St Patrick's College, Strathfield

St Patrick's College
Location
Strathfield, New South Wales Australia
Coordinates	33°52′25″S 151°04′32″E / 33.873615°S 151.075632°E / -33.873615; 151.075632
Information
Type	Private, Single-sex, Day school
Motto	Latin: Luceat Lux Vestra (Matthew 5:16:"Let Your Light Shine")
Denomination	Roman Catholic, Christian Brothers
Established	1928
Founder	P I Hickey
Chairman	Peter Tilbrook
Headmaster	Craig Wattam
Chaplain	Jack Evans
Staff	~140[1]
Enrolment	~1,440 (5–12)[2]
Colour(s)	Blue, Black and Gold
Website	St Patrick's College

St Patrick's College, also referred to informally as "SPC", is an Australian independent Roman Catholic day school for boys located in Strathfield in the inner west of Sydney.

Founded as a Christian Brothers school in the tradition of Edmund Rice in 1928, the college currently caters for approximately 1430 students from Years 5 to 12.^[2]

St Patrick's College is a member of the Independent Schools Association (ISA), the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),^[3] and the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA).^[4]

History

In 1926 Christian Brothers’ Provincial, Br P I Hickey had the vision of building a new Catholic boys school on the outskirts of Strathfield. More specifically he proposed that this school be built within the perimeter of the Christian Brothers’ Training College, ‘Mount St Mary’ and would thereby serve as an ideal practising school for student Brothers training there. The idea was met with some criticism, mainly due to the remoteness of the area which was largely surrounded by bush and cattle tracks, had little road access, and was situated a fair distance away from local railway stations. Br Hickey remained undeterred however and pushed ahead with his building plans.^[5]

St Patrick's College was founded on January 20, 1928 and was officially blessed and opened by Dr M Kelly, Archbishop of Sydney. Thirty nine students were enrolled and split into three grades to be taught by Brothers L S Carroll, P K Kent and J R Crichton. The acting Principal in this first year was Provincial Consulter and Master of Method, Br M B Hanrahan. The school itself consisted of six large classrooms, and four other rooms designed for Physics, Chemistry, Art and technical training such as Woodwork. At the end of the first year over 100 students were enrolled at St Patrick’s College. Today enrolment at the College exceeds 1,400 students.^[5]

Towards the end of the 1980s, there was a steady decline in the number of Christian Brothers teaching within Edmund Rice Schools such as St Patrick’s. After the departure of Br J Giacon as Principal in 1992 the time had come to appoint a lay Principal, the first in any Christian Brothers’ school in NSW. And so in 1993, after an extensive process, Mr Grahame Smollett was given the responsibility of leading the College into a new era. He was to remain in office for the next 15 years, making him the longest serving Principal in the College’s history.^[5]

Past Principals

• 1928: Br M B Hanrahan
• 1929-1932: Br E S Crowle
• 1933-1935: Br M R Breen
• 1936-1941: Br J V Coghlan
• 1942-1943: Br B Quirke
• 1944: Br M M O'Connor
• 1945-1950: Br J V Coghlan
• 1951-1952: Br R B Garvey
• 1953-1955: Br J A McGlade
• 1956-1961: Br J G Hodda
• 1962-1963: Br J P Hannigan
• 1964-1966: Br H C Gygar
• 1967-1974: Br T I Casey
• 1975-1980: Br W R Greening
• 1981-1987: Br J P O'Shea
• 1988-1992: Br J Giacon
• 1993-2007: Mr G K Smollett
• 2008-2015: Mr B T Roberts
• 2016: Mr J Murphy
• 2017-present: Dr C Wattam ^[6]

College Houses

History

Ultimately when encouraged by their peers, students gain confidence and feel empowered to give their best. The system dates back to the 1930s when boys were placed into four coloured houses for the annual swimming and athletic carnivals; red, gold, green and blue.^[7]

During the 1970s the College expanded the four houses to six and named each after a significant person whose presence at the College had been pivotal to its evolvement; Br Berg, Br Coghlan, Br Crichton, Br Hanrahan, Br Hickey, and Fr Power (Parish Priest of St Martha’s). A further development was made in 1996 when on the beatification of Edmund Rice, Founder of the Christian Brothers, Power house was changed to Rice house.^[7]

In 2012 the College Cup was launched and redefined the way in which the house system is used at St Patrick’s College. To foster healthy competition amongst the boys, house points are awarded throughout the school year based on an individual’s efforts in areas of academic achievement, co-curricular involvement and school spirit. These are then tallied with the results from the swimming and athletic carnivals and a house is declared the overall winner.^[7]

College Cup Winners

• 2012 – Berg House (Inaugural)
• 2013 – Coghlan House
• 2014 – Hickey House
• 2015 – Hickey House
• 2016 – Hickey House

Berg House (White)

Berg House appropriately pays tribute to the values and contribution made to the College by Br Brian Berg, the first Old Boy Brother to teach at St Patrick’s. Brian Berg completed his Leaving Certificate at SPC in 1948 and entered into the Christian Brothers in 1950.^[8]

Coghlan House (Gold)

Coghlan House honours the memory of Br Coghlan, Principal of St Patrick’s College for two terms, 1936-1941 and 1945-1950. He played a leading role in developing the College’s identity and whilst he may not have laid the first stone, he introduced the strong foundations upon which the College has flourished.^[9]

Crichton House (Black)

Crichton House is named after Br John Rewi Crichton, who, for many years, was a devoted and much loved teacher at St Patrick’s College. ^[10]

Hanrahan House (Red)

Hanrahan House recognises the efforts of an outstanding educationist by the name of Br Michael Benignus Hanrahan. As the first Principal of St Patrick’s College he led the school from 1928 to 1929.^[11]

Hickey House (Green)

Hickey House honours a man who holds a significant place in the College’s history. In fact without the vision of Br Patrick Ignatius Hickey; St Patrick’s College would not exist today.^[12]

Rice House (Blue)

Rice house pays tribute to our Founder, Blessed Edmund Rice, an exceptional human being who dedicated his life to God and the education of the poor and marginalised boys in Ireland.^[13]

Facilities

The facilities at St Patrick's include:

• Four grassed sporting fields with full time grounds maintenance staff
• Nine educational buildings
• Two libraries
• One staff building
• An indoor gymnasium with courts to accommodate basketball, volleyball and badminton
• Olympic standard gymnastic apparatus
• Synthetic and turf practice cricket nets
• One outdoor swimming pool
• Modern change room facilities
• Four tennis courts/outdoor basketball courts
• A fully equipped weights facility manned by an experienced fitness trainer
• One hall
• One amphitheatre
• Five science labs and three prep rooms
• Diverse Learning Centre
• Auditorium

Co-curriculum

The school competes in such activities as rugby union, cricket, baseball, soccer, swimming, basketball, softball, golf, athletics and tennis in the Independent Schools Association competition and against CAS and GPS member schools. The junior school also competes in an AFL tournament in a local comp that plays on Friday nights.

The college performs an annual musical and drama production starring students from the school itself and Santa Sabina College, SPC's sister school. Recent productions include Miss Saigon (2013), Little Shop of Horrors (2012), The Wiz (2011), Guys and Dolls (2010), High School Musical (2009), Les Misérables (2007), Grease (2006), Disco Inferno (2005), Footloose (2004) and Jesus Christ Superstar (2003).^[14] Recent dramatic productions include "The Comedy of Errors" (2014), "Boy Overboard" (2013), The Chocolate War (2012), Much Ado About Nothing (2011), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (2010), A Few Good Men (2009), The Wasps (2008), The Taming of the Shrew (2007) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (2006).^[15]

The college competes annually with the nearby Trinity Grammar School for the Black and Green Shield which was conceived in 2005. It is based on the cumulative results of all winter sports games (rugby and football) between the schools on a designated weekend. The college has taken the shield each year since its inception, bar one.

Other annual sporting events include the junior school's rugby tour to Armidale where two rugby teams compete against those from other schools and colleges from New South Wales and Queensland, the Christian Brothers Schools' Cricket Carnival held during the Christmas holidays at St. Joseph's Nudgee College at Brisbane, which the college has won three times, in 1995, 2009 and 2014.

The school is a founding member of the Catholic Schools Debating Association (CSDA) and has experienced success in recent years. One of the shields for premiers is named after a long-serving deputy headmaster, Michael Robson, for his decades of service to the association.

The college also has an extensive social justice program, annually raising funds for a Lenten focus charity as well as aiding many causes with practical assistance from the boys. Focus areas include the Saint Vincent de Paul Society "Night Patrol" and the financial assistance of Christian Brother's schools serving disabled or economically and socially disadvantaged communities.

College Anthem

The College anthem was composed in 1958, with words by Br Robert Charles Hill and music by Br Colin Declan Smith – both  members of the SPC Community.  A choir of over 600 voices first performed it at Speech Night in the Sydney Town Hall in 1958.^[16]

For God, for Queen and Country,

 For Faith and Nation both –

That’s why we strive for victory,

 On that we take our oath,

 Blue and Black our Heraldry,

 And Gold of colours best,

 The noblest code of chivalry,

 We bring to every test

 

First of Saints and Scholars,

 Teach us how to learn from thee;

 Zeal in learning, Faith in turning,

 Work and play to sanctity.

 Luceat Lux Vestra

 May our motto ever be:

 To do and love the right and to let our light

 Shine for all to see.

 St Patrick, true to thee.

College Crest

The college's crest was designed in 1938 and is made up of three components:

• Shield: With its chevrons and bars it is a symbol of strength and fortitude
• Motto: Those who wear the crest pledge fidelity to the college motto Luceat Lux Vestra, Latin for "Let Your Light Shine".
• Star: Seen mounting the crest, it signifies that the college lights the way to knowledge and to the God.^[17]

Alumni

St Patrick's alumni are traditionally known as "Old Boys",^[18] the St Patrick's alumni association being called the Old Boys' Union.

The reinvigoration of the St Patrick’s College Old Boys’ Association (SPOB) in 2016, has further improved the relationship between past and present. It provides a contact point for several different Old Boy sporting clubs like Cricket, Rugby and Football and other special interest groups such as Returned Servicemen, Careers (including work experience and mentoring) and the Vestra Bursary Fund.^[19]

St Patricks Rugby Club

St Patrick's Rugby Club was established in 1964 as a rugby league club as that was the code of football played at the college at the time. In 1965 the college changed to rugby union, the club followed suit the following year and entered the Western Suburbs Under 20 competition. The club originally played in a white jersey with black collar and now play in a black jumper with a gold collar, as does the college First XV. The club plays in the New South Wales Suburban Rugby Union and has won four club championships and two first grade premierships. Since its promotion to Kentwell Cup First Division in 1974 is one of only two clubs to never have been relegated. The club plays its home games at Hudson Park, Strathfield.^[18][20]

Notable alumni

Science and medicine

• John Dwyer, Australian doctor, professor of medicine, and public health advocate.
• John Mattick, geneticist^[21] and microbiologist, director of the Garvan Institute of Medical Research^[22]
• Michael K. Morgan AM, Professor of Neurosurgery and Dean of Medicine, School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University

Bureaucracy, politics and the law

• John Brogden AM, former NSW Liberal Leader of the Opposition and former Member for Pittwater. Current Chairman of Lifeline and Patron of Kookaburra Kids.^{[23][24][25][26]}
• John Brown AO, former Federal Member for Parramatta and Labor minister (most notably Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism).^[27]
• The Hon Tony Burke MP, Federal Labor Member for Watson, Shadow Minister for Finance and former Member of the NSW Legislative Council^[28]
• Mick Clough, former NSW Labor Member for Blue Mountains and former Member for Bathurst
• Bryan Doyle MP, former NSW Liberal Member for Campbelltown
• The Hon Craig Emerson, former Federal Labor Member for Rankin and minister^[28]
• The Hon Laurie Ferguson MP, former Federal Labor Member for Werriwa, former NSW Member for Granville and brother of Martin^[28]
• The Hon Martin Ferguson AM, former Federal Member for Batman and minister^[28] and brother of Laurie.
• Justin Gleeson SC, former Solicitor-General of Australia (2013-2016), the Commonwealth's second-ranking law officer.
• Dick Healey, former NSW Liberal Member for Davidson and Minister
• Tio Faulkner, President Liberal Party of Australia (ACT Division) (2010-2013).^[29]
• Gary Humphries, former Liberal Chief Minister of the ACT and former Senator for the ACT
• Craig Laundy MP, Federal Liberal Member for Reid and Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science
• Paul Lynch MP, NSW Labor Member for Liverpool and Shadow Attorney General^[30]
• Paul McLeay, former NSW Labor Member for Heathcote and minister
• Doug Sutherland AM, former Lord Mayor of Sydney^[31]

Business

• Greg Coffey, a London hedge fund manager known as the "Wizard of Oz"
• John Symond, founder and chairman of Aussie Home Loans (left in Year 10)^[32]
• James Symond, Chief Executive Officer^[33] of Aussie Home Loans
• Guy Russo, CEO of Kmart and Target^[34] and former Managing Director and CEO of McDonald's Australia^[35]

Entertainment, media and the arts

• Mig Ayesa, actor, notable work includes "Joe" the landlord on ABC children's serial The Ferals^[36]
• Thomas Kenneally AO, author^[25][37] of the book that inspired the film Schindler's List
• Rob Shehadie, actor in the television show Pizza^[38]
• Peter Skrzynecki,^[39] poet and writer and lecturer at the University of Western Sydney

Sport

• John Ballesty, former Australian Rugby Union International^[40]
• Michael Foley, Australian rugby union player, Australian rugby union forwards coach 2003-2008, New South Wales Warartahs rugby union coach 2008. Until 2016 coach of the Western Force^[25]
• Ante Milicic, Australian football (soccer) player
• Shannon Cole, Australian football (soccer) player for Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers FC
• Chris O'Young, rugby union player for the Western Force and Australia 7's
• Tim Pickup, Australian Rugby Union and Rugby League Representative
• Matt Williams, Professional Rugby Coach and Sports Commentator^[41]
• Chris Siale, Rugby Union player for the Queensland Reds, New South Wales Waratahs and French rugby second division
• Brian McCowage, Australian Foil Champion. Olympic Representative at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympic Games.^[42]
• William Quigley, Taekwondoka, black belt and competes in poomsae competitions.

See also

• List of non-government schools in New South Wales

References