Retirement is Not Really Goodbye

At TSS Retirement Is Not Really

Goodbye

After a 35-year tenure at The Southport School, 2020 marked the end of an era with the retirement of Mr John Wallace. During his lengthy career at the School, Mr Wallace made a significant impact not only to the School but to many students who were influenced by his passion for education. This beloved teacher found out that you don’t really retire from a school such as TSS. This year John has been back nearly every day either substituting for staff or coordinating his fantastic Speech Variety Club… and of course officiating the Tug ‘o’ War Cluster. In this edition of Band of Brothers, we pay tribute to an amazing teacher, colleague and friend.

Mr Wallace was born in Tasmania and completed his post graduate teacher training at the University of Tasmania in 1974. After teaching for two years in Tasmania, he decided to take some time off and moved to explore the Australian continent. In Western Australia Mr Wallace applied for a teaching position at Scotch College in Perth and was successful. For eight years he taught in the upper primary area and was heavily involved in co-curricular activities: swimming, cricket, rugby and surf lifesaving. It was in WA that he developed a passion for Surf Lifesaving, taking many senior positions in the North Cottesloe Club. A major highlight was in 1983 when he was asked to be an escort to Prince Charles and Lady Diana on their first Royal Tour of Australia after their wedding. Prince Charles was very fond of Australia’s surf and beaches. When Mr Wallace represented his club at the Australian Surf Lifesaving Titles at Kurrawa in 1984 he enjoyed his time on the Gold Coast and thought that it would not be a bad place to live. In late 1984 a position was advertised in the Australian newspaper for the TSS Preparatory School which he applied for and thankfully was successful in his application. During his time at Scotch College, Mr Wallace worked with Mr Greg Wain as a Resident Master in Keys House. Little did he know that their paths would cross 20 years later.

Mr Wallace’s first eight years at TSS was in the Prep School as a predominantly Year 7 teacher. At that time, Mr Peter Rogers was Master In Charge of TSS Prep. John speaks highly of Mr Roger’s leadership and as an educator of boys. During his time in the Prep School he was Director of Swimming and a CIC Rugby coach. He also ran the Sharks Swimming Club. In his time in the Prep School he was heavily involved in the Southport Surf Lifesaving Club being Club Captain in 1987-88. Mr Wallace was happy to begin his teaching profession as a primary school teacher because it was here that he learnt the foundational years of a child’ learning. It helped his understanding of boys and their educational development when he entered the Senior School in 1992.

In 1992 Mr Wallace was chosen as Morse Housemaster and Director of TSS Swimming. Morse House was the day boy House for Year 8 boys. For 10 years he filled this position and realised its significance as a boy’s platform to education in TSS. As Director of Swimming he remembers well the wonderful times he had with men of the calibre of Mr Ian Browne, Mr Stephen Eardley, Mr David King-Christopher, Mr Phil Ward, Mr Jason Cooper and Mr Alex Baumann. Mr Wallace also ran summer Swim Schools for TSS and St Hilda’s students and their families. During his time in Morse House he met and married his wife Rosie and his daughters Katie and Sophie were born. Many TSS day boys appreciated the care and attention they received in Morse House. He always said that Morse House was only successful if by the end of the year the boys were keen to leave and join their brothers in the Senior Houses.

After 10 years in Morse House Mr Wallace applied and accepted the position of Biddle Housemaster in 2002 following the vacancy left by Mr Michael Halpin. For eight years he held his position as Housemaster of Biddle 2002-2009 and as Director of Boarding 2006-2009. During his time as Biddle Housemaster, Mr Wallace strengthened the number of country boys in Biddle and TSS by every year venturing out west with his family

and Matron, Mrs Teresa Manwaring, promoting TSS and Boarding. Many friendships developed at this time with wholesome country parents and Mr Wallace fully came to realise that boarders were very much the soul of TSS. They lived and breathed TSS. Mr Wallace considers one of his greatest achievements was the introduction of fully supervised Boarder Prep for Junior Boarders in 2006. With supervising teachers in control of Prep the number of boys on the Dean’s List escalated and parents were relieved that their sons were being supervised and completing set tasks in their absence. Biddle House for the Wallace family was a wonderful fulfilling experience and the many wonderful times with boys and their families never to be forgotten. It was when Mr Wallace realised why TSS is still referred to as a Boarding and Day School even though day boys outnumber boarders 3-1.

Eight years in Boarding was a 24-hours a day responsibility and required enormous energy and commitment and as his daughters were getting into their teenage years Mr and Mrs Wallace moved back to their small property in Mudgeeraba in 2010. Mr Wallace would continue the next chapter of his teaching career as a senior Ancient History teacher.

In 2010 with the dedicated assistance of HaSS Head of Department, Mr Rob Ritchie, Mr Wallace developed a Senior Ancient History subject into the academic curriculum. This subject was well received by the boys and attracted high quality academic students who were totally enthused in the subject. He also became a member of the Ancient History panel a position he held for 10 years. In 2013 Mr Wallace and his dear friend, Mr Ward, were made inaugural members of Emeritus Housemaster of The Southport School. Instigated by then Deputy Headmaster, Mr Alan Parsons, this title was to be bestowed on retired Housemasters of more than 10 years of service in the role who continue to mentor both boys and staff in the School. In 2014 Mr Wallace was one of five short listed teachers in The Queensland Teacher of the Year awards in Brisbane. 2017-2018 in the absence of Mr Ritchie, he held the Acting Head of Humanities position in the School until the permanent appointment of Ms Natasha Rosky in 2019. In 2021 John will enter the status of transition to retirement which is made available to teachers in TSS who have taught for a significant period of time in the School. This is a two day a week relief teaching contract until the end of 2021. He will also continue as Master in Charge of the TSS Speech and Variety Club which he founded all those years ago. At the end of 2020 the Club had completed its 440th meeting, a milestone in itself.

TSS is a school where teachers can reinvent themselves and grow in their professional careers. Mr Wallace has done this and has given considerable energy and passion to his respective roles. He is very thankful that the School has given him the opportunity to do this. It is ironic that two people Mr Wallace taught with and taught would cross paths with him in his time at TSS. Mr Greg Wain who John remembers as a Maths teacher and Resident Master of Keys House and Mr Cameron Herbert who John taught in the Prep School at Scotch College in Perth Western Australia.

I have had the privilege of teaching in the same History department with Mr Wallace. He is a person of immense knowledge, and every morning before school starts, he unearths this wealth of knowledge with quizzes and answers in our work area.

In his time at TSS, he has managed rugby and football teams, but is possibly best remembered for his control of the annual Tug-of-War championships. With a loud bellow he would beckon the teams, with neck veins and muscles straining, white hair flapping over a reddened forehead he would let them take the strain... this spectacle belonged to Mr Wallace!

He has been a professional in all senses of the word. With his easy out-going attitude, he was easy to communicate with and has been a wonderful tutor for staff and students alike. His presence around the school, in the classroom, on the sports fields and common room will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.

John Wallace believes that the legacy he will leave behind is primarily a School Master who has taught with passion and who has endeared in the boys of this school a love of the history of the school through his many stories and personal experiences. For the Boarders a caring family and the introduction of changes to fulfil their needs academically and socially. In the Speech and Variety Club the stage and platform to develop confidence in public speaking and to acquire those skills necessary to enhance communication in life after TSS. John Wallace has lived and practiced those words so incumbent in our School prayer … “Education embraces the whole of life”.

“I have had the privilege of teaching in the same History department with Mr Wallace. He is a person of immense knowledge, and every morning before school starts, he unearths this wealth of knowledge with quizzes and answers in our work area.”