Scotch College, Adelaide

Reunion marking the 50th Anniversary of the wartime use of Birralee and neighbouring Brierly Lodge by Scotch College. (May 1992)

Scotch College is an independent, Uniting Church, co-educational, day and boarding school, located on two adjacent campuses in Torrens Park and Mitcham, inner-southern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia.

Founded in 1919 out of the earlier Kyre College (1902-1918), and incorporated under an Act of Parliament in 1922, Scotch currently caters for approximately 1000 students including more than 100 boarders in Years 7 to 12.^[3]

Scotch College is affiliated with the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference,^[4] the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),^[5] the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA),^[6] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA),^[7] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),^[8] the Independent Schools Sport Association (ISSA) and the Independent Girls' Schools Sport Association (IGSSA).

On 4 September 2014, it was announced that Dr. John Newton would become the new Principal, succeeding Tim Oughton.^[9] Dr. Newton was previously headmaster of Taunton School in the UK.^[10]

History

Scotch College was originally founded as a Presbyterian school for boys, a niche that was not served in South Australia previously.

In the late 19th Century, there were several attempts to found a Presbyterian boys school in South Australia. At the time, Presbyterianism was the fifth largest religion in the colony, after Anglicanism, Roman Catholicism, Congregationalism, and Methodism.^[11] Only 5-10% of the colony's inhabitants belonged to that denomination.^[12] Many of the larger denominations already had private schools, such as St. Peter's College (Anglican), Prince Alfred College (Methodist). Although Scotch College, Melbourne had been successfully running as a Presbyterian boys school in Victoria since 1851, funding shortages prevented the funding of a South Australian Presbyterian school until later.

In 1902, Kyre College, which would eventually become Scotch College, was founded by David Henry Hollidge (1868–1963) in Malvern and in 1903 moved to Unley Park.^[13] The school grew quickly and prospered until about 1913, after which enrollments declined as a result of an agricultural downturn and eventually World War I.^[14]

In the meantime, the idea of founding an independent Presbyterian boys school remained popular, and funding was finally secured after the War. In 1918, Kyre College became Scotch College and first operated under that name in 1919. An enduring legend associated with the College is that it was founded in the memory of the "Sons of Scotland who fought and died in The Great War of 1914–1918". ^[15]

The re-formed school was initially called Kyre Scotch College. The name "Scotch" was added due to the Scottish origins of Presbyterianism, just as it was for Scotch College, Melbourne. The first headmaster was Norman Gratton, previously a Presbyterian Church elder, and the College officially incorporated under an Act of Parliament in 1922.

In 1920 the College moved to the current location of the Middle and Senior School campus in Torrens Park, formerly the property of Sir Robert Richard Torrens, Sir Walter Walton Hughes, and Mr Robert Barr Smith.^[16]

During World War II, the property was used by the United States Army and then the Royal Australian Air Force, and the school was forced to move to Birralee, Belair and Brierly Lodge from May 1942 to February 1944. "Gratton House", now the Middle School, was built as a memorial to 57 Old Collegians who were killed in World War II.

In 1972 the College became co-educational, and the Middle School was founded the following year. In 1977 the Presbyterian Church of Australia merged with the Methodist and Congregational churches to form the Uniting Church of Australia and Scotch College changed its religious affiliation accordingly. Today,^[17] the College is administered by a Council of Governors in connection with the Uniting Church in Australia.^[17]

Campus

Scotch College is situated on two neighbouring campuses, covering over 20 hectares in the Torrens Park area of Mitcham, about 8 kilometres south of Adelaide, in the foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges.^[18] The two campuses of the College are:

• Torrens Park Campus, catering for the Middle School (Years 7 to 9) and the Senior College (Years 10 to 12).
• Junior School Campus catering for students from Reception to Year 6 in connection to an Early Learning Centre for children from three years of age.

Facilities

The Torrens Park Campus includes the following facilities:

• The Barr-Smith Theatre, a historic theatre where plays and productions are staged
• Fisher Chapel
• Rosevear Boarding Precinct
• Drawing room which is used to host various functions
• Agricultural farm
• 3 dance studios
• The Soundhouse, a multimedia recording studio
• Private music tuition rooms, and larger rooms for ensemble work
• Two fully equipped gymnasiums
• Heated swimming pool
• 11 tennis courts
• Two large ovals with facilities for football, soccer, hockey and athletics
• Two computer labs providing access to CAD and PhotoShop
• Design and technology classrooms with access to various machinery
• Eight fully equipped science laboratories
• Fully equipped classrooms for various subjects
• Carparks
• EFM Health Gym

ICT

The school has a strong focus on the use of information and communication technology (ICT). Every Middle and Senior school student is required to have a laptop, and most school work is done electronically, helping students to develop independence and organisational skills.

Junior school students learn basic robotics, clay-mation and film making.

Performing arts

Scotch College has traditionally had a strong Performing Arts emphasis with many students excelling in the area such as actress Sarah Snook. Students can elect to study dance, drama and music as either a curriculum subject or as a co-curricula activity. The Scotch Performing Arts Co-Curricula Enrichment (SPACE) program delivers an opportunity for students to be involved in major productions. Performing Arts facilities at Scotch include three dance studios, the Barr-Smith Theatre, extensive drama classrooms, private and ensemble music rooms, the Chapel and a multimedia recording facility, the "Soundhouse".

Boarding

Scotch College has provided boarding facilities for students since the school’s establishment in 1919. In 2011, the College opened a new Rosevear Boarding Precinct to significantly enhance facilities, which include spacious individual and shared bedrooms, large common rooms with kitchenettes, laundry and storage areas, study spaces, a tutors’ suite, and a large outdoor barbecue area.^[3] Managed by a Director and Deputy Director of Boarding, the College’s boarding house currently accommodates more than 100 students each year from Years 7-12, both male and female.

Positive education

Scotch College is committed to "positive education" and has adopted various programs and principles from US psychologist and educator, Dr Martin Seligman, as part of the school’s overall education offering. In 2011, Scotch became the first school in South Australia to formally implement positive psychology programs as part of the school’s curriculum.^[19]

Caledonian

The name Scotch College reflects the school's Scottish heritage, which is most powerfully expressed through the Caledonian Corps. Although the College was founded in 1919, there was no caledonian band until almost 40 years later. Not until the advent of the Cadet Corps, and the need this generated for a band that could provide suitable marching music, was a band founded and funded. At present the band continues despite the cadet corps not having existed for over 30 years.

Scotch College pipe band and highland dancers at the City of Adelaide clipper's 150th anniversary at Port Adelaide, 17 May 2014

Headmasters and Principals

Kyre College

• David Henry Hollidge (1902 - 1915)
• Ben Ellis (1916 - 1918)

Scotch College

• Norman Gratton (1919 - 1951)
• Patrick Disney (1952 - 1961 )
• Charles Fisher (1962 - 1969)
• Philip Roff (1970 - 1975)
• Wesley Miles (1975 - 1991)

The title "Headmaster" was replaced by the gender-neutral "Principal", beginning with Kenneth Webb in 1992.

• Kenneth Webb (1992 - 2000)
• Geoffrey Fisher (2001 - 2005)
• Cheryl Bauer (acting, 2006)
• Timothy Oughton (2007 - 2014)
• John Newton (2015 - present)

Formal portraits of the College's past Principals and Headmasters hang in the atrium of the chapel.

Notable alumni

Politics

• Penny Wong – ALP Senator for South Australia Australian Commonwealth Government
• Alan Ferguson - Liberal Senator for South Australia since 1992 ^[20]
• Graham Gunn - Former Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly ^[21]
• Keith Laught - Former Senator for South Australia (1951–69) ^[22]
• Legh Davis – A member of the South Australian Legislative Council
• Robert Hill – Former Chancellor of the University of Adelaide, Australian Ambassador to the United Nations, Senator for South Australia, Minister for Defence, Leader of the Government in Australian Senate, and longest serving leader of the Liberal Party in the Australian Senate.
• John McLeay, Jr. - Former Minister for Administrative Services, Australian Federal Government ^[23]
• Douglas Scott - Former Minister for Special Trade Negotiations, Australian Federal Government^[24]
• Alec Fong Lim - Former Mayor of Darwin ^[25]

Business

• Brian Croser – One of Australia's top winemakers
• Liza Emanuele – prominent fashion designer
• Peter Lehmann – winemaker from the Barossa Valley.^[26]

Public Service

• Sam Jacobs – A South Australian Supreme Court Judge, who was inquirer into the BankSA collapse.
• Peter Barbour – Director-General of ASIO (1970–1975)

The Arts

• Amy Gebhardt – Award winning filmmaker
• Tim Jacobs – son of Sam Jacobs, head of the Victorian Arts Centre and former head of the Sydney Opera House
• Tara Morice – Actress.
• Sarah Snook – stage, television and film actress.

Sport

• Tom Brice – Professional baseball player (Right-Field), competed in Sydney 2000 Olympics, SASI Graduate.
• Juliet Haslam – Dual Olympic gold hockey player, see Hockey at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
• Brendan Hewitt – Australian runner and state record holder for 3000m Steeplechase.
• Rory Laird – AFL footballer for the Adelaide Crows.^[27]
• David Lutterus – Notable rising golf star, turning pro in 2004, currently participating in the US PGA Tour. Competed in the 2008 Sony Open in Hawaii.
• Ben Nelson – A former Carlton and Adelaide Crows footballer.
• Wayne B. Phillips – Former Australian Test cricketer.
• Victor York Richardson – An Australian Test captain and grandfather of Ian, Greg, and Trevor Chappell.
• James Seppelt – Silver medalist in the 1994 Rowing World Championship.
• Bill Leak - Footballer and Cricketer
• Thanasi Kokkinakis - Professional tennis player^[28]

Science

• Howard Florey - Nobel Laureate, co-inventor of Penicillin^[29][30]

See also

• List of schools in South Australia
• List of boarding schools
• Scotch College Old Collegians Association

References

External links

• Scotch College website