St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill

St. Joseph's College
Location
Hunter’s Hill , NSW Australia
Information
Type	Independent all-male secondary
Motto	In Meliora Contende 'To strive for better things'
Established	1881
Headmaster	Mr. Ross Tarlinton
Chaplain	Rev. Fr. Kevin Tuitu’u, C.P.
Grades	7–12
Enrolment	965 (as of 2005)
Campus	16 hectares (40 acres)
Colour(s)	Cerise and Blue
Affiliations	Roman Catholic, Marist, GPS
School song	Sub tuum praesidium
Website	www.joeys.org

St. Joseph's College, Hunter’s Hill (SJC) is a Roman Catholic secondary school for boys founded by the Marist Brothers in 1881. Situated on 16 hectares overlooking Lane Cove and the Parramatta River, the College is six kilometres from centre of the city of Sydney. Joey's, as the College is called, is one of eight Sydney Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools of New South Wales (GPS) and is known for its traditions and contribution to Australian Catholicism and to sport, especially rugby union.

History

Harrington St and Hunter’s Hill

St Joseph's College (SJC) can trace its origins back to the Marist Brothers' school founded in Harrington Street, Church Hill which was attached to St. Patrick's Catholic Church. The Headmaster, Rev. Br. Emilian Pontet then sought out land to found a new school elsewhere. After inspecting several locations, Hunter's Hill was chosen due to its proximity to the Marist Fathers' Monastery and Parish of Villa Maria.

On 29 July 1881, the Headmaster, Rev. Br. Emilian Pontet transferred the school from Harrington Street to Hunter's Hill, founding St. Joseph's College. In 2006, the College celebrates the 125th anniversary of its founding at Hunter's Hill.

Within six years of its founding, keen observers had taken notice. In 1887, James Francis Hogan wrote in The Irish in Australia that

"St. John's College, affiliated to the University of Sydney; St. Ignatius' College, Riverview, conducted by the Jesuit Fathers; and St. Joseph's College, Hunter Hill (sic), under the management of the Marist Fathers, are three educational institutions that reflect the highest credit on the Catholic population of the parent colony."

Bigger and better things

The College opened in a temporary wooden building with a student population of 55. However, it has continued to expand its grounds and buildings since then. Some examples are the construction of the main building's southern wing in 1882-1884; the building of the central and northern wing in 1889-1894 and the building of the chapel in 1938-1940. The College's main playing fields were bought in 1893.

Today St Joseph's stands in stark contrast to the SJC of yesteryear, and has a student population of over 1000.

A comprehensive history of the first hundred years of the College is Br Michael Naughtin's A Century of Striving: St. Joseph's College, Hunter's Hill, 1881-1981, published by the College in 1981.

Organisation

Marist Brothers

As a Marist school, Marist brothers have their own accommodation on the school grounds and work to maintain its status, holding a number of the executive positions at the College. Saint Marcellin Champagnat was the founder of the Marist Brothers. In 2006 Mr Ross Tarlington became the first lay headmaster of the College.

Boarding

With a student population of 950, SJC is the largest boarding school in the Southern hemisphere. However, in recent times it has made itself more open to day-schooling, and students who do not board are known as 'day-boys'.

A number of dormitories ('dorms') and refectories ('refs') are located on the College grounds for boarders and day-boys alike. Dorms and refs are segregated by year, and students tend to receive larger, more private and more privileged accommodation as they advanced through the years (i.e. students move from large dormitories to single rooms, and from the College's original accommodation facilities to newly built accommodation).

Academic

As a secondary school in New South Wales, the college teaches year 7 to 12 students in accordance with the state government's education curriculum, as determined by the Board of Studies. At the end of year 12, successful students are accredited with their Higher School Certificate (HSC).

Sport

St Joseph's official sporting calendar revolves around competition with the eight other GPS schools. However, it regularly competes against CAS schools during the lead-up to each season and as a member of the GPS (in GPS vs. CAS matches) at the end of each season. Such events, whilst unofficial, are still very competitive and are developing into significant events in their own right.

GPS sports include:

• Rugby Union
• Athletics
• Cricket
• Rowing
• Tennis
• Badminton
• Basketball
• Swimming
• Cross country
• Soccer
• Water Polo

Other activities include:

• Senior Orchestra
• Chess
• Debating

Culture

The College Colours, Motto, Prayer and Song

Colours

St Joseph's colours are Cerise and Blue.

Motto

"In Meliora Contende" - To Strive for better things.

Prayer

Teach me, O Lord, to aim high, and not to be content with mediocrity;
to set my sights on noble goals;
to have a brave heart, a clear vision;
to prize the things that are worthwhile;
to always have courage, to choose what is right, to despise what is petty, to shun all selfishness;
to have a heart that is strong and brave, pure and happy, docile yet courageous!
So that under your guidance and with your grace I may always and in all things have as my motto - In Meliora Contende - Strive for better things.

Song

Sub tuum praesidium confugimus, confugimus
Sancta Dei Genetrix, Sancta Dei Genetrix.
Nostras deprecationes ne despicias ne despicias
In necessitatibus nostris,
sed a periculis cunctis,
libera nos semper,
Virgo gloriosa,
et benedicta.
Sub tuum praesidium confugimus, confugimus
Sancta Dei Genetrix, Sancta Dei Genetrix.

Boarding

As a large boarding school, the College's culture revolves heavily around boarding-school life. Additionally, such a nature has also developed in it a strong connection to NSW's country areas, from which a majority of boarders come.

Religion

SJC was founded and continues to be run by the Marist Brothers, and as such has maintained a strong sense of Catholicism since its foundation. However, it welcomes students of all faiths.

The College has its own Chaplain, and mass is held every week at which attendance is compulsory. The College also regularly holds a family mass in which students' relatives and those close to the College are welcome to attend. The academic program at SJC makes religious studies a compulsory subject until students reach the HSC.

Sport

Rugby union

Joeys has strong sporting traditions, particularly in Rugby union and is arguably Australia's greatest Rugby union school, having produced many famous grade, state schoolboy, Australian schoolboy, state and national (including Wallabies) representatives from around Australia. By 2006, Joeys had won 55 1st XIV premierships since the AAGPS competition commenced in 1989 and has come second in many other years. The Joeys 2nd XV has a similarly impressive record. Rugby league football is banned at the school.

Cricket

Cricket at Joey's remains the most popular summer sport with a history of success in all age groups, especially in the 1st and 2nd XI. Stan McCabe, is arguably the College's most famous cricketer.

Other Sports

Traditionally, Joeys has also been one of the stronger competitors in the GPS rowing, and athletics competitions.

Supporting

Supporting other teams at the College has become an important part of the Joeys culture, and undoubtedly helps develop the loyalty both students and Old Boys alike feel. Attending the matches of higher graded rugby teams (specifically, the 1st XV) is compulsory, as is attendance at other major sporting events, such as the GPS Athletics Carnival and the Head of the River. Students often practice the College's numerous war cries and songs in preparation for upcoming events, and hence the Joeys supporters are often loudest on the day.

Facilities

Accommodation and living

St Joseph's has approximately four buildings that are used for the purposes of accommodation. Three of these are for years 10, 11 and 12 respectively. The College's main building, which has stood since the 1880s, contains dorms for the junior years, as well as all the College's refs, the infirmary, teachers' lounge, a chapel and administration offices.

The College operates kitchens and a laundry catering for all students, teachers and brothers.

Academic facilities

The College has a significant number of academic facilities, including a large four-storey building solely containing science laboratories and classrooms, a library, a visual arts centre, a music centre, a hall and five computer labs.

Sporting facilities

Similar to other GPS schools, St Joseph's owns a large number of sporting facilities for use in both training and competition.

The College owns and operates approximately 10 playing fields for cricket, rugby and soccer. Its main rugby field is often used by higher level teams for training purposes.

Joeys also owns a boat shed for its rowing club situated on nearby Tarban Creek, approximately eight tennis, four basketball courts, a number of cricket nets, a swimming pool and two gyms (for gymnastics and weightlifting respectively).

Outdoors education facilities

In 1986 St Joseph's opened 'Colo', an outdoor education centre for years 8-10. It provides education in various outdoor activities, culminating in extended expeditions in year 9.maddie

Notable Alumni: 'Old Boys'

Former Students of St. Joseph's College, Hunter’s Hill are known as Old Boys. For notable Alumni, see List of notable Old Boys of St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill

References

See also

• List of Non-Government schools in New South Wales

External links

• St. Joseph's College Website.
• Marist Brothers Website.
• 'Band of brothers makes way for a layman' 'The Sydney Morning Herald' Wednesday 26 April, 2006.
• Five-eighth prodigy is total package, Ben Kimber, 'The Sydney Morning Herald', June 22, 2006.