MARIST College Kogarah, best remembered by many locals as Marist Brothers Kogarah, has seen a lot of changes in its eventful 100-year history.

The teaching brothers, straw boaters, free milk, leaving certificates, cadets, and the cane have all been consigned to history, replaced by an age in which the web has nothing to do with spiders and surfing is done on computers rather than at the beach.

The school marks its centenary this year, and to celebrate six former principals met at the school on March 31 to reminisce and remind current students of their educational legacy.

The most senior of the former principals, Brother Pat Foley, said the school still captured the ``Marist spirit'' of excellence and devotion, as expressed by the order's founder, Saint Marcellin Champagnat.

Speaking to the former principals and a group of year 7 boys and college leaders, current principal John Riordan said the youngest of the boys were starting their high school career at a remarkable time.

``To be part of a school with a 100-year tradition is quite significant,'' he said. ``The Marist tradition empowers people to do great things.''

The boys and former principals were then treated to an audio-visual presentation capturing both the school's history and that of the world at historical milestones.

The presentation emphasised that the school's evolution mirrored that of the wider world, with notable government ministers, footballers, cricketers, soldiers, clergy, politicians, businessmen and entertainers all coming from the student ranks over the

decades.

The school catered for 100 students in its first year, and since 1909 has educated 20,000 boys (including girls from 1984 to 1994) with 600 staff.