St. Catherine's College, Westminster: Difference between revisions
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| image = St-Catherines.jpg | | image = St-Catherines.jpg | ||
| alt = | | alt = | ||
| caption = McBride Hall, | | caption = McBride Hall, a building of the school | ||
| motto = {{lang-la|Sapientia aurum praeferat}} | | motto = {{lang-la|Sapientia aurum praeferat}}{{efn|name=motto}} | ||
| motto_translation = Wisdom over gold | | motto_translation = Wisdom over gold | ||
| address = 24 Victoria St | | address = 24 Victoria St | ||
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| newspaper = | | newspaper = | ||
| yearbook = | | yearbook = | ||
| affiliations = [[Septentrian Catholic Schools Association]], Sporting Schools Septentria, Emmington Union of Schools | | affiliations = [[Septentrian Catholic Schools Association]], [[Sporting Schools Septentria]], [[Emmington Union of Schools]] | ||
| website = {{URL|nationstates.net/insulamia|stcatherinescollege.edu.ia}} | | website = {{URL|nationstates.net/insulamia|stcatherinescollege.edu.ia}} | ||
| footnotes = | | footnotes = | ||
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==History== | ==History== | ||
[[File:St. Catherines College - 1916.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|alt=Old photograph of building|McBride Hall in 1916]] | [[File:St. Catherines College - 1916.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|alt=Old photograph of building|McBride Hall in 1916]] | ||
St. Catherine's Catholic College for Girls was founded in 1897 with support from the {{wp|Sisters of Mercy}}, a {{wp|religious congregation}} of the {{wp||Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church}} originating in {{wp|Dublin}}, {{wp|Ireland}}. It was the first Catholic school for girls in [[Septentria]]. Sister Mary-Anne McBride, a member of the Sisters of Mercy, was the main proponent for establishing the school and became its first {{wp|Head teacher|head}}. Initially, McBride had planned on constructing the school on an estate in [[Lambeth, Septentria|Lambeth]], but later settled on the current site in [[Westminster, Septentria|Westminster]], across the [[river Flear]]. In 1925, the school opened up to day students, adding two new day houses to complement the two existing boarding houses. Two more day houses were established in | St. Catherine's Catholic College for Girls was founded in 1897 with support from the {{wp|Sisters of Mercy}}, a {{wp|religious congregation}} of the {{wp||Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church}} originating in {{wp|Dublin}}, {{wp|Ireland}}. It was the first Catholic school for girls in [[Septentria]]. Sister Mary-Anne McBride, a member of the Sisters of Mercy, was the main proponent for establishing the school and became its first {{wp|Head teacher|head}}. Initially, McBride had planned on constructing the school on an estate in [[Lambeth, Septentria|Lambeth]], but later settled on the current site in [[Westminster, Septentria|Westminster]], across the [[river Flear]]. In 1925, the school opened up to day students, adding two new day houses to complement the two existing boarding houses. Two more day houses were established in 1964. | ||
Following the passing of the [[Act Against Educational Discrimination]] (AAED) through the [[Parliament of Septentria]] in 1974, St. Catherine's was mandated to allow all sexes to attend. Thus, it removed the phrase ''for Girls'' in its name, and removed the word ''Catholic'' with the name change too (though the school would remain Catholic). The AAED also had St. Catherine's transition into a [[semi-independent school]], becoming heavily funded by the state (while keeping donations as a source of income) and waiving its {{wp|Tuition payments|tuition fees}}. The school's {{wp|Board of education|board}}, along with the [[Septentrian Catholic Schools Association]], protested the act, even after its passing and codification. | Following the passing of the [[Act Against Educational Discrimination]] (AAED) through the [[Parliament of Septentria]] in 1974, St. Catherine's was mandated to allow all sexes to attend. Thus, it removed the phrase ''for Girls'' in its name, and removed the word ''Catholic'' with the name change too (though the school would remain Catholic). The AAED also had St. Catherine's transition into a [[semi-independent school]], becoming heavily funded by the state (while keeping donations as a source of income) and waiving its {{wp|Tuition payments|tuition fees}}. The school's {{wp|Board of education|board}}, along with the [[Septentrian Catholic Schools Association]], protested the act, even after its passing and codification. | ||
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==Campus== | ==Campus== | ||
SCC's main campus is located at 24 Victoria St, [[Westminster, Emmington|Westminster]] [[Postal codes in Septentria|3400]] [[Septentria|SR]], [[Insulamia]]. It consists of 13 buildings, one grass field, two tennis courts, and one aquatic centre. There are 82 classrooms in total, located within the buildings of Alba, Dalton-Adams, the Martorell Science Centre, O'Neill, and Tuesley. | SCC's main campus is located at 24 Victoria St, [[Westminster, Emmington|Westminster]] [[Postal codes in Septentria|3400]] [[Septentria|SR]], [[Insulamia]]. It consists of 13 buildings, one grass field, two tennis courts, and one aquatic centre. There are 82 classrooms in total, located within the buildings of Alba, Dalton-Adams, the Martorell Science Centre, O'Neill, and Tuesley. SCC's three boarding houses, May, McAuley and Tachacat, have selfnamed dormitories. | ||
The Elisabeth Heath Library is the current library of St. Catherine's, having replaced the old library in 2016. The Rachel Tett Sporting Centre was built in 1979 and consists of two indoor fields and a gym. Prior to 1990, the school's assemblies had been held in the Daphne Russell Theatre, but since the construction of Goodson Hall, they have been held there instead. The school's chapel was built in 1902, and its interior was extensively renovated in 1997. It is relatively small, and most religious services that require more accommodation are held in Goodson Hall or the nearby [[St. Andrew's Cathedral, Westminster|St. Andrew's Cathedral]]. McBride Hall was once the main building of the school, however, it has transitioned into its current state as a museum and an office space for staff. | |||
In 2007, McBride Hall and the Emilia Walsh Tower became provincial heritage sites under the [[Heritage Registry of Septentria]]. Following its construction in 1990, Goodson Hall was awarded the Collins Award for the Best Educational Structure by the [[Royal Architectural Society of Insulamia]]. | In 2007, McBride Hall and the Emilia Walsh Tower became provincial heritage sites under the [[Heritage Registry of Septentria]]. Following its construction in 1990, Goodson Hall was awarded the Collins Award for the Best Educational Structure by the [[Royal Architectural Society of Insulamia]]. | ||
===Tacuja Sporting Grounds=== | ===Tacuja Sporting Grounds=== | ||
The St. Catherine's College Tacuja Sporting Grounds, sometimes referred to as SCC Tacuja, is located in the district of [[Tacuja, Septentria|Tacuja]] on the outskirts of [[Emmington]]. It is 9.2 km (5.7 mi) away from the main campus. There are four multi-purpose fields on the site, all of which are used for {{wp|Association football|football}}, [[Insulamian football|déto]], {{wp|cricket}}, and {{wp|rugby}}. There are also facilities for {{wp|track and field}} at SCC Tacuja, including a {{wp|running track}} and a {{wp|long jump}} pit. | The St. Catherine's College Tacuja Sporting Grounds, sometimes referred to as SCC Tacuja, is located in the district of [[Tacuja, Septentria|Tacuja]] on the outskirts of [[Emmington]]. It is 9.2 km (5.7 mi) away from the main campus. There are four multi-purpose fields on the site, all of which are used for {{wp|Association football|football}}, [[Insulamian football|déto]], {{wp|cricket}}, and {{wp|rugby union}}. There are also facilities for {{wp|track and field}} at SCC Tacuja, including a {{wp|running track}} and a {{wp|long jump}} pit. | ||
==Academics== | ==Academics== | ||
St. Catherine's College educates students between [[Education in Insulamia#School grades|grades 1 to 12]]. It is affiliated with the {{wp|International Baccalaureate}} and offers the {{wp|IB Primary Years Programme}}, the {{wp|IB Middle Years Programme}}, and the {{wp|IB Diploma Programme}}. It also offers a curriculum based on the one of [[Septentria Curriculum Authority]]. The school has a {{wp|Selective school|selective enrolment policy}}, with various criteria and an examination to assess prospective students. | St. Catherine's College educates students between [[Education in Insulamia#School grades|grades 1 to 12]]. It is affiliated with the {{wp|International Baccalaureate}} and offers the {{wp|IB Primary Years Programme}}, the {{wp|IB Middle Years Programme}}, and the {{wp|IB Diploma Programme}}. It also offers a curriculum based on the one of [[Septentria Curriculum Authority]]. The school has a {{wp|Selective school|selective enrolment policy}}, with various criteria and an examination to assess prospective students. | ||
In the years | In the years 2009 and 2018, St. Catherine's achieved the highest results in the country on the [[INEE]] national {{wp|Standardized test|standardised}} academic assessment. It was ranked the best school academically in Septentria by the [[Septentria Mail]] in 2010. | ||
==Extracurricular== | ==Extracurricular== | ||
St. Catherine's College has an extensive extracurricular programme. It offers {{wp|basketball}}, {{wp|chess}}, {{wp|cricket}}, {{wp|Debate#Competitive debating|debating}}, [[Insulamian football|déto]], {{wp|Association football|football}}, {{wp|netball}}, {{wp|rugby union}}, {{wp|Swimming (sport)|swimming}}, {{wp|tennis}}, {{wp|track and field}}, and {{wp|volleyball}}. The school competes mainly in tournaments run by the [[Emmington Union of Schools]] and [[Sporting Schools Septentria]], but also partakes in various other sport-specific competitions. | |||
Extracurricular programmes in music and the arts are also available to students at St. Catherine's. Additionally, the school organises {{wp|community service}} activities, and is an authorised operator of the {{wp|Duke of Edinburgh Awards}}. {{wp|Student exchange program|Student exchange programmes}} with schools in [[Aubert]], {{wp|Germany}}, {{wp|Spain}}, {{wp|Japan}}, and {{wp|Algeria}} are also offered at the school. | |||
==House system== | ==House system== | ||
St. Catherine's College has a {{wp|house system}} like many other schools in Insulamia. There are nine houses in total, with three boarding houses and six day houses. Houses are compared in areas such as academic grades and behaviour, and they compete in interhouse contests in {{wp|chess}}, {{wp|cross country running}}, {{wp|general knowledge}}, {{wp|Spelling bee|spelling}}, and {{wp|Swimming (sport)|swimming}}. At the end of each school year, points earned throughout the year are tallied, and the house with the most points wins the L. L. Smith House Cup. | |||
===Boarding houses=== | ===Boarding houses=== | ||
The two boarding houses of McAuley and Tachacat were the first houses of the school and, subsequently, the oldest houses of the school. They both take their names from actual buildings of the school—their respective dormitories. The house system was officially established in 1912, though students of the two buildings had fostered a friendly rivalry before that. In 2012, May House was created with the inauguration of the May building. | |||
====May==== | |||
====McAuley==== | ====McAuley==== | ||
====Tachacat==== | ====Tachacat==== | ||
===Day houses=== | ===Day houses=== | ||
The first two day houses, Eleanor and Lucia, were created in 1925 when the school started accepting day students. For many years, these day houses were growing much bigger than the boarding houses. However, the school was adamant on maintaining the symmetry of two boarding houses and two day houses. The problem soon became too great to ignore, and in 1964, under Quentin Blanchfield's headship, St. Catherine's established two more day houses—Goodson and O'Neill. In 2012, two new day houses, Auchmuty and Dublin, were also established along with the boarding house May. | |||
====Auchmuty==== | |||
====Dublin==== | ====Dublin==== | ||
====Eleanor==== | ====Eleanor==== | ||
====Goodson==== | |||
====Lucia==== | ====Lucia==== | ||
====O'Neill==== | ====O'Neill==== | ||
==Controversies== | ==Controversies== | ||
===Harassment following the AAED=== | ===Harassment following the AAED=== | ||
===Thomas Darcy scandal=== | ===Thomas Darcy scandal=== | ||
==Notable alumni== | ==Notable alumni== | ||
===Academia, education, and research=== | ===Academia, education, and research=== | ||
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===Sports=== | ===Sports=== | ||
===Other=== | ===Other=== | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
{{notelist|refs= | {{notelist|refs= | ||
{{efn|name=proverbs|In the {{wp|King James Version}} of the {{wp|Bible}}, the verse reads: "How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!"}} | {{efn|name=proverbs|In the {{wp|King James Version}} of the {{wp|Bible}}, the verse reads: "How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!"}} | ||
{{efn|name=motto|Sometimes stylised "SAPIENTIA AVRVM PRÆFERAT".}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
[[Category:Insulamia]] | [[Category:Insulamia]] | ||
Revision as of 11:59, 31 March 2023
| St. Catherine's College | |
|---|---|
 | |
 McBride Hall, a building of the school | |
| Address | |
24 Victoria St | |
| Information | |
| Former name | St. Catherine's Catholic College for Girls |
| Type | Semi-independent day school and boarding school |
| Motto | Latin: Sapientia aurum praeferat[a] (Wisdom over gold) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 5 April 1897 |
| Founder | Sister Mary-Anne McBride, RSM |
| Head | Sarika Luthra |
| Staff | 119 (January 2022) |
| Grades | 1–12 |
| Number of students | 1,226 (January 2022) |
| Colour(s) | Crimson and gold |
| Publication | Alexandria |
| Affiliations | Septentrian Catholic Schools Association, Sporting Schools Septentria, Emmington Union of Schools |
| Website | stcatherinescollege.edu.ia |
St. Catherine's College, often simply referred to as St. Catherine's, St. C's, or SCC, is a semi-independent Catholic day and boarding school in Westminster, a central district of Emmington, Septentria, Insulamia. As of 2022, it caters for 1,226 students from grade 1 to grade 12.
The Sisters of Mercy, a Catholic religious institute, founded the school in 1897 as St. Catherine's Catholic College for Girls. It was initially a girls' boarding school, and its first headmaster was Sister Mary-Anne McBride, a member of Sisters of Mercy. It opened up to day students in 1925. Under the Act Against Educational Discrimination of 1974, the school started accepting males and became a semi-independent school—substantially government-funded and tuition-free.
Although it does not charge tuition, St. Catherine's still has a selective enrolment policy, contributing to its reputation as one of the top-performing schools by academics in Septentria. It is a partner school with the International Baccalaureate, and is also associated with the Septentrian Catholic Schools Association, Sporting Schools Septentria, and the Emmington Union of Schools. Some of its notable alumni include Elizabeth Cartright, the first and only female primeminister of Insulamia, and Helen-Mary Askey, the head of National Rail between 1998 and 2013. In 2007, the Heritage Registry of Septentria listed McBride Hall and the Emilia Walsh Tower in the school as provincial heritage sites.
History
St. Catherine's Catholic College for Girls was founded in 1897 with support from the Sisters of Mercy, a religious congregation of the Catholic Church originating in Dublin, Ireland. It was the first Catholic school for girls in Septentria. Sister Mary-Anne McBride, a member of the Sisters of Mercy, was the main proponent for establishing the school and became its first head. Initially, McBride had planned on constructing the school on an estate in Lambeth, but later settled on the current site in Westminster, across the river Flear. In 1925, the school opened up to day students, adding two new day houses to complement the two existing boarding houses. Two more day houses were established in 1964.
Following the passing of the Act Against Educational Discrimination (AAED) through the Parliament of Septentria in 1974, St. Catherine's was mandated to allow all sexes to attend. Thus, it removed the phrase for Girls in its name, and removed the word Catholic with the name change too (though the school would remain Catholic). The AAED also had St. Catherine's transition into a semi-independent school, becoming heavily funded by the state (while keeping donations as a source of income) and waiving its tuition fees. The school's board, along with the Septentrian Catholic Schools Association, protested the act, even after its passing and codification.
In 1976, St. Catherine's built an off-campus sports facility in Tacuja, an outer suburb of Emmington. After the 1988 Flear Floods, several school buildings were damaged and one building, Dalton-Adams, was completely demolished and rebuilt. The school underwent a major expansion in 1990, gaining two new buildings and new land purchased from neighbouring properties. For its centenary in 1997, the school's chapel was renovated and expanded. In 2012, a new boarding facility was constructed to accomodate the steadily growing number of boarders. Between 2015 and 2017, many school buildings were upgraded alongside facilities at the sporting centre in Tacuja.
List of heads
| Period as head | Name | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1897–1920 | Sister Mary-Anne McBride RSM | - | Founder of the school and a Catholic nun in the Sisters of Mercy. Resigned in 1920 due to ill health and died two years later. |
| 1920–1946 | Sister Jane O'Neill RSM | - | Also a nun in the Sisters of Mercy. Namesake of the O'Neill building and the O'Neill day house of the school. Longest-serving head in the history of the school. |
| 1946–1950 | Mother Elisabeth Heath | - | Died in an accident during tenure. |
| 1950–1951 | No head | - | The school had no head between November 1950 and January 1951. |
| 1951–1963 | John James Goodson FRISE | - | Jean-Jacques Beaufils in French. First male head and first French-Insulamian head of the school. The school's Goodson Hall is named after him. |
| 1963–1974 | Quentin Blanchfield | - | Resigned in protest of the Act Against Educational Discrimination in 1974. |
| 1974 | No head | - | The school went without a head again between February 1974 and December 1974. |
| 1974–1992 | Sister Hilda Murray | - | Also a nun in the Catholic Church. |
| 1992–2005 | Laura Jones | - | - |
| 2005–2021 | Thomas Darcy | - | Resigned in 2021 due to allegations of sexual abuse. See #Thomas Darcy scandal for further information. |
| 2021–present | Sarika Luthra | - | Second-generation Indian immigrant and first non-White head of the school. |
Symbols
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Colours
The colours of St. Catherine's College are crimson and gold. They feature on the school's logo and uniform.
Motto
"Sapientia aurum praeferat" (Latin pronunciation: [sa.pɪˈɛn.tɪ.a ˈaʊ.rʊm prae̯ˈfɛ.rat]) is the Latin-language motto of St. Catherine's College. It roughly translates to "Wisdom over gold" or "Wisdom is better than gold" in English. This references the biblical verse Proverbs 16:16[b].
Patron saint
Saint Catherine of Alexandria, the patron saint and namesake of the school, was a Christian martyr who lived in the late 3rd century and the early 4th century. She was chosen by Sister Mary-Anne McBride for her associations with schoolchildren and girls. Saint Catherine's hometown, Alexandria, is used as the name of the school's yearbook.
Logo
The logo or the coat of arms of St. Catherine's College is a shield featuring a depiction of Saint Catherine holding a sword and a book. The shield has a crimson background and a golden cross, representing the school's Christian faith. Above the shield is a book with radiating rays, representing education. The motto of the school is inscribed on a scroll below the shield; it is in all capitals with the letter "U" being replaced with "V", and the digraph "AE" is replaced with the ligature "Æ". The whole logo uses a gold and crimson colour scheme, which are the colours of the school. It is officially blazoned:
Sanguine, a cross Sanguine fimbriated Or, a depiction of Saint Catherine Or, holding in her dexter hand a sword Or, and in her sinister hand a book Or; for a Crest, upon a torse Sanguine and Or, an open book Sanguine irradiated Or; for a Motto, "SAPIENTIA AVRVM PRÆFERAT".
The wordmark of the school features the logo besides text reading "ST. CATHERINE'S COLLEGE" and "WESTMINSTER" a line below, in a serif typeface.
Campus
SCC's main campus is located at 24 Victoria St, Westminster 3400 SR, Insulamia. It consists of 13 buildings, one grass field, two tennis courts, and one aquatic centre. There are 82 classrooms in total, located within the buildings of Alba, Dalton-Adams, the Martorell Science Centre, O'Neill, and Tuesley. SCC's three boarding houses, May, McAuley and Tachacat, have selfnamed dormitories.
The Elisabeth Heath Library is the current library of St. Catherine's, having replaced the old library in 2016. The Rachel Tett Sporting Centre was built in 1979 and consists of two indoor fields and a gym. Prior to 1990, the school's assemblies had been held in the Daphne Russell Theatre, but since the construction of Goodson Hall, they have been held there instead. The school's chapel was built in 1902, and its interior was extensively renovated in 1997. It is relatively small, and most religious services that require more accommodation are held in Goodson Hall or the nearby St. Andrew's Cathedral. McBride Hall was once the main building of the school, however, it has transitioned into its current state as a museum and an office space for staff.
In 2007, McBride Hall and the Emilia Walsh Tower became provincial heritage sites under the Heritage Registry of Septentria. Following its construction in 1990, Goodson Hall was awarded the Collins Award for the Best Educational Structure by the Royal Architectural Society of Insulamia.
Tacuja Sporting Grounds
The St. Catherine's College Tacuja Sporting Grounds, sometimes referred to as SCC Tacuja, is located in the district of Tacuja on the outskirts of Emmington. It is 9.2 km (5.7 mi) away from the main campus. There are four multi-purpose fields on the site, all of which are used for football, déto, cricket, and rugby union. There are also facilities for track and field at SCC Tacuja, including a running track and a long jump pit.
Academics
St. Catherine's College educates students between grades 1 to 12. It is affiliated with the International Baccalaureate and offers the IB Primary Years Programme, the IB Middle Years Programme, and the IB Diploma Programme. It also offers a curriculum based on the one of Septentria Curriculum Authority. The school has a selective enrolment policy, with various criteria and an examination to assess prospective students.
In the years 2009 and 2018, St. Catherine's achieved the highest results in the country on the INEE national standardised academic assessment. It was ranked the best school academically in Septentria by the Septentria Mail in 2010.
Extracurricular
St. Catherine's College has an extensive extracurricular programme. It offers basketball, chess, cricket, debating, déto, football, netball, rugby union, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. The school competes mainly in tournaments run by the Emmington Union of Schools and Sporting Schools Septentria, but also partakes in various other sport-specific competitions.
Extracurricular programmes in music and the arts are also available to students at St. Catherine's. Additionally, the school organises community service activities, and is an authorised operator of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Student exchange programmes with schools in Aubert, Germany, Spain, Japan, and Algeria are also offered at the school.
House system
St. Catherine's College has a house system like many other schools in Insulamia. There are nine houses in total, with three boarding houses and six day houses. Houses are compared in areas such as academic grades and behaviour, and they compete in interhouse contests in chess, cross country running, general knowledge, spelling, and swimming. At the end of each school year, points earned throughout the year are tallied, and the house with the most points wins the L. L. Smith House Cup.
Boarding houses
The two boarding houses of McAuley and Tachacat were the first houses of the school and, subsequently, the oldest houses of the school. They both take their names from actual buildings of the school—their respective dormitories. The house system was officially established in 1912, though students of the two buildings had fostered a friendly rivalry before that. In 2012, May House was created with the inauguration of the May building.
May
McAuley
Tachacat
Day houses
The first two day houses, Eleanor and Lucia, were created in 1925 when the school started accepting day students. For many years, these day houses were growing much bigger than the boarding houses. However, the school was adamant on maintaining the symmetry of two boarding houses and two day houses. The problem soon became too great to ignore, and in 1964, under Quentin Blanchfield's headship, St. Catherine's established two more day houses—Goodson and O'Neill. In 2012, two new day houses, Auchmuty and Dublin, were also established along with the boarding house May.
Auchmuty
Dublin
Eleanor
Goodson
Lucia
O'Neill
Controversies
Harassment following the AAED
Thomas Darcy scandal
Notable alumni
Academia, education, and research
Business
Arts, entertainment, and music
Law, politics, and public service
Sports
Other
Notes
- ↑ Sometimes stylised "SAPIENTIA AVRVM PRÆFERAT".
- ↑ In the King James Version of the Bible, the verse reads: "How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!"