The Southport School Band of Brothers Issue 16

we few,we happy few,

we band of brothers.

OF BROTHER S ISSUE 16 : December 2017

William Shakespeare

Editor Karen Ellis, Marketing Coordinator Design Iain McGregor Creative iaincreative@icloud.com Content Editor Gary Edgar Photography Karen Ellis, Adrian Gaglione, Dan Sleeman, Dylan Evans Printing Fast Proof Press Editorial queries, feedback and change of address Phone: 07 5531 9839 Email: marketing@tss.qld.edu.au Copyright: All rights reserved.

Copyright of articles and photographs of Band of Brothers remain with the individual contributors and may not be reproduced without permission. Other material may be reproduced, but only with the permission of TSS.

Child Sexual Abuse and Royal Commission into Institutional Responses The Royal Commission encourages people who have experienced sexual abuse as a child in an institution, or witnessed child sexual abuse in an institution, to provide details and information to the Royal Commission by: Telephoning 1800 099 340 Emailing registerinterest@childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au Writing to GPO Box 5283, Sydney NSW 2001. If you need more information, including about support services, visit the Royal Commission’s website at www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au Our Archbishop of the Diocese of Brisbane, The Most Reverend Dr Phillip Aspinall, welcomed the decision by the Government and said that the Royal Commission offered an historic opportunity to protect Australian children.

Reporting Child Sexual Abuse and Seeking Help Child abuse is a crime. If you have been a victim of abuse, or are currently concerned about a child being abused, you can report your concerns to the local police, or to the Headmaster (for TSS related incidents), or the Anglican Diocese Director of Professional Standards who is responsible for responding to any complaints of abuse within schools, parishes and agencies of the Diocese.

Director of Professional Standards – Phone: 07 3835 2266 Email: dops@anglicanbrisbane.org.au B

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Then And Now – We rode with the Light Horse

A portrait of success in the Young Archies

Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, Oxford, et al … the pathway starts right here

On October 31, two of our students, Reilly Gall and Sandy Hickson rode on horseback, dressed in Light Horse uniform and flanked by members of the Mudgeeraba Light Horse Troop to remember the Anzac legend—the Last Great Cavalry Charge.

The Archibald Prize is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious awards in the art world and associated with it, an invitation goes out to aspiring young artists to apply brush to canvas and submit a portrait in the Young Archies.

Many of us have heard the term “SAT” and know that it is loosely associated with studying in the USA. But what really is the SAT? Why would our students be interested in sitting it? And how is TSS involved?

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Our First XI puts the icing on the TSS cricket cake

Beneath the surface of an actor’s approach

Year 5 are NAPLAN number one on the Coast

Not content to merely rest on its laurels by claiming the GPS Premiership, our First XI went in to bat for the ultimate prize in the Queensland T20 Secondary Schools Competition.

Drama is an intellectually engaging intersection of lateral thought and practice. It breaks moulds, challenges our understandings by encouraging alternate ways of seeing, feeling and doing, forges new pathways …

The boys in both Year 3 and Year 5 have been steadily improving our School’s results and are producing a steady rise through the Gold Coast rankings.

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Greg Wain – Headmaster

W

elcome to the final edition of Band of Brothers for 2017.

As the year finishes we look back on the best set of GPS sporting results in decades and heartily congratulate the boys on the overall best set of NAPLAN results in recent history (including Year 5 ‘Best on Coast’). We also look forward to the Year 12 OP results confirming our predictions of a bumper crop of OP 1 to 3s and OP 1 to 7s. This year saw a huge effort and outstanding leadership from the Year 12s and indeed all of our 1,570 boys from our three-and-a-half year old Preschoolers on up.

Academics and physical pursuits are key elements of life at TSS, and as important to our culture is our commitment to social and emotional health exemplified in our new MENS Health Club (Mindfulness, Exercise, Nutrition, Sleep). It is a special place when the Headmaster can join a Year 2 class in a teacher-lead meditation and mindfulness exercise designed to help us settle and focus after lunch, and prepare our brain for the learning activities ahead.

As we continue to improve TSS for the benefit of the boys by applying the latest research and insights into the boys’ education, it is also important to teach the past, our history and traditions. Note the picture

at the Cadet Parade of Riley and Sandy mounted on horses—two boys who are direct descendants of legendary WWI Light Horsemen, the men who participated in the famous Last Great Cavalry Charge.

“The charge of the 4th Light Horse Brigade at Beersheba on the afternoon of 31 October, 1917 was a bold attack. Eight hundred men of the 4th and 12th Light Horse regiments charged across open desert with bayonets in hand and flew over the Turk trenches.

The charge captured Beersheba and opened the way to Jerusalem.”

Enjoy reading about how ‘Man Up’ is changing the culture of the School and preparing our future leaders to change the culture of Australian men.

Read also about the Ned Kelly re-enactment; Pirates at Preschool; grand dads promoting reading at Prep; Augustinian monk Martin Luther and the Reformation; Year 2 boys learning to lead; the launch of the Dixon Trust to sustain TSS in perpetuity and an Old Boy on stage at the Sydney Opera House!

best wishes Greg Wain

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Then & Now Beersheba Hurley

We rode with the Light Horse

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Conan Bland – Director of Cadets and Delpratt Housemaster

The significance of the Light Horse contingent at the 2017 Annual Tri-Service Cadet Parade extends beyond the proximity of the date to the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba. It is a recognition of our School’s early history, the sacrifice our first students made in time of war and, of course, our strong links to the country, which remain to this day within our boarding community.

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n October 31, Australians gathered around cenotaphs in cities and country towns to remember this iconic moment in the Anzac legend—the Last Great Cavalry Charge.

Two of our students, Sandy Hickson and Reilly Gall rode on horseback, dressed in Light Horse uniform and flanked by members of the Mudgeeraba Light Horse Troop.

Sandy Hickson rode in memory of his GreatGreat Uncle Bruce McColl, who was a vanguard member of the A Squadron, 12th Light Horse Regiment and rode in the charge on that famous day in October 1917. Bruce rode through the machine gun and rifle fire, below the artillery rounds that zipped past above his head, atop his trusty horse Maggie, a rugged Waler he had taken from the family property in Inverell. Maggie could smell the water in the wells of Beersheba as she carried him closer and closer to the Turkish lines.

Reilly Gall also rode in honour of his GreatGreat Uncle Sir Harry Chauvel, who commanded

a dismounted Light Horse Brigade at Gallipoli, the Anzac Mounted Division in Sinai, and later, the Allied Desert Column in Palestine. Sir Harry famously uttered the phrase “Put Grant straight at it” when referring to the highly unorthodox decision to send two regiments of Light Horsemen against 1000 entrenched Turkish riflemen, nine machine guns and two German aircraft.

In the early days of TSS, prior to The Great War, our students were all boarders and our stock were almost exclusively from cattle stations, sheep stations and crop farms. These boys would then leave school and become graziers, station hands, drovers, shearers, wool classers, or miners, with many—due to inclination or circumstance—choosing to be clerks in the city.

Having Sandy and Reilly on horseback certainly added to the spectacle, and although it was not the primary purpose, it connected two students with their ancestors, created positive memories out of old stories and very simply taught the boys to be proud of their history.

When war was declared in August 1914, it was no wonder that more than 30 TSS Old Boys immediately joined up as Light Horsemen, as the criteria for selection was simply men who could ride a horse and shoot a gun.

There is no doubt that there are many boys now in this School who are direct descendants of those who volunteered, both horse and man, in August 1914. Men who left their beloved horses in Egypt to fight in the trenches of Gallipoli, some never to be reunited. Men who shared a water bottle with their horses to quench a desperate thirst or a blanket as they shivered through the cold desert nights.

Among these men was William Markwell, who spent eight years at Beaudesert State School followed by two-and-a-half years (1903-1905) at The Southport School, as one of our earliest students.

He was working at his family property as a farmer at Kargorum in Beaudesert when he enlisted in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, having already reached the rank of Captain in the Citizens Forces.

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John Markwell said goodbye to his only son when William embarked on The Star of England in September as part of the first convoy of Australian troops bound for Egypt. He was joined on the vessel by another former student, Colin Morgan-Reade.

Morgan-Reade was much younger than Markwell, having attended school from 1907 – 1912, though he still made mention of him in a letter home to his sister, Valerie.

Dear Girlie - Just a few lines to let you know that all is well on board…Captain Markwell is as sick as a dog, but not so Sunny Jim, who has been in good health bar a slight cold, which has given me fits for a day or so.

When Markwell arrived in Egypt, his horse, along with the other 15,000 in the convoy, had to be rested, then exercised, to recover from the long journey.

The 30,000 Australian troops took time to take in the sights of Cairo, for young Australians at this time, it has often been described as a great adventure, with someone else picking up the bill.

One Australian soldier that was having a wow of a time was Oliver Harris, who had also enlisted in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment. Trooper Harris attended TSS from 1905-1909, served his senior year in Delpratt House, and at 6-foot 2-inches, was a great rower, fine cricketer and actor. On his way to Egypt, his convoy had docked in Ceylon. Harris, along with 200 desperate soldiers, had slipped into town and was later found by a British Artillery Officer to be wandering around half-naked and drunk, for which escapade, he was given seven days extra duties.

By the first week of May in 1915, the Allied Troops were desperate to replace the huge number of men they had lost at Gallipoli. Captain Markwell, Troopers Morgan-Reade and Harris left their beloved horses in Egypt and were redeployed to Gallipoli along with thousands of other troops arriving on May 11, 1915.

Upon landing, they were immediately deployed to Quinn’s Post, which was named in honour of Major Hugh Quinn, another TSS Old Boy who had commanded the defensive position since landing under fierce resistance from the Turks.

Oliver Harris, our cheeky trooper from Gympie, was severely wounded at Quinn’s Post and died from his wounds on May 20. Major Hugh Quinn was also killed at his namesake during a counter-assault on his position on May 29. A day later Trooper MorganReade was killed, his CO, Major George Bourne, wrote to his family.

He was in a trench at Popes Hill, and during an attack on Quinn’s Post by the Turks, we were pouring fire into the advancing enemy.

Colin had just shot a Turk and, elated by his success raised his head for another try but a bullet hit him in the forehead. He died before the bearers could carry him to the beach.

At this time, one of this School’s first students was also serving on the Peninsula. Maurice Delpratt attended TSS as a classmate of Markwell. Upon

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Hugh Quinn

Quinn’s Grave in Shrapnel Valley

graduation, he almost immediately joined the teaching staff where he became a master of the School. Delpratt House was established in 1909.

Delpratt had taught Morgan-Reade and was the Housemaster of Harris. He had also followed many of his former students and classmates into war.

He was assigned to the 5th Light Horse, which, along with the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, was almost exclusively made up of Queenslanders. His regiment arrived in Gallipoli on May 18, and he was joined on the adventure by three of his former students Frederic Brown, Thomas Rowlands and Keith Munro.

On June 28, Sergeant Delpratt was sent as a runner to order a squadron to return that had ventured too close to enemy lines. Unfortunately, he was mistaken for the enemy by his own troops and dived into a shell hole to escape the fire. In this same shell hole happened to be a German officer and a couple of Turkish soldiers and he was immediately taken prisoner, one of only 197 POWs taken during the Middle East Campaign. In a letter home to his family he describes the ordeal.

I went out to take the order to a squadron which had gone further out. The way out was pretty unhealthy and I crawled into an old machine gun pit to collect some wits and breath. I collected a frozen spine instead. Our own machine guns spotted me and insisted, with monotonous accuracy, that I was of the opposition. There was nothing for it but to make for an old half-filled trench further out which had good overhead cover. The machine gunners’ mistake was excusable. I had been only 20 or 30 yards from the enemy and now I was in the middle of him. I was excused the ignominy of laying down my arms, they were promptly laid down for me. And here I am a prisoner of war, having failed in my mission and no longer able to serve my country, but in good health and looking forward to the day when the war ends and I can go home. With the Australians it is considered a disgrace to be captured. It was bad soldiering on my part to get within the enemy’s advanced lines, but I know you will understand it is not lack of courage makes a man do that.

Keith Munro and his plane

On the same day he was captured, his former student Keith Munro was injured and sent to England to convalesce. Upon recovery, he was discharged from the Light Horse to take up a commission in the Royal Flying Corps. Munro was killed in his tri-plane ‘Dixie’ after being shot down by the German ace, Wolfgang Guttler, over Polygon Wood in August 1917.

After the evacuation of Gallipoli in 1915, Major Markwell and the remaining men from Light Horse regiments were reunited with their horses in Egypt, where they were ordered to conduct a number of protective tasks in the Nile Valley. In March 1916, they were reassigned to the Anzac Mounted Division, which was famously commanded at that time by Major-General Harry Chauvel. The Mounted Division became part of the Desert Column and were quickly deployed to the Sinai Campaign.

This is where Major Markwell fought with distinction and was recognised for honours and awards through famous victories at Romani, El Arish, Magdhaba and Rafa.

It was during the Battle of Romani, August 3-5, that a horse whisperer from the same regiment, Major Michael Shanahan, and Australia’s most stubborn war horse, ‘Bill the Bastard’ rode hard into oncoming fire to pick up four separated soldiers, with big, stubborn Bill, carrying all five back to safety.

For his gallantry, Major Shanahan was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, while for his actions in the battle, Major Markwell was mentioned in despatches.

The battle of Romani was the first major action for the Desert Column with General Chauvel later reflecting it was “The empty Turkish water bottle that won the battle”. The need to find water was to characterise the entire Sinai and Palestine campaign.

Unfortunately, it was exactly that which killed Thomas Rowlands, the Old Boy that had fought beside his teacher and fellow classmates at Gallipoli.

Just after the battle for Romani in late August 1916, Trooper Rowlands was on a well-seeking party in the desert to find water for the horses. He was taking a cigarette break down a 14foot well he had dug when

Sir Harry Chauvel

Sergeant Maurice Delpratt

Old Southportonians Association badge no. 8, Frederick Brown

An unfortunate reality for many of the Light Horse Brigade

Sergeant Delpratt with other prisoners, second from the left

Third Battle of Gaza – Capture of Jerusalem

Letter from Delpratt to his family

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a fall of earth four - five feet deep collapsed on top of him. By the time his mates dug him out, it was too late.

Less than a month later, his classmate, Frederick Brown, was killed by machine gun fire as the 5th Light Horse advanced towards Mazar. The Padre, Thomas Mullins, reported, “Frederick was not buried by us, as the position where his body lay was swept by machine gun fire”.

In January 1917, Major Markwell was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for action at Magdhaba.

The Unit War Diary recounts a heavy engagement with the enemy in a strong entrenched position with the days’ casualties resulting in one killed and eight wounded for the regiment compared to the Turkish casualties of 97 killed and 1290 prisoners taken captive. Major Markwell’s citation for DSO reads: For conspicuous gallantry in action. He gallantly led the final assault against both the enemy trenches and a redoubt thereby completing the defeat of the enemy. He set a fine example to his men.

Now, this brings us to that fateful day on October 31, 1917, when the urgent need for water was the catalyst behind one of the most unorthodox tactical decisions of the entire campaign.

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General Chauvel had just tricked the enemy into thinking he would be launching another attack on Gaza. The Desert Column conducted a large sweeping arc through the desert towards Beersheba, not unlike the deception plans used by infantry soldiers today. Following the long trek through the desert, many of the men and horses had not had adequate water for several days.

At 3.30 pm, with only a couple of hours of light left and both horses, and men, desperate for water, Chauvel’s options to take Beersheba were limited.

In the dying light of the afternoon, General Chauvel ordered his reserve troops - the 4th and the 12th Light Horse, under command of General Allenby - to conduct a mounted charge over 3000 yards against a heavily defended position.

On the morning of October 31, Chauvel had ordered three divisions of British troops, comprising of tens of thousands of men, to attack the Turkish defences to the west and south of Beerhseba. They were supported by a bombardment of over 100 guns. The enemy was driven from their defences by 1 pm that day, but the wells in the town were still in Turkish hands. The Mounted Corps desperately needed the wells. Enemy resistance 3 kilometres to the east of Beersheba was stronger than expected and the 2nd Light Horse Regiment—as part of a larger force of two brigades—was tasked with capturing this area known as Tel al Saba.

Ion Idriess, a trooper with the 5th Light Horse, and later an influential Australian author wrote:

Lieutenant-Colonel William Markwell, Acting Commanding Officer of the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, was killed at 3 pm that afternoon by shrapnel from an artillery shell. At 3.15 pm Tel Al Saba was taken and the remaining Turkish soldiers withdrew to Beersheba.

At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened a man, they were an awe-inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze; knee-to-knee and horse-to-horse, the dying sun glinting on bayonet points...

The horses started at a canter and quickly moved into a gallop. The speed of the horses, spurred on by the smell of water at Beersheba, meant the Turkish guns were caught off guard and were unable to adjust the elevation of their sights quickly enough.

Nearly all of the wells were captured intact. The Battle of Beersheba altered the course of the war for the Holy Land and helped lay the groundwork for Allenby’s victorious entry into Jerusalem less than two months later.

And the

FIRST HONOUR BL A ZER IN AC A DE M ICS …went to…

Deb Turner – Archivist

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igging back into the TSS Archives reveals many interesting facts, including the recipient of the very first Honour Blazer awarded for high achievement in Academics.

That historic honour went to John Evans-Surman, who was at TSS 1983-1987. John was awarded the Blazer in 1987, creating not only a personal milestone, but making TSS history; as prior to this only sporting achievements received an Honour Blazer.

After TSS, John became a Commerce student at The University of Queensland and was awarded The Australian Society of Accountants Prize for gaining the highest grade-point average for his subjects in second year. John was also awarded a University Medal after the completion of his Honours year.

John recently donated his Honour Blazer to Archives and once framed, it will hang proudly in the TSS Museum.

John has also very generously donated an annual trophy to be awarded to the student with a high allround Academic performance.

Living in Victoria these days, and enjoying a successful business advisory and broking career, John visits the Gold Coast regularly to see family and friends, and has fond memories of his time at TSS.

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he Archibald Prize is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious awards in the art world and associated with it, an invitation goes out to aspiring young artists to apply brush to canvas and submit a portrait in the Young Archies.

Prep Art Teacher, Kerrie Anderson, said the brief is basically the same as that for the Archibald Prize competition. It was down to the boys to create a portrait of a significant Australian with whom they were familiar and who has made an outstanding contribution in their field.

From the enthusiastic would-be competitors, Year 6 student, Darcy Young, was chosen to represent TSS with his inspired portrait of his teacher Mr Hoppe, who’d taught Darcy during his Honours program over the last two years.

Jacqueline Latimer – Marketing

Darcy says that despite his clear vision for how Mr Hoppe should be depicted, it wasn’t an easy task, requiring repeated revisions, but his admiration and respect for Mr Hoppe kept him at it until Darcy was satisfied.

While Darcy says he was surprised that his portrait was chosen, Mr Hoppe was just as surprised, saying that it was humbling and reaffirmed his belief that you really can develop a strong relationship with the boys.

It seems that creativity and artistic endeavour features strongly in the big picture of TSS.

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A NEW LEARNING EX PERIENCE IN A NEW LIBR ARY

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Andrew Stark – Head of Libraries

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he newly refurbished and extended Harley Stumm Senior Library opened at the beginning of Term Four and caused quite a stir. In the first few days, close to 400 boys passed through the sleek automatic doors to inspect the new learning spaces now available to them.

Over the last year, the Senior Library has operated from two separate venues. Now, boys and staff have returned to the new library with much excitement and anticipation, as they explore the new spaces and the new educational and social opportunities that await.

Of great interest is the Reading Lounge on the upper level. This wonderful area has the feel of a ‘traditional club’, with dark timber shelving and leather sofas and armchairs making it the perfect spot for reading. The entire print fiction collection is in the Reading Lounge, but boys are always reminded that there are over 500 titles available online via the Borrow Box app. The upper level also houses the refurbished boardroom table and other seating arrangements to cater for up to two full classes at the one time.

The downstairs area holds the entire non-fiction collection.

Reminiscent of the previous library, this space has kept the glass roof area but now has booth seating for an entire class. The ground level includes the Blue and Red Rooms for smaller class groups and two very popular individual study spaces for boys to access. The feature piece of the ground floor, however, is the 35-seat ‘Learning Curve’. This space is designed to be used for short plenaries, student presentations and ‘open-mic’ sessions. We are excited by the potential use of this dynamic new space and look forward to experimenting with its use.

Thank you to the entire TSS Community for your patience and flexibility during the lengthy building process. We know you will be very happy with the result and we look forward to sharing it with boys, staff and parents in the years to come.

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Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, Oxford, et al … the pathway starts right here Katrina Martin Admissions Registrar

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any of us have heard the term “SAT” and know that it is loosely associated with studying in the USA. But what really is the SAT? Why would our students be interested in sitting it? And how is TSS involved?

The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) developed by The College Board USA, is a standardised test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Students with aspirations of attending a college or university in the States—particularly those seeking scholarship opportunities—need to sit the SAT to satisfy entry requirements.

The Southport School is an accredited international testing centre for The College Board USA, offering several SAT testing dates throughout the academic year. Our boys have the unique opportunity of having this on their doorstep.

Overall awareness and prospects for tertiary study in the USA have more than tripled in the past few years, with several TSS graduates accepted into institutions such as Yale, Harvard and NYU. Many more are now applying for acceptance in 2018 at Stanford, MIT and Cornell University, to name just a few.

We haven’t forgotten about our younger students either. To foster and support their engagement in international study, we are also College Board certified to offer our Year 10 boys the PSAT/NMSQT (Pre-Scholastic Assessment Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). Many students take the PSAT, not only as preparation for the SAT taken in Years 11 and 12 and widely used as a major criterion for college admissions, but also to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Competition.

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Helen McCleary Senior Studies

Similarly, some of our boys seek enrolment in institutions such as Cambridge and Oxford in the United Kingdom. In support of our boys’ UK ambitions, we have also acquired accreditation as an international testing centre for the Cambridge Suite of Assessments, having hosted our inaugural testing session this past November. This services applications to Oxford University and many other acclaimed UK universities.

As TSS tracks the development towards international study, we have undertaken to invest in resourcing our staff to ensure that we are at the forefront of this trend. In close association with Education USA through the US Consulate, collaboration with The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and The College Board USA, sponsored professional learning ensures our boys have access to the most current and relevant information available.

We specifically assist students with an initial appointment to prepare and register for all entrance testing through to College applications, Letters of Recommendation and access to Admissions Officers in the USA and UK. Recent attendance at the College Board Summer Institute for International Counsellors hosted by New York University’s Manhattan campus proved invaluable in terms of knowledge and networking, which has already proved instrumental in successful outcomes for our boys.

We both welcome contact from current students and their families to discuss this prominent emerging pathway.

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XI puts the icing on the TSS cricket cake Our First

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Steve Baker – Director of Cricket

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ot content to merely rest on its laurels by claiming the GPS Premiership, our First XI went in to bat for the ultimate prize in the Queensland T20 Secondary Schools Competition.

When the lights lit up on the pitch at the Rockhampton Cricket Grounds, the TSS boys were facing off against Rockhampton Grammar School’s team playing with the home turf advantage. Winning the toss, Captain Sol Budinger elected to bat, but within just seven overs TSS was in trouble with three batsmen sent back to the pavilion for just 32 runs.

But as demonstrated in GPS games, this is a team that hangs tough and plays as a team, and Josh Kann stared down Rocky’s bowlers to turn the momentum and dispatch the pink ball to all parts of the ground with a quick-fire 61. Jarrod Leathem lent support with another 26 runs, and with further effort from Matt Grant, the TSS innings ended with a total of 142 off 20 overs.

In reply, our bowlers attacked with deadly accuracy. Two early stumpings by Callum Jackson off Matt Grant saw Matt Grant take 2/12 (4). Josh Kann added to Rockhampton’s woes with 3/2 (4) and Sol Budinger weighed in with 2/1 (3) to have RGS 9/56 off 20 overs.

The TSS Cricket cake was already a rich one for the season, but the First XI really put the icing on it.

We are now the Queensland T20 Secondary Schools Champions. Well done boys, cricketing immortality is yours.

Standing left to right: Mr R. Wallace, C. Young, C. Murphy, S. Budinger, B. Munro, C. Jackson, T. Watts and Mr S. Baker Kneeling left to right: J. Leathem, J. Kann, S. Polombo, M. Grant, L. McIlwaith and L. Denniston

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g n i e b l l e w boys' A new role to turbocharge

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Jacqueline Latimer – Marketing

n a national first, The Southport School (TSS) has created a new role that will focus on bridging the gap between mental health prevention and intervention.

We are pleased to announce Caitlin Anderson as the School’s new Wellbeing Health Promotion Officer—a role that will see her develop a continuous program of support across the whole school for boys from Preschool through to Year 12.

As an accredited practicing dietitian and wellbeing mentor, Caitlin brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience in developing and implementing programs that are structured toward creating a holistic approach to overall health through positive psychology and targeted information.

Caitlin comments, “TSS has already implemented a number of wellbeing initiatives for students, however I endeavour to access all available resources as well as national and state-wide policies, to assist in the development and ongoing management of a bespoke wellbeing health program within the School.

“There’s a lot of information out there already, but we want to create more accessibility to that information, so, for example, I’m looking at creating an online medium that the boys can access on their phones and from home”.

Caitlin has previously worked with youth at risk in the Men of Business (MOB) Program and has more recently managed a 6-week program focused around nutrition and

several other wellbeing activities such as gardening, yoga and personal training.

Caitlin further adds, “While these programs were successful, they were very intervention-based whereas we will be tailoring our program toward preventative methods that will give practical strategies the boys can use to support themselves rather than waiting for problems to arise. My position here further demonstrates the commitment TSS has to the social and emotional wellbeing of its students”.

According to Dr Angela Zagoren, TSS Director of Counselling and Wellbeing Health, Miss Anderson’s first major role will be to conduct a full audit, looking at what the school does from a wellbeing prospective.

Dr Zagoren states, “One thing that sets TSS apart is our approach to holistic education. We recognise that academics alone does not create the person, and we need to prioritise learning and personal growth through a variety of psychological and physical wellbeing initiatives.

“We use the term, ‘Wellbeing Health’ at TSS to remind boys and staff that our mind and body are not separate entities but are intrinsically interconnected and we require strategies that support both.

“It’s also a national first to have someone with dietician qualifications within a school; while it’s not her primary focus, it’s a resource that TSS has available for all boys and staff ”.

Opposite page: Dr Angela Zagoren (left), Caitlin Anderson (right)

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How do we

OPEN MOR E DOORS FOR BOY S TO ACCESS E XCELLENCE?

Greg Cornelsen – Director of Philanthropy

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atthew Dalton was offered an Indigenous Scholarship this year and is flourishing. The talented South Grafton High School student was top in his class, and a keen cricketer who was introduced to TSS by Faculty member Bryce Speechley who originated from Grafton.

Having just completed Year 10, Matthew is balancing his academic and sporting programs with aplomb.

The medium-fast opening bowler for the 10As is also a dasher with the bat, says Director of Cricket, Steve Baker. Steve says that Matthew has a positive way of articulating ideas and thoughts and is destined to make a difference in whatever field he chooses.

With a love of biology Matthew is keen to study Marine Biology at University.

Campbell Parata is another outstanding young man who has been offered access to excellence by TSS. Having just completed Year 11, Campbell was offered a Foundation Scholarship in 2016. The talented Rugby fly-half was selected in the First XV in his first year at TSS. As a member of the GPS premiership-winning side this year, Campbell was selected in the Australian Schoolboys Barbarian side (Australia A). Next year Campbell will have his sights on the Australian Schoolboys team to tour the UK by the end of the year. First XV coach Mike Wallace says that Campbell is self-motivated, disciplined, with a good work ethic and an outstanding Rugby player.

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Campbell is very proud that he receives As and Bs for his subjects and “no Cs”. He attributes his grades to the two hours of evening study at his beloved McKinley House. Campbell is keen to continue his studies post-school in either Sports Science or a Design Course, possibly Architecture. A career in Rugby is also on the agenda and, from what we know of Campbell, he will succeed at both.

So, how can we as the TSS community offer more boys these outstanding opportunities?

As an example, one generous family with no previous connection to TSS are currently paying the way for an indigenous boy for his years at TSS. So, are there any families or corporate organisations for instance who would support the Indigenous program?

As Director of Philanthropy, part of my role will be to ensure that more boys like Matthew and Campbell will be offered access to excellence at TSS. In addition, I need to do what I can to ensure that capital works continue to be supported by the TSS community, and to promote long-term support through additional donations and bequests.

That said, I certainly don’t have all the answers about fundraising and bequests. If anybody has any thoughts or ideas, please contact greg.cornelsen@tss.qld.edu.au or 07 5531 9953. Alternatively, you could send me a note and post to Greg Cornelsen, Philanthropy, The Southport School, Winchester St, Southport, QLD, 4215 and I will contact you.

Wildebeest, willing hands and running wild make for an african adventure

Andrew Stalling – Director of Athletics

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ver the June/July holidays, a group of eight students and two staff undertook the adventure of a lifetime to Kenya, with a goal to help a community less fortunate than their own, to train with the best runners in the world and to experience an amazing culture.

Over the first few days of the trip, the boys worked extremely hard to dig and lay the foundations for a kitchen for the Irigathathi Primary School, which is situated at the base of Mt Kenya. As many of the students were turning up to class without having had a proper meal in a number of days, this project had a very necessary and worthwhile purpose. The money raised by the boys in the lead up to the trip paid for the building materials and labour, and it was great for them to be fully involved in the initial stages of the school kitchen’s construction.

Moving on from kitchen construction duties, the TSS team travelled to Iten, a town famous for producing the very best distance runners in the world and home to St. Patrick’s—arguably the best Athletics school in the world. At an altitude of 2400 metres, the training was extremely challenging, as was the quality of Kenyan runners. The highlight of this part of the trip was joining in with 100+ of the world’s best runners for a 15 kilometre Fartlek run on the dirt roads that wound through the farms surrounding Iten.

Finally, the team travelled to the Maasai Mara and Nairobi National Park to see the stunning wildlife. The Mara was inundated with Wildebeest on their annual migration, but there was still plenty of variety to be found in the animals present. Another memorable part of the tour was staying with the Chapman family at Ololo Lodge, which borders Nairobi National Park.

Out of TSS and into Africa made for one memorable adventure.

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T SS RUGB Y E X PLOR E SOUTH A M ER ICA

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ne of the attractions of a sport like Rugby Union is the diversity of countries that play the sport and the potential for a school like TSS to tour. Over the last four years Argentinian rugby has developed on the international stage and we were keen to see how the sport was organised and played at school level. From the moment we landed we knew this was going to be more than just a rugby tour, it was going to be an adventure.

Bryan Hain – Director of Sport and Tour Manager

The first game of the tour was in Santiago verses the Chile Under 17 national side. The game was an awesome match played on a pitch that overlooked the city, with the snowtopped Andes in the background. I’m not quite sure how we sneaked a victory, what with playing the day after such a long flight and in soaring temperatures, but in the last few minutes Hamish Roberts kicked a penalty goal. TSS 32, Chile 31.

The one thing you learn quite quickly in South America is the hosts say “The third half is just as important as the first”.

This is in reference to looking after the visitors and regardless of the result there is a significant rugby function after the game and social interaction. Pre-tour we had endeavoured to practise some Spanish with specialist language tutors before we left, but it was pleasing to see so many of our boys mixing, talking and making new mates as soon as the game was over. We will never forget that venue, the scenery and the hospitality in Chile.

The first week of the tour was jam packed with rugby matches, hotel changes, long bus rides and sightseeing opportunities. No one was really prepared for the bus trip up over the Andes and scenic bus stop halfway up the range at a beautiful snow-covered ski resort. For some of the boys it was the first time they had seen snow, for others it was a great opportunity to take some awesome mountain photographs.

It wasn’t that long before we reached the late-night border crossing between Chile and Argentina. One hour turned into two as every car, bus and truck were searched. Later we found out that during the peak of the tourist period that border crossing normally takes six to seven hours. Ninety minutes didn’t seem too bad in comparison. Onwards to Mendoza and then to Rosario in Argentina.

Successful school tours are more than just rugby matches and thanks to some hard fundraising the TSS boys visited a local orphanage and donated a cheque for $4000 towards their sports and education program. It was one of the highlights of the tour and although our boys lost in a friendly soccer match (Australia 0, Argentina 6) all the boys from the orphanage had painted individual pictures for each of the TSS boys. I think we also left the orphanage minus most of our tour rugby caps. In the space of a few hours we witnessed the poverty of Argentina and then played rugby at one of the most exclusive clubs in the country. We were learning lots as we travelled further into the country.

Match two on tour was against the Rosario Jockey Club team who were kind enough to billet us for two nights. The Jockey Club is one of the oldest and most exclusive clubs in Argentina and encompasses a huge amount of sports such as polo, soccer, swimming and equestrian. As tourists it’s never easy matching teams on size, ability and age when you play in different competitions. TSS dominated this match with some quality play, but the opposition wanted to play as many squad members as possible ‘against the Australians’ so towards the end of the match TSS finished up convincing winners.

Next stop was Buenos Aires, a really big city with busy roads and different architecture. The city guides assigned

to the TSS tour were outstanding everywhere we stopped.

If you wanted to learn about the country, the city, its sites and history, there was plenty of interesting insights as we moved around the country. There is no doubt that we all enjoyed the La Boca markets surrounding the soccer stadium and the professional match that same afternoon, Velez v Boco Juniors. The home crowd were amazing with the cheering and big band behind the goal. The away crowd were a little disappointing and the reason for that was that in Argentina away fans are now banned from attending. So that created an unusual atmosphere especially as the away team, ‘Boco Juniors’, won 4-0 and the home team Velez crowd carried on chanting as if the score line was the other way around.

Football ‘Argentina style’—great skill, but different.

The weather on tour was good to the touring squad except on the day we played Champagnat. This saw the third game moved to a long way out of the city and into a big exclusive residential complex with a huge rugby club attached just down the road. This was a great encounter and we now knew that regardless of size, Argentinian rugby players are strong tacklers and skilful in attack. The whole experience was typically Argentinian, you need Plan A, Plan B and even sometimes Plan C in Argentina. TSS won the match, the hospitality could not be faulted and the two sides bonded as if they were long lost mates.

As soon as we boarded the ferry from Argentina to Uruguay the hectic pace of the tour slowed down a little.

Punta del Este was supposably the ‘Gold Coast of South America’, home of the rich and famous in the summer, but probably a little windy and cold out of season. It was a good time for the boys to rest up and recover, take in some good local food and pick up some souvenirs in the local shops.

The last game was in Montevideo and this was a memorable match under lights. Once again, it was a little cool and windy but the TSS boys played some great rugby against our hosts Stella Maris College. This was the same school that saw 14 of its Old Boys die in the plane crash of 1972 (the movie adaptation was called Alive) as they flew over the mountains to play Chile the next day. This was the last game of the tour and the after match function, food and comradery was as good as it gets. The third half involved a local chef (expert butcher and barbeque chef) cooking slabs of beef, ribs and pork on a huge open barbeque next to the main oval and changing rooms. French bread sticks were cut into slices and small cuts of meat just kept on coming as the boys sat around the tables laughing and chatting with their new friends from Uruguay. The chef received a standing ovation from the TSS boys.

Finally, many thanks to all the parents, sponsors, charity donations and rugby supporters who made this tour possible.

In all four games TSS was victorious, but in reflection the tour was about so much more than just the results. Each match saw a different starting XV, a rotating captaincy and new challenges. We played games in three different countries, we were constantly on the move, packing and unpacking, changing hotels and meeting new people. The feedback from the tour operator, city guides and hosting families was always very positive “You have a great group on boys on tour”. This was more than just a sports tour, it was a period of time where 23 TSS students grew a little and experienced a lot. Most importantly all boys were fantastic ambassadors and a credit to their parents, School and country.

TSS Rugby Chile, Argentina and Uruguay 2017.

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Julie Watts – Round Square Coordinator

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ould you prefer zip-lining through the dense jungle of Cambodia, visiting ancient temples, sailing on lakes where all the buildings are built on the water, shopping in super cheap, groovy markets, eating in an incredible range of restaurants or chilling out with a foot massage? Or perhaps you would prefer wading through sewage in the slums, in extreme temperatures and humidity, giving rice and vegies to poverty stricken children you taught that morning in hot, loud, open classrooms? For our TSS boys, who visited Cambodia at the end of last year, incredibly, the second option was the highlight of their tour, working side-by-side with the students and staff at Feeding Dreams, and finding a special place in their hearts for the Khmer people.

It takes time and energy to organise an overseas trip for our boys but these tours are always rewarding, for both staff and students. Imagine the surprise when, after the hours spent developing an action-packed itinerary, the boys said their favourite thing by far was working in the classrooms at Feeding Dreams and seeing how the children lived—a stark contrast to the living conditions we often take for granted.

Our ‘Care for Cambodia’ project is in its seventh year now and we have made a big difference to many lives. Feeding Dreams Cambodia has become our focus since it was founded by Queenslander, Kerry Huntly, four years ago.

When Kerry first decided to start Feeding Dreams, and leave her previous organisation, New Hope, in the hands of the Khmer people she had worked so hard to build it up with, we were excited to be part of this new project. The

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TSS Prep School community provided money to build classrooms, a football field and play areas. We organised furniture and televisions for classrooms and helped to get an administration block set up.

The School at Feeding Dreams now educates 800 children a day, in English, Maths, computer skills and morality. Four hundred of those children receive a meal every day, usually the only food they get as they come from extremely poor families, often living on less than USD$1 a day. The slum areas they live in have no running water and dwellings are made of corrugated iron and any board or sacking the families can find.

The Dreams Training Centre (DTC) is the latest addition to the school site. DTC gives vocational training, in all aspects of hospitality, to teenagers who were not fortunate enough to go to school and therefore have very few chances of breaking the cycle of poverty for their families. Each student needs sponsorship, for one year, to attend the program. It is fantastic to see students graduate and obtain jobs in reputable four and five-star hotels.

During the mid-year holidays, I went to Cambodia to organise a Round Square Pre-Conference for 2018 and during this time, Kerry’s father sadly and unexpectedly passed away. The timing, although always terrible in these situations, could not have been better. I was able to step into Kerry’s shoes and get a feel for all aspects of the organisation. From organising volunteer tour groups, to hosting 40 dentists and doctors who performed 240 tooth extractions, I experienced it all. It was exhausting, inspiring, overwhelming and life changing.

Feeding Dreams runs from sponsorships to pay for the varying salaries of staff and fees charged when tourists volunteer to teach. This money pays for the day-to-day running costs, often an area difficult to find sponsorship for. TSS provides sponsorship for a Teacher, the Head of Curriculum and two girls, Srey Net and Srey Leap, aged 14 and 11. The fundraising done every year at the Prep School is invaluable to keeping this long-term commitment going. It is a valuable and rewarding opportunity for our boys to visit Feeding Dreams and meet the people whose lives they are changing.

Srey Net is very studious and has been top of her Khmer school class of 44, many times. Her father is a wonderful man who had his legs broken at birth when he was delivered in breach position and then they never developed normally. He works hard selling

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books to tourists, scooting around on the ground with thongs on his hands. It was a memorable and funny moment when I was working there and having dinner on my own one night, when I heard, “Teacher Julie…Teacher Julie”, and looked around trying to figure where it came from. I saw him outside on the footpath, so I ran outside, got on the ground and hugged him. The diners, almost all tourists, looked on with mouths agape. Of course, my limited—but trying to get better—Khmer language skills made for a short conversation until a waiter translated. Most tourists try to avoid the numerous disabled booksellers! But it is these people, reminders of Cambodia’s recent, tragic and violent history, who reinforce the need for institutions such as Feeding Dreams, whose aim it is to help break the poverty cycle through education and keeping the family unit intact.

Srey Leap, who was diagnosed HIV positive two years ago, is doing really well. The house we built for her mother is holding up well but the fear is that at any time the government will move them on as it is built on government land. Whilst there, I bought her a Khmer school uniform and a bike to get to school.

She is a very serious girl but she could not contain herself the day we took her to the bike shop and told her she could pick whichever bike she wanted; it was a pink one. Through our sponsorship, the girls attend a half-day at both the local Khmer school and Feeding Dreams.

During my time there this year, in the rainy season for the first time, I realised how desperately the classrooms need a roof other than tin or they need some form of insulation. It was incredibly hot and when it rained, which was often, no one could hear a thing. I hope, as a community, we can raise enough funds to help with this issue. The recent torrential rains have also highlighted a desperate need to have drainage done. The school closed for some days due to knee-deep water in the grounds and classrooms.

Each time we have visited Cambodia, the impact on the boys has been huge. It puts all their ‘wants and needs’ in perspective. There is truly nothing like having opportunities to help others and Cambodia has a way of capturing the heart of everyone who visits.

The saying goes, “When you leave Cambodia, you cannot help but leave a piece of your heart”.

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Round Square:

A–Z O F A F R I C A

Awards to Zebras and so much in between…

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There is more in you than you think.

— Kurt Hahn

Julie Watts – Round Square Coordinator

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erman educator, Kurt Hahn, was a key figure in experiential learning. He believed that students could really only understand the full value of life by experiencing challenging and exciting opportunities. His philosophies founded Round Square, Outward Bound, The Duke of Edinburgh Award and the United World Colleges, around the world.

All of these organisations aim to ensure that students have incredible opportunities and Hahn hoped that by testing themselves to their limits, students would develop the skills and abilities to become the guardians and leaders of the future.

Although Hahn died in 1974, his presence can be felt at every International Round Square Conference. To look around the International Conference Centre of Cape Town, in October 2017, and see more than 1000 students, from over 160 schools spanning the globe, engaging, gaining understanding of confronting issues and sharing their inspirational solutions, was incredible.

by the President of Round Square, His Majesty King Constantine, to schools who came up with a project that demonstrated either school involvement, inventiveness, tenacity, sustainability or problem solving.

Sandy Hickson, a TSS Round Square leader, had been working with the Year 10 leadership boys and was keen to get them involved in something hands-on, which would make a difference to the lives of others. Sandy’s awareness of issues faced in Cambodia, and other developing countries, led him to researching more on the problems women face in childbirth in these countries and he became impassioned in delivering the message that women were dying unnecessarily because they did not have access to simple items such as soap, scalpels and a clean surface whilst giving birth. He registered with the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia, and started to organise funds to buy the items needed to make the birthing kits.

It is so motivating to see an upcoming generation of leaders congregate in a forum such as the Round Square International Conference and share the positive changes that every school is making in their community and the world around them.

Round Square granted Sandy the money and he used these funds to run barbeques to raise further funds to get the project going. Through Sandy’s tenacity, and with support from Heaven Elishav and Joel Gray, two of the other Round Square leaders, he got the Year 10 boys using their time to assemble birthing kits. Sandy, Heaven and Joel then decided it was a good opportunity to invite St Hilda’s girls along to help with the assembly process and social network.

Last year marked the 50th Anniversary of Round Square, and to celebrate this milestone, Anniversary Challenge grants were offered

Sandy’s drive and passion were recognised at the opening ceremony of the RSIC 2017, where TSS was awarded the Anniversary Award for

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‘tenacity’ and was given GBP£2000 (AUD$3375) towards sustaining the project. Round Square officials were particularly impressed with Sandy’s courage and compassion in dealing with an issue not usually addressed at an all-boys school. Although Sandy was not at the conference to receive the award, Tom Fuhrmann and James Murray proudly accepted the award on his behalf.

The trip to Africa was not just about awards, international relationship building and global issues; it was also about investigating the incredible flora and fauna of South Africa. The boys and I spent four days travelling through Kruger National Park, with delegates and staff from Scotch Oakburn College, in Tasmania. SOC Round Square Rep, Stuart Walls, used his vast knowledge of South Africa to book us an incredible pre-conference experience.

From Kruger National Park, the group headed to Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, and spent a week living in the typical round African hut, in a camp enclosure fenced from the vast wildlife that roamed freely through the area. HESC is in land set aside as a wildlife reserve and their primary aim is to reintroduce cheetah back into the wild and increase their dwindling numbers. Sadly, their mission has become much broader.

Rhino poaching is a huge problem in Africa, as the horn is now one of the most expensive commodities in the world, selling for $68 000 per kilogram, to countries where wealthy people snort it, in the belief it will prevent cancer and other ailments. Hard to believe when rhino horn is made up of the equivalent of human hair and nail. Twelve rhino orphans have been rescued by HESC; two of which needed major surgery where their face had been removed in the process of taking the horn.

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The centre is also home to a baby elephant whose mother was recently killed by poachers.

Wildlife trafficking now ranks as the fourth largest money making crime, behind drugs, arms and human beings. Many of the terrorism organisations are behind the poaching incidents, using highly advanced equipment to enter known sites at night time.

The rangers at HESC spent the week working with the students and educating them on the situation. Although some countries are offering solutions, such as drones, a large problem is that the rangers protecting the wildlife do not have basic necessities such as boots, socks and protection against malaria. The students were given a challenge: find a way to help change the situation.

With democracy as the second pillar of Round Square, a trip to Cape Town would not be complete without visiting Robben Island, and the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 years for fighting for equal rights for all people.

The conference made a real impact on the boys; in a world where it is easy to focus on all that is wrong, it is truly inspiring to witness all that is right and see first-hand what the coming generation are capable of.

TSS was the first school in Australia to become a Round Square school and it has always supported the philosophies of Round Square by encouraging boys to take advantage of all the opportunities provided and discover what they are made of and what they are passionate about.

In the words of Kurt Hahn… ‘There is more in you than you think’.

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Our French boys

TA S T E PA R I S in the Pacific

Sophie Boissery – French Language Coordinator

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uring the Term Three IDEALS Week, students from Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11 accompanied by French Language Coordinator and Teacher, Sophie Boissery, and Assistant, Pierre Fialho, tasted a bit of ‘Paris in the Pacific’. Just two hours from Australia, New Caledonia and its capital of Noumea, is a cultural, linguistic and personal experience never to be forgotten. Perfect weather, colonial architecture and marvellous authentic French cuisine set the seal on the tour.

Everyone was in high spirits in this South Pacific paradise. The boys—liberally lathered with plenty of sunscreen—swam, snorkelled, played football, had a trip on a glass-bottom boat and topped it off with a terrific tropical lunch. To add to the festive atmosphere, a live band and Tahitian dancers swung into action and to the amusement and delight of the group, one of our boys, Oscar Churchill, and Assistant, Pierre Fialho, were invited to dance.

Our home-away-from-home was the Nouvata Parc Hotel in vibrant Noumea. Amazing views of the beach and sparkling azure ocean, a vast swimming pool and lavish breakfasts each morning, earned the hotel favourable comments by one and all.

Another highlight of the trip was the students’ ‘big TV debut’ on the local television station, ‘Nouvelle Calédonie Première’. A camera crew followed the group around for a day, taking footage of some French lessons and a visit to the local markets, which was aired on the local news that night.

During the week, the boys and TSS staff soaked up the unique French culture offered in New Caledonia through French immersion lessons at the Institute Voltaire, frequent encounters with the local people, dining at many popular restaurants where we indulged in different types of cuisine and a range of tours.

On the last day, we managed to make a trip to the local markets and adventured into ‘Géant Casino’, the biggest supermarket in Noumea— and one of the most famous French supermarket chains—giving the boys one last opportunity to put into practise the French expressions they had learnt over the week.

On the list was The Noumea Aquarium, home to an extensive range of marine species known only to New Caledonia and an experience with the fabled Nautilus Mollusc. In order to get more of an appreciation of the flora and fauna, we promenaded through the Parc Forestier, where we were welcomed in memorable style by the ‘Cagou’, the flightless native bird of New Caledonia.

The success of this unique study trip to Noumea is perhaps best summed up in the words of the boys themselves.

There was a creative tour around Noumea on the famous Tchou Tchou Train and at the peak of Mount Koghi, the boys tackled the adrenaline-charged high ropes course. With sharpened appetites, we visited an authentic French ‘Creperie’ to sample the local must-try specialty of both savoury and dessert crepes. Unsurprisingly, this was definitely the group’s favourite restaurant.

A wander through the outstanding Tjibaou Cultural Centre generated a greater understanding of the Melanesian and Kanak cultures and, to underscore the lesson, the boys were taught how to make traditional huts.

The highlight of the week was unquestionably the day trip to Amedee Island. Famous for its 56-metre-tall lighthouse, a 247-stair climb leads to a stunning 360° view of the entire island, the crystal-clear water and the city of Noumea visible in the far distance.

The 2017 Noumea Tour was a memorable trip that created a bond between students and staff. The trip improved each student’s French speaking and gave us the chance to fully immerse ourselves in the French Culture.

—Ahmed Al-Jumaily

Once in a lifetime experience that helped me excel in my French speaking ability.

—Oscar Churchill

If you’re a keen French student and you feel like taking part in an amazing, friendly and memorable journey whilst studying French in a relaxed and natural way (not to mention the crepes), then put your hand up for the next tour to the tropical island of New Caledonia.

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Touring at Prep 2017

Mark Wyer – Preparatory School Deputy Head – Pastoral Care

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hat do you remember from school? What caused you to be who you are today? Chances are, a group project, a special speaker or a school tour helped you decide. It may have even been something you did on your own, outside of school after learning about a given topic. There was something in your life that sparked your passion or curiosity. It pushed you to take your learning into your own hands and learn more.

Every one of our boys comes to the classroom with a different world experience. We know that boys who have been exposed to many different things do better in school.

In order to be successful readers, students need to relate what they read to what they’ve experienced. To think broadly, students need to have a variety of experiences.

significant advantages to exposing our boys to the opportunity of musical, sporting, academic and cultural tours. It reinforces classroom work, encourages students to learn at a deeper level, provides cultural experiences and allows our boys to form lifelong memories to be made with friends.

This year, our Year 5 and Year 6 boys had the unique opportunity to choose from, and participate in, a variety of educational tours. The boys could choose from a cultural overseas experience in China, a musical tour to Stanthorpe, a winter alpine ski trip to Thredbo or a sporting tour to Sydney. As you will see, the boys at Prep had a fantastic time exploring a different culture and country but also enjoyed the different offerings that our country has to offer.

As educators, we know that school tours are important, but why specifically? At TSS Prep, we see a number of

China Tour

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n September, one of the highlight tours that the Prep School boys could undertake, occurred. The China Tour! This tour is an opportunity for the boys to experience the breathtaking grandeur which is China—its spectacular physical beauty as well as the amazing cities for which it is known.

Starting out in Beijing the boys enjoyed visiting the key sites of this famous city. The Forbidden Palace, the Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square and the traditional homes of the Houtong. From here, they journeyed to the Great Wall and spent a very enjoyable morning walking up and down its steep hills and valleys. The boys spent a day at the Beijing Language and Cultural School learning more about Chinese Art and practising Chinese calligraphy. Of course, shopping in the markets of Beijing was a real thrill and the boys found themselves haggling like experts to get the best price.

The Terracotta Warriors of Xian were next on the itinerary and what an incredible experience it was to view these ancient artefacts. Standing in silent sentinel in row after row, these detailed statues are an inspiring sight. The history of their discovery was fascinating to the boys and many a great souvenir was brought back to Australia as a reminder of this historical wonder.

For the first time we partnered with a local school.

In Wuhan, the boys were warmly welcomed by their host home-stay families and after a very spirited game of

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China Tour continued Football the boys journeyed off to experience authentic Chinese family life. The host families could not have been more accommodating to the boys and went out of their way to make sure their stay was comfortable and enjoyable. Some of the families took their TSS guest out to local theme parks or restaurants. Others involved them in preparing the evening meal and undertaking traditional craft activities. The boys had a wonderful time and wished that they could stay longer with their new Chinese family!

In Shanghai there was more shopping, but also visits to The Bund, an amazing acrobatic show and a visit to the ‘Venice of the East’, Suzhou. This beautiful city presented many contrasts to the other major cities visited and was a lovely way to end our tour.

Travelling around this large, geographically diverse and culturally rich country on high-speed trains was also a great experience. Being able to witness first-hand the rapid changes that are occurring both in urban and rural areas and to get a sense of how China is embracing technology was very interesting for boys, parents and staff alike.

A very interesting and educational tour which supplements the boys’ study at school.

Stanthorpe Music Tour

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he Stanthorpe Music Tour was a wonderful four days of music, discovery, meeting Old Boys and loving the picturesque surrounds of Stanthorpe.

Twenty-nine boys, four staff and of course Dave our bus driver, headed to Stanthorpe for four days of concerts and opportunities to learn more about the area. One of the best things about going on country tours is realising how far the TSS network extends and having the opportunity to meet with Old Boys who can share stories of their time at TSS. The boys absolutely love being able to build these connections.

This tour included three performances. The first was at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School. The choir and various soloists performed for the students, who really enjoyed the program. We then had the opportunity to share afternoon tea and some recreation with the host school. Our second performance was at the lovely Robert Channon Winery. Here the boys performed surrounded by the wine barrels to an audience who thoroughly enjoyed the offerings of our boys.

Our final performance was sharing the Eucharist with the parish of St Paul’s Anglican Church. The parishioners were delighted that the boys could sing at the service and then shared morning tea with them following the service.

The local area and extending to Tenterfield was fascinating, Sutton’s Farm is where the boys learned about apple orchards, products produced by Suttons and tasting of the local juices and produce. A fun time was had at the Granite Belt Maze and Mini Golf. A trip to the Law Dogs Show was unforgettable. Seeing how they train the dogs from puppies was really special. This was certainly worth the trip. Our trip to Tenterfield linked really well with the Year 6 Curriculum.

Sir Henry Parkes Museum and all the history that goes with this was really educational, a trip out to Bushranger Captain Thunderbolt’s Hideout was great, viewing the WWII Tank Traps and finishing with the Tenterfield Saddler and Tenterfield Railway. The connections with TSS never cease to amaze and the opportunity to take our music to the region is something very special.

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Thredbo Ski Trip

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he Prep School Ski Tour returned to the snow-filled mountains at the Thredbo Resort located in the Mount Kosciusko National Park.

Nineteen boys, three staff and one dad were eager to hit the slopes and experience everything that Thredbo had to offer.

As the week progressed, the boys’ skills and confidence were increasing. The boys went to their lessons determined to see improvement so that they could go further, higher and faster than the day before. We were all pumped to see falling snow early in the week and had the luxury of skiing in the mountains with falling snow by our side. The weather got a bit wet mid-week with a morning of light rain and cold conditions. The boys headed back to the accommodation for an early lunch and a chance to warm up and dry their clothes. Several boys braved the conditions and went back out on Wednesday afternoon and enjoyed falling snow again as the weather improved, while other boys took the chance to enjoy some shopping and a tour of Thredbo Village. Wednesday evening became a highlight of the trip. The boys got to enjoy a session of night skiing where they lit up Friday Flats with flood lights for all to enjoy. The boys particularly enjoyed the opportunity to ski at night but also enjoyed watching the young students of the Thredbo Racing Team go through their drills and see how fast they could ski.

By the end of the week, all the boys managed to get up to the Cruiser area with several boys venturing further afield to the more difficult areas of the Supertrail and Crackenback. The last run for the week, saw all 19 boys and staff head over to the difficult Blue Run of the Supertrail and skiing together all the way back to the accommodation. While the trip provided us the opportunity to ski some terrific snowfields, it provided much more than that. Watching all the boys, from different backgrounds and year levels, bond over the week was truly a unique and special experience. Boys sharing conversations, helping one another on the ski fields, chatting and skiing with staff and enjoying each other’s company made the trip a truly memorable experience.

Sydney Sports Tour

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he Sydney Sports Tour provided the chance for our boys to travel to Sydney to experience some of the iconic sites in the capital of New South Wales, along with participating and enjoying the competition from some of our southern GPS counterparts. As part of the tour the boys spent time on the Sydney Harbour courtesy of a jet boat ride, visited the Sydney Opera House and Olympic Park with very excited boys having a personal tour of ANZ Stadium. The boys were fortunate to experience the stadium arena from several vantage points, including the press box, media room, trophy area and executive suites, before heading down and experiencing the players’ dressing rooms. Exploring all aspects of being a player on game day, the boys went through their paces in the warm-up room, explored every inch of the changing rooms, briefing room and ice baths, before experiencing what it is like to run out into an 80,000-place stadium. The main part of the tour was competing against a number of Sydney GPS schools in Football and Rugby. The boys had several tough and close encounters with Barker College, Newington and Scots College, and several positive results for the TSS boys, but more importantly, the friendships formed on the tour along with making new friends with the boys’ billets.

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, s t a b Wompicnics, . . . s y a d 0 10 38

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n o ti p e c re in s s e n y s u b l ra and gene Kathryn Barry – Deputy Headmaster of Preparatory – Learning and Teaching

DAYS

R

eception is always a hub of learning and activity and Term Three is no exception. Busyness takes a front row seat in the boys’ education and Term Three took them on many different learning adventures. Term Three learning in Reception is when the boys really start to see all their hard work start to pay off as they’re exposed to an array of activities that fuel their passion for learning across all curriculum areas.

We celebrated our boys reaching ‘100 Days in Reception’ with a range of activities based on ‘100’. The boys made crowns to show they were 100 days smarter, wrote sentences about what they would do with $100, made bead chains by counting in 10s, made fairy bread with hundreds & thousands, drew pictures and predicted what we would look like at 100 years of age.

A fun way to celebrate 100 days smarter.

We were able to celebrate Father’s Day with our dads at School. Fathers are such important role models for their sons in many ways and it was great to see the dads reading and sharing picture books with their sons.

The boys were also very excited and engaged while they were participating in a variety of literacy activities.

So many adults in the classroom, but what fun we had.

It was then out of the classroom and down to the oval for a fun afternoon of games and father and son races.

The Annual TSS and Saint Hilda’s Picnic was another huge success, with TSS playing host to the Saint Hilda’s girls this year. It’s a great way to strengthen the relationship with our sister school and great to see the boys and girls being buddied up. After meeting their buddy, the kids got to choose from a range of art, sport and play activities, before finishing the morning with a picnic morning tea. The boys conducted themselves as young gentlemen should and showed that chivalry is certainly not dead.

The boys also ventured out to the Gold Coast Arts Centre for their first ever theatre production of Diary of a Wombat. The bus ride was a huge highlight, as well as seeing the boys enthralled by the retelling of the story performed through drama and music. It was a wonderful way to culminate the term’s unit of studying author, Jackie French, and learning about the adventures of one very lazy wombat.

Time now to catch our breath before doing it all over again in 2018.

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y r o t s oh rt

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Exegesis

This piece is a stand-alone short story based on the work of J.K Rowling and her ‘Harry Potter’ series. The story is based around the sixth and seventh ‘Harry Potter’ novels, and is based around two characters, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy, who get into a fight due to Malfoy supposedly killing Harry’s best friends Ron and Hermione. The story was influenced by Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ series. Through the use of poetic devices, variation in sentence length, descriptions of settings and conversations, it was attempted to use a similar writing style to that of J.K Rowling. A range of poetic devices have been used to depict the setting, such as similes, metaphors and onomatopoeia. Descriptive vocabulary helped to display specific features of individual characters.

Harry Potter and the Dark Mark Hugh Robinson – Student

H

alf-past eleven ticked over, the moon was glimmering in the night’s sky like the flame flickering on a candlestick. It was a crisp and still evening. Nothing peculiar was happening on Privet Drive.

That was, until something swished past in the shadows beneath a black hood. The unknown black figure slipped into the doorway of the abandoned ruins which stood at the end of the street. Moments after, there were bright green lights flowing out from the windows and doors like pus oozing from the pores of the ruins. The silhouette of this unknown creature displayed in the green light flashing on the usually quiet Privet Drive.

Harry woke at once and let out a sudden scream.

Touching his forehead, a razor-sharp pain seared across his scar. Pain pumped through his veins. His head felt like it was going to split in two. He fell back and his head hit the pillow.

He tried to ignore the pain he was in. He lay there trying to remember the dream he had been having, it had something to do with his mother, father and a big house. Harry rolled over and drifted off back to sleep.

It was still an orthodox morning in Privet Drive. The echo of the morning news sounded throughout the Dursley residence. Harry wondered how they could possibly hear themselves think with the television turned up to maximum sound. Dudley, again, was shovelling porridge down his throat like a starving orphan. Vernon was squeezing into his extremely undersized suit for work and Petunia was ready to abuse Harry for whatever reason possible.

Harry got out of bed, put on his glasses and bumped his scar, which shot pain through his body, sparking his memory about what happened that night. Everything seemed different for Harry that morning. His legs felt like he just ran a marathon, his ears and head were aching with sharp pains and the morning light shining through his bedroom window was bringing back unusual visions.

Harry wandered into the kitchen, but before he could get to the cereal box: “Go and fetch your uncle’s tie! Come on, quickly, he’s going to be late”, Petunia insisted.

Not even two minutes and the orders were already

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flowing from Aunt Petunia. The tie was buried beneath the morning paper Uncle Vernon had been reading. Harry always found muggle papers boring after discovering The Daily Prophet. However, there was something that day that caught Harry’s eye. But before he had the chance to read it, Aunt Petunia yelled at him, “Hurry up boy, we haven’t got all day!”

Harry had to resist from reading the paper and did as his Aunt insisted. He handed her the tie only to receive a hiss in return telling him to check the frypan. As he walked past the bench he couldn’t resist picking up the paper. He stood over the stove spatula in one hand and paper in the other.

As Harry glanced over the front page, he was overwhelmed with shock as his hands trembled trying to hold The Daily Telegraph. He repeatedly read over the line trying to make sense of what happened.

The newspaper read, “Two teenage bodies have been found dead early this morning. One was discovered to be a female with frizzy, untameable dark hair, brown eyes and protruding teeth. The other, a young male who had straight, long red hair and blue eyes”.

Immediately images of Hermione and Ron came to mind.

Harry’s face was pale with shock. He sat blankly staring at the article. All he could think was Hermione and Ron have been murdered.

“Who would do such a thing?” Harry asked himself.

The more he thought the more his emotions transitioned from shock to anger. With fury pumping through his veins Harry set out to discover who had been murdered and who had murdered them. He knew there would be too many muggles around the house at this time of the day, so he decided to wait at home, puzzling over what could have happened. He paced around his room all day, stressing over how he could discover who had been killed and who killed them.

By the time evening had descended and the city lights lit up the streets, Harry was still lying in his bed trying to figure out who would have killed his best friends. He came to one

solution. He waited till he heard Uncle Vernon switch off the TV and head upstairs. He pulled out his suitcase and dug through to the bottom where he found his wand. He pulled on a black coat and headed to the abandoned house.

The moon lit up the night’s sky like a huge lantern illuminating the street. It was a still and peaceful night.

There was not a soul in sight. The light out the front of the abandoned house was flickering in an upbeat manner.

Harry approached the house from the shadows however, the caution tape blocked his entry. He stood at the boundary of the property staring at what seemed like something he had seen before. As he pushed past the tape and approached the house vivid images of memories came to him. Harry reached the front door and paused. He pushed the front door open. As the door creaked, low, rumbling sounds echoed throughout the abandoned home. There was no sign of movement in the house. He ventured into the darkness and the unknown.

There was little light shining in through the windows of the living room as Harry crept through the house. He didn’t know what he was searching for, however he felt like if he kept searching he’d find it. The house was stripped bare of furnishings, with peeling paint and smashed mirrors. Harry weaved his way in and out of rooms in search of answers. He reached the staircase and a vision appeared of a lady walking up the stairs tenderly holding her baby boy wrapped in a sheet like a treasure in her arms. The further up the stairs he got, the stronger this vision became. He had a gut feeling telling him to turn left at the top of the stairs which lead him to a bedroom door.

He stood blankly staring at the letters ‘Harr’ and the dust outline of a ‘y’ printed on the door. Lightly he pushed through the door, only to find an open window and a fluttering curtain. Harry began to feel that he was being watched.

“I’ve been waiting for you Potter”, a voice from within the room grew deeper.

“I knew if I were to kill two muggles that look like your

friends, I’d be able to get a reaction out of you”. The shadow from beneath the curtain developed into the outline of a man. It was Draco Malfoy.

“You!” gasped Harry.

Malfoy smiled with delight.

“Me”, he said calmly. “I wondered whether I’d be meeting you here, Potter”.

Harry couldn’t take it in. This couldn’t be true, it couldn’t.

“But you’re not a murderer. You don’t have the guts to kill someone”, he said.

“Don’t have the guts?” Malfoy started. “Oh, you’ll see Potter. How is it that me, ‘Draco Malfoy’ am about to kill you ‘Harry Potter’, the so-called ‘Boy Who Lived’, in the exact spot my master killed both of your parents. Soon, I am to be known everywhere around the world”, Malfoy replied sharply.

Malfoy drew his wand. Indecisively, Harry drew his own. Malfoys hex missed Harry by inches, smashing the window behind him. Harry threw himself sideways, thought Levicorpus! and flicked his wand, but Malfoy blocked the jinx and raised his wand for another. There was a loud bang, the bin behind Harry exploded. Harry attempted a Leg-Locker curse that backfired off the wall behind Malfoy’s ear and shattered the lamp on the wall. Harry took a step back and tripped on a loose floorboard as Malfoy, his face contorted, cried, “Cruci—”, “STUPEFY!” Harry bellowed from the floor, waving his wand widely.

Malfoy froze and fell to the floor, lying unconscious.

Harry got to his feet and stared down at Malfoy.

Harry raised his wand.

“You’re more trouble than you’re worth Malfoy.”

“Avada Kedavra”, the voice of ‘The Boy Who Lived’ cried.

A flash of green. The smell of ozone.

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MARTIN LUTHER’S REFORMS

Ring True Five Centuries On Father Jonathan Whereat School Chaplain

“God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees and in flowers and clouds and stars.”

—Martin Luther

O

n October 31, 1517 in Wittenberg Germany, an Augustinian monk named Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses (questions) on key aspects of the established conduct and practices of the Roman Church on the door of the All Saints Church. What sounds a relatively simple action, in fact, had an explosive impact that spread with surprising speed for an era far before that of the internet.

Luther’s Theses were published in several locations throughout Germany, were translated from Latin into German in 1518 and within two weeks, had circulated throughout the country. Within 2 months, copies had spread across Europe and by 1519, were being widely read in France, England and Italy.

The Reformation that challenged and changed the Church, generated repercussions that continue to this day and it can be said that all people in the Western nations—Christian or otherwise—have been affected

by Martin Luther’s questions and actions. According to the Institute of Public Affairs, The Reformation is listed as one of the core 20 areas of the History of Western Civilisation that are worthy of any sound liberal education.

In fact, such has been the transformative power of what Luther initiated, that today many have suggested that Islam needs a reformation like that experienced

by Christianity.

So, who is this German monk and just what was he questioning that should echo through the march of five centuries, to continue to make an impact on our world?

Not to be confused (as he sometimes is by younger students) with the great American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jnr (assassinated in 1968), Martin Luther was born November 10, 1483 and died February 18, 1546. Luther was a German Augustinian monk and a professor of Theology who had been awarded his Doctorate at age 29 in 1512 at the University of Wittenberg.

By 1517, having read the New Testament in the original Greek and the Old Testament in Hebrew, he had a number of questions about the way the Church in the West practiced the Christian faith. At this time, there was only one Church in the West and one in the East that we call the Orthodox Church.

The key religious topics Luther raised about the Roman-based faith, embraced things we take for granted today. Having the Bible in the common language of the people (in his case German, in ours English) and also conducting the services in Church in the people’s language as opposed to Latin (something the Roman Catholic Church only did from the 1960s onward, even in Australia.)

One hugely significant point Luther made (and highly contentious at the time) was that Christians did not need to pay money to the Church via the buying of ‘indulgences’. The supposed purpose of these was to release relatives, or themselves, from the post-death place of purification called Purgatory.

Luther contended that God’s love and salvation was a free gift of grace and we are saved by this grace alone.

Hence the hymn Amazing Grace.

described as ‘creating a few ripples’ through the established Roman Church, Christian Theology and Practice. In due course, the control of the clergy over the people was significantly demolished, as each Christian was released to pursue his or her own one-to-one relationship with God in Christ (no priest required).

The broader implication of this reformative personal liberation, was that every person became more autonomous and thus, each was encouraged to think for themselves and to question organisational authority. This step, first taken beyond the confines of Church dogma, was in effect a massive leap towards modern democracy as we know it. The effects continue to be seen in other post-modern movements which are part of the modern Western world. Of course, Luther would be totally surprised to see some of the contemporary expressions that have developed from his actions in 1517.

So, the question I pose for each of us to consider might well be that which Martin Luther would himself ask, for the question is timeless. What things about our society need to be challenged and changed?

Not technical changes, but the social, relational, environmental and global changes that might need to be stimulated into action.

If you think about it, you too can find a little of Martin Luther in you and be a reformer. All it may take is to ask the question.

These key points might be conservatively

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Let’s hear it for the parents grandparents Kathryn Barry Preparatory School Deputy Head – Learning and Teaching

I

t’s impossible to overstate the importance of family support for our boys while they endeavour to give their best at school. Within the definition of ‘family’, in addition to the obvious members of mum and dad, we need to include grandparents for the special role they play. This year at Prep, through the vehicle of a number of special days, we gave due recognition to this whole-of-family support with a range of activities that brought the boys and their families closer together.

The Annual Mothers’ Day Luncheon featured a moving tribute from the boys under the musical batons of Mrs Trisha Matthias and Ms Jenni Streten.

In a joyous celebration, the boys sang from their hearts to show their mothers how much they care about them.

On Father’s Day we had dads, grandfathers and uncles enthusiastically participate in ‘Great Men Read’, a wonderful initiative to encourage all boys to take up reading. Following on from this, more than 350 fathers and sons took to the oval to take part in the non-stop action of Basketball, Football, Dodgeball, Tennis and ‘My Fit Kids’ Fun Fitness.

The culmination of the sporting activities took place on the track, where a large crowd of TSS families gathered to see a flurry of father-son

fireman-carry races and the Father’s 100 metres.

The track events are always competitive, with many fathers shrugging off the years to put on a show of athletic prowess.

As the sun went down, the families retired to the pavilion for refreshments and raffles, where anecdotes and exploits of the afternoon were shared.

It was clear from the exhilarating atmosphere of the day that the boys, and the fathers alike, enjoyed the shared classroom and sporting experiences, with several staff helping to make the occasion what it was—something that is sure to be well remembered for a long time.

Grandparents and grand-friends play a unique part in the lives of the boys. While parents are the providers and disciplinarians and have to worry about who thier children will become in the future, grandparents can just enjoy children for who they are in the moment. In this context, the love of a grandparent is often freer, more unconditional, and far less psychologically complex. Grandparents provide the conduit between the generations and as anthropologist Margaret Mead once stated, “Connections between the generations are essential for the mental health and stability of a nation”.

Today, with the prevalence of busy, two-career and

single-parent families, an involved grandparent goes a long way to filling a void for children. Children recognise this, and by way of example, one day in class a teacher friend of mine had her grade four students talk about their heroes. One child said her grandmother was her hero. When the teacher asked why, the child explained, “Because she’s the only one in the whole world who can boss my parents around!”

It seemed only right then, that we should put grandparents on centre stage with their own Grandparents and Grand-friends Day. This was a chance for grandparents to stand up and be applauded, to show the love for their children’s children and for our boys to become even more aware of the strength, information and guidance their grandparents could offer.

On what proved to be an extraordinary day, we celebrated with a welcome assembly, class time, picnic lunch and a musical concert. Boys and grandparents were also able to pose together for a professional photo as a memento of the day.

All-in-all our Mother’s, Father’s and Grandparent’s Days were unequivocally great successes that underscored the vital importance of the loving support of families for their sons and grandsons.

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g n i v i l a e k a m We . t e g e w t a h w by

Jim Chapman –

“

N

ever before in my life have I experienced something like Sony camp—forced to adapt, improvise and persist to TSS School Captain create a smile. To forget about ourselves and focus on someone 2017 else for four days is extremely special, and the things learnt in this period will assist me for the remainder of my life.”

Sandy Hickson – TSS Year 12 Student

M

“

y camper, so fiercely dependent, so incapable of the tasks we all take for granted, has given me more than I could ever have hoped to give him. While before I believed my independence to be bestowed upon me by right, I now find myself drunk on its privilege. While four days may seem too short a time to change a perspective, or, the course of one’s life, it was in these 96 hours with sleepless nights that, through means unspoken, that the strongest of bonds were forged.

However, with these bonds was the coming to reality of the realisation, defined not by a disorder but a personality, have no place in our intolerant society. Our realisation of society’s cruel labelling left us all with a feeling of hopelessness, yet in just 96 hours 38 young men proved the fragility of these labels, by seeing the children beneath them.”

l l i h c r u h C .

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Robyn Gibson and Stephen Eardley – Sony Camp Coordinators

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he 2017 TSS Sony Foundation Children’s Holiday Camp was a wonderful four days filled with laughter, tears, happiness and sadness. The 18 campers and their full-time carers experienced an intense camp with many activities, both large and small, that were created on a base of respect, deep care and an open heart. This was a two-way journey as the Year 12 students became a parent, and their camper became their teacher.

The journey over four days was insightful, challengingly difficult (at times) but rewarding, with an ultimate outcome of trust and affection.

We honour the parents and carers of the 18 amazing young people for their patience, perseverance and skills in the making of a polite young boy. We have seen only a glimpse of their daily routines and hope that the few days of respite we afforded parents and caregivers were thoroughly enjoyed.

The companions did a wonderful job caring for the campers by feeding them, showering them, changing nappies, chasing after them, creating strong relationships and forging lifelong memories. The assistant companions allowed the camp to transition smoothly from activity to activity and provided wonderful support to the companions working on three rotational shifts.

We would like to acknowledge the sponsorship from The Sony Foundation, The Southport School, Alliance Catering, EzGo Golf Buggies and Zarraffas. Without this assistance, the camp would not have been the success it was.

We would also like to thank the Westpac Surf Life Saver Helicopter, Queensland Police Service, TSS Dining Hall staff, TSS Music Department and TSS Swimming.

But most importantly, the camp would not be possible without the nurses who were volunteers from the Emergency Department of Gold Coast University Hospital. They ensured the medical care and safety of all in the camp and those engaged in activities. We greatly appreciate their valuable time, care, expertise and patience.

A sincere thanks to the TSS staff who contributed to the smooth running of the camp; Jennie Alford, Michelle Green, Karel Bos, Luke Cocco and Katrina Martin. To past TSS Sony Foundation Children’s Holiday Camp companions Sophie Wain, Emma Andrews and Thaddeus McFarlane, community volunteers Tabatha Tones and Andrew Mclean, our immense gratitude for your time, efforts and patience.

Finally, the following sentiments on the opposite page are typical of those of our companions.

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OSA FEATURE Malcom Broomhead (Tho 64-69) at the TSS launch of the Mentor Network Program

Inaugural lunch salute to Horace Dixon

OSA and TSS Parents Careers Mentor Program

T

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he Bishop Dixon Society is named after the School’s founder and longest serving Headmaster (1901-1929), Horace Henry Dixon and amongst the TSS Philanthropy programs, including The Dixon Guardian Trust, we seek to pay tribute to Bishop Dixon’s vision and leadership.

It is also a significant and fitting way to recognise the special contribution of those who have decided to leave a significant legacy to the School through the Endowment Fund, Bequest and special Capital Campaigns providing short and long-term benefits and surety for future generations being educated at The Southport School.

Recently, members attended the Inaugural Dixon Society Lunch hosted by Headmaster Greg Wain.

Old Boys, parents and friends who leave significant donations or bequests to the School, may be invited to join The Bishop Dixon Society through a process overseen by The TSS Foundation Board and Headmaster.

—Bruce Wright, Director of Philanthropy

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he OSA and TSS Parents Careers Mentor Program was launched by one of Australia’s prominent business achievers, Old Boy Malcolm Broomhead (Tho 64-69) in 2011.

Malcolm delivered a guideline on how to achieve career and personal success post-school days to a theatre packed with students, teachers and Old Boys. The OSA/Parents Mentor Network Program works with the School to assist our youth of today by providing a structure and trusting relationship that brings young people together with caring individuals, who offer much needed guidance, support and encouragement.

Since the program was formed, over 130 mentors have committed to this program and many have already assisted current students and Young Old Boys by offering advice and guidance on various career paths, being the facilitator of introductions, organising work experience and job placements.

If you are interested in being part of this program and helping contribute to career guidance of TSS Young Old Boys and current TSS students please register online at www.tssoldboys.com.au

2017 Old Boys Reunion Weekend

A

spirited group of Old Southportonians joined together this year to celebrate and reminisce at the 2017 Old Boys Reunion Weekend.

It was wonderful to see so many past students gracing the Delpratt Lawn once again, a testament to the close bond developed all those years ago with not only their year group but also with The Southport School (TSS).

The dining hall welcomed 60 guests on Friday, August 18, for a night of fun and laughs with those from 1957 and 1967 year groups. Headmaster Greg Wain entertained guests whilst they enjoyed pre-dinner drinks and canapĂŠs before entering the dining hall for the main event where past OSA President James Kennett (Wal 70-74) formally welcomed everyone.

Following Rev Jonathan Whereat saying Grace, guests enjoyed a wonderful two course meal whilst they listened to stories and reflections from 1967 Old Boy Bradley Bartholomew (Tho 61-67).

The following night saw 150 past students and their guests enjoy the atmosphere and excitement shared during the 1977, 1987, 1997 and 2007 reunion dinner.

Guests were all very eager to catch up with old mates and swap stories with their brotherhood. After a few rowdy year group photos, James Kennett (Wal 70-74) once again took to the stage to welcome a very animated group of Old Southportonians.

Guest speakers Tim Baker (Wal 70-77), David Fielding (McK 83-87), James Stuart (Bid 97) and Brodie Cunningham (Tho 02-07) shared some memories and heartfelt words.

The OSA and the TSS Foundation would like to thank all those involved in the organisation of such a wonderful weekend. We truly look forward to welcoming back the 1958 – 2008 year groups in 2018.

This year two Old Boys were presented with Honorary Life Memberships, Doug Murphy (McK 61-68) and Christopher Newton (Tho 60-67), who both accepted this award with pride and gratitude for their work with the OSA. Many thanks must go to the 1967 year group coordinators Philip Rouse (Del 60-67), Christopher Newton (Tho 60-67) and Bradley Bartholomew (Tho 61-67) for rallying together a very close group of Old Boys and their loved ones.

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OSA

2017 Old Boys Reunion Weekend Generations Dinner

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he Old Gym Café was abuzz on Thursday, August 17, for the Annual Generations Dinner hosted by the TSS Foundation.

An at capacity crowd of 180 guests attended this memorable dinner, hosted by Deputy Headmaster and Head of Senior School Andrew Hawkins.

Following Headmaster Greg Wain’s welcome, he took the opportunity to thank all of those past students for their ongoing support of TSS, before current Year 12 and 4th generation student Sebastian Greenup (Del 13–17) shared stories of his time at the school.

Grahame Greenup (Del 55–61) responded on behalf of the Old Boys, entertaining guests with memories and recollections of the very special time he spent within the TSS community.

The TSS Foundation looks forward to welcoming back all the generational families in 2018 and wishes those graduating students the very best for the future that lies ahead.

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2017 Old Boys Reunion Weekend Older Old Boys Assembly

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riday, August 18, saw the annual gathering of our Older Old Boys—those who commenced at the school 60 years ago or more.

This year’s assembly was attended by a record number of Older Old Boys with more than 50 past students returning to the grounds of their much-loved school. Our oldest attendee was once again Mr Alan Radcliffe (Tho 35–39) who commenced in 1927 and returned in 1935. Our ‘newest’ Old Boys who commenced at the school in 1957 were presented with their special Older Old Boys tie by past OSA President James Kennett (Wal 70–74).

Along with wives and guests, a total of 120 people enjoyed morning tea on the Delpratt Lawn beneath the Clocktower before attending a special service in St. Alban’s Chapel. Guests then made their way down to the Annand Theatre where the Older Old Boys took their rightful place on the main stage joined by the staff and students of the senior school.

The growing significance of this event is a tangible reminder to our current boys about those who have gone before and the history and traditions of The Southport School. Every year Older Old Boys enjoy the opportunity to renew acquaintances within the warm and welcoming TSS community environment. A resounding war cry was given by current students with a responding chorus back from the Older Old Boys, a highlight every year for all of those in attendance.

The assembly was followed by a beautiful luncheon in the dining hall, served to our guests by the 2017 School Prefects. We look forward to welcoming everyone back next year where our 1958 students will be the ‘youngest Old Boys’ celebrating on the day.

—Olivia Dean, TSS Foundation —Amy McDougall, TSS OSA B a nd

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OSA

Tim Carroll – A Winning Performance

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pon leaving TSS, Tim (Sur 00-12) was accepted into the Queensland Conservatorium studying under international Associate Professor Paul Sabey.

Graduating in 2015 with a Bachelor of Musical Theatre, Tim went on to perform in the Matilda Award winning production of Carrie, and made his debut with Opera Queensland in the touring production of FiZZ! In his final year of study, Tim was cast as Eddie in Blood Brothers directed by critically acclaimed West End director Ian Good, and was a Rob Guest Endowment Award semi-finalist.

So far, this year, Tim has performed a sold-out season of The Boys of Sondheim, starred as Roger in the Australian Tour of Grease: The Arena Experience alongside Dami Im, and played The Witch in Hansel & Gretel for Opera Queensland/Shake & Stir.

Tim also started up Passion Productions this year and put on a charity cabaret raising money for the mental health organisation Headspace and the Actors and Entertainers Benevolent Fund.

In 2018, Tim begins the Australian Tour of the 78-Storey Treehouse, starting at the Sydney Opera House.

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Exegesis

Short st

ory

This is a short story in the style of Christopher Paolini. It is a prequel to the Eragon novel and describes an event briefly mentioned within the series. It uses foreshadowing, precise details and a limited third person view of the villain from the later novels. During telepathic conversations, the text has no quotation marks and is only italicised.

Narrative Danny Reilly – Student

G

albatorix laid in his sleeping roll upon the ice, watching the new moon in the night sky while the others slept. It had only been a few weeks since he had finished his training as a dragon rider. He remembered the feeling of elation that had raced through him when Jarnunvosk had hatched for him. That was six years ago.

During those years, he and Jarnunvosk had grown strong, passing through their training faster than almost anyone from recent memory. Concerned that he was progressing too quickly, some of the older riders had tried to convince Galbatorix to stay and study on the island of Vroengarde. It would not be, as Galbatorix and Jarnunvosk were both tired of the mundane safety and wished to explore as much of Alagaesia as possible.

The distant sounds of unknown creatures brought him back to the present. The other five were still sleeping soundly, the fatigue showing in their resting forms. They had been flying for three days to get near the edge of the rider’s territory. The oldest pair, Adalbert, a gangly young man with a mop of dark hair, and Schaffer, the brown dragon that hatched for him, were the least mature of the group, despite them being older than the others by four years. They were known on Vroengarde for playing tricks on their peers, much to the disapproval of the older riders. Kurt and Griselda, a green female, were more reserved than the others. It was only Galbatorix’s silver tongue that had persuaded them into accompanying the group.

Longing for adventure was what had brought them to the far north where tribes of Urgals assailed nearby villages.

For years, the riders had been slowly eradicating them from Alagaesia. The Urgals were a war-driven species that had to fight to prove themselves worthy of any sort of recognition within their tribe. The only refuge they had left was the far north, but even there they were slowly facing extinction.

This had resulted with the Urgals forming an intense hatred for the riders. The lack of light from the moon caused the nearby shadows to cast almost invisible patterns on the ice.

Galbatorix closed his eyes, thinking of how thrilling it would be to finally shed the blood of some of the monsters plaguing the land.

An itching sensation on his palm awoke Galbatorix. It was the gedwey ignasia, the mark that all dragon riders receive when they bond with their hatched dragon. He glanced towards the others and saw them. Adalbert and Schaffer were both dead, their heads in the grasp of the Urgal’s chief. Their trail of blood then led to the bodies of Kurt and Griselda. They were surrounded by the remaining tribe of

Urgals, seeking revenge for the massacre that their people had endured. Galbatorix tried to warn Kurt telepathically, but it was too late. All he could do was watch and sense the cold steel penetrate through Kurt’s back, severing his spine. Griselda, startled awake by her rider’s death, suddenly lunged for the nearest Urgals, who did not know that she was conscious. She managed to kill almost a quarter of the monsters before one of them slammed an axe through her neck. It was the same one that had killed Schaffer, and the weapon was enchanted by the tribe’s shaman. During the confusion that Griselda had caused, Galbatorix ran to Jarnunvosk and told her to be ready to advance on the tribe.

The chief moved to the front of the tribe, who had gathered to the side of the dead bodies. He spoke to Galbatorix, his tone deep and guttural, “We have finally had retribution for the massacres that your riders have committed. It will be an honour to claim another dragon head as ours”. Then the chief started moving, slowly at first, gaining speed as he closed the short distance. When he was only a small distance away, the rest of the tribe all charged. As soon as he was close enough, Jarnunvosk started to spurt fire at him, causing him to fall to the icy floor, screaming as he slowly burned.

The rest of them split into a wide arc, encircling the pair as the chief rose, burns covering his body. Galbatorix started trying to use the words of death that he had been taught, but the shaman at the back of the group had warded them off, stopping them from being effective. Galbatorix then charged at the oncoming Urgals, confident in Jarnunvosk’s ability to defend herself. However, right as the duo seemed to look like they would make it through the onslaught the shaman called out the few Urgals who had hidden away as the conflict began. They launched arrows that had been enchanted to pierce through any magics. They aimed at the easier target and so, despite the odds that they had overcome, Jarnunvosk was shot through the chest.

Time slowed as Galbatorix felt Jarnunvosk’s chest split open. He ran over to her, ignoring the few remaining Urgals.

They formed a loose circle around the dragon, waiting to kill their last adversary. Galbatorix wept as he felt Jarnunvosk slip into the void with a final whisper. It was not your fault. As her body went limp he rose, turning to those who had killed her, preparing to complete the slaughter.

When the last of the Urgals corpses had fallen, Galbatorix walked over to the body of his closest companion and wept.

During this time, he came to a stark realisation. He no longer cared whether he lived or died, so long as he left the place where his world had turned to ash.

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Brendan Le Gassick – Director of Basketball

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y first year in the position of Director of Basketball, has been highly rewarding, as I was pleased to witness the strong level of competitiveness shown across all year levels and some outstanding basketball played at both team and individual levels.

Our semifinal game was against St James College. TSS left nothing in the tank, including an outstanding individual performance by Captain Hudson Kaddatz (40 points). Despite everything, we lost what was a close game and the opportunity to play for gold.

A great highlight for our Basketball program was to see the 6As go through undefeated and win our ‘Most Successful Team’ for the 2017 GPS season. In a cliffhanger against a determined, undefeated Churchie team, our boys fought hard to win their final game by one point. This is a remarkable achievement and something of a landmark, as it’s the first time a team from the Prep School has been awarded this trophy. Thanks are due to Ms Marisa Schroder and her team of coaches for their efforts.

In the bronze medal game, we played 2016 State Champions Hillcrest Christian College, who set up an early commanding lead that we were unable to overcome, to finally go down 74 to 47, finishing fourth in the Championships.

The Senior School Basketball program posted a strong season.

The Open Seconds came away with a shared Premiership with Churchie and our Open First X boys finished third after losing two games and recording six strong wins. Across the Open GPS games, they showcased some high-flying dunks and outstanding perimeter shooting which led to several games of over 100 points scored

by TSS. Less than a week after the final GPS round game, our Open Team competed at the Championship Basketball Schools Queensland tournament in Logan. We started the tournament strongly to finish on top of our pool with wins against Cairns State High, Brisbane State High and Mountain Creek State High.

In a favourable crossover game, we played fellow GPS competitor Toowoomba Grammar School and this win enabled us to qualify for a quarterfinal berth against Ignatius Park High School (Townsville).

We secured the win heading into the semifinals undefeated with a 5-0 record.

We had several fantastic individual achievements during the season. Oliver Hill (Year 11) was selected for the Queensland State School Boys’ team which competed at the Nationals in Canberra and Lachlan Mills (Year 12) represented Queensland North at the U18 Nationals held in Townsville.

Throughout this, my first season in the chair, I received valuable support from the ‘sports team’, but in particular, Mr Dan Trollope provided invaluable assistance and patience in showing me the ropes.

Also, I thank my Assistant Head Coach, Mr Shaun Gleeson for sharing his basketball knowledge with myself and the student body.

Of course, thanks to all the Year 12 players and the ‘Sharky Army’ who are departing at the end of the year. You’ve certainly given us all our ‘money’s worth’ of memories and excitement throughout the season.

I’ve witnessed first-hand, the enjoyment the GPS competition brings to our boys and the value of the journey and life experiences gained, so it goes without saying that I’m looking forward to continuing the growth of our Basketball program heading into 2018.

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ld’ r o w ‘the TSS o t o Mem e you at … se !

018 2 y l Ju

Andrew Stark – Head of Libraries

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t was with great excitement (and considerable pride) that The Southport School announced it had been granted the right to host the International Boys’ Schools Coalition Annual Conference in July 2018. Since 1995, the International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) has endeavoured to bring together educators from around the world to focus on enhancing the educational journey of boys and young men. We are delighted that, in July 2018, the world will meet at TSS. The theme for the 2018 Annual Conference is ideally suited to TSS – ‘Our Boys, Their Future: Learning to Lead’. Within the conference framework there will be four Academic Streams: Leadership, Boys Education, STEM and Futures, and, for the very first time, Junior Years. These key areas have been selected to reflect the fundamental elements of boys’ education as we strive to prepare young men to become progressive, caring and responsible citizens in an ever-changing world.

The Annual Conference will run from Sunday July 8 to Wednesday July 11, 2018. We are expecting close to 600 educators from 15 different nations to join us.

Prior to the Annual Conference, there will be two other IBSC events held at TSS: the IBSC Student Forum and the IBSC Action Research Project.

The Student Forum involves around 20 students from international boys’ schools and will invite them to experience and reflect upon some of the social, cultural and environmental issues facing Queensland, and more specifically, Gold Coast communities. The boys will participate in a rigorous series of workshops and site visits in preparation for presenting their findings to the Annual Conference delegates.

The Action Research Project will involve around 50 teachers from international boys’ schools completing action research in their schools over a 12-month period.

The theme for the 2018/19 Project is ‘Boys and Stories – Pathways to Learning’ and two TSS teaching staff will participate. We look forward to learning more about their progress in the coming months.

There is much to be done between now and July 2018. Planning and preparing for this event will be a wonderfully challenging experience and I look forward to sharing the journey with members of the TSS Community in the months to come.

Further information regarding the International Boys’ Schools Coalition is available at www.theibsc.org

Doing well by doing good and the answer to the trillion dollar question Olivia Dean – Foundation

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ndrew Liveris, Darwin-born, Chairman and CEO of Dow Chemical Company, was just one of the world-renowned speakers that presented to the TSS community in 2017, supporting the TSS Foundation Business Breakfast Series and the Indigenous Education Program.

He had some sage advice for guests at our July Business Breakfast this year.

“I know each of us is here for a simple reason: because the greatest investment we can make—on behalf of this institution, this country, and the world— is an investment in our young people: the students of The Southport School, whom we have gathered to support, and their peers across Australia”.

The crowd of some 350 guests listened intently as Mr Liveris discussed a broad range of subjects such as: redefining the role of business in society, digitalisation and globalisation and the growing opportunity of sustainability.

“The solution, and one we must embrace, is to focus not just on technology itself, but on the people who use it. This means forging closer partnerships between businesses, non-profits and the public sector.

It means investing in STEM and vocational education.

And it means doing much more, every day, to prepare Australia’s rising generation for the high-tech, highskill, high-paying jobs of the future. STEM needs to be expanded to put more oomph into the T—it stands for technical preparedness, technical literacy, being tech-ready for the digital world. It is something that is needed at every level of education and is as much about TAFEs as it is about universities”.

“So, the million dollar question—actually, the trillion dollar question—is: who will step forward to lead humanity’s response? Who among us will pioneer the next phase of global innovation—and action?”

Mr Liveris stated that the answer to this weighty question starts with individual enterprises— particularly those with global reach—choosing to take responsibility for areas traditionally outside of their missions and balance sheets. Mr Liveris shared many positive examples of ‘doing well by doing good’ throughout his remarkable presentation.

“Take General Motors, for example, which set ambitious sustainability targets for 2020… and then reached them four years early, while increasing sales and beating analyst expectations. ”Or take Unilever, which has no fewer than 18 ‘sustainable living’ brands—including household names like Lipton, Hellman’s and Dove. These brands are now delivering 60% of the company’s growth. And they are growing more than 50% faster than the rest of Unilever’s business.

“Or… take Dow itself. We have set ambitious goals that incorporate sustainability into everything we do. But we have done far more than that. Indeed, we have transformed our entire enterprise in order to meet humanity’s great challenges, starting with sustainability”.

For more information about these events and the work of the TSS Foundation please visit the TSS web site or contact Olivia Dean at the Foundation office on olivia.dean@tss.qld.edu.au

Mr Liveris then posed a question to the crowd that could not be ignored.

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Beneath t he surface of an actor’s approach B a nd

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We are a very tight knit group of boys, strongly built on mateship and brotherhood, and I think seeing this play’s potential to fight against the stigma of fraternity, having two brothers fighting against each other, really reflects the ways in which masculinity can overcome and tarnish brotherhood.

—Conor Fiteni (Dan Kelly)

Will Horan – Head of Drama

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rama is an intellectually engaging intersection of lateral thought and practice. It breaks moulds, challenges our understandings by encouraging alternate ways of seeing, feeling and doing, forges new pathways—and most importantly—puts the screws to the human experience. In an all-boys context, Drama provokes deep-set notions of masculinity, offering experiences to re-write and shape both ourselves and outdated traditions that have gone before us. So as to realise the students’ creative and expressive potential, the dramatic focus of any school has to be one that is contemporary, thought-provoking and aligned to seeking these outcomes.

be truthfully and emotionally connected, students had to psychologically immerse themselves in the role of their character. Weeks of research, script scoring, changing of intentions, objectives, internal and external conflicts, were needed to be fleshed out to realise a truthful performance. One singular objective change often meant an entire script re-score of character intention and motivation. That’s not to mention the tireless hours of plotting lights and a seamless 70 minute sound score that continuously breathed like an externally-living character, responding with each actor’s thought and mood.

Kelly by Brisbane playwright Matthew Ryan, is certainly a script that adheres to our focus. But it isn’t just a matter of turning up and crossing your fingers for an inspiring performance—blood, sweat and tears have first to be shed.

Right. It takes guts, vulnerability and courage as a young man to tick that box.

Masculinity? Check. Brotherhood? Check. The dangerous dynamic of mateship? Check. Check.

Check. Kelly—a brutal confrontation by two titans of Australian history, Ned and Dan Kelly—seemed an obvious dramatic choice for our Year 12 cocurricular production. Facing the sins of their past, each brother blames the other for their downfall, and neither escapes unscathed. So it was, that six daring young actors started out, ready to tackle their final performance in the red-white-and-blue.

Dramatically entwining fact, theory and myth, Kelly is a complex script, heavily demanding, both psychologically and physically, on the actors. One blackout and 70 minutes of quick-fire dialogue bound to the confines of a jail cell—a director’s nightmare. In 14 weeks of intensive rehearsal, these young men brought this hero to life. But how do you ensure you create a fully realised, three-dimensional character and not a clichéd or caricatured, external representation of an Australian icon? It’s a matter of instinct, vulnerability and technique.

On the surface, Kelly may seem a brash, roughand-ready exploration of a misunderstood Australian legend. At its heart, though, is a vulnerable stand to be remembered and etched into the minds of all. To

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But with that said, these elements alone don’t guarantee an engaging performance…right?

I’ve always said to the boys that “‘You are, and always will be, at the basis of your character”. It is when you expose yourself, that your strongest self, shines through. That’s what makes acting so genuinely unique, yet also so frightening. Traces of yourself will always be left on-stage.

As well as the blocking of actions and intentions, the boys had to search well within themselves and their memories and experiences, warts-andall, to regenerate true feelings with human depth and personal involvement. No easy feat for young men still trying to define their place in the world.

Remembering, of course, that the audience cannot see any of this preparation. Exploring their own vulnerability, willing to be hurt and to also do the hurting, finding the courage to take risks—these all aid and build dramatic believability and reveal a sense of who we are and who we might become.

Emotions that take the form of physical violence often abound in Australian realist plays. Lack of vulnerability and failure to express emotion through language—also regarded as a masculine character trait—often give way to violent acts. Though Kelly certainly had its rough-and-tumble moments, it is the students’ self-exploration and rawness that allow them to find the depth of performance, nuances of the character, and light and shade of the piece. This allows the audience to breathe, and ebb and flow,

with the characters onstage. This awareness allows ways for expressing emotion and articulating what is often unsaid.

A work in which no character enters or exits for 70 minutes, creating dramatic moments of stillness and silence, yet also highlighting the visceral power between young man and character, is ever so important. You must believe that what you say, or don’t say, is real. You can teach students how to analyse a script and character, you can provide safe avenues for risk, but you can’t teach them to dig within and get in touch with their soul, this takes heart. Emotion in all its complexity—good or bad—is feeling. And feeling is knowing that, that moment, right then and there, exists and it’s real.

While it seems that we have focussed on our co-curricular pursuit Kelly, this same process of re-defining self and putting ‘you’ on the stage is embedded throughout all Drama curriculum in Year 7 through Year 12 at TSS. It’s there through the Year 9 Play-building unit on ‘The Paths to Manhood’, to select scripts on the father-son dynamic in Year 8 and Year 11. The Year 10 production Boy Overboard: A Refugee Story, follows the poignant journey of 26 young men across the seas in search of freedom.

It intertwines student-devised and written pieces of verbatim text from real-life refugees’ stories, as students explore a moving performance about young refugees overcoming the confusion of war, politics, displacement and the search for a safe haven.

Through this, students are able to discover a more empathetic understanding of self and others.

There’s a unique power to theatre that can collectively unite everyone for that one moment, even just for a second; something that’s increasingly rare. Actors and audience alike, all in the same room, all sharing the same experience. Today, we manipulate our own reality as we block our friend on Facebook, or unfollow people we disagree with.

Theatre has the power to make you feel connected, to re-live memories, start a conversation, and most importantly, find your own sense of creativity, and in an ever-increasing society of rigidity, self-expression trumps all.

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Bushrangers, Catalinas and the life of a McKinley boy Deb Turner – Archivist

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eter Fletcher was a member of McKinley House from 1937-1941 and had quite a list of accomplishments. First XV 1941, Swim 1941, Gymnastics 1939-1941, Captain of Gymnastics 1941, Junior and Senior Gymnastics Champion 1941.

At about this time, the war inevitably caught up with Peter and, like many TSS Old Boys, he took off to do his duty and saw action in Papua New Guinea (PNG) as a Warrant Officer with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in Catalina sea rescue operations.

“I decided to join the RAAF on turning 18 in March of 1942.

“I was called up on the 10.10.1942 and trained as a wireless air gunner and joined a Catalina crew.

We also had another member from Southport, Colin Thorsbourne, as our rigger.

Christina composed the music for Waltzing Matilda with the help of Banjo Patterson.

“In Angus’s youth, the family was brought up at Peachelba on the Owens River. One Saturday afternoon they had a visitor who turned out to be ‘Mad Dog Morgan’ the Bushranger. A maid managed to escape and inform the neighbours, a posse was formed and Morgan was shot on leaving the farmhouse.”

Peter Fletcher’s story isn’t unusual in the bigger picture of TSS … get talking to any of our Old Boys and you’re likely to find a veritable anthology of fascinating tales.

“We were involved in convoy duty, flying all night, sunset to sunrise.

“When the Beauforts took over, we conducted bombing, mine laying and air sea rescue missions.

“Later we were given the task of landing in a Japanese harbour. We rescued six American airmen who had been shot down and managed to get them into a rubber dingy to safety.”

But these high-flying wartime exploits became another chapter in a colourful family history that makes up Peter’s story.

“An interesting event on my mother’s side was my grandfather, Angus McPherson, who lived with us to help my dad run the sheep station because dad was deaf and had trouble communicating with tradesmen.

Angus came from Dagworth Station in Winton, which he owned with [his] five brothers. His sister Above, Fletcher is in the first row, far right. On the opposite page he is seated left.

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Red, white and blue rises to new heights

AT STUMPS, WE CLAIM THE 2017 GPS CRICKET HONOURS

TSS Rugby is no stranger to great seasons, but 2017 must go down in the books as the year we rose to new heights, with TSS winning our tenth GPS Rugby Premiership, shining especially bright amongst the many highlights.

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Adrian Blundell – Director of Rugby

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he pre-season got off to an earlier than usual start, with many domestic and international tours on the calendar. Our U13 and U14 Development Teams, headed to Hong Kong for the first time since 2010. There they played in the International Youth Festival and attended the always entertaining Hong Kong 7s.

The TSS U12s toured Armidale in NSW for the traditional Easter Carnival. At the same time, the First XV squad hit Sydney and stayed at the Sydney Academy of Sport, culminating in competitive games against Waverley College and St Joseph’s (Joeys). These tours were a fantastic launchpad for the Term Two preparation phase.

The Annual TSS Rugby Skills Day kicked off Term Two and the generous backing of the supporters group allowed over 300 boys to attend and learn from elite coaches, and play trials against Toowoomba Grammar School and Nudgee College, as well as internal trials.

Then there was the huge success of the TSS Rugby season launch, with attendance topping well over 500 players and supporters.

Following the June/July holiday break, the official GPS Rugby season began. All teams—and especially the First XV—had outstanding seasons, with the home games at TSS blessed by fantastic weather, top-class facilities and fantastic support. Whilst the last-minute loss to Ipswich Grammar School was perhaps disappointing, the First XV regrouped and displayed their true mettle against Nudgee. After being behind all match, they rallied to score 22 points in the final 10 minutes to run away with a 34–22 win in front of the biggest crowd since 2009.

After the celebrations of winning the GPS Premiership, TSS Rugby didn’t rest. The Development XV had an undefeated tour of South America with games against Chile National U17, Rosario Jockey Club and Champagnat in Argentina and the famous Stella Maris in Uruguay.

TSS also hosted the U16 National Carnival and two TSS boys were honoured with national leadership positions - Noah Lolesio,

Vice-Captain of Australian Schoolboys and Max Dowd, Captain of the Australian Barbarians.

The full roster of representative selection tells the story.

Australian Schoolboys Noah Lolesio – Vice-Captain, Max Dowd – Captain of the Australian Barbarians, Egan Siggs, Campbell Parata, Koen Dovey Queensland Schoolboys Tyrell Kopua GPS Representatives Ronan Kapi, Reno Gerrard, Lote Nona U16 QLD Representatives Boyd Radel, Dion Samuela, Luc Lyndon, Jesse Grey, Jock Thompson U15 Junior Gold Representatives Harry Vousty, Michael van der Schyff, Jojo Fifita, Tom McCormack, Hudson Meyer, Kaleb Ngamanu, Syris Schmidt As always, our success on the Rugby field comes from an all-round effort, so thanks go to all parents, supporters, teachers, coaches and sponsors who helped to make 2017 a year to remember for the boys of TSS Rugby.

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Jeff Symms – Deputy Headmaster – Head of Preparatory

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ach year, students around the country in Year 3, Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9 undertake the annual NAPLAN (National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy), an assessment that examines both the students’ competency in these areas and also measures academic growth over time. As a result of changes to the curriculum, introduction of new methodologies and increased teacher professional learning, the boys in both Year 3 and Year 5 have been steadily improving our School’s results and are producing a steady rise through the Gold Coast rankings.

This year, when the 2017 results were released, we were delighted to discover that our Year 5 students had recorded the highest score on the Gold Coast. This is a great result for the boys and their teachers, who have built on the second-placed ranking they recorded two years ago when in Year 3.

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Our Year 3 students performed well also, ranking in the top five Gold Coast schools across four elements of the assessments.

The truly outstanding thing about these results is that 80% of the NAPLAN assessments are of literacy, traditionally an area in which the boys trail girls developmentally and so, for a boys school to perform better than a co-educational school or a girls school on the coast, it is a tremendous achievement.

TSS Preparatory has been performing in the top ranks and bands of NAPLAN achievement for some years now and it is very rewarding to see the boys’ efforts rewarded with the number one ranking for our city.

It just proves that we’re not just a school of ‘sporty boys’ but can muster the winning academic performance as well.

Agistment and aged care make

perfect partners Bruce Rutherford – Agricultural Science Teacher

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e’re excited to share the good news that we have secured, and entered into, an agreement with Carinity allowing us sole use of farming land adjacent to its $30-million aged care community ‘Cedarbrook’ at Mudgeeraba.

Carinity, a not-for-profit outreach of Queensland Baptists, is one of Australia’s leading aged care and retirement community providers. Its Cedarbrook development, opposite the Mudgeeraba Showgrounds, delivers a state-of-the-art, 96-bed, aged care community on a 31ha site. Retirement villas and supported living accommodation are planned in the coming years.

James Woods, Carinity’s Business Development and Marketing Manager, says Cedarbrook is unique in Australia.

“Carinity is renowned as an innovator in providing high-quality aged care. Our agreement with TSS means we have elevated the benchmark for the best in aged-care experiences. For the first time on the Gold Coast, if not Australia, we are connecting generations through a love of livestock and enabling residents to be hands-on with horses and cattle”, James says.

“We had vacant land with lots and lots of grass, perfect for grazing. So, we went out to the community to identify a like-minded

organisation which could benefit from agisting animals. We plan to introduce other not-for-profit farming activities such as beekeeping next year and already have significant interest. The relationship with TSS is very positive and we are exploring options which will enable students to interact more with Cedarbrook’s older residents.”

The Carinity property allows our Agriculture students to gain practical experience—all within a short drive to TSS. Our livestock provide a serene vista for the aged care residents and TSS will maintain the farm fencing and land care obligations, such as weed spraying and slashing firebreaks.

The mutual agreement will enable us to have closer access to our livestock and it will also better our Agricultural options, such as lot feeding steers for show and trials.

Our livestock, including cattle and horses, have settled well into their new surroundings and are thoroughly enjoying the extra pasture in the paddocks.

I must also extend a huge thank you to the Pilkington Family for their generosity and ongoing support in allowing us to use their farm in the Numinbah Valley for the past couple of years.

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Cut & Spray makes for arty doings at prep Kerrie Anderson – Prep Art

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n September, TSS Prep Art hosted two Artists in Residence who are carving successful careers in the art world as art practitioners, curators and facilitators.

Toowoomba-based Grace Dewer, and Brisbane-based Elysha Rei, treated Year 6 boys to a multi-media presentation of their work, followed by demonstrations and discussions about legal vs illegal street art.

Elysha’s stunning work is a fusion of personal cultural influences and is available to see online, (www.elysharei.com/ paper-cut-installations) including her latest work as Artist in Residence at the Museum of Brisbane in City Hall. Elysha demonstrated basic stencil cutting techniques, then all the boys completed a paper-cut logo of an imaginative symbol and this became their stencil for a spray-paint work of art.

Stencils were cut using safety knives and used to spray-paint multi-coloured images onto fluorescent boards. Grace Dewer showed the boys some of the 80 major wall murals in Toowoomba which comprise skilled stencil work and hand painting of high artistic quality. Following this, she demonstrated a range of spraypaint techniques.

Having completed their own stencils in the workshop, the boys have a newfound respect for quality, legal and highly-skilled public art.

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Recent moves have worked philanthropic wonders Ross Cardiff – CFO

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n recent times, Bruce Wright has had some active roles at TSS, beginning with the appointment to the School Council in 2005 and subsequently as Director of Philanthropy in 2014. This most recent position has seen Bruce assist with the delivery of campaigns the School has been undertaking over the last three-and-a-half years.

along with some new and upcoming campaigns, he will also be managing the Bequest program following its restructure over the past two years.

From concept, planning and delivering campaigns including McKinley and Thorold House refurbishments, Broomhead Lecture Theatre and Library redevelopment, Prep Multipurpose Hall and the City 4 Country Drought Angels Appeal, TSS has received some outstanding support from donors. It has also paid off with TSS building a stronger than ever culture of fundraising offering excellent momentum into the future.

After his total 18 years of outstanding service, Bruce leaves his current role at TSS at the end of this year. Stepping up to the plate is Greg Cornelsen, who has previously worked in the philanthropy position and assisted in capital campaigns for both the Prep and Senior campus. Greg has been appointed in a fundraising role, and

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Headmaster Greg Wain with recently appointed Director of Philanthropy, Greg Cornelsen.

The learning of leadership Sue Jones, Ruth Stevens, Sharon Joss and Cindy Harris – Year 2 Teachers

t r a t s y l r a e n a s t ge

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veryone has their own idea of what ‘leadership’ is. While some may think that leadership is a skill you are born with and that leaders have a natural ability to make others follow them, research estimates that ‘leadership is about one-third born and two-thirds made’.

As a parent, we all dream that our child will become a leader at some stage, so given the research, it is up to both the educators and the parents to create that path for every child to become a leader.

At TSS we believe that leaders can be ‘made’ and this process starts in the early years of a boy’s education.

In Year 2, our vision is to be able to learn in a safe, supportive and happy environment. We value respect, consideration and kindness to others. We encourage optimism, resilience and initiative as the boys are guided through their learning journey. There are many opportunities for leadership in the classroom. Some children have more natural skills, but with the right modelling, mindset and tools, every child will develop the skills to lead. ‘They are not in competition—they are part of a team.’

As the oldest group in the Lower Prep, the boys get the opportunity to step into leadership roles within, and beyond, the classroom. Firstly, they need to display the certain behaviours and qualities of a leader by setting an example to others. We encourage independence and responsibility in looking after their belongings and themselves. One example of this is saying goodbye to their parents at the gate and making their way to and from the classroom at an early stage in the year.

Within the classroom, the boys have various opportunities to practise their leadership qualities.

Being responsible for carrying messages to other staff, handing out books, delivering the tuckshop bags, handing out the tuckshop orders, being a line leader, group captains and various other responsibilities, are some of the leadership opportunities available to them.

At our Lower Prep Assemblies and Chapel services, all students have the opportunity to be the cross-bearer and wear the Alb (the robe). They also have an opportunity to lead the Reception to Year 2 classes in Prayer.

consultation with the class teachers—decide on boys who would be suitable to be team captains. They have to be responsible for their House team, hold their House banners or activity boards, lead their groups to the various activities and hand the activity board to the next teachers.

Year 2 boys are also called upon to thank the various visitors that we have during the year, or to give thanks to the presenters at the conclusion of an excursion or incursion.

What we as adults see as simple tasks can be quite daunting to a young boy, however many boys exhibit leadership qualities in their social and emotional intelligence, such as serving, co-operation, empathy, confidence and enthusiasm. To build on this, we start to further develop our leaders through our Bounce Back program and the Habits of Mind.

Leadership is also encouraged through our academic program. We acknowledge academic leadership for some boys by giving them opportunities to attend ICAS/ Gifted & Talented activities, Gateways and Brainwaves.

During our Sports Day, the sports teachers—in

“ It is our goal as educators to awaken the passionate leader within” —Ronit Baras

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TSS Campdrafters

D O M I N AT E the hallowed ground

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Bruce Rutherford – Agricultural Science Teacher

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t Margaret’s College hosted the first-ever inter-school Campdraft, which took place on the ‘hallowed’ Warwick Campdraft Grounds.

A TSS team of experienced Campdrafters comprising Rory Shepherd, Jack Dowling, Tom Cannington, Charlie Rasheed, Sam Pearson, Tom Watts and Jack and Dan Atthow, all saddled up to meet the challenge.

The competition was judged by Terry Hall on the weekend after the Gold Cup. TSS parental support was not a task for the faint-hearted. The boys each required two horses to compete, while the geographic challenge for families to get to the Campdraft was equally demanding.

Travel involved distances of 3500, 1700, 1200, 1000 and 500 kilometres one way for some families, down to ‘only’ a few hours for the closest family. It was a massive effort from these families who made a great weekend of it.

The cattle were donated by another TSS family, the McNamee family from Lemon Tree, Millmerran.

The weekend consisted of a practise day and school by Terry Hall on Saturday and two rounds of 96 runs on the Sunday competition day.

Our boys did not disappoint, sweeping all before them to win everything there was to win.

The team event - the Peter Dowling Livestock and Real-estate Trophy—consisted of two rounds of Campdraft, with the top six scores from each team averaged out. TSS won with an average of 86.6, NEGS on 85.3 took second, Goondiwindi High third on 84.3, St Margaret’s College fourth with 84, fifth place to Taroom High on 83, Scot’s College on 81 came in sixth and Ipswich Grammar was seventh on 69.3.

The individual winner was a runoff of the top ten scores put together by a rider and horse combination.

In a nail biting finish after another runoff, Tom Cannington claimed victory for TSS. At the end of the day, with the brilliant family support and the skill and determination of our boys in the saddle, our TSS Campdrafters did everyone proud.

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Making the money go around To Keep The TSS Wheels Turning

Ross Cardiff – Chief Financial Officer

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s he goes about his busy program of daily activities, moving from classroom, to the sporting field, to a recreational pursuit or Boarding House, the typical TSS boy would likely have little thought or concern for the financial machinery churning away behind the scenes. Perhaps that’s entirely understandable, yet that complex constant inward and outward flow of money, its distribution and management, ultimately enables him to do what he does on a day-to-day basis.

these related to Boarding. We spent $1.6 million on direct costs in 2016, primarily our catering, and our modelling shows that 32% of our general expenses relate to Boarding. This equates to an additional $4.1 million, and on top of this are our salary costs. Of the $24 million spent on salaries, based on the same percentage, the Boarding portion would be $2,870,000 for teaching staff and $2,063,209 for corporate staff. This brings our approximate Boarding costs for tuition and boarding to $10.6 million.

It’s perhaps instructive then to get a basic understanding of how we manage the money to keep the wheels of TSS turning.

But looking at the general figures, 2016 was a strong year for the School.

Our income comes from four major areas. The largest source —which amounts to some $23 million—is tuition income from our parents. We then receive government grants from both the Commonwealth and State government and finally income from our commercial activities.

Our enrolments once again achieved a record high with a yearaverage of 1534 boys, up from 1516 the previous year. Our boarding numbers were at 306 during the year, maintaining the status of TSS as the largest boys’ boarding school in the state.

More importantly though is how the available money each year is spent. TSS has over 240 staff members and this is our primary cost, with almost $24 million spent in 2016. Those staff service a wide range of activities, including teaching, coaching, maintenance, grounds, marketing and admissions, IT, accounting and much, much, more. Besides salary costs, we have our normal expenses such as electricity and rates, cleaning and maintenance, teaching and boarding expenses and interest on our loans. It’s true to say that TSS never really stops and all of this activity has a cost associated with it.

A question often raised is: “What does it cost to run a particular area of the School?”

It’s not that easy to answer as we operate as a full school, however, let’s take Boarding as an example. TSS has around 300 boarders at any one time, equating to a third of the Senior School. We have five separate Boarding buildings, along with a laundry, dining hall and residences for 17 families that live on campus, with the majority of

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Overall, we recorded an income of $43,212,479 and an expenditure of $39,396,425, which allowed a surplus of $3,816,054.

These funds were utilised for loan repayments and our capital program during the year, which saw the commencement of three major capital works in the road, carpark and entrance to Brolga Avenue at the Prep campus, the new Hall at Prep and the Library and Lecture Theatre projects on the Senior campus. Overall, we spent $5,363,523 on our capital projects during the year along with loan repayments of $1,770,373.

This capital program will continue into 2017 and see the completion of all of these projects. We are scheduled to spend an additional $14 million during this year which is funded from the surplus and extensive borrowings.

As with all things at The Southport School our finances are in good shape… the money keeps going around and the wheels keep turning.

Trail blazing and global sharing by our gifted and talented

Ms Jo Inglis – Deputy Headmaster – Head of Learning and Teaching

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ur TSS Gifted Education specialists, Angela FouldsCook and Jasna Poeszus, took centre stage before a global audience with a presentation at the 2017 World Council for Gifted and Talented Children hosted by UNSW in Sydney.

Their presentation focussed on training educators to implement evidence-based identification practices for high-potential students, including those who may be under-represented. Delegates learnt about the critical importance of identification from early years onwards using a body-of-evidence approach to guide and implement diverse educational opportunities.

During a keynote address, Mark Scott, Secretary of Department of Education in NSW highlighted, “…of great concern nationally is the slide in performance among our high achievers on international and national assessments”. Angela and Jasna’s presentation was an appropriate fit with this theme and was well received by the audience.

Our TSS specialists continue to work hard to blaze trails in Gifted Education, empowering teachers and parents within the community along the way.

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Prestigious awards confirm our

Karen Ellis – Marketing

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he Dr John Dwyer ‘Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award’ and the Professor Betty Watts OBE Memorial Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Teaching’ comprise two of the most prestigious honours that can be bestowed on a teacher.

Consequently, the TSS community was thrilled to learn that the Queensland College of Teachers selected our Deputy Headmaster and Head of Preparatory School, Mr Jeff Symms, to be nominated in these two categories. It’s a rare honour to be nominated in multiple categories and this reflects Mr Symms’s work in schools for over 30 years, during which time he has taught in both public and independent schools, in our major cities and in Central Queensland.

More recently, Mr Symms was announced as one of only five finalists in the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Teaching’ award. Mr Symms’s nomination notes: “As a teacher, Mr Symms has been universally recognised as contributing to the growth and development of children across their intellectual, social and emotional domains and has left a lasting impact on many children and their parents”.

In addition, TSS was perhaps the most recognised school in these annual awards with a number of staff receiving nominations across the four categories of Excellence in Beginning to Teach, Excellence in Teaching, Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning, and Outstanding Contribution to Teaching.

TSS has always maintained that the excellence of our teachers stands as one of the strongest elements of our educational program. No program, however well designed, can hope to achieve its aims without delivery by teachers who not only grasp the mechanics of it but possess the ability to reach the students it’s intended to educate.

These much-prized awards confirm what we’ve known all along. When it comes to delivery, our teachers have what it takes!

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Excellence in Beginning to Teach

Excellence in Teaching

Mr Corey Tones

– Year 5 Teacher

Mrs Kerrie Anderson – Visual Arts Specialist Teacher

Mr William Horan

– Head of Senior School Drama Department

Mr James Sproule

– Reception Teacher

Mr Fergus Trevethan – Year 4 Teacher Ms Susan Presto – Senior School Academic Staff – Habits of Mind Coordinator

Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Outstanding Contribution to Teaching

Mrs Kerrie Aquilina

Mr Brian Rowe – Year 6 Teacher – Shepherd Housemaster

– Year 3/ Year 4 Honours Class Teacher

Mrs Kathryn Barry – Deputy Head of Preparatory School and Curriculum Mrs Lynda Darby

– Arrowsmith Coordinator

Mrs Karen Humphreys – Coordinator of TSS Preschool Mr Jeff Symms – Deputy Headmaster – Head of Preparatory School Ms Kerrie Dickson – Surman Housemaster – Senior Business Teacher Mr Stephen Eardley

– Head of Senior School Art Department

Mr Craig Newton

– Year 3 Teacher – Year Level Curriculum Coordinator

Mr Jeff Symms – Deputy Headmaster – Head of Preparatory School Mrs Kerrie Anderson – Visual Arts Specialist Teacher Mrs Sue Jones – Year 2 Teacher – Year Level Coordinator Mr Andrew Stark

– Head of Libraries and Information Services – Associate Dean of Learning – Teaching Professional Learning Events

Mrs Jasna Poeszus – Preparatory School Gifted and Talented Teacher

When it oc mes to delivery, ! s e k a t t i t a h w e v our teachers ha

Clockwise from top left: Lynda Darby with Arrowsmith founder, Barbara Arrowsmith Young; Jasna Poeszus; Andrew Stark; Kathryn Barry; Karen Humphreys.

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Speech Day

DESMOND DOSS Greg Wain Headmaster

Distinguished guests, members of the School Council, parents, staff and boys of The Southport School, it is my great pleasure to address you this Speech Day, the final academic day of the 117th year of The Southport School.

My talk today is about Desmond Doss, the real-life hero and World War II Congressional Medal of Honour recipient portrayed in ‘Hacksaw Ridge’, a movie directed by Mel Gibson. ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ contains dark themes and confronting, but realistic, scenes of war. Overall, however, the story is inspirational and uplifting, as, despite the darkness and worst sides of human nature portrayed in the film, the element that shines through, and ultimately prevails, is the Gospel value of love.

The other clear message from the story of Desmond is that leaders and heroes come in all shapes and sizes. I do not think anyone, friends or family, would have picked Doss as a hero or leader prior to the experiences with which he was confronted with during World War II. Sixteen million men served in the US military during World War II, and just over 400 received the Congressional Medal of Honour, the highest military award in the US; the equivalent to our Victoria Cross. Desmond stepped up when needed. He singlehandedly rescued 75 injured and dying men over a 12hour period. A rescue every 10 minutes.

Doss had to advance towards the enemy, under fire, then drag each man, sometimes a short distance and sometimes up to 100 metres, to the edge of a ridge and lower them by rope to safety down a 10 metre vertical drop.

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Upbringing Desmond Doss was born in a Hillbilly area in the rural hills near Lynchburg, Virginia and was a Seventh-day Adventist, a sect of Christianity that advocates non-violence, keeping the Sabbath on Saturdays and, I suspect unlike most Hillbillies, his faith also advocated vegetarianism.

His mother strongly fostered his Christian faith and she was a necessary balance to his dad, a World War I veteran who suffered from what we now know as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Under the influence of alcohol, he could become abusive.

In one formative childhood event, Desmond’s father was drunk and arguing with his wife’s brother, Desmond’s uncle (in the film the argument was with Desmond’s mother, but in real life it was his uncle). When his father pulled a gun on his uncle, Desmond’s mother intervened, took the gun and told Desmond to hide it.

Desmond returned to see his father led away in handcuffs by the police and, hit by the realisation of human anger and the potential catastrophic result that his father would have killed his uncle if his mother had not intervened, Desmond determined never again to touch a gun.

Grit At TSS we teach that grit (determination, ‘stick at it’ persistence) can be learned, these characteristics are not fixed at birth.

When he was eight years old Doss fell on broken glass and severed several tendons. The doctors told him he would never use the hand again, but his mother encouraged him, modelled grit and helped him to exercise every day to rehabilitate his hand. He never played baseball again but he did get through army training and rescued 75 men. The habit of “grit” that Desmond Doss learned and practised in rehabilitating his hand, was displayed time and again during his life.

The War – Desmond’s decision not to bear arms Doss was 23 when the US joined World War II after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. He felt a moral obligation to serve because the war was about freedom and religious liberty and he did not think it was fair that other men should fight while he stayed home.

While Doss felt a moral obligation to serve, to do his duty, he decided that as a Medic (a First Aid man) he could stay true to his personal and religious beliefs. As he put it… “I don’t want to pretend to be something I’m not… My dad bought this Ten Commandments and Lord’s Prayer illustrated in a nice frame, and for years I had looked at that picture of the Sixth Commandment, ‘Thou shalt not kill’… I wanna be like Christ, go savin’ life instead of takin’ life and that’s the reason I take up medicine… and I won’t carry a gun”.

He joined the Army, making it clear he wanted to be a Medic, but he was told that the Army would decide what he would do, not him!

Army training Doss was assigned to a Rifle Company in the 77th Division for his basic training. Clearly Positive Psychology was not known about in the US Army back then and they thought that peer pressure and intimidation would cure Desmond Doss of his pacifism and strongly held religious beliefs and convince him to use a gun.

Doss was subjected to plenty of peer pressure and bullying from his fellow trainees as well as intimidation from the officers. His slight stature and softly-spoken manner didn’t help his cause, nor did his regular reading of the bible each night.

The other men couldn’t understand him and he was accused of being a pest and a coward, was bullied and told he couldn’t be trusted in battle. Years later after the war, a fellow trainee explained … “You know, he’d say his prayers at night and read his bible, and some guys threw their boots at him, they made fun of him every day, right out in the open… I don’t think I could have taken what that guy did. I don’t think I could have taken it, but he hung in there… He hung in there regardless of what they said or what they did”.

Doss remembers a fellow trainee yelling at him… “I swear to God, Doss, when we go into combat, you’re not comin’ back alive.

I’m gonna shoot you myself ”.

Eventually the Army realised they could not change Desmond Doss and they sent him to train as a Medic within the same Division, but the officers there still gave him a hard time, court martialling him for not following a direct order to carry a gun.

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He re-joined the Rifle Company soldiers as a Medic and they moved on to desert training in Arizona. Things began to improve for Doss when he helped dehydrated and blistered soldiers marching in the 47 degree Celsius heat. Begrudging respect began. He shared his only water bottle with those in need. Doss knew one water bottle per man was not enough in the searing heat and took up the cause with the Company Commander who sarcastically said… “You fix the blisters I’ll run the Company and if you don’t like it you can complain to the Battalion Commander”. Beyond such intimidation, Doss actually had the courage to confront the Battalion Commander and the men received more water.

Desmond needed to serve While the attitude of the men towards Doss was changing, the officers still saw him as a weak link. His Lieutenant, Jack Glover told him… “You’re not going to be by my damn side if you don’t carry a gun”. They even sought to have him discharged on a Section 8 mental instability charge. (Fans of the old TV series M*A*S*H will remember Corporal Clinger trying to get out of the Army on a Section 8 by dressing in women’s clothes.)

Through these difficult months Desmond Doss was adhering to two of the teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount. One is the Golden Rule—‘Treat others as you want them to treat you’. He treated all people with kindness, respect and courtesy, and he never held a grudge.

Whilst that is not too difficult to follow, the second of Jesus’s teaching, which Doss adhered to, is very challenging… ‘If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also’.

In Jesus’s time, the prevailing law was ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’. So teaching people to ‘turn the other cheek’ was revolutionary. One interpretation of ‘turn the other cheek’ is not to return evil for evil, so do not return insult for insult, which just escalates the conflict. A slap with the back of a hand in Jesus’s time was a way of higher-class people asserting their authority and dominance. My theory is that this ‘dominance’ or testing social power is often the reason some of our boys ‘pay out’ or verbally bully others to, in a completely wrong and hurtful way, assert their authority and dominance. I would ask, why do they feel the need to do this in the first place? But if it does happen, walking away from someone who mocks you, or hits you, and getting help can take more courage than retaliating.

In some ways ‘turn the other cheek’ is, I think, the transcendent element behind the practice of ‘restorative justice’ which we have started to use at TSS to help resolve conflicts between boys. We believe punishment alone is not the answer, whereas restorative justice heals relationships, increases understanding and allows redemption.

It has also been suggested that by teaching ‘turning the other cheek’, Jesus has us focussing not on violence and retaliation, but on becoming the bigger person; a person of strong character who forgives, seeks to understand where the anger of the aggressor comes from, a peacemaker and a leader towards a better way of living together. So rather than dwelling on what we do not want to be, dwell on what we do want to be.

Where did all this lead Desmond Doss? The attempted court martial failed but resulted in Doss being refused leave to visit his brother who he had not seen for two years and who was shipping out to the war in the Pacific. Doss proclaimed to his Colonel… “I will be just as good a soldier as you Colonel, I will be just as good as you”.

As it turned out, Doss became a far better soldier than any of his detractors or so-called superior officers.

Okinawa The second part of the movie Hacksaw Ridge depicts several days of fierce combat on the Maeda escarpment on the Japanese island of Okinawa. The Americans invaded Okinawa to set up an air base in order to attack mainland Japan, which was just over 500 kilometres away.

The Americans made an amphibious landing, crossed the beach and up a steep hill to a vertical escarpment or cliff about 10 metres high which afforded them shelter from the enemy guns on the top of the escarpment. The bad news was that the Japanese were well prepared, entrenched and camouflaged, and when climbing over the top of the vertical cliff the Americans were vulnerable to enemy fire.

The escarpment was actually about 10 metres high, though in the movie Mel Gibson made it appear about 50 metres high!

When I inspect our Boarding Houses, and talk to each boy about their Positive Psychology ‘signature strengths’ which are laminated and posted at the entrance of their cubicles, I notice a pattern where proportionally more of the country boys have ‘ingenuity/creativity’ as a signature strength. Ingenuity is needed to solve problems with limited resources available. Doss was a country boy and using his ingenuity he suggested the Americans use the cargo nets from climbing down off the landing boats and tie them at the top of the cliff so multiple soldiers could arrive at once at the top. Doss used packing cases to build a ladder to help get the cargo net to the top.

His B company had two platoons of men on top of the ridge by nightfall. More Companies of American soldiers followed and the fighting was intense in what proved to be the most catastrophic attempt to capture the escarpment. At midnight the Japanese counterattacked with mortar, machine guns and artillery, and drove the Americans off the ridge. B Company mustered after the retreat at the bottom of the ridge. Fifty-five made it back down and over 100 men were left on top, dead or wounded.

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One man stayed

Compassion and courage

However, Desmond Doss, unwounded, stayed on top of the ridge with his men, perplexed about what he ought to do. He reflected on what he had seen that day, men cut in half by machine gun fire, burned with flame throwers and crying out in pain for hours. It confirmed to him that guns were not the answer to conflict.

In his despair, not knowing whether to retreat or stay, unsure of what to do, and no doubt confused and hurt by his treatment over the many months of training, Doss prays out loud, asking God… “What is it you want of me?” He waits. With anger and panic setting in, he prays louder… “I can’t hear you”.

By that time Doss was a much-loved favourite of the men and they wanted him with them. Doss agreed, knowing that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, so he asked for some time to complete his prayers. His Captain sent a request for a delay of the attack up the chain of command to the Regimental Colonel who readily acquiesced to Doss’s request, and the whole Regiment waited.

Both the Captain and the Colonel had bullied and intimidated Doss to leave the Army during training, but now were in awe of his compassion and courage.

At that moment there is a lull in the gunfire and he hears several wounded soldiers distraught and calling for help. In the voices of suffering and cries for help, Doss hears God calling him to risk his own life to save others.

Desmond Doss spent the following 12 hours treating and rescuing 75 men, so one rescue every 10 minutes. Going back into enemy fire, without a weapon, again and again over that 12-hour period, carrying or dragging the wounded over the battleground, sometimes up to 100 metres, without cover, and lowering them by rope, one-by-one, down the 10 metre vertical cliff.

The men below relayed to their officers that… “Some nut is still on top of the escarpment getting his butt shot off saving infantry men”. What the slightly built, 70 kilogram, Private First-Class Desmond T Doss accomplished has been described as a miracle.

More than one man thanked Desmond Doss and humbly apologised for misjudging him and treating him badly during training. They thought he was a coward for refusing to fight but they came to see he had more courage than anyone they had fought alongside. Many said… “I didn’t understand you”.

Four days after that failed attempt to capture Hacksaw Ridge, what was to be the final and successful assault was launched. It was a Saturday, Doss’s Sabbath day of rest. His Captain politely asked him if he would mind joining the Company on the assault as he was the only Medic left.

During that final successful assault, Doss bravely treated and rescued his Captain who had tried so hard to get Doss to quit the Army. He too asked Doss for forgiveness… “He was one of the bravest persons alive, and then to have him end up saving my life was the irony of the whole thing… All I saw was a skinny kid. I did not know what I saw… I’ve never been more wrong about anybody.

Please forgive me”.

Mel Gibson didn’t put the rest of Doss’s story in the film as he thought the audience simply would not believe such a man could actually exist. Some days later Doss was in combat in another part of Okinawa and as he was treating the wounded a grenade was thrown.

Doss threw his foot back to block the grenade from injuring his men and was blown into the air sustaining 17 shrapnel wounds. As the stretcher bearers were taking him to the First Aid station he saw a more seriously injured man, rolled off his stretcher to tend to him and told the stretcher bearers to take the other man first. While he was waiting a sniper shot him in the arm breaking a bone. Doss then knew he couldn’t wait much longer so with magnificent fortitude he improvised a splint, bandaged his compound fracture and crawled 300 metres to the First Aid station.

Medal of Honour Five months later, at the White House, President Harry S Truman enthusiastically shook the hand of Corporal Desmond Thomas Doss and presented him with the Congressional Medal of Honour.

Doss returned to his humble rural life on a small five-acre farm.

Sadly, the cold sleepless nights in wet trenches during the Pacific campaign took their toll. He developed tuberculosis and lost a lung, but even that didn’t stop him. Twenty years later in 1965, he helped rescue eight Boy Scouts from a caving mishap. In 2006, at the age of 87, Desmond Doss passed away.

s? os D d on m es D of ry sto e th m fro n ar le we n ca s What lesson 82

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Lesson 1

Make an effort to understand and empathise with people who are different.

As humans, we are hard wired from our evolutionary time in tribes on the African Savannah to be suspicious of differences, but with our relatively modern pre-frontal cortex, we can, and should, use higher-level thinking to overcome those primal prejudices and seek to understand, empathise with and value people who are different to us.

You might think a boy attending TSS would never receive the same treatment Desmond Doss was subjected to at Army training, but last year we heard from our Chapel Visitor, Old Boy Mark Robinson, that when at school he had been ‘paid out’ by some of the other Boarders for his Christian beliefs and practices.

Fortunately for Mark, enough boys and staff supported him to help him get through, and, as happened to Desmond Doss, later, after school, when they had grown up, Mark’s detractors one by one apologised to him… “We didn’t understand you or what you stood for”.

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Lesson 2

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Lesson 3

Respect as a leader doesn’t come from a title, respect comes from results.

This is an important lesson for our Year 11 KIT mentors and our Boarding Dorm Seniors, and even our Prefects and Wardens, all who often wish they could get more automatic respect from junior boys. Respect must be merited. Many leaders want respect prior to it being earned. Doss was considered a coward until he began to serve others and bravely save lives. Then he was considered a hero and a leader.

Good leaders work firstly at engendering trust, starting by building a relationship and caring for others. When Doss first entered the army, his fellow soldiers didn’t trust him to have their backs. They thought he’d retreat and run when the pressure came on. But he built a relationship with every man in the company, even when his friendship was resisted. He served others. By the end of the battle of Hacksaw Ridge the soldiers trusted him with their lives and loved him. As Year 11 or Year 12 leaders next year, what are you doing to build relationships, engender trust and become a great leader?

Lesson 4

Leaders come in all shapes and sizes.

Desmond Doss was very much an introvert, very quietly spoken, small in stature and had very different beliefs to the other men in the Company. But he believed in himself, he treated others with respect, accepted their differences, valued them, built relationships and influenced others in a positive way for the betterment of the group. He was humble and consistently chose to do good.

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Lesson 5

Love conquers evil, whether that evil is war, terrorism or violence.

As humans, we are hard wired from our evolutionary time in tribes on the AfAs director Mel Gibson said after researching Doss… “It was a landscape of death, and this man reaffirms life in the midst of all that, like a flower growing in the wasteland… he goes in and performs acts of love (of care and compassion)… and that’s why I think Hacksaw Ridge is a love story, not a war movie”.

Despite the darkness and worst sides of human nature evident in Hacksaw Ridge, the element that ultimately prevailed was the Gospel value of love.

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Lesson 6

There is more to you than you think.

Doss admits after he heard the calling from God to stay on the ridge and care for the injured, he had really serious doubts… “I didn’t know how I was going to do it”.

One of Round Square founder Kurt Hahn’s favourite sayings, which he discovered written in a church in Belgium, was ‘There is more to you than you think’. Desmond Doss was certainly an example of that. Sometimes when you are not totally confident you can complete a task, you just need to jump in and get started. Doss used prayer to sustain him. Each time he lowered a man from the ridge he would pray… “Lord, please help me get one more”, and then, 12 hours later, after a superhuman marathon, he had rescued 75 men.

To our boys, you all have it in you to make a difference in the lives of others. We all need care at times. Keep an eye out for other boys who may be going through a difficult time, who may be getting paid out, or going through family problems.

Give them a word of encouragement, help them if needed or get help for them. By positively influencing others for good, you are showing leadership.

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. .. d i a s e c n o r e t s a m d A wise Hea “No school can rise above the quality of its staff ”. There is no doubt that our staff are the key to the current standing of TSS. At TSS we have four core elements to our appraisal system and performance pay system—the ability to maintain positive and productive relationships, national-level knowledge in your area of expertise, high levels of effort and commitment, and alignment with the Vision of the School. To our staff and my tolerant and understanding Executive colleagues—thank you, and thank you for being on our journey of improvement in those four core areas.

Thank you also to the School Council Chairman, Mr Fraser Perrin and members of the School Council; and the committed group of volunteers who willingly gift many hours of community service as stewards of this great school to ensure good governance, financial management and strategic development.

They also keep an eye on me and they provide valuable and regular feedback and support.

Thank you to our parents for the trust you have placed in us, we are honoured to be a partner with you in the nurturing of your sons into fine young men.

Thank you to the boys for your energy, humour, inspiration and many contributions as part of the living history of The Southport School.

Thank you all for your support of The Southport School during the past year, the 117th year of this great School.

I wish you all a happy, peaceful and holy Christmas.

Greg Wain

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Founded in 1901, TSS is an Anglican day and boarding school for boys from Preschool to Year 12, with boarding available from Year 7 Winchester St Southport, Queensland, Australia 4215 Telephone: +61 7 5531 9911 Facsimile: +61 7 5531 9977 Email: reception@tss.qld.edu.au Visit: www.tss.qld.edu.au The Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane trading as The Southport School CRICOS Provider No. 00523F