Catholic Schools Office
Archdiocese of Pretoria and 
Diocese of Johannesburg

 
Christian Brothers College
Mount Edmund  www.cbcpretoria.co.za

Telephone
012 804 1801 / 012 804 1792  

Physical Address
Church Street East Extension
Weavind Park
Pretoria

Fees (2010)
Gr RRR R23 500 
Gr 1 R25 600
Gr 8 R39 000
Plus levies
Sibling rebates

Founding & history
In 1917 Bishop Cox and Father Ryan OMI invited the Christian Brothers to establish a school in Pretoria. Building of the school on a site on Lynnwood Road, adjoining the University, began in 1921. The new College was dedicated to St Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows who had been recently canonised.

Fifty-six pupils started school on 8 September 1922. Mass was celebrated in one of the College classrooms at 6.00 a.m. and then the Brothers' house and the classrooms were blessed. Classes ranged from Standard 3 to Junior Certificate. In 1925 the College presented its first class for the Matriculation Examination of the Joint Matriculation Board.

In the mid 1960s the University of Pretoria urgently required the property for expansion and offered an alternative agricultural site near Silverton. In 1968 the Brothers took over the new site. The last day at St Gabriels, June 27th 1969, saw books, papers, desks, chairs, tables, scenery and statues piled high on half a dozen lorries for the move. In July 1969, the third term began in the brand new College, and in the following January the first boarders arrived. Brother Smith, the principal, was able to re-house a mature college with wonderful traditions in a modern environment. The renaming of the College as Mount Edmund was in honour of the founder of the Christian Brothers, Blessed Edmund Rice, who was born in Ireland in 1762.

In the late 1980s the Brothers, troubled by the disparities in the South African education system, decided to gradually withdraw from their more privileged white schools and hand them over to laypeople who would continue the schools as genuine Catholic Schools. The Brothers would then be released for work among the lesser privileged.

Under Brother McCarthy, the last brother to head the school, every aspect of the school was re-evaluated and accepted or rejected on its merits. Discussions were opened up concerning co-educational schooling. The rod and the cane were laid aside in favour of a more individualistic approach and the concept of self-discipline. As a result CBC Mount Edmund could meet the events of 1994 in South Africa with great optimism: our 'transition years' had already happened.

Under lay leadership, the Ethos of Edmund Rice was promoted rigorously and the traditions of the Christian Brothers were jealously guarded. The College became co-ed, a girls' hostel was opened and classes from Grade 0 were established. Hotelkeeping was introduced, and a Design and Technology Centre built. The hostels were closed at the end of 2000 as the number of families needing boarding had declined.

In 2001, the College celebrated its 80th year and the 200 years of the founding of the Christian Brothers congregation.  

Motto
Viriliter Age
Act manfully

Current enrolment
710 (2010 figures)
Boys and girls - Grade RRR to Grade 12  

Subjects offered for Grade 12 (GDE Examination)
English, Afrikaans, Sepedi, French, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Geography, Physical Science, Business Studies, Accounting, Information Technology, History, Life Sciences, Hotelkeeping, Life Orientation

Facilities
Chapel, 2 halls, media centre, 2 computer centres, design and technology centre, restaurant, 2 tuckshops, afternoon care, 4 soccer fields, swimming pool, squash court, 3 tennis courts, 3 netball courts, 3 cricket ovals, 2 hockey fields, basketball court

Extra-murals
Hockey (boys and girls), netball, basketball (boys and girls), soccer, tennis, cricket, squash, wall climbing, Edmund Rice Society outreach group, debating, public speaking, chess, choir

Principal
Mr Peter Ross  

Postal Address
PO Box 912487
Silverton, 0127

Fax :012 804 8781

E-mail: cbcmted@mweb.co.za  

Website: http://www.cbcpretoria.co.za

The original Pretoria CBC (1922-1969) - St Gabriels in Lynnwood

  Regions

  Schools in the 
  Pretoria 
  Archdiocese

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PRETORIA AND THE ARCHDIOCESE OF JOHANNESBURG
PRETORIA w Jolivet House, 140 Visagie Street w PO Box 8149 Pretoria 0001 w Tel 012 321 2049, 012 348 3197 w Fax 012 348 8280 w E-mail  rendol@netactive.co.za
JOHANNESBURG w The Haven w St Vincent School for the Deaf w Jellicoe Avenue, Melrose w PO Box 2635 Saxonwold 2132 w Tel 011 447 9219/9211 w Fax 011 447 9129 w E-mail  info@cso.za.org