33 Years Reunion Luncheon
The Reunion Luncheon for the first thirty three years (1925-58) was held in the Ballroom (formerly the Junior Common Room and then the Senior Common Room) on Friday 20 November. With over thirty alumni and their partners present, what would ordinarily seem like distant memories seemed like only yesterday.
Among the seven Grand Alpiners present on this occasion was Antony Simpson (Alumnus 1958-1962) who proposed the toast to the College. In recalling what was memorable to Ant during his time at College, woven with humorous anecdotes and stories, Ant spoke of the challenges in such events as Alpine Day in a co-residential College. He said that this year, upon receipt of the invitation from the Grand Alpiner to attend Alpine Day, both he and Mr Archie McArthur decided to accept. Geared up for the weather, they made the journey into the Adelaide Hills where they joined the intrepid warriors (comprising men and women, Freshers and Seniors alike) and together enjoyed the modern day picnic, poem included (perhaps now regarded as ArtHouse) in the hills.
One of the challenges modern day Colleges face is to ensure that they reflect modern day society - a civilised society in which men and women live and work and socialise together with mutual delight and respect. It would seem almost unimaginable that a modern day Alpine Day could do just that - however by all accounts, it has! And in that context it is important that tradition does not undermine common sense, a shared sense of reality, what is valuable and what is ethical. Tradition bridges present, past and future and can be worth conserving, not for its own sake, but because of the inheritance of understanding and knowledge that it represents that is worth preserving. Accordingly, when tradition is handed down from one generation to another, it demands of those involved, that they engage in a disciplined process of learning the knowledge and understanding that is embodied in the tradition and if necessary making appropriate modifications.
And in the tradition of Grand Alpiners – Ascendi Bibui Victus Sum!
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