Page 32 - The Gonzaga Record 1985
P. 32
The first move to grapple with the problem was a meeting of all the parents
which Fr Hughes called on the evening of 21 May 1962. No persuasion was
necessary to convince the parents of the desirability of a proper school chapel. The
problem was how to raise the funds to build it. The school was already heavily
burdened with debt, not only from the recent building of the new Hall, but debts
going back to the very first years of the College. It quickly became apparent that
the parents were not in favour of the usual fund-raising methods. They asked to be
spared the hassle and endless organisation of raffies, gymkanas, monster draws,
and all the usual means of raising money. A financial committee was formed. It
was to be their job to persuade families to become Founders of the Chapel. They
would promise to contribute £100 each, to be spread over ten years at £ 10 per
annum. It was hoped that in spite of the already heavy debt that the Bank would
feel sufficiently secure to advance the necessary funds to start on the building.
There was still a lot of parleying to be done, but eventually an 'arrangement' was
come to.
It would be tedious to recount the various plans and suggestions for the new
chapel. A curious thing happens whenever a decision has been made to put up
some new building. A spirit of 'in for a penny, in for a pound' takes over, and all
sorts of additions are suggested, as absolute musts. In the end, reality has a way of
breaking in. No doubt the suggestions were good ones, and could be easily
defended; and no doubt the school still lacked all sorts of desirable amenities. At
that moment, the school badly needed a Chapel, and the money hopefully available
was strictly limited. So the architects were told to design a suitable Chapel and
sacristy.
', L~
6th. Year 1965 Back row : Kevin Kenny, Richard Strahan, John Fitzpatrick, Neil Clarke, Eoin O'Buachalla, David
Crowley, Vivian Candy
Front ro1 v: Joe Matthews, Raymond Whitaker, Jim Kent. Fr John Hughes, SJ . Denis Cahalane, Sean Galvin , D avid Clarke.
24
which Fr Hughes called on the evening of 21 May 1962. No persuasion was
necessary to convince the parents of the desirability of a proper school chapel. The
problem was how to raise the funds to build it. The school was already heavily
burdened with debt, not only from the recent building of the new Hall, but debts
going back to the very first years of the College. It quickly became apparent that
the parents were not in favour of the usual fund-raising methods. They asked to be
spared the hassle and endless organisation of raffies, gymkanas, monster draws,
and all the usual means of raising money. A financial committee was formed. It
was to be their job to persuade families to become Founders of the Chapel. They
would promise to contribute £100 each, to be spread over ten years at £ 10 per
annum. It was hoped that in spite of the already heavy debt that the Bank would
feel sufficiently secure to advance the necessary funds to start on the building.
There was still a lot of parleying to be done, but eventually an 'arrangement' was
come to.
It would be tedious to recount the various plans and suggestions for the new
chapel. A curious thing happens whenever a decision has been made to put up
some new building. A spirit of 'in for a penny, in for a pound' takes over, and all
sorts of additions are suggested, as absolute musts. In the end, reality has a way of
breaking in. No doubt the suggestions were good ones, and could be easily
defended; and no doubt the school still lacked all sorts of desirable amenities. At
that moment, the school badly needed a Chapel, and the money hopefully available
was strictly limited. So the architects were told to design a suitable Chapel and
sacristy.
', L~
6th. Year 1965 Back row : Kevin Kenny, Richard Strahan, John Fitzpatrick, Neil Clarke, Eoin O'Buachalla, David
Crowley, Vivian Candy
Front ro1 v: Joe Matthews, Raymond Whitaker, Jim Kent. Fr John Hughes, SJ . Denis Cahalane, Sean Galvin , D avid Clarke.
24
