Where are they now – Frank Carrucan (SPC 1960-65)

The College reconnected recently with Old Collegian Frank Carrucan (SPC 1960-65) who enjoyed a career in teaching and would be well known to some of our Old Collegians as a replacement teacher. These days, Frank enjoys many pursuits including a love of Volkswagens!

Where has life taken you since leaving SPC?

Counting Teacher’s College which I entered at the age of 17 in 1966, I did 50 years of teaching with the Education Dept in primary, some secondary and a great deal of tutoring/lecturing mainly in education, finishing in 2015 at Federation University. I did research at Deakin, worked briefly at ACU and for many years at Federation. I worked for some time as a replacement teacher CRT at St Patrick’s in retirement.

Currently I am interested in writing (YA, Crime), painting, singing (St Pat’s Cathedral Choir), Volkswagens, family history – and family of course, with Kathy and I being fortunate enough to have five grandsons.

Check out more of Frank’s pursuits here and here

 

Do you have family ties with SPC?

My father Con, my uncles and my son Andrew attended as did my McArdle cousins. Of our five grandsons, three in Melbourne, in primary school will be attending St Bernard’s, while the others are at St Thomas’ Drysdale and St Ignatius Secondary.

What are your fondest memories of your time at St Patrick’s College?

I remember well cadets and senior debating in Year 12, which John Mooney and I won – two day future teachers against two boarders, Gavan O Connor and Jamie McKew, future Member of Parliament, and medical specialist.

Which teacher from your time at SPC had the greatest impact on you? Why?

Brother Pat Smith, who was my second cousin was a big influence. I met him in Year 7 in 1960 as my home room teacher and he improved my confidence as well as my educational abilities. He kept an eye on me, encouraging me to do a Cadet Sergeant’s course at Puckapunyal among other things. He was sent to Texas, Queensland in his later career and became a priest. I talked to him a few years before he died, and earlier, attended his first mass at SPC. He had to resign from the Christian Brothers to become a priest, something, he said, he never expected to do.

 

How has your education shaped your professional life?

Profoundly. Educational qualifications have been central to my career. St Pat’s gave me a good start.

 

How has your time at SPC shaped your personal values and your family life?

Catholic and Irish heritage have been important. In genealogical research ‘Dirt Poor, Spirit Rich -Carrucan Chronicles – see above), we cooperated with Carrucans in Ireland, USA and New Zealand. Understanding the trials of our Irish ancestors has influenced my understanding of political, religious and historical issues, and influenced my personal values and ethics.

 

If you could pass on one message to the students of today, what would it be?

Resilience and perseverance are fundamental. Education doesn’t end at Year 12. It’s a lifelong process. Many people, including me, have studied as mature-aged students. Don’t underrate yourself. Everyone has some failures along the way but stay positive and believe in your own abilities.