St Charles was the first Marist School in Natal, making the move to our premises in Scottsville in 1925.1 It was also the first of the Marist schools in South Africa to introduce the blue and gold striped Marist blazer. This blazer is what you will recognise today as our War Cry blazer.
When moving to our current campus, the school was made up of 62 acres of land and was a dairy farm belonging to Mr James Harris.2 The annals of St Charles College record that the blue and gold striped blazer had first been introduced in 1927 by the Principal at the time, Brother Paul-Camille. He was previously at the Cala Marist Brothers College in Thembuland, where the school cadets wore a striking blue and gold cadet uniform that had possibilities of the colour combination for a school uniform.3
It is not known why South Africa decided on the colours of blue and gold. Some claim that the colours were brought to South Africa from St. Joseph’s College at Dumfries in Scotland. Others say that the blue was chosen for Marist (blue for Our Lady) and the gold from the white and gold of the Papal colours. It is said that the blue is for faithfulness and loyalty, and that the gold is for royalty; that blue is the colour of the heavens which bids us cherish the highest ideals, and that gold represents the sterling qualities of character that the Brothers endeavour to instill in their pupils.4
Each of our sporting codes have an Honour Code attached to them and Mr Rowan Irons, as Director of Sports at St Charles College, instils these core values in all the sportsmen we have today.
Our 2024 War Cry Leaders received their blazers in Sports assembly on Friday, 1 March 2024. They will wear their striped blazers with pride and dignity.
References:
Marist Centenary Digest published in 1967 by the South African Federation of Marist Old Boys’ Association.
[1] Marist Centenary Digest p59
[2] Marist Centenary Digest p93
[3] Marist Centenary Digest p97
[4] Marist Centenary Digest p98