Patrick Ambrose Treacy

Patrick Ambrose Treacy CFC (20 October 1834 – 15 August 1913) was a Roman Catholic educationist who established the first permanent Christian Brothers community in Australia in 1868.

Treacy was born on 31 August 1834 in Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland. Educated at an academy and the local Christian Brothers' school at Thurles, he excelled in mathematics. In February 1852 he joined the Congregation of Christian Brothers, Waterford. After a rigorous course he was posted to various local schools for experience and also continued his studies, including part-time courses under the aegis of the Science Museum, South Kensington. After eight years of teaching at Wexford schools he became headmaster of the Christian Brothers' schools in Carlow. Showing administrative skill he achieved high teaching efficiency and improved school buildings and equipment.

In 1868 Bishop Goold asked for a community of Christian Brothers to establish schools in Victoria. Treacy was chosen as leader, and with three confrères (Dominic Fursey Bodkin, John Barnabas Lynch and Patrick James Nolan) arrived in Melbourne in the Donald McKay in November to find the Catholic school system receiving some state aid, but in a parlous condition under the control of local parish priests. Treacy opened a primary school in Lonsdale Street in 1869. When the Education Act of 1872 set up a system of 'free, compulsory and secular' education, controlled by a state department, the Catholic hierarchy determined to retain and pay for their own school system. Undaunted by lack of money, Treacy initiated a colony-wide campaign to finance land and buildings. With generous help from colonists of all creeds Parade College was erected in Victoria Parade on Eastern Hill, Melbourne; opened in January 1871, its final cost was about £12,000. Having observed the deplorable state of diocesan schools during his collecting tours, Treacy advocated to the Catholic Education Committee a rise in teachers' salaries and a training college. He offered in the meantime to train as teachers senior boys selected from his own system. There were no funds for a teachers' college but his further offer to inspect metropolitan schools was accepted.

Treacy's report on the condition of the system resulted in up-to-date equipment, and under him the brothers organised a training scheme for their aspirants.

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