Lumen Summer 2013 - Flipbook - Page 29
story by Genevieve Sanchez
Peter and Suzanne Edgar have toasted two 50-year
milestones in the past 12 months – both of which had
their beginnings at the University of Adelaide.
I
n 2011, they celebrated 50 years of
marriage, having met in the Cloisters
in their first year at University; this year
they were among 122 graduates who
returned to campus for the Golden Jubilee
reunion of their 1962 graduation.
This annual event started in 1986, when
the graduates of 1936 were welcomed
back to the University for the first Golden
Jubilee Commemoration. That tradition
has continued with graduates returning
from overseas and interstate each year for
an unforgettable day of celebration and
reminiscing.
Featuring a Commemoration Ceremony
in Bonython Hall followed by a Reunion
Lunch at the Crowne Plaza, attendees
at the once-in-a-lifetime event received a
Commemoration booklet as a memento,
filled with the biographies, photos and
nostalgic recollections of their fellow
1962 alumni.
Peter and Sue, both Bachelor of Arts
(Honours) graduates, took great pleasure
in proposing the official toast to the Class
of ‘62 at the lunch, which included an
evocative poem written for the occasion
by Sue, a published poet.
In his toast, Peter fondly recalled the
‘halcyon days’ at university – a time of
peace and stability; of stimulating lectures
and tutorials from teachers such as Hugh
Stretton, Ken Inglis, Douglas Pike and
Peter Phillips; and of parties, dancing and
“too much beer”.
“The year 1958 was a good one. For
Sue and me it was our first year, we met
mid-year in the Refectory after eying each
other off in the history lecture theatre. We
wandered around in a romantic haze, but
to judge by the number of couples lazing
on the banks of the Torrens or walking
hand in hand around the University, we
were not alone,” said Peter.
“The campus was and is a most
pleasant one – it was an idyllic world and
the future held great promise.”
“None of us had any money but here
on this magnificent campus we were
able to develop the skills to contribute
to our country.”
They were married after their final exams
in 1961 and a few years later moved to
Canberra where they went on to raise two
daughters. In Canberra, Peter worked
across many Commonwealth departments
including Immigration, Territories, Trade
Practices, Social Services, Prime Minister
and Cabinet and the Department of
Environment, Aborigines and the Arts
where he went on to become Head of the
Arts section. Since retirement, Peter has
written two books on military history.
Sue’s university training as a writer and
historian led to her role as the Research
Editor, SA desk, on the Australian
Dictionary of Biography where she
worked for more than 25 years and also
contributed 53 of her own articles.
Her collection of short stories, Counting
Backwards, was short-listed for the 1992
Steele Rudd award and since the 1990s,
Sue has written and published three
books of poetry.
Both Sue and Peter were pleased to
have been able to renew their connection
with the University and old friends,
and Peter urges future Golden Jubilee
graduates to take part in this memorable
occasion.
“The Golden Jubilee is a ‘rite of
passage’ that brings you full circle and
enables you to ‘look back’ now on
yourself ‘looking forward’ then. There is
also an unspoken acknowledgement of
those friends who did not make it back
because their lives were cut short and
that is both sobering and a cause to give
thanks,” he said.
“It is not just a welcome get together, it
inevitably invites the question, ‘well, how
did I go? Did I achieve what I wanted to
achieve?’ For most of us, the answer will
be ‘yes and no’. Go along to it – it will only
occur once.”
To view photos from the 1962 Golden
Jubilee Reunion and register your interest
in the 50th anniversary of your own
graduation, visit the website:
www.alumni.adelaide.edu.au/goldenjubilee
Far left: Peter and Sue
Edgar at the Golden
Jubilee Ceremony.
Left: The graduates of
1962 outside Bonython
Hall.
Photo by
Photography Life
The University of Adelaide | Alumni Magazine 27
