St James College, Brisbane


St James College is an independent Catholic secondary day school for boys and girls, located in Spring Hill, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. St James College, informally known as Jimmies, was established in 1868 with only 12 students and is the oldest Catholic boys' school in Queensland. In 1893, the Congregation of Christian Brothers agreed to take over the school following major economic depression, the government's refusal to pay staff wages and inconsistent student enrolment., the co-educational school had an enrolment of approximately 520 students from Year 7 to Year 12. The school principal is Anne Rebgetz.

History

Jerome William Long was the first lay Principal to lead St James between 1871 and 1877, and again in 1880–90, he is accredited with being the first teacher to hold a Class 2, Division 1 certificate in Queensland. Long was honoured by the college, which named Long House after him.
In 1994, the college began to accept enrolment from girls in years 8 and 11, making it a co-educational institution. In 1994, its name was changed to St. James Prac.; it was then reverted to St. James College in 2001. In 2002, its first female principal was appointed. The college has also been known as Edmund Rice College, St James's, and St James Practical College. The college constructed a new library and science complex, named the Joseph Canali Centre completed in 2015 when the college began accepting enrolments for grade 7. In 2013 enrolment stood at approximately 480 students.

Principals

The following individuals have served as principals or headmasters of St James' College:
OrdinalOfficeholderTerm startTerm endTime in office
1Mr Long18681869 years
2J. Horan18701870 years
3J. W. Long18711881 years
4J. J. Dempsey18821882 years
5F. Carton18831884 years
6T. O'Leary18851892 years
7W. J. Hogan18931898 years
8J. C. Ryan18991902 years
9W. M. Reidy19031903 years
10J. C. Fenwick19041909 years
11M. W. Grace19101911 years
12F. P. Bowler19121913 years
13T. F. Hogan19141918 years
14M. I. Hickey19191922 years
15J. F. Murphy19231923 years
16W. B. Redmond19241924 years
T. F. Hogan19251925 years
17J. H. Crowley19261926 years
18C. L. Maloney19271927 years
19J. F. Redmond19281928 years
20P. W. Nolan19291929 years
21A. B. Awylward19301930 years
22T. I. Dowd19311931 years
23F. P. Doonan19321933 years
24P. D. Grealy19341937 years
25H. I. Jackson19381940 years
26B. A. Duffy19411941 years
27P. D. Grealy19421944 years
28W. E. O'Donnell19451946 years
29O. V. Wynne19471949 years
30T. I. Hennessy19501953 years
31H. W. Dowd19541955 years
32L. L. Bailee19561961 years
33F. M. Harding19621967 years
34N. C. Langan19681973 years
35B. W. Steele19741979 years
36W. F. Tynan19801986 years
37B. J. Sullivan19871991 years
38L. V. Larkin19921993 years
39L. W. Quinn19941995 years
40P. R. Conn19961997 years
41M. J. Sanderson19982001 years
42K. P. Tuite20022008 years
43G. Crooks20092018 years
44Anne Rebgetz2019incumbent years

House system

There are four houses at St James College, Carey, Hogan, Long and Mary Rice. With the exception of Mary Rice, all were the original houses of St James; Mary Rice was added in recent years.

Current houses

  • Carey House is named after Tom Carey, an old boy of the college.
  • Hogan House is named after Br Hogan, the first Christian Brother principal of the college.
  • Long House is named after Jerome William Long, the first lay principal.
  • Mary Rice House is named after Mary Rice, the daughter of Edmund Rice, the founder of the Christian Brothers.

Sports

St James College offers a basketball program that is fully inclusive to all levels of ability for both boys and girls. The Jimmies Basketball Program is accessible to all students regardless of their financial circumstances and focuses on development of the individual. In October 2013, St James College won the 2013 Queensland State Basketball Championship and was crowned the "Best Basketball School in Queensland". The team will now travel to Melbourne in December to represent Queensland in the Australian Schools Basketball Championship.

Notable alumni