Boys Town - Later Salesian College, c. 2013, by Walsh, Dave, courtesy of On Topic Media.
Details
The Boarding section of the Salesian School, formerly known as St John's Boys Town, was run by the Salesians of Don Bosco and operated as a boys home within the bounds of the school. It was often still referred to as St John's Boys Home. In the mid 1960s the School became known as Salesian College. The St John's Boys Home section closed at the end of 1984. The Salesian College finished as a co-educational secondary school at the end of 1996.
The Salesians of Don Bosco took over the running of St John's Boys Town in 1942 and were granted permission by the Archbishop in 1954 to discard the name 'Boys Town' and to accept day-pupils for both technical and secondary studies. The home became known as 'the boarding section of Salesian School' although it was still often referred to as St John's Boys Home. A new building was erected in 1954-55 so that the number of residents could be increased to 160.
The Salesians were particular about the boys they would accommodate, preferring to take boys over the age of ten with at least grade five standard education.
In the mid 1960s the school became known as the 'Salesian College'. The St Johns Boys Home section of the College closed at the end of 1984. Salesian College finished as a co-educational secondary school at the end of 1996.
1898 - 1941 St John the Baptist Home for Boys
1941 - 1954 St John's Boys Town
1954 - 1984 The Boarding section of the Salesian School
Sources used to compile this entry: '"Adoption Solves Delinquency"', The Advertiser (Adelaide, South Australia), 12 December 1953, p. 16, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47590386; 'Salesian School's Training', The Advertiser (Adelaide, South Australia), 16 December 1954, p. 24, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47616824; George, Karen, Finding your own way, Nunkuwarrin Yunti of South Australia Inc., 2005, http://nunku.org.au/resources/.
Prepared by: Karen George and Gary George
Created: 23 February 2011, Last modified: 29 May 2015
Last updated: 18 January 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/sa/biogs/SE00349b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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