St Patrick's College, Ballarat

St Patrick's College, sometimes referred to as "St Pat's", "Paddy's" or "SPC", is an Australian school founded by the Christian Brothers in 1893. It is a Roman Catholic day and boarding school, located in central Ballarat, Victoria. It provides education for boys from Year 7 to Year 12, with an emphasis on academic and sporting programs. The school continues the tradition of the Christian Brothers in providing education for boys in Victoria and continuing the tradition of Edmund Ignatius Rice, who founded the Congregation of Christian Brothers in 1802.

St Patrick's College
Location
Ballarat
,
Victoria

Australia
Coordinates37°33′37″S 143°49′53″E
Information
TypeIndependent, single-sex, day and boarding school
MottoLatin: Facere et Docere
(To Do and To Teach)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
DenominationCongregation of Christian Brothers
Established1893 (1893)
FounderChristian Brothers
ChairmanDennis Foley
HeadmasterSteven O'Connor
Years7-12
Enrolment1,430
Colour(s)Green, white & blue    
SloganTurning Young Boys into The Status of Fine Men
VCE average30[1]
Websitewww.stpats.vic.edu.au

History

The college was originally called Holy Ghost College, which was started in 1888 and administered by the Holy Ghost Fathers. Also in 1888, St Alipius' Primary School was established by the Christian Brothers.[2] However, after a promising start, the senior school closed due to the Holy Ghost Fathers' departure for France. The Bishop of Ballarat at the time, James Moore, contacted the Provincial of the Christian Brothers in Australia, Brother Patrick Ambrose Treacy, to take over the running of the school. The new college opened its doors on 24 January 1893, as St Patrick's College. Four Christian Brothers were on the initial staff, with the Brother J. L. Ryan as the founding headmaster.

In 1924 St Patrick's Christian Brother's boys' primary school was built in Drummond Street South.[3] This school and St Alipius were operated by the Christian Brothers at St Patrick's College but both became parish schools in the 1980s. St Patrick's College now no longer has a junior school attached to it and students commence at Year 7 having completed their primary education elsewhere.

The school gradually grew in stature and size to become not only the largest Catholic school in Ballarat, but one of the leading Catholic schools in Victoria. The college, under the governance of the Christian Brothers, grew from its first enrolment of 36 students in 1893 to 168 in 1902. The school's academic record was first class even in its infancy, with the 1893 dux of the college, Sir Hugh Devine, becoming a world-famous surgeon. The school has grown immensely in the past 100 years, with over 1,000 boys enrolled.

The college, in 1933, completed the construction of the Brother's residence, a large imposing red-brick building, still dominating the facade of the school. A memorial chapel was constructed in 1954 and dedicated to the memory of St Patrick's Old Collegians who died during the First and Second World Wars. This large Romanesque chapel still holds pride of place at the front of the school and is the centre of the school's spirituality. The college has over 300 graduates who have been ordained priests, a record in Australia. Over 60 graduates have entered into religious life.

In 1966, the W.T. O'Malley Wing was completed in dedication to Brother William Theodore O'Malley, who was not only deputy headmaster of the college for 30 years, but taught there for over 40 years. He is remembered as one of the greatest brothers to grace St Patrick's College, with many Old Collegians dedicating their successes to his tuition. In 1976 the J.L. Kelty Resource Centre was opened. It is dedicated to Brother Justin Linus Kelty, a former headmaster, who led the college in the 1960s.

In 1979, the college completed the W.T. O'Malley Sports Centre, which was officially opened by former students and Brownlow Medal winners John James and Brian Gleeson.

In 2004, the college officially opened the W.J. Wilding Wing, which now houses the senior school. The building was named in honour of Brother William Wilding, a former headmaster of the college in the early 1980s who oversaw the completion of the Dr Spring Administration Wing.

Peter Casey succeeded L. B. Collins in 2002 in 2002, becoming the school's first lay headmaster. John S. Crowley became St. Patrick's second lay headmaster in 2015.

Influences

The college has four houses, Ryan, Keniry, Nunan and Galvin, which are named after former headmasters of the college. They are:

  •   Ryan House

Named in honour of J.L. Ryan – Headmaster from 1893–1894, who set the foundations of the college and led it during its formative years.

  •   Keniry House

Named in honour of E.F. Keniry – Headmaster from 1912–1915 and 1920–1924, who ran the college throughout the first part of the war and was a driving force behind establishing the Old Collegians Association.

  •   Nunan House

Named in honour of Paul Nunan – Headmaster from 1910–1912, Nunan put into effect the completion of the development plan and expanded the curriculum.

  •   Galvin House

Named in honour of T.B. Galvin – Headmaster from 1925–1926, Galvin was not only a man of great wit but is remembered as an academic and a brother who had a large influence over the boys at the time.

The college promotes the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, basing itself on the four pillars of faith, excellence, tradition and joy. The patron of the college, Paul Bird, Bishop of Ballarat, presides over the major college Masses along with other priests (including former students of St Patrick's).

Headmasters
  1. J. L. Ryan, CFC (1893–1894)
  2. J. B. Nugent, CFC (1894–1899)
  3. W. M. McCarthy, CFC (1899–1904)
  4. J. G. Hughes, CFC (1904–1905)
  5. J. B. Duggan, CFC (1905–1906)
  6. J. T. Quinn, CFC (1906–1908)
  7. F. S. Carroll, CFC (1908–1909)
  8. W. M. McCarthy, CFC (1909)
  9. Paul Nunan, CFC (1910–1912)
  10. E. F. Keniry, CFC (1912–1915)
  11. J. S. Turpin, CFC (1916–1919)
  12. E. F. Keniry, CFC (1920–1924)
  13. T. B. Galvin, CFC (1925–1926)
  14. J. C. McCann, CFC (1926–1930)
  15. W. M. Reidy, CFC (1930)
  16. J. K. O'Neill, CFC (1931–1933)
  17. D. G. Purton, CFC (1934–1939)
  18. I. L Mackey, CFC (1940–1942)
  19. J. D. Healy, CFC (1943–1948)
  20. C. A. Mogg, CFC (1949)
  21. J. D. Healy, CFC (1950–1954)
  22. J. H. Lynch, CFC (1955–1960)
  23. V. I. Murphy, CFC (1961–1963)
  24. J. L. Kelty, CFC (1964–1966)
  25. P. B. Murphy, CFC (1966)
  26. Michael B. Stallard, CFC (1967–1969)
  27. Ronald S. Stewart, CFC (1970–1972)
  28. Paul J. Nangle, CFC (1973–1978)
  29. J. P. O'Halloran, CFC (1978)
  30. William J. Wilding, CFC (1979–1984)
  31. T. F. Kearney, CFC (1985–1988)
  32. K. J. Buckley, CFC (1989–1991)
  33. L. B. Collins, CFC (1992–2001)
  34. Peter M. Casey (2002–2014)
  35. John S. Crowley (2015-2020)
  36. Steven O'Connor (2021-present)

Sport

St Patrick's is a member of the Ballarat Associated Schools (BAS).

BAS premierships

St Patrick's has won the following BAS premierships[4]. Combined premierships were won with Loreto College.

Boys:

  • Athletics (84) - 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2019
  • Badminton (2) - 2010, 2011
  • Basketball (17) - 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
  • Cricket (60) - 1914, 1915, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1945, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1962, 1967, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
  • Cricket T20 (4) - 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020
  • Cross Country (31) - 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
  • Football (94) - 1912, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
  • Hockey (11) - 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996
  • Lap of the Lake (41) - 1962, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
  • Lawn Bowls (12) - 1997, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2018
  • Road Relay (11) - 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2019
  • Soccer (28) - 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
  • Tennis (51) - 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1925, 1926, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1938, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1969, 1971, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020
  • Volleyball (5) - 1998, 2000, 2011, 2012, 2013

Combined:

  • Athletics (8) - 1990, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
  • Badminton (13) - 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2010
  • Cross Country (18) - 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
  • Lap of the Lake (20) - 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
  • Road Relay (4) - 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

Notable alumni
See also: List of Christian Brothers school alumni
Arts and media
Business

Paul McGinness DFC DCM – Ace World War I fighter pilot[7] and noted aviator. Founder of Qantas

Law

Jim McClelland – solicitor, judge, senator, minister in the third Whitlam ministry and royal commissioner

Literature
Politics
Public Service
Religion
Sport
[8]
Australian Football League – members of the Hall of Fame for each club
Australian Football League – members of the Team of the Century for each club
Australian Football League – players
Carlton Football Club
Adelaide Football Club
Collingwood Football Club
Essendon Football Club
Fremantle Football Club
Greater Western Sydney Giants
Hawthorn Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
Port Adelaide Football Club
Richmond Football Club
St Kilda Football Club
West Coast Eagles
Australian Football League – Brownlow medallists
Australian Football League – administrators
Cricket
Olympians
  • Steve Moneghetti – four-time Olympic marathon runner
  • Bryan Thomas – Olympic sprint kayaker 1988
  • Brian Vear - Australian rower - 1960 Rome Olympics and 1964 Tokyo Olympics
  • Tony Benson - Australian athlete 1972 Munich Olympics
  • Paul Reedy - Australian rower - Silver Medalist at 1984 Los Angeles Olympics
  • Anthony Edwards - Australian rower, Five-time Olympian - Bronze Medalist at 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Silver Medalist at 2000 Sydney Olympics, Silver Medalist at 2004 Athens Olympics, 9th in 2008 Beijing Olympics and fourth in 2012 London Olympics
  • Christian Ryan - Australian rower - Silver Medalist at 2000 Sydney Olympics
  • James Marburg - Australian rower - Silver Medalist at 2008 Beijing Olympics, Fifth at 2012 London Olympics.

Student abuse scandals

Between 1953 and 1983 a number of students who attended St Patrick's College made allegations that they were sexually assaulted.[9] Some of these cases were litigated and the offenders found guilty.[10] A Christian Brother who taught at St Patrick's College in the early 1970s was subsequently convicted of child sexual offences related to activities at the school.[10]

In May 2015 the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, a royal commission of inquiry initiated in 2013 by the Australian government and supported by all of its state governments,[11] began an investigation into the response of Australian institutions, including the Catholic Church, to the impact of child sexual abuse on survivors, their families and their communities.[12] The hearing heard from residents and former students of many Catholic institutions in Ballarat, including St Patrick's College, Ballarat; as well as members of the Ballarat community. Catholic clergy who were convicted of child sexual offences which took place within the geographical bounds of the Diocese of Ballarat were also invited to speak or make statements before the royal commission.[13]

The royal commission's final report about Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat was released on 6 December.[14] The commission found that:

"Many children, mainly boys, said they were sexually abused at St Alipius and/or St Patrick’s College."[15] That most allegation at St Patrick's College were related to Ted Dowlan who sought there from 1973 to 1975. "A number of the survivors who gave evidence said they believed a number of their classmates from St Alipius and St Patrick's College had died by suicide or died prematurely", because of the abuse[15] and that there was systematic minimisation and cover up of the abuse. The Commission found that the response to the abuse from the Christian Brothers was "grossly inadequate",  and said brothers were regularly shifted to a new location after an allegation had been made. Among those was the case of Brother Gerald Leo Fitzgerald, who died in 1987 before any charges were laid against him.[16] One previous student told the inquiry of a culture of depraved sexual abuse and brutality which existed inside the school during the 1970s.[17]

St Patrick's College in Ballarat has stated it would remove Archbishop Little's (a former student) name from a building which had been named in his honour and revoke his status as an inducted legend of the college.[18] This was because of the royal commission finding that Archbishop Little led a culture of secrecy in the Melbourne archdiocese designed to hide complaints against several priests and protect the church's reputation from scandal.[19]

See also

References
  1. http://bettereducation.com.au/results/VceAll.aspx
  2. "St Alipius Parish School Ballarat – Our Story". Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  3. "St Patrick's Parish Primary School Website - Ballarat". Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  4. "Past Results". bas.vic.edu.au. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  5. J.W.Cherry Biography
  6. Australian of the Year award
  7. Webb, Carolyn (20 March 2013). "Ace fighter pilot". The Age.
  8. Landsberger, Sam (23 August 2012). "Essendon's Nick O'Brien set to become another St Patrick's College debutant". Herald Sun.
  9. "Part B – Victims' experiences, impacts and their pursuit of justice" (PDF). Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and other Non-Government Organisations. Parliament of Victoria. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  10. Daly, Martin (6 August 2011). "Sins of the fathers still haunt abuse victims". The Age. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  11. "Letters Patent". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  12. "Case Study 28, May 2015, Ballarat". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  13. "Witness List and Possible Order of Witnesses". Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat: Case study 28. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 21 May 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  14. Gemma.Choy (6 December 2017). "Report into Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat released | Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  15. "Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat - Report of Case Study No. 28" (PDF). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
  16. Wrigley, Brendan (6 December 2017). "We failed and we are sorry: church responds to scathing report". The Courier. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  17. Cunningham, Melissa (9 December 2015). "Royal Commission | Brutal abuse rife at school". The Courier. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  18. Cunningham, Melissa (6 December 2017). "Little legacy lost after St Pat's wipes former archbishop's name". The Courier. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  19. Cunningham, Melissa (6 December 2017). "Little legacy lost after school wipes former archbishop's name from school building". The Age. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
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