TSS Foundation

MR CHRISTOPHER JOHNSTONE president - old southportonians’ association

DIX 1979-1982, BID 1989-1990

Historically, the presidency of the OSA has changed on a biennial basis. This has been more by convention than by tradition. The convention has not always been observed. So it is that I write this after my second year as OSA President has drawn to a close, and yet I remain in the chair. Some might say this is a a product of my own poor succession planning but, whatever the reason, I am looking forward to another year as President.

There is, of course, a difference between the concepts of conventions and traditions. Conventions, can survive so long as they are observed; but provided there is a reason, they can be altered without offence (though perhaps not universally so). The practice of an unaltered convention is what usually becomes a tradition. In that way traditions, by their very definition, become an organisational rubric passed down from one generation to another. Traditions are important, as much at TSS as anywhere. Indeed, when I was at school the First and Second VIII’s boats were named Tradition II and Tradition, respectively. Great names; and I think to Old Boys who were rowers in their time at school, they could see themselves in their school days rowing, and the boys in those crews felt the pride associated with the continuation of the effort and team work which 80 odd years of TSS boys before them had felt.

One of the things that has struck me most in my role in the OSA is the careful path that we at the OSA must tread as custodians of most, but not all, of 117 years of corporate memory of TSS within which can be found both true traditions, and the idea of tradition which means something only to Old Boys of particular years. I do not mean to be cryptic in what I say, but the reality is, so far as my experience suggests, each graduating class knows it is a part of a whole which is greater than the sum of its parts, and what is important to them as a year group, and whether those particular parts might properly be, or become, traditions, will depend on the view point of each particular Old Boy.

This year, we at the OSA have continued to go through a process of change and adaptation as we embrace the fact that our more recent members bring with them ideas of what TSS means which can differ vastly to those of other members. In our role in supporting the School and maintaining the network of Old Boys, we have assisted with the conducting of branch reunion events and the Old Boys' weekend which includes the Older Old Boys' Assembly; a truly humbling experience for both the Old Boys and the current students. We at the OSA thank the School for maintaining and growing this wonderful event. The Old Boys' weekend is obviously our highlight as an organisation, but it is also something which seems to be a highlight for the boys. Being invited as President to attend the First XV’s chapel service before their game with a number of Old Boys returning for their reunions was a wonderful connection between the past and present.

Over the course of this year, I had the opportunity to meet many of our newest members from the class of 2018 and consider them to be as fine a year group as any before them. They have continued what are a number of (new) traditions, unknown to many Old Boys, but vital to those future ones, which make them a part of TSS.

One of the ones I have enjoyed most is the selection by the graduating class of one teacher to give the address at graduation. This is not a tradition which existed 28 years ago when I left TSS. I mentioned before that the OSA is the custodian of most but not all of the corporate memory of TSS. That is because the rest resides with the staff, many of whom could lay claim to a far greater knowledge of the traditions of the School than any particular Old Boy. And this newish tradition of the graduating class selecting a staff member to give to them their final address demonstrates that for a tradition to be such, it must have a meaning, and must be adaptable.

I mentioned at the OSA annual general meeting that in this event, the House Suppers, and the other events I have attended during the year, I see a real collaboration between the staff of TSS and the students. There is a partnership of learning not just of core subjects but of core values. This to me means that the boys coming through TSS today have and will have as much if not more of a connection with the School than we did. It is, and will continue to be, our job as the OSA to foster and maintain that connection.

In our role as direct supporters of TSS the OSA has paid $30,000 in bursaries for students, has donated another $16,000 towards history projects linked to the cadets and the School’s service history, and continued its direct support of the Rowing Shed through the Clavill Bere Fund with a further donation of $15,000.

While Old Boys have always been the biggest donors to the School, the OSA does not exist to supplant either the Parents and Friends Association or the Foundation; indeed the OSA does not undertake any fundraising itself. Nevertheless, through the generosity of Old Boys we are able to provide ongoing assistance which, we at the OSA hope will increase as we work with the Headmaster to plan a way to provide more meaningful assistance in a more structured way. Solidifying this plan in what looks like being a challenging financial environment is one of the priorities which the OSA will be working on this year given the sale of Hidden Creek completed in 2018.

As to the work of the OSA this year, I wish to acknowledge and thank treasurer Peter Waller and the finance committee he chairs, Scott Parry as secretary, the Council generally and our Executive Officer Amy McDougall for the valuable assistance she has provided to me in 2018.

We all look forward to what the future will bring.