St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace

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St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace
Crest of St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace
Servire Deo Sapere
(Latin:"To serve God is to be wise")[1]
Established 1875
School Type Private, Single-sex, Day school
Denomination Roman Catholic, Christian Brothers
Key People Mr. Peter Chapman (Principal)
Mr. Alan Rix (Chairman)
Location Spring Hill, Queensland, Australia Flag of Australia
Coordinates 27°27′26″S 153°1′31″E / -27.45722, 153.02528Coordinates: 27°27′26″S 153°1′31″E / -27.45722, 153.02528
Enrolment ~1,227 (5-12)[2]
Colours Cardinal & Black         
Homepage www.terrace.qld.edu.au

St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace (commonly known as Terrace) is a private, Roman Catholic, day school for boys, located in Spring Hill, an inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Founded on July 5, 1875 by three Irish Christian Brothers,[3] the College follows the Edmund Rice tradition, and currently caters for approximately 1227 students from Years 5 to 12.[2]

St. Joseph's College is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[4] the Combined Independent Colleges (CIC),[5] and is a founding member of the Great Public Schools' Association Inc (GPS).[6]

Contents

[edit] History

Terrace became the first Catholic boys school in Queensland when on 5 July 1875 three Christian Brothers, led by Brother Barrett opened the school in Pugin's Chapel, within the old St Stephen's Cathedral, with just 26 boys enrolled. This new school paved a future direction for boys education in Queensland similar to that already offered for girls 13 years earlier at Queensland's first Catholic girls school, All Hallows' School. (All Hallows' was founded in 1862 by the Sisters of Mercy.) Within two months, on September 19, the foundation stone for a permanent residence and school had been laid on land on the crest of a hill and opposite a large park in Spring Hill. The land had been presented to the Brothers by an old boy of the Christian Brothers in Ireland, Dan McSweeney, a painter. While Br Joseph Barrett, Terrace's founder, and Br Paul Nunan continued teaching their classes, Br Brendan Nugent went to North Queensland "four days by steamer" away on a fund-raising tour.

The Brothers took up residence in the new building on Gregory Terrace in early 1876 and school facilities were provided in a large room - and for several years two schools functioned at Terrace and St Stephen's. On the 16th of September 1978 a memorial was held for Brother Barrett, in Pugin's Chapel. The school was in mourning as it had lost it's most treasured Brother. Brother Barrett now lays to rest in Waterford, Ireland, his birth place. In 1879 a single-storey stone building was completed facing Rogers Street, and the school at St Stephen's was closed. The west wing of the Residence was completed in 1887 to provide accommodation for boarders, and the school building was extended the following year by the addition of a second floor, thus completing what is known today as College Hall. The photos of all students since 1924 are displayed on its walls. By 1891 there was insufficient room for the numbers to board and the boarding school was transferred to a country property along Sandgate Road to begin St Joseph's College, Nudgee (Nudgee College).

Terrace undertook further expansion in 1918-19 when the Science Hall was built and opened. A third storey was added 20 years later. A three-storey teaching block which linked this building with the Residence was built in 1954.

Thus the land that Dan McSweeney had given the Christian Brothers almost 80 years earlier had been effectively built out. By the early 1960s, with increasing numbers of students and with changing trends in education it became imperative that Terrace expand further. Under Br J S Campbell's guiding influence, Terrace began to absorb residential land in Billet Street opposite the existing school. The first block was bought in 1961 and the foundation stone for a new Senior school was blessed by the College's most distinguished Old Boy the Archbishop of Brisbane, Sir James Duhig, in 1963. The new school including a chapel and library was opened in 1964. Gradually, the school development spread down Billet and Victoria Streets, with the Reidy Block completed in l971, the Centenary Building in 1975, the Manual Arts building constructed in two stages in 1981 and 1984, the completion of Centenary Hall and the construction of the Swimming Pool (now known as the Campbell Centre) in 1987 and the Religious Centre and Chapel, Mt Sion, in 1989. Billet Street itself was merged into the school grounds, linking the new and old portions of the College.

Terrace also spread beyond its Spring Hill campus. In 1958, the Rowing shed was built on river front land at New Farm which had been donated by Archbishop Duhig. In 1961, the Brothers purchased farmland at Tennyson and began to develop its magnificent playing fields. In the 1970s, Terrace established an Outdoor Education Centre on the banks of Lake Maroon, near Boonah. A tunnel was constructed under Gregory Terrace to provide students with safe access to Victoria Park and the training fields and Tennis courts.

Major building changes occurred in 1995, marking 120 years of Catholic Education in Brisbane, the GT120 Project. These included the Science/Music building; elevated walkways linking the Junior School to the 1964 wing; extensions to the Library; Drama Centre (old Junior School Library); Film and Television Room; conversion of Mt Sion to Main Administration offices (whilst retaining the Chapel/Prayer Centre); new offices for House Deans, Heads of Faculty; refurbishment of Staff Workroom to include interview room and Senior Teacher's office; also the shade area on Duhig Place, a project of the Parents and Friends. These recent developments have been made possible by the generosity of the Terrace Family in supporting the Gregory Terrace Foundation.

The strong academic tradition of Terrace continues today with the great majority of students aiming for some form of higher education. Since 1875, more than 195 past students have entered the priesthood or religious life, including the late Archbishop Sir James Duhig and Archbishop Francis Rush retired Archbishop of Brisbane, Bishop John Torpie retired Bishop of Cairns and Bishop Bill Morris Bishop of Toowoomba.

[edit] Tradition

The annual Terrace versus Nudgee rugby union game fetches crowds of between 5,000 and 10,000 people. Nudgee was borne from Terrace itself, and this rivalry celebrates the playing of the boarders of Terrace in the days of old. As the story goes, a famous rugby match was played between the two schools to decide who would don the blue and white, and Terrace lost the match, settling for red and black. Nudgee was created to house Terrace's borders.

There is also strong rivalry between Terrace and Brisbane Grammar in debating. In the past few years the GPS contest has been dominated by these two schools.

[edit] School crest

The current College Crest was designed in 1950. Until then, Terrace had used the Congregational Crest of the Christian Brothers, and this had been updated in 1920. Red and Black are the school colours, which are incorporated into this crest. No symbolism was intended in the formation of the bar at the top: it merely completes the shield-design.

The Celtic Cross is an emblem of the Christian Brothers and the symbol of their Irish origins, and of the Cross of Christ. The book symbolizes learning and teaching, the quest for knowledge, wisdom and understanding. The book is open, indicating openness in the search for truth. The alpha and omega symbolises God ("I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end" - Rev.22.13). The star and rays are symbols, firstly, that teaching and learning are to be directed by God; the star, symbol of unfading hope and faith; the rays shining on the book directing the endeavours of those at St. Joseph's.

The star is akin to the Star of Bethlehem, a symbol of enlightenment and guidance, and to the Virgin Mary Star of the Sea. It was, however, a passage in the Book of Daniel which inspired both the inclusion of the star and the school motto:

They that are learned (i.e., in the law of God and in true wisdom which consists in knowing and loving God - hence Servire Deo Sapere (est) on the scroll below: To serve God is to be Wise 1), "Shall shine as the brightness of the firmament (..et qui in iustitiam erudiunt multos - quasi stellae in perpetuas aeternitates 2) and they who instruct many unto justice shall shine like stars for all eternity. (Dan 12.3) Thus the star symbolises also the reward of teaching directed by God.

It was early in 1950 when Brs. F J Levander (Headmaster) and J S Campbell came upon this concise statement of hopes and aspirations. The est (understood) in the motto, was omitted for balance.

[edit] Academia

Terrace has produced a number of Rhodes Scholars over the past few years, most recently Ben Juratowich (2003) and Simon Quinn (2005), and consistently has a high number of students receiving an Overall Position (OP) of 1. There were 20 OP1 students at the college in 2007, 22 OP 1 students at the college in 2006 and 13 OP 1 students at the college in 2005. This accounts for approximately 12% of the senior cohort, placing the school well above the state OP 1 average of 4%. Mr. Peter Chapman currently resides as the principal of Terrace and is the 37th Principal following Dr. Brendan McManus.

[edit] Extra curricular activities

[edit] GPS premierships

St Joseph's College's Queensland Greater Public Schools (GPS) premierships include:

Activity Premiership Years
Rugby 1927, 1929, 1932, 1956, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1996, 2004
Rowing O'Connor Cup (1st VIII) 1982, 1994, 1996, 2008 - Old Boys Cup (Premiership - Points Score) 1997, 2007, 2008
Swimming 1918, 1919, 1921, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
Basketball 1997, 2000, 2004
Tennis 1955
Gymnastics 1919, 1941, 1942, 2007
Cross Country 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
Football (Soccer) Years Unknown
Athletics 1927, 1930, 1934, 1950, 1951
Cricket 1952, 2004
Volleyball 1996
Chess Years Unknown
Debating 1975 (Both GPS and QDU) 1976 (Both GPS and QDU) 1977 (QDU) 1979 (QDU) 1980 (QDU) 1981 (Both GPS and QDU) 1985 (Both GPS and QDU) 1986 (GPS) 1989 (GPS) 1990 (QDU) 1995 (Both GPS and QDU) 1996 (QDU) 1997 (QDU) 1998 (Both GPS and QDU) 1999 (Both GPS and QDU) 2000 (QDU) 2001 (GPS) 2002 (Both GPS and QDU) 2003 (QDU) 2005 (GPS) 2006 (Both GPS and QDU)

[edit] House system

There are six houses at Terrace: Barrett, Kearney, Mahoney, Reidy, Treacy and Windsor. It has been announced that there will be 3 more houses introduced at the beginning of the 2009 school year. The names for these were revealed in the May 8th Terrace News (Weekly Newsletter).

The names are:


Buckley House – after Br Barry Buckley, Headmaster at Terrace from 1973-1981 and a past student 1951-1952. Br Buckley is highly respected by this community for the significant contribution he made during his time as Headmaster. Br Buckley was honoured in this year’s Australia Day Honours List for his contribution to education and the church.

Magee House – after Br Ted Magee,Headmaster at Terrace 1990-1992. Although Br Magee was only Headmaster for three years, during that time he introduced the current House system that has become the hallmark of this community’s pastoral care system which supports our young men and the teaching and learning process.

Xavier House – to acknowledge the long history of the St Francis Xavier Province.

No further details about the new houses have been confirmed.

[edit] Notable alumni

Rhodes Scholars
  • James C. Mahoney (1929)[7]
  • Henry Finucan (1937)[7]
  • Colin Apelt (1954)[7]
  • Cedric Hampson (1955)[7]
  • James J. Mahoney (1963)[7]
  • John Corbett (1965)[7]
  • Patrick Carroll (1974)[7]
  • Michael Wilson (1976)[7]
  • Peter Donnelly (1980)[7]
  • Bryan Horrigan (1986)[7]
  • John Devereaux (1988)[7]
  • Liam Kelly (1989)[7]
  • Andrew Rosengren (1991)[7]
  • Robert Dann (1997)[7]
  • Ben White (1998)[7]
  • Ben Juratowich (2003)[7]
  • Simon Quinn (2004)[7]
  • Timosi Timosi (2008)[7]


Cultural/Political


Sporting

[edit] References

  1. ^ A Message form the Principal. Administration. St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
  2. ^ a b Annual Report 2006 (PDF). Administration. St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
  3. ^ Our Proud Heritage. History. St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
  4. ^ AHISA Schools. Queensland. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (November 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-26.
  5. ^ The Terrace Sporting Program. Sport. St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
  6. ^ GPS Schools. Sport and Music. Brisbane State High School. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Queensland Rhodes Scholars (doc). Rhodes Scholarships. University of Queensland (2007). Retrieved on 2008-03-24.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


Members of The Great Public Schools Association of Queensland Inc., Australia

Anglican Church Grammar School | Brisbane Boys' College | Brisbane Grammar School | Brisbane State High School | Ipswich Grammar School | St Joseph's Nudgee College | St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace | The Southport School | Toowoomba Grammar School
v • d • e
Members of the Combined Independent Colleges (CIC), Queensland, Australia
v • d • e
Christian Brother (Irish) secondary schools in Australia
Aquinas College • Christian Brothers College, Adelaide • Christian Brothers College, Burwood • Christian Brothers College, St. Kilda • Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham • Ignatius Park College • Parade College • Rostrevor College • St. Bernard's College • St Edmunds College Ipswich • St Edmund's College, Canberra • St. Edward's College, East Gosford • St. Joseph's College Melbourne • St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace • St. Joseph's College, Geelong • St. Joseph's Nudgee College • St. Kevin's College • St Leo's College • St Leo's College, Wahroonga • St Laurence's College • St. Mary's Cathedral College • St. Mary's College • St. Patrick's College, Ballarat • St Patrick's College, Shorncliffe • St. Patrick's College, Strathfield • St Pius X College • St Virgil's College • Trinity College • Waverley College
Defunct schools
Chanel College • Christian Brothers' College, Perth • St. Augustine's College, Yarraville • St Mary's Technical School, Geelong • St Patrick's College, Goulburn • St Patrick's College, Perth