St John's Roman Catholic High School

St John's Roman Catholic High School is a secondary school in Dundee, Scotland. It was founded early in 1931 by the Marist Brothers, a religious congregation dedicated to education and under the patronage of the Virgin Mary. The school had eight houses named after abbeys in Scotland: Balmerino, Melrose, Jedburgh, Lindores, Paisley, Kelso, Iona and Dunkeld. In July 2011, the House system was streamlined to three: Dunkeld, Jedburgh, and Melrose. And then, as of August 2024, it has been extended to make Balmerino and Lindores houses again, with the former being for the Support for Learners department.

As of 2023, the school has an enrolment of 1279 students, and although Catholic in outlook, welcomes all religious backgrounds.

History

The Marist Brothers came to Dundee in 1860 and directed the three Roman Catholic primary schools in the city (St Andrew's, Our St Mary's Forebank, St Joseph's). At that time, Catholic secondary education was provided by the Sisters of Mercy at Lawside Academy for both boys and girls.

In 1916, the managers of the Dundee Catholic schools invited the Brothers to undertake the direction of a secondary school for boys in the city. It was proposed that alterations were made to the Brothers' house in Forebank and a new house built for them. This plan was agreed by the Provincial Council of the Brothers, and by 1918 everything was ready for the final steps to be taken. However, when the 1918 Education Act came into force, the diocesan schools were handed over to the local authorities, and the plans for a secondary school for boys came to naught.

In 1931, a new "Central School" was set up to take the boys and girls of post-primary age who did not continue to Lawside Academy. It was to replace the Supplementary Classes, or Advanced Division, which had been housed in the various primary schools. The new school was to be called St John's (after John the Apostle) and the Marist Brothers were asked to run the establishment. The new school was started in buildings in Park Place, which had recently been vacated by Harris Academy. Occasionally some classes took place in Artillery Lane and Daniel Street.

The 1967 Shooting

On November 1, 1967, 19-year-old Robert Mone, a former pupil with a history of behavioral issues, carried out a brutal attack at St. John’s RC High School. Armed with a shotgun, he entered a needlework classroom where 26-year-old teacher Nanette Hanson was conducting a lesson. For an hour and a half, he held Hanson and her pupils hostage, subjecting them to psychological torment.

Mone, who had been expelled from the same school years earlier, was known for his violent tendencies and had previously been in the army before being discharged due to mental health concerns. During the standoff, he taunted his victims, brandished his weapon, and created an atmosphere of terror. Tragically, the ordeal ended when he shot and killed Nanette Hanson in front of her terrified students. The incident shocked the local community and the wider country.

Mone was later apprehended and found guilty, resulting in a life sentence at Carstairs State Hospital. However, his violent nature persisted, and in 1976, he was involved in another horrific crime while incarcerated, aiding in the escape attempt of fellow inmate Thomas McCulloch, which led to multiple additional murders.

Developments

On 15 November 2004, plans for a £11.5 million refurbishment and extension to the Harefield Road building were submitted to the Education Committee of Dundee City Council. Reconstruction took place between October 2004 and October 2006, with the work being carried out by Muirfield (Contracts) Ltd of Dundee. During this time, the school was decanted to the nearby former Rockwell High building on Lawton Road. The demolition of the 3 storey teaching block made way for the construction of a new four-storey building, which, apart from classrooms, also includes a 25-metre 5 lane swimming pool, fitness suite, games hall, community wing and dance studio. The new block contained classrooms for a number of subjects including English, Mathematics, Art, History, Religious Education, Modern Studies, Geography, Computing and Business Studies. Included was a new library, staff room, offices, drama studio and multi-purpose 'learning centre'. The block to the east of the new building was renamed the Iona block and was extensively refurbished and now contains the Science laboratories and the Home Economics rooms. The new building was officially re-opened by Cardinal O'Brien on 15 February 2007, with a final cost of £12.5 million.

In 2012, the school was selected as the Dundee base for the Scottish Football Association's ''Performance Schools'', a system devised to support the development of the best young talented footballers across the country (there are seven such schools across Scotland). As of 2018, the dedicated coach for the young players at St John's is Iain Jenkins.

Notable former pupils

* Dick McTaggart (1935 -2025), boxer
* Ernie Ross (1942-2021), Labour politician
* Robert Mone (born 1948) spree killer
* David Narey (born 1956), footballer
* Jenny Marra (born 1977), politician
* Kieren Webster (born 1986), musician
* Kyle Falconer (born 1987), musician
* Scott Allardice (born 1998), footballer
* Logan Chalmers (born 2000), footballer
* Sam Hickey (born 2000), boxer
* Lyall Cameron (born 2002), footballer
* Kerr Smith (born 2004), footballer

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint John's Roman Catholic High School
Educational institutions established in 1931
Catholic secondary schools in Dundee
Youth football in Scotland
1931 establishments in Scotland