The story of any educational institution must be the history of its curricular and social evolution. Along with this, of course, should come the necessary staff, structures and infra-structures to implement its programme.

In 1945 on the compound at St. Theresa's R.C. Church, Fr. Meenan, the then Superior of the Holy Ghost Fathers, formally declared Fatima College open. Fr. Byrne was appointed Principal with a staff of three and a student body of 115. Within a few months the school moved to its present site, which is on the periphery of both the St. James and Woodbrook communities. By the year 1948 the student body had expanded to 300 and the staff to 13.

A look at the brown pages of the school records of 1946 will show six classes, up to Form 3. The subjects taught then were Religious Instructions, Latin, French, Spanish, English, Geography, History, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Biology.

The early years of the school saw much physical development along with educational advances in the field of curriculum shaping and sports. The Eastern and Western wings were added in July 1949. 1951 saw the erection of the much needed Assembly Hall. The Chapel and three more classrooms were added in 1954. 1955 saw the end of the Fr. Byrne era and the passing of the first decade of Fatima College. Although less tangible and visible, this first decade must have laid the ground work for what is now the unique institution called Fatima. And what of Fr. Byrne… the man who engineered the first formative decade ? First of all he is still alive and fairly well in Dublin, Ireland. He can be described first and foremost as a man of business - one who is organised and disciplined in whatever he does. Along with this business orientation he is also very much a Teacher and priest who finds time for friends and people.

Fr. J.H. Ryan took over the reins in 1955 - after 7 years at Fatima; his administration went all the way to 1972, the year in which he retired. His nick name amongst the boys was the "Raj" the Sanskrit word for King and Master - and he truly bestrode the institution as a benevolent and caring father. The stamp of his character is everywhere at Fatima College. As was said at the Requiem Mass on the occasion of his death, "he did not build physical monuments; his architecture was in moulding the character and personalities of the students, who came under his care." And it must be this educational philosophy which gave rise to the introduction of "A Levels" in 1959. The subjects offered then were Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, French, Spanish, and Latin. The "A Level" Curriculum now comprises Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Biology, French, Spanish, English, Economics, Accounts, History, Technical Drawing and Art.

The thinking at Fatima in those years as in subsequent years, was in favour of a good all round education, that was comprehensive in every sense of the word.

In 1961 the new playing filed was legally acquired. It was formally opened in 1963, and the pavilion built in 1970. It was no coincidence, therefore, when we won "Intercol" for the first time in 1966.

1972 was a watershed year for Fatima College. Fr. Ryan retired. The student body had reached 700 and the staff 32. By this time also a structural change was taking place in the administrative and staffing arrangement at the school. Church schools were becoming more integrated into the national system. Side by side with this we had now moved from a clergy dominated staff to one in which lay people were in the majority. In fact female members joined the teaching staff for the first time in September 1972. It seemed like a natural development when in this same year the first layman, Mr. Clive Pantin, was appointed Principal, and a local Holy Ghost Father, Rev. G. Farfan, was appointed Vice-Principal. This dynamic duo piloted Fatima over the turbulent years of the early Seventies, and in the case of Mr. Pantin, into the early Eighties. This period was characterised by the Audio-Visual Centre and Library, New Classrooms, the Language Lab, the cafeteria and the Workshops and significant curriculum and class changes. These changes included the doing away with streaming in Forms one to three. It was thought appropriate to have a period after Common Entrance and before Cambridge Examinations divested of too much educational competition.

Forms 4 and 5 also saw a major change in class arrangements. We changed from streaming students on a class basis (5A, 5B, 5C etc.) to a grading on an individual subject basis. Students could now have a free choice of subjects at "O Levels" from amongst the 14 students were offered at the school.

As regards curriculum advances, we were now teaching P.E., Art, Industrial Art, Principles of Accounts, Commerce, Technical Drawing along with the regular subjects at "O Level". The Advanced Level students were longer confined to groups, but had a free choice from amongst 13 subjects. These recent developments are experiencing the normal teething problems which are sure to be sorted out in the near future.

And what of the future? It is relatively simple to look to the future in terms of physical needs only. But the physical needs of any institution are the shells only that cover the educational substance within. We need to launch out in the field of technical vocational education. This means conversion to the National norm, acquiring some properties in the vicinity of the school and erecting a technical wing. Some thought and effort must also be given to music, upgrading of science and language labs, and a more sophisticated time tabling with the help of a computer of our own. These matters of course are on-going and are already being tackled by Mr. Mervyn Moore and his enthusiastic team.

The past is a closed chapter, the present is ours to mould and shape, the future is yet to be written. One can only conclude by quoting the school motto.