St Charles College celebrates Founders Day on the 26th of July. The story as to why it is celebrated on this day is because St Charles Grammar School for Boys was established on 26 July 1875 by Bishop Charles Jolivet of the Order of Mary Immaculate (OMI), in Loop Street, Pietermaritzburg. The school was later sold to the Marist Brothers in 1912 who renamed it St Charles College. The growth was so substantial that 14 years later it was necessary to move the College out of its cramped buildings in the city to the suburb of Scottsville, also in Pietermaritzburg. Undergoing rapid expansion, particularly in the 1950s, the future of St Charles College was seemingly assured until, with declining interest in vocations in the Catholic Church, the College almost closed its doors in 1978. It was saved by the eleventh-hour intervention of a small group of Old Boys who worked to re-establish the College, resulting in a non-denominational school with a secular Headmaster.
Here are some important dates in St Charles College’s history:
– 1883: SCGS moves to St Mary’s Parish Hall, Longmarket Street.
– 1901: SCGS moves next door to St Charles School buildings, Longmarket Street.
– 1913: St Charles School bought by the Marist Brothers. The buildings were re-vamped and enlarged for the whole of 1913 – no teaching
takes place.
– 1914: January – St Charles School, renamed St Charles College, re-opens for classes.
– 1925: January – St Charles College moves to new buildings in Harwin Road, Scottsville. Old school buildings become the Ansonia Hotel.
– 1973: 18 September – Board of Governors formed to assist Marist Brothers in the management of the school.
– 1979: 1 January – The first non-Brother Headmaster, Mr Wynne Bowden. St Charles College now a non-denominational, Christian school.
From Class 1 to Matric, 136 boys form St Charles College.
The start of the Founders Day Assembly and Dash
To celebrate Founders Day the College instituted a Founder’s Day Dash on 26 July 2012, when the whole College from Grade 000 to A Levels lined the jacaranda avenue and contenders vied for immortality by achieving the best time in a run from the gates, around the first circle and back. Every year there are three races: the Prep, the Middle School and the Upper School. Competitors race in their house colours and the bell in the memorial garden next to the Coach House is used to start the races. Ringing the bell is an honour given to incredible members of staff who have served our College with distinction and are nearing retirement.
The distance is tough a 540m, but the reward is great. The winner each year has his name and the time etched onto a brass plaque on a water fountain donated by the Matrics of 2012.
Mason O’Connor was the first winner of The Dash, with a time of 1:16.97. This time has since been beaten by Jesse Mwesigwa in 2023 with a time of 1:16:16. This is now recorded on a Perspex plaque as the old brass one cannot be engraved anymore as the skills and materials are not as readily available as they used to be. – Mrs Debby Joubert