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Christian Brothers College, Perth
Formerly on the south side of St George's Terrace, corner of Victoria Avenue (where the Perth Concert Hall is now). It was superseded partly, in 1938, by Aquinas College, and partly, in 1962, by Trinity College.
Battye 1912-13:
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS COLLEGE.
It has always been the principle of the Roman Catholic Church to provide satisfactory and efficient teaching for children belonging to that faith. The aim of the Christian Brothers, however, is even wider, as no restriction of creed is placed upon pupils who desire to benefit by the very excellent tuition provided.
Christian Brothers College, St George's Terrace, Perth. Photo by G. F. Farr.
In Western Australia this is particularly evident, as a large number of the boys attending the college belong to religions other than Roman Catholic. The Brotherhood has for a very long time past conducted scholastic institutions in various parts of Australia, but it was not until 1894 that it turned its attention to Western Australia. In that year two Brothers, acting under instructions from the Head of the Order, commenced teaching in an old building situated in St. George’s Terrace, on ground adjacent to Government House. So great was their success that before long additions were made to the staff and steps taken to increase the accommodation. Premises costing £12,000 were planned and quickly erected, but these in turn became too small for the growing institution, the record of whose progress was briefly but clearly put by the Principal in his annual report for 1912 : —
“This year, 1912, completes the nineteenth year since the foundation of the college, during which time steady and continual progress has been made, and though there is never any finality in education I am pleased to be able to state that the college has now reached a high level, is permanently established, and fully equipped in every department for imparting that education that may be expected from a large public school. To meet the ever-increasing needs, new buildings have been erected and other expenses incurred, the staff has been increased, and everything possible done to render the college efficient. Up to the present over £35,000 have been spent on buildings and improvements, and the college, the plan of which is now nearly completed, forms an imposing edifice and is an ornament to the city of Perth. The new wing erected last year is fully occupied even now, and nine new classrooms and the dormitories are filled, and if the number of students increase we will be compelled to erect new buildings. The number of pupils attending during 1912 was much larger than last year’s, the number of boarders on the roll being 141, and there were 190 day boys, thus making the college the largest public school in the State. The upper classes have suffered owing to a number of the bigger boys having left, but we have great hopes from the younger ones, who should give a good account of themselves in a few years.”
The buildings at present erected naturally attract a visitor, and the position of the College is unrivalled, having a frontage to the Swan River, and from the balconies and tower an extensive view may be obtained of Perth, Mount Eliza, the Swan and Canning Rivers, whilst in addition it gets the full advantage of the invigorating breezes that blow up the river from Fremantle.
The College is now firmly established, is well known all over Western Australia, and its reputation has spread to the Eastern States, on account of its successes both in the scholastic and athletic worlds. Its record is, indeed, a most honourable one in both departments, and it can justly claim to rank as one of the great public schools of Australia. Everything has been arranged on the most modern lines, both in the schools and in the boarding part of the establishment. Separate classrooms (well ventilated and equipped with single or dual desks), libraries, and suitable furniture, are special features. Physical and chemical laboratories are also included, and while due attention is given to the classical side of education, as may be seen from the results obtained at the examinations, yet the more practical side (especially the sciences) is not neglected.
The boarding part of the establishment includes four large dormitories capable of accommodating 200 boarders, and adjoining these are tiled lavatories with marble basins, perfectly hygienic, while the students can enjoy the luxury of either hot or cold shower-baths. In addition to the ordinary school hours the boarders have extra study in the morning and evening under supervision, when any extra help necessary is given. To vary the monotony of school life there is, in addition to the games, a well-stocked library in the reading-room, a gymnasium, a billiard-room, and a variety of indoor games for the evenings.
The college has the honour of having introduced the Adelaide University Examinations into Western Australia, and of having given an impetus to secondary education in the State which has since caused such keen rivalry among the various colleges. Already it has four Rhodes Scholarships to its credit, the candidate for 1913 being selected from the college. Amongst its ex-students it can already reckon several who are practising law and medicine, and several others are at present pursuing to attend to the moral training of their pupils, as they are convinced that instruction without such moral training is unworthy of the name of education.
In the athletic world the students have more than held their own against the competing colleges. Intercollegiate contests take place year by year in football, cricket, rowing, and general sports, and these contests evoke much interest even amongst the outside public. For five consecutive years up to 1912 the college has secured the title of Champion School in Athletics; the football team was premier team from 1907 to 1912, and in rowing the college has been at the head of the river for four consecutive years. These competitions take their various courses at the different universities. It has also won several of the Government Exhibitions (£450 each) and many other scholarships. In 1912 the college scored heavily on the pass lists at the various examinations, getting first and second place in the Junior among Western Australian candidates, and securing the only three credits in Greek awarded in both States. In money prizes over £1,500 fell to the lot of the college in 1912, while the total amount of prize-money won in scholastics up to the end of the same year is over £7,900.
Besides the ordinary education imparted to youth, the brothers make it a special feature of their teaching place between the Christian Brothers’ College, the Perth High School, the Scotch College, and the Church of England Grammar School, and are productive of much healthy rivalry among the students. The ideal situation of the college, its ample facilities, its extensive recreation reserves with football grounds, cricket pitches (both turf and granolithic), and its whole surroundings make it a most suitable place for an educational centre.
The Principal of the college is the Rev. M. P. Nunan, who for many years, with one short interregnum, has held the position. Under him and a competent staff of Brothers and other teachers the college has attained an efficiency second to none in the State. Cadet drill, gymnastics, singing, elocution, music, and dancing are also included in the curriculum.
The college each year issues a beautifully illustrated and comprehensive review of the year’s work, which may be had on application to the Principal.
In addition to carrying on educational work in Perth, the Christian Brothers have also established colleges at Fremantle and Kalgoorlie, at both of which places they are carrying on work of a satisfactory nature. Though on a smaller scale than the college in Perth, the same desire for efficiency is apparent, and the results fully bear out the reputation of the Brotherhood as a teaching Order.
References and Links
Battye, J.S. 1912-13, The Cyclopedia of Western Australia, Cyclopedia Co., Perth.
Curtis, A.C. 2007, Strive Manfully: A History of CBC Perth and Trinity College 1894-2003, Trinity College.
Wikipedia article, from whence the second photo.
Trinity College website: history page.
This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 18 September, 2021 and hosted at freotopia.org/schools/cbcperth.html (it was last updated on 6 December, 2023), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.