Every year Aquinas College invites the graduates from 60 years prior back to the College with their partners.

They are invited to attend an assembly, visit the Junior School and then have lunch together in the Waterford Room. Thanks to COVID-19, the Class of 1960 reunion was cancelled. The College wanted to connect with the Old Boys in some way, so we decided to ask our Year 6 students to write a letter to any one of the graduates from the Class of 1960 in the hope they would receive a reply. The boys wrote to an Old Boy each and some were lucky enough to get a return letter. Our young Year 6 students told the Old Boys about life at Aquinas College in the year 2020. It was wonderful for the boys to receive a reply and the stories helped the boys realise how different their time at Aquinas College is.

An excerpt from Bob Kestel’s response to Aaron.

“First of all, it was different today than when I started in 1943, at the age of 7. We were in the middle of the World War, large numbers of fathers and families were soldiering on at war overseas and Australia, including my father and mother doing their share. We also had Cadets and we were issued with a uniform and wore them on Cadets Day, which we all enjoyed. Also, a 3030 rifle. We used to carry them on the bus when I was a day student. No one seemed to worry. I was also in the Cadet Band and played the Kettle Drum. I just want to let you know how much I enjoyed my time at Aquinas. The Brothers were wonderful and taught us how to behave and look after other people. I think God for the time I had.”

An excerpt from Brian Baxter’s response to Jonathon:

“I am grateful for the experience of going to Aquinas as it made me persevere and taught me a lot about life.”

An excerpt from John Kelly’s response to Louie:

“During my three years at Aquinas, I enjoyed tennis, football and athletics and made the most of every opportunity to learn the art and contest to the very best of my ability. My time at Aquinas exposed me to city life and the many opportunities the College offered to express one’s personal expertise and gifts to society. On leaving College the call of the country life was all-consuming for me, and at the age of 15 years, I commenced my 50 year journey in farming. Louie, I’m so impressed with your passionate attitude towards the latest experiences that have been offered to you through the College programs. Please continue to involve yourself wholeheartedly in every expression of your chosen pathway, believe in yourself and enjoy every present moment.”

An excerpt from John Tracey’s response to Tait:

“Aquinas was much smaller in my day. There was the front of the school, which I think was smaller then and the main school block to the east. All of my classes were in the main block with the science labs on the top floor. There was a nice new library on the southern side of the classrooms. The Chapel was a large room in front of the school. In Year 12 I studied Religious Education, English, Geography, Physics, Chemistry and two lots of Mathematics. I had very good teachers for Mathematics and Science and they turned me around from disliking these subjects to really loving them. I went on to University for a Science degree and a career in teaching Science.”

An excerpt from Neil Leach’s response to Archie:

“I was a student at Aquinas for 7 years as a boarder. I started in 1954 at the age of 10 and I was in Year 5. As a border we had weekends out, where we could go home, if close enough, or to relatives, if home was not possible. I could go home and, as I had not been away from home before, I was very much looking forward to my first “weekend out”. However, at this time we were experiencing another medical pandemic, this time it was the Polio epidemic. It was a terrible disease which, if contracted, left the patient permanently deformed or paralysed, often no longer able to walk without crutches or callipers. Fortunately, this disease has all but been eradicated throughout most of the world. Due to this epidemic, the College at the last moment decided that the boarders could not go out on the planned “weekend out”. This might seem like a small problem now, but at the time it was very upsetting to me.”

The success and enjoyment of both the students and Old Boys have led to the decision to continue this project in the future.