Page 21 - The Gonzaga Record 1986
P. 21
Eithne Blake, Mrs Shelia Geoghegan, Mr Joe McCullough, Mr Donal
O'Buachalla, Fr Dermot Murray SJ and, of course, always steadily
pushing everybody, the Chairman of the Interim Board, Fr Cormac
Gallagher SJ.
Once again, the vote went quickly against trying to do the thing on our
own, with raffles, draws, gymkhanas, bridge drives, bring-and-buy sales,
etc. We were looking for an eight-classroom building, and something that
would tone in with the rest of the school. It was not going to be cheap.
So the committee turned to professional fund raisers. Choosing the right
ones was not easy. When enquiries were discreetly made the difference in
the quotations was surprising. All were sure they could do a good job.
What was not so clear was: what methods would they use; and how they
proposed to deal with such a small constituency of old Gonzagans. Few
of the Past were yet in any affluent circumstances. Above all, how careful
would they be to sense when families genuinely could not take on extra
financial burdens, however desirous to help and be sympathetic.
What eventually emerged from the enquiries was, I suppose, the
obvious: if you want good service you pay for it. Those who were known
from past records to be good money raisers were also the people who
charged most. Eventually the decision was taken to employ the American
company Community Counselling Services, Inc. The Director was Mr
John Connolly. Their charge was about 6 per cent of whatever was raised.
Some thought this a bit steep. But on the other hand, we did not want
to take on the burden ourselves, and they did have a good reputation.
Where to Build?
Having decided to build, and having decided to employ fund raisers, the
next decision was where to put the new building. This was not an easy
choice. As mentioned already, there had been something rather pleasant
about the proportions and lay-out of Gonzaga College. No matter how
you went about it, a largish new building would alter the appearance of
the campus.
It was easy enough to decide definitely where not to place it. The
single, greatest amenity of the grounds is the fine green sward in front
of the school. To put a building in the middle of that would be a vandal-
ism. But so many other places presented unexpected difficulties. There
are spots here and there which look promising until you go and measure
them. It turns out either that they are either too small, or that you must
encroach on one of the playing fields. And playing fields are beyond
price, unless one wants to go beyond Bray to find an alternative. The next
possible victim was the garden next to the lower house. Apart from the
intense feeling against losing the garden, there was the fact that it was
removed quite a distance from the main school buildings. There could be
discipline problems as well as the inevitable trampling down of the grass
of the main green sward. No matter what notices one puts up, boys will
19
O'Buachalla, Fr Dermot Murray SJ and, of course, always steadily
pushing everybody, the Chairman of the Interim Board, Fr Cormac
Gallagher SJ.
Once again, the vote went quickly against trying to do the thing on our
own, with raffles, draws, gymkhanas, bridge drives, bring-and-buy sales,
etc. We were looking for an eight-classroom building, and something that
would tone in with the rest of the school. It was not going to be cheap.
So the committee turned to professional fund raisers. Choosing the right
ones was not easy. When enquiries were discreetly made the difference in
the quotations was surprising. All were sure they could do a good job.
What was not so clear was: what methods would they use; and how they
proposed to deal with such a small constituency of old Gonzagans. Few
of the Past were yet in any affluent circumstances. Above all, how careful
would they be to sense when families genuinely could not take on extra
financial burdens, however desirous to help and be sympathetic.
What eventually emerged from the enquiries was, I suppose, the
obvious: if you want good service you pay for it. Those who were known
from past records to be good money raisers were also the people who
charged most. Eventually the decision was taken to employ the American
company Community Counselling Services, Inc. The Director was Mr
John Connolly. Their charge was about 6 per cent of whatever was raised.
Some thought this a bit steep. But on the other hand, we did not want
to take on the burden ourselves, and they did have a good reputation.
Where to Build?
Having decided to build, and having decided to employ fund raisers, the
next decision was where to put the new building. This was not an easy
choice. As mentioned already, there had been something rather pleasant
about the proportions and lay-out of Gonzaga College. No matter how
you went about it, a largish new building would alter the appearance of
the campus.
It was easy enough to decide definitely where not to place it. The
single, greatest amenity of the grounds is the fine green sward in front
of the school. To put a building in the middle of that would be a vandal-
ism. But so many other places presented unexpected difficulties. There
are spots here and there which look promising until you go and measure
them. It turns out either that they are either too small, or that you must
encroach on one of the playing fields. And playing fields are beyond
price, unless one wants to go beyond Bray to find an alternative. The next
possible victim was the garden next to the lower house. Apart from the
intense feeling against losing the garden, there was the fact that it was
removed quite a distance from the main school buildings. There could be
discipline problems as well as the inevitable trampling down of the grass
of the main green sward. No matter what notices one puts up, boys will
19
