Rostrevor College

Infobox Aust school private
name = Rostrevor College


motto = "Palma Merenti"
(Latin:"The reward to the one who earns it")
established = 1923
type = Private, Single-sex, Day & Boarding
denomination = Roman Catholic, Christian Brothers
slogan = "A lifetime's foundation"
key_people = Mr. Jeff Croser (Headmaster)
fees = AU$4,203 - AU$7,198 p.a (Day)
AU$14,634 - AU$15,265 p.a (Boarding)cite web |url=http://www.rostrevor.sa.edu.au/flexipage.aspx?PageId=261 |title=Fees Schedule 2008 |accessdate=2008-01-25 |work=Rostrevor College]
city = Woodforde
state = SA
country = Australia flagicon|Australia
enrolment = ~1,110 (R-12)
num_employ =
revenue =
products =
colours = Red & Black color box|#FF0000color box|#000000
homepage = [http://www.rostrevor.sa.edu.au/ www.rostrevor.sa.edu.au]

Rostrevor College is a private, Roman Catholic, day and boarding school for boys', located in Woodforde, a suburb 20 minutes from the CBD of Adelaide, South Australia.

The school was established in 1923 by the Christian Brothers. Its founder and first headmaster was Br David Gabriel Purton. The school currently enrols approximately 1100 local and international students from Reception to year 12, including 76 boarders in years 7 to 12. These students are divided into Junior, Middle and Senior campuses, who together share a 16 hectare campus situated in the Morialta foothills.

Rostrevor College is a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),cite web |url=http://www.ahisa.com.au/Display.aspx?tabid=2233 |title=AHISA Schools: South Australia |accessdate=2007-09-05 |year =2007 |month =April |work=Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia ] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association,cite web |url=http://www.boarding.org.au/site/school_detail.cfm?schID=170 |title=Rostrevor College |accessdate=2007-09-05 |year =2007 |work=Australian Boarding Schools' Association ] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),cite web |url=http://www.jshaa.asn.au/southaustralia/directory/index.asp |title=JSHAA South Australia Directory of Members |accessdate=2007-09-05 |year =2007 |work=Junior School Heads' Association of Australia ] and the Independent Schools Sport Association (ISSA).

History

Early years

Rostrevor College originated as an extension of Christian Brothers College (C.B.C.) which had by 1922, outgrown its ability to house its boarding students on the Wakefield Street campus. In December 1922, the Christian Brothers purchased the Rostrevor Estate at Magill for a sum equivalent to $20,500.

The previous owner of Rostrevor has been a nurseryman and as such, the original grounds incorporated extensive and well-kept gardens and orchards of oranges, lemons and stone fruits, as well as Rostrevor House, a coach house, caretakers' residence, stables, and a large lake providing on-site water supply.

The name, "Rostrevor", is of Irish origin and was given to the main building by its original owner. Ross Thompson Reid, born in Newry, Ireland arrived in South Australia in 1839, aged six years; he accumulated wealth and built a magnificent mansion which he named 'Rostrevor Hall' after 'Rostrevor', a seaside resort in Ireland which has the alternative name of 'Rosetrevor'. [ [http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pn/r/r5.htm#rostrevor Rose, Mount - Rye ] ] Although the school is situated along the boundary of the suburb of Woodforde, the adjacent suburb of Rostrevor was named in honour of the original grounds on which the school is sited. Rostrevor Hall, now widely known as Rostrevor House, was constructed in two stages with the southern two storey side completed in 1878, and the arches and northern side added in 1901.

The main residence, Rostrevor House, was the original accommodation provided to the boarders, the Christian Brothers, and some of the classes. From the time of taking possession in February 1923, a large new chapel, five classrooms and a chemistry laboratory were built before the College could be opened. By the end of the first term these facilities were ready and so after the may holidays, classes commenced at Rostrevor College on May 29, 1923.

Brother Purton was appointed Headmaster of the new college and he, along with three other Brothers, namely McMahon, O'Sullivan and Dean (replaced later in the year by Br Coghlan), all of the boarders and all students in the Intermediate, Leaving and Leaving Honours classes transferred to Rostrevor. Some day scholars joined the junior grades and from the beginning there were classes from the very junior grades to Leaving Honours at Rostrevor. From many years after 1923, students from C.B.C. transferred to Rostrevor after Intermediate to study from Leaving and Leaving Honours, thus maintaining a close link between the two colleges; in fact, sports teams were drawn from both until the early 1940s, when Leaving and Leaving Honours classes were re-established at C.B.C. From then on the two colleges became separate and competing establishments.

By the end of 1923, Rostrevor was well established as a school. Throughout the year more facilities, including the bungalow for more accommodation for the boarders and extra classrooms, had been built and Rostrevor was able to settle down to a period of consolidation. The bungalow, which used to exist alongside what is now the Junior School oval, to which it has lent its name ('The Bungalow'), was demolished in 1960. The Further developments included the construction of the Rice Wing in 1961, named in honour of the founders of the Christian Brothers, Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice. The Purton Auditorium was completed in 1970.

1980s to now

During 1983, Rostrevor celebrated its Diamond Jubilee. The major project for these celebrations was the substantial renovation to the College Chapel. This saw restoration of the building itself, beautification of its immediate surroundings, redecoration of the interior, new seating at the front of the Chapel and a new pipe organ.

During the Jubilee Year, attempts were made to negotiate the retention of the Boarding School. Unfortunately these efforts were not successful, and so the last group of boarders left at the end of 1983, thus temporarily ending an era in the history of Rostrevor and of the Catholic Church in South Australia.

By the mid 1980s, enrolments increased to over 900 and formal management structures were established, with the appointment of Heads of Department responsible for Curriculum Development and the introduction of new Pastoral Care arrangements. In 1987 the Rostrevor College Board was established, with Justice Kevin Duggan as first chairman. To ensure a sound financial base for future development, the Rostrevor Foundation was also established, with Mr. Creagh O'Connor as the first chairman.

The South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools set up a Task Force to examine the needs of Catholic Boarding Schools in South Australia, and asked Rostrevor to again admit boarders. This was agreed to, thus reversing the decision taken some ten years earlier.

Recent improvements to the school, include the construction in 2006 of the new 'Technology and ICT Discovery Centre', with displays of robotics and pneumatics, design and computing. The former 'Technology Centre' was upgraded at the same time, to now be the 'Skills Centre' includes the new Environmental Education Centre and Vocational Counselling facilities.

Coat of Arms

The Rostrevor Coat of Arms, is an adaptation of the first coat of arms of the Congregation of Christian Brothers. The present version has been the Rostrevor College coat of arms since its foundation except for the motto which was changed from "Signum Fidei" ("Sign of Faith") to "Palma Merenti" ("The reward to the one who earns it") in 1948.

The large red star signifies the virtue of Faith and the Cross above it symbolises Christ and the Christian Faith. The laurels (palms) of the crest are symbolic of practices from ancient times, in which early Christians who as martyrs gave their lives in fidelity to Christ and thus earned the 'palms of martyrdom', as well as being customary in ancient times to present a wreath of palms as a reward or an acknowledgment of effort and achievement.

Headmasters

*Brother D.G. Purton (1923)
*Brother J.F. O'Brien (1924-1926)
*Brother M.P. Dwyer (1927)
*Brother D.O. Joyce (1928-1933)
*Brother I.L. Mackey (1933-1938)
*Brother J.E. McElligott (1939-1941)
*Brother P.L. Duffy (1942)
*Brother C.A. Mogg (1943-1945, 1950-1955)
*Brother S.L. Carroll (1946-1947)
*Brother B.G. Rooney (1948-1949)
*Brother J.L. Kelty (1956-1961)
*Brother J.N. O'Sullivan (1962-1967)
*Brother R.M. Morphett (1968-1970)
*Brother W.G. Hall (1971-1973)
*Brother J.V. Bourke (1974-1976)
*Brother J.P. Marks (1977-1984)
*Brother K.C. McMaster (1984-1987)
*Brother T.X. Hann (1988-June 1992)
*Brother P.D. McGlaughlin (July 1992-July 2002)
*Mr J Croser (2003-Present)

Curriculum

Rostrevor College offers education in the nationally recognised South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE).

The curriculum includes a choice of some 25 subjects in Year 12, and the option to study vocational courses from Year 10.

House system

As with most Australian schools, Rostrevor College utilises a house system, through which students participate in intra-school competitions and activities. The college currently has four houses:
*BarronNamed after Brother Patrick Jerome Barron 1858-1949
Coat of Arms: "Audaces Fortuna Iuvat" ("Fortune Favours The Bold")
Colour: Gold
*EganNamed after Brother William Paulinus Egan 1860-1936
Coat of Arms: "Fortitude et Prudentia" ("By Fortitude and Prudence")
Colour: Red
*MurphyNamed after Brother Joseph Leo Murphy 1858-1931
Coat of Arms: "Fortis et Hospitalis" ("Brave and Hospitable")
Colour: Green
*O'BrienNamed after Brother Francis Thomas O'Brien 1848-1927
Coat of Arms: "Lamh Laidir An Nachtar" ("The Strong Hand from Above")
Colour: BlueBrother Francis Thomas O'brien was first incharge of the community of Christian Brother College, CBC Wakefield Street Adelaide, when he came to Australia in 1878.

See also

* List of schools in South Australia
* List of boarding schools

References

External links

* [http://www.rostrevor.sa.edu.au Rostevor College website]
* [http://www.rostrevor.sa.edu.au/flexipage.aspx?PageId=148 Rostevor College Old Collegians Incorporated]