Echoes from the Archives

Some extracts taken from the 2002 Clairvaux to connect us to St Bernard’s history:

The Santa Monica Campus

‘The Santa Monica experience has added a new and exciting dimension to the year nine curriculum at St Bernard’s in 2002. Each year nine class has had the opportunity to spend four weeks at the campus, located on the Great Ocean Road between Aireys inlet and Lorne. The program at Santa Monica is designed to educate and challenge boys in ways that are difficult to achieve in the classroom. The first challenge is undoubtedly the development of community living skills required to coexist with 27 other students, and three staff, for the four weeks. To this end, every student is assigned different cabin groups, duty groups and activity groups, so that they get to mix and work with a broader cross section of their classmates then the normal school timetable allows. Together they forge an interdependence that allows them to meet the physical and mental challenges of the program.’

 The Weights and Gym Room

‘This year has marked the start of a new era in health and fitness at SBC with the opening of a fully equipped weights gymnasium in June. Our facility is air conditioned and very conducive to training all the year round. The students have responded enthusiastically, with consistently high numbers attending the four afternoons that the gym is open. Many thanks to the staff who have given of their time generously throughout the year to supervise the students’

Bendigo 150 Relay fundraising event

‘From humble beginnings in 1982, when the team consisted of eight students, the Bendigo 150 has grown into a massive logistical event. This year saw naming rights go to our major sponsor for the first time and it also saw over one hundred students involved, as well as twelve staff. Even the distance of 150 kilometres had increased to accommodate the legions of runners that now make the Bendigo 150 their yearly pilgrimage.’

Note that in recent years this event has become the Maribyrnong 150 around the Maribyrnong River.

The College Dash

‘The college dash is a one kilometre time trial, run in and around the college inspired by the scene in the 1982 film ‘Chariots of Fire’. It was established in 1998 and is held throughout Term Four each year. Although most of the competitors are members of the athletic or cross-country squads, the event is open to any student or staff member currently at St Bernard’s. Any competitor who can run under three minutes for the course is inducted into The College Hall of Fame and records of fastest time for each year level are kept. This year the dash has really come of age, with an elite group of the college’s best athletes, from all year levels, trying to rewrite the record books each time they ran. New records were established on just about every occasion the race was held and incredibly ten new members, seven students and three staff, were inducted to the Hall of Fame.’

From the St Bernard’s College Principal in 2002, Mr Frank FitzGerald

‘The new Year 12 and AGERE building has proven to be a very helpful facility for the staff and students who use it. The new Pool and Weights Room, along with the relocated Canteen, have been popular with the students and the broader community’