Imagine students excitedly gathering here at Xavier College, their laughter echoing through the grounds. Xavier College, a Roman Catholic school for boys, has a rich history. It began in 1878 and is run by the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits.
Xavier College is part of a global network of Jesuit schools. These schools started in Messina, Sicily, way back in 1548. Originally, Xavier was only for boys. But now, there is a co-educational Kindergarten. From Foundation to Year 12 it is all boys. In 2011, over 2000 students were enrolled at Xavier College. This included boarders.
The main Xavier College campus is on Barkers Road in Kew. This is about 8 kilometres from Melbourne’s city centre. The land was once called Mornane’s Paddock. The Jesuits bought it in 1872 from Patrick Mornane. They had a twenty-year interest-free payment plan. This helped them start building the school quickly. The foundation stone was laid in 1872. Classes began in 1878.
Many early boarders came from St Patrick’s College in East Melbourne. When St Patrick’s closed, more students and staff moved to Xavier College.
Over time, Xavier College expanded. Two junior campuses were established. These were Burke Hall Campus and Kostka Hall Campus. In 1920, Archbishop Mannix gave Studley Hall to Xavier College. It was to be used as a preparatory school. Mr T M Burke, a Catholic businessman, had purchased the property and donated it to Mannix. In 1921, Xavier Preparatory School opened. It was later renamed Burke Hall in 1926. This renaming honored Mr Burke. The Kostka Hall campus opened in 1937. It was named after St Stanislaus Kostka. The Jesuits bought two properties in Brighton to establish it.
Extensive renovations have transformed the properties. They have become the beautiful sites you see today. In 2002, Xavier College opened an Early Years Centre at Burke Hall. In 2005, another Early Years Centre was opened at Kostka Hall. Girls were admitted for the first time at the Early Years. This broke the tradition of Xavier being a boys-only school. In 2021, after 85 years, Kostka Hall campus closed. Thousands of students have passed through Xavier’s gates. They became “Men and Women for Others” in the Jesuit tradition.
Xavier College has a long-standing rivalry with St Kevin’s College. An Old Xaverian Supreme Court judge once quipped about this rivalry. He said that only those taught by the Jesuits could aspire to the Supreme Court.
The Memorial Chapel is a beautiful structure. It was built in 1927 to celebrate Xavier College’s golden jubilee. Construction took about sixteen years. Rectors Edmund Frost and Frank O’Keefe led the project. The foundation stone reads a Latin inscription. It honors God and fallen comrades.
Xavier College offers the Victorian Certificate of Education to senior students. It is one of few schools in Victoria offering Latin and Ancient Greek continuously since 1878.
Sport is compulsory for all students. Activities include cricket, football, athletics, and rowing. Xavier has won many APS premierships in various sports. The school encourages community service. Students volunteer at a tutoring school in Richmond. They also participate in community outreach programs.
The Maytime Fair is an annual event held since 1952. It raises funds for the Jesuit Mission. Friends and benefactors support this cause. The fair consistently contributes over $100,000 each year. The funds are used to support work in developing countries.
Alumni of Xavier College are known as Old Xaverians. They have achieved success in politics, law, academia and sports.