Lumen Winter 2023 - Flipbook - Page 28
Happy 50th Lumen!
By Mark Douglas, Editor
The first issue of Lumen was published on
October 27, 1972.
It was created, in part, to set up better
communications in advance of the 100th
birthday of the University. Now we prepare
for next year’s 150th celebrations.
Described then as “The University of
Adelaide Newsletter”, the very first editor
was Mr Ian Leggoe, the University’s
Information Officer and a former journalist
with the West Australian newspaper.
He noted, as he explained the reasoning
behind the creation of this new publication,
that the University had grown substantially
and reached the stage where it “is now one
of the major employers in Adelaide”.
“Accompanying this growth in numbers
has been increasing diversification and
specialisation in the many areas of study
throughout the University.
“Gone is the day when everyone knew each
other and interesting activities were known
to those outside the department involved.
“This breakdown in communication within
the University is reflected in the general
public’s lack of knowledge of the positive
activities of the University.
“The result is that the more newsworthy –
though frequently less worthy – activities are
the main factors on which the public builds
its opinion of the University.”
It was ever thus.
For the then looming Centenary of the
University, Mr Leggoe informed his
readers that it would coincide with the
50th anniversary of the University’s Waite
Research Institute at Urrbrae in 1924 – now
with its own centenary on the horizon.
Special attention was being given to
planning the celebrations, he said, “so that
they would appeal to as many members of
the public as possible”.
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THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE
Lumen 1972 Vol 1 No 1 p 1
Events under consideration included visits
by overseas scholars, special concerts,
historical exhibitions and open days.
During the past 50 years, Lumen has been
hard at work, changing shape and audiences
to suit the mood and needs of its creators,
but the central purposes remain – to inform
and to engage people in the life of the
extraordinary village that is the University
of Adelaide.
In the next few issues, we are planning
to give Lumen a polish so it is ready for
our 150th, brushing up its content and
appearance, and creating new ways for it
to shine digitally as it strides into its next
50 years.
I hope Mr Leggoe would have approved.
