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From the Archives
DATUM POINT SCULPTURE FROM THE ARCHIVES Walking by ELTHAM College’s Junior School playground, it’s hard to miss the Datum Point sculpture. This sculpture has stood the test of time, having been climbed on by generations of ELTHAM students since it arrived on campus in 1974. Created and donated by local sculptor Matcham Skipper in collaboration with his son Marcus, Datum Point was installed on the day the school officially opened, 5 October 1974. The ceremony began at 2.30pm, but the sculpture and sculptor arrived very late. Founding Principal Des Davey wasn’t impressed, as he had expected it to be installed the night before the opening. It was only just in the ground in time for the start of the ceremony. As its name suggests, it was installed on the datum point of the school, which meant that a marker on this spot was used to make measurements and take levels from as the site developed. The sculpture has been lowered since its original installation. As you can see in the black and white photo of the children dangling off the sculpture, it used to be a lot higher! ELTHAM’s students have long enjoyed the Datum Point sculpture, with insights from a 1974 College newsletter including: “I think it looks like a spider with its legs stuck in the ground” (Jacob) and “A great statue to look at for the rest of our College days” (Adrian). Young student Lucy wasn’t so sure about the materials used however – “It would be better if it wasn’t rusty,” she wrote. As for its creator, Matcham Skipper was born in Eaglemont and his family became deeply involved in the building and evolution of Montsalvat. Matcham was a painter, sculptor, potter, craftsman, stonemason and jeweler. He died in February 2011, with his last sculpture being the man with a butterfly at Eltham Cemetery.
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Samantha Allemann Writer/Editor Esmae Boutros Archivist
