Page 20 - The Gonzaga Record 1985
P. 20
That's the black side. The bright side is the fact that we may not need to recall
all that money. As you know, we are painting the Church, and are having
statues of St. Joseph, and St. Aloysius, and stations of the cross carved; and we
may decide to have the corridors of the presbytery painted.
We are likely to receive something in the neighbourhood of £4,000 by way of
legacies-knowledge which launched us on this painting job-but we don't know
whether we shall receive that money within six months. Meanwhile we shall have
to pay monthly instalments on the painting job. So having submitted the matter
to Father Provincial I secured his permission to sound the trumpet for a recall.
Hence these tears! But, if the money materialises in the meantime, we may not
need to be so greedy.
All best wishes always,
Yours sincerely in Xt.,
T. Mulcahy, SJ
What can one say about it all? It is sad, but also funny. And bursars seem to
have been gentlemen in those days!
Gonzaga took over its own debts to the Bank, and scraped along as best it could.
The tuition fee was £27 per annum per pupil.
The School name and crest
What about the name of the new school? That it should be called after some
Jesuit saint was to be expected. The names most frequently mentioned were:
Bellarmine College, after St Robert Cardinal Bellarmine; Canisius College, after St
Peter Canisius teacher and expounder of Catholic doctrine during the Reformation
period. This seems to have been the most likely name of the College. It is curious to
find amongst the archives the following, which appears to be a draft advertisement
for the daily newspapers.
Canisius Preparatory College,
Beechwood, Ranelagh,
Dublin.
In the coming month of September, the Jesuit Fathers propose to open a new
preparatory school at the above address. The school will be called Canisius
Preparatory College. It is further contemplated that in later years secondary
classes will be added. In the coming year the school will cater only for boys of
eight, nine and ten years of age. Twenty five pupils only will be admitted in each
of these age groups. As there will be no second division of classes in any given
year, a high standard of ability will be required of intending pupils. Admission
will be granted on the successful passing of group and individual ability test after
which vacancies will be filled in accordance with the order in which applications
are received. Those desiring further particulars should communicate without
delay with Rev. C. O'Conor, SJ, Milltown Park, Dublin.
rt would appear therefore that up to a short time before the school actually
opened it was to be called after St Peter Canisius. There is a tradition that the
Provincial, Fr Thomas Byrne, SJ intervened and insisted that the new school be
called after St Aloysius Gonzaga. There was a good reason against doing so.
Clongowes Wood College was already under the patronage of St Aloyius
12
all that money. As you know, we are painting the Church, and are having
statues of St. Joseph, and St. Aloysius, and stations of the cross carved; and we
may decide to have the corridors of the presbytery painted.
We are likely to receive something in the neighbourhood of £4,000 by way of
legacies-knowledge which launched us on this painting job-but we don't know
whether we shall receive that money within six months. Meanwhile we shall have
to pay monthly instalments on the painting job. So having submitted the matter
to Father Provincial I secured his permission to sound the trumpet for a recall.
Hence these tears! But, if the money materialises in the meantime, we may not
need to be so greedy.
All best wishes always,
Yours sincerely in Xt.,
T. Mulcahy, SJ
What can one say about it all? It is sad, but also funny. And bursars seem to
have been gentlemen in those days!
Gonzaga took over its own debts to the Bank, and scraped along as best it could.
The tuition fee was £27 per annum per pupil.
The School name and crest
What about the name of the new school? That it should be called after some
Jesuit saint was to be expected. The names most frequently mentioned were:
Bellarmine College, after St Robert Cardinal Bellarmine; Canisius College, after St
Peter Canisius teacher and expounder of Catholic doctrine during the Reformation
period. This seems to have been the most likely name of the College. It is curious to
find amongst the archives the following, which appears to be a draft advertisement
for the daily newspapers.
Canisius Preparatory College,
Beechwood, Ranelagh,
Dublin.
In the coming month of September, the Jesuit Fathers propose to open a new
preparatory school at the above address. The school will be called Canisius
Preparatory College. It is further contemplated that in later years secondary
classes will be added. In the coming year the school will cater only for boys of
eight, nine and ten years of age. Twenty five pupils only will be admitted in each
of these age groups. As there will be no second division of classes in any given
year, a high standard of ability will be required of intending pupils. Admission
will be granted on the successful passing of group and individual ability test after
which vacancies will be filled in accordance with the order in which applications
are received. Those desiring further particulars should communicate without
delay with Rev. C. O'Conor, SJ, Milltown Park, Dublin.
rt would appear therefore that up to a short time before the school actually
opened it was to be called after St Peter Canisius. There is a tradition that the
Provincial, Fr Thomas Byrne, SJ intervened and insisted that the new school be
called after St Aloysius Gonzaga. There was a good reason against doing so.
Clongowes Wood College was already under the patronage of St Aloyius
12
