Established in 1872 as an all-male Anglican residential college, Trinity College is the oldest of the University of Melbourne's affiliated, denominational colleges. Accepting women a little over a decade later - as students of the college's Women's Hostel - it would not be until 1974 that the college moved to co-residency. In 1990, after several turbulent decades of financial strain, Trinity established an international studies program, the Pathway School. Non-residential, this student cohort - largely drawn from south-east and east Asia - now number almost three-fold the residential community. From a male-only, predominately Caucasian student community drawn from the upper tiers of colonial Victoria's affluent class, to the rich diversity of the campus today, there remains a silent community of voices who remain largely unheard and unrecognised. Behind the privilege, the historical staff demographic of the college is largely unknown and poorly documented in internally held records. And yet for many students and alumni, certain staff 'characters' loom large in their recounting of their collegiate experience. This paper will discuss some of the archival work being undertaken to identify, map, and better understand the shifting staff demographic across the late 19th century through towards the end of the 20th century. Using several particular individuals as case-studies, the paper will look at the methodologies and resources being used to reclaim early staff engagement and employment, as well the archival material and testimony shedding light on these lost stories.

In 2024, The Geelong College marked 50 years since the introduction of coeducation - a milestone both significant and complex. This presentation offers a behind-the-scenes perspective from the College Archivist, exploring how the anniversary was researched, curated and commemorated across multiple platforms: social media, school publications, interviews, film and an exhibition. Far from being a straightforward celebration, the process raised important questions: What does it mean to tell the story of coeducation? Whose voices are preserved in the official record and whose are missing? How do we balance commemoration with critique? Drawing on archival sources such as school magazines, photographs and administrative records - alongside personal stories from alumni and staff - the talk examines the challenges of working between official memory and community memory. It reflects on past anniversary efforts and the temptation for general school histories, and how this anniversary aimed to centre on the lived experiences of students. The presentation also considers how the theme "stories of change" broadened the project's scope, at times productively, but also at risk of diluting focus. It highlights the practical and philosophical questions that surfaced: how to handle incomplete archives, sensitive material, conflicting recollections, and shifting narratives. Ultimately, the talk reflects on the archivist's evolving role in schools - not just as custodian of records, but as facilitator of conversations, connector of communities, and interpreter of institutional memory. This presentation invites us to consider how history is preserved, who tells it and why it continues to matter.

School Archives tell their stories for a multitude of reasons - community outreach, celebrations of rich history, and to support shared values across time, to name a few. Digital online presence for School Archives, and the stories this presence supports, has developed into a powerful entity that is developing across school communities in different ways. The use of multi-layered and bespoke digital platforms, connection with and participation within wider online archives platforms and collections, interactive online School Archives-supported communities, such are the evolving digital presences for schools; whether private, independent, public, or specialist schools. In an era when school history has been targeted negatively, across news sources, disconnected communities, toxic social media commentary, and other influential voices with the potential to mar senses of school positivity, the digital School Archives presence is a valuable tool. Digital storytelling within a positive presence even more so, especially when leveraged by engaged online school communities wishing to tell and share their stories. Creating, building, and managing positive digital School Archives presence is not the sole province of marketing experts, but a space for the attuned knowledge and skills of the School Archivist and record keeper. Deep connection to both history and community are required to form and moderate such a presence, with this area of archival practice telling some remarkable stories of its own.