Page 20 - The Gonzaga Record 1986
P. 20
the total intake, and help to save a small school from becoming too
'inbred'. This at least was the thinking behind the decisions: only time
will tell whether these hopes will be realised.
Goniaga would be a fee-paying school, and there would be no more
guilt feelings about that. There would be one change in the fees. For
years, since its foundation, the salaries of the Jesuits had gone into
subsidising the school fees. With the falling number of teaching Jesuits
it was felt that this was totally unrealistic and would have to stop.
And finally, the fees charged would be realistic for providing what the
school felt was necessary, and that included keeping pace with annual
inflation. It would not be an exaggeration to say that for the first time
a sense of realism as to the costs of education was insisted on.
FR DERMOT MURRA Y, SJ HEADMASTER
In October 1974 Fr Hubert Delaney SJ joined the professorial staff of
the Milltown Institute of Theology. Fr Dermot Murray SJ who was
assistant Headmaster at Belvedere College became Headmaster of
Gonzaga. In one way at least, fortune was kind to him: the long re-
appraisal was almost completed. At least the school knew where it
wanted to go for the foreseeable future. But there was much to be re-
organised, and some hard decisions to be taken. The worst of these was
the prospect of a new building programme. In this difficult period
Gonzaga was lucky in having appointed to it as Superior Fr Cormac Gal-
lagher SJ who was also Chairman of the Interim Management Board.
Another piece of luck was the appointment of Fr Fergus O'Keeffe SJ as
Bursar. If you ever want something pushed through, get a loan of Fr
Gallagher, and if you want to know at any moment where you stand
financially and what you could get away with get a loan of Fr O'Keeffe.
These three men made a marvellous team. Even using words with care,
I would regard this team as the second Founders of Gonzaga College.
A New Eight Classroom Block
The immediate and most pressing requirement was the provision of more
classrooms. This followed automatically from the decision to double the
size of the Secondary school. It also followed from the determination
gradually to get rid of the prefabs and bring the single stream Preparat-
ory school back into the original school, St Joseph's.
Prospects for a new building programme
Once again another group sat around a table wondering how best to raise
money for a new building programme. The Chairman of the Finance
committee was Mr Niall Crowley: members were; Mr Cathal O'Gara, Mrs
18
'inbred'. This at least was the thinking behind the decisions: only time
will tell whether these hopes will be realised.
Goniaga would be a fee-paying school, and there would be no more
guilt feelings about that. There would be one change in the fees. For
years, since its foundation, the salaries of the Jesuits had gone into
subsidising the school fees. With the falling number of teaching Jesuits
it was felt that this was totally unrealistic and would have to stop.
And finally, the fees charged would be realistic for providing what the
school felt was necessary, and that included keeping pace with annual
inflation. It would not be an exaggeration to say that for the first time
a sense of realism as to the costs of education was insisted on.
FR DERMOT MURRA Y, SJ HEADMASTER
In October 1974 Fr Hubert Delaney SJ joined the professorial staff of
the Milltown Institute of Theology. Fr Dermot Murray SJ who was
assistant Headmaster at Belvedere College became Headmaster of
Gonzaga. In one way at least, fortune was kind to him: the long re-
appraisal was almost completed. At least the school knew where it
wanted to go for the foreseeable future. But there was much to be re-
organised, and some hard decisions to be taken. The worst of these was
the prospect of a new building programme. In this difficult period
Gonzaga was lucky in having appointed to it as Superior Fr Cormac Gal-
lagher SJ who was also Chairman of the Interim Management Board.
Another piece of luck was the appointment of Fr Fergus O'Keeffe SJ as
Bursar. If you ever want something pushed through, get a loan of Fr
Gallagher, and if you want to know at any moment where you stand
financially and what you could get away with get a loan of Fr O'Keeffe.
These three men made a marvellous team. Even using words with care,
I would regard this team as the second Founders of Gonzaga College.
A New Eight Classroom Block
The immediate and most pressing requirement was the provision of more
classrooms. This followed automatically from the decision to double the
size of the Secondary school. It also followed from the determination
gradually to get rid of the prefabs and bring the single stream Preparat-
ory school back into the original school, St Joseph's.
Prospects for a new building programme
Once again another group sat around a table wondering how best to raise
money for a new building programme. The Chairman of the Finance
committee was Mr Niall Crowley: members were; Mr Cathal O'Gara, Mrs
18
