Vancouver College - Collegian Yearbook (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada)

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This gathering for Brother McManus’s Golden Jubilee in 1962 is typical of their traditional community spirit. ristian Brothers

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ARCHBISHOP DUKE 1971 The Archbishop’s trophy, emblematic of the football championship of the Catholic schools was inaugurated in his time and on occasion he went out on the field to make the ceremonial kick-off. He never failed to present the trophy personally until his retirement. He lent his active support to the drive for funds for the new gym in 1951 and the school was particularly happy to have him perform the blessing. He was back again in 1957 to bless the new Mackin Hall. The tradition of College that tended to accent athletics received his enthusiastic support as he was, personally, a very active man and remained so almost to his death at 91 on August 31, 1971. It is indeed fitting that Vancouver College as it looks back over its first turbulent fifty years should take this opportunity to recognize a man whose life and hopes have coincided so closely with it. Archbishop Duke blesses statues for the classrooms of College, after the opening of Mackin Hall in 1957. Archbishop Duke kicking off at the third annual Catholic High School Championship Game with the assistance of Br. Bates. Vancouver College defeated Notre Dame 27-6. In the 1960 Catholic High School Championship, Vancouver College beat Notre Dame decisively. Ar- chbishop Duke presented the Trophy to Captains Macaulay and Beaton. 21

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For one humble man’s ambition to create a place of love and learning for the many neglected boys of Ireland and his founding of the Christian Brothers of Ireland in 1802, we at Vancouver College owe our sincerest gratitude and deepest respect to Edmund Ignatius Rice. One-hundred and fifty years have passed since that memorable day in 1820 when the congregation of the Christian Brothers received Papal approval from Pius VII, yet we can- not forget those trouble-some first years when the Brothers faced many hardships. It was necessary to meet head on the proselytism whereby anti-Irish and anti- Catholic ideas were very slyly proposed to the children. After a long hard battle the Catholics won their struggle when in 1831 the largest of these non-Catholic schools was closed, and it was not long before the Brothers’ schools became the dominant system of education in Ireland. The infant Congregation con- tinued to grow, though not without difficulty. Brothers were forbidden to wear their religious garb, religious books had to be hidden from sight of the authorities and students were cautioned to address the Brothers as “Mister”, a custom which existed until recently in the country places of Ireland. With great prospects, however, new schools were being built and soon, by the middle of the nineteenth cen- tury this group of teaching Brothers had been firmly established in Ireland and England. Since the time of Brother Rice the Congregation has spread to every continent of the world. With well over 3500 Brothers serving in over 250 schools, the Congregation of the Christian Brothers, as they are now known, have thus kept alive the in- stitution of their forbearers and shall continue to keep alive the Catholic faith by teaching young people the fundamentals of their religious heritage. It is with great honour that we hereby dedicate this Collegian to the Christian Brothers on the Fif- tieth anniversary of the founding of Vancouver College, in the nineteenth hundredth and seventy- second year of our Lord. 23