Riverview Class of 1953
Friday, 4 August 2023
On the 28th of September a very special event will take place. The College will host a reunion lunch to mark the 70th anniversary of the Class of ’53.
As we all know the College’s motto translates as “dare to do as much as you can”.

So, did this class succeed?

It was a small class of little more than 40. It was not feted at the time as was the Class of ‘52 which had a 100 % pass rate in the Leaving Certificate exams and certainly it had a low level of sporting success unlike some of the classes in the later the 1950s.

Was there anything special about the class of ’53 and did its men do as much as they dared?

Of its relatively small number it produced an outstanding contribution to our community.
It’s alumni included many successful pastoralists, business men, professionals, academics and administrators including Fr. Justin King S.J.. More than half the class spent their working lives in the professions as medical doctors, dentists, pharmacists, architects, economists, accountants or lawyers. There were also two notable academics and a university administrator.
Two of the class have been recognized publicly for their contribution: John Kaldor who has a wing in the Art Gallery of NSW named in his honour and Paul Ramsay the single biggest donor to both the College in recent times and to the cultural and civic life of our country.
This small class certainly seems to have done as much as they dared.
So, on the 28th of September raise a glass to them to say “Well done”!