| St Bede's College | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Mentone, Victoria, Australia | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, Single-sex, Day school |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1938 |
| Chairman | Justin Dunckett |
| Principal | Br. Garry Coyte |
| Chaplain | Rev. John Walshe |
| Enrolment | ~1,330 (7-12)[1] |
| Colour(s) | Cardinal, Blue & Gold |
| Website | stbedes.catholic.edu.au |
St Bede's College is a Roman Catholic, secondary school for boys, located in Mentone, Victoria, Australia.
Founded in 1938, it is administered by the De La Salle Brothers and named after St. Bede the Venerable, a Benedictine monk and priest who spent his life teaching and writing in the monasteries.
St. Bede's College has a rich sporting history.
Contents |
St. Bede's College is a Year 7–12 Catholic secondary college for boys with an enrolment of 1,330 students.
The College was founded in 1938 by the De La Salle Brothers and is located at Mentone, overlooking Port Phillip Bay. It is the major provider of secondary education for boys in the Catholic parishes of Aspendale, Beaumaris, Black Rock, Chelsea, Cheltenham, Dingley, Parkdale, Mentone, Mordialloc, and Sandringham, and a minor provider to the parishes of Hampton, Moorabbin and Highett.
St. Bede’s College was founded in 1938 by the De La Salle Brothers.
The founder of the Brothers was Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle, who was born at Rheims in 1651. He was canonized in 1900 and in 1950 Pope Pius XII named him Patron of Teachers.
The De La Salle Brothers came to Australia early in this century and opened their first school at Armadale, New South Wales, in 1906. In 1912, they came to Malvern, Victoria, to teach in the parish school, and since that time they have opened a number of schools throughout the Commonwealth, and extended their work to New Zealand and the Missions of Papua New Guinea.
Beginnings by the Bay
Various factors contributed to the establishment of the College at Mentone, including the zeal of the Parish Priest, Father Adrian Martin, who wanted a Catholic College to cater for the boys of his then huge parish; the desire on the part of the De La Salle Brothers to find a new residence for their boarding school students at De La Salle College, Malvern; and the immediate availability for purchase of the Mentone property.
In December 1937, thanks to Fr. Adrian Martin, Brother Jerome Foley F.S.C. (Director of De La Salle, Malvern) and Archbishop Daniel Mannix, the building site for St. Bede’s College was purchased for 14,000 pounds. The official Blessing and Opening of the College was held on 13 February 1938 and classes commenced the following day for 50 boarders and 60 day pupils under the patronage of the Anglo-Saxon saint and scholar, St. Bede. The motto chosen was Per Vias Rectas (By Right Paths).
Interim Director of the College was the Canadian-born Bro. Simon Staunton. A permanent Director was appointed in June 1939, with Br. Julian Lennon becoming Director of the College. Under his direction the College was to develop slowly but solidly despite the difficulties and inconvenience that World War II caused.
The roll call in 1940 indicates that there were 85 boarders and 105 day-pupils. By 1945 – with the war over – boarders had reached a figure of 108 while day-boys numbered 205.
In 1948, Br. Julian was succeeded by Br. Colman Molloy who had been a member of the College Staff since its inception. The roll call numbered 110 boarders and 198 day-pupils.
In 1953, Bro. Finian Allman replaced Brother Colman as Director of the College. By now the College had a roll call of 404. Eleven Brothers and three lay people comprised the staff.
Over the next few years, Beda Park and several properties adjoining St. Bede’s were purchased. 1956 saw the commencement of a new building (now the Middle School Building) which included class rooms and the Brothers’ residence. The official opening took place on 1 December when Archbishop Simmonds blessed the College. By 1958, the enrolment was 841 of whom approximately 100 were boarders.
In 1959, Br. Colman Molloy was appointed Director for a second term. In the years that followed Beda Park was developed as a sports area, a new class and science block for the Senior School was built and an overall 100,000 pounds Jubilee Development campaign was inaugurated.
In 1965, Br. Colman was transferred to Kensington, N.S.W., and subsequently became Provincial of the Australian District of the De La Salle Brothers. The new appointee as Director was Br. Stanislaus Carmody who was to remain in office until 1967 when he was nominated Auxiliary Provincial. During this period the present Year Nine Building was constructed.
With the nomination of Br. Peter McIntosh as Headmaster in 1968, the College was to undergo a building transformation and an increase in enrolments that was to bring numbers to approximately 1,200 pupils. Believing firmly that the Boarding facilities were inadequate and that there was a very positive value accruing to St. Bede’s from its boarding section, Br. Peter launched into an extensive building campaign. A new Brother’s residence, a new residence for boarders, a new chapel, new Science Rooms, a Lecture Theatre, a large school Library and the College Assembly Hall / Gymnasium were among the projects conceived and implemented in the period 1968–1974.
Br. William Firman was appointed Headmaster in November 1974. An interim School Board was established in 1975 and a permanent Board constituted in 1977 to guide and co-ordinate school policy.
In 1978, the Creative Arts Centre was completed. Included in this Centre were woodwork and metalwork facilities, art, craft, pottery and graphics rooms as well as a theatrette and classrooms. A Careers Guidance Centre was also set up at this time and the Special Education Centre purchased and renovated for the 1979 school year.
During 1981, the Junior High School Resource Centre was purchased and Cypress Lodge, the property at Phillip Island, was renovated and extended. A new pavilion was constructed at Beda Park to replace the old pavilion destroyed by fire in August 1980. In 1983, a new sports pavilion was constructed.
In the third term of 1985, the boarders and staff began to use the new Boarding House which provided extra recreational areas and new dormitories for the boarders, a new staff room and a kitchen as well as a new sick bay and audio-visual rooms for general use. Archbishop Little blessed and opened the new Boarding House on 13 September before a gathering of almost 1,000 people, many of whom had contributed to a major appeal which realized more than $580,000 dollars.
This Golden Jubilee Appeal also made possible the construction of 14 new classrooms for Years 7 & 8 above an extensive undercroft, tuckshop, maintenance workshops and a small swimming pool. This building constructed during 1986 at a cost of $1.6 million has meant the provision of separate home wings for each of Years 7, 8 and 9.
After serving as Headmaster for thirteen eventful years, Br. William was succeeded by Bro. Kevin Moloney in 1988. In the same year, Br. William was elected Provincial of the Brothers and Bro. Kevin his Auxiliary.
In 1989, Br. Quentin O’Halloran, who had formerly served as a member of staff from 1955–66, was appointed Principal. Br. Quentin was succeeded by Bro. Ken Ormerod in 1999. Br. Garry Coyte succeeded him in 2007.
† Students performing in Kilbreda College production
‡ Students performing in Mentone Girls Grammar production
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