Chanel College (Geelong)

Chanel College was a Roman Catholic school for boys in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1958, it closed in 1999. The site was later purchased by the Geelong Baptist College.

History

The school was founded in 1958 by the Marist Fathers and established where Pettitt Park is now at Bell Post Hill in Geelong. The school's Foundation Rector was Father Stanley Hosie SM. MA STL. Originally a school for day boys, from the start of 1962 the school took in boarders from Australia and Malaysia. Whilst day students were enrolled, the focus of the school was on the boarding students.

The school relocated to a newly built complex at Lovely Banks, near Geelong, in 1963 under the guidence and direction of the second Rector of Chanel the Very Rev Father Stephen Maloney SM BA MACE.

The Bellpost Hill site (Old Chanel) became a boarding house for the junior boarders. The senior boarders were housed in two boarding houses at Lovely Banks, Braemar (named after the original name of the Lovely Banks property) and Futuna (named after the Island on which Peter Chanel met his death.)

The Marists believed in encouraging their students to become leaders and not mere followers. Partly to this end, a school magazine was commenced in 1965, Champion (Chanel Monthly Publication). Champion was edited and produced by the students and it was a magazine not scared to become involved in somewhat controversial issues, for example the need for the celebration of ANZAC day.

Unique for schools in Australia at the time, Chanel established a science club in 1964. The science club encouraged students to become interested in science. An annual feature of the science club was the science exhibition, which showcased the study of science at Chanel. The club met weekly and students gave presentations on various scientific subjects or viewed and discussed films of a scientific nature. From time to time external guest speakers were invited to address the science club.

The science club also sponsored end of term excursions interstate to such places as Perth, Cairns, Woomera, Tasmania and the Snowy Mountains.

In order to encourage and improve public speaking amongst the students, an annual public speaking competition was established. All students had to give a short speech in front of their class. The speech was assessed and the best three speakers gave their speech in front of the whole school. In 1968, at the suggestion of students, a teacher of speechcraft and voice production was employed to further improve the standard of public speaking in the school.

The third Rector of Chanel was the Very Rev Fr Peter J Guiren SM BA (Qld) AEd MACE. He is considered by a number of his former students as being a very mediocre teacher and somewhat pompous in manner.

By 1966 enrolments totalled 446 students. However enrolments started to fall after that year. In 1970 around 395 students were at Chanel.

In order to supply more priests to the Marist overseas missions, the Marist Fathers withdrew from teaching at the school in 1970. Fr Guiren had the uninviable task of announcing and overseeing the withdrawal of the Marists from Chanel.

After some negotiations the Christian Brothers took over the running of the College. This change also resulted in the discontinuation of the boarding section of the school.

The first Christian Brother Principal of Chanel was the Rev Brother David Carey BA (Melb) MACE a highly regarded and respected teacher.

Over a number of years the Christian Brothers embarked on a major building program at Chanel, replacing the temporary buildings (the huts) that were a feature at Chanel for a number of years.

Closure

New schools in the region had led to falling enrolments, and refurbishment was required to a number of buildings. The decision to close Chanel College was announced on Wednesday February 18 1998 by the Christian Brothers. The school closed at the end of 1999.

References

• Geelong Deanery - Farewell to Chanel College
• The First Five Years (1968)

External links

• [chanelcollegeoldboys@gmail.com Chanel College Old Boys]