St John's College, University of Sydney

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St John's College, or the College of St John the Evangelist, is a residential College of the University of Sydney.

Established in 1857, the College of St John the Evangelist is the second-oldest university residential college in Australia. We are a co-educational community of 185 student places.

St John’s is small by comparison with other colleges, but this is an advantage: the atmosphere is warm and friendly and the students support and encourage each other. There is freedom and space to be yourself and to find fulfilment as a student.

1 History
2 Our People
3 Notable Johnsmen
- 3.1 Politician's and Justices
- 3.2 Sportsmen
4 References
- 4.1 External links

[edit] History

Founded on July 1st, 1858 with the proclamation of the St. John's College Act in the Parliament of New South Wales, it is the second-oldest university residential college in Australia. It is the oldest Catholic College in Australia, and was the first Catholic College in a non-Catholic university to be founded in the British Empire. It is now a co-educational community of 182 students. Its founder was the Archbishop of Sydney, John Bede Polding. It began as a Benedictine foundation.

In 1887, James Francis Hogan wrote in The Irish in Australia, that St Ignatius' College, Riverview, St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill and

St. John's College, affiliated to the University of Sydney...are three educational institutions that reflect the highest credit on the Catholic population of the parent colony.^[1]

The architect was William Wilkinson Wardell (1823-1899). After disagreement with the College Council, Wardell resigned in June 1860. Wardell's plans were retained under the supervision of Edmund Blacket, who had been architect for the first stage of St Paul's College at the University of Sydney in 1859. In 1918, Herbert Wardell, the son of William Wilkinson Wardell designed what is now known as the '38 wing, as work did not commence until 1938 due to a lack of funds. It was completed in 1939. The Freehill Tower was built with a donation of 15,000 pounds by Countess Freehill in 1937. The Menzies and Polding wings were added in the 1960s, increasing the accommodation from the original 76 students to 181 students. A rector in the 1960s was the philosopher John Burnheim.

[edit] Our People

[edit] Governance of the College

Government of the College is vested by the 1857 Act of Incorporation in the College Council, which consists of the Rector and eighteen Fellows. The College is governed by the College Council which consists of the Rector, Dr David Daintree BA(UNE), MLitt(Cantab), PhD, JP, (since September 2002) and 18 College fellows.

[edit] St John's College Students'Club

The Students' Club is the body that looks after much of the day-to-day activity of the students of the College. Formed in 1891,the Students' Club is governed by its own constitution and is led by the House Committee. The House Committee is elected by the students at the end of each academic year. The House Executive, comprising the President (Big Dell), Secretary (Manno) and Treasurer (Happy), meets regularly with the Rector and Vice-Rector to discuss matters concerning the College. The Committee also meets to discuss and organise the Students' Club financial, cultural, sporting and social activities.

[edit] The Dail

The Dail is the bar within St John's College. It is one of the most impressive within the University and has constantly been rated as one of the top ten within the Sydney Metropolitan Region. In 2006/07 it was fully refurbished and offers not only the best service in Sydney but also has one of the most extensive cocktail lists. William Butler Yeats once wrote 'The problem with some people is that when they aren’t drunk they're sober.'