De La Salle College Ashfield

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De La Salle College Ashfield
Esto Vir (Latin:"To be the best man you can be")[1]
Established	1916
School Type	Private, Single-sex, Secondary, Day school
Denomination	Roman Catholic, De La Salle Brothers
Key People	Mr. Michael Barrington (Principal) Norm Towells (Chairman)
School Fees	AU$2,100 p.a - AU$2,355 p.a[2]
Location	Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33°53′3″S 151°7′31″E / -33.88417, 151.12528Coordinates: 33°53′3″S 151°7′31″E / -33.88417, 151.12528
Enrolment	~650 (7-12)[3]
Employees	~54[3]
Colours	Blue & White
Homepage	www.dlsashfield.com.au

De La Salle College Ashfield is a Catholic systemic, secondary, day school for boys', located in Ashfield, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Established in 1916 by the De La Salle Brothers and Vincentian Fathers, the college currently caters for approximately 650 Years 7 to 12 students^[3] from the inner-west Parishes of the Archdiocese of Sydney. The College is under the patronage of the Archbishop of Sydney, George Pell.

De La Salle College is one of 18 Lasallian Schools in Australia,^[4] and in the 1970s became the first Catholic High School in Australia to have a lay Headmaster.^[5]

The school is affiliated with the Catholic Secondary Schools Association NSW/ACT,^[6] and the Metropolitan Catholic Colleges Sports Association (MCC).^[7]

Contents 1 History 2 Co-Curriculum 2.1 Sport 3 Notable alumni 4 References 5 See also 6 External links

[edit] History

The foundation stone for the school was laid in 10 December 1916. Upon completion a year later, the school consisted of just three classrooms, and was located behind a boarding house that was to become a monastery for the six De La Salle Brothers who were given the task of educating Catholic boys of the Ashfield Parish. The first classes commenced in February 1917, and by the middle of that year there were one hundred boys enrolled in Primary classes and the first years of Secondary school. By 1918, with 230 pupils, it became necessary to add two more classrooms.^[5]

De La Salle became a full high school in 1924 and subsequently further expansion was necessary. A small Leaving Certificate classroom was built by the Parish and a 'Science Hall' provided by the Brothers.^[5]

Despite the effects of the Great Depression, enrolments continued to increase, with 300 on the role in 1931. Through the efforts of Father Macken, a Provincial of the Vincentian Fathers, the College established a separate Primary school in 1934. Further, a "tech" was established in 1937 for boys who would not be going on to University or office job's. The two-stream system of "pros" and "techs" continued until 1955.^[5]

The school's first lay staff were employed in 1956 as the number of Brothers had declined. The 1960s saw further change with the Wyndham scheme introduced in 1962 necessitating the addition of new subjects to the curriculum, and thus requiring more specialist rooms. With support from the Parish and the Old Boys' Union, the Principal of the time, Br. Peter, began to transform and expand the College. The old archway was demolished and used as a base for the monastery, constructed by the Parish in 1963. The main building of the College was opened in 1966 during the celebration of its Golden Jubilee.^[5]

In 1972 it was announced that the Brothers were to withdraw from Ashfield and subsequently, with the appointment of Mr. Peter Donnan as Principal, De La Salle Ashfield became the first Catholic High School in Australia administered by a Lay Principal, and with a lay staff.^[5]

The College's primary section was closed in 1988 as students were retained in their Parish Schools.^[5]

[edit] Co-Curriculum

[edit] Sport

De La Salle College is a member of the Metropolitan Catholic Colleges Sports Association (MCC),^[7] and competes in a range of sports including Athletics, Cricket, Cross Country, Basketball, Golf, Rugby League, Soccer, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Touch Football and Volleyball.^[8]

Through MCC, the college competes against schools such as Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham, LaSalle Catholic College, Bankstown, Marcellin College Randwick, Marist College Kogarah, Marist College Pagewood, St. Leo's Catholic College and Marist College North Shore.^[7] Sport has traditionally been an important part of college life, notwithstanding the school's own limited sporting facilities.

[edit] Notable alumni

• Robert Anthony Antonia - Emeritus Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Newcastle; Australian Research Council Professorial Fellow; Listed in Top 100 Researchers in England (ISI Highly Cited Researcher)^[9]
• Mike Bailey - TV Weatherman for the ABC and Radio Presenter; ALP candidate for the seat of North Sydney in the 2007 Federal Election (also attended De La Salle Bankstown)^[10]
• Paul Bevan - AFL player for Sydney Swans^{[citation needed]}
• Colin William Brooks - Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly (ALP) for Bundoora^[11]
• Salvatore Coco - Actor^{[citation needed]}
• Pat Drummond - Singer songwriter^[12]
• Robbie Farah - NRL player for Wests Tigers^{[citation needed]}
• Warren Fellows - Convicted drug runner and associate of Neddy Smith^{[citation needed]}
• Michael Maher - Politician, sometime MLA for Drummoyne and MHR for Lowe^[13]
• Paul Pantano - Actor^{[citation needed]}
• Brother Kenneth William Ambrose Payne AO AM - Provincial Superior of the De La Salle Brothers of Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea^[14]
• Mervyn John Phillips AO AM KGCSG - Chancellor of the University of Western Sydney; Recipient of the Centenary Medal 2003^[15]
• George Richard Rummery QC - Former Judge of District Court of New South Wales; Appointed Queen's Counsel^[16]
• Kevin Waller - Former NSW State Coroner^{[citation needed]}
• Paul Whelan - Former NSW State Politician^[17]
• Justice Woodward - Judge of the Supreme Court^[18]
• Vincent Ruello Singer Songwriter signed Warner Chappel Publishing 1993 see references

[edit] References

• Warner Chappel Music ItunesVincent Ruello Vinny Pop Halleys Comet Song 1986 PG Records Melbourne
• Producer Writer Long Bay Jail Album For Childrens Hospital 1994 Signed Warner Publishing 1993 Vincent Ruello
• Australia's first recorded jail album inside Long Bay jail by Officer Writer Vincent Ruello

[edit] See also

• List of Non-Government schools in New South Wales
• Lasallian educational institutions

[edit] External links

• De La Salle College Ashfield website
• Lasallian Schools