Docco's Diary | St Peter's College in 1995

Old scholars who left St Peter’s College thirty years ago in 1995 will be invited to a Milestone reunion at the School on November 1, 2025. We decided to look back thirty years to 1995 and remember a few of the features of an outstanding year at St Peter’s College.

1995 was a time of economic confidence in Australia. The Australian economy was continuing to recover from the early 1990s recession. It experienced robust growth in 1994/95, with real GDP increasing by approximately 4.75%. Inflation remained low, averaging around 2% in underlying terms. Unemployment continued to fall from its peak, indicating a strengthening labour market.

This mood of confidence led to strong enrolments at St Peter’s College. We had 1081 boys at St Peter’s College in 1995. There were 703 boys in the Senior part of the School and 378 in the Junior School. We had 107 Senior School Boarders in School and Allen House. Senior School day boys were in one of nine Houses: Short, Da Costa, Farrell, Hawkes, MacDermott, Woodcock, Young, Howard and Farr. There were approximately 75 boys in each House.

In 1995, Archbishop T.T. Reed, the sixth Anglican Bishop of Adelaide (and first Archbishop) died on 19th August in his 93rd year. He was educated at St Peter's College, the University of Melbourne and St Barnabas' College, North Adelaide, where he trained for ordination. At St Peter's College, he gained prizes in mathematics, physics and chemistry, as well as in English literature. He was heading for a degree in science at the University of Adelaide, but was persuaded by the Reverend K.J.F. Bickersteth, then Headmaster of St Peter's College, to consider a vocation to the ordained ministry. Except for short periods in Melbourne as a school chaplain and in the AIF as an army chaplain, he spent his entire ministry in the Diocese of Adelaide, as parish priest, Archdeacon, Dean and then, from 1957 to 1974, Bishop and subsequently first Archbishop of the Province of South Australia. Throughout this period he was Visitor of our School and Chairman of the Board of Governors. He was always most interested in all that was going on at St Peter’s College. A picture of Archbishop Reed hangs in Da Costa Hall today. 1995 was the first year that the valuable entrance scholarship in his name was awarded.

Photo: TT Reed as a boy in the Prep School 1911

The Guest of Honour at Speech Day was Mr Ian McLachlan, AO, who was Member for the Federal Seat of Barker 1990-1998. He is one of many outstanding leaders educated at St Peter’s College. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in January 1989 for "service to primary industry". He was a long term President (until 2014) of SACA. There is the “Ian McLachlan Room” in the Western Stand of Adelaide Oval. Under his leadership as President of SACA, Adelaide Oval was successfully redeveloped 2012-14. He was Federal Minister for Defence from 1996 to 1998.

The 1995 SSABSA results were excellent. Sixty two Certificates of Merit were gained by boys who scored 20 in particular subjects.

The outstanding student was Andrew Moey, who gained 6 Certificates of Merit, and a scaled score of 70 /70. Dien Dang who achieved 5 Certificates of Merit. Captain of the School, Ben Allgrove, who, in 1994 gained 4 Certificates of Merit, and this year gained 3 more, in different subjects. Mark Carman, James Parasuramar and Tim Crichton achieved four 20s. Ben Allgrove, Rui-Sang Cheng, Anthony Liu, Michael Haese, Phan Nguyen and Davinder Gill achieved three 20s. Ben Allgrove won the Classics Association Prize for Classical Studies. Andrew Moey the Way College Prize for Chemistry.

These boys gained 67 or more points out of 70.

70           A.W.O. Moey

69.5        B.D. Allgrove

69           M.J. Carman, D.T.Q. Dong

68.5        R-S. Cheng, M.C.A. Liu

68           J.G. Parasuramar, P.M. Haese

67.5        T.J.H. Crichton, P.T. Nguyen

67           M J.R. Edmonds, E.C. Robinson, D.S. Gill, P.H-Y. Kuo

Tim Crichton and Stephen Worthley won prizes in the Australian Maths Competition, Chilton Chong gained an award for excellence in the Australian National Chemistry Quiz, only given to the top 200 in Australia, Michael Haese gained a distinction in the Senior section of the IBM Maths Competition, Dien Dang was runner-up in the South Australian schools' essay competition on the subject of X-Rays, and Craig Shinkfield won the Rotary Pride of Workmanship award.

Forty-seven of our boys, the largest number for many years, were confirmed in the Chapel by Archbishop Ian George. The visit from Bishop Alexis of Rwanda will long be remembered, and his inspiring address describing his work with thousands of orphaned children in his home country touched all our hearts. During Holy Week we gained much from the Reverend Martin Bleby's ministry to the School, as we did through the year from many visiting preachers, including the Dean and the Archdeacon of Adelaide.

In 1995 we were able to raise large sums of money and give generously to several charities.            

With the enthusiastic leadership of Ben Allgrove and Marcus Dreosti, the Founders' Day Run raised over $6,800. Funds were also raised by boys at Casual Clothes Days and Pie and Pastie Days. They were matched by funds from the Mission Guild. The Magdalene Centre in Moore Street, received $5,000. In September, 1995, the Senior School heard an inspiring address from Bishop Alexis of Rwanda and $5,000 was donated to his appeal for funds to core for the many thousands of orphaned children in Rwanda. The continuing drought throughout much of Australia meant students were keen for assistance to he provided, and $5,000 was sent through the Anglican National Disasters Fund to the people of the parish of Broken Hill. The proceeds of a Casual Clothes day, $1,080, were sent to the Elizabeth Mission after the Mission's Coordinator, Ms Bernadette Whitelum, addressed Muster on the need to create a Mini-Mart at the community centre in Elizabeth. The Mission Management also voted $1,000 to St Mary's Child Care for replenishment of play equipment.

As winter set in, the call went out from welfare agencies for food. The annual "Pyramid of cans" in the Senior School was conducted as a competition between the Houses, and several station wagon loads of cans were sent to Elizabeth. The response of the students was magnificent.

In the Year 10 Mission Service programme, in 1995, boys in Year 10 were once again generously hosted by: Riding for the Disabled, the Julia Farr Centre, Roselin Court, Botanic Park Nursing Home, Westbourne Park Day Therapy Centre, St Peter's Child Care, St Mary's Child Care, Wanslea Child Core, Hackney Kindergarten, Rose Park Preschool Centre, the Magdalene Centre, St Luke's Mission, and the Elizabeth Mission.

Boys donated their time in 1995 by participating in four community fund-raising events. Twenty students door knocked for Red Cross and raised $223.40, and fourteen door knocked for the Red Shield Appeal and raised $572.80. In the annual Community Aid Abroad "Walk-against Want" thirty students raised $721.60, and forty students raised over $800.00 in World Vision's "40 Hour Famine".

Members of the Mission Guild maintained the Uniform Shop, held fundraising days such as Tennis Day, and catered for numerous school functions.  

On August 15th, to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of World War 2 (August 15, 1945 is widely celebrated as the day the war concluded in the Pacific), a muster in this Memorial Hall centred on a dramatic reading from the letters of Duncan Campbell Menzies, an Old Scholar killed in Burma in 1943. In that presentation and in the two minute silence which followed the playing of the Last Post we reflected on the sacrifice that so many young men from this School made in that terrible conflict "Pro Deo et Patria". This occasion served many purposes; it affirmed our respect for those who fought, it celebrated the eventual triumph of good over evil, it focussed our minds on what causes conflict and on how such conflicts may be avoided in the future. It also served to heighten an awareness of our nation's past.

Photo: Duncan Campbell Menzies

The School received some generous gifts in 1995 including a Grand Piano from Mr Roger Cundell and his family, and a substantial donation to the Foundation Building Fund from Mr David Wilson, a former Captain of the School. From the estate of Lady Florey, came a most welcome legacy in the 50th anniversary year of Lord Florey receiving the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1945.

In 1995 we held successful 75th anniversary dinners in Hawkes, Farrell, Da Costa and Short Houses. Huge numbers of old scholars and former Housemasters returned for these happy reunion dinners. In Hawkes House, we had over 170 people at the 75th Anniversary Dinner including seven former Housemasters. 

Keys were awarded as follows:

Nathan T. Adcock (HWD) for his contibution to cricket

Marcus V. Dreosti (HWD) for his contribution to water polo and outdoor education

Jonathan D. Fraser (HWK) for his contribution to music 

David C. Norman (MAC) for his contribution to swimming

Toby R. Porter (WDK) for his contribution to cricket

Large and enthusiastic audiences enjoyed the professional production of "Guys and Dolls" staged by Saints and Walford in early July.

The 1995 French drama production "L'Invitation au Chateau" was greatly enjoyed by the enthusiastic group of actors and by their appreciative audiences. Over three performances, students, staff and parents from Saints, Wilderness (with whom, once again, we collaborated for the production), a wide range of other schools and the French community at large strongly supported the efforts of a hard-working group of talented linguists, who put their language skills to good use in this challenging enterprise.

Two of our most outstanding pianists of recent years, Andrew Moey and David Koop, were prize winners in their age groups at the Adelaide Eisteddfod, Andrew gaining first place in the Chopin section and David first place in the Mozart and Baroque sections. Jamie Neill, Ben Heinsohn-Deer and Lachy Angas made a name for themselves in Adelaide as the band Centaur.

In Chess, 55 boys represented the School in chess and another 30 played socially at lunchtimes. 

The Computer Society was popular in 1995.

Debating at Saints was strong in 1995 with twenty-one teams entered in competition, and our Year 12, Year 10 and Year 8 teams became State Debating champions in respective competitions. Rohan Hoole was selected for the State Debating team and in the Plain English Speaking Award Marcus Dreosti was the South Australian winner and went on to be runner-up in the National Final.

The Exploration Society offered a huge number of opportunities for boys in the outdoors. These included Basic and Extension Rock Climbing, Flinders Ranges Venture, a Caving Venture, Surf Kayaking Day, Cross Country Ski Trip, Gammons Venture, Bike Hike and a Tasmanian Venture.

The Mooting and Scientific Societies had large numbers of members.

As the Headmaster commented on Speech Day, 1995 was a vintage year for sport, particularly in matches against Prince Alfred College. Our Hockey team, buoyed by their tour to New Zealand, won the Intercol with a marvellous display. Our Tennis VIII, won their Intercol for the fifth year in a row. Our Football and Cricket teams won their Intercol matches at every age level.  In Athletics we had a 25th successive victory in the Achilles Cup. Rugby enjoyed one of its best seasons ever, as did Basketball and Badminton. Our swimmers nearly won the South Australian High Schools 'A' grade championships.

State and Independent School representatives included Alex Worthington, who rowed in the S.A King's Cup crew, representing Australia in the Trans-Tasman Regatta and then in the World Championships in Poland all in the space of a few months. David Norman won 2 gold and 4 silver medals in the State Swimming Championships and went on to win a bronze medal in the 200m breaststroke at the National Age Championships. He held seven school swimming records. Toby Porter was Vice-Captain of the State U19 cricket side and a member of the Australian U17 development squad. Nathan Adcock captained the State U17 side. Tim Bailey was Vice-Captain of the State U18 Hockey team. Garth Gauvin was one of the most impressive players in South Australia's winning U17 Teal Cup side.

In his 1995 Speech Day Address, Headmaster, Mr Richard Burchnall said: “I do not believe that there is a school in the country that provides a better environment for learning or a wider range of opportunities for its students than Saints”. He was right, but 1995 leavers may want to see the improved educational facilities that we have in 2025. These include: a 1998 Science, Art and Technology Building, into which the Florey Building was absorbed, improved boarding accommodation in School and Allen House, which opened in 2003, an amazing 2003 Burchnall Sports Centre, a 2015 refurbished Pentreath Building that is used mainly for Middle Schooling, the Hill Wing transformed into an excellent Music Centre in 2018, and a 2021-22 redevelopment of the Big Quad and Big School Room. The upper level of the classrooms on the Southern side of the Big Quad now provides an excellent quiet place for Year 12 boys to study during the day and in the evenings.

We hope that many of those who left in 1995 will return for their 30-year milestone reunion on Saturday November 1st, 2025. They will enjoy the reunion. They will meet friends they have not seen for a long period of time (in some cases, 30 years). At the reunion they will have a chance to see some of the new educational facilities. If they have not been back for a few years, they will find a School experiencing record enrolments, and with the grounds looking more beautiful than ever.

Researched and written by David Docwra
David Docwra retired from St Peter’s College in December 2015 after 37 years’ service and is fondly remembered by many as a dedicated teacher, a committed coach of squash, cricket and soccer, and most especially as a passionate Head of Hawkes House for 21 years. David remains connected to St Peter’s College and regularly provides historical articles for the St Peter’s Old Collegians’ newsletters. In 2023 David was made an Honorary Member of the St Peter’s Old Collegians’ Association.