Untitled Document

Principals Hall of Fame 1909 - 2009

	Br. Gonzaga Brown (1909 - 1914) Br. Gonzaga was born at Wellington in 1870. He was 39 when he became the first Director of Marist Kogarah. He trained as a Marist Brother at the Novitiate which was situated at St Joseph's College Hunters Hill. He was a hard working practical man who had the difficult task of setting up a new school. After six years of hard work this popular Brother handed the school over to Br Athanasius. He died in 1937 after a long illness.

	Br. Athanaius Raess (1915 - 1918) Br. Athanasius took charge of the school during World War I. During this time many students from the school obtained Bursaries in Public Competitions. This was an important means of showing the wider community that quality education took place in the school. A great tradition of school concerts was started with the first being held at Rockdale Town Hall in 1917.

	Br. Ildephonsus Bassett (1919 - 1921) Br Ildephonsus directed the school for three years after the war and during that time Inspectors continually complained about the overcrowded class rooms in the school. This was to be a constant problem faced by most of the school's Principals. Again the school excelled in Public examinations. In 1920 46 students were successful in achieving passes in the Qualifying Certificate exam. This exam was held at the completion of 6th class.

	Br. Hubert Prowse (1922 - 1927) Br Hubert was director when the school numbers rose to 250. Three extra rooms were added to the Gonzaga Building. However this was not adequate and some boys were still being taught in a garden shed. The decision was also made to start taking boys to the Intermediate standard.This exam was held at the end of 3rd Form (Year 9). Until then the school sent 1st Form students to either Randwick, Hunters Hill or Darlinghurst. In 1924 49 boys passed the Qualifying Certificate.

	Br. Stanislaus Dillon (1928 - 1933) Br. Stanislaus directed the school for a period of six years. In 1928 boys sat for the Intermediate Certificate for the first time. The Old Boys Union was started in 1928. Over the years this Union helped fund many of the school's buildings. It is interesting to note that one of the successful candidates for the Intermediate was a student named Edward Kelly, later Bishop Kelly M.S.C

	Br. Cyrill Ryan (1934) Br. Cyril was director of the school for one year but it was a year of great success for school sporting teams. Both Junior Cricket teams won their respective competitions and the 5-7 and 6-7 League teams were both successful in their Marist Schools Competitions

	Br. Aidan O'Keefe (1935 - 1937) Br. Aidan succeeded Br. Cyril in 1935. Though his stay was only of 3 years duration, it proved highly valuable in producing the new High School building of four classrooms (1936) for over 250 Secondary students.The task of commencing the Parents and Friends' Association (1937) also fell to the lot of Br. Aidan who made the first few years earnings pay for the big undertaking of the levelling of the yard. Until that time the main yard had a steep slope. It was also dusty and whenever the wind blew so did the dust! In Br. Aidan's final year the school was registered for Leaving Certificate (5th Form) standard.

	Br. Ethelred Ferguson (1938 - 1940) For the three years before Br. Placidus took charge, we had Br. Ethelred as Director. He endeared himself to all by his kindly disposition and courteous manner. The Parents and Friends’ Association extended its activities for the benefit of the school by “working bees” and other means. It was Br. Ethelred who introduced the present school uniform. During his term, the school had great success in Cricket and Football in the Marist Brothers’ Schools Competition. For the first time in the School’s history, boys presented for the Leaving Certificate.

	Br. Placidus Redden (1941 - 1945) Br. Placidus arrived at Kogarah from St. Patrick's College, Sale in Victoria. With an ability to stimulate interest, he readily developed in his boys a taste for study and challenged them at an academic level. Under him the attendance figures grew from 600 to 860. Over 65 students gained Exhibitions and Bursaries and 30 others commenced training for the Priesthood and the Marist Confraternity. An extensive building programme was launched by the priests of the parish at a cost of 30,000 pounds, consisting of six additional classrooms and a much needed new Monastery. He also set up the Legion of Mary Sodality in 1942. Br. Placidus died in 1974 at the age of 77. The present school library is named in his honour.

	Br. Maurus Bartlett (1946 - 1951) Following Br. Placidus and the splendid building project, Br Maurus entered upon the work of consolidation. A product (with his brother, the late Right Rev. Monsignor Barlett) of the Marist School at Parramatta. Before his time at Kogarah he was Director at Sacred Heart College Glenelg, and at Hamilton at Newcastle. He also taught at Randwick and Darlinghurst High Schools. With this background he came to Kogarah well equipped to handle the problems of that rapidly expanding period of development. Of easy, pleasant manner, with a cheery and genial disposition and capable of quiet effective control, he endeared himself to all. Brother Maurus died after a long illness on 11th December 1977 at the age of 83

	Br. Othmar Weldon (1952 - 1954) Br. Othmar exchanged his positions with Br. Maurus early in 1952 and became Director of the School. Again the tradesmen’s tools resounded with the work of new class-room construction on the southern end of the main building, allowing the school to cater for a student population of 1000 students. He handed over the largest Catholic school in Australia to Br Michael in 1955

	Br. Michael Naughtin (1955 - 1956) Brother Michael brought an Academic perspective to the management of the school. His term was a short one due to furthering of his studies. We mention here some of his qualifications. In his first year of University he won the Cooper Scholarships for the classics. He completed his B.A with First Class Honours and won a Travelling Scholarship to Cambridge University. There he became the first Australian Marist Brother to obtain a Cambridge Doctorate in Philosophy. Brother naturally did much to further the achievements of Kogarah in the Study Field. He was an active member of a number of State educational boards during this time.

	Br Laurence McKeon (1957 - 1962) Br. Laurence succeeded Br. Michael in grand fashion. All the school teams were victorious in sport in both cricket and football. He stayed here for six years and left a sporting record to be handed on in school records. On the educational front the school continued to excel and the enrolment was at the 1000 mark.

	Br. Frederick McMahon (1963 - 1968) It was Br. Frederick who introduced the Newsletter, the main source of communication between teachers and parents which is still being produced today. Brother also had great success with football teams in different competitions. The gymnasium and senior block were built during his term of office. He also masterminded the Science wing which was opened in 1969.

	Br. Baptist Gillogly (1969 - 1974) Br. Baptist was at Kogarah for six years and he saw the completion of the Science wing. This was an important building in the history of the school because for the first time the school received some funding from the Commonwealth Government. In his time he presided over the full implementation of the Wyndham Scheme. This would revolutionise education in the school.

	Br. Osmund (1974 - 1975) Br. Osmund was Principal at the school for two years in the middle 1970's. In this time he continued the full implementation of the Wyndam Scheme that was started under Brothers Frederick and Baptist

	Br Geoffrey Joy (1976) Br.Geoff was only Principal for a short time but kept the school on the steady path set by the previous principals.The school continued to excel both academically and on the sport's field during his time.

	Br. Christopher Wade (1977 - 1980) Br. Christopher continued the process of building that has characterised the history of the school. He was instrumental in updating the research facilities in the College. In 1977 the Br. Placidus Memorial Library was opened. During this time changes in the makeup of the staff continued. As the number of Brothers decreased they were replaced by dedicated lay teachers, a process that continued to 1993 when the last teaching Brother left the school.

	Br John O'Brien (1981 - 1986) Br. John's five years at Kogarah saw a period of revolutionary change. As with many other Principals he built! The new building, now called the O'Brien Building was needed for the introduction of senior co-educational education at Kogarah. He prepared the school community for the most radical educational change in its 75 years of existence. The fact that the introduction of this change went so well is a tribute to Br John's fine leadership. Also, as the girls arrived, the Primary Department closed ending along tradition that went back to 1909.

	Br. Patrick Foley (Term 3, 1987 - Term 1, 1992) Br. Pat consolidated the work done by Br. John as the school entered a new era. He will be remembered for putting into place educational structures that would play an important part in the future directions of the school. He saw the need for an alternative curriculum for students who wanted a technical rather than an academic education. This led to links with TAFE and the offering of a range of new senior subjects. Pat also was a patron of the performing and creative arts. The school is now a much richer place for this. In the early 1990's he introduced Computer technology on a large scale in the Curriculum and Administrative sections of the school. He saw before many others the importance that Information Technology would play in Education. Pat was also the last Marist Principal at Kogarah.

	Mr, Peter McNamara (Terms 1 - Term 2, 1987; Term 2 1992 - 1996) The Principalship of Peter McNamara was always going to be a critical one in the history of the school.He was the first lay principal of the School. He had the difficult role of leading a school in its transition. He had to lead it into a new future while at the same time be true to its past. The fact that 12 years later the school has a strong Marist Vision is testimony to the success of his work. In his time he continued the work of Br Pat with the introduction of Vocational Education Courses for senior students. He updated the school name from Marist Kogarah High to Marist College Kogarah. With the opening of Bethany College at Hurstville he also prepared the school community for the return to a single sex senior school. He also obtained a grant for a new Technology Block.

	Mr. Brian Roberts (1997 - 2000) Brian Roberts was no stranger to Kogarah. He was Assistant Principal at the school from the late 1980's to the early 1990's. Up to 1996 he was Principal at De La Salle Revesby. When he arrived at Kogarah the first task was to organise the building of the new Technology Block at the southern end of the school and the refurbishment of the Administration Block. Since these buildings were at opposite ends of the school the project would impact on daily school operations. However the end result was well worth it. With the Old Technology Block demolished, the Junior playground was extended and landscaped. The school as a result of the renovations and landscaping now has a unified look that it never previously possessed. On the educational front Brian oversaw the introduction of the new HSC reforms in 2000.

	Mr. Patrick O'Connor (2001 - 2007) Pat O'Connor came to the school after many years experience in Catholic Education. He was both Assistant Principal and Principal of De La Salle Ashfield. Before this he spent many years at Marcellin College Randwick. His last posting before Kogarah was as a consultant in the Catholic Education Office. In his time at the school he facilitated changes in many areas. He continued the building work started by Brian Roberts. The front of the school was fully landscaped and new fences were installed. His major building work was the re-development of the school gym. This was completed early in 2007. In 2004 an integrated IT system was installed in the school and continued to be updated over the following years. He had the ability to get the best out of both staff and students and as a result of his gentle encouragement and leadership. As a result of this the school's Academic results continued to improve under his Principalship. The key to his success was his insistence that the school would function well when all members of the school felt part of the community. Pat was also the longest serving Principal in the school's 100 year history.

	Mr. Damien Millar (2008) Damien Millar came to the school after eight years as Principal at Marist College Pagewood. In his time at the College he instigated the upgrading of the Library, Drama room and Hall. During the course of 2008 the Marist Brother's offered Damien the Principalship of St. Gregory's Campbelltown from 2009 onwards. Having always wanted the opportunity to be Principal of a boarding school Damien accepted this offer.

	Mr. John Riordan (2009) John Riordan replaced Damien as Principal in this very significant year. Immediately before coming to Kogarah, John was Principal of De La Salle College, Cronulla.

Celebrating 100 Years

Principals Hall of Fame 1909 - 2009