Our Year 11 Drama students recently visited the Archibald Baxter Peace Garden in North Dunedin, a poignant local landmark that has become a vital source of inspiration for all our senior drama ākonga this term.
Archibald Baxter, New Zealand’s most prominent conscientious objector, faced brutal treatment during WWI for his refusal to fight - a story that continues to resonate with our students as they begin their NCEA Level 1 Devising unit.
By spending time in the garden and reflecting on the memorial, the Year 11s are learning to use historical "stimulus" to create original theatre. They are exploring how to translate Baxter’s physical and emotional resilience into movement and dialogue.
While the Year 11s are just beginning their journey with Baxter’s story, our Year 12 and 13 students have also been using his legacy as a "jumping-off point" for their own advanced devising work. The central theme across all levels has been the concept of being an "Upstander" - someone who stands up for their beliefs, even when the personal cost is high. This type of life lesson was also reiterated at this week's assembly, by our Principal, Dr Columbus.
Our senior students have expanded their creative lens beyond Dunedin, connecting Baxter’s spirit of defiance to other pivotal moments in history and current events:
The 1981 Springbok Tour: Exploring the tension and courage of those who protested against apartheid on our own soil.
ICE Incidents in the USA: Investigating modern-day stories of individuals standing up for human rights and immigrant communities in the face of detention and deportation.
Whether it is a pacifist in the trenches of WWI or a protester on a rugby field, our students are discovering that the "Upstander" narrative provides rich, dramatic territory. It’s about finding the human heartbeat in history. Seeing the students connect Baxter’s 1917 experience to global issues today shows just how relevant his story remains.
We are incredibly proud of the empathy and maturity our students are showing as they develop these performances. We look forward to seeing how these stories of conscience and conviction come to life on stage later this term.
The Archibald Baxter Peace Garden (located at the corner of Albany and George Streets) serves as a permanent reminder of the power of individual conscience. For more information on Baxter’s story and the trust’s work, you can visit archibaldbaxtertrust.com.
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