Augustus Short and the founding of the University of Adelaide

Abstract

Augustus Short was a pioneer in every sense of the word. A diligent priest, a gifted teacher and a determined advocate of social reform, his appointment as the first Anglican bishop of the tolerant and progressive colony of South Australia was to have a far-reaching impact on the community in his adopted home. Short’s story has been recorded in several biographies, and his legacy looms large in the Anglican Church and in The Collegiate School of St Peter, but his pivotal role in establishing the University of Adelaide has remained largely unexplored. The rediscovery of Short’s vision for a great university — free from any test of religious affiliation, with an internationally-focussed staff, a diverse, enlightened student mix, and open to every capable person, regardless of wealth — is inspiring a new generation of students and teachers. Michael Whiting’s study of Short’s contribution to education in South Australia, and especially the founding of the University of Adelaide, is a story about transformation, possibility and opportunity that still rings true after 140 years.