St Patrick's College, Strathfield

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.

Breen Oval c.1941

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 20 January 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]

The following individuals have served as Principal of St Patrick's College, Strathfield:

• * Dr Craig Wattam finished at the conclusion of Term 3, 2020. He was replaced by Damian Chase for the final term.

The facilities at St Patrick's include:

• Nine educational buildings
• Two libraries
• Two staff buildings
• An indoor gymnasium with courts to accommodate basketball, volleyball and badminton
• Olympic standard gymnastic apparatus
• Four grassed sporting fields with full-time grounds maintenance staff
• Synthetic and turf practice cricket nets
• One outdoor 33 metre 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

St Patrick's College from Kessel Square

The school competes in such activities as rugby union, cricket, baseball, soccer, swimming, basketball, softball, golf, athletics and tennis in the Independent Sporting 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 featuring its students and others from Santa Sabina College. Recent productions include Peter Pan (2018), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2017), Oliver! (2015, 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 Stories in the Dark (2019), Lord of the Flies (2017), The Crucible (2016), 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 in 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). 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 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.

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]

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]

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]

• List of Catholic schools in New South Wales
• Catholic education in Australia

• Official website