Christian Brothers College, Fremantle

History

The school's first building was opened in 1882 on High St in the port town of Fremantle under the name Fremantle Catholic Boys' School in a building still standing on school grounds, Edmund Hall. However this building was only constructed because the school had out grown St Patricks Presbytery where it had been started. The single storey building was designed by a former Fenian convict, Joseph Nunan, an architect by profession who drew up the plans for the new school and it was built using limestone. The foundation stone of Edmunds Hall was laid on 26 January 1882. The new school began with an enrolment of thirty primary-aged boys under the management of Mr Otto De Grancy. It opened on 14 November 1883.

A change in the colony's Education Act in 1895 meant that all financial support for church-based schools was withdrawn. The recently arrived religious order of Christian Brothers was invited to take over the running of the parish school, and to establish a high school for the education of boys in the Fremantle area. In January 1901, the first group of brothers took charge of what was then known as St. Patrick's Boys' School. Thirty boys were enrolled but this number soon grew to ninety within four weeks. Soon afterwards, the High School opened with an enrolment of twenty-nine which soon rose to fifty-seven by the end of the year.

In 1905 a Public Schools Association was created in Western Australia which had only four members. Its purpose was to organise sporting contests between the schools but it also created an elite club as other similar schools were denied membership. This school was a member with the High School, the Scotch College and the Guildford Grammar School.

From 1901 to 1913, Christian Brothers' College Fremantle was one of the half-a-dozen schools in Western Australia preparing students for public examinations of The University of Adelaide. Until the University of Western Australia opened in 1914 with two brother and two former CBC students among the first graduates. In the last twenty years the school has become staffed by predominantly by lay teachers, with 2002 seeing the appointment of the schools' first lay Principal, Mr David McFadden. The years that followed saw CBC Fremantle undergo radical changes including the addition of a world-class gymnasium, new science labs, manual arts area, the renovation of the library, Year 12 common room and the addition of the new language buildings.

In October 2007, Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) took responsibility for the governance of CBC Fremantle along with forty other Edmund Rice schools, including Aquinas College and Trinity College

House system

Like many other Australian schools CBC utilises a house system, overseen by the Head of House. Each of the four houses is named after a significant figure in the school community.

Campus

The school is based on its campus in Fremantle. One of the oldest schools in Western Australia, the property on Ellen Street houses the junior and senior school, and overlooks Fremantle Park. The College has several heritage listed buildings including the administration building in which the Christian Brothers once lived.

Sport

Since the beginning of the schools' origins, sport has been an integral part of College life with students attending weekly after school sport. CBC Fremantle has been involved in the ACC Swimming, Athletics and Cross-County carnivals since its inception and has had consistently strong results. Annually the interschool swimming team represent the College in the Quad Meet competing against Aquinas College, Hale School and Guildford Grammar School in preparation for the ACC 'A' Division Carnival. Recent success includes winning the overall boys' shield at the ACC 'A' Division Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics Carnivals. The school also won the Wildcats shield in 2008 and the Geoff Marsh Shield for Cricket in 2011.

CBC Fremantle Amateur Football Club

The CBC Old Boys Association fields 7 teams each Saturday to play against various other football clubs in the Western Australian Amateur Football League (WAAFL). The club was founded in 1932 and continues to this day with relative success, winning the A Grade, A Reserves and A Colts Premiership treble in 2000 as well as grand final appearances in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Arts

The arts department hosts jazz orchestra, string ensemble and various other stage and concert bands throughout the different year groups. The College boasts one of the best swing bands in the state and receives many commendations on its performances in the Catholic Performing Arts Festival, as well as numerous interstate and international tours.

Uniform

CBC has adopted a rather distinctive uniform that enables students to be easily recognised in the community. For all students in Years 7–11 the historic 'Victoria Grey' shirt is worn year round, in the Summer terms (1 and 4) this is paired with dark grey shorts and grey socks with the school stripe. In the Winter months (terms 2 and 3) students must wear the Green blazer with matching Green/Gold striped tie. Year 12 students wear the same uniform, with the exception of a white shirt and leavers tie year round. The jazz orchestra wear a separate tie and when performing, the yellow blazer.

Students in leadership positions such as house captains and prefects are given a badge that is pinned to the blazer.

Notable alumni

Once a boy has graduated from CBC, he becomes a member of the CBC Fremantle Old Boys Association.