The Messages of Its Walls and Fields

Book excerpt: The Messages of its Walls and Fields seeks to understand the culture of each decade of the School's development. The focus is on the boys themselves, but Katharine Thornton also evaluates the policies of succeeding Councils of Governors and the achievements of the thirteen Headmasters who have led Saints from 1847 to 2009. The curriculum story is here, the context for advocating sport, the emergence of the external activities of the co-curriculum, the values of a Saints' education, the background to each building project, the economy of the School, drama and the arts, science and new laboratories, the ambience of stone, trees and green lawn at the heart of a Saints' experience. St Peter's College graduates have made signifi cant contributions to the life of South Australia, in the professions, in social values, in politics, in sport and in the arts. The history of South Australia must include a knowledge of this School. Here it is in twenty chapters and hundreds of illustrations, not just an entertainment for a week but a reliable record for a lifetime.