Lithuanian schools as long as possible. The duration of study in weekend schools was extended from six to eight years. In 1973–1974, Adelaide began considering Lithuanian language courses in which youth who had completed the weekend school could further improve their Lithuanian language skills for another two years. This would allow them to take final examinations in Lithuanian. Appeals were made to the Australian Ministry of Education for these exams to be recognized alongside other subjects as mandatory and equivalent – in other words, for the Lithuanian language to be included in the Australian secondary school examination system.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000652

From the right, standing: 2 – Angele Snarskyte, 4 – Birute Stalbaite, 6 – Antanas Snarskis, 7 – Antanas Pocius.

Adelaide, 1 December 1973

Photo by Alfonsas Budrys.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000649

In the first row: 1 – Kristina Wharton, 2 – Rasa Pociute, 3 – Aldona Bernaityte. In the second row, seated: 1 – Nijole Bernaityte, 2 – Kristina Gudelyte, 3 – teacher Puriena Peciulyte, 4 – Audra Paskeviciute.

Adelaide, April 1977

Australian Lithuanian Archives, PH1026

In the first row, seated: Jonas Lloyd, Vanessa Milen, Natalija Gudelyte, Ilona Dumciute, Lana Sansome, Timothy Pyragius, Markus Pyragius, Vanessa Dimciute, Aldona Pretty, Kristina Dryza.

In the second row, seated: Bronius Sabeckis, Aldona Daugalis, Anastazija Petruskeviciene, Marija Petkuniene, school head Vladas Statnickas, Valerija Urboniene, Janina Reinkiene, Viktorija Gudaitiene, Ceslova Paliuliene, Marija Daugaliene.

In the third row, standing: teacher Algis Bernaitis, Birute Stalbaite, Daniele Pociute, Kotryna Skiparyte, Darius Paskevicius, Andrius Starinskas, Petras Dunda, Antanas Starinskas, Antanas Snarskis, Rimute Daugalis, Gintaras Daugalis, Edmundas Gudaitis, Romas Willenbrecht, Linas Pocius, Kerry Kalendra, teacher Augis Zamoiskis.

In the fourth row, standing: Kristina Gudelyte, Aldona Bernaityte, Rasa Pociute, Audra Paskeviciute, Linda Kelertaite, Nijole Bernaityte, Gene Starinskas, Dana Kalibataite, Nijole Lloyd, Daina Pociute.

Adelaide, 1980

In 1977, it was possible to hold Lithuanian language exams in South Australia. A group of students received Lithuanian language exam grades alongside other examinations on their graduation certificates.

Australian Lithuanian Archives, PH1038

Standing from the left: 1 – Julie Gutyte, 2 – Jonas Mockunas, 3 – Marija Petkuniene, 4 – Bruno Sabeckis, 5 – Ceslava Paliuliene, 6 – Augis Zamoiskis.

Seated from the left: 1 – Vladas Statnickas, 2 – Ona Zamoiskiene, 3 – priest Albinas Spurgis, 4 – Janina Reinkiene, 5 – Marija Daugaliene.

Adelaide, 1982

Australian Lithuanian Archives, PH1000

A group of students with teachers and parents standing by the church after the service.

Sydney, 1980s

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000710

Standing, school teachers from the left: 1 – Aukse Stankeviciute, 2 – Elena Varniene, 3 – priest Albinas Spurgis, 6 – Rita Kalikaite, 11 – Anele Urneviciute, 12 – Marija Grebliuniene, 15 – Pranas Pusdesris, 16 – Saulene Pusdesriene, 17 – priest Antanas Kazlauskas; students: Saulius Kubilius, Antanas Snarskis, Aidas Kubilius, Ramune Varnaite, Angele Snarskyte, Irena Petkunaite, Sietynas Kubilius (next to priest A. Kazlauskas).

Adelaide, 1980s

Photo by Alfonsas Budrys.

The St. Casimir Lithuanian weekend school was established on 1 October 1960 in the premises of the Lithuanian Catholic Centre. The school began with two teachers; later, eight teachers taught there, and the school’s patron was priest J. Kungys. The school head, E. Varniene, taught the Lithuanian language. The main goal of the school was to instill faith in God and to preserve the Lithuanian language and culture. In 1965, when priest P. Dauknius took over as head, the number of students grew to 103. Between 1960 and 1982, 175 students studied at St. Casimir’s school.

In 1989, the St. Casimir Lithuanian weekend school in Adelaide merged with the Adelaide Lithuanian weekend school.

Lithuanian Central State Archives, TSK-000654