The early days of SJC and parent support.

The world of Catholic education in Australia in the 1950's when St Joseph's Marist Brothers College opened its doors was far different from what it is today.

There was no State or Federal Government per capita financial student support as is available these days.

Funds to build, maintain and expand Catholic education fell to the parents of students.

Their efforts in the early days of SJC, Subiaco were nothing short of extraordinary.

Donations, fund raising functions and parent/student working bees created a vibrant positive environment focused on establishing a viable college.

The inaugural Parent's Committee was an essential element in setting the template which transitioned SJC from its embryonic humble beginnings to its rapid growth through the mid 1950's to its principal antecedency position that morphed into what is today the co-educational excellence of Newman College Churchlands.

Such Committees require willing and dedicated parents working constructively and collaboratively together as a team in conjunction with the then Marist teaching staff.

Fortunately, in those early days SJC had a surfeit of willing parents keen to ensure their sons got the best education in the best facilities their support could provide.

Very few Committees can successfully achieve these aims without strong dedicated leadership.

The calibre and personal competencies of that inaugural Parent's Committee were broad, highly motivated but needed astute leadership management.

That role required a leader of skill, empathy and understanding capable of harnessing individual energies to the benefit of the whole SJC College community.

Enter Tom Perrott

Thomas (Tom) Perrott AM

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Thomas (Tom) Perrott AM was a notable devout Catholic family man dedicated to his faith and the ethos of hard work reaping its own reward.

Taking control of his father's commercial painting and decorating business at a young age, through hard work and entrepreneurial talent he developed the Perrott company into a National, then international enterprise.

During the embryonic days of St Joseph's College, Subiaco, Tom stepped into the Committee's leadership role.

Applying his innate ability to engage with people, he inspired the College's student parent community to assist the Marist Brothers accomplish their vision of creating a successful educational institution which has endured for over 70 years and which has, overtime, transitioned, from its humble beginnings in 1954, into the present day highly regarded Newman College, Churchlands.

Tom was a determined empathetic man who was respectfully supportive of all those committee members who made up the College's first parent's group, described by the Marist Brother Provincial Placidus Redden in his 1954 Annual Report, as a proactive and vibrant group.

We are all aware there were quite a number of parents of students, who worked hard from 1954 onwards to ensure SJC was the success they and the Marist Brothers hoped it would be.

In the collective memories of our alumni are stories of how they, and their parents gave time to support and build St Joseph's.

We wish to capture those efforts, so here is an opportunity for you to share your memories, record their contributions thereby adding to the preservation of the College's history.

Post your reminiscences so all of us can recognize and appreciate the efforts/sacrifices those hard-working volunteers made so that we could enjoy the Marist education experience.