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St Marcellin Champagnat was the great and gifted French educationalist who founded the Marist Order in 1817. His approach to education was characterised by mutual respect, tolerance and kindness. His ‘Golden Rule’ was that before a person can teach young people, he/she must first love them. St Marcellin challenged all who are involved with the education of young people to bear the following in mind when interacting with them:

• All young people are basically good
• Understand what makes young people act as they do
• Challenge others to take a positive view of young people
• Have a particular care for those least favoured by life
• The relationship between an adult and a young person is that between big brother/sister and little brother/sister
• Unfailing kindness and patience work with the young
• Be close to young people, challenging them with gentleness and respect
• Express your sense of humour
• Working with young people is a call of the gospel
• Bringing up young people is both a civic and a spiritual activity

Besides St Joseph’s Marist College, there are four other Marist Schools in South Africa: