Page 35 - The Gonzaga Record 1985
P. 35
calling for it, the finances could not cover it. It would have to be postponed until
other days and other opportunities might arise. In 1980 the Interim Management
Board of the College, under the chairmanship of the then Rector, Fr Cormac
Gallagher, SJ decided to investigate again the question of the stained glass
windows. Mrs Frances Biggs was again approached to submit her ideas on the
matter. Needless to say, the price of stained glass and all the other work involved
had jumped drastically since 1965. But designs were submitted and a price named.
And now the Board was faced with one of these decisions that are peculiarly hard
to make. Mrs Biggs did her best to keep down the over-all price, but it was stiff. The
school was still without many obvious requirements. To give but one example: the
changing rooms for games, and washing facilities for the mud-caked players were
still almost primitive. It could be argued very sensibly that ':Vhile such necessary
requirements were still lacking, stained-glass windows were a luxury that would
have to be postponed. Those in favour of the windows could argue that if you
followed that line, nothing artistic would ever get done. There would always be
some other practical demands. And anyway, that the stained-glass windows were
not a luxury, but a part of the Chapel foreseen from the beginning. However, the
windows had a good friend in Fr Gallagher. he was in favour of doing the job then,
and he was strong in pushing through a decision. The windows would be financed
partly by the school from its own funds, and partly from donations from the
parents.
There was another consideration which weighed heavily with the Board of
Management. It went like this: we are running a Catholic school. We say that
religion is important to us ; in fact, that it is our first priority. That by financing this
eo-called 'luxury' for the school Chapel we were making a statement of a certain
kind. That by turning down the project we would be making a statement of a
different kind.
The stained glass windows in the Boys' Chapel
27
other days and other opportunities might arise. In 1980 the Interim Management
Board of the College, under the chairmanship of the then Rector, Fr Cormac
Gallagher, SJ decided to investigate again the question of the stained glass
windows. Mrs Frances Biggs was again approached to submit her ideas on the
matter. Needless to say, the price of stained glass and all the other work involved
had jumped drastically since 1965. But designs were submitted and a price named.
And now the Board was faced with one of these decisions that are peculiarly hard
to make. Mrs Biggs did her best to keep down the over-all price, but it was stiff. The
school was still without many obvious requirements. To give but one example: the
changing rooms for games, and washing facilities for the mud-caked players were
still almost primitive. It could be argued very sensibly that ':Vhile such necessary
requirements were still lacking, stained-glass windows were a luxury that would
have to be postponed. Those in favour of the windows could argue that if you
followed that line, nothing artistic would ever get done. There would always be
some other practical demands. And anyway, that the stained-glass windows were
not a luxury, but a part of the Chapel foreseen from the beginning. However, the
windows had a good friend in Fr Gallagher. he was in favour of doing the job then,
and he was strong in pushing through a decision. The windows would be financed
partly by the school from its own funds, and partly from donations from the
parents.
There was another consideration which weighed heavily with the Board of
Management. It went like this: we are running a Catholic school. We say that
religion is important to us ; in fact, that it is our first priority. That by financing this
eo-called 'luxury' for the school Chapel we were making a statement of a certain
kind. That by turning down the project we would be making a statement of a
different kind.
The stained glass windows in the Boys' Chapel
27
