St Hilda's College 60th Anniversary Year Program of Events

ST HILDA’S COLLEGE 60th ANNIVERSARY YEAR, 2024 Program of Events

ST HILDA’S COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE 60 YEARS OF COMMUNITAS | 1964 - 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW Meet the team and see our plans

FIRST DINNER RE-CREATION Our first major trip down memory lane

REMEMBERING THE OFFICIAL OPENING Featuring our first residents as well as representatives of the dignitaries who opened St Hilda’s College

MARJORIE SMART ORATION Our annual oration event honouring the work of Marjorie Smart

COMMUNITAS EXHIBITION OPENING A trip through the archives

GOLD LEAF DINNER Celebrating our leaders and prize winners

FOUNDERS & BENEFACTORS DINNER A chance to thank those who give so much to our community release “Communitas: The First 60 Years of St Hilda’s College”

ST HILDA’S FAMILY DAY Because family and community is what St Hilda’s College has been known for right from the beginning

60TH ANNIVERSARY BALL Time for us all to let our hair down and celebrate a successful year

TOWARDS THE NEXT 60 YEARS Because this is only the beginning

THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY PROJECT TEAM Principal James Hardiman

Community Engagement Managers

Writing Team

Development Interns Ella Davidson Ally Hardy (Lead) Olivia Malouf Alison O’Brien Elizabeth Stevens

Clare E. Rhoden Louise Zedda-Sampson

Kate Abraham (Alumni & Development) Carly Damen (Marketing, Communications & Events)

The Program of Events for 2024 outlines a year of exciting activity and engagement with our alumni and community.

The Book Project, “Communitas: The First 60 Years of St Hilda’s College” is progressing well with further interviews to be held with alumni, Fellows, staff and Board members between November 2023 and March 2024.

Prime Minster Menzies & Lady Paton

THE FIRST DINNER RE-CREATION 26th February, 2024 Breaking bread together is symbolic of communities across history and to celebrate the first instance of this important ritual in our own history, we will launch the official 60th year celebrations with a re-creation of this momentous event.

The re-creation event will be held for those present in 1964 (including those on the documetn below), our Fellows and Board.

REMEMBERING THE OFFICIAL OPENING 20th April, 2024 On 11 April 1964, Lady Paton and Prime Minister Menzies officially opened St Hilda’s College.

As part of the Marjorie Smart Oration event, this milestone will be remembered with all 1964 founding students and tutors to be invited to take part, and as many of those present on the day St Hilda’s was officially opened.

Photo from the front and L to R: Wendy Davenport; Margot Hallam; Liz Almond Nash; Janet Taylor; Margaret Almond; Judy Waltho (Tutor); Jenny Lamb Acopian; Elizabeth Alexander (Tutor); Anne Brooskbank (Tutor); Maree Anker (Married name, now dec.) at the official opening of St Hilda’s College on 11th April, 1964.

THE MARJORIE SMART ORATION Saturday 20th April, 2024

On the evening of Saturday 20th April. 2024 we will host our annual Marjorie Smart Oration event.

The speaker for 2024 is yet to be confirmed but will be announced early in the new year.

Photo: Marjorie Smart at her desk. .

COMMUNITAS Opening August 2024

The Communitas Exhibition will take the form of an Art & Artefact Trail , taking guests on a journey around the College as we display portraits, trophies, silverware, photographs, models, alumni profiles, honour boards, furnishings, Ball and Play posters, original documents and much more.

Key spaces will include the Library, Auditorium, JCR, Dining Hall and Green Room.

EXHIBITION

GOLD LEAF DINNER Saturday 4 May, 2024 Leaders and Award Winners from across our Honour Boards come together for a special dinner to celebrate community and share what St Hilda’s means to them.

General Committee 1966 Back row (L-R): Margery Gulbin; Elizabeth Vibert; Susan Goddard Seated (L-R): Heather-Anne Leigh; Christine Hibberd; Mrs Marjorie Smart (Principal)

1964 General Committee

1980s student room

FOUNDERS & BENEFACTORS DINNER 26th October, 2024 Our annual event to thank our donors, founders and contributors gets a few special extras in 2024!

The official launch of the 60th Anniversary book, “Communitas: The First 60 Years of St Hilda’s College”

Photograph of the Chairman of the Appeal and the Chairman of the Council with the tally board at the final report meeting.

Book production research and writing has commenced and is on track to be completed in May 2024. Book design, layout and printing for the publication is scheduled from June 2024 for the book to be available ahead of the F&B Dinner on 26th October and for wider distribution at the St Hilda’s Family Day and Ball events on 23rd November, 2024.

ST HILDA’S FAMILY DAY Saturday 23rd November, 2024 Welcome back day for all past alumni, supporters and community.

The day will include: College tours Food & drink stops Music Exhibitions Merchandise sale Book sale Games Ice-cream van And more!

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ST HILDA’S 60TH ANNIVERSARY BALL Saturday 23rd November, 2024 This formal event will be held at the San Remo Ballroom, the scene of many past College Balls!

Tickets will be available for up to 500 people and guests will be encouraged to book a table with friends or elect to join a table from their era.

A DJ and music will be a large component of the night with a small number of speeches.

The focus will be on celebrating the culmination of a year’s worth of anniversary events and memories.

Hilda’s Play - 1969

PROTECTING OUR HISTORY & CONTINUING THE JOURNEY

In 2023, a project was initiated to understand the contents of our archive, consolidate and catalogue the collection and continue to receive and record historical material.

Great progress has been made on the curation and digitisation of the St Hilda’s College archives and this will be an ongoing project that we will commit to well into the future.

Our thanks to all who have been involved in the journey so far.

1964 - 2024

Celebrating 60 Years of Communitas