Westminster School, Adelaide

Westminster School is an independent, Uniting Church school located at Marion, South Australia, 12km south of Adelaide.

Founded as a Methodist Day and Boarding School for boys, the School was opened by the Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, in 1961 and is named after Westminster School in London.

The foundation Headmaster, Douglas Forder, presided over an initial enrolment of 143 students with a staff of seven. The School became coeducational in 1978, and has a current enrolment of just over eleven hundred students.

Subsequent Principals have been Michael Murray (1977 - 1993), David Hone (1994 - 1998) and Bradley Fenner (1999 - present).

Deputy Headmasters of the school have included Thomas Edmonds, who was one of the founding members of staff in 1961, and who became Deputy Headmaster of the school in 1965

History

Westminster School was born out of a perceived need by the Methodist Church in South Australia for a day and boarding school in Adelaide to accommodate demand additional to that satisfied by the long-established Methodist-based school Prince Alfred College.

Planning for Westminster began with a meeting on the 7th June 1957, although at that stage it was not known where the school would be built, or when. With growing momentum, it was resolved in December of that year to purchase twenty five acres of vineyards from the South Australian Housing Trust at Marion. At the inaugural fundraising dinner on 9th June 1959, 160 men volunteered to solicit 3000 prospective contributors to achieve a target of $200,000 for the first building phase. The amount ultimately raised by those who have been affectionately called 'the Men of Westminster' was $320,000. [cite book|author=Rev. Harry Woollacott|title=Westminster School - The First Decade|year=1972|publisher=Griffin Press]

The school commenced on 7th February 1961, with its initial enrolment boosted by a number of former Prince Alfred College students. At the School's first assembly, broadcast on radio station 5KA, the Headmaster's opening address began with the words,"Let the life of the School begin".

The initial buildings comprised a single classroom block (known today as the '200 block'), the Headmaster's residence and a changeroom block. Throughout the 1960’s the campus expanded from its modest beginnings with the addition of the Boarding House (1962), Preparatory School (1963), Administration Block (known as the "100" block) (1965), Carter Laboratories (1965), Chapel (1967), Gymnasium / Hall (1967) and in the early 1970s the Fricker Library was built.

Boarders were originally housed at Shaftsbury House in Adelaide, before on-campus dormitory style accommodation (known as 'Heaslip House') was opened in 1962.The boarding facility also included a dining room and common room. In 1964 a further dormitory wing was added, which became known as 'Woollacott House'. In the 1980s following the introduction of female boarders, the School acquired existing home units in Adeline Court, adjoining the school property, and progressively purchased additional units and land as boarding numbers grew. The move to become coeducational in 1978 arguably provided a catalyst in transforming Westminster from an institution that had been formed in the shadow of Prince Alfred College to a significant entity in its own right.

The school attracted minor controversy in July 2007 when fifteen students and five adults had to be rescued in severe weather off Victor Harbor. [cite web|title=Two kayakers airlifted to hospital|publisher=The News (Adelaide)|date =2 July 2007|accessdate=2007-08-23|url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22002809-421,00.html]

Campus

"The Sir Shirley Jeffries Memorial Chapel" was opened in 1967. Located in the central entranceway between the Preparatory and Senior Schools, the Chapel commemorates a former South Australian Minister of Education, Sir Shirley Jeffries, who was one of the early benefactors and supporters of the School.

"The Michael Murray Centre for the Performing Arts" is a multi-purpose theatre opened in 1988 by the Headmaster of Westminster School, London, Mr. D.M. Summerscale. The School's second Headmaster, Michael Murray, was a keen supporter of the arts during his tenure at Westminster.

"The Cloisters", between the 100 and 200 blocks, opened in 1991, and involved the creation of wide arched verandahs, a brick staircase, fountain and lawn area reminiscent of English public school design.

"The Sports and Swimming Centre" was opened in 2003 by the Chairman of Round Square, His Majesty King Constantine II of Greece. Occupying the site of the former gymnasium, the Centre comprises a ten lane half size Olympic Pool, training pool, two full size basketball courts, rock climbing wall and a weights area. The dance studio and multi-purpose meeting room, "The David Jarman Room", opened on 18th May 2007, is an upper floor area within the Centre with a large balcony overlooking the main oval. This multi purpose room is named after former long-serving staff member and Registrar, David Jarman.

Houses

Houses were introduced in 1962. The inaugural houses were Heaslip, Jeffries, Woollacott and School (the Boarding House).

The present Houses in the Senior School, named primarily after early benefactors of the School, are Carter (sky blue), Clark (green), Dunstan (maroon), Fereday (dark blue), Forder (brown), Fricker (orange), Heaslip (red), Jeffries (yellow), Kelly (lilac) and Woollacott (white).In the Preparatory School, the Houses follow a more English theme and are named Abbey, Charter, Crown, Mace, Wesley and Wyvern.

Glenroy Westminster

The school owns a 68 hectare property at Point Sturt on the lower River Murray. The property is being revegetated and is used as a base for 'Westventure', the school's 12 day outdoor education programme for year 10 students. Glenroy commemorates the name of the property owned by the school's first Chairman of Council, Frank Heaslip.

Notable alumni

* Cullen Bailey - First Class cricketer for South Australia [cite web|publisher=content-aus.cricinfo.com|title=Cullen Bailey Profile|publisher=Cricinfo|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/4441.html|accessdate=2008-06-10]
* Dan Cullen - First Class cricketer for South Australia and one-time Test cricketer for Australia [cite web|publisher=content-aus.cricinfo.com|title=Dan Cullen Profile|publisher=Cricinfo|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/4882.html|accessdate=2008-06-10]
* Garry Davis - 1982/83 Bradman Medallist for the best A-Grade player in South Australian Grade Cricket and Senior Consultant Opthamologist at the University of Adelaide
* Mandy Edwards - Adelaide Thunderbirds netballer
* Andrew Harris - Barrister and Queen's Counsel
* Mark Holden - Actor, singer and judge on hit TV show "Australian Idol" [cite web|publisher=markholden.net.au|title=Gallery-growing up|publisher=Mark Holden on the Net|url=http://www.markholden.net.au|accessdate=2007-08-23]
* Mark Johns - South Australian Coroner
* Alan Moss - Former Chief Magistrate
* Kelvin Prescott - Former Chief Magistrate and Youth Court Judge
* Sean Rusling - AFL footballer for the Collingwood Magpies [cite web|publisher=collingwoodfc.com.au|title=Sean Rusling Profile|publisher=Collingwood Football Club|url=http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/Home/Players/PlayerProfile/tabid/8170/Default.aspx?playerid=14106&typeid=2|accessdate=2008-06-10]
* Bradley Selway (dec.) - Former Crown Solicitor and Federal Court Judge
* Nathan Strempel - 2008 Big Brother contestant
* Paul Worley - Dean of the School of Medicine, Flinders University

References

See also

* List of schools in South Australia
* List of boarding schools

External links

* [http://www.westminster.sa.edu.au/flash.asp School Homepage]