College Jubilee

Celebrating 60 Great Years

An extract from the Silver Jubilee Souvenir Book:

By 1964, the number of Brothers increased to five.  Brother Domenic Della Bosca joined the staff in 1963 as Master of Discipline and soon became a dynamic presence in the school.  A rather irreverent story in the records relates that, on the occasion of Brother’s feast day, the boys prayed the Liturgy for Brother Domenic but instead of the invocation “Lord, hear us,” they substituted the words “Lord, have mercy on us.” 

The Brothers moved from their residence at St Bede’s, Mentone to the Foster Street house and Mrs Pat Lochery, newly arrived from Scotland became their housekeeper.  Brother Domenic organised after-school dancing classes and there seems to have been quite a good deal of activity between the Boys’ and Girls’ schools with challenges to General Knowledge contests and a six-lap race challenge.  There was great activity also in the effort to raise money for the Athletic team which was to take part in the Combined Brothers’ Secondary Schools Association meeting at Olympic Park.

“Help send our team to Olympic Park” became the catch-cry at St John’s.  The enthusiasm and work was well worth it, when in 1966, after careful preparation St John’s won the interschool athletics.  Nine other schools competed.  The exultant entry in the records states:  We went, we saw, we conquered!  (Shades of Dr. Hartus’ classical influence?)  [Dr. Paul Hartus was a long serving staff member renowned as a man of Letters through his teaching of Latin, Philosophy, History and English just to name a few!

Academic results were also steadily improving and in 1966 the enrolment climbed to 430 in the Boys’ School.  There was an addition of two new temporary classrooms.  Brother Amedy was posted overseas during this year to participate in a study course, and Brother Fridolin Gehrig took his place, presiding over the first Matriculation class.

The Girls’ school at St Mary’s was also expanding, and under the principalship of Sister Nance Morgan it took the name of St Angela’s.  There were about three hundred students at the school by 1969 and there was an increasing amount of co-operation between the two schools in the sharing of staff and resources.  To be continued…

John Rhynehart, Director of Faith and Mission