St Patrick's College, Strathfield
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| St Patrick's College | |
|---|---|
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| Luceat Lux Vestra (Matthew 5:16:"Let Your Light Shine") |
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| Established | 1928 |
| School Type | Private, Single-sex, Day school |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic, Christian Brothers |
| Key People | Mr. Brian Roberts (Principal) Br Michael Hanrahan (Founder) Mr Peter Tilbrook (Chairman) Rev Fr Jack Evans (Chaplain) |
| School Fees | AU$3,819–5,139 p.a[1] |
| Location | Strathfield, New South Wales, Australia  |
| Enrolment | ~1,430 (5–12)[2] |
| Employees | ~140[3] |
| Colours | Blue, Black and Gold |
| Homepage | www.spc.nsw.edu.au |
St Patrick's College (also referred to informally as "St Pat's") is an independent, Roman Catholic, day school for boys, located in Strathfield an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Founded as a Christian Brothers school in the tradition of Edmund Rice in 1928, the college currently caters for approximately 1430 students from Years 5 to 12.[2]
St Patrick's College is a member of the Independent Schools Association (ISA), the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[4] and the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA).[5]
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[edit] History
The school was established in 1928 by the Christian Brothers as an affordable school for youth which also provided teaching experience for novice Brothers. The school's founder and first headmaster was Br Michael James Benignus Hanrahan. The headquarters of the Brothers' province was located behind the college ovals and today is the Strathfield campus of Australian Catholic University. Beginning with two science laboratories, this number has swelled to seven. It began with 39 boys, and today has 1,450 students. Acquiring land during the depression of the early thirties provided the College with additional sporting facilities including a gymnasium, swimming pool, practice wickets and four additional sports fields.
What began as a single building in 1928 has now grown to more than ten, with an administration centre employing ten people. Eight rooms have become more than fifty, growing with the increased enrollment. In 1960 a school chapel was erected which accommodates 250 people. The College Honour Boards list the names of fifty ex-student priests or Christian Brothers alongside men who have attained distinction in professional fields and public life.[6]
Mr Grahame Smollet became SPC's first lay headmaster in 1993. SPC's student population has continued to grow reaching 1430 in 2006. In 2004, the college purchased part of Edgar Street, a public road, arguing that the safety of students was threatened by traffic. The land was purchased from Strathfield council with agreement that a public 'right of way' would be maintained for residents affected by the privatisation of the road. The building work commenced at the end of 2006 and finished in May 2007. It also purchased a large adjoining residence (formerly 'Kindlin' Respite Centre, part of 'Our Lady of Loreto' Nursing Home, once controlled by St Vincent de Paul Society as homes and services for sick and elderly persons) to be named 'Waterford House'.
On 7 August 2007, SPC made a proposition to Strathfield Council to extinguish the right of way along the newly created 'Smollett Place' (the former public road Edgar Street), despite SPC previously agreeing to this condition when the road was sold. His notion failed with a 3-2 vote. Later the next day Grahame Smollet (the then headmaster) released a publication denouncing the council members who "did not allow St Pat's the same rights as a public school".[cite this quote]
In 2008, following the retirement of headmaster Mr. Grahame Smollett, Mr Brian Roberts, (former Headmaster of Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham) was appointed as the Headmaster of SPC.
[edit] Controversy
In 2006, Public health officials confirmed that a school tuckshop worker, who prepared food for the students, had tested positive for hepatitis A. The person was not aware that they posed a risk to others and did not display any symptoms at the time. NSW Health took action to respond to the situation. Over 300 students, potentially exposed to the virus, were offered preventative immunoglobulin antibody. Letters were issued to parents advising of this situation and seeking consent for administration of the antibody. Dr Jeremy McAnulty, director communicable disease for NSW Health said St Patrick's was working closely with NSW Health and was handling the event extremely well, making a concerted effort to prevent illness amongst their students.
In April 2005 St Patrick's was the subject of controversy when the school's co-curricular policy prevented a student from playing soccer in the Premier Youth League.[7] The policy states that an enrolled student is obliged to play sport (or another activity) for the school, and if this obligation comes into conflict with another activity, the school activity takes precedence. In the end, the boy's parents decided to withdraw their son from St Patrick's and enrol him at Trinity Grammar School.
[edit] Headmasters
| Period | Details[6] |
|---|---|
| 1928 | Rev. Br. M. B. Hanrahan |
| 1929 – 1932 | Rev. Br. E. S. Crowle |
| 1933 – 1935 | Rev. Br. M. E. Breen |
| 1939 – 1941 | Br. J. V. Coghlan |
| 1942 – 1943 | Rev. Br. B. Quirke |
| 1944 | Rev. Br. M. M. O'Connor |
| 1945 – 1950 | Br. J. V. Coghlan |
| 1951 – 1952 | Rev. Br. R. B. Garvey |
| 1953 – 1955 | Rev. Br. J. A. McGlade |
| 1956 – 1961 | Rev. Br. J. G. Hodda |
| 1962 – 1963 | Rev. Br. J. P. Hannigan |
| 1964 – 1966 | Rev. Br. H. C. Gygar |
| 1967 – 1974 | Rev. Br. T. I. Casey |
| 1975 – 1980 | Rev. Br. W. R. Greening |
| 1981 – 1987 | Br. J. P. O'Shea |
| 1988 – 1992 | Br. J. Giacon |
| 1993 – 2007 | Mr. G. Smollett |
| 2008 – | Mr. Brian Roberts |
[edit] Co-curriculum
There is an emphasis on sport at St Patrick's College. The school competes in such activities as rugby union, cricket, baseball, soccer, swimming, basketball, softball, golf, athletics and tennis in the Independent Schools Association (ISA) competition. The college annually conducts a musical and drama production as well as being active in terms of bands, debating and mock trial.
The College also competes annually with the nearby Trinity Grammar School for the 'Black and Green Shield' conceived in 2005. It is based on the cumulative results of all winter sports games (rugby and football) between the schools on a designated weekend. The College has taken the shield each year since its inception.
Other annual sporting events include the junior school's tour in Canberra where its rugby and football teams compete against those from St Edmund's College, Canberra, the Christian Brother's Schools Cricket Carnival held during the Christmas holidays at St. Joseph's Nudgee College at Brisbane.
It is also a founding member of the Catholic Schools Debating Association (CSDA) and has experienced marked success in recent years. One of the shields for premiers in named after the current deputy headmaster Michael Robson for his decades of service to the association.
The college also has an extensive social justice program, annually raising funds for a Lenten focus charity as well as aiding many causes with practical assistance from the boys. Focus areas include the Saint Vincent de Paul Society 'night patrol', and the financial assistance of Christian Brother's schools serving disabled or economically and socially disadvantaged communities.
[edit] College crest
The College's crest was designed in 1938 and is made up of three components:
- The Shield: With its chevrons and bars, it is a symbol of strength and fortitude.
- The Motto: Those who wear the crest pledge fidelity to the College motto 'Luceat Lux Vestra', which is Latin for "Let Your Light Shine".
- The Star: Seen mounting the Crest, it signifies that the College lights the way to knowledge and to the Heavenly Father.[6]
[edit] Alumni
St Patrick's Alumni are traditionally known as "Old Boys"[8], the St Patrick's alumni association being called the "Old Boys' Union".
[edit] St Patricks Rugby Club
St Patrick's Rugby Club was established in 1964 as a rugby league club as that was the code of football played at the college at the time. In 1965 the college changed to rugby union, the club followed suit the following year and entered the Western Suburbs Under 20 competition. The club originally played in a white jersey with black collar and now play in a black jumper with a gold collar, as does the college First XV. The club plays in the New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union and has won four club championships and two first grade premierships. Since its promotion to Kentwell Cup First Division in 1974 is one of only two clubs to never have been relegated. The club plays its home games at Hudson Park, Strathfield. [9][8]
[edit] St Patricks Soccer Club
St Patricks Soccer Club is a club for friends and old boys of St Patricks College, Strathfield. It plays in the NSW Churches Football Association[10] The home gound is Powells Creek Reserve at the Bicentennial Park end of Victoria Avenue, Concord West.[8]
[edit] Notable alumni
- Business
- Bob Gould, Owner of renowned Sydney bookshop[11]
- John Symond, Founder and CEO of Aussie Homeloans (left SPC in Year 10)
- Education
- Christopher Hayes, Headmaster of St Edmund's College, Canberra
- Entertainment, media and the arts
- Mig Ayesa, actor - notable work: 'Joe' the landlord, on ABC children's serial The Ferals and parts in the London West End musical productions such as We Will Rock You and Rent and also a contestant on the series Rockstar:INXS[12]
- Thomas Kenneally, author[13][14]
- Rob Shehadie, actor in the television show Pizza
- Peter Skrzynecki, Renowned poet and writer and lecturer at the University of Western Sydney
- Politics, bureaucracy and the law
- John Brogden, former NSW Liberal Opposition Leader and current CEO of Manchester Unity[13][15]
- Tony Burke, Federal ALP politician; Minister for Fisheries, Agriculture and Forestry (2007 - present); Member of Parliament for Watson (New South Wales)[16]
- Dr Craig Emerson, Federal ALP politician; Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy in the Federal cabinet (2007 - present); Member of Parliament for Rankin (Queensland)(Labor Party)[16]
- Andrew Ferguson former Secretary of the New South Wales Construction and General Division of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union.
- Laurie Ferguson, Federal ALP politician, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs (2007 - present); Member of Parliament for Reid (New South Wales) (Labor Party)[16]
- Martin Ferguson, Federal ALP politician; Minister for Resources and Energy (2007- present); Member of Parliament for Batman (Victoria) (Labor Party); Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy in the Federal cabinet (2007 - present); Member of Parliament for Rankin (Queensland)(Labor Party)[16]
- Paul Lynch, NSW ALP politician[13]
- Paul McLeay, Member for Heathcote, New South Wales Parliament
- Gerard Gleeson AC KCSG, Held a number of high profile positions in bureaucracy and business including leadership of the Royal Australian Institute of Public Administration, the Australian Bicentennial Authority and membership of the Council of the Order of Australia, Chairman of the Sydney Entertainment Centre and as a Director of both the Commonwealth Bank and the St George Foundation.
- Sport
- John Ballesty, 1963 School Captain. Australian Rugby Union International. 1970 transferred to Rugby League and Eastern Suburbs. Current General Manager Canterbury-Bankstown Rugby League Club
- Michael Foley, Australian rugby union player[13]
- Ante Milicic, Australian Football (soccer) player for the Queensland Roar
- Chris O'Young, rugby union player for the Western Force and Australia 7's
- Tim Pickup, Australian Rugby Union and Rugby League Representative
[edit] References
- ^ Fees - 2008. Fee Structure. St Patrick's College (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
- ^ a b Australian School Choice- St Patrick's College (accessed:27-06-2007)
- ^ College Staff. Community. St Patrick's College (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
- ^ AHISA Schools. New South Wales. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (November 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
- ^ JSHAA New South Wales Directory of Members. New South Wales Branch. Junior School Heads' Association of Australia (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
- ^ a b c History. About SPC. St Patrick's College (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
- ^ "Parents defy weekend ban for a boy's goal"
- ^ a b c Old boys page on the St Patricks College website
- ^ St Patrick's Rugby Club website
- ^ [http://nswcfa.com.au/ NSW Churches Football Association website
- ^ Bob Gould, Father Ted Kennedy, Redfern parish priest, email to the <marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu> mailing list, 24 May 2005 23:20:24 +1000
- ^ Ruben V. Nepales, Life after 'Rockstar', news.inq7.net Entertainment Column, February 11th 2006
- ^ a b c d List of alumni for various schools, crikey.com.au
- ^ Thomas Keneally
- ^ Damien Murphy, A thirst for power but ill-equipped to bounce back from stupidity, Sydney Morning Herald, August 30, 2005
- ^ a b c d Bibby, Paul. "St Pat's old boys making their mark", National, Sydney Morning Herald, 2007-12-11. Retrieved on 2007-12-11.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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