St Patrick's College, Ballarat

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St Patrick's College, founded by the Christian Brothers in 1893, is a day and boarding school, situated in the heart of Ballarat. It provides education for boys from year 7 to year 12. The College excels at sporting and artistic endeavours. The school continues the tradition of the Christian Brothers in providing education for boys in Victoria and continuing the tradition of Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, who founded the Christian Brothers Order in 1802.

Contents

[edit] History

The College was originally intitled Holy Ghost College, which was administered by the Holy Ghost Fathers and was started in 1888. Unfortunately, after a promising start, the College closed due to the Holy Ghost Fathers having to return to France. The Bishop of Ballarat at that time, Most Rev. James Moore, quickly contacted the Provincial of the Christian Brothers in Australia, Br P.A. Treacy, to take over the running of the school. The new College opened its doors on the 24th January 1893, as St Patrick's College. Four Christian Brothers were on the initial staff, with Rev. Br J.L. Ryan as the founding Headmaster.

The school gradually grew in stature and size to become not only the largest and most important Catholic school in Ballarat, but one of the leading Catholic schools in the State. The College, under the governance of the Brothers, grew from its first enrollment of 36 students in 1893, to 168 in 1902. The school's academic record was first class even in its infancy, with the 1893 dux of the college, Sir Hugh Devine, becoming a world famous surgeon. The school has grown immensely in the past 100 years, with over one thousand boys currently being enrolled.

The College, in 1933, completed the construction of the Brother's Residence, a large impressive red-brick structure. A Memorial Chapel was constructed in 1954 and dedicated to the memory of St Patrick's Old Collegians, who died during the First and Second World War. This large Romanesque chapel still holds pride of place at the front of the school and is the centre of the schools's spirituality. The college proudly has over three hundred graduates who have been ordained priests, a record in Australia. Over sixty graduates have entered into religious life.

In 1966, the W.T. O'Malley Wing was completed in dedication to Rev. Br. William Theodore O'Malley, who was not only Deputy Headmaster of the College for thirty years, but taught at the college for over forty years. He is remembered as one of the greatest brothers to grace St Patrick's College, with many Old Collegians dedicating their successes to his tution. In 1976 the J.L. Kelty Resource Centre was opened. It is dedicated to Rev. Br Justin Linus Kelty, a former headmaster, who led the College through one of its most glorious periods in the 1960's.

In 1979, the College completed the W.T. O'Malley Sports Centre, which was officially opened by former students and Brownlow Medal winners John James and Brian Gleeson.

In 2004, the College officially opened the W.J. Wilding Wing, which now houses the College's senoir school. The impressive building was named in honour of Rev. Br. William Wilding, a former headmaster of the College in the early 1980's who oversaw the completion of the Dr Spring Administration Wing. The current Headmaster, Dr Peter Casey, has led the College since 2002 and continues the outstanding work started by the Christian Brothers.

[edit] History of Student Abuse

In the 1970’s Ballarat was considered one of the pillars of the Australian Catholic Church and St Patrick’s College was the spiritual heart of Ballarat. However paedophiles operated with impunity across the Senior and Junior schools of the College. The abuse was widespread and well known within the church hierarchy.

As early as 1971 the now retired Bishop Mulkearns took the halfhearted step of dealing with the problem referring probably the worst St Patrick’s College paedophile, Fr Gerald Ridsdale for counselling. Predictably this strategy did not stop the abuse. Fr Ridsdale went on offending with his most horrific years of inflicting paedophilia abuse ahead of him.

Ridsdale was later convicted of 46 counts of sexual abuse against 21 victims over two decades. His victims claim that he would select children from the class and rape them with impunity either in the presbytery or a public toilet. In one instance he raped a young girl who came to him for comfort on the day of her father’s death. In 1994, Bishop Mulkearns claimed that while he was aware of the abuse, he was not aware of the extent.

The convictions are probably only the tip of the iceberg. Ridsdale has admitted that his victims can be counted in the 100s and further charges are currently being considered by Victoria’s Director of Public Prosecutions.

One of the Christian Brothers' Ballarat primary schools, East Ballarat's Christian Brothers St Alipius Boys School (which closed in 1974 and has no relationship to the current St Alipius Parish Primary School) had a particularly active paedophile ring. In the four classrooms there was Brother Robert Best, Brother Edward Dowlan, Brother Fitzgerald, (now dead) and Brother Stephen Francis Farrell. All, except Fitzgerald, were later convicted of sex crimes. During Dowlan's County Court trial in 1996, the prosecution alleged that three St Alipius boys were each sexually abused by Dowlan, Best and Ridsdale.

Dowlan and Best were later transferred to the senior school where they joined other College pedophiles and continued to offend. Only very reluctantly has the Church come to accept its complicity in these crimes and the culture of abuse continues to divide this otherwise peaceful country town.

Corporal punishment was also quite widespread in the 70's and at least into the 80's, both at the former Christian Brothers St. Alipius Boys school and the senior college. A favorite method was administering the "ghat", a leather strap about 1cm thick and 3cm wide brought down across the students hands. This was administered to children as young as 10. Typical offenses might have included being in the classrooms before the bell (to get out of the freezing Ballarat cold). In the senior campus, one lay teacher, who was considered one of the less violent teachers, administered the ghat to those boys where were the slowest to put down their pens after he clicked his fingers.

[edit] Influences

The College has four houses, Treacy Ryan, Keniry, Nunan and Galvin and are named after former great headmasters of the college. They are:

  • Br J.L. Ryan - Headmaster from 1893-1895, who set the foundations of the great College and led the College with great zest during its formative years.
  • Br E.F. Keniry - Headmaster from 1912-1915 and 1920-1924, who not only nurtured the College throughout the first part of the war, but was a driving force behind establishing the Old Collegians Association.
  • Br M.P. Nunan - Headmaster from 1910-1912, Br Nunan put into affect the completion of the development plan and expanded the curriculum.
  • Br T.B. Galvin - Headmaster from 1925-1926, Br Galvin was not only a man of great wit, but is remembered as an academic and a Brother who had a large influence over the boys at the time.

The College countinues the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, instilling in every boy the values taught by Christ over two thousand years ago. The College prides itself on its Catholic roots and these roots are firmly planted in every boy, who has graced the great College. The Patron of the College, the Reverend Peter Connors, Bishop of Ballarat, plays a very important part in the College, presiding over the major college masses along with many other old boy priests. The college bases itself on four pillars of Faith, Excellence, Tradition and Joy, with each boy attending St Patrick's College, striving to be exemplars of these pillars.

[edit] Cultural Life

The College not only prides itself upon academic excellence, but upon brilliance in Sport, Music, Public Speaking and Debating and Social Justice.

The College leads the way in sporting programmes throughout Victoria and is a member of the Ballarat Public Schools Association. The Football Programme, Rowing Programme and Cricket Programme are all first class, providing the boys with every opportunity to fulfill their potential in these mainstream sports. The college also offers a large array of other sports, such as Tennis, Hockey, Volleyball, Basketball, Swimming and many more and this allows the boys to find their niche in any sport.

The School offers an outstanding Music Programme, developed to its full potential by hard working and dedicated staff. The St Patrick's College School Band recently won the Gold Shield at the Geelong Eistedford, defeating many other high ranking schools in Victoria.

The College’s Cultural Life is also supported by an extensive involvement with Public Speaking Competitions. All St Patrick’s College students are actively encouraged to develop skills in the important area of public speaking via curricular and co-curricular activities. Students compete in number of state and national level debating and public speaking competitions and have an outstanding record of success.

The College, continuing the work of its spiritual leader, Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, has an outstanding Social Justice Programme, with two programmes, the Social Justice Group and the St Vincent De Paul Society, which has been at the College since the 1930's. These programmes not only promote awareness on the needs of others, but allow students to help those who are less fortunate then themselves.

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] Clergy

  • Dr George Cardinal Pell AC, Archbishop of Sydney
  • Sir Thomas Francis Little, Archbishop Emeritus of Melbourne
  • Reverend Brian Finnigan, Auxiliary Bishop of Brisbane
  • Reverend Joseph Oudeman, Auxiliary Bishop of Brisbane
  • Over three hundred Old Collegian Priests
  • Over sixty Old Collegian Religious

[edit] Law and Politics

  • Hon. Steve Bracks - Premier of Victoria
  • Hon. Albert Ogilvie KC - Former Premier of Tasmania
  • Hon. Gavan O'Connor - Former Federal Shadow Minister
  • Sir Robert Monahan - Former Supreme Court Judge
  • Harrie Seward - Former Federal Senator
  • W.J.M. Locke - Former Major-General of the A.I.F.
  • C.E. Long CBE - Former Major-General of the A.I.F.
  • Noel Flanagan AO - Private secretary to Former Federal Labor Leader Arthur Calwell and Director Australian War Memorial
  • Frank Walsh - Former Chief Magistrate of Victoria
  • Murray Byrne - Former Leading State Member of Parliament
  • Gavin Brown - Former Assistant Police Chief Commissioner
  • Edward Jones MBE - Former Heytesbury Shire Council President
  • James McClelland - Former Federal Senator

[edit] Business

  • John Fitzgerald - Leading Property Investor and Chairman and CEO JLF Corporation
  • Geoff Torney OAM - Chairman Moonee Valley Racing Club and Prominent Solicitor
  • David Bourke CBE - Chairman Victorian Racing Club and Chairman Country Racing Council
  • Graham Duff - Chairman Racing Victoria Ltd and Chairman North Melbourne Football Club
  • Sir Hugh Devine - Leading World Surgeon
  • John Connell AO - Leading Australian Surgeon
  • Frank Doolan - Foundation Member of Legacy Australia
  • Mark Nolan - CEO ExxonMobil Australia

[edit] Sport

[edit] AFL

  • Brian Gleeson - 1957 Brownlow Medallist
  • John James - 1961 Brownlow Medalist
  • Alex, Anthony and James McDonald - Leading AFL players
  • Drew Petrie - Current Kangaroo's Vice-Captain
  • Michael McGuane - Former Collingwood Champion and Best and Fairest Winner
  • Danny Frawley - Former St. Kilda Champion and Richmond Coach
  • Barry Richardson - Former Richmond Captain, Coach and President
  • Tristan Cartledge - Currently on the Essendon Bombers seniors list
  • Peter Walsh - Current Port Adelaide Player
  • Matt Rosa - Current West Coast Eagles Player

[edit] Media and Arts

  • Paul Bongiorno - Channel Ten Chief Political Reporter
  • Professor Sir Bernard Heinze - Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Conductor and Australian of the Year
  • Professor Raimond Gaita - Renowned Author and Professor of Philosophy at Australian Catholic University and King's College, London

[edit] References

  • Naughtin, Br P.C. (1993) History and Heritage: 1893 to 1993.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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