Share Your Story: The Early Years of John XXIII College

Did you know that John XXIII College began its life in what the late Professor Mike Gore, founder of Questacon, once referred to as "a bunch of sheds on the end of campus". What had come to be known as Lennox House had once accommodated single men working on the establishment of the national capital from as early as 1911 and was known as the 'Bachelors' Quarters' or the 'Professional Officers' Mess'. It was a challenging setting for the interim location of the College in its first two years from 1967, before it moved to its Daley Road site in 1969. Formal dinners took place, but perhaps seemed to be incongruous, and on one occasion (and maybe others) a resident strictly followed the requirement to wear an academic gown, and it was the only thing he wore! Then there was the 'Great Flag Scandal'!!

Next year, of course, marks the 50th anniversary of the admission of women as residents of the College in 1976. Historian and Head of Toad Hall ANU for the past 15 years, Dr Ian Walker, is writing a history of John XXIII College to be ready in 2027 for the College's 60th anniversary. Seeking to outline the context and the motivations, particularly of the Dominicans, in setting up the College, as well as reflecting the camaraderie and character of early community life, Dr Walker has been sourcing University, Dominican, Catholic Diocesan and College archives, and has so far interviewed e.g. the first student President, Peter Sekuless, the Dean (1971-74) Father Maurice Keating, alumnus and current Chair of Council John Harris, and alumnus Tim Pallas who recently retired from the Victorian Parliament as the State's longest-serving Treasurer (if not including the late Premier Sir Henry Bolte who also held the Treasury portfolio). Yvonne Parry's reflections of the first 25 years of the College are acknowledged, as well as the particular support of Father Christopher Dowd in providing access to the Dominican Archives in Melbourne as well as to draft chapters of the history he is writing of the Dominicans in this Province that encompasses Australia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. At this time, Ian would love to hear from alumni in the early years of the late 1960s and the decade of the 70s. Email messages with brief or longer reflections and/or expressions of interest in being willing to chat e.g. via ZOOM or in person will be more than welcome. You can contact Ian directly ian.walker@anu.edu.au or the College alumni@johnxxiii.anu.edu.au