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In the course of these pages you will be able to trace the history of the Salvatorian College from its opening in 1926 to this memorable day when His Lordship, Rt. Rev. David Cashman, Bishop of Caetano, has solemnly blessed and opened the latest extensions. We indeed rejoice at the forethought and inspired vision of the Founder of the Salvatorians, Father Francis Mary of the Cross which originally made possible the celebrations we chronicle. A small group of German Fathers came to the Wealdstone district at the turn of the century to minister to a handful of immigrant Catholics. Almost one of their first concerns was the provision of a school, realising as they did that the child must be nurtured in the faith if he later hopes to live the Faith to the full. They shared their own home so as to begin as soon as possible the formation of the children entrusted to them on a sound Christian foundation. From that small beginning has come the school which can now accommodate 360 Grammar school children.
After the Father Founder there must be mentioned in assessing the work begun and perfected, the Rev. Father Gabriel Enderle. Fr. Gabriel gave his blessing to the beginnings of the Grammar School as we know it to-day, when, in 1926, he decided to appoint the first English Salvatorian as Headmaster with Fr. Charles Pradarutti to assist him. Fr. Gabriel had very few men to call upon in those days; he had less funds to draw upon; the year in which the foundation was made was the year of the great General Strike which paralysed the country. Only a man with a childlike trust and confidence in God would have dared to engage in such an enterprise at such a time. Fr. Gabriel had that trust in abundance and God did not fail him. Within a short time the school was giving a regular grammar school training to about 80 boys.
Father 'Cuthbert's headmastering was brought to an end through illness and the outbreak of the Second World War, but during his years of office he had established a spirit in the school - a family spirit - which enabled him and the staff to overcome burdens which lesser men would have considered insurmountable. What Headmaster with a school of 80 boys would have dared to present, with full orchestra drawn from the school, a complete musical evening followed by the production of the burlesque - "The Knight of the Burning Pestle"? This Fr. Cuthbert did and did excellently with the assistance of Mr. Rose. There followed the war of 1939-1945, during which time the school was in the care of Father Xavier. Children were evacuated; masters were difficult to obtain; money was at a premium. As the war dragged on and the bombs and doodle-bugs fell not only on London, but on Wealdstone, the school far from flagging went from strength to strength. By 1947 there were 240 children accommodated both in the Preparatory school and the Grammar school. With such an increase in numbers the boys outgrew the school and it became necessary to think of extending.
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V. Rev. Fr. Thomas Hennessey, S.D.S.,
Headmaster (1947-1960).Responsible for planning and
executing 1951 Block and
present extensions.
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To the task of extending the school there came Father Thomas, fresh from his studies at Liverpool University. Mountains of difficulties were in his path. Restrictions on the use of material for building were still in force; severe rationing was still prevalent even on such items as wood and steel. A short history of the negotiations involved: the plans drawn up and rejected; the applications for the release of materials turned down; the meetings with planning authorities, solicitors, engineers, contractors - fill several large files. These however do not indicate the amount of physical and nervous energy drawn from one whose chief concern after all was the efficient and harmonious development of the school and its boys. It took four years to see the first extensions opened by His Eminence, the late Cardinal Griffin, in July 1952. Almost at once the efforts had to be harnessed anew to the task of the present building campaign, and that Father Thomas did not slacken in his efforts is evident today.
Gaudeamus! We have reason to rejoice that His Lordship, Bishop David Cashman has been able to come and give our building the Official Blessing of the Church. He has seen the fruits of the work and vision of men of faith whose chief duty was to children of the Faith. There were many priests who at one time or other gave of their services to the school, some of whom have gone to their reward. Many others still with us, rejoice with us on this day; Frs. Declan; Peter; Leo; Stanislaus; Vincent; Augustine; Vianney; Alban; Anselm; their names are familiar to many old and young Salvatorian boys. There were too such stalwart laymen as the late Messrs. Rose, McCue, Wakeford and Dr. Neumann. Still on our staff, with service totalling almost 40 years we have Mr. Cornes and Mr. Hartin. In our rejoicing too we do not forget the work and assistance given by so many devoted laymen and women of St. Joseph's Parish, without reward here, but sure of the undying gratitude of the Salvatorian Community.
The Headmaster.
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