Time for some Newman Nostalgia!
These young lads, none of whom have been identified, formed the inaugural (1954) Sports Team for St Joseph’s (now Newman) College, Subiaco.
St Joseph’s, our first Marist school in the Perth metropolitan area, was built in 1953 at a cost of £21,000 (around $784k today) and opened in February 1954. The founding Headmaster was Br Lucian Gerber* (36) who had just completed six years as Headmaster of St Ildephonsus College, New Norcia. As the School colours were purple and gold, these boys were often known as the 'Violet Crumbles'.
There were just over 130 students on the St Joseph’s College roll when it opened, catering to boys from Grade 4 to First Year, mostly from Shenton Park, Subiaco and Floreat (then Floreat Park).
The teaching of Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 (Sub-Junior, Junior, Sub-Leaving and Leaving) were progressively added each year until 1958, when they catered to their first batch of Leaving students. Many had been in that first 1954 intake.
At the time this photo was taken, these young lads would all have been in Years 4 to 8; roughly between the ages of nine to 14.
As records from these years are scarce, we’d love to know who they are, as well as reach out to our Old Boys from St Joseph’s College days. If you recognize anyone, please tag them, or comment below, or email Archives@newman.wa.edu.au to get in touch!
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Br Lucian was Headmaster of St Joseph’s until the end of 1959. He died in Kilmore, Victoria, in 1972, aged 55, having been a Marist Brother for 35 years.
At the end of 1964 the Marist Brothers handed back St Ildephonsus College, New Norcia, to the Benedictines and transferred down to Perth. Here, they opened our new Marist (Senior, now Newman) College campus at Churchlands catering to boys in Years 10, 11 and 12 (Junior, Sub-Leaving and Leaving).
After 11 years under the St Joseph’s crest, our Subiaco school was renamed Marist (Junior) College (under the Marist Brothers' crest), which catered to boys from Years 4 to Year 9 (Sub-Junior).
Courtesy State Library of Western Australia, image 108751PD.
1954 St Joseph's College inaugural Sports Team, courtesy State Library of Western Australia, image 108751PD.
