Rostrevor celebrates 100 years
Schools
More than 900 students will have the memories of their school days kept for posterity as part of Rostrevor College’s centenary celebrations in 2023.
To commemorate the college’s official 100th birthday on May 29 – Rostrevor Day – the 940 current students and 180 staff members took part in a whole school photo before enjoying copious amounts of chocolate birthday cake. Every student was then given a small card with a writing or drawing prompt to complete, which will be placed in a centenary time capsule to be unearthed by future generations.
Fittingly, a time capsule buried at the college in 1983 was dug up on June 1, revealing an array of memorabilia from 40 years ago.
The centenary is also being recognised through a social media campaign of short videos in which members of the Rostrevor community – young and old, past and present – share their thoughts and memories of the Woodforde school. Two of those featured include Christian Brothers John Ahern and Michael Coughlin, who have been part of the Rostrevor story for many years.
The official centenary events kicked off with the Opening Ceremony in February. New students to the school were processed through a guard of Year 12s by a bagpiper, with Br Ahern and Head Prefect Lachlan Tripodi then raising the Centenary Flag.
In early March there was an air of nostalgia and fatherly pride when the college hosted a Sons and Grandsons of Rostrevor College breakfast. Ninety current students attended with their old scholar fathers and grandfathers, prompting reunions between old friends and lots of laughing as anecdotes were shared with the younger boys.
A Night on the Lawns saw Rostrevor’s deep connection to music on display, with student bands, choirs and performances by old scholars.
In early May, 75 old scholars from the classes of 1972 and prior gathered at the school for the Old Boys’ Lunch. For some it was like old times as they toured the school grounds and attended the annual Edmund Rice Day Mass.
On June 16, old scholars from the Class of 1992, John Aloisi and Luke Darcy, were guest speakers at the Rostrevor Old Collegians’ Association Business Lunch for almost 500 people.
And the celebrations will continue later in the year with the Centenary Gala to be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on September 2. More than 1300 people are expected to attend this black-tie event.
A photo of the tuck shop in the college’s early years.
The Centenary Book, authored by Greg Hay and Leanne Craig, which details the history of the college and includes many interesting photographs, will be launched later this year.
Plans are also underway to recreate the walk taken by students on the day the college was opened. As the history book outlines, students coming from CBC arrived on a tram before walking the rest of the way up Moules Road to their new school. The walk, to be undertaken by current boarding students and student leaders, will coincide with the burying of the 2023 time capsule.
Jump to next article
