Light Blue - September 2014

ISSUE 93 SEPT 2014

LEARNING TO FLOURISH Geelong Grammar School continues take innovative steps in education

↓ SECTION 01 — INTRODUCTION

Our Spirit is all about making a positive difference. A couple of years ago 40 or so representatives of our School spent hours trying to identify what was at our very core as a School community and in essence, we are about making a positive difference. This is not a self-serving spirit but a spirit of service, reflecting the desire to make life better for others. JR Darling and other Headmasters and Principals have pointed to the contribution that our students can make in society. If we are fortunate enough to experience a fine education, we are also responsible to make a positive difference in the world and for the good of others. This is the spirit we are to discover, reflect and keep alive as we move through life and impact on the lives around us.

Editor Brendan McAloon Design Claire Robson Photography Shaney Balcombe Bob Bickerton Tony Bretherton Andrew Catchlove Victoria Fangan-Hall Nick Sculley Ann Tyers (Fairley, He’68) Katie Rafferty (Spry, Ga’84) Drew Ryan Stephen Solomonson

Our comprehensive fundraising campaign is known as Exceptional Futures because we are seeking to empower young people through our philanthropy so that they may make a positive difference in and through the lives they live in and beyond the School. Our 100 Exceptional Stories book, which will be launched on October 22, will tell the stories of 100 exceptional people who were students at our Corio Campus and have gone on to live exceptional lives, making without exception, a positive difference in their chosen fields of endeavour.

Sometimes the focus is on the famous and we speak in hushed, critical or admiring tones of what someone has done in the limelight. Hopefully we will remember that not all positive differences are created with fanfare and that many steps towards beauty, peace, joy, forgiveness, creativity and peace are made out of sight, in hearts and minds, and with small steps largely unseen – the Indigenous student who helps someone in the adjacent room toward an understanding of land and family and country, the House tutor who sits for hours listening and helping and encouraging, or the OGG who has spent many years working in the country’s corrections services, working to reduce the number of people who return to prison for yet another stretch.

Making a positive difference is what we are about. As students and staff, as parents and past parents, as past students and past staff – the spirit of this community reaches out to wherever we are. It is not always easy and sometimes it’s downright hard. I hope that you find something in this edition of Light Blue that will encourage this spirit in you and that you will be encouraged to keep it alive. Together we can make a positive difference.

Tony Bretherton Director, Community Relations

Website www.ggs.vic.edu.au Email lightblue@ggs.vic.edu.au CRICOS 00143G

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18 - 19

INDIGENOUS PROGRAMME

Casey (Yr11 He) and Obie (Yr11 Cl)

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CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL

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FROM OUR VICE PRINCIPAL

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WWI SERVICE

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POSITIVE EDUCATION

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BOSTOCK HOUSE

32 - 33

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TOORAK CAMPUS

Sam Reiser (Yr12 FB)

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MIDDLE SCHOOL

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TIMBERTOP

WINTER SPORT

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EXCEPTIONAL FUTURES

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FOUNDATION

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OGG PRESIDENT

‘In fact, the very insignificance of our day-to-day lives seems laughable, preposterous, incredible.’

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OGG NEWS

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OGG GATHERINGS

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HOGA BOOK LAUNCH

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OGG SPORT

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COGA

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FROM THE CURATOR

BE KIND

Mariah Kennedy (Yr12 A)

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CORIOBALD

The exhibition featured artworks from all of the School’s campuses for with almost 300 portraits on display

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↓ SECTION 01 — INTRODUCTION

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↓ SECTION 01 — INTRODUCTION

CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL

Together with the Geelong Grammar Foundation, the School Council has decided to establish a very special award to recognize someone in our community who has made an extraordinary contribution to society. It is to be called the Geelong Grammar School Medal for Service to Society and will be awarded by a committee comprised of the Principal, Chair of Council, President of the Foundation and President of the Old Geelong Grammarians from nominations received from the School community. It is envisaged that only one or two Medals will be awarded in any year.

I am delighted to announce that the inaugural Geelong Grammar School Medal for Service to Society will be awarded to Mechai Viravaidya (P’59) in recognition of his considerable work in the areas of health, education and philanthropy in Thailand. There is no doubt that Mechai has made a positive difference to the health and wellbeing of many Thais. I encourage those of you not familiar with his work to visit the School’s website for more information. Mechai will be presented with his Medal on the October 22 at a dinner at the Australian Club. The dinner will also include the JRD Oration, to be given by Ian Darling (P’79), and the launch of the 100 Exceptional Stories book.

At its recent meeting the School Council decided to proceed with the renovation of Manifold House. The extensive renovation and refurbishment of the House will bring Manifold in line with the recent renovations to the older Senior School boarding houses, Cuthbertson, The Hermitage and Francis Brown, in terms of configuration; providing Year 10 with dorms of four and single study/bedrooms for Year 11 and Year 12 students.

The main work will occur over the summer break, commencing from completion of the VCE/ IB exams. I know that many Clyde folk thought that they would be next on the basis of alternating renovation of girls and boys houses. Although that has been the pattern of renovations to date, Council believe it is more important to provide the best pastoral care environment for our students and Manifold still has large older-style dorms of 20 students. The renovation will make a big difference to the residents of Manifold.

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At a cost approaching $6 million, the School can only undertake one boarding house renovation at a time, and even this requires us to borrow due to the significant capital expenditure involved in concurrently building the Centre for Creative Education (CCE). Although the School’s debt will exceed $10 million, the Council is confident that the School’s cash flow will enable the debt to be serviced and repaid comfortably. Enrolments continue to remain strong, particularly from Year 7 upwards.

Our School continues to be a strong participant in the broader community with the Institute for Positive Education being very active in training teachers from all over Australia and overseas in Positive Education. In particular, I am delighted that we are working closely with State schools in areas of great social need.

A key driver for our work in Pos Ed is to make a difference to those beyond the immediate GGS community and to see that coming to fruition is very rewarding.

I am also pleased that we have 21 Indigenous scholars currently at the School. Our partnership with Yalari is wonderful and results in us being able to provide a thoughtful and consistent approach to the complex requirements of Indigenous students.

I was recently speaking with one of our Indigenous students from the Kimberley about what she wanted to do after school.

Her prompt answer was to become a teacher and teach in her community. There is no doubt in my mind that if she does, she will make a huge difference.

Jeremy Kirkwood (FB’79) Chairman of Council

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FROM OUR VICE PRINCIPAL

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In recent weeks I have been fortunate to address a number of audiences enabling me to articulate why the School has given so much time and energy to student wellbeing, Positive Education, Indigenous matters and, more recently, creativity. It is because ultimately the School is hoping to create a kinder and more peaceful world.

Throughout this edition of Light Blue you will read the contributions people have made in supporting, assisting and working with and for others. It has been a great privilege to have been involved in many of the areas of work mentioned above. Our widening focus emphasises the significance of one of the School’s foundations, service to others, resulting in the development of new relationships with other schools, organisations and communities.

The development of new relationships through service to others was especially true of the Positive Education courses held in Adelaide. After several Adelaide teachers attended the School’s Introduction to Positive Education courses in 2013, several principals and administrators from the Adelaide Hills and North Adelaide suburbs contacted the Institute of Positive Education asking whether a team of GGS trainers could go to Adelaide and train staff in the tenets of Positive Education. A total of 235 teachers from all educational sectors attended the course. The collegiality amongst all those present was great and the outcomes surpassed expectations. What stood out was the breaking down of an ‘us and them’ mentality. Teachers were working collaboratively so that the students placed in their care could be given better educational opportunities leading to more satisfying and fulfilled lives.

Working in collaboration with others was also evident at the recent 2014 Yalari Dinner held in Melbourne. Yalari, a not-forprofit organisation run by the charismatic Waverley Stanley and the passionate Llew Mullins, was set up in 2005 to support Indigenous students from remote regions of Australia. Yalari places students in some of the best boarding schools across Australia. Geelong Grammar School has a strong association with Yalari and is proud to have 21 students on this life-changing Scholarship programme. The impact Yalari has had on individuals, families and communities was made evident when the students told their stories. They made reference to the impact Yalari and GGS has had on their lives and their desire to complete their Schooling and, in whatever capacity, to give back to society.

John Hendry, Director of Student Welfare and recent recipient of the Order of Australia Medal for his services to education and cricket, is somebody who has given back significantly to society.

John was asked to outline his pastoral care philosophy to the Corio teaching staff. John bases his pastoral care philosophy on ‘kindness and forgiveness’.

If a child makes a mistake, we focus on the action not the person. He outlined the underlying foundations of a just society, stating that without trust, forgiveness, integrity, compassion and hope, communities would never flourish. I have used these five virtues in my addresses to Middle School Houses and during Senior School Chapel Services, emphasising the importance of each and hoping that the students placed in our care will take each of these virtues into their adult lives. The hope is that through their behaviours positive differences will be generated and their actions will inspire others to do the same. It will be through the action of our youth that positive generational change will occur. It is ambitious and brave, but Geelong Grammar School’s hope is that all students and communities will flourish and make a positive difference. Perhaps in the future this will result in a kinder and more peaceful world.

Charlie Scudamore Vice Principal

1 Amy Hardwick (Ga’00) and Genevieve Milesi (Ga’02).

2 Jane Grantham (Hickinbotham, P’73), David Hudson (Ge’68) and Tony Bretherton 3 Hugh Bayne (TD’62) and David Fenton (P’61)

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SECTION 01 — INTRODUCTION

In recent years much has been written about the many evolutionary initiatives that have been central to Geelong Grammar School’s educational mission.

The School’s Purpose is ‘to inspire our students and community to flourish and make a positive difference through our unique and transformational educational adventures’. These words were chosen very carefully and were the result of intense debate. The word ‘transformational’ was chosen because it focused on the notion that one could help others without asking for anything in exchange. Our Purpose was not to be transactional (i.e. “what’s in it for me”) but the emphasis was to be placed on service to others – altruism essentially – the Golden Rule. The word ‘transformational’ also implies change.

↓ SECTION 01 — INTRODUCTION

WILLIAM LEMPIÈRE WINTER COOKE

“A high proportion, of course, as they were to discover in combat, were natural soldiers – boys bred tough in the bush and used to riding, shooting and taking physical risks. Tough characters – made even tougher by boarding-school life – many were fearless, even reckless, in the face of danger. All but two of the 1914 champion eight were lost. One in five of those enlisted was killed, and 10 per cent of the 417 who served won Military Crosses.

At the end of the war no Old Geelong Grammarian was a private. Of the 417 who enlisted, 216 became officers, including a brigadier-general, 10 colonels, 24 majors, 53 captains and 11 lieutenants.”

Weston Bate Light Blue Down Under

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14 NOVEMBER 1914: “We have had a good trip so far. The only rough weather was when crossing the Bight. We have, under the circumstances, good quarters; the food is good and we are on parade only three hours a day. The weather has been very hot, but now we have crossed the Line it will possibly get cooler. Our work comprises simple exercises, lectures and signalling work. They are arranging for intercompany cricket matches, quoits, wrestling, boxing and shooting.

We have orders that no shore leave is to be granted.”

Cooke served at Gallipoli, where his brother Clive was killed, sending home acorns that were planted in the Chapel Lawn at Corio. He saw further action in France and was awarded the Military Cross at the Battle of Pozières in 1916.

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JOHN BELL 27 DECEMBER 1914: “Here we are in the land of the crescent and wonderfully interesting it is.

It was very hot through the tropics, in fact until we got to Suez, when the climate changed considerably.

We put in a lot of work on the boat, instruction work, etc. I find the drill very easy to pick up after the old cadet work. The other work we have to do such as map reading, sketching, etc. is very interesting and not hard. The three of us, Belcher, Murray and myself, are attached to headquarters of the First Light Horse Brigade. Our camp is about nine miles south of Cairo, on the Nile or rather about one mile from it. The camp sites are a bit sandy and dusty, but generally clean. The trouble with the horses is the sand, and all have to be muzzled. Quite close to us are the remains of Napoleon’s grain mills and arsenal. He must have been camped on almost the same spot as we.”

Bell died almost exactly three years after writing this letter, on 28 December 1917, from chest wounds suffered during the Battle of Cambrai in France. He was one of four brothers who attended the School; the two surviving brothers (William and Alan) presented a Chapel Window to the School in 1931 in memory of John and his younger brother George, who was awarded a Military Cross for gallantry at Briastre in France in November 1918 but was fatally wounded and died before receiving the honour. The Bell family also donated the Music School in 1938 in memory of their brothers, whilst the Gladys Bell Room at Corio is named in memory of their sister.

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SECTION 01 — INTRODUCTION

CHARLES FREDERICK DROUGHT 11 OCTOBER 1914: “Nearly all our men are raw recruits, lots of them straight from the plough. They are a bit heavy and dull-witted and rather muscle-bound, but are keen on their work and only anxious to get to the front. The excitement here (in London) on the outbreak of war was great. The rush for outfits, swords, revolvers and so on was stupendous.

We are living in comparative luxury now; we have had a mess tent for several days. The first fortnight we ate our tucker in our tents, off the floor or an improvised table or packing case or something, quite good fun for a time. Our only fear is that the war may be over before we get there.”

Drought was wounded at Ypres in December 1915 while attempting to rescue other wounded. After suffering the amputation of a leg, he died on 31 December 1915.

A poem by Classics Master, James Lister Cuthbertson, was supposedly found in his pocket after his death: And such was he whose name we keep alive among us still – Who is not dead, although he sleep on yonder windswept hill – Whose voice is like a bugle-call that summons us to be, Unswerving soldiers, one and all, in life’s Thermopylae

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↓ SECTION 01 — INTRODUCTION

FEELING GOOD & DOING GOOD

There is no question that as individuals we all have the capacity to make a difference. Every student, parent and teacher has the potential to influence their community in a profound way.

It may be through investing time and energy into making a difference in their class, their House, sporting team or community group. The challenge lies in ensuring that we make a positive difference to our communities, one that enhances the experience of those in our presence.

The central aim of Positive Education is to encourage individuals and communities to flourish. At Geelong Grammar School we were in search of a simple phrase to define flourishing that could be understood and embraced by everyone – from students in the Early Learning Centre to members of staff. With this aim in mind, the School arrived at the definition of flourishing as “feeling good and doing good”.

It is my hope that if you ask a GGS student what Positive Education is all about, they would say it is about “feeling good and doing good”. We want students to learn things that help them to experience more joy, hope, gratitude and resilience, but just as importantly to think beyond themselves to the wellbeing of others and to the active contribution they can make to their communities.

Feeling good includes a wide range of emotions and experiences such as feeling content about the past, happy in the present and hopeful about the future.

Feeling good also represents healthy acceptance of the range of human emotions and experiences, with a focus on responding to negative or unpleasant emotions with acceptance and a willingness to grow and learn. Feeling good focuses on an individual’s wellbeing and functioning.

Doing good, embodies a desire and motivation to do the right thing, to cultivate kindness, compassion and forgiveness in relationships, and to contribute meaningfully to society. Doing good is identified as a central component of flourishing. It is aligned with our School’s strong history of service and the deeply embedded principle of helping students become respectful to others, passionate about civic responsibility and active contributors to the community.

Throughout the GGS community there is a deep-seeded commitment to altruism and to community service. This commitment has powerful implications as one of the most consistent findings of wellbeing research is that giving to others is related to good physical and mental health.

Substantial empirical research has also found that a strong sense of purpose in life is linked with wellbeing and physical health. There is an important connection between purpose and resilience, and when people have a sense that life is worthwhile they cope more successfully with stressful

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life events and have strength to persist through hardships and difficulties.

Within the Model for Positive Education, Positive Purpose is defined as believing in and serving something greater than the self and deliberately engaging in activities for the greater good. Meaning and purpose is enhanced when one uses their character strengths in the pursuit of service. In explicit Pos Ed classes, students gain a strong understanding of their signature strengths and identify a variety of ways they can action these strengths in serving something larger than oneself.

While it is well-established that having a sense of purpose is valuable for young people’s wellbeing, it is also understood that it is inherently difficult to teach someone how to have purpose or meaning in life. What is possible, however, is for schools to create safe and supportive environments for questioning and exploration. At GGS we aim to support students by providing a forum through which different ideas, experiences and philosophies can be considered and explored.

It is most uplifting to be a part of a community that actively promotes and celebrates making a positive difference.

The traditional priority of all schools is to equip students with the skills and abilities to do well. Coupled with this important work, Positive Education helps our students to develop the will and the passion to do good.

Justin Robinson Director of the Institute of Positive Education

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POS ED IN ADELAIDE

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More than 230 teachers from 55 South Australian schools completed the Discovering Positive Education course in Adelaide in July.

Two four-day courses were delivered by the School’s Institute of Positive Education at Mount Barker in the Adelaide Hills and at Parafield Gardens in Adelaide’s northern suburbs. Organised by the Government of South Australia, the courses were attended primarily by government schools, many from low socio-economic areas, and covered topics such as positive emotions, relationships, resilience, gratitude and optimism. Lenswood Primary School Principal, Sally Putnam, said that the course was a rejuvenating and inspirational reminder of the power of education. “Positive Psychology provides us with the scientific reasons for doing all the things good teachers have always done,” Sally explained. “The course provided explicit ways to help yourself and others to live more positive lives and therefore be open to learning and achieving more.”

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↓ SECTION 02 — SCHOOL

The sun central to our solar system is in the process of maturing.

It’s gradually growing, expanding outwards in a slow race towards eventual explosion and ultimate death.

Scientists predict that we have about a billion years, give or take, before Earth is snagged by the outer atmosphere of this slowly expanding sun, before our planet plunges to its doom in a fiery stellar furnace.

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On that day, approximately a billion years from now, the collective experiences of the entirety of the human race will cease to exist. Gone will be each of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Obliterated will be every tax record, each masterpiece hanging in the Louvre, every religious text ever written, each Egyptian pyramid, every recipe for each type of chocolate pudding.

In the face of such a prospect, individual legacies mean little. In fact, the very insignificance of our day-to-day lives seems laughable, preposterous, incredible.

Worries such as SACs, formal dresses, university preferences and office jobs appear fictional creations, human illusions.

A descent into complete nihilism seems attractive.

In fact, even if you do find yourself able to dismiss the inevitability of our planet’s demise, nobody can deny the inevitability of our individual mortality. Death looms in front of each of us – some of us in sixty years, some thirty, some only a few months. In a thousand years, the chances are, any legacy you may have left will be forgotten. By the time the sun dies, your life won’t matter to anyone.

But now, today, it matters to you.

And it matters to the elderly neighbour you call in to see every now and then for a cup of tea and a chat, to whom your visit is a bright light of companionship in a long week of loneliness. It matters to the little girl in Botswana whose education you sponsor, a little girl who proudly refuses to take off the shiny new school uniform her Australian sponsor provided. It matters to the homeless man sitting on the sidewalk, for whom you bought a coffee and with whom you shared a smile. It matters to the stray cat lapping up a saucer of milk you left on your porch, the man on the train to whom you offered your seat, the weary mother you let ahead in the supermarket checkout line. It matters to each person whose life you touch with an act of humanity, no matter how small.

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What matters is that you felt love and acted with compassion and, even if we are all obliterated, you experienced life and wonder and beauty and kindness, for a few moments, and in those moments you felt alive. The compassion that you spread, the time you put into improving the lives of others, the kindness with which you acted – that is a fleeting but certain moment of goodness in the incomprehensibly expansive lifespan of the universe which will owe its existence entirely to you.

I think that kindness, as a phenomenon, transcends life and death. Though this solar system is fated with imminent extinction, and though humankind will one day cease to exist, I do believe that somehow, somewhere, each act of kindness lives on, everlasting and eternal, enriching the universe by the mere truth of its momentary existence.

It’s very easy, particularly in the age in which we live, to lose sight of the value of compassion. In this modern era, a time of unprecedented material wealth and prosperity, it’s very easy for us to fall into the money-profit-riches mentality, by which we begin to judge success in numerical terms, and see people in terms of productivity potential. This mentality creates in each of us a certain confusion about ourselves and our place in the world, a selfishness, almost a sickness.

But luckily, such a sickness has its remedy.

Compassion, selflessness, a sense of community, kindness. To look at and treat ourselves, each other, and the world in which we live with kindness seems to me the one imperative, the crucial and prevailing crux of the matter. Of course, this shouldn’t stop us from chasing the more ambitious prospects of life – travel, riches, innovation, falling in love, finding and losing passions. But in all that we do, we should remember to do it in the general direction of kindness, to do it in the ultimate hope of mattering to somebody, if only for a short while.

SECTION 02 — SCHOOL

TO BE KIND Yes, we are confronted daily and constantly with the grim reality that is the current state of the world. But, in the face of this, being kind is an act of certain rebellion. Being kind means saying no to the chorus of misery that blares at us nightly from our television sets, rejecting the mentality by which we view our fellow human beings in terms of figures, columns and Wikipedia pages.

Being kind is accepting that although we may not be able to choose the circumstances of our life, we are able to choose how we respond to them, the human understandings and connections that we forge within them. Being kind is remembering that there is a human being on the other end of every exchange, a beating heart within every chest, and one with the capacity to feel just as deeply as our own.

Perhaps no-one is more eloquent in their articulation of this view than the author Kurt Vonnegut, who writes: “Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

It’s round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you’ve got a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies – God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.”

Mariah Kennedy (Yr12 A)

A former UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador, Mariah received the 2013 Young People’s Human Rights medal for her book, Reaching Out: Messages of Hope, which addresses social justice issues such as poverty, refugee rights and child labour through the work of some of Australia’s best loved children’s authors and illustrators.

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OBBY & CASEY TALK (BUSH) TURKEY

Casey Taylor (Yr11 He) with picture of herself and her Dad

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Indigenous students Robyn ‘Obby’ Bedford (Yr11 Cl) from Fitzroy Crossing and Casey Taylor (Yr11 He) from Derby talk about life at Geelong Grammar School.

Obby: “I was 10 years old, in Year 6, when I first came to Geelong Grammar School for a tour. I was really scared. My older sisters had been to boarding school in Perth, so I always wanted to go to boarding school, it sounded awesome and I wanted to be like them.”

Casey: “It is pretty intimidating. The Dining Hall is so much bigger than my house. I didn’t know Obby before I came here.”

Obby: “I started a year earlier, in Year 7, so I was an old hand and she was still kind of freaked out but we became good friends in Middle School. I helped you out.”

Casey: “Yeah, definitely. It would’ve been a whole lot more intimidating if there weren’t other Aboriginal people here. It was so much easier to fit in. I became close to Obby and (her older sister) Della (Yr12 Cl). Derby is two hours from Fitzroy Crossing, so we knew some of the same people. We both spoke Kriol, which is the broken English that people speak at home.”

Obby: “We can talk about things that we can’t talk to other people about. If I show a picture of a goanna, Casey will be like, ‘oh yes, that’s so yummy’, but everyone else will be like, ‘uurgh, it’s a dead lizard’.”

Casey: “It’s actually pretty nice.”

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Obby: “It was good growing up in Fitzroy Crossing. They teach language at school but no-one takes school very seriously.

One of my younger cousins was trying to be cool and trying to impress me and she told me that she swore at her teacher. I was like ‘Why would you do that?

You have to respect your teachers. They are actually teaching you things and otherwise you’re going to get nowhere.’

But I think if I didn’t go to a school like this, I wouldn’t have thought like that.

Whenever I mess up at school my Mum threatens to send me back to Fitzroy Crossing, where I wouldn’t even finish Year 12. I don’t even think they have a proper Year 12 at Fitzroy Crossing. It is a nice place but I couldn’t get educated there and do the things I want to do.”

Casey: “Derby is the same. I think it’s important that we gain a wider understanding of the world. You learn so many more things than you would back where you come from.”

Obby: “I think if we stayed in our communities we actually wouldn’t know what we were missing out on.”

Casey: “I know that I would never have expected to go to the places and do the things that I have done since I’ve been here.”

Obby: “Coming here we know that there is so much more to do and we can expect so much more from ourselves. I’ll always go back to Fitzroy Crossing because that’s home, but I want to do more with my life.”

Obby: “For a long time Geelong Grammar was a male, white, boarding school. It is an old school but it is in a position to help and to try to make a difference, to set an example for other schools and do something that benefits Australia. I know that my Dad brags about it, ‘my kids are at Geelong Grammar and they’re going to do really well’.”

Casey: “That’s exactly what my Mum does too.”

Obby: “I have a lot of nephews and nieces. Culturally, because they are my sister’s children, they will call me Mum Obby. So I want to be the kind of role model that encourages them to aim higher. I don’t think I have to go back to my community to make a difference.

Even though I’ve had the opportunity of an education like this, I don’t think one person can educate a whole community.

I think it will be better if I go out and set an example, be a role model and educate other people.”

Casey: “The other girls in Hermi know that I’m Aboriginal but I don’t think that they classify me as an Aboriginal. I’m just Casey and we just get along like it’s nothing. They don’t really see race because we are friends.”

Obby: “But then again they are so fascinated.”

Casey: “Like when we dance.”

Obby: “They’ll ask us stories about home and we’ll tell them about catching bush turkey for fresh meat instead of just going down to Coles, which they think is pretty strange. But because we have at least a few Aboriginals in every year level, I think that the School is becoming more educated about Aboriginal people and Aboriginal culture.”

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LORNE 160 RAISES $60K Twenty Year 11 students completed an epic 160-kilometre relay run on Thursday 18 September to raise more than $60,000 for local charity Feed Geelong.

The students ran from Corio to Lorne and back again as part of the School’s annual Lorne 160 charity relay, which was first undertaken in 1991, with some students running almost 40 kilometres during the 15-hour journey. Year 11 student Harry Osti (Yr11 P) said that the run itself was very challenging, with the Corio to Lorne leg completed in darkness, buffeted by a strong westerly wind and rain squalls. “It was really rough but running out of Lorne in the morning when the sun was coming up with the wind out our backs was really nice and now it’s just a huge relief to finally finish,” Harry said.

Through sponsorship, merchandise sales and a wide range of fundraising activities, the Lorne 160 team raised more than $60,000 for Feed Geelong - a sum that would normally take the charity two years to raise.

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“The whole Geelong Grammar School community has just been amazing,” Give Where You Live marketing manager Sheridan Salmon said. “These students are making a real difference to help Geelong’s most vulnerable, not just this year but into the future.”

Sheridan said that the Lorne 160 had provided the Feed Geelong campaign with the perfect start, which runs throughout the month of October, raising awareness of Geelong’s food crisis and raising valuable funds to assist in the distribution of food to the men, women and children of our region who are doing it tough.

For more information please visit the Feed Geelong website.

To donate online please visit the Lorne 160 fundraising page on the School website www.ggs.vic.edu.au.

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↓ SECTION 02 — SCHOOL

BOOKS FOR BALI During Term 1 our Year 4 students at Toorak Campus inquired into the variables that shape our communities. Students reflected on their own local and school communities and easily recognised the many variables that influence these groups.

Through reflection, students recognised a need to improve the recognition of various cultural groups found within their Geelong Grammar School community. The students sought a global perspective to gain an understanding of how issues affect other school communities.

and were fascinated by this community’s dedication to shared responsibilities and holistic education.

Year 4 students were able to utilise a connection that our Toorak Campus had already established with the Pelangi School in Bali.

This enabled students to inquire into how another international school represented and celebrated their diversity. Contact was established via an email brimming with questions for Pelangi School students. Our students were curious to discover the breadth of internationalism within Pelangi School and the challenges related to celebrating this diversity. They wanted to understand how ceremonies, routines, holidays, languages and games were used to develop acceptance. Our students wanted to find out more about the daily life of the school. They were interested to know what it would feel, look and be like to live in that community.

Our students each wrote a letter responding personally to a Year 4 student from Pelangi School. They then chose a book to mail with their letter to help establish a library. Further mathematical inquiry into mass and postage rates concluded that an additional $300 would be needed to ensure the safe delivery of their packages to Bali. So the students held a bake sale to raise the money – successfully raising $609. A chance encounter with the School’s Director of Learning, Debbie Clingeleffer-Woodford, revealed that she would be in Bali for the school holidays and able to personally deliver the books to Pelangi School. Our students gratefully accepted her offer and were inspired by the collective kindness found within their own community.

After a few weeks of waiting, our students were overwhelmed when they received a package from Bali containing personalised letters, drawings and photos outlining answers to their questions. This created a personal connection, fostering a strong desire to build a reciprocal relationship. Our students reflected on the images of Pelangi School and observed the differences. They were inspired by the resourcefulness of the Pelangi School community, where huts become classrooms and cleared dirt fields function as soccer pitches. They admired the responsibilities shown by that community to their resources and themselves, highlighted by daily yoga lessons where teachers and students are often instructed by parents,

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However, it became apparent to our students through their questions and observations that the Pelangi School did not have a functioning library. Presently the Toorak Campus library was updating its picture book resources. This generated an excess of pre-loved books that our students felt could be best recycled for use in the establishment of a library at Pelangi School.

Our students now had surplus funds that could be used to furnish the new library at Pelangi School. An inquiry into currency conversion rates astounded the students and enabled them to see how even a small donation can make a major difference to international initiatives. They are looking forward to continuing this relationship with Pelangi School and further recognising diversity within their own school community.

Jennifer Ryan and Richard Munro Year 4 Teachers, Toorak Campus

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SMALL CHANGES ADD UP

“Be satisfied with small changes. Over time, though, the small changes add up.

Sometimes they even transform cities and nations, and yes, the world.”

– Beth Clark, Kisses from Katie Imagine a world where every morning when you awoke you asked this simple question: “What one thing could I do today that would make a positive difference in my life and the lives of those around me?”

Then you actually went out and did it. Many of us might initially doubt our capacity to enact positive change.

One of the first things you need to believe is that you can make a difference. The power of a smile, saying hello or thank you, can be simple ways of making a difference to our own life and the lives of others. In Middle School we encourage all of our students to make a difference, each in their own way.

Tony Inkster Head of Middle School

I suspect when some of us consider change we envisage change on a rather large scale; a grand plan if you will. Yet positive change can be achieved through simple everyday tasks.

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RELAY FOR CHARITY

MAD MONEY

A group of seventeen Year 8 students were selected to be part of this year’s Relay for Charity team, which raised money for local charity TLC (Tender Loving Care) for Kids to support sick children in hospital. We held concerts, bake sales and took part in TLC’s annual Tracky Dack Day. We ran at 6.00am each Thursday morning to build fitness. Then, on the last day of Term 2, we set off on our six-hour relay run. Collectively we ran 400km and raised over $7,000 for TLC for Kids. We were exhausted by the end of it, but it was worth every kilometre. It was a most worthwhile, fun, learning experience that taught us about leadership, teamwork, fundraising, charities and running. It was good to know that our efforts really can make a difference to others.

After reading an article, ‘The World in Perspective’, a group of Year 5/6 students expressed a desire to find a way in which they could become more involved in contributing to the wider community. They decided that they would discuss their thoughts and ideas with their parents and how they could contribute more at home in return for a monthly donation. They decided to call their initiative MAD (Make A Difference) Money and their enthusiasm and commitment has been inspirational. At the end of each semester the students research a cause close to their hearts and prepare a presentation for the class. The class then votes to decide which charities to support as a group. They endeavour to spread their donations between local, national and international causes, broadening their understanding of a wide range of issues. Over a number of years they have raised a substantial amount of money to support a diverse range of causes, from donating seedlings to the local Karen community’s market garden to gifting donkeys to support World Vision’s work in developing countries.

Mieke Fowles (Yr8 Hi) and Georgie Batten (Yr8 Hi) MEALS ON WHEELS

In Term 3, we travelled around Corio as part of the Meals on Wheels programme, providing prepared meals to the elderly and those with disabilities unable to cook for themselves. We met some lovely people and got to see how a simple act of kindness can make such a difference to someone’s day, providing them with both a meal and human contact. Participating in this programme was great as we got to do something helpful and kind.

Sybila Keogh (Yr8 Cn) and Sophie Clarke (Yr8 Cn)

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Pam Barton Year 5 Teacher RELAY FOR CHARITY

A group of seventeen Year 8 students were selected to be part of this year’s Relay for Charity team, which raised money for local charity TLC (Tender Loving Care) for Kids to support sick children in hospital. We held concerts, bake sales and took part in TLC’s annual Tracky Dack Day. We ran at 6.00am each Thursday morning to build fitness. Then, on the last day of Term 2, we set off on our six-hour relay run. Collectively we ran 400km and raised over $7,000 for TLC for

Kids. We were exhausted by the end of it, but it was worth every kilometre. It was a most worthwhile, fun, learning experience that taught us about leadership, teamwork, fundraising, charities and running. It was good to know that our efforts really can make a difference to others.

Mieke Fowles (Yr8 Hi) and Georgie Batten (Yr8 Hi) YALARI PAINTING

Over the holidays we completed a painting to be auctioned at the annual Yalari Dinner in Melbourne, which raises money for Indigenous students to attend boarding schools around Australia. As our father is an Aboriginal artist, he helped us a lot. We painted on a large canvas with different tools. We used paintbrushes, sponges, flickers and sticky tape. We created our own story behind the painting, based on our tribe, the Gunai Kurnai people of the Gippsland area. It depicts the elders of our area trying to guide and strengthen the children and steer us away from the wrong things in life. Upon finishing, we realised we were most proud of what we had been able to create.

We were also delighted to know that in some small way this painting might help make a difference to other young Indigenous students by supporting the work of Yalari.

Klaudia Farnham (Yr7 Cn) and Lakeycha Farnham (Yr8 Cn)

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BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE The challenges at Timbertop are authentic, unique and non-negotiable. They provide opportunities for self-discovery and personal growth. Timbertop students can share yarns about living in the wilderness with mates, coping with contour lines, blisters, fatigue and weather; the Timbertop Marathon; the social complexities of living with others in the Units learning how to share space; how to be tolerant and developing a culture of service. The students experience a ‘digital detox’ as they surrender technology. Soon the boys and girls look like, sound like and behave like a Timbertop student. Their identity changes, as does their vocabulary, attitude, skill set and place in the community because of their new environment, experiences and relationships.

Timbertop is unique and the challenges call upon the students’ innate strengths and gifts to manage their Timbertop journey. So, the best way for our students to make a positive difference at Timbertop is for them to start making a difference in their own life by recognising their ‘internal identity’. What are their innate gifts, capabilities and emotional, intellectual and spiritual characteristics? How do they use their strengths to overcome adversity and develop resilience? How can they use their strengths to be the “best you can be” in all their Timbertop worlds?

How can they be the best academic learner, runner, hiker, axe-person or sweeper? Develop ambition and passion? Use safe behaviours when engaging in the community? Mastery of skills helps the students make a positive difference to their Timbertop journey by encouraging them to fulfil their potential.

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Next, we encourage the students to look beyond themselves to family, friends, Unit, classroom and community so they can make a positive difference to the lives of others. No-one can complete the Timbertop journey in isolation and so there is plenty of opportunity for students to make a positive difference to the lives of others. In fact, the programme is designed for the students to rely on each other for success.

Examples of this are the Unit job wheel, the Hike group, essentials, slushing, music ensembles, Sunday inspections and the communal chopping of wood for hot showers. Our Term 2 focus is service. The Community and School Service programmes ask our students to give of themselves to the Timbertop and wider Mansfield community, expecting nothing in return but the knowledge that their efforts have made the lives of others better. As a School, service is very much a part of our identity.

By making a positive difference to our own lives as well as the lives of others, we can have influence over the community to which we belong. Making a positive difference can influence the people we encounter, the events in our day and the situations in our lives. To possess a positive spirit, simply surround yourself with positive people.

Stephen Pearce Deputy Head of Timbertop

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“Do more than belong: participate.

Do more than care: help.

Do more than believe: practice.

Do more than be fair: be kind.

Do more than forgive: forget.

Do more than dream: work.”

–

William Arthur Ward

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BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATE

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1 Amy Hardwick (Ga’00) and Genevieve Milesi (Ga’02).

2 Jane Grantham (Hickinbotham, P’73), David Hudson (Ge’68) and Tony Bretherton 3 Hugh Bayne (TD’62) and David Fenton (P’61)

At Bostock House, members of our community make a positive difference to each other’s lives each and every day. A smile, a warm greeting or an act of kindness can brighten the day for anyone. Demonstrating a genuine interest in the lives of others, providing a helping hand or including them in a game or a conversation are simple things that can make a positive difference to how someone else feels.

We are very much aware, however, that the world does not end at our gate and we take pride and derive great happiness from helping to make a positive difference for those in the wider community as well.

Positive Education teaches us about the importance of belonging and contributing to something larger than ourselves. We seek to incorporate these teachings into our lives at Bostock House.

We have developed a strong relationship with Scope Disability Services through joint activities, workshops and fundraising events. The local Scope facility in Manifold Heights operates the Boxes n Bunches florist, providing meaningful work experiences for people with a disability.

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Scope’s clients take enormous pride in making up the flower arrangements and our Year 4 leaders recently assisted with the planting of seedlings and the maintenance of their garden. The partnership with Scope enables our children to be actively involved in service in the local community.

At the end of Term 2, our Year 4 leaders also conducted their annual MAD (Make A Difference) Market, which raised money for a wide range of charities, including Scope. An enormous amount of work went into the event and the proprietors of each stall took great pride in being able to help their nominated charities, which also included the Red Cross, The Fred Hollows Foundation and The Salvation Army. It is a fantastic initiative, where the children identify people in need and seek ways to help. This year a group of Year 4 children decided to make loom bracelets to raise money for the homeless in Geelong.

In Term 2, our children performed a concert at All Saints’ Church to raise money for the parish and local charities.

In Term 4 our students will sing and play at aged care homes and for organisations such as The Hermitage Old Girls’ Association. Through each of these activities, our children give something back to the wider community and make a positive difference to the lives of others.

Daryl Moorfoot Head of Bostock House

Over the years Bostock House has been involved in a range of environmental activities, from tree planting to sand dune regeneration. This year our Year 1 and Year 3 students travelled to Corio to plant trees in and around the redeveloped Equestrian Centre, where the horses were of great interest to the children.

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↓ SECTION 02 — SCHOOL Amy Hardwick (Ga’00) and Genevieve Milesi (Ga’02)

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CORIOBALD The 8th annual Coriobald Prize portrait exhibition was the biggest yet. The exhibition featured artworks from all of the School’s campuses for the very first time, with almost 300 portraits on display in the School’s Sinclaire Centre from Thursday 31 July. Inspired by the Archibald Prize, each portrait represents a member of the School community, whether it is a painting, drawing, etching, photograph, sculpture or multi-media presentation. This year’s Judges’ Prize was awarded to Jess Grills (Yr12 A) for her self-portrait ‘Sculptured by society’.

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A former UNICEF Australia Young Ambassador, Mariah received the 2013 Young People’s Human Rights medal for her book

Sam Reiser (Yr12 FB) was the leading Australian in the men’s 400m event at the IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships, held in Oregon, USA, between 22-27 July 2014.

Sam was the 11th fastest competitor in both the heats (47.07) and the semi finals (47.02); finishing 0.34 seconds outside of a berth in the final. Considering Sam has only ever run faster than these times once (46.94 in Brisbane earlier this year) he can look back on the event knowing he gave his very best.

In Sam’s other event, the 4x400m relay, the Australian team finished fifth in a season's best time of 3:06.80 (having previously set a new season's best in the heats).

While Sam recently suffered an injury setback which forced him to sit-out this year’s House Athletics Carnival, upon his return he is determined to build on the hard work and excellent results already achieved in 2014.

SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS

Paddy McCartin (Yr12 Fr) enters this year’s National AFL Draft as one of the top prospects and is expected to be drafted in the first three picks.

Paddy has excelled not only at APS level in the Light Blue, kicking 36 goals in eight games, but also with the Geelong Falcons and the Under 18 Victoria Country side at the National Championships.

He has kicked 20 goals in five games for the Falcons, with his contested marking a particular highlight. Paddy’s strength was on full display at the National Championships, as he won 6 of 8 offensive one-on-one contests. To put this into context, the AFL average win percentage is 25%. As one AFL recruiter said: “There’s not many clubs who wouldn’t jump at the chance to get their hands on a Paddy McCartin, and you need to look at all ways and means to do that.”

While Paddy will head to the national draft combine, GGS teammates Nick Dixon and Dylan Hodge have been invited to the Victorian draft screening. Nick knows how to find the footy, averaging 29 disposals per game with the Falcons, and is a tackling machine. Dylan has the pedigree; he is the brother of Hawthorn captain Luke. Persistent ankle injuries in recent years have curtailed Dylan’s output on the field, but clubs are obviously interested in a player with a lot of upside.

Brittany Hyland (Yr12 Cl) recently captained the APS representative Netball team against the previously undefeated Queensland School Sport (QSS) Under 19 State team at Caulfield Grammar School on Tuesday 12 August. Brittany was joined in the side by Tayla Honey (Yr11 G), who earlier this year was selected in the Australian Under 17 Netball side after representing Victoria at the National Championships.

The APS side, despite a slow start, prevailed 42-37 in what was described as a frenetic match.

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↓ SECTION 05 — ALUMNI

CAREERS DAY

More than 40 Old Geelong Grammarians returned to the School to mentor Year 10 students at our 13th annual Careers Discovery Day on Sunday 27 July. The OGGs talked to students and parents about their careers since leaving school, providing invaluable ‘real life’ information about deciding subjects, university courses and career paths. Each provided a unique insider’s perspective of their chosen career, exposing students to an incredibly broad cross-section of career paths, from pilot Jackson Belot (FB’04), barrister Vanessa Plain (He’96) and software engineer Lachie Teague (Cu’01) to business analyst Tom Peterson (Fr’02), urban planner Merinda Edwards (Ga’05) and marketing manager Lahnee White (Ga’01).

Lauren Earles (Fr’04) was a physiotherapist for the Australian team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. She said that Careers Discovery Day was a great way to empower current students to follow their dreams. “I feel like I have had a successful career so far and if I can inspire just one person to do the same, then my job is done,” Lauren said. “Year 10 students can get quite daunted and overwhelmed, getting bombarded with career choices from teachers and parents. I think they respond on a different level to past students, like myself, who have been through the same thing – we’ve sat in the same classrooms learning about Biology or English literature, we’ve been taught by the same teachers (some of them!) and have had similar experiences. So it’s nice to reassure them that I didn’t know 100% what I was going to do after school at that stage, but I have excelled in a career that I love.”

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They keynote address at this year’s Careers Discovery Day was delivered by Tristan Dwyer (Fr’01), who has worked as a public relations/communications consultant with a wide range of organisations in Australia and overseas, including more than three years with Australian-Vietnamese charity KOTO (Know One – Teach One) in Vietnam.

1 Amy Hardwick (Ga’00) and Genevieve Milesi (Ga’02).

2 Jane Grantham (Hickinbotham, P’73), David Hudson (Ge’68) and Tony Bretherton 3 Hugh Bayne (TD’62) and David Fenton (P’61)

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LIAR LIAR!

This year’s Senior School production re-imagined Carlo Goldoni’s Italian comedy, Il Bugiardo (The Liar), shifting the setting from 18th century Venice to 1960s Venice Beach, California, and bringing the Summer of Love to Corio for two joyous nights on September 10-11. Will Devilee (Yr 11 FB) starred as the extravagantly deceitful protagonist, supported by a wonderfully collaborative cast. “We are so blessed to have such resilient, talented, creative and committed students to work with, and with whom we truly share the long, arduous hours of rehearsal, experimentation, problem-solving and nuttiness,” Head of Drama, Michelle Badior, said. “Sometimes it’s all terrifying, but most of the time, it is an absolute joy.”

SPRING CONCERT

More than 200 students were involved in this year’s Spring Concert, held in the Dining Hall on Friday 5 September. This year’s concert was notable for the increased number of Middle School performers and the huge variety of repertoire, from the Year 12 Jazz Band’s performance of Bridget Sharp’s (Yr12 He) original composition ‘Little Red’, to the Brazier Strings’ performance of Mozart’s ‘Contredanse en Rondeau’. “While it is a large event to co-ordinate and organise, it always leaves me feeling uplifted and proud of what the students can achieve,” Jodie Townsend, Director of Music, said.

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↓ SECTION 05 — ALUMNI

OUR PRINCIPAL IN ASIA

1 Amy Hardwick (Ga’00) and Genevieve Milesi (Ga’02).

2 Jane Grantham (Hickinbotham, P’73), David Hudson (Ge’68) and Tony Bretherton 3 Hugh Bayne (TD’62) and David Fenton (P’61) 1 Amy Hardwick (Ga’00) and Genevieve Milesi (Ga’02).

2 Jane Grantham (Hickinbotham, P’73), David Hudson (Ge’68) and Tony Bretherton

Our Principal, Stephen Meek, visited Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Jakarta during a whirlwind tour of South East Asia from June 3-14. Stephen and his wife Christine, together with Admissions Registrar, Angela Mellier, and Director of Community Relations, Tony Bretherton, hosted past students, past parents, current parents and friends of the School at a series of Cocktail Receptions. Stephen spoke at each about the progress being made at the School, including the very positive academic results, the development of the Institute of Positive Education, the growing focus on creativity and the success of our celebrations marking 100 years at Corio, as well as recent sporting successes, especially in Rowing and Cricket.

This year, Information Sessions for prospective parents were added in Bangkok and Kula Lumpur to those held as usual in Hong Kong and Singapore, whilst prospective parents were also invited to attend the Cocktail Receptions in Shanghai and Jakarta. This extra effort to make the School more available was successful with prospective new families attending each of the sessions.

3 Hugh Bayne (TD’62) and David Fenton (P’61)

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JOHN HENDRY (OAM)

The School’s Director of Student Welfare, John Hendry, was one of five community members awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours, whilst Professor Miles Prince (A’80) was appointed a Member of the Order (AM). John has been a staff member at Geelong Grammar School since 1980, fulfilling a wide range of roles, including Head of Careers, Head of House (Francis Brown) and Acting Principal. He has been the Director of Student Welfare since 2004, was instrumental in the School’s development of Positive Education and founded the School’s restorative practices programme.

“I feel incredibly grateful to everyone who has given me a chance to do the types of things that I have been able to do,”

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John said. “I feel incredibly grateful to have worked here at Geelong Grammar School as this institution has grown into the modern age. The whole business of how we manage relationships with children and with each other is vitally important and the basis for that is kindness and forgiveness – that all kids are good and that mistakes are primarily learning opportunities.” John was awarded the OAM for service to education and to cricket. He has coached cricket at the School for 34 years as well as coaching Melbourne University, Waverley and the Victorian Under-19 team. He also had a long and distinguished playing career, representing Carlton, University and Waverley (since amalgamated with Dandenong) in Victoria’s elite District cricket competition (re-named Premier Cricket in 1990).

Miles was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to medicine, particularly through blood cancer research, improved patient care and fundraising leadership.

Miles is Director of the Centre for Blood Cell Therapies at Melbourne’s Peter MacCullum Cancer Centre and a Professor of Medicine at both Monash and Melbourne universities. He is involved in major research programmes involving stem cell research and the mechanism of the immune system’s control of blood and cancer growth. Past students Allan Bawden (Ge’71), Bruce GowrieSmith (FB’57) and Peter Tallis (Cu’50) were also awarded an OAM, as was past parent Pamela Myer Warrender.

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BACK TO CORIO

London-based artist James Scudamore (brother of the School’s Vice Principal, Charlie Scudamore) spent two weeks at Corio in April 2013, taking photos and making sketches to for a painting that he hoped would capture “the essence of this magnificent school”.

James spent much of his time visiting different parts of the Corio campus, talking to staff and students, embracing the culture and busy life of the School. “Each building has its own personality and through my detailed technique I tried to capture that uniqueness using acrylics on canvas,” he explained. “People give my paintings life and soul. They are carefully positioned and chosen to capture the true spirit of Geelong Grammar School.” The finished painting was unveiled as part of the School’s Back to Corio celebrations in March 2014, marking the 100-year anniversary of the Corio campus.

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↓ SECTION 04 — FOUNDATION IN MEMORY OF HER FATHER

In 2012, Margaret Reid, daughter and only child of John (P’25) and Sue Wallace (McKellar, Cl’27), decided to establish the John Peter Alston Wallace Scholarship in memory of her late father and in appreciation for the education and opportunities provided to him by Geelong Grammar School. “Scholarships are important for those who cannot afford to go to the School,” Margaret explained. “Geelong Grammar School students have gone on and achieved great things in the world. It is important that they give back.”

Margaret feels proud of her continuing legacy, in her father’s honour, towards the place that meant so much to him. Born in 1906, John Wallace was a boarder in Perry House and excelled at football, cricket and athletics. He graduated in 1925 and attended St Catherine’s College at Cambridge University from 1927 to 1930, where he was awarded a double blue for cricket and athletics. He particularly excelled in throwing events, representing Great Britain in 1929 in the weight putt (later the shot put). On his return to Australia in 1932, John set a new Australian record of 140 feet 11 inches (42.95 metres) for the 16 pound discus event.

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The discus which he threw to break the record is now held in the National Sports Museum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

In 1934, John married Sue McKellar (Cl’27) and returned to farming in the Western District. However, he maintained strong links with the School, teaching discus and shot put for more than 20 years, whilst family connections extended through GGS, Clyde and The Hermitage. Sue’s brother Tim (M’28) had attended the School, while sisters Rhona (Cl’24) and Heather (Cl’31) had both attended Clyde School. Rhona married Sir Rutherford Guthrie and their sons Peter (FB ‘47) and David (FB ’50) attended GGS. Tim and Mary McKellar (Cunningham, He’42) had three children, Duncan (FB’65), Campbell (FB’68) and Katrina (Cl’73). John’s brother Bill Wallace (P’21) and wife Eleanor (McMicking, He’29) also had three children, David (P’55), Macdonald (Mac) Wallace (P ’67) and Elizabeth McLaurin (He’58). David’s children Andrew (P’90), Sophie (Ga’91) and Skye (Ga’92) went to the School, as did Mac and wife Betty’s (Crossley, He’63) four children, Sarah (He’95), Helen (He’97), Susan (He’99) and John (P’01). Further linkages extend to the Read and Stewart families.

The School is extremely grateful to Margaret and all other Scholarship benefactors. For further information about our Scholarships programme and how you can support our students please contact Sue Felton on +61 3 9829 1413 or 0409 333 127.

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CREATIVITY TAKING SHAPE

The building now taking shape on the corner of School Road and Biddlecombe Avenue is the result of many people working with the Geelong Grammar Foundation to provide $10 million towards the $20.4 million cost of this landmark facility. Being built 100 years after the School community moved to the shores of Corio Bay, this new building will act as a physical symbol of the School’s commitment to creativity in education and will be the catalyst to inspire creativity across the whole School and beyond. A highly flexible complex, the Centre for Creative Education (CCE) will provide state-of-the-art facilities for drama, music, dance and so much more. The project has been a focus of our ongoing Exceptional Futures fundraising campaign, which aims to provide the opportunities and infrastructure to take the School into the next 100 years. The School is evolving and yet at our heart there remains our ongoing passion for education and the desire to provide the best for our students.

We are still seeking funds for the CCE, with $250,000 still to be raised to meet our $10 million fundraising target.

INSPIRED TO CONTRIBUTE

We were inspired to contribute to the Toorak Wellbeing Centre as a gift to our daughters, their classmates and those that follow. The joy that they display from learning in a non-traditional environment gives us confidence that having a facility of this type on-campus will immeasurably extend their development in both emotional and physical ways.

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Many schools add new facilities, but what will make the Toorak Wellbeing Centre enduring is the philosophy that underpins it.

In the time we have been at the School, it has been our experience that the holistic approach to wellbeing that the School has embraced is enormously valuable in developing our daughters’ character and ability to tackle future challenges. We expect the things our children learn and the concepts they are exposed to in this new learning environment will build on this approach make a lasting impact. We see daily the benefits for our girls as they develop an understanding of health, fitness and emotional wellbeing, and having this seamlessly integrated into their weekly routines will be of great value.

The pragmatists in us also see the benefits of removing the regular commuting time to a distant pool!

The importance of learning good eating habits and of good nutrition cannot be underestimated. We believe that exposing our children to these concepts early in their development will stand them in good stead as the world throws temptation and challenge at them. We are delighted they will be able to take produce from the children’s garden to kitchen to table and have a place to share a meal with peers.

We know the TWC will give both our children and the generations who follow the space to grow to their full potential across the broadest range of learning and development environments.

Amanda Pembrook & Lindsay Kirsner, parents of Anna (Year 1) & Iris (ELC4)

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↓ SECTION 04 — FOUNDATION TREMENDOUS SATISFACTION

Our community is made up of students, staff, parents, alumni, benefactors and friends. Each contributes to the life of the School. Ron Brady retired in 2012 after 15 years as the School’s Property Manager; a role he performed with great distinction.

During that time Ron was an integral member of a team that delivered capital projects totalling more than $100 million, including the Handbury Centre for Wellbeing and Glamorgan Centre at Toorak.

It was a role that Ron described as “always challenging with a great deal of fulfilment”.

In 2007, Ron and his wife Mary decided to strengthen their link with the School through making a bequest towards a needsbased scholarship. “We wanted to give the opportunity to a prospective student who may not necessarily be in a position to attend the School,” Mary explained. “Our involvement as past, albeit surrogate parents of a boy in need, funded by a scholarship, gave us tremendous satisfaction and exposed us to what is possible through the opportunities of the School’s scholarship programme.”

As members of the Biddlecombe Society, Ron and Mary will attend functions and enjoy a special relationship with the School into the future.

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The first interim report from a major four-year research project has indicated that the School’s Positive Education programme enhances adolescent mental health and wellbeing. Melbourne University’s Dr Dianne Vella-Brodrick said that the early results of the study were very exciting and would assist the research project as it expands to include studies at local government schools, Northern Bay College and Geelong High School. “The wellbeing of GGS students is quite high when compared with controlled participants from other independent schools,” Dr Vella-Brodrick reported. “The next phase of the study will examine if the Positive Education programme can be transferred to a more challenging environment.”

Whilst the next phase of research will study different control groups of Year 10 students, one of the highlights of the interim report was the positive outcomes of the School’s Year 9 programme at Timbertop. The report showed that in many instances controlled participants from other independent schools showed trends of decreased wellbeing and in creased mental illness during Year 9. However, GGS student not only avoided the negative trends, but also experienced vast improvements in these areas. “There is no doubt that it enhances mental wellbeing and satisfaction with life,” Dr Vella Brodrick said. “It also decreases depression and anxiety. Students experience greater happiness and find school a lot more meaningful.” The study showed that GGS students also experienced a significant increase in the use of character strengths during Year 9 – identifying and utilizing character strengths is one of the key tenets underpinning the School’s Model of Positive Education.

Research has previously found that utilising your top five character strengths on a regular basis increases wellbeing.

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The four-year research project is being undertaken by leading Australian psychology and education academics from The University of Melbourne, Monash University and Edith Cowan University (WA). The next phase of research will use innovative methods to measure the impact of learning Positive Education, with students registering their feelings of wellbeing via iPod touch devices and having cortisol levels measured via saliva samples as well as online surveys and focus groups. “This gives us the opportunity to see in day-to-day functioning whether they actually are using some of the strategies being delivered in the Positive Education programme,” Dr Vella-Brodrick explained.

“It’s not just about seeing whether they are using them or not using them, but what are some of the enablers and some of the barriers to being able to use some of the strategies that they are being taught.”

The project has received $383,740 in funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Projects scheme, with additional funding provided by Geelong Grammar School, The University of Melbourne and the Geelong Grammar Foundation.

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SECTION 04 — FOUNDATION

A POSITIVE RESULT

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OGG PRESIDENT

One of the key challenges for the OGG community is to make a positive difference. Often the day-to-day pressures cause us to focus inwards, on our immediate environment and on the things that need to be done today. Many years ago when I was first learning the skills for a marketing and sales role, the instructor told me that the best skill I should learn was to be quiet, to listen to the people around me. This trait allows you to be aware of the needs and desires of the group you are with and to be more involved.

By focussing on the positive, getting to ‘yes’ becomes a much easier task.

When we were researching our history of the OGG Association, Light Blue Generations, there were instances where this approach was clearly displayed. The discussions leading up to the decision to move to the Corio site was a good example.

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If that decision had not been made at that specific time and if the School community had not given it their full support, then the drain on the workforce caused by World War 1 would have delayed, even prevented, the completion of the Corio buildings.

Today, GGS is the largest boarding school in Australia and thus the OGG community is spread around the world. Listening to our members and being aware of cultural differences will positively influence how the OGG community progresses.

Listening to the eulogies of two OGG friends who passed away recently reminded me of their strong positive outlooks despite health problems and how that positive outlook had strengthened their family and friends. The gatherings also showed how strong the ties that we make during our GGS school days are with us forever.

A couple of years ago, I ran into one of my year group who I hadn’t seen since our school days. When asked if he had seen any of our group, he told me that he’d been very lonely as a boarder and did not remember those times kindly. During our conversation, I reminisced about some fun times at Timbertop and Corio and about mutual friends – he remembered some other events that I’d forgotten.

Since then he has reconnected and become more involved. How many of our school friends may be in a similar situation when we could reconnect and make a positive difference for them.

Peter Chomley (Ge’63) President, Old Geelong Grammarians

Amy Hardwick (Ga’00) and Genevieve Milesi (Ga’02).

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OGG NEWS

DIARY DATES 1974 TIMBERTOP 40 YEAR REUNION

Saturday 4 October 2014 OGG TIMBERTOP MORNING

Sunday 5 October 2014 OGG ACT BRANCH FUNCTION- CANBERRA

Friday 10 October 2014 1984 30 YEAR REUNION

Saturday 11 October 2014 1961 TIMBERTOP GROUP – 50 YEAR CORIO REUNION

Saturday 25 October 2014 2004 10 YEAR REUNION

Saturday 25 October 2014 OGG SA BRANCH DINNER- ADELAIDE

Friday 31 October 2014 OGG GOLF DAY, BARWON HEADS

Friday 31 October 2014 TOWER LUNCHEON

Saturday 8 November 2014 MOTORING EVENT

Saturday 8 November 2014 APS GOLF DAY

Friday 14 November 2014 1974 40 YEAR REUNION

Saturday 15 November 2014 OGG TASMANIA BRANCH FUNCTION

Saturday 22 November 2014 ARCHIBALD PRIZE FINALISTS

Five Old Geelong Grammarians were amongst the finalists for 2014 Archibald Prize, featuring both as subjects and artists.

Writer Anson Cameron (M’78) was the subject of a portrait by his niece Eliza Cameron entitled Nice shootin’ cowboy, Melbourne artist Sophia Hewson (A’02) painted herself with ARIA award-winning singer/songwriter Missy Higgins (Cl’01) in a work entitled Artist kisses subject, Bowral artist Zoe Young (Ga’95) painted a portrait of champion Australian snowboarder Torah Bright, whilst Harvey Miller (Cu’06), one half of Melbourne synth pop duo Client Liaison, was the subject of artist Sally Ross’ portrait titled Harvey.

For enquiries contact Katie Rafferty, Alumni Manager on +61 3 5273 9338 or email: katier@ggs.vic.edu.au OGG MOTORING EVENT

The OGG Motoring Event will be run again this year on Saturday 8 November, following a route from Melbourne to Corio and coinciding with the School’s annual Tower Luncheon. All members of the wider GGS community, navigating all types of motor vehicles and motorcycles, are welcome to participate in this annual event. To enter, visit the Alumni page of the GGS website or contact Katie Rafferty in the Alumni Office.

HISTORY OF THE OGG

Light Blue Generations: A History of The Old Geelong Grammarians weaves the history of the OGGs with that of the School, tracing the development of the School and the role of the OGG Association within that development. It also depicts the activities of the Association and contains many photographs of OGGs at OGG events. To purchase your copy of Light Blue Generations, please contact the Geelong Grammar School shop on 03 5273 9338 or email: uniformshop@ggs.vic.edu.au.

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LONDON DINNER

LONDON

UK Branch President, Tim Tyler OBE (P’53) and Secretary, David Hudson (Ge’68) organised another wonderful London Dinner. The guest speaker this year, Colonel James Bogle TD, Barrister of the Middle Temple and co-author of a biography of Emperor Charles I of Austria (and his wife, Empress Zita), the last Habsburg rulers of Austria-Hungary about whom he spoke: Emperor Charles of Austria, a head of state who tried to end the Great War. Among the guests were several young OGGs currently enjoying a gap year in the UK and Tony Bretherton, Director of Community Relations who attended from the Corio campus and gave a brief update about the School.

Many thanks go to Tim and David for another enjoyable dinner.

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2

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Old Geelong Grammarians, current and past parents joined Stephen Meek, Principal and the NSW OGG Branch Committee for drinks at the Royal Exchange in Sydney on Wednesday 7 May. OGGs of all ages were there from youngest OGG Harriet Nixon (Ga’13) to most senior OGG John Paul (Cu’54). The NSW OGG Committee including President, Will Wilson (P’78), Fiona Newman (MacGillivray, He’66), Fiona Ratcliffe (Archer, Je’77) and John McCarthy (Cu’02) facilitate an excellent network of support for OGGs in NSW. There is a very strong OGG linkage worldwide and you will always receive a warm welcome at OGG events. Attending an OGG function is a great opportunity to 5 become part of the wider OGG network so bring a friend and make the most of the opportunities that being a member of the OGG provides.

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1 Amy Hardwick (Ga’00) and Genevieve Milesi (Ga’02).

SYDNEY

2 Jane Grantham (Hickinbotham, P’73), David Hudson (Ge’68) and Tony Bretherton 3 Hugh Bayne (TD’62) and David Fenton (P’61) 4 Tim Westbury (Fr’90), Louise Baker, Alice McCormick (Je’92), Skye Docherty (Je’92) and Jason Patton (FB’90) 5 Fiona Nixon, Tim Macartney-Snape (M’73) and Harriet Nixon (Ga’13) 6 Emma Dow (EM’13), Zoe Forgan (Cl’13), Gus Ridder (M’13) and Olivia Stone (A’13)

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5

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↓ SECTION 05 — ALUMNI

HOGA BOOK LAUNCH

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PROUD TO BE WOMEN

Proud to be Women: A History of The Hermitage, Geelong 1906-1975 by awardwinning Melbourne author Melanie Guile, was launched, at Geelong Grammar School’s Corio Campus on Saturday 17 May. More than 200 people gathered in the Fisher Library for a warm welcome from Principal, Stephen Meek, followed by the official book launch by Hermitage Old Girl and internationally renowned food writer, restaurant critic and author, Jill Dupleix (He’72). The last Headmistress of The Hermitage, Miss Elizabeth Britten, who wrote the foreword to the book, also spoke, as did the author, Melanie Guile.

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4

Melanie worked closely with The Hermitage Old Girls’ Association (HOGA) to capture the history of the School, from its inception at Pakington Street, Newtown, in 1906, to its amalgamation with Geelong Grammar School in 1976.

HOGA commissioned and coordinated the project, assisting with research and interviews. The end result is a beautifully written book packed with photographs covering several generations of girls who attended The Hermitage. Original documents, photographs and anecdotes vividly illustrate the intimate story about a school which advanced the education of girls in Australia and helped to shape the characters and lives of many young Australian women.

The book is also a window into Australian, Victorian and world history, reflecting a period of social upheaval, changes to the education of women and their place in society. It also tells the story of the various Headmistresses who ran the School and their philosophies, its teachers and staff, its founders and board members who planned and oversaw it and, of course, of the generations of girls who passed through it. Far from being a dry, institutional history, it is actually, as Jill Dupleix said when she launched it, “a ripping yarn!”

For enquires or book orders please contact Kristeen Hunter on tel: 03 5221 1001 or 0417 589 190 or email hermitagegirls@gmail.com LIGHT BLUE - GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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5

1 Paddy White (Cain, He’60), Diana Moodie (List, He’62), Julie Richards (Rich, He’64) and Shirley Williams (Blyth, He’61).

Beverley Foster (Smith, He’52), Jane Caldwell (Newman, He’52), Mary Wenzel (Newman, He’51) and Jane Gray (Darling, He’53).

Carla Story (Muir, He’71) and Jillian Goss (Muir, He’61).

Kristeen Hunter (Horne, He’66).

Deidre Griffiths (He’98), Stephen Meek, Elizabeth Britten (He’54), Melanie Guile and Jill Dupleix (He’72).

Jane Annois (He’71), Libby Thomson (Annois, He’75), Richard Annois and Katherine Richardson (Annois, He73).

Amelia Tyers (He’02), Georgina Tyers (He’05), Mary Eve Thomas (Fairley, He’63), Ann Buntine (Lamont, He’61) and Ann Tyers (Fairley, He’68).

The most senior and the most junior former students of The Hermitage present: Margaret Ganly (Burn, He’31) and Susie Tucker (‘83) who was in grade 4 when The Hermitage closed in 1975.

Irma Macauley (Skelton, He’47), Bev Kroger (McCracken, He’47) and Hilary Perriam (Long, He’47).

Jill Daniel (Walter, He’48) and Wynne Holdenson (Walter, He’46).

CHRISTMAS LUNCH AND MUSIC

Please note, the former Christmas morning coffee will be a Christmas Lunch with Music. The venue remains the same venue, All Saints Hall, Noble Street, Newtown on Monday 1 December at 11.30am. Cost $20 per person (pay at the door).

RSVP: To Ann Tyers hermitagegirls@gmail.com or tel: 03 5250 4055 8

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OGG SPORT

TORY THOMAS AT COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Tory Thomas (Cl’96) finished 14th in the Women’s Cross Country Mountain Bike final at the Commonwealth Games in July. Tory was representing Australia at her first major championships in Glasgow.

The 35-year-old from Mount Beauty had previously competed as an ultraendurance cyclist but was hit by a car in 2005, breaking her hip, pelvis and lower back. Specialists she would never ride again. “In some ways I still can’t believe it,” Tory said.

FRANK COVILL CLUB

Meanwhile, back on the Barwon, the Frank Covill Club has been very active in recent months, with Rob Heath (A’76) competing in the Masters division of the Winter Sculling Series whilst Melbournebased members have competed at winter regattas in Melbourne, Ballarat and Geelong. Social rowing continues on the Barwon for rowers of all ages and abilities.

Please contact fccrower@gmail.com for further information.

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WOMEN’S INTER-SCHOOL GOLF

OLD GEELONG CRICKET

Teams representing Geelong Grammar School, Clyde and The Hermitage competed in the 85th annual Women’s Inter-School Golf Challenge Cup at Mordialloc in April. 29 schools participated in the competition at Woodlands Golf Club, with Clyde finishing runner-up to Korowa in the team’s division and Kate Robinson (Richardson, Cl’75) finishing runner-up (on countback) in the individual division.

The Old Geelong Cricket Club is gearing up to defend its 1st XI premiership, with the MCC Club XI competition expanding to three divisions for the 2014/15 season following the inclusion of Richmond and Mentone. The 1st XI will again contest Division 1, with the club’s improving 2nd XI in Division 3. If you are interested in donning the whites this season, please visit the club’s website (www.oldgeelong. com.au) for more information.

OLD GEELONG FOOTBALL

HENRY MEEK WINS SILVER IN ITALY

The Old Geelong Football Club completed another successful season, with the senior and reserve teams both featuring in the finals for the first time in a number of years. The seniors narrowly missed a grand final berth, losing by three goals to Therry Penola in the preliminary final, whilst the reserves lost by eight points to Prahran Assumption in the first semi-final.

Off the field, the club hosted two very successful Pivot Club lunches, with guest speakers Brad Ottens and Peta Searle attracting more than 120 people on each occasion. The club has also bolstered its commitment to the local community, volunteering to food charity Secondbite, supporting the Prahran Mission and participating in Clean Up Australia Day.

Henry Meek (A’10) was in the seven set of Australia’s silver medal winning Men’s Coxed VIII crew at the U23 World Rowing Championships in Italy in July. The Australian crew stormed home, overtaking the USA and closing to within 1.6 seconds of reigning champions New Zealand in a thrilling race. “(To finish second) was a very satisfying result because we had a good race and we could not have done much more, especially given we had only been together as a crew for six weeks, versus the two years of the Kiwis,” Henry explained. The result builds on Henry’s success at the University of Washington.

The Huskies have won four consecutive Intercollegiate Rowing Association Varsity VIII national titles; the last two of which Henry has been a crew member.

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CLYDE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION JUMBLE SALE

The annual COGA jumble sale at St John’s Church Hall in Toorak on Thursday 26 June was a tremendous success. Profits of $3,500 were donated to the Isabel Henderson Kindergarten to assist local children whose families cannot afford pre-school education.

More than thirty helpers gathered to sort and sell donated brica-brac, books, clothing and a fabulous range of home-grown and cooked produce. Unsold goods were donated to the Prahran Mission. Thank you to organiser Jane Loughnan (Weatherly, Cl’70) for her hard work and commitment.

MARY PATON OAM

Mary ‘Pops’ Paton’s (Beecham, Cl’51) outstanding achievements have been highlighted this year as the Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) celebrates its 50th anniversary. Mary was a founding member of the Nursing Mothers’ Assocation of Australia (NMAA) in 1964, which was renamed in 2001.

AGM & OLD GIRLS’ DAY

Through Mary’s leadership and initiatives the ABA has become a nationwide organisation, supporting more than 80,000 mothers a year with the services of 1,100 trained volunteers including counsellors, specialists in infant and child care, health and nutrition. Mary has been listed in the Australian Women’s Register, the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and named as an Australian Living Treasure.

DIARY DATES FUN CUP GOLF, PENINSULA GOLF CLUB

COGA AGM & OLD GIRLS’ DAY LUNCH

Monday 13 October enquiries Anna Tucker (Kimpton, Cl’71) email anna@chepstow83.com tel 0408 540 252

Sunday 19 October 10.30am Morning Tea for 11am AGM guest speaker Susan Duncan (Cl’68) venue Caulfield Park Pavilion, Community Room, 280 Balaclava Rd, North Caulfield (Disabled access and free parking) enquiries Margie Gillett (Cordner, Cl’71), COGA President email gillett22@bigpond.com

1974 40-YEAR REUNION

Saturday 18 October, 12pm Lunch, venue Kooyong Tennis Club, Glenferrie Rd enquiries Cas Bennetto (Cl’74) 51 email casbennetto@gmail.com LIGHT BLUE - GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

The COGA AGM and annual Old Girls’ lunch will be held on Sunday 19 October in the Community Room at Caulfield Park Pavilion, 280 Balaclava Road, North Caulfield. We are delighted to welcome Susan Duncan (Cl’68) as our guest speaker this year. Susan enjoyed a 25-year career in radio, newspaper and magazine journalism, including as editor of The Australian Women’s Weekly and New Idea. Susan’s best-selling memoir, Salvation Creek, won the 2007 Nielsen Booksellers Choice Award. Its sequel, The House at Salvation Creek, was also a best-seller. She has since written two further novels, The Briny Café (2012) and Gone Fishing (2013). Invitations have been posted with The Cluthan 2014 in September.

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FROM THE CURATOR

by MICHAEL COLLINS PERSSE

Dr John Farrer (P’39), who died in England early in 2014, had the dilemma in 1953 of choice between continuing medical work in Victoria and taking up, in person, his inheritance of a large estate in Yorkshire. In the event, by doing the latter, he opened opportunities for continued medical service as well as more general care of a community which at that time was new to him but with which he became intimately identified.

Born in Sydney on 20 July 1921, he was the only son, with two older sisters, Ruth and Rachel, of John Farrer, an engineer, of Heidelberg. After five years at Melbourne Grammar School, he finished five at GGS (where he showed special interest in the building and furnishing of the Art School, with several other boys helping John Derrick [Art Master 1935-40] make some of the internal fittings) with firstclass honours in Physics and seconds in Chemistry and Animal Biology, going on to medical studies completed in another five. In 1947 he married Joan, daughter of Mr and Mrs Ernest Brown, of Melbourne, and a hospital theatre nurse; by 1950 John Peter and Annie had been born to them.

After practising for a time in Hamilton, he was beginning to specialise in paediatrics when he was left Hall Garth, at Clapham near Lancaster, by his uncle Matthew Ronald Farrer – an estate of 10,000 acres including seven farms and 35 houses in a village with rents of five shillings for small houses and ten for larger ones. John was a good listener and in learning the complexities of his new role as a squire he worked out future directions for the estate, going on over the years to allow houses to be modernised and to let them (at more sensible rates) to young families so that the village would revive

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rather than become a place merely for week-ends and holidays. The park was developed with a children’s playground in the centre. His reviving of Clapham and creating of jobs won him the North Yorkshire County rural employment award for special contributions to rural England in 1988. To support his family he worked at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary accident and emergency unit, sometimes as a locum GP, and for some years in public health, making school visits. He wrote on casualty attendance and electromyography. He did much practical work on the estate such as felling trees, tracing leaks in water supplies, and winding the church clock (which involved heavy weights; by coincidence it stopped at the very time he died). Hall Garth has two famous potholes, a mecca for speleologists, and John was president of the cave rescue organisation based there. Descended as he was from one of Yorkshire’s greatest gardeners, Reginald John Hall, who had scoured the world for rare plants, he was delighted when Annie became a botanical artist attached to Kew Gardens. His son is a GP in Canada. Joan died in 2008.

Edward Bayley (P’42), who died in Victoria, British Columbia, in April 2014, was born in Ipoh, Malaya, on 18 March 1925, the only child of Henry Bayley, an English rubber planter and inventor, and Agnes Winsome nee Cowan, from Melbourne.

They moved to Australia and then Canada when Ed was very young, but his mother’s death in 1939 led to a return to Australia and his more than three years at GGS from September 1939. Having matriculated, he served as a Sergeant Instructor in the Royal Canadian Artillery and the Royal Canadian Infantry through the last stages of the war. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1949, and a long career followed as an accomplished

engineer and inventor, finishing in 1982 as Mechanical Superintendent of Sawmills at MacMillan Bloedel in Port Alberni.

Very much a family man, he is survived by his wife of 58 years, Audrie, and their daughters – Elizabeth, Robin (who in 2010 with her husband, Colin Bennett, visited GGS), and Alexandra – and sons-inlaw and four grandchildren. A tribute in Canadian papers said that “at work or at home, Ed never encountered an engine he couldn’t improve on or an appliance he couldn’t fix. From childhood he enjoyed building bicycles, boats and vehicles, a rifle, roads and sawmills, furniture, and homes.

He was also a keen powerboater, and in his cleverly customized boats Ed and Audrie explored coastal BC – always armed with a sense of humour and a martini jug for sundowners at sea.”

Emeritus Professor David Armstrong (M’44) is the subject of an article, “David Armstrong and Australian Materialism” by Andrew Irvine (Professor and Head of Economics, Philosophy, and Political Science at the University of British Columbia) in the March 2014 issue of Quadrant, to which are appended a Reader’s Guide to his work (including 19 books) and the tribute paid by a colleague, David Stove, in 1991 on David’s retirement from the Challis Chair in Philosophy at the University of Sydney. He is a subject in 100 Exceptional Stories (by and about OGGs who have attended the School during its first century at Corio), to be published by Hardie Grant in October 2014.

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J O H N E M M E R S O N Physicist, barrister, bibliophile 4-4-1938 – 14-8-2014 John McLaren Emmerson QC, who has died aged 76, achieved distinction in three disparate fields: as an Oxford don in the pioneering days of particle physics; as a Melbourne barrister practising in the field of intellectual property; and as a collector of books and other papers from the Civil War of the 1640s in England (among them some of the first newspapers). He was widely revered and loved as a man of huge intellect (gently but rigorously deployed), wit, modesty, wisdom, and great kindness. At his funeral, a friend from schooldays, Stephen Charles QC, a retired judge and former president of the Australian Bar Association, quoted John’s pupil in chambers, Bruce Caine, on his awareness, when with John, of “being ïn the presence of greatness”.

In conversation with others, he would usually be silent but alert while a matter was under debate – holding in his mind both or all sides of it in seeming equipoise.

When – almost inevitably – others (however eminent, however clever) turned to him to resolve it, there would be a pause until, with a twinkle and the lifting of an expressive eyebrow, he would go to the heart of the matter in a few simple words (“Well, you’re both right,” he would sometimes start): words that by their clarity and quiet authority left nothing much else to be said. And nobody would be hurt or made to feel a fool.

Born in 1938 to Keith Emmerson, a Melbourne solicitor and lecturer in taxation law, and Enid Druce, who had been the only woman in her generation at Melbourne University’s law school, he was followed in 1941 by a brother, David, who was to top that school and win the Supreme Court Prize in 1963 – a feat emulated by John 13 years later after a decade as a physicist in England.

At the funeral David, who had come from London, said that John had always been his guiding star or candle. David’s children also spoke: Charles, an author and historian, to acknowledge his uncle’s

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Tom Quirk, a friend from childhood and schooldays, later a colleague in research and writing at Oxford, had a chemistry set as a boy that inspired John to acquire one himself. At Glamorgan – which in 1947, his third year there, became part of Geelong Grammar School – and then in the senior school at Corio from 1950, John was consistenly dux. He even skipped IIIrd Form (Year 9), and in both 1954 and 1955 he obtained a general exhibition awarded to the top few in Victoria at Matriculation level, with an unbroken run of firstclass honours in two mathematics and three science subjects (sharing another exhibition for coming top of the State in biology) as well as getting a second in English literature (the headmaster, James Darling, gave the school a half-holiday to celebrate John’s final results). He acted in plays in supporting roles, was a sergeant in the cadet corps, and served as head librarian.

At Melbourne University the run of top honours continued in physics, chemistry, zoology, and mathematics, and he graduated Bachelor – later Master – of Science, but also spread his wings into debating, acting, and editing for Trinity College, where he was a major scholar and became a resident tutor. During university vacations, he returned at times to Geelong Grammar to help with the teaching of then fast-evolving physics.

In 1961, having been awarded a Shell Company scholarship to Oxford University, he entered Worcester College and began working for a doctorate under Denys Wilkinson in the department of nuclear physics. His thesis on “Inelastic scattering of intermediate energy nucleons” followed work by a team of six on the cyclotron at Harwell, the results being published in a series of articles with John as leading author. In the study of various short-lived particles, mesons, and excited states of the proton and neutron, a pattern was emerging to suggest a deeper structure, identified as partons or quarks. The team experimented with spark chambers and the new and powerful Nimrod proton synchrotron accelerator. He graduated DPhil (in Oxford parlance) in 1965, when he was awarded an 1851 Exhibition research

scholarship and elected by New College to a junior research fellowship.

Blissful years followed: heady times in his field of high-energy physics; membership of a senior common room which enoyed brilliant, leisurely, after-dinner conversation, often with distinguished guests; reading parties in the French Alps; freedom from tutoring; the continuing beauties of Oxford, including the singing of the New College choir; and a stream of scientific papers with titles and contents comprehensible to few but their authors.

John’s book, Symmetry Principles in Particle Physics, was published in 1972 by Oxford under its most scholarly imprint, the Clarendon Press.

Various reasons have been adduced for John’s return to Melbourne late in 1971: a sense that only the United States and Moscow offered opportunities for further research, and neither attracted him; ancestral forces and love of Melbourne; a confession that he was getting bored by physics (which, after all, is not directly about people); perhaps a combination of such factors. He worked during his law studies as a patent attorney, was awarded the E.J.B.Nunn scholarship, and served his articles with John Rodd at Arthur Robinson & Co, being admitted to practise in March 1976 and going at once to the Bar and reading with John Batt.

Working also in trade-practices law, he rapidly became a leader in intellectualproperty law with a particular interest in patents (especially pharmaceutical ones) and copyright, He took silk in 1985 and for many years shared chambers with Chris Jessup, now a judge of the Federal Court.

An extraordinary memory, a gift for logical reasoning, an ability to grasp complex technology, a capacity for keeping many ideas in his head at once, evenness of temper (where a lesser advocate might have suffered fools ungladly), and a way with words that was at once economical and eloquent – all these combined to give Emmerson a rare authority in court.

More than once he persuaded the High Court to overturn a judgement of the Full Federal Court. Katrina Howard, who had started as his junior in a biotechnology case in the early 1980s, quickly – after early terror at his intellect, as she confessed in a tribute at his funeral – became his greatest fan: he was “the cleverest, most logical, humorous, entertaining, and delightful man I have ever known”. His secretary Dorothy Yon said that she saw John lose his temper only once, and that was with Diners Club.

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benign influence; Chloe to read from A.A.Milne a passage about Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh which epitomized both John’s own reading to children and the enchantment with the world and sharing of knowledge that attend the quest for understanding.

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www.ggs.vic.edu.au