College Jubilee Dinner

After months of planning, we could not have wished for a better weekend to celebrate the Saint Kentigern College 60th Jubilee. The focal point of the weekend was the Jubilee Dinner and in a blaze of sunshine, over 600 guests gathered to chat over pre-dinner drinks outside the Old Boys Sports Centre, while the Old Collegians’ Pipe Band entertained. Overseen by the Parents and Friends Association, the gymnasium had been transformed to a dinner venue to be proud of as we welcomed both past and present staff, students, parents and Trust Board members along with the many people in our community who have been part of the history of the College.

We were delighted to welcome past Headmasters, Nigel Toy (1983-1997), David Williams 1997-2001) and Warren Peat  (2001-2008) who joined with current Head of College, Steve Cole to be piped into dinner by recent Old Collegian, William Tremlett. Whilst no longer with us, it was a poignant moment in the evening when, in hushed silence, old footage of the first Headmaster, the Reverend Dr Adam MacFarlan came to the screen and his familiar Scottish brogue delivered the Prayer of Saint Kentigern.

President of the Old Collegians, Mr Andrew Morgan, called the room to order as with friendly banter, the Foundation Pupils were asked to stand for roll call and give their name and College number, followed by successive decades of students.  In a public acknowledgement of a remarkable 44 years of service, recently retired staff member, Mr Peter Hadfield, was created an Honorary Life Member of the Old Collegians and presented with a Saint Kentigern Blue lapel pin.

Sir Noel Robinson (College number 638) attended Saint Kentigern College from 1958 – 1961. Since then he has gone on to take on significant roles in the New Zealand commercial world and was made a Knight of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business and the community in 2009. Sir Noel was called on to propose a toast and spoke warmly of all the College has done to create not only the highest learning standards but also to set students the highest possible personal standards. He said that, ‘Whilst not everyone was able to carry away from school a 1st XV cap , a crested volume of academic achievement or a place on the honours board, we all left with the school with a fixed reference point for life.’ He went on to say that the College has done a great deal for its past students and, in return, the individual and collective wisdom of the Old Collegians is also now an asset, playing an important part in preserving traditions and raising funds for the College.

Peter’s close involvement with the College spanned a period that included part of the tenure of three of the five Heads of the College, and so he was well positioned to represent our Saint Kentigern parents on this special occasion. As for many parents, the College was a significant part of the Boshier’s lives for many years. In a multi-media, after-dinner speech that was full of fun, taking a world view of the passage of time since the College opened in 1953, there was a significant theme; that some things in life endure. They have a solid foundation; they adapt and last – and Saint Kentigern College has done just that and more than endure, it has built on its solid foundations to achieve great things. Peter concluded by saying, ‘I am unapologetic and unashamed in my praise of this school. From my position as a judge, where I have seen so much dysfunction among teenagers and their families, I see the laying of a caring, disciplined and high achieving foundation, as about the most pivotal thing in an upbringing as you can get.’After an enjoyable dinner with much chatting and laughter echoing around the room, current Trust Board member, Mr Alan Burton introduced the guest speaker for the evening; past parent and retired Principal Judge of the Family Court, Peter Boshier.  Alan said, ‘The College places great value on the importance of the Saint Kentigern family; without the trust, commitment and, more often than not, real sacrifices made by parents over the years, we would not be celebrating the achievements of the College tonight.’

The final part of the evening was an auction that rattled along at great pace. The first five items were to raise money for the Old Collegians Scholarship Fund and in a few short minutes of active bidding, almost $10,000 was raised. This was followed by the auctioning of advertising space on two of the 1st XV’s training jerseys to raise money for the team’s upcoming trip to contest the school boy world rugby title in Japan. $4,600 was quickly raised.

With the formalities over, it was left for the Old Collegians to mix, mingle and laugh the night away as they enjoyed catching up with old friends and reminiscing on their place in the last 60 years of the history of the College.

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