Docco's Diary | St Peter's College in 2005

Young men who left St Peter’s College twenty years ago in 2005 will be invited to a Milestone reunion at the School on November 1 2025. We decided to look back twenty years to 2005 and remember some of the many positive features of the year at St Peter’s College.

We had 1084 boys in the School in 2005. There were 714 boys in the Senior School and 370 in the Junior School. There were 73 Senior School boarders. 641 Senior School day boys were in one of nine Houses: Short, Da Costa, Farrell, Hawkes, MacDermott, Woodcock, Young, Howard and Farr. There were approximately 70 boys in each House.

2005 was a challenging year on the world stage. The London bombings and the second lot of Bali bombings, the War on Terrorism, starvation in the Sudan, Hurricane Katrina, which killed 1,392 people in the South of the USA, the flooding of New Orleans, and the devastating 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, which killed an estimated 230,000 people across 12 countries, were all sources of great anxiety.

Despite this uncertainty, life went on well at St Peter’s College. In 2005, we welcomed Archbishop Jeffrey Driver to the School, as Visitor and President of The Council. He was installed as Archbishop of Adelaide in the Adelaide Convention Centre on 21st October. The choice of this venue enabled three times the number of people to witness and join in the event and gave a great opportunity for dramatic symbolism in the theme of the Installation. At the installation, an orchestra of 50 students from St Peter's College and Walford joined with a choir of 120 Senior School students from every Anglican School in the Diocese. It was a memorable night attended by the Governor, the Primate, Bishops and clergy from throughout Australia, the Premier and other civic representatives.

In 2005 we also welcomed new Headmaster Mr Philip Grutzner. In his first year, 2005, he created a strategic plan. One element of the strategic plan was the creation of mentor groups with about 16 boys per group in each House. This has led to better pastoral care in our School. He believed strongly that every boy needs a significant adult in the School to whom he can relate. Research has shown that this relationship is crucial for a boy’s emotional, social, and cognitive development, fostering a sense of security and trust. All teachers now have a role to play in the pastoral care of boys.

In Mr Grutzner’s Speech Day address at the end of the year, he said: “To the Year 12 students leaving at the end of this year, thank you for enriching the life of St Peter's College. I hope that you take with you wonderful memories of your education of St Peter's College and that you can now move forward with confidence, knowing that you can make a difference in our world”. He also commented: “We are very proud of our prize winners, we celebrate success and we are not in the habit of cutting down tall poppies. But let us not forget our open and inclusive enrolment policy. For we are just as proud of those who struggled, those who found the year a real slog, those who never gave up, those who overcame personal and family difficulties and to the vast majority who aspired to, and achieved, a personal best. On behalf of the School, congratulations to our Year 12 Class of 2005”.

The Guest of Honour at Speech Day was Rear Admiral (Retd) Kevin Scarce. At the end of his address to the Year 12 2005 leavers, he said: “I think the future does hold exciting opportunities for those who are prepared to continue learning - for those willing to set a goal and pursue it with passion. Above all, enjoy what you do, and have some fun while you are doing it!”

In 2005 we were proud to receive the news that old scholar Dr Robin Warren had won a Nobel Prize for Medicine. He was at St Peter’s College 1950 to 1955 and was in MacDermott House. He wrote: “In 1967 I moved to Perth as a Consultant Pathologist at the Royal Perth Hospital.  In 1979 I discovered bacteria growing in the stomach. These bacteria appeared often and seemed to cause inflammation. With Dr Barry Marshall, I grew the bacteria (Helicobacter pylori) and showed they caused peptic ulcer disease. This work was eventually accepted and we won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2005”. Dr Robin Warren and Dr Barry Marshall made the revolutionary discovery that bacteria, and not stress and lifestyle, cause most stomach ulcers. The discovery, which was widely ridiculed within medical circles in the late 1970s and early 1980s, has since spared millions of people from unnecessary pain and misery by greatly simplifying the treatment of peptic ulcers to a short regimen of antibiotics and acid secretion inhibitors. This is the third time a Nobel Prize has been won by an old scholar of our School. Bragg (1915) and Florey (1945) also won Nobel Prizes. Dr Robin Warren died last year in Perth on 23rd July 2024 at the age of 87.

Keys awards were received as follows:

Alexis J.G. Anderson (MAC) for his contribution to music

Bi T-C Giuang (HWD) for his contribution to music

The School's major academic prizes and scholarships for Year 12 boys were awarded after the resilts of the 2005 SACE and IB exames were announced. 

The Young Exhibition ofor the Best Scholar of the Year - Nicholas Smith 

The Robley Prize for the proxime accessit to the Young Exhibition - Sam Heithersay and Trang Phan 

The N.D. and R.E Eliot MBE Scholatrship - Tom Altree

The L.W. Bakewell Law Scholarship - Giles Dunseath-Hamilton

Music was again strong at St Peter’s College in 2005. The number of boys learning instruments within the School was approximately 450 - a significant percentage of the School’s total population (42%). School musicians were involved in 25 performances throughout the year which included engagements in the community, concerts in Memorial Hall and Big School Room and the West Side Story production. Boys also enjoyed visits from various musical groups from interstate and overseas.

The French play for 2005, Jean Anouilh's celebrated historical drama “Becket, ou l'honneur de Dieu” was an amazing French language production. It involved a cast of 27 actors playing 48 different roles; it ran for 1 hour 40 minutes without interval; and it required 29 different scene changes.

With Walford Anglican School for Girls, we put on the successful musical “West Side Story”. The Director, Mr Greg Elliot commented: “The production was thought-provoking, professional and a joy to watch. The St Peter's College and Walford Anglican School for Girls communities can take great pride in their production of West Side Story as it was an outstanding achievement”.

All boys in Year 10 did their week’s mission work at agencies such as the Magdalene Centre, the Elizabeth Mission and the Julia Farr Services, A large amount of food was donated to those less fortunate than we are at the “Pyramid of Cans” and the “Christmas Hamper Appeal”.  Money was raised at the Casual Clothes Days and the Founders’ Day Run. This with the work of the Mission Guild allowed the School to donate between $35,000 and $50,000 to charity work here in Adelaide, around the country and overseas.

There were a range of overseas tours. These included a Study trip to China, an inaugural Basketball tour of China, a New Zealand Water Polo tour, a Soccer tour to England and Italy, as well as exchanges to Germany and South Africa.

There were a large number of clubs and societies that provided opportunities for boys in 2005. These included: Art Club, Chess, Chinese Society, Computer Society, Dancing, Debating, French Society, Future Problem Solving, German Society, Historical Society, Mooting Society, Public Speaking, Scientific Society, Tournament of Minds, Young Achievers.

The Exploration Society offered a range of activities. These included a venture to Encounter Bay, paddling to Seal Rock, Wright Island and Shark Alley, Junior Sailing Ventures, a Kayaking Venture in the backwaters of the Murray River centred on Chowilla Creek, where Senior boys enjoyed the serenity, and loved surfing the wake of the paddleboats, a hiking venture to Wilpena Pound, rock climbing at Mt Arapiles and in Morialta Conservation Park, and a Surf Kayaking day at Southport at the mouth of the Onkaparinga River.

Several boys were involved with Toc H, a service organisation based on Christian principles. There was a successful tree planting at Tainmundilla on National Tree Day and boys assisted with Badge Days and Red Cross Blood Donations. Some also took part in the annual 40 Hour Famine fundraiser.

2005 was a good year for sport

In Athletics we won the Achilles Cup again. Final points were: Saints 1303, Pembroke 1231, Trinity 1095, PAC 1084, followed by Rostrevor, CBC, St Michael's and Pulteney Grammar School. This gave us 34 Achilles wins in 35 years, and victory in 22 of the past 23 Intercollegiate contests against PAC. Princes joined the competition in 1983.

In the College Cup contest, third place went to Co-Captain Richard Thomas (DaC) who won the Pole Vault and Discus Throw on Sports Day, while the other Co-Captain Thomas Altree (Sht) came second with wins in the Long and Triple Jumps and the 800m/1500m double. The College Cup Champion for 2005 was Alexander Blight (S&A) whose speed, agility and strength enabled him to win the three sprints, Hurdles and Shot Put.

Badminton continued to grow in popularity with over seventy boys selecting the game as their summer sport.

In basketball, after a slow start, the First V finished with eight straight wins including a win in the coveted Intercollegiate match.

In cricket the First XI won nine out of twelve matches. An exciting First XI intercollegiate match was drawn with Princes requiring 9 runs and Saints 1 wicket for victory.

In football the First XVIII intercollegiate game was close and exciting.  With seconds remaining, Nick Lopez was given a free kick almost 50m out from goal on a 45° angle. As the ball sailed through for a goal, the final siren sounded and Saints were victorious by 4 points.

The First XI Hockey Team had an undefeated season. 

In rowing, the First Eight carried off the Cornell and Advertiser Shields in fine form, and capped the season with a clear-water win
for the Gosse Shield and the Head of the River title.

The number of boys choosing rugby as their major sport was strong with two Senior teams and one Junior side being fielded.

The First XI Soccer Team won the intercollegiate match and reached the semi-final of state competition.

We had a successful squash season.

In swimming the Open Champion was Chris Plummer. Charles Cropper was runner-up.

In First Tennis, Prince Alfred College won the Intercollegiate match 7 rubbers to 5.

In volleyball, the Open A team won about half of their games for the season.

In Open A water polo, Saints won many of the fourteen matches by large margins.

As Mr Philip Grutzner said in his first Headmaster’s Report in 2005, “St Peter’s College is a wonderful place to be and plays an important part in preparing our students for a rapidly-changing society and providing them with many opportunities to succeed”. He also said: “Saints is a busy school and so much goes beyond the classroom.” As 2005 leavers look back twenty years, they may remember the many opportunities they were offered here outside the classroom. They may also remember the strong House system, and the leadership opportunities the School provided. It is not surprising that St Peter’s College has a reputation for producing leaders.

We hope that many of those who left in 2005 will return for their 20-year milestone reunion on Saturday November 1st, 2025. They will enjoy the reunion. They will meet some friends they have not seen for 20 years. They will find a School experiencing record enrolments, with many new facilities, including 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, which they may like to see, 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.