Earle Page College
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Earle Page College is a residential college of the University of New England located in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. The college accommodates roughly 300 students.
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[edit] History
The college is named after Sir Earle Page, former Chancellor of the university and Prime Minister of Australia. It originated in 1963 as an all male set of houses in town. On the current site was a collection of houses used as accommodation. Most Page students who were living in town had to travel to the campus for all meals by public transport. After its opening, students slowly moved into the current buildings. The college began as an all male college and in 1973 females where admitted to the college.
[edit] College infrastructure
The college is made up of 4 blocks with a total 10 floors. Each floor has its own bathrooms. Attached to the blocks include 2 laundries and drying rooms, a computer room, an internet room, a gallery, a library and a music room. The college also has a dining hall, with a capacity for around 500, which serves residents 3 meals a day, a Junior Common Room, a Senior Common Room and a college shop run by students of the college.
When women were allowed into Page, all troughs were to be filled in, however, the men of Top D protested and placed their mattresses over the door to the bathroom, preventing the work from being completed. This is the last physical attribute of the college's all male heritage.
[edit] Formal dinners and JCR functions
Yearly formal dinners include:
- Introductory Dinner
- Arts Dinner
- Politics Dinner
- Parents Dinner
- Sporties Dinner
- Valedictory Dinner
Guests at Politics Dinner have included Hon. Bob Hawke - Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard MP, Peter Garrett, The Hon. Amanda Vanstone, The Hon. Philip Ruddock and Senator Natasha Stott Despoja.
Other functions run by the Junior Common Room Committee include:
- Annual College Ball
- Block Functions
- Silly Season (Term 3)
The Junior Common Room Committee also co-ordinates the O-Week Calendar. These events include: Aussie Night, Trivia Night, Traffic Light Party, Toga, Bush Dance, Surf Carnival and the O-Week Closing ceremony.
[edit] Memorable college events
1963 - Earle Page College was opened as an all boys college
1967 - The motto of the college, "Each Prove Himself", was created.
1968 - First "Iskra" published.
1972 - A referendum was held in the college to decide whether the college should become a co-educational. The referendum was passed.
1973 - The first year females where admitted to college.
1981 - The last year freshers were required to do 'phone duty' from the single line entering college. The phone was operated by freshers who patched the calls to students on other floors. Later that year phones were installed on all floors.
1983 - The Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria for which some freshers did a 'wall sit' on their floor to raise money to send to victims; College Master, Allan Huggins, organised a deal with a rental company which allowed all floors to have televisions in their common rooms.
1986 - Due to a huge intake for the University, over 100 students were housed in motels and hotels for most of first semester, and every available space in college was used - common rooms were separated into two section to house more members. The students living in town were brought to college for breakfast and dinner in buses, and payed the same amount as people living in college; Prime Minister Bob Hawke attended politics dinner.
1987 - D-Block, a block generally reserved for post grad students, overseas students and mature age students, was opened to the general college population.
1996 - Earle Page had so few residents they closed down D-Block for the year.
1997 - There was a bomb scare at Politics Dinner, which turned out to be a prank.
1999 - the college won both the Mary Bagnall and Presidents Trophy sporting competitions.
2001 - Two residents (Mary Jones & Tamar Scobie) were killed tragically in a car accident in May and gardens in the main courtyard were built in their memory; A new web page was created.
2003 - 40th Anniversary of Earle Page College.
2006 - College SCR member and former Pagite, Dr. Peter Hemphill, died. A memorial garden and plaque was dedicated to his memory and service to the college.
[edit] Inter-college competitions
Page has a proud history in sporting and cultural pursuits. In 2006, Page came 2nd in the Sir Frank Kitto competition and received respectable placings in both the males' Presidents Trophy and females' Mary Bagnall Trophy.
[edit] Coast run
Every year since 1980 the college has conducted a fun run from Armidale to Coffs Harbour to raise funds for charity. For over 5 years, the college has been supporting the Childrens Medical Research Fund (CMRI). Its activities include the sale of a discount card for use within Armidale, the college run 'Murder' game, Blind Date Week, Fashion Parade, a Charity Auction and the actual run. In 2005, the group raised over $23,000. In 2006, its 27th year, the group raised over $25,000 - a college record!
[edit] Masters
1963-1975 - Albert Bussell
1976-1979 - Dr. Edmund Barrington Thomas
1979-1988 - Allan C. Huggins
1989-1991 - Carole Tisdell
1992-1994 - Phillip Raymont
1995-1999 - Gregory C Eddy
1999-present - David Ward (1999 as Acting Master)
