Christ's College, Canterbury
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| Christ's College | |
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| Motto | Bene tradita, bene servanda (Latin: "Good traditions, To be well maintained") |
| Type | Independent, Single-sex, Secondary (Year 9-13), Day & Boarding |
| Year established | 1850 |
| Address | Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch, New Zealand  |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
| Principal | Mr. Simon Leese |
| School roll | ~647 |
| Socio-economic decile (10 is highest) | n/a |
| Ministry of Education Institution no. | 330 |
| Website | www.christscollege.com |
Christ's College, Canterbury is an independent, Anglican, secondary, day and boarding school for boys, located in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Founded in 1850 at Lyttelton as a school for early settlers, Christ's is the oldest independent school in the country.[1] The college currently caters for approximately 647 students from Year 9 to Year 13.
Christ's is affiliated with the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.
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[edit] History
Christ's College was established in 1850 and directly modelled on the pedagogic vernacular of English public schools, such as Westminster School and Eton College. At its foundation, the school was run from two rooms at the immigration barracks at Lyttelton,[2] and the emphasis was on a classical education, including Greek and Latin, Modern Languages, Mathematics, English, History and Geography. Students were also expected to conduct scientific experiments, to draw and sing.[1]
The school left Lyttelton in 1852 and moved over the hill to the St Michael's Parsonage in Oxford Terrace with 16 students. Henry Jacobs, the first Headmaster, ensured that his school enabled both boarders and day boys to attend.[1]
Christ's College moved to its present site in 1856, with 35 pupils and a staff of three. This location, adjacent to the Government Domain, provided the college with room to expand, and the school gradually began to acquire additional buildings. The first of these building were wooden, providing homes for the staff and their families and an increasing number of boarders. By 1863, 'Big School', the first of the stone buildings, had been built on the west side of the quadrangle, followed in 1867 by the Chapel.[1] The school developed slowly around this central quadrangle, and today the 'quad' is treated with reverence, with only certain people are allowed to walk onto it.
In its early days, the College taught boys as young as six, with each boy arriving with a different level of education. Subsequently there was a wide age range in many classes and, until the number of classrooms increased, they were all taught together.[1]
The school motto, Bene Tradita, Bene Servanda in Latin translates to "good traditions well maintained".
[edit] Upper department (College House, University of Canterbury)
College House was created as part of Christ's College in 1850.[3] According to College House:
| “ | [Christ's College] was instrumental in the establishment of Canterbury University in the early 1870s. | ” |
The upper department became a residential college of the university after it was founded, and soon it was referred to as College House.[3] The upper and lower departments (tertiary and secondary departments) separated in 1957, and College House became independent.
[edit] Governance
The Christ's College governing body comprises a Chairman, Warden and Fellows.[4] The Bishop of Christchurch is ex officio Warden.
[edit] Campus
The Christ's College grounds have a collection of nineteenth century, and turn-of-the-century buildings. The neogothic style is dominant, as was the case for most notable colonial-period buildings in Christchurch, such as the Cathedral, and the original buildings of Canterbury University (formerly Canterbury College), which is now the Christchurch Arts Centre. 'Big School', built in 1863, is the original classroom for the Christchurch site of the school, and is one of the oldest surviving buildings of its type in New Zealand.
[edit] Co-curriculum
[edit] Sport
It is claimed that a form of rugby was being played at the school as early as 1853.[5] Each year its rugby team plays with Wanganui Collegiate School, Wellington College and Nelson College in a tournament known as the "Quadrangular". It also has a long-running rivalry with Christchurch Boys' High School, and an annual rugby match between the two schools is fiercely contended.
[edit] House system
In keeping with the tradition of English public schools, Christ's College has ten Houses accommodating around 650 students. There are four boarding houses and the dayboys are organised into six more houses. Each house has a housemaster responsible for the care of the boys.
From the schools early days, Houses were a base for boarders within the school, and these changed their names as Masters came and went. The name Jacobs has been retained, while others have been replaced by School, Richards and Flower's. It was not until 1909 that the first two day boy Houses were established. They were named 'North Town' and 'South Town', and students were allocated to them depending on whether their homes were north or south of Gloucester Street. In 1924, these Houses were named Harper and Julius - Condell's, Corfe, Rolleston and Somes have also been added over the years.[1]
The year groups within the Houses are encouraged to build House spirit and to compete in sporting and cultural competitions. Cricket and football games were established as soon as there were enough boarders to compete against each other, and gradually music and drama challenges have been added.[1]
[edit] Alumni
Alumni of Christ's College are known as Old Boys, and may elect to join the school's alumni association, the Christ's College Old Boys' Association (CCOBA).[6] Some notable Christ's College Old Boys include:
- Academic
- Murray Charles Wells - Emeritus Professor at the University of Sydney[7]
- Paul Richard Wilson OAM - Chair of Criminology at Bond University; Crime Author[8]
- Business
- Sir Peter Elworthy – Prominent rural businessman
- Richard James Evans - Chief Executive Officer of the Sydney Opera House[9]
- Sir William Hamilton - Inventor of the jet boat
- Henry Van Asch - Co founder of commercial bungy jumping
- Sir Tim Wallis - Deer industry pioneer, developer of warbirds over Wanaka
- Sir Miles Warren - Architect
- Richard Woods – former Director of the S.I.S.
- Entertainment, media and the arts
- Austin Deans - Artist
- Denis Glover - Poet
- Mark Hadlow - Actor
- James Milne - Musician, The Reduction Agents, Lawrence Arabia
- Sam Neill - Actor
- James Reid - Musician, The Feelers
- Teddy Tahu Rhodes - Singer
- William Pember Reeves - Author, historian
- Leigh Hart - Comedian, Actor "That Guy"
- Military
- Edward Cobber Kain - The first RAF ace of WW2
- Vice Admiral Sir Somerford Teagle – Former Chief of Defence
- Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham, VC and Bar - War hero, double Victoria Cross winner
- Politics, public service and the law
- Peter Boyce - Commissioner for the Health and Community Services Complaints Commission Northern Territory (1998-2005); Northern Territory Ombudsman for the Office of Ombudsman (1995-2005); Police Complaints Authority South Australia (1992-95)[10]
- Michael Cullen - Minister for Finance, Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
- Sir Michael Fowler - Former Mayor of Wellington and architect
- Sir Arthur Guinness - Politician, Speaker of Parliament
- Rt Hon. Justice Andrew Tipping - Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand
- Hon William Young - President of the New Zealand Court of Appeal
- Sport
- Robbie Deans - Former All Black and current Crusaders Coach. Current Australian rugby coach
- Jack Hazlett - Former All Black[11]
- Jock Hobbs - Former All Black and current Chairman of NZRU
- Tom Lowry - New Zealand’s first cricket captain
- Simon Maling - Former All Black
- Alastair Robinson - Former All Black[12]
- James Ryan - Former All Black
- John Wright – Former New Zealand cricket captain and Indian cricket coach
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g History. About Us. Christ's College. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ Christ's College Memorial Dining Room. Register of Historic Places. New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
- ^ a b History. College House. College House Canterbury. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ Who's who. Christ's College. Christ's College. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ Christchurch Chronology 1853. Christchurch: a chronology. Christchurch City Libraries. Retrieved on 2006-07-03.
- ^ Christ's College Old Boys' Association. College Life. Christ's College. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
- ^ "Wells Murray Charles". Who's Who in Australia Live!. (2006-11-17). Ed. Suzannah Pearce. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
- ^ "Wilson Paul Richard". Who's Who in Australia Live!. (2006-11-17). Ed. Suzannah Pearce. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
- ^ "Evans Richard James". Who's Who in Australia Live!. (2006-11-17). Ed. Suzannah Pearce. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
- ^ "Boyce Peter". Who's Who in Australia Live!. (2006-11-17). Ed. Suzannah Pearce. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
- ^ Jack Hazlett. Player Profile. All Blacks. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
- ^ Alastair Robinson. Player Profile. All Blacks. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
