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Villanova College is an
independent Catholic school for boys under the care of the Augustinian
Order. The College is presently situated at Coorparoo in the grounds of
Langlands, the original house in the area built
by Reuben Nicklin in 1884.
 The Augustinian Order has a long history in education reaching back 700
years. Love of learning and pursuit of understanding are hallmarks of
the Order. Since its founding 49 years ago, the College has made these
part of its character also. The reason to strive for knowledge and understanding
is in order that our lives will be based on truth for it is truth that
conquers. This is reflected in the College motto: Vincit Veritas
(Truth conquers).
 Six young Irish Augustinian
priests, led by Fr Ben O'Donnell, established the College at Whinstanes
in the suburb of Hamilton in 1948. They had been welcomed to Brisbane
by Archbishop Duhig who had a vision for a College which offered a classical
education and promoted the finer things in life. He was a frequent visitor
to the College in the early days. Fr O'Donnell was a quiet, friendly man
and he and his companions were young and full of energy. They quickly
established personal links with many members of the local Catholic community
which rallied to support them. This close cooperation of staff with
the parents of students and friends of the College has been a mark of
the College ever since.
In 1954, due to the lack
of prospects for growth at Whinstanes, the school was transferred to Coorparoo
where it has flourished.
 Since its early days the College has been
associated with fostering the Arts. Its second Rector (Principal), Fr
John Hanrahan, co-founded the official Brisbane Catholic Drama group,
the Villanova Players. He also lectured at the University of Queensland
in the Classics department. Language, music, drama, and the visual arts
have played an important part in the curricular and co-curricular programs
at the College. During the sixties, the decade that saw the first person
on the moon, science was also to the fore at Villanova. Several young
Australian Augustinians returned from study at Villanova University in
the United States and helped pioneer several new science courses, including
Physics and Chemistry, in Queensland. The Commonwealth government was
funding science laboratories and the new syllabi encouraged an experimental
approach.
The sixties and seventies brought a great
expansion of College facilities with help from both parents and government.
A library, science laboratories, new senior classrooms and a new brick
primary block became part of the campus. With the continued growth of
enrollments, many non-Augustinians joined the staff. Fr Kevin Burman,
the third Rector, sought graduates who could further enhance the academic
strength of the College while at the same time contributing to the wide
spectrum of activities which are part of College life.
This period also saw the addition of co-curricular
facilities including a swimming pool and sporting fields at Tingalpa.
Villanova had been a founding member of The Associated Schools (TAS) and
always participated competitively in all association sports. Other co-curricular
activities including cadets, debating, dances and the Young Christian
Students movement flourished. The emphasis was on a balanced education,
encouraging the academic, sporting, spiritual and social dimensions which
continues today. Fr Dempsey was Rector in the early seventies and presided
over the completion of many of these projects. His particular enthusiasm
for the Arts and his encouragement of parent involvement reinforced these
elements of the Villanova tradition.
During the seventies and early eighties the
College was ably led by Fr Laurence Mooney, a past student of the College
who articulated, in a more explicit manner, the College's Augustinian
heritage. He further fostered the sense of community within the College.
The role of students was emphasised in the foundation of the Student Council.
The particular leadership role of all members of the senior class was
recognised. This led to the abolition of the prefect system. The election
of captain and vice-captains by the senior class was introduced. There
was a further expansion of the physical facilities including the impressive
Goold Gymnasium/Assembly Hall, more classrooms, new science laboratories,
a technical drawing room and Art rooms.
The later eighties and nineties have seen
dramatic change. The number of teachers has increased dramatically while
the number of Augustinians has diminished. The collaborative Augustinian
traditions continue with the governance of the College now entrusted to
a College Council composed of staff, parents, Augustinians, past students
and friends of the College. The provision of career oriented courses in
computing, catering, tourism and hospitality, campus wide computer networks
and computers in classrooms are a few external signs of a transformation
taking place as the College responds to the changing needs of its students.
During this period the College has been led by Fr Peter Wieneke and then
Fr Michael Morahan both past students of the College. They have both sought
to foster within the Villanova community Augustinian responses to the
new challenges of change in society and the circumstances of students.
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