St. Catherine's College, Westminster: Difference between revisions

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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:Mary-Anne McBride.jpg|thumb|upright=0.5|alt=Old photograph of nun|Sister Mary-Anne McBride, the founder of the school]]
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.
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.
[[File:St. Catherines College - 1916.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|alt=Old photograph of building|left|School Hall (now ''McBride Hall'') in 1916]]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.


In 1976, St. Catherine's built an off-campus sports facility in [[Tacuja, Septentria|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.
In 1976, St. Catherine's built an off-campus sports facility in [[Tacuja, Septentria|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===
===List of heads===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|-
! Period as head !! Name !! Image !! Notes
! Period as head !! Name !! Image !! Notes
|-
|-
| 1897–1920 || Sister Mary-Anne McBride {{wp|Sisters of Mercy|RSM}} || - || Founder of the school and a Catholic {{wp|nun}} in the {{wp|Sisters of Mercy}}. Resigned in 1920 due to ill health and died two years later.
| 1897–1920 || Sister Mary-Anne McBride {{wp|Sisters of Mercy|RSM}} || [[File:Mary-Anne McBride.jpg|150px]] || Founder of the school and a Catholic {{wp|nun}} in the {{wp|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.
| 1920–1946 || Sister Jane O'Neill RSM || [[File:Sister O Neill crop.jpg|150px]] || 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.
| 1946–1950 || Mother Elisabeth Heath || - || Died in an accident during tenure.
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| 1950–1951 || ''No head'' || - || The school had no head between November 1950 and January 1951.
| 1950–1951 || ''No head'' || - || The school had no head between November 1950 and January 1951.
|-
|-
| 1951–1963 || John James Goodson [[Royal Insulamian Society of Education|FRISE]] || - || ''Jean-Jacques Beaufils'' in French. First male head and first [[French Insulamians|French-Insulamian]] head of the school. The school's Goodson Hall is named after him.
| 1951–1963 || John James Goodson [[Royal Insulamian Society of Education|FRISE]] || [[File:JJ Goodson - colourised.jpg|150px]] || ''Jean-Jacques Beaufils'' in French. First male head and first [[French Insulamians|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.
| 1963–1974 || Quentin Blanchfield || - || Resigned in protest of the [[Act Against Educational Discrimination]] in 1974.
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| 1992–2005 || Laura Jones || - || -
| 1992–2005 || Laura Jones || - || -
|-
|-
| 2005–2021 || Thomas Darcy || - || Resigned in 2021 due to allegations of {{wp|sexual abuse}}. See [[#Thomas Darcy scandal]] for further information.
| 2005–2021 || Thomas Darcy || [[File:Thomas Darcy trial.jpg|150px]] || Resigned in 2021 due to allegations of {{wp|sexual abuse}}. See [[#Thomas Darcy scandal]] for further information.
|-
|-
| 2021–present || Sarika Luthra || - || Second-generation [[Indian Insulamians|Indian]] immigrant and first non-White head of the school.
| 2021–present || Sarika Luthra || - || Second-generation [[Indian Insulamians|Indian]] immigrant and first non-White head of the school.
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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.
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.
[[File:Elisabeth heath library.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|left|Elisabeth Heath Library]]
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 (formerly ''School Hall'' until 1923) 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]].
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====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.
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 Cartright, were also established along with the boarding house May.
====Auchmuty====
====Auchmuty====
====Dublin====
====Cartright====
====Eleanor====
====Eleanor====
====Goodson====
====Goodson====
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==Notable alumni==
==Notable alumni==
===Academia, education, and research===
===Academia, education, and research===
* [[Lisa Martorell]] <small>[[Royal Society of Insulamia|FRSI]]</small> – {{wp|Chemistry|chemist}}
* [[Veronica Dalton]] – former Chancellor of the [[University of Emmington]]
* [[Freya Harriet Adams]] <small>[[Royal Insulamian Society of Education|FRISE]]</small> – academic, former president of the [[Royal Insulamian Society of Education]]
* Grace Wu – lecturer at the [[University of Emmington]]
* [[Emilia Walsh]] – academic, former board member of St. Catherine's College
* [[Rachel Tett]] <small>[[Order of Cabotia|MCB]]</small> – {{wp|Anthropology|anthropologist}}
* Céline Léglise – {{wp|History of medicine|historian of medicine}} at [[Éteaux University]]
* Cecil Smith – professor of economics at the {{wp|University of Exeter Business School}}
* [[Keira O'Connor]] <small>[[Order of Cabotia|MCB]]</small> – {{wp|Linguistics|linguist}}, author, and lecturer
* Dia Patel <small>[[Insulamian Society of Philosophers|FSIDP]]</small> – {{wp|philosopher}}, author, sister of [[Raj Patel (judge)|Raj Patel]]
* Penelope Taylor-Smith – professor at the [[Septentria University of Arts]]
===Arts, entertainment, and music===
* [[Daphne Russell]] <small>[[Order of Cabotia|MCB]]</small> – thespian
* Evangeline Myers – violinist in the [[Orchestra Insulamic]]
* [[Fionn Gallagher]] – actress
* [[Lea Bernard]] <small>[[Order of Egality|MEG]]</small> – journalist, author, and activist
* [[Miles Rodrickson]] – television presenter, comedian
* Charlotte Johns – lead singer of [[The Lavenders]]
* [[Beatrice Caron]] – {{wp|fantasy}} writer
* [[Lucyanne Raitt]] – artist
* [[Yu Xiaoyan]] – {{wp|ballet}} dancer, activist
===Business===
===Business===
===Arts, entertainment, and music===
* [[Georgia Armstrong]] – Chairperson of [[Air Insulamia]] and former chairperson of [[Aviatry]]
===Law, politics, and public service===
* [[Tessa O'Neil]] – businesswoman, philantropist, and former {{wp|Chief executive officer|CEO}} of [[Tinsley Corporation]]
* [[Waldo Peterow]] – chairperson of [[Bank of Henria]] and former chairperson of the [[Insulamian Oil and Gas Corporation]]
* [[Helen-Mary Askey]] – businesswoman, former head of [[National Rail (Insulamia)|National Rail]]
* Harry P. Moore – businessman and property developer
* Aiden Haraway – founder of tech startup [[Haraway Innovations]]
* [[Leroy May]] – property developer, former board member of St. Catherine's College and the [[Septentrian Catholic Schools Association]]
===Military===
* Air Marshall [[Mason James Carter]] <small>[[Order of Insulamia|MI]] [[Order of the Commonwealth|COC]] [[Service Cross (Insulamia)|SC]] [[Medal of Military Excellence (Insulamia)|MME]]</small>
* Major General [[Maeve O'Brien]] <small>[[Order of Insulamia|CI]]</small>
* Private Charles Andrew Percivals <small>[[Medal of Military Merit (Insulamia)|MMM]]</small>
[[File:Elizabeth Cartright 10-03-2004.jpg|thumb|upright=1|[[Elizabeth Cartright]]]]
===Law, politics, and civil service===
* Dame [[Elizabeth Cartright]] <small>{{wp|Member of parliament|MP}} {{wp|Order of the British Empire|OBE}} [[Order of Insulamia|MI]] [[Order of the Commonwealth|MOC]] [[Order of Cabotia|MCB]] [[Order of Egality|CEG]] [[Order of Septentria|MOS]]</small> – {{wp|Member of parliament|member}} of the [[House of Representatives of Insulamia|House of Representatives]] of the [[Parliament of Insulamia]] for [[Coxingham (electoral district)|Coxingham]] and former [[primeminister of Insulamia]]
* Dame [[Emilia Walsh]] <small>{{wp|King's Counsel|QC}} [[Order of Insulamia|CI]]</small> – former Judge of the Supreme Court of Insulamia
* [[Annelise Bauer]] <small>{{wp|Member of parliament|MP}}</small> – member of the [[House of Commons of Insulamia|House of Commons]] of the Parliament of Insulamia
* Amelia Greenhalgh – union leader
* [[Eva Ruvalcaba Santos]] – former leader of the [[Communist Party of Insulamia]], activist
* Soren Gustavson <small>[[Order of Septentria|MOS]]</small> – lawyer
* [[Virginia Campbell-Fitzgerald]] <small>{{wp|Member of parliament|MP}} [[Order of Cabotia|MCB]]</small> – former member of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Insulamia for [[Calithew (electoral district|Calithew]]
* [[Astrid Westhouse]] <small>[[Order of Cabotia|MCB]]</small> – civil servant and activist
* [[Lindsay Auchmuty]] <small>{{wp|Senior counsel|SC}} [[Order of Cabotia|MCB]]</small> – former Judge of the Septentria Supreme Court
* Luca Molinaro – lawyer
* [[Raj Patel (judge)|Raj Patel]] <small>{{wp|King's Counsel|KC}}</small> – Judge of the Supreme Court of Insulamia
===Sports===
===Sports===
* [[Aisling McKeown]] <small>[[Order of Insulamia|MI]] [[Order of Cabotia|CCB]]</small> – professional {{wp|Football player|footballer}}, former captain of the [[Insulamia women's national football team]]
* Xavier Roy – professional {{wp|Basketball player|basketballer}}
* [[Adrian Elliot]] – professional [[Insulamian football|déto]] player
* [[Nicholas Kirkpatrick]] – professional {{wp|rugby union}} player
* [[Imogen Wallace]] – professional netballer
* [[Pamela of the Cross]] <small>[[Order of Cabotia|MCB]]</small> – {{wp|Grandmaster (chess)|chess grandmaster}}
* [[Zachary Liu]] – chess grandmaster
* Elodie Collier – former professional cricketer
* [[Tristan Eades]] – manager of [[Emmington Football Club]] and retired footballer
* [[Sebastian Hepworth]] – déto player
===Other===
===Other===
* [[Perry Rawlings]]{{efn|name=perry}} – {{wp|Mass shooting|mass shooter}} and perpertrator of the [[1999 Franclinton Pride shooting]]
* [[Liam Crichton]] – {{wp|Hacktivism|hacktivist}}
* [[Jean-Alphonse Lemaire]] – former [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nouville|Archbishop of Nouville]]
==See also==
{{columns-list|
* [[List of Catholic schools in Septentria]]
* [[Septentrian Catholic Schools Association]]
* [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Emmington]]
}}


==Notes==
==Notes==
{{notelist|refs=
{{notelist|
{{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".}}
{{efn|name=motto|Sometimes stylised "SAPIENTIA AVRVM PRÆFERAT".}}
{{efn|name=perry|Perry Rawlings was enrolled for St. Catherine's College in 1990, but it is unclear whether he actually attended the school for any time. Later that year, he and his mother moved to [[New Swansea]] where he attended [[Cardigan Public Secondary School]].}}
}}
}}
==External links==
* {{URL|nationstates.net/insulamia|Official website}}


[[Category:Insulamia]]
[[Category:Insulamia]]

Revision as of 11:43, 1 April 2023

St. Catherine's College
St Catherines College logo.svg
St-Catherines.jpg
McBride Hall, a building of the school
Address
24 Victoria St

Westminster, Emmington, Septentria

3400 SR, Insulamia
Information
Former nameSt. Catherine's Catholic College for Girls
TypeSemi-independent day school and boarding school
MottoLatin: Sapientia aurum praeferat[a]
(Wisdom over gold)
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established5 April 1897 (1897-04-05)
FounderSister Mary-Anne McBride, RSM
HeadSarika Luthra
Staff119 (January 2022)
Grades1–12
Number of students1,226 (January 2022)
Colour(s)Crimson and gold   
PublicationAlexandria
AffiliationsSeptentrian Catholic Schools Association, Sporting Schools Septentria, Emmington Union of Schools
Websitestcatherinescollege.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

Old photograph of nun
Sister Mary-Anne McBride, the founder of the school

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.

Old photograph of building
School Hall (now McBride Hall) in 1916

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 Mary-Anne McBride.jpg 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 Sister O Neill crop.jpg 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 JJ Goodson - colourised.jpg 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 Thomas Darcy trial.jpg 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

Saint Catherine, the patron saint of the school. This painting was created Caravaggio in 1598.

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.

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.

Elisabeth Heath Library

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 (formerly School Hall until 1923) 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 Cartright, were also established along with the boarding house May.

Auchmuty

Cartright

Eleanor

Goodson

Lucia

O'Neill

Controversies

Harassment following the AAED

Thomas Darcy scandal

Notable alumni

Academia, education, and research

Arts, entertainment, and music

Business

Military

Elizabeth Cartright

Law, politics, and civil service

Sports

Other

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sometimes stylised "SAPIENTIA AVRVM PRÆFERAT".
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 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!"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Perry Rawlings was enrolled for St. Catherine's College in 1990, but it is unclear whether he actually attended the school for any time. Later that year, he and his mother moved to New Swansea where he attended Cardigan Public Secondary School.

External links

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