Light Blue - April 2009 by Geelong Grammar School

Issue number 77 April 2009

community; our indefatigable Old Geelong Grammarians. Every member of the Geelong Grammar community contributes to the wellbeing and advancement of our School.

Elizabeth Pont Director of Community Relations

Welcome to our first 2009 edition of Light Blue. As you read through the following pages you will discover the outstanding talents and inspiring initiatives of our students, teachers, OGGs and our wider School community. It has been a frenetic start to the year with a true assortment of positive events as well as tragic circumstances. Earlier in the year, Victoria faced the worst bushfires in the history of Australia and the Geelong Grammar School community grieved the tragic death of one of our Year 12 students, Will Paterson. At the same time, within a couple of weeks of our Year 9 students arriving at Timbertop, they were evacuated as a precautionary measure to the Corio campus. Within days of returning to Timbertop a second evacuation occurred with the students arriving at the Corio Campus at 2.00am in the morning to be greeted with cool gusty winds and the task of pitching a tent.

The Geelong Grammar community is not isolated from stressful moments – however, through the introduction of Positive Education our students and staff are gaining the necessary skills to successfully adapt to change and stress in healthy and constructive ways – a dynamic process involving an interaction between both risk and protective processes that act to modify the effects of an adverse life occurrence. The role of educationalists is to ensure that students feel a sense of success whether it be in academics, sport, arts, music or the building of relationships, while also providing support from, and connections to external resources. Our Positive Education Programme assists in delivering these outcomes. In this edition, you will read of the outstanding results of our Year 12 2008 VCE and IB students; the courage and ingenuity of our Year 11 students who ventured off to Cambodia to assist with the building of two houses in an underprivileged area. Resilience was at the forefront of our girls’ Rowing Teams who had a brilliant season victorious at the Head of the School Girls’ Regatta and the Head of the River Regatta at Nagambie. There are problems and sadness facing the world – economic, environmental, social and more, but there are always people surrounding us who do something special, who have success and who are willing to help. I hope you enjoy reading this edition of Light Blue. Elizabeth Pont Director of Community Relations

Contents From the Editor

From the Chairman

From the Principal

4-5

VCE and IB Results

6-7

Class of 2008

Middle School

Timbertop

Expeditiion to Antarctica

Music Concert Series

Bostock House

Toorak Campus

Senior Chaplain

Habitat for Humanity

Timbertop D Unit Campaign

Equestrian Centre/Annual Giving

Positive Education

18-20

HMAS Newcastle Visit

Elisabeth Murdoch House

From the Foundation Chairman

From the OGG President

Reunions

Golf Day/Football and Netball News

OGG Travel ‘Spirit of Adventure’

Ludwig Hirschfeld Mack

2009 House Music

28 28

During these arduous times I have gained a great depth of admiration for the School community in their altruism, their strength, respect for each other and their resilience and optimism.

Front Cover: The Girls’ First VIII Crew won both The Head of the School Girls Regatta and the Head of the River Regatta at Nagambie and were runners up at the Australian National Championships in the School Girl Division one event.

OGG Events

HOGA

As you read through this edition of Light Blue you will discover some wonderful stories about resilience from our youngest students at Bostock and Toorak, through to our longest standing members of the Geelong Grammar

L to R: Edwina Kolomanski (Yr12 Ga), Isabel Coburn (Yr12 Ga), Alex Thompson (Yr11 Cl), Daisy Gubbins (Yr12 He), Claire Hamilton (Yr12 Cl), Rosie Wilson (Yr12 He), Charlotte Sutherland (Yr12 Cl), Sophie Sutherland (Yr12 Cl) and Annie Blunden (Yr12 He). Photograph by Richard Kumnick (M’68).

COGA

OGG Link

From the Curator

30-33

This is the first win by the Girls’ 1st VIII at the Head of the Schoolgirl’s Regatta for eight years with great performances by our Year 10 crews, who have only been rowing for seven weeks. The results highlighting the depth of talent in girls rowing at Geelong Grammar School. In other results:

GGS rowers claim victory! Over 5000 spectators watched as Geelong Grammar School took out the feature event of the 25th Annual Head of the Schoolgirls’ Regatta. 2

The Girl’s 1st VIII fought off the determined efforts of St Catherine’s, MLC and Wesley College to win the event by a metre. The rowing team also had success with the third VIII Girls’ winning the A Final by two lengths from MLC, Geelong College and Wesley College.

• The Year 10 D IV came second to MLC. • The Year 10 C IV came second to Carey Baptist Grammar School. • The Year 10 B IV came second to Carey Baptist Grammar School.

Jeremy Kirkwood Chairman of Council

1 The start of 2009 has certainly thrown some challenges our way: incredibly hot weather, Australia’s worst bushfires, the most dramatic economic slowdown since the Second World War and the tragic death of Year 12 student Will Paterson. These are times when a strong community can make all the difference to individuals who are most affected by these events. Our own Geelong Grammar community is one which does rally around those in need and ensure, as best we can, that support is available when and where required. It is one of those perverse twists in life that it is usually in times of adversity that we observe the strength and resilience of a community shining through. I do believe, however, that the GGS community spirit is a constant through good and bad times – it is just that during the bad times it is more needed and apparent. In the middle of February the School Council met for its annual Strategic Planning Day. We normally do this near Timbertop and then have a Council meeting at the campus the following day. As Timbertop was evacuated, we shifted our planning meeting to near Corio and had our Council meeting at Corio the following day. The Council analysed the School’s strengths and weaknesses particularly in the context of the current economic outlook. We wanted to ensure that we are well prepared to deal with the range of reasonably likely threats and opportunities which could come our way in the years ahead. I am pleased to advise that the School is well placed to handle any likely impact from the economic downturn without having to alter its educational offering. A lot of good work has been done over the past decade to address infrastructure requirements and outdated facilities. Whilst there is always something that needs to be done (just like painting the Sydney Harbour Bridge) the fabric of the School is in good shape. Our enrolments are strong with enquiry rates continuing to be high. Your Council is confident our strategy is right and we will be able to continue to address those components of our offering we wish to change or improve.

2 Planning approval for the new Elisabeth Murdoch House has been obtained and work is expected to commence in April. We look forward to its completion around the end of this year and opening for Term 1 in 2010. Plans and illustrations are located in the temporary EM House in which the current Year 10s are residing. Kennedy has been remodelled as a transitional boarding facility (currently housing Elisabeth Murdoch Year 10s) and will accommodate year groups from other Boarding Houses as they are gradually refurbished and remodeled. It is interesting to note that other schools are somewhat amazed at our willingness and ability to build a new girls’ Boarding House. They are even more amazed to learn that our gender ratio in Senior School will be very close to 50/50 when EM House is fully operational. I am sure you would have heard or read about the considerable investment that the Federal Government has indicated it is willing to fund through its “Building the Education Revolution” initiative. Although we are still working through our priorities and eligibility criteria, there is a reasonable possibility the School will be able to access some of this funding for building works. I believe any investment in the country’s educational assets is a good thing and I welcome the initiative. I look forward to updating you in future editions of Light Blue as to our success or otherwise in securing funding.

I would like to reiterate the message I conveyed in the last Light Blue regarding parents who may be significantly affected by the economic downturn. For those who may be contemplating withdrawing their children I urge you to contact the School and discuss with us your situation. The School is able to be flexible and supportive in respect of payment of fees and the earlier this is discussed with us the better. In closing it was heartening to hear of the fantastic efforts of our Girls’ 1st VIII who came a very close 2nd in the National Rowing Championships at Lake Barrington and of the Boys’ 1st XI cricket team who won consecutive games outright (i.e. bowled the other team out twice) – a feat which has not before been achieved by the School for a very long time! Jeremy Kirkwood (FB/L’80) Chairman of Council 1. Enjoying a friendly moment at the Highton/Otway BBQ. L to R: Joshua Hutley (Yr8 Hi), Caleb Lum (Yr8 Hi), James Planner (Yr8 Ot) and Zane Mahood (Yr8 Hi). 2. Last minute hugs before Mum leaves Timbertop for the long journey home. 3. A true Family Day. L to R: Sue Gunnerson, Sarah Dempsey and Jonathan Dempsey all enjoying the Family Day experience.

Stephen Meek Principal

1 “Wellbeing gives you the resources to deal with life’s ups and downs”, is a definition which neatly encapsulates the purpose of our health and wellbeing programme. There are two strands to that programme, the Handbury Centre for Wellbeing which provides physical opportunities to improve wellbeing, and secondly our Positive Education Programme which reaches out into all aspects of our curriculum and culture. Both of these programmes contain a common core element which is about boosting resilience so that our students are prepared for dealing with life’s ups and downs. As a School community, we have needed great resilience this term following the tragic death of Will Paterson, one of our Year 12 students. As adults or as family members, we generally try to shield our children from the deep pain and sense of loss which we feel from the sudden death of a grandparent or family friend. But the raw sense of devastation which our children feel when it is one of their own friends, and someone of their own age, who dies, brings the finality of bereavement directly to them. The grief which was outpoured in our first, immediate, Chapel Service was testimony to the affection in which Will was held and also to the incredibly caring nature of our students. The celebration of Will’s life which featured in our second service, gave us all the opportunity to give thanks for the warmth he had brought into so many lives. The time in between those services tested the resilience of so many, in the most painful of times. Resilience has also been needed by our Timbertop students and staff this term as they have had to deal with the disruption to the start of their year, caused by the precautionary double evacuation of the campus in the light of the bush fires. Fortunately, the fires did not, in the end, come close to the campus and the students have now been able to resume their normal programme. That programme has always been about building resilience in our students, in wonderful but challenging conditions, and giving them self-belief that they can meet the challenges and opportunities which life presents. These are some of the reasons why the Timbertop year 4

is such an important one for our students and why we need to ensure that Timbertop is there for generations to come. After 50-plus years, some of the Units are close to having out-lived their natural life. Therefore we need to begin the process of renewing the campus through the construction of replacement Units (while adhering to the traditional principles), to ensure that these Units are available, in turn, for students for the next 50-plus years. The launch of our Campaign for the construction of the first new replacement Unit – a new D Unit – is on page 16. The challenge of the general financial crisis and the devastation caused by Black Saturday are examples of why our courses in Positive Education are so important. These events are extremes, but they are reminders to us all that catastrophes can be around the corner and that none of us is necessarily immune. It is good to see the students undertaking the Positive Education courses as part of their mainstream classes and acknowledging them as an equally important part of the curriculum, alongside the traditional subjects. On every campus, it is evident that the Positive Education ideas are being introduced into the curriculum and the culture of the School, which are achieving positive outcomes. I was also delighted that the Positive Education courses which we ran in the summer holidays, with Professor Martin Seligman from the University of Pennsylvania, were very successful. These courses were to train teachers from the State, Catholic and Independent sectors in the same way as we had trained our own staff a year ago. We do not just want our own students to benefit from Positive Education, but also to see these classes becoming mainstream lessons in other schools. We have started that process. Overall, we have had an excellent start to the year. There is a very strong sense of the School moving forward purposefully with important developments taking place in a number of areas. Most notably there has been the start of our new girls’ Boarding House, Elisabeth Murdoch House. The refurbished Kennedy building has provided excellent accommodation for the Year 10 girls while the new House is being built and the girls have settled in very well. Other students have been fascinated to see a new House

created and are pleased that we have taken this step to bring about equal numbers for boys and girls in the Senior School. Christine Howes is the new Head of House and she writes about the formation of the House on page 21. New parents sometimes find it hard to believe that everything revolves around the House system at Corio, in contrast to almost all other schools in Australia. For us, the House is the dominant administrative and social structure and all students quickly become incredibly devoted to their House. My wife and I are currently spending an evening in each of the Houses, as we do every year, and when I ask the Year 10 students how they are finding their House, they invariably answer that it is ‘good’, because it is the ‘best’ House. That sense of pride and House spirit is strongly evident in two events in Term 1, the House Swimming and the House Music competition. I find them both wonderful House occasions, when the students appreciate the efforts of each other, but in the context of tribal affiliations. Jodie Townsend, the Director of Music, in writing about this year’s competition on page 28 captures the spirit of the event. The academic results for 2008 were very good and we were delighted with the achievements of last year’s students. The Director of Learning, Debbie ClingelefferWoodford, gives a detailed review of the results on pages 6 and 7. I was pleased once again to see our top students do extremely well, with two students achieving the highest possible ENTER score of 99.95 and a good number of others being placed in the top 1% of the State. Equally important was the fact that all our students were able to achieve very good results, fulfilling their potential across the ability spectrum. Peter Craig’s report, as Head of Careers, on page 8 shows the interesting range of courses which our students have undertaken at a variety of universities. Again, it is interesting to see that a big proportion of the 2008 cohort have decided to take a gap year, while others have applied for universities overseas. Lastly, on page 22 Bill Ranken, the Chairman of the Foundation, honours the life of Bill Mackinnon, the President of the Foundation. Bill was a wonderful friend, and supporter,

7 of the School. He was always interested in the way the School was moving forward and contributed sagely to Foundation Board meetings. I enjoyed my discussions with Bill and always found him sensitive to the needs of the School. We shall miss him enormously as will so many others – as was apparent by the very large number of people who attended his Memorial Service in Scots Church on Collins Street. He was an exceptional man.

1. Veasna Pochard (Yr11 Cu) came second in butterfly in the Geelong Independent Secondary Schools’ Association Swimming Championships.

Stephen Meek Principal

5. The cross was carried by students as part of the Good Friday Service at Corio. Pictured here is Camille Nock (Yr10 EM).

2. Jacqui (Year 3) and Amberlie (Year 1) working together creating their butterfly as part of the Bostock House Butterfly Project for Arts Week in March. 3. Members of the Choir at the Good Friday Service held in the Main Quad. 4. Andrew Carlton (Yr12 Fr) receiving a medal from Stephen Meek, Principal on Family Day at Corio. Andrew came first in the Senior Student - Male category of the Duathlon.

8 7. The Girls’ First VIII Crew won both The Head of the School Girls’ Regatta and the Head of the River Regatta at Nagambie and were runners up at the Australian National Championships in the School Girl Division one event. L to R Back: Claire Hamilton (Yr12 Cl), Alex Thompson (Yr11 Cl), Ross Featherston, Head Coach, Edwina Kolomanski (Yr12 Ga), Charlotte Sutherland (Yr12 Cl), Rob England, Coach of the Girls’ First VIII. L to R Front: Annie Blunden (Yr12 He), Daisy Gubbins (Yr12 He), Sophie Sutherland (Yr12 Cl), Rosie Wilson (Yr12 He) and Isabel Coburn (Yr12 Ga). 8. Stephen Meek, Principal and Mrs Christine Meek helped out with the Butterfly Project at Bostock House as part of Arts Week in March.

6. The Timbertop camp site at Corio following the precautionary evacuation of the Timbertop campus.

VCE and IB

Results Our 61 IB candidates

Congratulations to all our IB students for achieving outstanding results with 100% of the 61 candidates receiving their full Diploma and two students achieving a perfect IB score of 45/45. Sixteen students (26%) achieved an IB score of 40 or above of a maximum IB score of 45 (ENTER 99.95 and above). 31 GGS IB candidates were placed in the top 5% of the State (ENTER 95 and above). 41 GGS IB candidates were placed in the top 10% of the State (ENTER 90 and above). Over 88% of the GGS IB candidates were placed in the top 15% of the State (85.00 and above). There were 87 maximum subject scores of 7 across 30 subjects (24.0%) and 115 subject scores of 6 (31%). From a maximum IB score of 45, the average for GGS students in 2008 was 35.3. This result compares favourably with the November 2008 Australasia average of 33.6. The median GGS IB score for 2008 was 35 (ENTER 94.2). The School is very proud of its IB candidates and congratulates them on their achievements.

Our 148 VCE candidates The School is very proud of its VCE candidates and congratulates them on their achievements. Of the 148 students who completed the VCE, 8.1% were placed in the top 5% of the State, while 21% were placed in the top 10% of the State. Two Geelong Grammar School VCE students achieved an ENTER score of 99 or better. The top VCE student, Qi Chen (Ga), achieved an ENTER score of 99.3 placing her in the top 0.7% of the State.

Our Top VCE Students There were some outstanding VCE results and the top VCE students are shown below: Qi Chen (Ga) arrived at the School in Year 10 and was a member of Garnett House. During her time, Qi achieved some outstanding results. She completed three Year 12 subjects in Year 11 achieving a Study score of 50 in Further Mathematics as well as a commendation for her results in Chinese First Language, which was taken by correspondence through the Victorian School 6

of Languages. Qi was an accomplished pianist and completed Music Performance (Solo) also in Year 11. Her Year 12 subjects included Maths Methods, Specialist Maths, Accounting, Economics and ESL. Qi worked conscientiously in all areas as well as contributing in a positive way to the music programme and a variety of other areas of the School.

DUX (shared)

Hetty Champion de Crespigny (Ga) joined the School in Year 7 when she was a member of Connewarre House. After her Timbertop year, she joined Garnett House, and she was awarded Double House Colours for her contributions to the House which included her role as a House Prefect in Year 12. Hetty was very actively involved at a high level in a number of sports including Athletics, Diving, Tennis and Netball. In addition, she was a member of the GGS Choir and a number of successful Equestrian teams. Hetty had a diverse range of interests and she gave generously in a number of areas with great enthusiasm. She achieved a study score of 49 in Geography in Year 11. Her Year 12 subjects were French, English, Literature, Maths Methods and Chemistry.

Nicholas Bouvier (A) joined the School at Timbertop, followed by a year in the UK while his parents were on exchange. On returning he became fully involved in all aspects of school life. He was the House Captain of Allen House and he achieved Double House Colours for services to the House. In addition, he was a member of the First Soccer team, an APS representative for Soccer, and a member of the winning 4 x 800m GGS relay team at the APS Sports. Nicholas participated successfully in Debating and Public Speaking, and he contributed in many ways to the school community including various performances as a member of the GGS Choir.

Other outstanding results in the VCE include three other Year 12 students who achieved a study score of 50: CJ Ames (Fr) in Further Mathematics, Claire Francis (He) in English and Georgie Mercer (Cl) in Agriculture and Horticultural Science.

Outstanding IB Results The following students achieved an IB score of 40 and above (ENTER 98.85 and above) placing them in the top 1.15% of the state • Nicholas Bouvier (A) • Henry (Kin Choong) Choo (M) • Owen (Kin Hoe) Choo (M) • Nicholas Dillon (Fr) • Samuel Fary (A) • Annabel Gibson (He) • Christian Habla (P) • Louis Capezio (Cu) • Jacob Koestenbauer (Fr) • James Litchfield (M) • Alexander Purdue (P) • Joey (Nawin) Santikarn (Cu) • Sasha (Alexandra) Shearer (Cl) • Julian Sherwin (Fr) • Ken Wei Tay (FB) • Sarah Wong (Ga)

Nicholas Bouvier and James Litchfield The top students and Duxes of the School for 2008 are Nicholas Bouvier (Allen House) and James Litchfield (Manifold House) who both achieved a perfect IB score of 45/45 (ENTER 99.95) placing them in the top 0.05% of the state, and 0.54% in the Asia-Pacific region.

Nicholas achieved six maximum study scores of 7 in the following subjects: English (HL), German B (SL), Geography (SL), Chemistry (HL), Physics (HL) and Mathematics (HL). He also achieved an A for his Extended Essay in English and a B for Theory of Knowledge. Nicholas was selected by Melbourne University to participate in the Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars’ Programme. James Litchfield (M) joined the School for a term in Middle School before attending Timbertop in 2005. He was an active member of Manifold House over three years and he received Double House Colours for various services to the House. He developed a wide range of interests and participated in Cricket, Rugby, Swimming and Tennis during his time at the School. James contributed to a wide range of activities in the areas of Creativity, Action and Service as part of this component of the Diploma Programme. James achieved six maximum study scores of 7 in English (HL), French (SL), History (HL), Economics (HL), Chemistry (SL) and Mathematics (SL). He also achieved an A for his Extended Essay in English and a B for Theory of Knowledge.

Proxime Accessit (shared) The runners-up to the Duxes who each achieved an IB score of 44 (ENTER 99.90) were three students placing them in the top 1.02% in the Asia-Pacific region: Henry (Kin Choong) Choo (M) achieved five maximum study scores of 7 in French (SL), History (HL), Chemistry (HL), Economics (HL) and Mathematics (SL). Henry also achieved an A for his Extended Essay in Economics and a B for Theory of Knowledge. Owen (Kin Hoe) Choo (M) achieved five maximum study scores of 7 in English (SL), German (SL), History (HL), Economics (HL) and Mathematics (SL). Owen also achieved an A for his Extended Essay in Biology and a B for Theory of Knowledge. Nicholas Dillon (Fr) achieved five maximum study scores of 7 in English (SL), History (HL), Chemistry (HL), Mathematics (SL) and Theatre Arts (HL). Nicholas also achieved an A for his Extended Essay in Theatre Arts and a B for Theory of Knowledge.

Understanding Results in the VCE and IB

Converting VCE and IB results to ENTER scores Tertiary places are decided by the Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER), which is a percentile ranking based on VCE scaled study scores in English plus three other studies, plus 10% of up to two more studies. VCE Study scores undergo scaling for some subjects. This scaling is based on the student cohort taking the subject each year. Scaled study scores are used to calculate the ENTER score.

On behalf of the School community, we congratulate all 2008 Year 12 students for their outstanding academic efforts and generous contributions to our School community. Well done! Debbie Clingeleffer-Woodford Director of Learning

As IB scores are reported differently from VCE, a conversion formula is applied to achieve a notional ENTER score. The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) takes the IB score (maximum 45) and calculates a notional ENTER score.

In the VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education), a student’s performance in each subject is measured by the study score, which indicates a student’s relative position in comparison to all other students examined in that subject. The maximum possible study score in any subject is 50 and all have a mean of 30 and a standard deviation of 7. Therefore, scores of 23 to 37 indicate that a student is in the middle range of results, while scores above 37 indicate that a student has achieved results in the top 14% of students in that study and scores above 40 indicate achievements in the top 8%. A student’s performance in each of the six IB (International Baccalaureate) subjects is reported as a score out of 7. A score of 4 is considered a pass. Grades for each subject are added to the bonus marks (up to three bonus marks) for the student’s achievements in the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge components of the Diploma Programme to give a maximum possible score of 45.

Cusp

Exhibition

Cusp, a cross-campus initiative linking the Visual Arts and Positive Education will be opened in The Sinclaire Centre, Corio Campus on April 30 at 6.00pm by Julie Ewington, Head of Australian Art, Queensland Art Gallery. With a specific curriculum focus on the transformative power of art to heighten experience, students have explored notions

of optimism in art. Selected works will be digitally presented at the First World Congress on Positive Psychology to be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States of America in June 2009. Margot Anwar Head of Art Faculty 7

Class of 2008 -

where did they go?

2 After weeks of surveys, follow-up phone calls, SMS messages and analysis of VTAC destination data, we have at last a clearer picture of the cohort of 2008 and where they went. Students committing to further study totalled 90% of the cohort, including those who deferred their University placements for twelve months. Some 7% of students were employed full-time leaving 3% whose intentions are still to be determined. Of the students electing to go on to further study, the vast majority (80%) went to Victorian Institutions, 16% enrolled interstate and 4% of students went to overseas Universities. Most University offers in the USA and UK have yet to be finalised but there are students confirmed to be studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford and Law at Cambridge. One student has received an early entry offer to attend the University of Pennsylvania. Several others are anxiously awaiting confirmation. I would anticipate there will be a number of students offered places at prestigious US Universities if the number of quality applications made is an indication. Of the students progressing to further education, 95% elected higher education courses at Universities and Private Provider Institutions accounting for approximately 5% places. This year there were no students reported to be continuing with studies at TAFE. 8

Students opting to defer tertiary study were confirmed at the time of writing at 44% of the cohort. This was up considerably from previous years. GAP years extended well beyond traditional public schools in the United Kingdom to include; Jillarooing in Queensland, Law internships in London, Chalet work in France, Camp America, playing rugby in Canada, the ADF GAP year, and of course travelling locally and overseas. The range of activities proposed for 2009 was extraordinary. Other students elected to pursue immediate work and commenced apprenticeships or returned to work on family properties. We even had one student follow his dream and gain valuable work that will hopefully lead to a career in polo! Of the students choosing to undertake further study in Victoria, 39% of students enrolled at The University of Melbourne, 20% will study courses at Monash and 10% of students accepted offers from Deakin University. RMIT University received 12% of the enrolments. The two most popular interstate institutions were The University of Adelaide and The University of Tasmania. Interestingly, the majority of offers were again in two main fields: Society and Culture, Management and Commerce; Natural and Physical Sciences being the third highest interest area with just over 10% of the total.

Despite the concentration in these areas, the range of courses continues to be very broad. Students will undertake further study in a variety of areas which include: law, music, fashion, chiropractic, engineering, biomedicine, science, media, naval architecture, physiotherapy, communication design, arts and commerce. Students received scholarships to continue their studies at ANU, The University of Melbourne, Monash and Bond Universities. We are very proud of all of the class of 2008 and wish them well in their future lives! Peter Craig Head of Careers 1. Group of students pictured at Speech Day 2008. 2. L to R: James Yates (Yr12 P), Georgina Heath (Yr12 He) and Virginia Heal (Yr12 He).

Middle School A key aspect of the Penn Resiliency Programme being explicitly taught in Positive Education at Year 7 is to help students identify what it means to be resilient. The following explanation, for a student’s perspective, is offered:

“In some video games you have to get your character through all sorts of obstacles to the next level, and then do the same sort of things again! On the way you can ‘power up’ by jumping or catching something that would give you the strength to keep going. Well, life is a bit like that. You go through life trying to ‘get to the next level’, and there are all sorts of obstacles in your way, and you need times when you can ‘power up’ to help you keep going. Coping with everything, keeping on going, and collecting something to help you is what resilience is all about” (Teen Health website) At Middle School we want our students to understand that whatever bad times they encounter, they can ‘bounce back’. It is important to teach students skills that they can use to handle difficult situations, to help them feel good about themselves and how to be resilient in the face of adversity. Some strategies that students can develop to enhance their resilience include: • Don’t give up. Everyone has to deal with a crisis from time to time. Things will get better. • Identify your own strengths. What are your signature strengths? • Get connected. Make friends, get to know people, join in. • Things will change – accept this. • Don’t ‘catastrophise’. Things are often not as bad as we might first think. Put things into perspective. • Understand ‘self-talk’. We all talk to ourselves. Create positive self-talk habits. • Set realistic goals. • Face up to problems. Think about how you can solve them instead of wishing that they would go away.

• Practise thinking positive thoughts. Trust your ability to get through, and that things will improve. • Look after yourself. Exercise and eat well for a healthy body, and learn to relax. • Spend time in reflection. Some people do this by meditation or writing down their thoughts about what went well. A group of our Year 7 students were asked to identify a time when they had to be resilient and how they handled this situation.

Last year, my parents said that I had to study in Australia. I wasn’t really happy about this because it’s a new country and English is not my first language. But I accepted the challenge and now I feel happy, because by making many new friends I now feel ‘at home’. Alvin Chan (Yr7 Bw)

years and lost my confidence. Later a friend invited me to her riding school. Reluctantly I went along. I fell off again! Two years later my father bought some horses and I thought I should try again. I succeeded. I regained my confidence by not giving up. I now attend Pony Club and ride all the time. Erin Nicolson (Yr7 Hi)

As a young child I hadn’t really experienced grief. As I grew older I discovered that dealing with it was called ‘resilience’; a strange and unfamiliar experience. When I was 6 years old I lost my first pet, a dog called Mille. Mille was a great companion. Her death made me incredibly sad but in dealing with this I discovered resilience. I was able to understand and move on from previous hardships and difficulties. Imogen Francis (Yr7 Hi) I remember the day we came to Geelong Grammar School. I began as a Boarder and my family returned home. I was sad because I missed my parents and my family, but I had to be strong and resilient. I tried not to be worried, tried not to think about my family too much, and tried to focus on new opportunities. I feel good and have made new friends, although I still miss my family. Rebecca Dennis (Yr7 Cn) When I was younger I was bullied by some other students who were actually feeling insecure about themselves. I was tired of feeling sad so I decided to meet new people, make new friends, join in new games and after a time I even became friends with the original students. I tried hard to ‘bounce back’ and was determined not to give up! Anon When I was in Prep I fell off a pony and broke my arm. I didn’t ride again for a number of

I was about to go fishing when we got a call to ask would we visit some friends who had been affected by the bushfires. I really wanted to go fishing (and eat fish for dinner), but Dad said we had to visit our friends. I was cross. However, we ended up having a nice time with our friends and I realised that by visiting we were supporting them. Later that night my Dad gave me a surprise. He bought fish for dinner. Angus Anderson (Yr7 Bb) Playing a game of soccer I was accidentally kicked in the knee cap. I hobbled off the ground and a team doctor bandaged my knee. I wasn’t confident about going back on, but I realised that I had to join the team. I did go back on to play and I nearly scored a goal. Fergus Morrison (Yr7 Ot) Tony Inkster Head of Middle School 1. Our boys! Very happy to be a part of Middle School. L to R: Jono Thomson (Yr7 Ot), Nick Anastassion (Yr7 Ot), Alex Durose-Wescott (Yr7 Ot), Josh Hutley (Y8 Hi) and Sebastian Lawrence (Yr8 Ot). 2. Our girls! Enjoying a twilight dinner on the Main Oval. Sophie Morphy (Yr8 Hi), Olivia Stone (Yr8 Ot), Sophie Kebbell (Yr8 Hi), Edwina Hill (Yr8 Ot), Isabelle Le Deux (Yr8 Ot), Georgie McKendrick (Yr8 Hi). 3. The Nicolson family attended the Highton/Otway Family BBQ in Term 1. Dr Susan Nicolson, Mrs Moira Gardner, Erin Nicolson (Yr7 Hi), Mr Bill Gardner with Tony Inkster (Head of Middle School).

visit our website: www.ggs.vic.edu.au for the latest Middle School News

Timbertop Resilience, Flexibility, Energy and Cheefulness. After the hurly-burly times at the beginning of Term, I have finally had time to reflect on the effect of the bushfires on the Timbertop community. It struck me, having just climbed Mount Timbertop with all the Timbertop students as we traditionally do for our first hike of the year, the remarkable way the students and staff have just bounced back and thrown themselves energetically into the programme. What a flexible and resilient community this is. We have gone through two separate evacuations; the first happening only days after the students arrived on campus, and the second following an early exeat that completely altered student, staff and parent plans for the long weekend. Within minutes of announcing the second evacuation, buses were being organised, staff were busy drawing up plans for our time at Corio, supervision rosters for evening prep sessions and meals were organised as well as helping students pack up their gear and tidy their Units. On top of all of this, staff then set about packing up their own homes and important possessions in case the fires came our way. The evacuations were seamless and the alternative programmes ran extremely well at Corio. We still ran our crossies and long runs, we held Chapel services, and we even carried out long jobs around campus. And all of this happened with cooperation, energy and cheerfulness. For me, the torrid time we experienced with evacuations, altered programmes and uncertainty was eased knowing the strength and support of the parent community. Certainly, the amount of trust placed in us as a School at the beginning of the year is enormous, when students are given into our care for an entire year in a remote and 10

2 challenging bush environment. However, to place complete trust in us with the additional worry of fires shows tremendous faith in our teachers and support staff. Many parents realised the logistical nightmare we faced and were incredibly supportive of the decisions we made. I received a plethora of emails, many hundreds, during the bushfires with comments such as this from our parent body: “I would just like to compliment you on what an extraordinary job you are all doing under such difficult and unknown conditions…” and, “Can I thank you for what must be a very difficult and trying logistical situation with all the Timbertop students!  I hope you will be able to return safely soon, and life return to normal.  For the students, everything about Timbertop is new anyway, but for most of the staff, this disruption affects both their work and their home lives, and must be very uncomfortable.” As well as this, “It has been a very trying time for all concerned. I would like to let you know we have felt perfectly comfortable with all that you & staff have done. The constant updating of emails has been great…” and,

visit our website: www.ggs.vic.edu.au for the latest Timbertop News

“You are all doing a fantastic job in the most unbelievable circumstances.” At the core of Positive Education at Geelong Grammar School is building resilience in our students, and I do believe our parents demonstrated extraordinary resilience as well during the bushfires. As Henry Beecher once said, “Affliction comes to us, not to make us sad but sober; not to make us sorry but wise“ …and this, I think, will be an effect of the 2009 bushfires. As an entire community which was forced to take stock of what was important, we met adversity head on, and we tried to be proactive and strong during an unusual and uneasy start to the Timbertop year. Roger Herbert Head of Timbertop 1. Chapel service on the ‘Up Timbertop’ hike during which students reflected on our Indigenous ancestors and the devastating effect of the recent fires. 2. Support and inter-reliance can help us all climb those mountains.

Proposed Geelong Grammar

Expedition to Antarctica In December 2009, a group of students will have the tremendous opportunity of experiencing the wonders of Antarctica. The proposed expedition will be over three weeks and will be led by Eric Philips OAM, who is the director of Icetrek. Eric is well-known to the GGS community having been the Director of Outdoor Education at Timbertop from 1988 to 1992. Eric is one of only two Australians to ski to both the North and South poles and in 2004 was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for achievements in polar exploration.

possibility of spending some time contributing to the restoration of an existing historic hut. Throughout this year, staff and students will be involved in the following preparation activities: sailing, cross-country skiing, snow camping, remote first aid, Antarctica history, polar explorers, leadership, teamwork, climate change, carbon footprint calculations, scientific research, fitness activities and more. We would also like the students to hear from a range of guest speakers with relevant knowledge and experience.

Two GGS staff members are driving this exciting initiative, Stephen Pearce (Head of Barrabool House) and Justin Robinson (Head of Allen House). An information evening for interested students and parents will be held early in Term 2 and details of the proposed itinerary and extensive preparation activities will be outlined. The expedition will involve flying to Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world and capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego. The expedition then commences with the group sailing the unpredictable waters of the Drake Passage before landing on the Antarctic Peninsula. Whilst on the Peninsula students will be involved in cross country skiing, snow camping, trekking and seakayaking. We are also investigating ways in which the students will be able to contribute to current scientific experiments and there is the

The School is interested to know of any member of the broader GGS community who has a passion for Antarctica or would like to offer their experience, advice or services in any form for the preparation of the journey. Whilst only a small number of students and staff will experience this trip first hand, we hope the whole GGS community will embrace this inspiring project. If anyone would like to discuss any aspect of the proposed trip they should e-mail Stephen Pearce (stephenp@ ggs.vic.edu.au) and/or Justin Robinson (justinr@ggs.vic.edu.au). Justin Robinson Head of Allen House Stephen Pearce Head of Barrabool House

Music Concert Series 2009 Paul Rettke Trio Featuring Allan Browne and Dean Addison Wednesday 13 May Chapel of All Saints Corio Campus 7.30pm $25

“Three superb individual musicians blended to a splendid trio to perform interesting original music by Paul Rettke.” Jim Mc Leod “Jazz Track” ABC Classical FM. The Paul Rettke Trio, a beautiful Melbourne band featuring the leader on guitar. Paul is also a lovely singer, with something of a Chet Baker quality in his voice...it was also nice to hear the clever originals”. Eric Myers, Australian National Jazz Co-oordinator. “Titled Lingering At The Lane, produced by Rettke and engineered by Robin Gray, it is a fine record with a big, warm sound and sublime performances from the group”. Kenny Weir, Sunday Herald Sun.

Gil Sullivan

Tuesday 11 August Music School Hall Corio Campus 7.30pm $25 Australian concert pianist Gil Sullivan tours extensively both around Australia and overseas. He has given recitals in New York’s Carnegie Hall, Vietnam’s National Opera House, the Claremont Opera House – New Hampshire (USA), the National Concert Halls of Thailand, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea, and has recorded for CD concertos by Tchaikovsky and Schumann with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Critics have been unanimous in their praise: in Germany, the Südhessen Woche described him as “the finest interpreter of Mozart in the world”, while the Weinheimer Nachrichten said, “There were so many magical moments…even Brahms himself would have been impressed” (of the 2nd Brahms Sonata).

Carus and The True Believers

Monday 9 November Chapel of All Saints Corio Campus 7.30pm $30 Carus hails from Fremantle and has delighted audiences for years with his funky reggae sound mixed with traditional OZ pub rock traditions. Carus will be accompanied by The True Believers for this concert at Geelong Grammar School. The True Believers are made up of John Bedggood (Cu’92) on piano, mandolin and violin; Jason McGann on drums and Andy Fry on bass. “They are like The E Street band, quietly and essentially building a platform from which their front guy can have a crack at a somersault.” Greg Arnold Bookings can be placed via the Events section of the School website (www.ggs. vic.edu.au/events) or by calling Helen Grozdanovski at the Music School on tel: +61 3 5273 9275. 11

Much of the research into wellbeing in recent times has confirmed what we have suspected at Bostock House since its inception. The research is informing us that a resilient person is happier, enjoys greater longevity and is less likely to suffer from depression and other illnesses. Resilient people are also ‘happier’ and more successful in their relationships at home, work and school. Modern-day life inescapably brings some times of adversity and stress and the aforementioned research has demonstrated that how we reason about, and react to the same, affects our general wellbeing and quality of life. We have always been aware that the early years of a child’s education is the time in which they develop behaviour patterns, attitudes and a sense of self. It is consequently the ideal time to begin to introduce resilience-building skills and ways of thinking and reacting that will impact on the individual’s overall outlook. We have always been conscious of the building of resilience in our students at Bostock House. Until recently, our work in this area has primarily focussed on building self-esteem. As a result of what we have learnt from Positive Education, we now know how important an individual’s thinking process and style is in dealing with stress and adversity. We have also learnt that these skills and processes can be taught. 12

At Bostock House we aspire to teach and develop these skills and to provide an environment in which they can develop and flourish. We also seek to discourage and redirect non-resilient thinking styles which can see children developing flawed and negative beliefs about the world around them and life in general. Children at Bostock enjoy a sense of inclusiveness and belonging second to none, and are prepared to ‘have a go’; in fact they recognise that making mistakes can be a way of learning and that it is acceptable not to get everything right the first time. Our community is based on trust, respect, honest communication and fun. Our classrooms are not hierarchical; the emphasis is on a community within a community in which children enjoy even closer relationships and support. At Bostock we want our children to think, feel and act in a manner that will best enable them to enjoy a fulfilling, happy and meaningful life and to cope with any adversity that they may face. We aim to equip them with the skill to do this while being positive about themselves and their future and making practical sense of 6 their world. Daryl Moorfoot Head of Bostock Campus

visit our website: www.ggs.vic.edu.au for the latest Bostock House News

5 1. Meditation and mindfulness in Year 3. 2. Buddies mean support and friendship. 3. Celebrating excellence. 4. Humour is a great strength. 5. Play is a way to learn.

1 1

As a community we strive to support our children when coping with any given situation that can unsettle them. We ask them to be resilient and we hope they use the many opportunities that come their way during their time at the Toorak Campus to do this. In so many ways, resiliency comes from a child’s external and internal resources. Their external resources consist of what they have. Their internal resources consist of who they are and what they can do. Children have people that they trust. They have certain boundaries and structures for their safety. We hope they identify with people who set appropriate examples of how to behave - role models in every sense. Of course, we encourage them to do things on their own, to grow into independent thinkers, autonomous in their endeavours.

2 2

3 3

There is no doubt that every child gains a sense of who they are from the way they are treated by others. Therefore, a child is more likely to be resilient if they feel positive about themselves and what they have to offer.

boundaries. We foster trusting relationships, spending time listening to and sharing in their fun. Communication is a key element to this process as is the ability to make mistakes and move on.

In addition, as a community we know our children will show greater resiliency if they do kind things for others and show concern. As a result they will be able to feel proud of themselves and thus more able to take responsibility for what they do.

As the children move on at the end of Year 6, we are proud of their achievements, built up over many years from the development of the qualities we feel are important for their lives ahead.

We encourage our children to communicate, to solve problems and to manage their feelings and impulses. In this way they will develop more resiliency to any given situation. Throughout our campus, we take steps to actively build a child’s resiliency. Our safe and nurturing environment gives them their secure

Garry Pierson Head of Toorak Campus

1. Toorak Campus students put their heads together in the theme of building resilience. 2. Alicia Sutcliffe Yr 1. 3. L to R: Aaron Craine and Katherine May.

Resilience Programme -

Bushfires

When thinking of resilience we cannot help but turn our attention to the recent devastation from bushfires and the impact that this tragic event has had on so many people in our community. These events prompted our children to consider the concept of resilience through a pro-social lens. What does it mean to be resilient after something as far-reaching as this recent tragedy? What responsibility do we have towards others to support them with their resilience? What action can we take to help others in times of need? Within the Transition Prep to Year 2 community the children engaged in meaningful discussion about the fires both at home with their families and at School with their teachers and peers. In the Prep classroom the tragedy of the recent bushfires was raised in Morning Meeting. The children began by talking about how the people affected by the fires were feeling and their

fear and sadness. But as the discussion evolved they started to think and talk about how they could help. ‘But we need to help them!’ ‘They need clothes and food.’ ‘There are people who don’t have houses any more.’ ‘They need someone to build them a new house.’ ‘Could they come to our School?’ ‘I think we need to go to every classroom to ask all the children to bring money to help the people who lost everything in the fires.’ On Friday 13 February the fundraising took place. Children throughout the campus stood proudly at the gates collecting money for both the Red Cross and RSPCA. Collectively they helped to raise money for the communities affected by the fires. Through discussion, quiet reflection and action we

L to R: Pippa Naylor and Edward Rayner

began, as a community, to develop a deeper understanding of what it is to cope and what it is to be resilient. Dear CFA Fire Fighters, “Thank you for saving our lives and our wildlife and our world. If it weren’t for you the fires would be everywhere. If you weren’t in our town people’s lives would be in danger.” From André (Year 2)

visit our website: www.ggs.vic.edu.au for the latest Toorak Campus News

Rev’d Dr Hugh Kempster Senior Chaplain

Diary of our

Senior Chaplain What a term we have had. The hardest thing for many of us at Corio, both staff and students, was Will Paterson’s death on Saturday 21 February. The death of someone close to us breaks into the everyday routine of life like a sledgehammer. I remember distinctly the moment when news of Will’s death swept the campus. The laughter and fun of Family Day was suddenly snuffed out, and replaced by a haunting silence that was soon pierced by distraught sobbing and wailing. We wept in one another’s arms, or alone, and many of us made our way to the Chapel to light a candle. So began a week of mourning that concluded with a powerful Service of Remembrance on the Paterson family farm, and then our own Memorial Service in the Chapel here at Corio. What then followed was the equally hard task of getting back into the everyday life at School. We had to put one foot in front of the other, and try to piece back together a sense of normalcy. Death, they say, is the only sure thing in life, but that doesn’t make it any easier when we encounter it. We are forced to face head-on the grim reality that life is incredibly fragile. We don’t live forever. None of us are the invincible super-heroes and death-dodgers of Hollywood movies. Ancient words from the Bible still make sense today: “As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone” (Psalm 103:15-16). But as well as confronting us with the inyour-face harsh reality of human existence, death opens a window of possibility into something beyond the here and now. Whatever our religious framework, and whether we understand it in psychological or spiritual terms, the simple fact is that for many of us death brings with it a heightened awareness of something beyond life. The after-life if you like. I pride myself on being a critical thinker, and a progressive, honest-toGod kind of priest, but I have had a number of experiences around death and dying that have significantly shaped my view of the world. One of these experiences took place about three weeks after Will’s death. It is early morning, and still dark. I am out running on Limeburners’ Bay, and I hear 14

footsteps behind me. Probably Robo or Deano, I say to myself, they’ll soon catch up with me. Then I nearly bump into some runners coming the other way, and I take the opportunity to turn to see who it is following me. There is no one there. I run on and suddenly feel Will’s presence. I know you’ll think I’m mad, but he is there running with me. He is as real as I am. I feel a deep sense of compassion for him, and wish him well on his journey. I tell him that God will go with him. Then the tears come, and I realise that I’ve been so busy caring for others that I’ve not had time to weep myself. I thank him, and then I hear the footsteps behind me again. And he is gone. It was a deeply moving experience, but not one that is in any way unique. I’ve spoken to many people who have had similar experiences. Most cultures around the world have an understanding of the spirit’s journey beyond death. Aboriginal peoples have for millennia developed rituals to ensure the dead person’s spirit leaves the area of its death and returns to where it was born to prepare for re-birth. For the Maori people, spirits of the deceased journey to the northernmost tip of New Zealand, and then onwards across the Pacific to their ancestral home. The stories of Jesus’ resurrection sit within this tradition of post-death experiences, but with an important difference, which we’ll get to in a moment. In John’s gospel, so often heard in churches at Easter, we have a wonderful collection of such stories: the mystery of the empty tomb; Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene, who thinks he is the gardener; Jesus passing through locked doors and leaving a message of hope with the disciples “peace be with you”; doubting Thomas is not there then, so he needs his own visitation; and finally Jesus appears on the beach and treats his friends to a barbecue breakfast. So what is the difference? What is so special about these stories? Spiritual experiences of recently deceased people are quite common, but they don’t generally lead to a new world religion on the scale of Christianity. Biblical theologian, Marcus Borg has this to say (Borg and Wright, The Meaning of Jesus , p. 129):

“Easter startles us. Into the story of Jesus it introduces post-death experiences plus the extraordinary affirmation that a Galilean Jewish peasant is ‘Lord,’ claiming our allegiance and participating in the power and being of God.” This is the difference between my experience of running with Will and the spiritual connection that is possible through the risen Christ. We sum it up in a short sentence: “Jesus is Lord.” Or in other words, Jesus is God. The spiritual experiences of faith connect us with something much bigger than ourselves, and much bigger than an individual’s spirit. And that is not to exclude the other major world religions, or the sophisticated Aboriginal traditions of Ancestral Beings and the Dreamtime. They all do much the same. The message of Easter is really quite simple. Be open to God. Be open to God’s mysterious Spirit. Be open to the spirit of God in Jesus, which is as living and present now as it was in the early church. And if this is not your culture, then I encourage you to be open to the great spiritual traditions from your own background; because through these dimensions you will find profound truth; you will tap into a reality that nurtures goodness and wellbeing in your own life, and in the lives of those around you. That’s a fact. Rev’d Dr Hugh Kempster Senior Chaplain

Habitat for

Humanity Each term there are charity collections, and in 2008 the Year 11 students decided that they wanted to contribute to a project in which they could actually see how the money was spent, and take part in helping some of the recipients themselves. This was the genesis of the Cambodia Council – a fundraising effort for Habitat for Humanity in connection with a housing project in a slum village settlement near Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital. Over a fortnight in January 2009, Dr Corfield, Mrs Sun, and five students were in Cambodia where they took part in the building of two houses. It was an eye-opening trip for everybody. Leaving at 7.30am, we went by minibus to the building site where –with breaks – we worked until 4pm. This involved shovelling sand (for most of the time), compacting it, and laying bricks. In the evenings we were able to discuss our progress with some of the most senior political figures in the country, who were delighted to follow our progress, Senator Kong Korm joining us at the site halfway through the project. By the end of our time in Cambodia, we had largely finished the two houses although they still needed back walls and roofs. The two recipient families were more than happy with the results. One was a car mechanic, and

his wife who had just given birth to their first child; and the other was that of a driver and his wife who worked at the nearby garment factory, with two young children, the boy missing one day of school to help us move some stones. Both families have low-interest mortgage payments, but with the repayment rates less than their current rent. At the end of five years, they will own their own houses and land. Each day we left the site, it was wonderful to see one of the proud house owners come and tenderly pat down the sand which is now the floor of her bedroom. We also visited the Sunrise Children’s Village where we saw how Geraldine Cox, from South Australia, has been able to inject such hope into the lives of so many children; and at a nearby wildlife sanctuary, we met Chhouk, a baby elephant who lost part of his foot in a trap, and is having a new prosthesis made. We then headed to northern Cambodia where we explored the temples at Angkor complex by minibus and by elephant.

Millington who started the project but was unable to be with us in Cambodia. Dr Justin Corfield Teacher of History 1. Building the foundations – Senator Kong Korm, former Foreign Minister, and the Deputy Opposition Leader in Cambodia, lends a hand to Jian Wen Jen, Sam Aull, Dr Corfield and Andy Hsiao. 2. Sabrina Tee and Lauren Simpson at Angkor. 3. Lauren Simpson, Dr Corfield, Jian Wen Jen, Sam Aull, Andy Hsiao, Mrs Sun and Sabrina Tee with some of the new house owners. 4. Dinner with Senator General Nhek Bun Chhay, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia. 5. Lunch with HRH Samdech Krom Preah (Prince) Norodom Ranariddh, former Prime Minister of Cambodia.

We would like to thank the local staff of Habitat for Humanity, Prince Norodom Ranariddh for lending us a car (after our minibus crashed); Mr Meek, Mr Scudamore and the School community for their support during a year of fundraising; and also Alex 15

Timbertop D Unit Campaign Timbertop Rising to the Challenge Timbertop is a uniquely beautiful place, a place where our students have the chance to reflect, to think and feel, and to grow. Timbertop is a time of new experiences, challenges and teamwork. Central to the Timbertop experience is Unit life. Unit life is where students have the opportunity to develop a sense of identity and responsibility and learn the valuable lessons of human relationships. The older Units at Timbertop were constructed by students 55 years ago and have served the campus well. Now it is time to replace the tired but proud original Units so that students for the next 50-plus years can be afforded the same unique educational opportunities that so many Old Geelong Grammarians have experienced. The School is now preparing to replace the older Units, beginning with D Unit, and followed in time by the gradual replacement of the other Units. We must act immediately if the Timbertop we know today is to remain for future generations.

It is essential that replacement Units be constructed to meet the new building regulations while retaining the special qualities which reflect the original Timbertop educational philosophy. The new Units will provide ecologically sustainable design concepts which will meet the requirements of the Australian Standards for construction in bushfire-prone areas. Through the extensive use of weather-retardant materials, concrete -slab floor and double-glazed windows we will be providing enhanced safety for our students and staff. Timbertop is the flagship of all outdoor education programmes in Australia and is recognised worldwide as a leader in the area. Over the next few months the 700plus men and boys who have called D Unit home, together with parents and friends, will be asked to support the D Unit Campaign. Through collective support, future generations of students will enjoy the Timbertop experience. If you would like to support the D Unit Campaign, please contact Jennifer Wraight at GGS on (03) 5273 9297 or Elizabeth Pont (03) 5273 9254.

1. Historic photograph of Timbertopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s D and E Units. 2. Photograph of Timbertopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s D Unit taken in 1957 by Tim Cox. 3. A recent photograph of Timbertop students taken outside D Unit.

Equestrian

Centre

As you turn into School Road and drive towards Biddlecombe Avenue, you will see the horse shelters, arenas and stables that today make up the Geelong Grammar School Equestrian Centre. The creation of an Equestrian Centre at GGS in 1997 has enabled 250 students over the past 11 years to bring their horses to School and thus continue riding – an interest begun in childhood, which for many becomes a lifelong passion. With the inspired leadership and energy of GGS Equestrian Manager Marina Oman (Je’76), the Equestrian Centre has evolved from a small stable to a successful riding facility with two outdoor arenas where students can practise and compete in dressage, eventing and jumping. Starting out with just a few horses in 1997, we now have the capacity to accommodate 40 horses on 60 acres. The combination of Marian’s hard work and commitment, combined with the support of the GGS families has made the success of the Centre possible.

Plans are now in place for developing a $1.7m Indoor Arena and expanding adjoining facilities. When opened, this development will: • provide access to an all-weather riding arena, allowing extended riding hours during winter and protection from extreme weather conditions for riders • ensure that students who want to take their equestrian activities to the next level, particularly those wanting to pursue related tertiary studies, have access to a first-rate instruction arena

The increasing popularity of riding has been matched recently by an increasing number of students wishing to bring their horses to School, confirming the need for improved and expanded facilities.

• deliver an Equestrian Centre with the capacity to host local and international events, and broaden our students’ opportunities, without extensive travel to compete in such events

After almost 12 years, we have now outgrown our current facilities. The proposed expansion of the Equestrian Centre will address the current congestion faced by students, while providing opportunities to those students who also wish to bring their horses to school.

While GGS students will be the primary beneficiaries of the expanded Equestrian Centre, other groups such as Riding for the Disabled will be invited to use the facilities. Our students will be encouraged to assist with some of these activities, enabling them to learn valuable lessons by contributing to the wider community in the GGS spirit of altruism.

Annual Giving

Campaign

This year our Annual Giving fundraising efforts will support three diverse projects, all of which will lead to positive opportunities for all GGS students. • The Library Fund will support the upgrading of the Timbertop Library. • The Building Fund will support the refurbishment of the fountain in the Main Quad. • The Scholarship Fund will support current and future GGS students. It is our aim to raise $30,000 to enhance the educational and recreational material at Timbertop. Libraries are central to all learning and our students at Timbertop rely heavily on print resources particularly reference materials to support their academic studies. The Timbertop library, in keeping with the educational philosophy of the campus, is not supported by electronic resources. If we are to enhance our current educational and recreational materials at Timbertop we need to raise $30,000 during this year’s appeal. We are continually striving to build our Scholarship Fund and thus increase the

The ongoing costs of running the Centre, and ultimately its long-term sustainability, will be offset by hiring it to outside equestrian clubs and organisations to host clinics, competitions and riding camps, thereby providing the wider riding community with access to these specialised facilities. We hope to raise funds to help this dream come a reality as we believe a fully equipped modern Equestrian Centre will become a focal point for GGS students as well as the broader equestrian community - we are indeed raising the bar and encouraging our students to jump higher in pursuing their equestrian endeavours, and once again our School will be recognised as a place where students can pursue their dreams. We will shortly be launching a Campaign to raise the necessary funds for the building of our new Centre. For further information, please contact Jennifer Wraight, Fundraising Manager, on telephone: (03) 5227 6297 or email: jwraight@ggs.vic. edu.au or mobile: 0409 333 127. Jennifer Wraight Fundraising Manager number of students who can benefit from GGS experience. We are endeavouring to raise $150,000, the equivalent of 3 full Boarding Scholarships for one academic year. Through our Scholarship programme we will ensure that we continue to retain a diverse student population. The Main Quad Fountain, generously donated by Samuel McCaughey in 1914, is now in need of restoration. To help restore the serene sound of trickling water back into the Main Quad, we hope to raise $75,000. The refurbishment will include the replacement of the underground tank and support structure of the fountain and the installing of a reticulation system which complies with water-saving strategies. It is through the maintenance of heritage features, such as the fountain, that we have the opportunity to continue the links with the generations of students who have passed through the Main Quad. Your support to the 2009 Annual Giving Fund will be greatly appreciated and warmly received. Thank you. Jennifer Wraight Fundraising Manager 17

Positive Education -

an interview with Dr Mathew White,

Head of Positive Education What is Positive Education?

How is it being taught?

Positive Education at Geelong Grammar School is a whole-School approach to teaching and learning from ELC to Year 12. It uses implicit and explicit teaching of Positive Psychology skills and principles across all aspects of School life: academic subjects, pastoral life, the co curriculum programme and specific Positive Psychology programmes in Years 7 and 10.

Positive Education is being taught explicitly in Year 7 through the Penn Resiliency Programme (PRP) and in Year 10 through the Strath Haven Positive Psychology Curriculum. These explicit Positive Psychology Programmes are written by some of the world’s leading psychologists in Positive Psychology and resilience, and have been developed in collaboration with experienced classroom teachers.

The aims of Positive Education are to: • increase the experience of positive emotions in our students • encourage students to engage their signature strengths for personal and community goals • engage students to live meaningful lives to find purpose and make a difference to our communities at large

Why does GGS think that Positive Education is important? At Geelong Grammar School Positive Education is for everyone. We have understood for a long time that parents want schools to teach more than academic achievement. They also want us to cultivate creativity, resilience, optimism, character strengths, and wellbeing in their children. We know that schools are associated with results, high stakes competition, league tables, and sporting events. But schools can be much more than factories. Schools can, and should foster the optimism of the young; establish hope and ambition for a new generation. There is also a very real need to address the increasing occurrence of depression in young people. The organisation Beyond Blue has found that depression and anxiety are the most common mental-health problems in young people. At any point, up to five percent of adolescents experience depression that is severe enough to warrant treatment, and around 20% of young people will have experienced major depressive symptoms by the time they reach adulthood1. And there is another very good reason why GGS believes that Positive Education has an important place in the School environment - increases in overall student wellbeing are likely to produce increases in learning. Positive mood produces broader attention2, more creative thinking3, and more holistic thinking4. In contrast, negative mood produces narrower attention5, more critical thinking, and more analytic thinking6. Both ways of thinking are important, but schools have traditionally emphasized critical, rather than creative thinking. Imagine if we were able to teach our students both. 18

In addition to the explicit Positive Psychology Programmes, Positive Education is also being taught implicitly in specific timetabled lessons from ELC – Year 12 and through all aspects of School life: academic subjects, pastoral life, and the co curriculum programme. Our pioneering approach of running explicit and implicit programmes across all aspects of School life is gaining interest from Education Faculties at Universities across Australia and also overseas.

Who is teaching it? This is where, what we are doing at GGS is ground-breaking. Previous deliveries of similar courses have been assigned to the Physical Education Department or humanities teachers, but in 2008 the Leadership Team of the School took the visionary decision to create the Positive Education Department, comprising 12 teachers at Corio, to teach the explicit programmes. The rationale for the structure of the Department was to mirror the way we engage with wellbeing in life rather than compartmentalise wellbeing into a particular subject discipline. Teachers are drawn from departments including Literature, Languages other than English, Economics, History, Geography, Experimental Sciences and Mathematics. The strength of the team is that all teachers are involved in the School’s pastoral programme and cocurriculum programme. The creation of the Positive Education Department and my position as Head, is a powerful statement of the School’s commitment to ensuring that Positive Education is central to life at GGS. But the boundary of Positive Education does not end with the members of the Department. More than 160 Geelong Grammar staff have taken part in intensive residential training courses with Professor Martin Seligman and his team of experts through which they learned and practised the principles and skills that build resilience, optimism, character strengths, engagement in the classroom, positive communication, and positive relationships. Each of these teachers is able to use this learning in their classes and activities and it is in this way that Positive Education can

Dr Mathew White Head of Positive Education Dr Mathew White (GGS Staff 1998-) is Head of Positive Education (HOPE) and a Fellow in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne. He has held administrative and pastoral positions of responsibility since 1999 including International Baccalaureate Coordinator, Assistant Head of Barrabool and Manifold Houses. He maintains his pastoral role as a tutor in Manifold. He has taught Senior School English Literature and French, Theory of Knowledge and coached tennis and soccer. Mathew is a member of the Australian Practitioners’ Advisory Board for 2nd Australian Positive Psychology and Wellbeing Conference.

influence every student - in the classroom, on the sports field and in their House - at each of our campuses, every day.

What are students learning? There are seven over-arching topics in the implicit approach around which discussions are based: • emotion • strengths • self-efficacy • mindfulness

• gratitude • creativity • resilience

Combined with this are specifically created lessons delivered through the explicit Positive Psychology Programmes in Years 7 and 10, which teach students the skills required to tackle life’s challenges. These include: • Thinking and Explanatory Styles • Thinking Traps • Detecting Icebergs (Underlying and Surface Beliefs) • Challenging Beliefs • Putting It Into Perspective • Real-time Resilience

What difference will it make to students? Positive Education is a promise, not a guarantee. But there have been a number of measurable benefits from the programmes that we are teaching. In previous studies, students who have completed the explicit Years 7 and 10 programmes have reported differences including: positive effects on depressive symptoms, improved explanatory style for negative events and significant impacts on depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorders. There have also been reports of increased levels of creativity, better critical thinking skills and increased levels of positive emotion.

2 What evidence is there to support this?

What is happening in the next 12 months?

It is important to remember that this is a relatively new area in the science of psychology. However, there have been important achievements over the past ten years through the work of more than forty of the world’s leading psychologists including visionaries such as Mike Csikszentmihalyi, Ed Deiner, Ray Fowler, Barbara Fredrickson, Howard Gardner and George Vaillant.

We have some exciting Positive Education curriculum initiatives coming up. Spearheaded by the Art Department at GGS, our students and teachers from ELC through to Year 12 will explore an embedded unit on the emotion of optimism as part of the implicit Positive Education Programme. The culmination of this will be an exhibition titled Cusp to be opened in the second week of Term 2 2009 by Julie Ewington, Head of Australian Art at the Queensland Gallery of Art and the curator of Australian Optimism: the Exhibition. Cusp will comprise parallel explorations and exhibitions at Wellington College in the United Kingdom, the KIPP Academies in New York, and Riverdale Country School, New York.

Through the Penn Resiliency and Strath Haven Programmes, Martin Seligman, Karen Reivich and Jane Gillham have made major contributions in this area. The Penn Resiliency Programme approach and the potential for it to act as a useful tool for fruitful reflection on emotion is based on thirteen controlled evaluations delivered in Australia, the US and China in rural and metropolitan settings. The peer-reviewed literature evaluating the experiences of over 2300 students aged between 8 and 15 years in over twenty-two peer-reviewed articles from 1994-2008 highlights the efficacy of the programme (Positive Psychology Center, 2009). This is just an overview, but the full details of the scientific basis for the Positive Psychology approach are available on the Penn website www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/prpsum.htm

Our ELC - Year 6 students are integrating the emotion of optimism in creative and Performing Arts subjects with their classroom curriculum, focussing on the development of critical and creative thinking skills and our teachers shaping learning assessment tasks to harness creative talents and abilities. We also have a Strengths Conference planned for our students at Timbertop, and Meditation and Mindfulness Programmes with our Year 5 and 6 students at Middle School and Toorak Campus.

1. The ‘Butterfly Project’ at Bostock House will remind students and staff of the individual and special strengths that we all have to share with each other. 2. Our Timbertop students have had to call upon their resilience skills given the unsettled start to their year with two evacuations to Corio due to the Victorian bushfires. Students were very happy to get back to tackling the usual challenges of the High Country through the running and hiking programme. 3. Explicit Positive Psychology Programmes are taught at Corio in Year 7 and Year 10. These specifically designed classes teach students key resilience skills to help them to tackle life’s challenges.

We are committed to supporting ongoing research to help define Positive Education and have one important project already underway. Bill Hallam, a PhD student from the University of Melbourne, is considering the link between Character Values and Adolescent Wellbeing. The School has been asked to participate in a number of important conferences advancing the area of Positive Education and Positive Psychology in Australia and overseas, including the first Australian Positive Psychology in Education Symposium to be held at the University of Sydney in May and the First World Congress on Positive Psychology to be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States of America in June. At this Conference, the panel on Positive Education in Schools will bring together the leading Master Teachers from 19

three continents: David Levin, Superintendent, KIPP Academies, New York; Dominic Randolph, Head of School, Riverdale Country School, New York; Dr Karen Reivich, University of Pennsylvania, USA; and myself.

The School remains committed to one of the original objectives in introducing Positive Education – to share the knowledge for the benefit of other schools and the wider community. One project that we are particularly excited about is a Symposium on Positive Psychology and Rural Health to take place at the School in Term 3. The details of this are being finalised at the moment – but it will be a collaborative project between GGS, the National Centre for Farmer Health and Deakin University’s Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences. This will be a particularly important event for our rural community and it will be open to the public. More details will be made available through the GGS website. In our work with other schools, more than 250 educators from across Australia attended the six-day fully residential Positive Education Training Conference held at the School in January. Principals, school leaders, classroom teachers and school counsellors from across Australia learned and practised the principles and skills of Positive Psychology to build resilience, optimism, character strengths, engagement in the classroom, positive communication, and positive relationships. The feedback that we have had from those who attended has been overwhelmingly positive, with many of them

already implementing programmes with their students using the curriculum materials that they received at the Conference. As you can see, we are looking forward to a busy 12 months! References: 1. National Health and Medical Research Council. Depression in Young People: Clinical Practice Guidelines. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1997. 2. Fredrickson & Branigan, 2005; Bolte et al., 2003; Rowe et al., 2007 3. Isen et al., 1987; Estrada et al., 1994 4. Isen et al., 1991; Kuhl, 1983, 2000 5. Kuhl, 1983, 2000 6. Bolte et al., 2003 4. It was a beautiful morning so we decided to begin the day with yoga, as we believe that it is important for our children to develop the skill of mindfulness and understand its importance in wellbeing and happiness. The Year 2 students invited the Year 1 students to join them for a yoga session on the Oval. 5. Year 6 students have been thinking about the characteristics that are important to wellbeing while on camp. As part of the ‘Personal Identity’ theme, they made decorative shields that display the four characteristics that they have that will shield against adversity while on camp. During the camp experience, students were encouraged to use the necessary strength to overcome an adversity or challenge.

HMAS

Newcastle Visit The Commanding Officer of the HMAS Newcastle, Justin Jones (M’87) kindly offered to give GGS students a tour of the ship when it was docked in Melbourne on the weekend of 28/29 March 2009.

2 1. Commanding Officer of the HMAS Newcastle, Justin Jones (M’87) was a former Barrabool student and is pictured here with the current Barrabool students.

2. Commander Justin Jones (M’87) pictured with a group of Connewarre students following their tour of the ship.

Around 45 students from Year 7 were able to tour the ship thanks to the organisation of Commander Jones, Tom Ashton, Head of Barwon House (and former teacher of Justin) and Shem Fitzgerald, Assistant Head of Barwon House. Commander Jones personally led one group of students and other officers led three more groups around the ship to see among other things the bridge and the communications room. It was a special insight into life aboard the Navy guided missile frigate. Sincere thanks to Commander Jones and his crew for a wonderful afternoon. Commander Jones has also made it possible to hold the NSW OGG Branch Cocktail Party aboard the HMAS Newcastle in Sydney on Wednesday 6 May 2009. Katie Rafferty (Spry, Ga’84) Alumni Manager

Welcome to our New School Captains

A question people sometimes ask me is “who are you?”, and I can never seem to give a proper answer. I think this is because who I am changes as I grow, but there are a few things that remain fairly constant:

Elisabeth Murdoch House A New Beginning Following the announcement of the new Senior Girls’ Boarding House and the subsequent anticipation of House’s distinctive colour, there was a flurry of activity and an army of people who worked long hours over the Christmas and New Year period to complete the refurbishment of the old Kennedy Medical Centre to prepare for the arrival of the twenty girls who will be forever known as the ‘first EM girls’. The building was transformed into a warm and inviting space with the laying down of new carpet, new drapes, fresh coats of paint and the installation of new beds and studies. Work was completed under the watchful eye of Gordon Agnew and his very professional teams of men and women who completed the work on time, in readiness for the arrival of the girls.

A happy and relaxed atmosphere soon developed and we began to welcome a steady stream of visitors who were curious to see the ‘new House’ and meet the girls. It did not take long before the girls began to turn their attention to House Music, House Swimming Competitions, Camps, Activity selections, various committees as well as the discipline of a full Academic and Sporting programme. In other words, the girls have thrown themselves into life at Corio, along with all of the other Year 10 students. They just happen to be doing it in a new and very attractive coloured House blazer. Christine Howes Head of Elisabeth Murdoch House

It was a great thrill for all of us to see how quickly the EM girls took to their temporary home. Soon the House was full of conversation with everyone getting to know each other. Music was played and stories were shared.

Timbertop

Wine

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to taste our latest 2006 Timbertop Merlot Cabernet. On the advice of our expert winemakers, we have blended the fine Merlot grapes from the Timbertop vineyard with cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon to make this delicious wine 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Timbertop vineyard is the result of nearly 11 years work by students, staff and friends of Timbertop. What began in 1995 with six hundred vines has grown to more than 3 hectares, thanks to the advice, help and generosity of the Ritchie family, owners of the Delatite Winery just outside Mansfield. Proceeds from Timbertop wine sales are used for a variety of projects across the School’s five campuses, determined each year by the School Principal in consultation

with the School Council. Projects may include scholarships, small capital works, curriculum initiatives and staff fellowships. There are only a limited number of cases of the 2006 Merlot Cabernet, so I do encourage you to reserve your case of this very special wine by phoning Karen Negrau at the GGS Shop on 03 52739329 or visiting our website www.ggs.vic.edu.au.

I spend most of my time in Melbourne or Manifold House, doing the IB, which keeps me fairly busy. I also love my running and enjoy my tennis. I like to talk, perhaps too much sometimes. Subsequently, I enjoy debating and acting. Theatre is something I really enjoy, and, ever since I arrived here in Year 7, I’ve done as many plays as possible, whether I was living in Barwon, C unit or Manifold. Throughout all those years, I’ve had a fantastic time. Boarding life has become an essential part of my being, and I can’t imagine it otherwise. I hope that as School Captains this year, Claire and I can help as many people have as an enjoyable experience as I have so far. I am excited about my position, but more importantly, I’m excited about this year. There is a great feel to this School, and I’m ecstatic to be part of it. Will Balmford (M,Yr12) It feels like a long time since our interviews with Mr Meek and Mr Scudamore. When they asked me to be the next female School Captain I could not have been more delighted. Over the past three years I have learnt much about Geelong Grammar School and the Geelong Grammar School community - a community I have enormous respect for. I feel honoured to be leading this School and I think this year will be fantastic. I hail from Wagga Wagga in country New South Wales where I live with my parents and siblings, two younger brothers Lachy and Dougall. I joined Geelong Grammar School at Timbertop but these days I board in Clyde House with more girls than I ever could have imagined when I pleaded with mum for a sister. I am currently undertaking the International Baccalaureate, which is an enjoyable challenge. I really take pleasure in playing sport, and as rowing winds up I am already looking forward to the netball season. Unlike Will I’m not much of a Thespian; however, I am more than happy to take him on in a debate! I look forward to meeting many of you throughout the year. Claire Hamilton (Cl, Yr12)

Bill Ranken Chairman, Geelong Grammar Foundation

1 Bill Mackinnon’s death on 15 February 2009 brought great sadness. He was President of the Foundation and one of the School’s greatest supporters. Bill was a founder in the 1970s of the Geelong Grammar School Endowment Trust (which became the Foundation) and served as a Board member, Chairman, and President until he died. He was actively encouraging Foundation business during his last week. He was passionate about advancing the School, about keeping in touch with its community, and about securing its future by raising funds. His foresight, wisdom, enthusiasm, charm, and great company will be sorely missed. Our deep sympathy goes to Judy and their family. Bill’s contribution is an inspiration to us all and an example of the great tradition of philanthropy that is essential to Geelong Grammar School. Many of the wonderful advances over recent years have been possible because of the generous support of people like Bill. Your Foundation supported the launch of Positive Education. As a result, the School is redefining the meaning of an ‘all-round education’ in the 21st century. This promises important long-term benefits for students, staff, parents, OGGs, and the wider Australian community. Elisabeth Murdoch House will, when complete for the beginning of the 2010 School year, achieve the objective set in the 1970s of a co-educational School with equal numbers of boys and girls. The plans for the new building will give promise of a Boarding House of world standard. Your support and generous bequests have built the magnificent Handbury Centre for Wellbeing and the new Glamorgan Centre at Toorak. The student and staff reaction to these buildings has been inspiring. The Sinclaire Centre and the Hirschfeld Mack Centre have revitalised arts and crafts at Corio while permits have been approved by the City of Greater Geelong for the building of two new staff houses. These facilities have

been funded through the generosity of Old Geelong Grammarians and friends of the School. Your Foundation now also takes an active role in bringing the community together. It hosted the recent Year 10 Parent Dinner at Corio attended by a record number of parents. Many will remember the very large Sesquicentenary celebrations in 2005. With your help we will commence the gradual rebuilding the Timbertop Units. D Unit will be the first Unit to be rebuilt and subject to a successful fundraising campaign plans are underway to start the rebuilding later this year. The generosity of the Fairfax and Albert families and others assisted with the opening of the new Timbertop Music Centre in 2006. New staff houses have also been built and it is proposed in the near future to re-build the Single Masters’ and Mistresses’ Quarters. Thanks to the support of the GGS community we have made a great start towards achieving the strategic aim of building $100M of Scholarship funds – the James Darling Memorial Fund and the GGS Scholarship Fund. Both these Funds enable students who otherwise would be unable to attend Geelong Grammar School the opportunity of experiencing a Geelong Grammar School education. The Scholarship Funds are a most worthy object for donations and bequests. I do hope that all our supporters can take great pleasure from these projects – Bill Mackinnon certainly did. Thank you to everyone who has helped make these and other initiatives a reality. But the job is never done. While these are difficult times, and we are faced with uncertain times, I do encourage you to consider helping the School in whatever way you can with gifts and bequests. They are vital to our future. Bill Ranken (M’72) Chairman, Geelong Grammar Foundation

3 1. Pictured at the Highton/Otway BBQ L to R: Jean Murray, Debbie Clingleffer-Woodford and Alison Green. 2. Bill Ranken, Geelong Grammar Foundation Chairman and Shadda Abercrombie completing the Charlie Scudamore Quiz at the Year 10 Parent Dinner. 3. Steve Hoban and Robert Vickers-Willis pictured at the Year 10 Parent Dinner.

Fiona Ratcliffe President, Old Geelong Grammarians

1 This is my last article as President of the Old Geelong Grammarians and hence gives rise to some reflection on what can be achieved in two years. I think we always underestimate the time it takes to do projects which seemingly could be done in a minute. However, there is also a benefit in taking some time as the Committee can thrash out issues, look at different ways of achieving their aims, talk to our members and finally come up with a solution. About two years ago Penny Dawson suggested we provide an OGG Travel service that would offer OGGs the ability to go on tours with other OGGs, parents and past parents. Over the ensuing period there have been moments when we felt it couldn’t work and that maybe we were on the wrong track. I am delighted to say that in this issue of Light Blue, Penny has written a brief article launching OGG Travel in conjunction with Peregrine Travel (thanks to Peter Lemon (FB’64)). Most importantly, Peregrine will donate a portion of the revenue to the Minyerri School Breakfast and Sporting Equipment programme at Hodgson Downs in the Northern Territory. A number of our present students come from the Minyerri community. As I mentioned in my last article, the Association covers a wide range of ages, which makes meeting their needs quite challenging. On Sunday March 1st we held a Planning Day at Corio for the Committee and Branch Presidents. Our newest Committee member, Lachie Stevens made an excellent proposal to build stronger ties with the Old Geelong Football Club at Como Park in Melbourne. Many of us will have spent our first few years after School down at Como or on a Saturday afternoon watching OGFC football matches knowing we would see a friend or two. There are plans afoot to develop the Como Park Pavilion, making it a wonderful location for OGG reunions. We will actively promote the OGFC to our younger members as a gathering place for football and netball matches plus social events. In these difficult economic times, we would like to have an OGG Jobs page in the new OGG section of the GGS Community Portal, due to be launched soon. We would encourage OGGs who are looking for work to

2 log on and visit the OGG Jobs message board. Similarly, OGG and parents who are looking for staff, please contribute to the message board as well. There is already a list of mentors on the site, so if you are just looking to talk to someone about your options, please explore the site. Finally we’d like to launch OGGs in the Outback for those OGGs like my niece Cecilia (He’08) who is on her way to Newry Station in the Northern Territory, to find a friendly OGG. It’s a long way from anywhere and to be able to find OGGs nearby (i.e. under 200kms!) might make settling in a little easier. Also, for young OGGs travelling round Australia they might like to drop in on School mates in remote areas. All will be revealed on the new portal so please keep logging on while I log off and return to Sydney. Fiona Ratcliffe (Archer, Je’77) President, Old Geelong Grammarians

OGGAsia Reunion We are thrilled that the OGGAsia reunion could be rescheduled for 2009. The Dinner will now be held on Saturday 30 May, in Bangkok Thailand, and we are pleased to announce that Mechai Viravaidya AO (P’59) will be the Guest Speaker. All OGGs are welcome and bookings for the Dinner can be made on line by visiting www.ggs.vic.edu.au/events

3 1. Stuart Cavill (Cu’91), Ben Grubb (FB’91), William Renwick (M’91) and Andrew Gunnersen (FB’91) attended the 1988 Timbertop Reunion in Merrijig. 2. At the 1988 Timbertop Reunion were Ali Hamson (Je’91), Gemma Marchant-Williams (Wilson, Cl’91) and Eda Williamson (Hindhaugh, Cl’91). 3. Henry Legoe (M’99), plays for the Old Geelong Football Club.

1968 Timbertop Reunion

We arrived at the car park with rain falling and clearing subsequently. (We endured a drought in 1968 for the first part so it was an interesting arrival.) Many memories came flooding back as friends were viewed as though through a camera lens with the diving board and dam beyond. The noise of boys playing and splashing was almost there as well. Much has changed but much has stayed the same. The angles, the slopes and many buildings are still the same. It was interesting to see the design of the new girls’ Unit. Apart from new surfacing and materials, the essential design remains the same. The test of time has shown that half a century later the original design is still the best. Six of us climbed Mt Timbertop on Sunday morning. Of course, the last time many of us had been there was at the Up Timbertop Race, when reaching the top and being counted, we were immediately sliding down the steep inclines in the mud!

1 1

Mark Darling (FB’71)

1988 Timbertop Reunion

A typically stunning high country afternoon greeted the Timbertop Class of 1988 at the Hunt Club Hotel in Merrijig in mid-October last year for their 20-year reunion. With Mt Buller looming magnificently in the background approximately 60 past students gathered for several hours to reunite and recall the days of the late 80s when Timbertop had yet to produce a bottle of wine, Buller Roads were standard punishment and ‘dome tents’ were unheard of.

Past students from around the country and the globe made the trek to share in many laughs, amazed looks of recognition, the standard several beverages and even the traditional ‘tug of war’ (to the amusement of many Merrijig locals!).

We were also fortunate to have current staff members Caroline Hodges and Alan Daley (TT ’88 graduate) pay a visit and speak about current Timbertop life and challenges. Their input was much appreciated and brought back many memories for all. Thanks to those who made the effort to make it and in particular Liz de Steiger (née Henderson), Lucy Clemenger (née KnoxKnight), Ali Hamson and Georgina Allen who did a wonderful job in putting the day together. Ben Stewart (A’91)

18 24

5 1. Pictured coming down Mt Timbertop are members of the 1968 Timbertop group; David North (M’70), Mark Darling (FB’71), Simon Kemp (Cu’70), Neil Hawthorne (Cu’70) and John Corrie (FB’70).

3. At the 1988 Timbertop reunion were Ben Stewart (A’91), Eda Williamson (Hindhaugh, Cl’91), John Pettit (Fr’91) and Lucy Clemenger (Knox-Knight, Cl’91).

2. The members of the 1968 Timbertop Group who attended the reunion at Merrijig.

4. Lou Herterich (Hadwen, Ga’91), Georgina Allen (Cl’91) and Lucy Bowler (Hayes Fr’91). 5. The 1988 Timbertop Group at their reunion.

APS

Golf Day

The Associated Public Schools Golf Day was held on Monday 17 November 2008 at the Royal Melbourne Golf Course in Black Rock. Fifteen Old Geelong Grammarians joined players from all APS schools in the 200strong field. The weather was perfect and the day was enjoyed by all; however, Scotch and Carey players seemed to dominate, winning most of the cups and trophies. Full results can be viewed at www.apsgolf.org.au

This year the APS Golf Day will be held on Monday 16 November 2009 at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

Old Geelong

Football & Netball

Club News

2009 is shaping up as an exciting year for the Old Geelong Football & Netball Club as the footballers make the upward move into C-section of the VAFA competition. The appointment of ex-Fitzroy player Nick Mitchell as senior coach is a fantastic coup for the Club. Nick has already made a great impression on both the playing group and the committee since taking charge in November.

Pre-season training began with six sessions in December before resuming in late January after the holiday period. Numbers have been very encouraging, with between 50 and 60 players in attendance at most sessions throughout February. The highlight of the summer has been the number of 2008 leavers joining the Club, including Willie Bleakley, Dom Wilton, Nick McBride, Jeremy Nettlefold and Eddie Anderson. Their enthusiasm has rubbed off on the playing group as a whole and the Club looks forward to these players forming the core of the under 19 side this year. Off field, new President Jimmy Legoe (M’97) and his Committee have been working hard behind the scenes, and some developments include: • 50 years at Como function – 15 August 2009 (save this date!) • Stonnington City Council funding for the redevelopment of the Como Park pavilion • Website re-launch in early April (www.oldgeelong.com.au) • A Practice match organised on the GGS main oval (Sunday 29 March) • The continuation of OGs Netball, which has now been running for five years • Initiation of an expanded VAFA equivalent Netball competition

3 of the OGFC at Como Park (South Yarra). This also coincides with the 75th Anniversary of Como’s creation - a wholly funded initiative of Sidney Myer during the depression. Another important announcement will take place on the evening. (Please pencil this event in your diary). The official season kicks off 18 April (away), and all supporters are welcome. The complete list of fixtures can be found at www.vafa.com.au

1. Players enjoyed beautiful weather at the APS Golf Day at the Royal Melbourne Golf Course. Pictured at the Golf Day from left to right are Steve Higgins, Geoff Fox, APS Golf Day Chairman, his daughter Georgie Fox (who was helping on a charity hole), Ross Mathieson and Jon Long, all past students of Caulfield Grammar School. 2. OGG Senior Players. 3. Mark Leslie (M’99). 4. Ben Long (Fr’07) and Sam Long (Fr’02).

Any potential football or netball players that are interested in playing during 2009 should contact Alex Southey 0403 328 218 or visit www.oldgeelong.com.au Alex Southey (M’01)

The function occurring on the 15 August will be a particularly special event for the OGFC community. The event will celebrate 50 years 25

OGG Travel

Reunite with a ‘Spirit of

Adventure’

The Old Geelong Grammarians Committee is excited to provide OGGs and current GGS families of all ages with an opportunity to rekindle our inner Adventurous Spirit. OGG Travel provides an opportunity to travel on specialised tours while also supporting the Indigenous Minyerri School through the School Breakfast and Sporting Equipment Programmes. This ongoing initiative, supporting Geelong Grammar School’s commitment to Indigenous education, seeks to increase academic achievement at the Minyerri School by improving nutrition and school attendance. As an OGG initiative, we have partnered with long-term adventure travel company ‘Peregrine Travel’ to offer three specialised adventure holidays to suit every spirit, no matter what age:

The Walk Children’s

School Nakuru

Kenya

September 2009 The Orang-utan-go A family tour in Borneo for ten days

Anna Wilson (He’98), Kate Macneil (Cl’01) and I recently volunteered at the Walk Children’s School in Nakuru, Kenya.

The Kokoda Track A 13-day trip

With just under 200 students from the nearby slum called Hilton (ironic or sarcastic depending on who named the place), the school started through Alex Mania’s desire to give these kids a life outside of the Nakuru tip in which they live, play, and collect plastic bags and bottles for money.

March 2010 The Antarctic Explorer An 11-day trip For each OGG Travel booking, the following amounts per person will be contributed by Peregrine Travel to the School Breakfast and Sporting Equipment Programme for the Minyerri School: $100 for the Orang-utan-go, $350 for the Kokoda Track and $600 for the Antarctic Explorer. For further information about OGG Travel visit www.ggs.vic.edu.au/portal or www. peregrineadventures.com/ogg and Reunite in your own way; family, friends, old Unit or School House mates or just book in alone and enjoy the company of others! Penny Dawson (A’83) Old Geelong Grammarian Committee 26 18

They now receive a cup of porridge, a meal of cabbage and ugali (maize), a safe place to play, as well as a priceless education. Thanks to the amazing and generous support of many we raised over $40,000 which funded the following important projects:

• electricity supply • drainage around classrooms to prevent flooding

• security fence • purchasing a safari van with school logo, which now supplies the first sustainable income for the school

3 • purchase of safe playground equipment • staff training in counselling to help with complex issues arising from family circumstances and living conditions

• sponsoring a secondary education for

seven students who were able to pass the entrance exam into High School, allowing them to follow their dreams and further their education.

Volunteers are greatly needed to work at the school. If you would like to know more or find out how to become involved – whether through donating money, resources or as a volunteer to see it first-hand (highly recommended!!), please contact me on email: Steve Lansdell (Fr’98) stevielansdell@yahoo. com.au. Visit www.thewalkcentre.org to read more about the centre. Steve Lansdell (Fr’98) 1. Children now receive a meal of cabbage and ugali (maize). 2. Thanks to the generous support of many, we were able to help fund a safari van with school logo and pop-up roof for lion spotting, which now supplies the first sustainable income for the school. 3. The Walk School graduates off to a new year of High School. Funds raised helped to build the security fence pictured in the background.

The Bauhaus OGG Legacy at Geelong Exhibitors Grammar School

The recently completed book The Bauhaus Legacy at Geelong Grammar School by Felicity Renowden and Resi Schwarzbauer (July 2008) is a guide book that will assist present, past and future students of Geelong Grammar School and art lovers generally, to appreciate the legacy left by Hirschfeld Mack at Corio. The book explains and gives details of the artistic legacy, now part of the Corio Campus landscape, inspired, created or designed by Ludwig Hirschfeld Mack (18931965), Art Master at Geelong Grammar School from 1942-1957. Hirschfeld Mack was a member of the original Bauhaus in Weimar, Germany, before being deported to Australia as an enemy alien in 1940. After a lengthy period of internment at Hay, Orange and Tatura, where he made a number of woodcuts that illustrated life under detention, he was released in 1942 through the sponsorship of Sir James Darling, Headmaster, and took up the appointment of Painting Master at Geelong Grammar School. The book is available through the School Bookshop for $15. Shop online at www.ggs.vic.edu.au shop@ggs or tel: +61 3 5273 9329

Current Hirschfield

Mack Exhibition The exhibition Modern times: the untold story of modernism in Australia reveals the transformations in art and life across a period of five decades – 1917 to 1967. Developed by the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney and now being presented at Heide Museum of Modern Art until 12 July 2009, the exhibition surveys a tumultuous period in Australian history, marked by global wars, economic depression, a technological revolution, major social changes and the shaping of a modern cosmopolitan culture. The exhibition highlights stories of international contact with key modernist sources, such as the Bauhaus school in Germany, where the artist and teacher Ludwig Hirschfeld Mack ran the first colour classes in 1922–23. Deported to Australia as an enemy alien in 1940, Hirschfeld Mack subsequently taught Bauhaus principles and was influential both as an artist and teacher. A film reconstruction of his extraordinary Colour Light Play of 1923 is being shown for the first time in Australia. (Source; Modern Times Media Release) Heide Museum of Modern Art 7 Templestowe Road Bulleen Victoria Tel: +61 3 9850 1500 www.heide.com.au

Lucy McEachern (Ga’99) won a contemporary sculptor’s award in Melbourne last November with her Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo, limited edition of 12, Bronze, winning the Celia Dymond Design Prize and the Contempory Sculptors’ Association, Yarra Street Gallery Melbourne. Lucy has three pieces being exhibited at Art Melbourne 2009 at the Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton, 16 19 of April 2009. In 2006 the Australian War Memorial in Canberra commissioned Dean Colls (Fr ’85) and his partner Louise Skacej to produce a diorama depicting the battle of Kapyong, a significant moment in the Korean War.

It was completed in 2007 and officially launched by the Prime Minister as part of the new Post-1945 Conflicts Gallery in 2008. The diorama has been extremely well received by both the veterans and the public. Colls and Skacej have been collaborating for over 10 years, their earlier works include “Voyage” which can be seen at 161 Collins Street, Melbourne.

Archives Request

Request for Photographs Past staff member Max Guzelian who led the band and was a woodwind teacher for many years at GGS sadly lost all his photographs in a fire (not the recent ones). If anyone has photos of Max that he could borrow for scanning, please contact the Archives Office, Melissa Campbell: email: melissac@ggs.vic.edu.au or tel: 03 5273 9869 Glamorgan Magazines Required Melissa Campbell, Archivist at GGS, is seeking the donation of Glamorgan Magazines to the Archives. In particular, any copies prior to 1984 and also copies from 1993; 1994; 1997; 1999; 2000 and any after 2001 are sought. Please contact Melissa on email: melissac@ggs.vic.edu.au or tel: 03 5273 9869 if you are able to assist.

1. The recently completed book The Bauhaus Legacy by Felicity Renowden and Resi Schwarzbauer. 2. Dean Colls and Louise Skacej have been collaborating for over 10 years; their earlier works include “Voyage” (pictured behind Dean and Louise) which can be seen at 161 Collins Street, Melbourne. 3. The award-winning Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo, Limited Edition of 12, Bronze by Lucy McEachern (Ga’99). 4. The diorama depicting the battle of Kapyong, a crucial moment in the Korean War, by Dean Colls (Fr ’85) and his partner Louise Skacej.

2009 House Music The annual House Music Competition is held at the start of every year. This is one of the few events in the School calendar in which all students in all Senior Houses are involved. House Music is seen as a celebration of music but also encourages respect and support for others.

1. House Choir, a requirement of which is that all members of the House sing together

“People go to the gym for a workout of the body. People celebrate in musical performances as a workout for the mind, spirit, and body. This is true of both audience and performers.”

These items need to show a diversity of musical styles and display the talent in the Houses effectively.

The above quotation is taken from Nick Page’s Sixty-Five Reasons Why Singing Should be Central to Education and to Life, and reflects the very essence of what we all feel when watching and participating in House Music. Preparing for House Music is very stressful for Music Captains as they only have four weeks to encourage their fellow House mates to shine. Some preparation for this event is done behind the scenes the year before. House Music Captains are appointed at the end of Term 4 and these students work with music staff to choose repertoire for their House song and decide upon their instrumental/vocal soloists. This enables us to order the necessary music in to be ready for the beginning of the year and to give soloists adequate time to choose repertoire and prepare. All Houses have to present three items for judging. These are – 28 18

2. Ensemble, an instrumental/vocal ensemble which is limited to twenty people 3. Solo section, which can comprise a single performer or a duo

2009 saw many new formats for House Music. For the first time this event was held at the Kardinia Heights Centre to accommodate the larger numbers in Senior School and we also included our new House, Elisabeth Murdoch, giving us ten competitors. They should be congratulated on preparing a marvellous programme that was done with no 2008 preparation, and also with only twenty Year 10 students. All Houses presented some wonderful music for the adjudicator, Wendy Galloway, to judge. House Music Captains worked extremely hard to have all Houses sounding polished with many ‘musical’ moments. While still maintaining a competitive spirit, it is pleasing to see and hear the complete student body supporting each other throughout. Congratulations to all the Houses on their outstanding work in making this afternoon the success it was. Jodie Townsend Director of Music

Winners 2009 House Music House Choir Garnett Ensemble Cuthbertson Solo Allen (Miranda Orford) Best Original Composition Perry (Hugh Palmer & William Drury) Best Conductor Komang Luce (Manifold) Overall Winner Garnett 1. Elisabeth Murdoch House Choir . 2. Manifold House Choir. 3. Freya Leighton – Clyde Soloist. 4. Sabrina Tee & Elizabeth Taylor (Garnett) Overall Winners. 5. Jack Martin & Alexander Wallace (Fraser). 6. The Hermitage House Choir.

2009 Reunions and OGG Events 1999 10-Year Reunion: Was held on Saturday 28 March 2009, South Yarra, Melbourne

OGGAsia Reunion

Anzac Day Service: Friday 24 April 2009, Corio Campus NSW Branch OGG Function: Wednesday 6 May 2009, Sydney OGG AGM: Tuesday 26 May 2009, Hawker Library, Corio Campus OGGAsia Reunion: Saturday 30 May 2009, Bangkok, Thailand Riverina/North-East Branch OGG Function: Saturday 13 June 2009, Holbrook Deniliquin Branch OGG Function: Sunday 14 June 2009, Deniliquin UK Branch OGG Dinner: Thursday, 25 June 2009 at the Travellers’ Club in Pall Mall. Guest Speaker: Richard Morgan AM (P’54) Old Geelong Football Club Dinner: Saturday 15 August 2009, Melbourne 1969 Timbertop Reunion: Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2009, Merrijig/Timbertop

OGGAsia is a biennial reunion of Old Geelong Grammarians celebrating our South-East Asian community. All OGGs are warmly invited to join Stephen Meek, Principal of Geelong Grammar School, and Fiona Ratcliffe (Je’77), President of The Old Geelong Grammarians, for OGGAsia.

1989 20-Year Reunion: Saturday 17 October 2009, Melbourne

OGGAsia will be held at The Dusit Thani Bangkok, Vimarn Suriya Room, 946 Rama 1V Road, Bangkok 10500, Thailand, on Saturday 30 May 2009 at 7.00pm.

WA Branch OGG Function: Friday 30 October 2009, Perth

Join us for dinner and an evening of friendship, camaraderie and fun.

1979 30-Year Reunion: Friday 6 November 2009, Melbourne

GUEST SPEAKER Mechai Viravaidya AO (P‘59)

1959 50-Year Reunion (1956 Timbertop Year): Friday 13 November 2009, Melbourne

Khun Mechai Viravaidya was educated at Geelong Grammar School and graduated in Commerce in 1964. He holds many honorary degrees and decorations from the Thai and Australian governments for his work in population control and poverty reduction.

OGG Tower Luncheon: Saturday 14 November 2009

2010 Reunions and OGG Events Dates yet to be confirmed for the following: • 2000 10-Year Reunion • 1990 20-Year Reunion • 1980 30-Year Reunion • 1970 Timbertop Reunion • 1960 50-Year Reunion (1957 Timbertop Group) • OGG Tower Luncheon for 1960 and earlier leavers • ANZAC Day Service • Queensland OGG Branch Gathering • Tasmanian OGG Branch Gathering • NSW OGG Branch Gathering • South Australian OGG Branch Gathering • ACT OGG Branch Gathering • UK Branch Dinner For more information about OGG events please contact Katie Rafferty, Alumni Manager, tel: +61 3 5273 9338 or email: katier@ggs.vic.edu.au Photographs from 2008 and 2009 reunions can be found on the Photo Board of the OGG Directory. Go to www.ggs.vic.edu.au/oggs and use the ‘first time’ option if you have not logged on before.

OGG UK

In Thailand, a condom is popularly known as a ‘Mechai’ in tribute to the work of Mechai Viravaidya, chairman and founder of the Population and Community Development Association. Founded in 1974, the non-profit PDA is active in the field of family planning, rural development and HIV/AIDS prevention. In 1981, Mechai was the first Asian to receive a United Nations Gold Peace Medal for his dedication and achievements in Thailand. Please visit our website www.ggs.vic.edu. au for more details or to book online. For further information please contact either Katie Rafferty (email: katier@ggs.vic.edu.au) or Catriona Ainsworth (email: catriona@ggs. vic.edu.au). Katie Rafferty Alumni Manager

Welcome to

Branch News our new Alumni The OGG UK Branch Annual Dinner will be held on Thursday, 25th June 2009 at the Travellers’ Club, 106 Pall Mall, London SW1. The guest speaker Richard Morgan AM (P’54). All enquiries should be directed to David Hudson, Secretary UK OGG Branch (via email: hudsonco@globalnet.co.uk). Please note: Invitations for the UK Branch Dinner are mailed to all OGG who have a UK postal address or are sent to UK members’ email addresses where provided. If you or someone you know is living in (or visiting) the UK and would like to receive an invitation to the Dinner, please contact David Hudson, Secretary UK OGG Branch via email (hudsonco@globalnet.co.uk).

Manager

The Community Relations Department congratulates Katie Rafferty on her appointment as the new Alumni Manager. Having been in the role of Acting Alumni Manager for the past year, Katie Rafferty (Spry, Ga’84) has recently been appointed Alumni Manager. Katie attended GGS from 1980-84, first in Barrabool House, then J Unit, Timbertop and then in the first group in Garnett House. Three generations of her family have attended GGS including father Mike Spry (FB’55) and Great Uncle Sam Spry (Cu’35).

29 18

Michael Collins Persse

Edmund Francis Keith (Tim) Denny DFC and Bar (Pe’38), who died in February 2008 and whose life we described in our September 2008 issue, was posthumously made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2009 Australia Day Honours “for service to the essential oil industry, particularly through the development and application of steam distillation technology, and to tourism in Tasmania”. Dr Janet Elder OAM (Cl’39), who died in January, was a dedicated and selfless doctor who practised for most of her professional life in Western Australia. She was the fourth of the five children of Stanley Elder (Old School 1894) and his wife, Lucile Morlet – otherwise Elspeth (Cl’27), Katrine (Cl’30), John (M’32; GGS Council 1965-73), and Robin (FB’40) − and she grew up in the family house on land that later became part of Glamorgan. From Merton Hall she went, at 13, to Clyde where she captained the hockey and tennis teams, won the prize for best all-rounder, and was school captain. Graduating in Medicine from the University of Melbourne in 1946, she did her residency in Tasmania at the Launceston General Hospital where she was diagnosed with tuberculosis, a condition that, with relapses, blighted the next few years. Successively from 1954 in Scotland, Wales, and London she worked as a physician, was herself treated, and studied, becoming MRCP in 1958, in which year she returned to Australia to work for 20 years as senior registrar, then chest physician, and finally head of the department of Respiratory Medicine at the Perth Chest (now Sir Charles Gairdner) Hospital. She became FRCP in 1972. Later she worked as a volunteer with a palliative-care organization, caring for terminally ill patients, and gave much community service. Intensely modest and selfdeprecating, as her niece Catherine Elder said in a eulogy, Janet was deeply kind and much loved by her family and friends. Commodore Dacre Smyth AO (P’40), who died in December 2008, came to Australia, aged two, when his parents decided to emigrate with their three children from England. His father, Sir Nevill Smyth VC, KCB (a first-cousin of Lord Baden Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement, of which Dacre became a leader in Victoria) was a British general who had commanded the 1st Australian Infantry 30

Brigade at Gallipoli, and who regarded his Australian troops as the finest with whom he had ever served – and wanted to live among them. Dacre’s mother, Evelyn Olwen Williams, was the daughter of a Welsh baronet who was Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire. From their sheep property, Kongbool, near Balmoral, Dacre followed his brother, Osmond (P’38) (in whose memory Lady Smyth from 1953, and then Dacre himself, gave the Osmond Smyth Prize for the best all-rounder at Timbertop), through GGS, where he became a House prefect and company sergeant-major, matriculating and enlisting in September 1940, at 17, in the Royal Australian Navy. He went on to a distinguished 38-year naval career that included service in the Korean and Vietnam wars as well as in both the European and the Pacific theatres of World War Two (in which he witnessed both the D-Day landing in Normandy and the cloud over Hiroshima after the dropping of the first atom bomb). In 1978 he retired in order to paint and write, and 14 books of his (mostly thematic) paintings, illustrated by his verse and prose, followed as well as related exhibitions, work in stained glass, and much generous community service. In 1952 he married Jennifer Haggard, a granddaughter of Sir Geoffrey Syme, who in 1908 had succeeded his father, David, in control of The Age, the board of which Dacre joined in 1982 at the invitation of the managing director, Ranald Macdonald AO (M’56), a cousin of Jennifer’s. The daughter of Commander Geoffrey Haggard, who was second-in-command of the Australian submarine AE2 which passed through the Dardanelles on the original Anzac Day, and who became a prisoner of the Turks when it was sunk a week later, Jenny has written a moving biography of her father as well as an enchanting portrait of the world in which she grew up. One of Dacre’s also delightful books resulted from their pilgrimage to Gallipoli in 1990 for the 75th anniversary of the Anzac landing. The parents of four daughters and a son, they were neighbours and wonderful friends to Glamorgan. Their son, Os (P’87), spoke eloquently at his father’s funeral, held with full naval honours in a crowded St John’s, Toorak. Nigel Morgan (Bo’48), who died last July, was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) posthumously in the 2009 Australia Day Honours “for service to the community through support for charitable, youth, social welfare, and cultural organizations”. A son, with Lynton (M’46), of Eric Morgan, a Melbourne stockbroker, and his wife, Marian, he went from Bostock House to Stowe in England (a young school set in splendid grounds and buildings, with a strong emphasis on the arts) and Trinity College, Oxford, which he left after a time to work in South Africa as an assistant to Joost de Blank, Archbishop of Capetown, who in 1966, in England, officiated at Nigel’s marriage to Diana Manners. He brought Diana to Melbourne, where he worked as a stockbroker and took on much community service including the board of the National Gallery of Victoria Foundation (from 198891 and as chairman), the Newsboys Club (of which he was treasurer), the Melbourne

Anglican Foundation, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the Johnston Collection, and St John’s, Toorak. He was a devoted mentor to his and Diana’s children, Louisa (Vass), Henrietta (Cl’88), Rollo, and Rodney (M’98). In the words of Anne Latreille (Cl’63; GGS Council 1991-2005), Nigel’s “gentle, unassuming demeanour masked a plethora of talents and interests. He was an astute businessman, a connoisseur of all things beautiful, a committed Christian, devoted to his family. Over several decades he gave generously of his time, and (often anonymously) of his money and possessions, to help causes in his home state of Victoria that were associated with young people, disadvantaged groups in society, the arts, and the church. His secure presence, and his investment skills, stood behind emerging charitable and community organizations, and long-established ones.” Norman Rachinger OAM (Ge’48), who died in October, taught at The Geelong College for 30 years, becoming deputy head of the preparatory school. For 29 years a member of the committee of management of Karingal Centre for the intellectually disabled, and president thrice, he was also president of the Noah’s Ark Toy Library and did much charitable work in the parish of Christ Church, Geelong. In 1956, in the Chapel of All Saints at Corio, he married Beth Wyndham (He’49). The Honourable Donn Casey (Cu’50), who died in January, was the only son – with a sister, Jane (Macgowan) – of Lord Casey KG, PC, CH, GCMG, DSO, MC (Governor of Bengal 1944-46, Australian Minister for External Affairs 1951-60, Governor-General of Australia 1965-69) and Lady Casey (artist, author, and aviator). After GGS, where in 1945 he was fag (a term then in use) with Rupert Murdoch (Cu’49) to Dick Cobden (Cu’45) and eventually a School prefect and one of Dick’s successors as House captain, he graduated from Melbourne University in Agricultural Science and then devoted his life to what he had decided was one of the world’s most urgent needs, population control. After working in New York and India, he settled in Cambridge where in 1963 he established the non-profit company Reproduction Research Information Service, publishing a comprehensive collection of research, the Bibliography of Reproduction. In 1966 he joined the Simon Population Trust, becoming its chairman in 1969. He developed a number of inventions, particularly the Filshie Clip. In a letter published in The Corian in 1965, he recounted news of other OGGs and added: “All these people have families of varying sizes, while I, practisiing what I preach, remain among the celibate!” In the last five years of his life, to the joy of his friends, he had the devoted companionship of Jane Grey Mansfield, a Cambridge occupational therapist, who loved and supported him through a long illness until his death. Michael Lempriere (Cu’53), who died in October 2008, was in recent years the Australian wool industry’s most influential leader internationally. Continuing a family involvement in the industry that spanned 150 years from the formation of Lempriere Bros, later Lempriere Pty Ltd, in Melbourne, he

became in 1977, as his father, Bill (Cu’22), and uncle Peter Lempriere (Cu’26) had been, chairman of the Australian Council of Wool Buyers; and later he became president of the Australian Council of Wool Exporters, chairman of the Federation of Australian Wool Organisations, and in 2005 president of the Brussels-based International Wool Textile Organisation, where he followed the principle, shared by his immediate predecessor, Juan Casanovas of Spain, that sound marketing of wool needs to “work from the shop back to the sheep”, and spearheaded a return to a personal style of collaboration with partners along the whole chain of supply. In 1962 Michael married Diana Dougall, and they had two sons, Ben (an architect and artist) and William (P’85), who has followed family tradition in the wool trade. For 31 years from 1975 he held the historic Fairbairn property Banongil, near Skipton, where he and Diana made improvements and developed one of Victoria’s great gardens. He established branches of his firm in Argentina, the United States, South Africa, Italy, France, the Czech Republic, and particularly New Zealand. Michael was widely loved and admired, and he leaves a huge gap in many lives as well as in the wool industry. Dr Michael Jones PSM (P’56) was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2009 Australia Day Honours “for service to medicine in the areas of health services, management, accreditation, and patient care, particularly with the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards and the World Health Organization”. Bill Mackinnon (M’57), whose death at seventy has brought sorrow to many, was a great ambassador for the School, where as a boy (1948-57) he had been in the first full year at Timbertop, become a School sub-prefect, won Colours for cricket, and matriculated, going on to read Law at Pembroke College, Oxford, and to be called to the Bar in London. A solicitor (from 197095 a partner of the firm then called Blake & Riggall), grazier (at the historic sheep, beef, and cereal-growing property Langi Willi, near Skipton, which had come through his mother, Jean Russell), breeder of thoroughbred horses (most famously Paris Lane, winner of the Caulfield Cup and second in a Melbourne Cup), and prominent in the worlds of racing (a member of the VRC Committee from 1998), polo (for a time President of the Victorian Polo Association), and golf (with a handicap of four at his height), he was a “lateral thinker” and a man of great charm, kindness, humour, and total integrity. For 27 years he served on the Marcus Oldham College Council, where his astute legal thinking was of particular value. He played a leading part in setting up what became the Geelong Grammar Foundation, of which he was successively Chairman (1999-2003) and President (till his death). His paternal grandfather, the Honourable Donald Mackinnon (Old School 1876), was a great benefactor to GGS and a highly influential Chairman of the School Council (1922-32). Bill’s father, Daniel Mackinnon CBE (M’20), one of four distinguished brothers to attend the School, was MHR for Wannon (1949-51)

Commodore Dacre Smyth (P’40)

Michael Lempriere (Cu’53)

and Corangamite (1953-66) and Australian Ambassador to Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru. Bill married Judy Sands, from England, in 1965, and our deep sympathy has been with her and their children, Serena Mitchell (Cl’83), Mark Mackinnon (M’85), and Sasha McGregor (Cl’90). Professor David Hill AM (P’59) was advanced to the rank of Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2009 Australia Day Honours “for service to public health, particularly through leadership roles in the promotion of cancer awareness and prevention programmes”. John Fairfax AM (M’60) also was advanced to the rank of Officer (AO) in the same Honours “for service to the print media industry, particularly the development of news services in rural and remote areas, and to the community through executive roles with agricultural, youth, and charitable organizations”. Emeritus Professor Alison Mackinnon née Madin (He’62) was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2009 Australia Day Honours “for service to education, particularly in the fields of social research and development, as an academic and author, and to the community through roles with history organizations”. Clive Blazey (P’62) is the author of Heirloom Vegetables (Digger’s Rest, 2008). Jamie Grant (M’67), himself well-known as a poet, has edited 100 Australian Poems You Need to Know, published in 2008 by Hardie Grant. He restricted his selection to one poem per poet, and the main criterion for inclusion was his own enjoyment and memory. Katrina Weatherly née Kelly (Cl’71) is the author of The Daddie of the Field: The Kelly Story from Ballinasloe to Barwidgee, published in 2008 after editing, design, typesetting, and formatting by John Bedggood (Cu’52; Staff 1955-95) of Robjon Partners, Point Lonsdale. Spanning County Galway in Ireland and the Western District of Victoria, it is a fine history of a well-known pastoral and sporting family including the four brothers (who have now all died), Colin (M’39), John (M’43), Jim (M’44), and Charles (M’52), and their sister, Pauline Cowell (Cl’41). Richard Andrews (P’81) in 2008 began his second diplomatic posting to Tokyo as Counsellor responsible for political, strategic, cultural, and public-affairs issues in the Australian Embassy there.

Bill Mackinnon (M’57)

Andrew Cust (FB’92) is a veterinarian based at the Ballarat Veterinary Practice and Equine Centre. He worked as a mixed vet in Kilmore for three years before travelling to Asia and working at the Macau Jockey Club for another three. See below for the birth of his daughter. Sally Wilson (Cl’92), mezzo-soprano, and her husband (from 2008) Mark Kruger, pianist, gave a magnificent charity concert in the Morrison Hall at The Geelong College in March 2009 in aid of The Cottage by the Sea (now 120 years old) at Queenscliff. They are based in Berlin, described by them as central to the musical world of 2009. Christopher Davidson (Staff, Glamorgan, 1967-94) was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2009 Australia Day Honours “for service to education, particularly to people with néeds, through the Specific Learning Difficulties Association, Victoria”. Matthew Maruff (Staff 1992-96) is to be Headmaster of Girton College, Bendigo, from January 2010. Since Timbertop (1994-96), following Corio, he has taught in Melbourne at Ivanhoe Grammar School and then St Kevin’s College, where he is Director of Studies.

Births

(Guest and Turton entries corrected, with apologies) Danielle née Howe (A’91) and Christian Angus (A’91), a son, Matthew William Colin, on 12 June 2008 Sally née Lansdell (Fr’95) and David Baines (Fr’95), a son, Angus Gregory, on 29 November 2008 Kate née Graham (Ga’92) and Richard Bell, a daughter, Odette Kate, in September 2006 and a son, Charles Blue, in December 2008 Susannah and James Calvert-Jones (Cu’85), a daughter, Heidi Matilda, on 31 January 2009 Katyana and James Cook (M’91), a daughter, Eliza Cecille, on 7 January 2009 Louisa and Andrew Cust (FB’92), a daughter, Amelia Elizabeth Rose, on 10 December 2008 Sarah Gilder (Cl’86) and Jarrod Dellamarta, a daughter, Meredith Claire, on 17 October 2008 Claire and Alex Dobson (Cu’94), a daughter, Georgina Frances Anne, on 24 January 2009

Melissa née Sprague (Fr’94) and Christopher Edwards, a daughter, Phoebe Anne, on 16 November 2008

Gillian née Holmes (Ga’89) and James Russell, a daughter, Georgina Heidi, on 12 December 2008

Pep née Lindblade (Ga’92) and Peter Effeney, a daughter, Madeleine Elizabeth, on 14 May 2008

Sarah née Lindsay-Field (Cl’88) and Alex Seaman (Cu’83), a daughter, Claudia Rose Field, on 26 February 2009

Sarah née Cole (Cl’95) and Andrew Gaussen (M’95), a daughter, Isabella Sophie MacLeod, on 17 December 2008

Sally and Richard Simpson (M’87), a son, Charles Ferguson, on 24 July 2003 and two daughters, Lucy Bea on 16 February 2005 and Isabella Kate on 6 September 2006

Lara née Rafferty (Cl’87) and Phil Grimwood, a son, Archie Rafferty, on 30 November 2008 Amy née Wilson (He’97) and Chris Guest, a daughter, Sophie Kathleen Mackay, on 1 October 2008 Georgie and John Handbury (M’88), a daughter, Chloe, on 8 December 2008 Janet and Peter Handbury (M’90), two daughters, Matilda on 12 October 2006 and Daisy Alexandra Meredith on 19 November 2008

Juliet and Jonathan Smith (Cu’93), a son, Oscar John Winton, on 23 October 2008 Sarah and Osmond Smyth (P’87), a daughter, Romy Elizabeth Violet, on 18 October 2008 Kate and Simon Squire-Wilson (M’91), a son, Hugh, on 9 March 2005 and a daughter, Georgia, on 28 December 2006 Michaela Bennell and Alister Timms (A’97), a daughter, Olivia Christine, on 16 December 2008

Amanda and Brenden Hawker (P’92), two daughters, Makayla Jane on 9 July 2006 and Imogen Maree on 10 July 2008

Georgina née Brown (Cl/L’88) and Robin Turton, a daughter, Christabel Tatiana, on 26 May 2008

Caroline and Peter Hawker (M’92), a son, Charles, on 18 February 2007, and a daughter, Philippa, on 24 September 2008

Marita Barraclough (Cl’93) and Julian Voller, a daughter, Zara Elizabeth, on 16 September 2008

Melissa née Hawker (T’90) and Michael Hope, a son, William David, on 24 February 2009

Michelle and Andrew C McB Wallace (P’93), a son, Henry Peter, on 16 November 2008

Masako née Aizawa (Ga’96) and Katsura Komagome, a daughter, Karen, on 12 August 2008 Kara and David Lowe (M’80), a son, Oscar Millar, on 15 January 2009 Mary and Jeremy Mackinnon (P’90), a son, Owen, on 26 March 2008

Bindi née Sheahan (Ga’91) and Tim Whitehead (Cu’92), a daughter, Alice Jane, on 5 April 2005, a son, Charles Douglas George, on 21 July 2006, and twin daughters, Sophie Beatrice and Matilda Joan, on 9 December 2008 Kate née Squire-Wilson (Ga’93) and James Vagan, a daughter, Anna, on 28 July 2007

Lucy Knox-Knight (Cl’91) married Antony Clemenger in December 2008 Elizabeth Loughnan (Fr’99) married Daniel Leo Horu Phathanothai on 4 and 10 January 2009 Lucy McKellar (Fr’93; Staff 2004-08) married Marcus Luscombe on 15 February 2009 David Mercer (M’74) married Virginia Farley on 12 July 2008 Sarah Paterson (Cl’00) married Tom Whinney on 22 November 2008 Vanessa Rafferty (Cl’88) married Stefan Leevers on 29 November 2008 John Richmond (M’91) married Jessica Cleeve on 20 February 2009 Jonathan Smith (Cu’93) married Juliet Carter on 16 September 2006 Katherine Suvoltos (He’95) married Jonathan Malpas (Fr’97) on 29 March 2007 Daniel Timms (A’95) married Alison Hillier on 18 October 2008 Eleanor Viggers (Fr’02) married Stephen Smith on 28 November 2008 George Whitehead (Cu’92) married Eliza Gebhardt on 31 March 2007

Deaths

(We would be grateful to anyone who can supply missing dates) Marjorie Béchervaise (The Hermitage to 1939) on 12 November 2008 Geoffrey Dermott Treacher Brown (1949-52) on 6 November 2008 The Honourable Richard Charles Donn Casey (1945-50) on 9 January 2009

Louise and Ben Mason (FB’94), a son, Oliver John, on 19 January 2009

Penny née Agar (A’94) and Stuart Whitehead (Cu’94), a son, James Henry John, on 8 January 2009

Kirsty and Lachie McColl (A’95), a son, William Peter, on 16 March 2008

Marriages

Dr Janet Lucile Elder OAM (Clyde 1935-39) on 29 January 2009

Celia Affleck (Cl’95) married Jack Tucker on 28 February 2009

Elizabeth (Bess) Farrow née McIntyre (The Hermitage to 1932)

James Boothby (M’93) married Sarah O’Brien on 24 November 2007

Elizabeth Marion Anne Forrest née Alston (Clyde 1955-61) on 5 December 2008

Victoria Cleary (Cl’95) married Wendell Lauderdale on 8 November 2008

Elizabeth Ann Foulkes-Taylor (Clyde 194648) on 18 November 2008

Annabelle Crawford (Ot’98) married Jacob Dean Workman on 29 November 2008

Keith Allen Hamann (1940-41)

Jane née Lindblade (Ga’89) and Tom Meinert, a son, Jack Frederick, on 19 April 2008 Claire née Thomas (Cl’92) and James Molesworth, a son, Samuel John Bieri, on 8 February 2009 Amy and Nicholas Parkinson-Bates (Cu’94), a daughter, Isabella Claire, on 27 November 2008 Kate Hendry (A’95) and Jesse Pentecost, a son, Elias, on 5 December 2008 Samantha née Bright (Cl’89) and Lourens Pirenc, a daughter, Manon, in May 2007 Jenny and Guy Pithie (FB’91), a daughter, Gwendoline Sue, in 2008 Juel née Flemming (Cl’97) and William Riggall, a daughter, Rose Millicent, on 3 July 2008 Georgina née McCulloch (Cl’94) and Russell Robinson, a daughter, Clementine Adelaide Olive, on 20 November 2008

Alexis Dumaresq (He’96) married Malcolm Reid (Cu’94) on 10 January 2009 Alice England (A’01) married Dr Modise Modise on 2 October 2008

William Richard Cumming (1962-67) on 3 December 2008

Derek Victor Holyman (1946-53) on 22 February 2009 Cecil Ewart Hughes (1933-42) Jean Kean née Mailer (Clyde 1937-39)

Christopher Gaussen (M’93) married Heidi Amanda Zwar on 2 February 2008

John Wilson Kelly (1934-43) on 28 November 2004

Kate Graham (Ga’92) married Richard Bell in April 2003

Eleanor Ann (Pat) Kilpatrick née de Fégely (The Hermitage to 1942) on 10 January 2009

Kate Hathaway (A’00) married Chris Hartley on 7 March 2009

Frederick John Cato Kumm (1937-39) on 24 October 2008

Emily Henry (Cl’98) married Thomas Froehlich on 25 October 2008

Kenneth Osborne Lane (1925-28) Lamont (formerly D’Arcy Connor, then Harris) Lear (1952-54) on 30 September 2008

Anthony Lampos (1965-68) on 16 December 2008 Jean Lowe née Syme (Clyde 1929-32) on 1 November 2008 William Russell Mackinnon (1948-57) on 15 February 2009 George Clare Moss (1947-48) on 29 January 2009 Rosemary Muller née Farrow (The Hermitage to 1958) William Geoffrey Guinn Paterson (2005-09) on 21 February 2009 Basil Raynes Plante (1923-29) Norman Neil Rachinger OAM (1947-48) on 30 October 2008 Jonathon McIntosh Rowe (1967-73) on 1 December 2008 Albert George Schofield (1929-32) on 7 March 2009 Sally Shirley (The Hermitage to 1943) on 7 December 2008 Clement John Simmons (1953-57) on 5 August 2008 William Ferguson (Sam) Simpson (1963-69) in November 2008. Commodore Dacre Henry Deudraeth Smyth AO (Pe’40) on 3 December 2008 Diana Clodagh Strong née Armytage (Clyde 1934-36) on 6 July 2008 Margaret (Tig) Waugh née Hopkins (The Hermitage to 1951) on 5 September 2008

Robert Blackwood Ritchie Robin Ritchie (Cu’54), who died on 9 May 2008, was an admired and commanding figure in several overlapping communities. A Western-District grazier and Cambridge rowing Blue, he was a natural leader who gave freely of his abilities where they were needed. Geelong Grammar School, in particular, has reason to be grateful to him. He was Chairman of the School Council when, after the death in a car accident in December 1978 of the Head Master, the Honourable Charles Fisher (a great blow to our community), he was persuaded (with some difficulty) by Sir Roderick Carnegie (Cu’50) and other members to resign and become – not quite “Acting Head Master” but “Chief Executive” in a Management Committee of two – otherwise the experienced Senior Master, Boz Parsons DFC (M’36) – until the arrival of Charles’s successor. In the event, because the chosen successor proved to be under contract at Eton College in England until July 1980, Robin and Boz jointly ran the School for some twenty months. Although no longer a member of Council, Robin’s judgement was inevitably invoked in the choice of Head Master. He used jocularly to speak of “the gate test” to which shortlisted candidates were unwittingly subjected at Blackwood, his property near Penshurst, while being shown the farm. Asked

to open and shut the critical gate, at least one candidate failed the test when, driving on and looking in his rear-vision mirror, Robin saw the gate swing gently open. The man who passed this and many another test was the New Zealander John Lewis, and Robin was delighted when, fourteen years later, Eton reclaimed him as Head Master (to serve there from 1994-2002). The arrangement for the interregnum at GGS was watched with some concern. To some it seemed that a dangerous precedent was being set for a more muscular involvement in administration by a governing body. The danger, however, proved illusory, not least because Robin was scrupulous in respecting Staff opposition to a project (moving Middle School to Highton) on which he and his former Council colleagues had all but decided. He told the Staff of the imminence of the decision, listened carefully to the ensuing debate, and reported the gist of it to the Council, who as a result decided not to pursue it (in the event, eighteen years later, the upper Years at Highton, 5-8, joined Middle School at Corio). Any muscularity in the overlap of responsibilities had been allowed, reassuringly, to be exercised by the Staff. Robert Blackwood Ritchie – always known as Robin after an uncle who had died on active service in France – was the first of three sons (there was also a daughter, the late Judy Rymill) of Alan Blackwood Ritchie (whose parents had grown up on two historic Penshurst properties, Blackwood and The Gums) and his Canadian wife, Margaret Witcomb. Aged nine, he began to board at GGS where he had four years in Barwon House and four in Cuthbertson. Matriculating in 1953, he returned in 1954 as Captain of Boats and a School Prefect. He rowed in two winning Head-of-the-River crews, won Colours also for Football, and went on in 1955 to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he read the Natural Sciences tripos and was a member of the 1958 University crew, victorious over Oxford. Later that year a car accident deprived him of a place in the English eight for the Empire Games at Cardiff, shortly before his return to Australia. In 1965 he married Eda (Cl’59), daughter of Sandford Beggs (P’24) and his wife, Helen, of Nareeb Nareeb, Glenthompson, and member of another energetic and influential Western-District family in which Tamie Fraser AO (He’53) and Christina Hindhaugh (Cl’61) became his sisters-in-law and Hugh Beggs AM (M’55) his brother-in-law. Two sons, Daniel (Cu’85) and Jason (Cu’86), and a daughter, Skye (Cl’90), followed.

Robin Ritchie

for Economic Development. Later posts included chairing the Exotic Animal Disease Preparedness Council (Exandis) and the renewable-energy authority Energy Victoria. Robin’s perfectionism found expression in many ways. At Corio he gave thoughtful talks on the Chapel windows as well as ethical and other subjects. He was a motoring enthusiast, owning and restoring several vintage vehicles, a member of the Bentley Drivers Club of Australia, and a generous exponent and lender of his historic 3-litre speed model chassis 246 Bentley, which had raced in the Georges Boillot Cup at Boulogne in 1923. In yachting, too, he became expert, enjoying cruises with his family around the Australian coast. Warm and direct in greeting, tall, alert, at once a true countryman and thoroughly urbane, he moved easily in many worlds. Hugh Beggs described him as “an interesting mixture, being at the cutting edge of technology, very competent and technically on top of everything, yet also a most caring person, sensitive to the needs of others and very loving of family and friends”. Sadly, a neurological disease – borne with exemplary dignity – overshadowed most of his last decade. He was fondly and proudly remembered by a large company at a memorial service in the Chapel of All Saints at Corio at which eloquent tributes to his character and achievements were paid by his friend John Calvert-Jones, by Jeremy Kirkwood (FB/L’80; Chairman of Council), who had been Senior Prefect during Robin’s incumbency at GGS, and by his son Daniel. Our warmest sympathy has been with Eda, their children and seven grandchildren, and Robin’s brothers, Blythe (Cu’58) and Linton (M’64). Michael Collins Persse

After returning from Cambridge, Robin managed Blackwood, breeding Merino sheep and Angus cattle by carefully calculated scientific techniques such as measuring performance in animals, where he was among the pioneers. From 1968-89 he was chairman of Agricultural Investments Australia Ltd, specializing in the management of properties for syndicates of both international and local investors, and from 1981-84 – having installed a manager at Blackwood – he was Director-General of the Victorian Ministry 33

Archives With the many hundreds of loose photos that have been generously donated over the years now being filed in special acid-free sleeves, work continues on preserving our precious memorabilia. The photos have been put in loose-leaf binders in chronological order. One exciting find was a photo of Miss Morres and her siblings as children, and is featured on this page. We are always delighted to receive photographs, preferably named and dated, to add to the collection.

From time to time requests for your enrolment forms are received and in most cases can be found and sent to you. If you would like a copy of yours please phone Lesley Robinson (Donaldson, He’52) on 03 5221 1207.

Dupleix (Campbell, He’46), and my godchild Honor (16), in The Hermitage House.”

Miss Morres MA., Th.A.

A 50-Year Reunion

Elsie Frances Morres was born at Sandhurst, Victoria in 1874 to Henry and Emily Morres. The father, a surveyor, moved the family to Melbourne in 1880 for the sake of the children’s education.

The 1958 reunion was held on Monday 17 November with 10 girls attending. We lunched in the beautiful garden of Charlemont North, the property of Peter and Jan Sprague (Alexander, He’58), and as one of the girls said, “The setting was perfect.”

After completing her secondary education at Tintern CEGGS she graduated from Melbourne University, winning Class Prize, an Exhibition and a scholarship to Ormond College. She later taught at Toorak Boys’ Preparatory Grammar. In 1903 she became a Senior Mathematics Mistress at MCEGGS, and of course in 1906 she became the first Headmistress of The Hermitage.

The HOGA Centenary Plans are well underway to celebrate the centenary of the Association with a special Old Girls’ Day in September. Old Girl Jill Dupleix (He’72), who is a noted author of cook books and current food writer in “Epicure” in The Age has agreed to be the speaker. She says “I’m very excited to be a part of the celebration for the Centenary of The Hermitage Old Girls’ and look forward to catching up with Old Girls both older and younger. I’m even bringing my own mother Ro 34

There will be more details in The Hermitage Newsletter.

The small number enabled us the opportunity to talk with each other and chat around the table. Such fascinating stories we had to tell of our lives and the way our careers developed. 17 November was a wonderful day, seeing our mates again and planning the next reunion. It was great fun! Judy Lewellyn (Purnell, He’49) and Jan Sprague (Alexander, He’58)

Morning Coffee The annual Morning Coffee was a friendly relaxed occasion where different generations of Old Girls mingled over coffee and home cooked food. Some members of the Corio staff were able to join us, and of course, as usual the children from Bostock House entertained us with Christmas Carols. A cheque was presented to Bostock House for the music programme.

1. Elsie Morres as a young woman. 2. 50-Year Reunion: Standing L to R: Susie Jones (Robinson), Janet Thomson (Henderson), Kirsty Beckett (McKellar), Judy Llewellyn (Purnell), Joc Anderson (Bailey), Margaret Bell (Leslie), Angela Archer (John), Joan Powling. Seated: Robina Henry (Laird), Jan Sprague (Alexander). 3. The Morres children c1880: Back: Stan, Front: Leslie, Gwen (also on original staff), and Elsie.

Diary Dates 2009 Saturday 5 September Old Girls’ Day at Darling Hall, GGS Bookings Jenny Jordan (Gray, He’50) tel: 61 3 5244 0145 Monday 26 October Golf Day at Barwon Heads Bookings Lib Nicholson (Calvert. He’68) tel: 0419 398 067 or 61 3 5258 1297 or libnicholson@bigpond.com Monday 7 December Christmas Morning Coffee at All Saints’ Hall, Noble Street, Newtown. Enquiries Jenny Jordan (Gray, He’50) tel: 61 3 5244 0145

Happy 100th Birthday Many Clyde Old Girls were among guests at Cruden Farm on Sunday 8 February to celebrate the wonderful occasion of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s 100th birthday. Collectively, the members of COGA sent heartfelt wishes of congratulations, affection and admiration, along with thousands of others. Dame Elisabeth Murdoch (Cl’26), “Australia’s most beloved philanthropist”, has inspired generations of Australians with her generosity, compassion, integrity, enthusiasm, work ethic, cultural appreciation, resilience, and wisdom. Her name will be perpetuated in the many institutions and buildings which commemorate her contributions to the community, including the new Elisabeth Murdoch House for girls at GGS.

COGA Old Girls’ Day & AGM The COGA Old Girls’ Day & AGM will be held on Sunday 11 or 18 October this year. Exact date, venue and guest speaker will be advised in the next issue of Light Blue. An invitation and details will be posted out with the 2009 issue of The Cluthan early in September. In 2008, we enjoyed the hospitality and facilities of Clyde House, thanks to the warm welcome provided by GGS, Heather Morgan and the Clyde House girls.

COGA Annual Jumble Sale It’s time to start sorting your clutter for the Jumble Sale on Thursday 25 June. Bring out your beauteous bric-a-brac and bundle it up for the biggest bargain bonanza in town. Recycle, re-use, re-sell, and refuse to let the recession get you down. Goods can be left at the St John’s Church Hall until 8pm the previous evening. All helpers are welcome, especially for sorting goods (9-10am) before the doors open and the crowd rushes in. For enquiries about goods depots, or to arrange collection, ring Sally Hudson (Mercer, Cl’71) on tel: (03) 9529 6435. All proceeds to the Isabel Henderson Kindergarten in North Fitzroy.

3 1. Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC, DBE (Cl’26) reaches a milestone of 100 years. 2. Clyde 1968 40-Year Reunion.

Fun Cup Golf Day, 2008 On Monday 13 October at Waterford Valley, Rowville, an overcast morning greeted players on an interesting course in beautiful condition, and everyone enjoyed their day. Congratulations and thanks to the Clyde players for their commendable efforts. Our top four scores came from Fiona Chirnside (Macfarlan, Cl’54), Fiona Slocombe (Dalrymple, Cl’73), Gay Morton (Howard, Cl’57) and Sandy Taylor (Dalrymple, Cl’75). Sandy was successful in winning one of the “nearest the pins”. Well done everyone. Clyde finished a close third to Toorak College (1st) and St Catherine’s (2nd). More players needed, please, for the Fun Cup and InterSchools’ comps this year! (See “Diary Dates” for details).

The Cluthan 2009 Keep in touch with other Clyde girls! Please send all articles, news, photos, contributions, notices, obituaries to The Cluthan Editor, Cathie Mahar, PO Box 93, Leopold, Vic 3224. Tel: 61 3 5250 1952. Email: cathie.mahar@ gmail.com. Congratulations and thanks to Cathie for all her work in co- ordinating the production of The Cluthan 2008.

3. Enjoying morning tea at Clyde House for Old Girls Day in October 2008 were Diana Whittakers (Moore, Cl’63), Mary deCrespigny (Bartram, Cl’42) and Anne Cordner (Baillieu, Cl’43). 4. Visiting the historic Warrambeen woolshed in Rokewood during the COGA Garden Tour in October 2008 were (L-R) Lou Robinson (McMillan, Cl’58); Jessica Scarff (Piesse, Cl’62); Mimi Forwood (Osborne, Cl’61) and Christine Meek.

Diary Dates 2009 Monday 30 March Inter-School Golf Challenge, Southern Golf Club. Enquiries to Anna Tucker (Kimpton, Cl’71), tel: (03) 9509 0952, mob: 0408 540 252, email: annatucker@odcg.com.au Thursday 25 June COGA Annual Jumble Sale (9am-12noon) St John’s Church Hall, Cnr Orrong & Toorak Rds, Toorak. Enquiries to Sally Hudson (Mercer, Cl’71), tel: (03) 9529 6435 Sunday 11 or 18 October COGA Old Girls’ Day & AGM (Date, venue & guest speaker to be confirmed) Enquiries to COGA President Margie Gillett (Cordner, Cl’71), tel: (03) 9525 3698, email: gillett22@aol.com Monday 19 October Fun Cup Golf Day, Barwon Heads Golf Club. Enquiries to Anna Tucker (Kimpton, Cl’71), contact details above. 35

Andrew Fisher (FB’80)

Administration, Senior & Middle School 50 Biddlecombe Avenue Corio Victoria Australia 3214 Tel: +61 3 5273 9200 Fax: +61 3 5274 1695 Timbertop Campus Timbertop Private Bag Mansfield Victoria Australia 3722 Tel: +61 3 5733 6777 Fax: +61 3 5777 5772 Toorak Campus 14 Douglas Street Toorak Victoria Australia 3142 Tel: +61 3 9829 1444 Fax: +61 3 9826 2829 Bostock House Campus 139 Noble Street Newtown Victoria Australia 3220 Tel: +61 3 5221 7760 Fax: +61 3 5221 7602 Website: www.ggs.vic.edu.au Email: lightblue@ggs.vic.edu.au Editor: Elizabeth Pont Photography: Darren Apps Michael Collins Persse Gavin Dowling Richard Kumnick (M’68) Tony Inkster Tanya Lazzaro James McEwan Elizabeth Pont Katie Rafferty Quentin Robertson Rowan Swaney Jennifer Wraight Layout & Page Design: Creative Force Printing: Adams Print CRICOS No. 00143G

I left GGS in 1980, so if one looks past the usual years of University and then training, the main interest begins with: I started teaching at The Scots College, Sydney and during seven years there also spent two of those at their outdoor education centre ‘Glengarry’ which is modelled very much on Timbertop. The years in Sydney were fantastic, it is a great city and I thoroughly enjoyed life there, but was ready for a change. Quite what a change it became I did not imagine at the time. I left Sydney for a ‘late GAP year’ travelling to England with my fiancée Catherine in 1993. I began work at Wrekin College in Shropshire in 1994 and over ten years worked my way from teacher of English to Housemaster and then deputy Headmaster. It was a lovely school and due to my connection to Geelong some students did complete a successful exchange, which I hope continues today. I then became Headmaster of Frensham Heights School in Surrey, as my boss at the time said “and they might give the job to an Aussie”! Frensham is a “liberal school”, coming out of the progressive movement, so no uniform, first-name basis and a big emphasis on creative/performing arts, no religious basis and a love of outdoor education. I have been here five years now and time has flown past. It is a truly unique school in a very English setting. It also means that those of you who remember my father Charles (Head of GGS) will have to imagine me in a similar role; some will smile and others will perhaps believe it possible, I am not sure I do… In the end I am now the fourth generation of Headmaster in our family (along with my brother Geoff), I would welcome hearing from friends and colleagues and would be proud to show you round Frensham if you ever found yourselves in our locality. Sam Smith (Cu’89) Having discovered that I had a passion for media and advertising, I quickly directed my energy towards the internet - an industry growing 40% year on year. With that kind of growth, opportunities came thick and fast. My experience in commerce and media sales, plus the passion in statistics/mathematics led me to developing unique monetisation solutions for websites. A career highlight was the 2008 Beijing Olympics where we generated more advertising revenue for Yahoo!7 than NBC in the US. My interest in building brands finally led me to video production and this is where I now work with media/creative agencies and advertisers to

execute strategic content that is applicable to any communication channel (TV, mobile, web etc..). I am enjoying the challenges of running a medium-sized business in these restricting economic times and look forward to making TCO an incredible experience for the individuals here and the clients that engage with us. Laura Smith (Je’93) After completing my Bachelor of Arts course majoring in Psychology and Sociology at Monash University, I spent the next four years living and working in London, Edinburgh and Ireland. It was in Ireland, whilst volunteering for Oxfam that I became interested in community work, and when I returned to Australia I began my Masters of Social Science (International Development) course. I am now living in Darwin with my partner Simon Berger (Fr’93) and our beautiful 2year-old daughter. I work for Australian Red Cross as a project officer working with remote Indigenous communities, implementing programmes and services for youth. Part of my role is to visit communities and liaise with them in order to determine their needs and requirements. I feel privileged to be able to visit these amazing places and see a part of Australia that not many people get to see. I am so encouraged to see Geelong Grammar becoming more involved in Indigenous issues and I look forward to seeing how that develops. Marvin Khoo (FB’01) The idea that music could be my career and not just a hobby developed over my two years at Geelong Grammar. Mr Paul Rettke was very influential and it was his idea that I head to Boston, USA, to study at Berklee College of Music. Before I knew it, I was enrolled to start classes there in September 2004 (after serving National Service from ‘02 - ‘04). While I was at Berklee, I was surrounded by 4000 music students every day, all of them bringing their own taste and blend of rock, pop, jazz, hip hop and so on. I majored in Jazz Composition and learnt to write everything from simple leadsheet tunes to elaborate big-band charts. While in Boston, I also played drums in a local rock band and got to play shows at various rock clubs and universities in the city. In 2008, I graduated and returned to Singapore to start my life in music. I was soon conducting / teaching secondary school concert bands here.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information printed in this edition of Light Blue. If an error has occurred, please accept our apologies and contact the Community Relations Office on tel: +61 3 5273 9349