Issue number 81 April 2010
Contents From the Editor
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From the Chairman
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From the Principal
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The theme for this edition of Light Blue is “Character Strengths”, which is a key tenet of Positive Psychology and the teaching of Positive Education at Geelong Grammar School. The concept of character strengths was developed by American psychologists Chris Peterson and Martin Seligman in a bid to identify universally acknowledged human virtues and strengths from a diverse range of spiritual and philosophical traditions. Utilising sources such as Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Platonism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Peterson and Seligman classified six broad virtues, or strengths: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence.
Year 10 excursion to the Northern Territory to attend the Walking With Spirits and Garma Festivals during Term 3. The 10-day trip took our children to the heart of Australia and immersed them in a culture incredibly foreign to their own. From the breath-taking landscapes of Arnhem Land to the town camps of Oenpelli, it was an eye-opening experience that deeply affected students and teachers alike. “I wanted to go on the Arnhem Land Trip to gain a deeper perspective into the lives and culture of Indigenous Australians,” Chelsea Owensby (Yr10 Ga) explained. “I cannot believe how ignorant I was before the trip in regards to Indigenous issues.”
Elisabeth Murdoch House Opening
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Panckridge Library Opening
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One of the strengths of Geelong Grammar School is its growing Indigenous education programme. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are recognised as the traditional custodians of the land in which we live, yet most non-Indigenous Australians know little, if anything, about Aboriginal culture. Over the past five years Geelong Grammar School has strived to change this; exposing our children to Aboriginal culture, and demonstrating a strong commitment to Indigenous education.
Positive Education endeavours to help our students not only to develop a greater awareness of their own character strengths, but also to learn to acknowledge, recognise and value the strengths of others. The Year 10 excursion to Arnhem Land engaged in a number of activities that provided students with intimate contact and connection with Indigenous people, including spear-fishing and basket-weaving, and it was this personal contact that had the most lasting impact. “What I really enjoyed was just playing with all of the Aboriginal kids,” Chelsea said. “They were so playful and full of joy. They were very curious, just as we were, and would run up to you and ask you what your name was. They were a lot of fun to be around.”
In 2006 there was just one Indigenous student at the School. In 2010 there are 12. Selected as one of the first Education Provider schools for the Federal Government’s Indigenous Youth Leadership Programme (IYLP), the School has worked closely with the not-for-profit organisation Yalari to provide Indigenous children from remote communities around Australia the opportunity of an exceptional education. This has been possible through a variety of scholarships, with funding from IYLP, Yalari’s Rosemary Bishop Indigenous Education Scholarship Programme, AbStudy, and the Geelong Grammar School community.
Brendan McAloon Marketing & Communications Manager
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From the Head of Positive Education 10-11 Careers Day
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Bostock House
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Toorak Campus
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Middle School
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Timbertop
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Grease Production
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Winter Sports
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Coriobald Exhibition
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Diary of our Senior Chaplain
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From the Foundation Chairman
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Fundraising/Biddlecombe Society
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From the OGG President
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OGG News
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OGG Gatherings 1980 30 Year Reunion
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OGG Sport
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HOGA
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COGA
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OGG In Focus
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From the Curator
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Boz: Aviator, Farmer, Schoolmaster
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Congratulations
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Front Cover: Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE (Cl’26) surrounded by the girls of Elisabeth Murdoch House at the official opening of the new girls’ boarding house on 24 April 1. Chelsea Owensby (Yr10 Ga) playing with Aboriginal children at the Garma Festival hosted by the Yolngu people of noth-east Arnhem Land
In 2008 Yalari’s Waverley Stanley gave an inspirational presentation at our annual Staff Conference. Consequently the staff at the School’s Timbertop campus discussed their desire to establish a Geelong Grammar School Staff Indigenous Student Scholarship Fund. The aim of the fund was to enable a Yalari student to attend Timbertop (Year 9) followed by Years 10 to 12 at the Senior School in Corio. The idea was well supported throughout the entire School, and staff have contributed more than $65,000 to the fund, which is supporting its first Indigenous scholarship student in 2010. However, the School’s engagement with Indigenous Australia is not limited to scholarships. The most recent example is a
South East Asia Trip
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Jeremy Kirkwood Chairman of Council
1 We recently opened the extended and refurbished Panckridge Library, which is located in front of Barrabool House and is a fantastic resource for the School’s younger students. The Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry, Member for Corio, and Old Geelong Grammarian, Richard Marles (P’84), opened the library in the presence of Bill Panckridge (FB’46), students from Years 5 and 6, Library and Middle School staff, the Principal, and members of Council. It was a very happy occasion. We also took the opportunity to open the shade structure at the Bender Centre, which will significantly enhance spectator conditions at the School’s hockey and tennis centre. On behalf of the School Community I acknowledge the funding from the Federal Government through the Building the Education Revolution (BER) programme which made these projects possible. I welcome the investment in all the nation’s schools and the inclusion of independent schools in the programme. One of the key roles of Council is to determine investment in buildings, grounds, equipment, intangible assets such as professional development for staff, and intellectual property such as Positive Education. The School’s annual budget and fee increases are set so as to ensure the School can generate sufficient funds to sustain it in perpetuity. This means determining as carefully as possible the replacement cost and expected life of our assets and scheduling our capital expenditure to ensure the fabric of the School is well maintained. In my previous article I said that I would keep you informed on the outcomes of Council’s strategic planning and, at this stage, I thought it would best to provide you with an outline of the major projects under consideration for Corio which have not been previously announced: • Boarding Houses are to be refurbished and reconfigured to reflect what we believe will be the future standard for boarding globally • Music School will be expanded to accommodate increased demand
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2 • Bracebridge Wilson Theatre will be refurbished (some may say completed!) • Design Technology Centre will be constructed • Language Centre/classroom block will be constructed, and • Assembly/Multi-Purpose Hall will be built Projects are being planned and designed so that they will be ready to proceed once funding from both operational surpluses and fundraising allow. The School will continue to fund maintenance and sustaining capital of approximately $5 million per annum. Clearly the continued strength of the School in enrolments and fundraising support will be critical to the delivery of this Strategic Plan over coming years.
1. Chairman of Council, Jeremy Kirkwood (FB’79), with one of his former teachers, W.J.P (Bill) Panckridge (FB’46), at the opening of the Panckridge Library extension. The original Middle School Library was renamed the Panckridge Library in 1987 in recognition of the outstanding and lengthy contribution of Mr Panckridge, who retired from the staff of the School at the end of that year after 36 years service. 2. School captain, Charlie Vickers-Willis (Yr12 FB), speaks at the official opening of the Panckridge Library extension and Bender Centre shade structure on 20 July 2010.
Geelong Grammar School is a complex operation with many demands across its five campuses. I do believe we have a robust approach to strategic planning and capital budgeting which enables us to view the future with confidence. I also believe that each campus benefits from being part of a larger school. We are able to undertake more significant projects at a campus earlier than possible if the campus was financially independent. After a cold, wet, but good Winter I am looking forward to the trappings of Spring, with warm breezes and the smell of cut grass amongst others! Jeremy Kirkwood (FB’79) Chairman of Council 3
Stephen Meek Principal
1 Character Strengths is the aspect of Positive Psychology to which I think students and staff who are studying Positive Psychology most easily relate. Once the concept has been explained, there is a natural desire to wonder what strengths one has – especially for those of us who have often wondered whether we had any strengths of any sort. So much of school life – and life in general – involves comparison with other people, either consciously or subconsciously, and then we can land up judging ourselves in a poor light. So to find that one has strengths, without any ifs or buts, is incredibly satisfying and very good for the morale. Moreover, I have found that invariably people who have taken the VIA Character Strengths tests have found that their top five strengths – their Signature Strengths – capture the essence of who they are. For many people, the surprise is not that these character strengths come out in the top five, but that they are classified as strengths. I think many people take for granted the things that they can do well and focus instead on the things that they cannot do well. To be reminded that one has strengths is therefore wonderful and being encouraged to use those Signature Strengths actively, on a daily basis, makes enormous sense for increasing one’s life satisfaction. So, if you have not taken the VIA Character Strengths test, let me encourage you to join over a million people who have already taken the test by going to www.authentichappiness.org. Justin Robinson, the Head of Positive Education, explores this further on page 10. Strengths are also evident in this edition of Light Blue and in the Annual Report. The number of students at the School for the last two years has been the highest it has been since the 1980s, when the Highton Campus was open. It is very encouraging that so many families want to have a Geelong Grammar School education for their children. The strength of the boarding numbers in the Senior School has led to the creation of a new girls’ House and the official opening of Elisabeth Murdoch House was a great occasion and is well described on page 6. It was tremendous to have Dame Elisabeth with us for the day. Overall, we have waiting lists for entry into two of the Senior School Year 4
groups and the House spirit which pervades all of the Houses is almost tangible. Best of all, we continue to have such wonderful students as members of the School. The number of compliments we receive about the students, from people outside of the School, is very impressive. Thus, for example, in the Senior School Assembly this week the Director of Sport, Paul La Cava, read out a glowing testimonial about our students which he had received from another APS Director of Sport. Our students and staff remain the fundamental strength of the School. There is more from Paul La Cava on page 20 about the Winter Sport season. As he makes clear, we have had a very strong season – the best for boys and girls for many years. The changes which we have made to the sporting programme have begun to bear fruit and the Handbury Centre for Wellbeing has provided opportunities for our Senior School students to be fitter, on average, then probably ever before. More and more students are using the Centre, so that, for example, 2,000 more students had visited the Wellbeing Centre for a work out before breakfast, than at this time a year ago. It is not just in fitness work that there is greater involvement. This year’s Coriobald Exhibition had entries from 128 students and staff, a far higher number than last year. The Coriobald, now in its fourth year, provides a wonderful opportunity for portraits to be painted but, because the artist also provides an explanation as to why a particular person has been chosen as the subject, it also provides a celebration of the participation of so many people in the life of the School. Martin Beaver had the tremendous idea for the introduction of the Coriobald and this year’s exhibition is featured on page 19. Grease, the School Musical, also had more than 120 students involved in the production and it was excellent that so many students were a part of the show. It was a marvellous production, with so much energy and talent being on display and it was quite clear that everyone thoroughly enjoyed being involved. Phillip Bohun did a remarkable job in directing the show and he writes about it on page 17.
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All of this, of course, is in addition to the hard work which the students put into their work throughout the year and which have ensured that our academic results continue to be strong in both the IB and the VCE. We are fortunate to be able to offer our students two world class examination systems. Lastly, one of the undoubted strengths of the School is that we have such a varied and diverse student population. We have students from every State and Territory within Australia, from country areas and the city, and we have students from about 20 overseas countries. I think that this remains extremely important for the breadth of variety within the School. South East Asia remains the most important region from which overseas students come and it was very good to be able to re-connect with so many families on our recent South East Asia tour, as can be seen on pages 8 and 9. We are fortunate to have such strong supporters in the region.
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One of the basic tenets of Positive Psychology is to count one’s blessings and this edition of Light Blue shows just how many blessings there are within the School and the wider community which we can count. Keep counting! Stephen Meek Principal
6 1. The official opening of Elisabeth Murdoch House was a significant occasion for the School. Dame Elisabeth (Cl’26) is pictured with (L to R) her grandson, Deputy Chairman of Council, Paddy Handbury (M’72), Head of Elisabeth Murdoch House, Christine Howes, Principal Stephen Meek, and Chairman of Council, Jeremy Kirkwood (FB’79) 2. Fabia Howard-Smith (Yr11 EM) with parents Andrew Smith and Lucy Howard-Smith at the opening of Elisabeth Murdoch House 3. Current grandparents James and Elizabeth Milne at the opening of Elisabeth Murdoch House 4. James Eddington (Yr11 Cu) and Georgie Dixon (Yr10 He) starred as Danny and Sandy in the musical production, Grease
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5. Rupert Mitchell (Yr12 P) put on a dazzling performance as DJ Vince Fontaine in the musical production, Grease. He is flanked by Cat Leonard (Yr12 Fr) and Camille Nock (Yr11 EM) 6. Principal Stephen Meek led the School’s annual tour of South East Asia. He is pictured with Razman Hashim (FB’58), Christine Meek, and current parent Tunku Yahaya at the Kuala Lumpur Cocktail Reception 7. The Principal’s first official visit to Beijing was the highlight of the South East Asia tour. L to R: Registrar Angela Mellier, current parent Nancy Nock, Principal Stephen Meek, Christine Meek, and Alumni Manager Katie Rafferty (Spry, Ga’84) at Capital M restaurant overlooking Tiananmen Square
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Panckridge Library
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Elisabeth Murdoch
House Opening Former student, past parent and current great grandparent, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE (Cl’26) officially opened a new girls’ boarding house at the School’s Corio Campus on 24 April. The 101-year-old matriarch of the Murdoch family said she was thrilled to open the boarding house, which has been named in her honour. Principal, Stephen Meek, said the establishment of Elisabeth Murdoch House was a significant event in the history of Geelong Grammar School and its ongoing commitment to co-education. “It was decided that the new House should be named in recognition of a woman who has contributed significantly to the life and heritage of Australia and who is also a treasured member of the Geelong Grammar School community,” Mr Meek said. “A former student, past parent and current great grandparent, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch was the natural choice,” he said. “Her example of a life dedicated to her community is one which all those associated with Geelong Grammar School and Elisabeth Murdoch House hold dear.” 6
Dame Elisabeth is widely acknowledged as one of Australia’s greatest philanthropists. She was born in 1909 and educated at Clyde School (1922-26). She married Keith Murdoch (later Sir Keith) in 1928 and has had children, grandchildren and great grandchildren attend Geelong Grammar School over the past 60 years. Dame Elisabeth’s philanthropic interests are numerous and long-standing. She joined the management committee of the Royal Children’s Hospital in 1933, where she became involved in fundraising and initiated the Good Friday Appeal. She was the first female trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria and has been involved with numerous other organisations, including the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, the Australian Ballet, Cottage By the Sea, and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.
1970s through amalgamation with The Hermitage and Clyde Girls’ Schools. This allowed the School to prepare students for the dynamic of the modern world, enabling boys and girls to live and learn alongside each other. The opening of Elisabeth Murdoch House underlines the continuing strengths of boarding at the School and is further evidence of the School’s commitment to co-education – in 2010 42% of the School’s students are girls. 1-4. Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE (Cl’26) was the centre of attention at the official opening of Elisabeth Murdoch House. She is pictured with (3) her grandson, Deputy Chairman of Council Paddy Handbury (M’72), and (4) the entire 2010 cohort of Elisabeth Murdoch House
Local MP and Old Geelong Grammarian, Richard Marles (P’84), joined Geelong Grammar School Principal, Stephen Meek, to officially open the Panckridge Library extension and Bender Centre shade structure on Tuesday 20 July. Mr Meek said the extension of the Panckridge Library had created a dynamic learning environment for the School’s younger students to discover and explore. “The extension of the Panckridge Library enhances an important learning environment for our students,” Mr Meek said. “It provides a modern, intimate, and dedicated library space for reading and research, as well as creating additional space for group work.”
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The original Middle School Library was renamed the Panckridge Library in 1987 in recognition of the outstanding and lengthy contribution of Mr W.J.P (Bill) Panckridge, who retired from the staff of the School at the end of that year. A former student (FB’46) and House Captain of Francis Brown House, Mr Panckridge was a member of Geelong Grammar School staff for 36 years and had a long association with the Middle School Library. Fittingly, Mr Panckridge was also Mr Marles’ Year 7 German teacher. The Bender Centre, an all-weather Hockey and Tennis Centre named in memory of Mr Norman Ernest Bender (1924-200), was officially opened in 2001. The Shade Structure is a valuable addition to the Centre, providing shelter for students, coaches and spectators. Mr Bender (Ge’41) was a member of the School Council from 196880, a long-standing member of the Bostock House Committee, and had four sons attend the School from 1957-82. He was also the chairman and managing director of Benders Busways, a family-owned bus company, and an important link between the School and its local community.
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Both projects were jointly funded by the Federal Government’s Building the Education Revolution (BER) programme. 1. Grace Creati (Yr6 Hi) spoke at the opening of the Panckridge Library extension 2. Year 5 teacher Pam Barton is flanked by School Captains, Hannah Robertson (Yr12 Cl) and Charlie Vickers-Willis (Yr12 FB) 3. L to R: Member of Council, Helene Bender, with Bill Panckridge (FB’46) 4. L to R: Bill Panckridge (FB’46) with Principal Stephen Meek, Local MP Richard Marles (P’84), and Chairman of Council Jeremy Kirkwood (FB’79)
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Geelong Grammar School reinforced its reputation as a pioneer of modern education by becoming co-educational in the early
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South East Asia
4. A small group of current and past parents and OGG gathered in Beijing to meet with Principal Stephen Meek and to hear news of the School. Pictured (L to R) Christine Meek, Nancy Nock, Katie Rafferty (Ga’84), Joy Charassuvachakanich (Ga’04),Tom Luckock (Fr’92), Stephen Meek, Fiona Sheridan, Michael Sheridan, Angela Wang (Ga’07), Xin Wang, Andrew Thomson (M’78), and Angela Mellier.
Trip 2010
Geelong Grammar School’s first official visit to mainland China was the highlight of Principal Stephen Meek’s annual tour of South East Asia. The Principal hosted a reception in Beijing on May 31 – the second stop on the School’s 17-day tour (May 26-June 8), which also included information sessions and community gatherings in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Sadly, political unrest forced the School to bypass Bangkok this year. However, it was the political situation in Thailand that presented the opportunity for the first official GGS visit to mainland China, with the capital of Beijing decided upon as the destination of choice. The visit to China’s political and cultural centre proved to be an interesting and worthwhile trip. A cocktail reception was held at Shangri La’s Beijing Kerry Centre Hotel, which was attended by a small group of current and past parents, as well as several Old Geelong Grammarians who ‘came out of the woodwork’ thanks to the power of email and Facebook. It proved a great opportunity for all present to make good connections with each other and to hear of the current happenings at the School. Current 8
parent Nancy Nock provided outstanding hospitality, with the highlight being dinner at the Capital M restaurant she co-owns with renowned Australian chef and restaurateur Michelle Garnaut, which boasts breathtaking views across Tiananmen Square. The annual tour began with a visit to Hong Kong, which saw the largest of the cocktail receptions, with around 60 members of the wider GGS community, including current and past parents, past staff, past students, as well as prospective parents interested in learning more about the School. Many bonds were formed and it was a very enjoyable evening. The information session that preceded the reception attracted interest from members of both the expat community as well as local families, and Mr Meek was able to provide them with a wealth of information about the School and what it offers. Once again current parents Bob and Maria Ma offered their generous hospitality and enjoyable company while in Hong Kong as did OGG Branch members, President Roland Wu (P’93), Paul Ng (FB’88), and Desmond Ting (FB’87), who were busy making plans for the OGGAsia
5. Current parents Grace Yahala, Rukiah Ong and Doreen Tan in Kuala Lumpur
Reunion planned for Hong Kong on Saturday 12 March 2011. The time spent in Kuala Lumpur was brief but once again large numbers of the Malaysian GGS ‘family’ came together for a very enjoyable cocktail reception at the Shangri-La Hotel. Current parents, grandparents, past students, and some of their children gathered for another enjoyable evening. A talk by the Principal and a slideshow of the School created much interest and information for those who had not visited the School before. Warm hospitality was shown by current parents Norma and Iman Aziz, who provided a pleasant evening and good company in the KL Tower revolving restaurant – another amazing experience and one not soon forgotten. The final leg of the tour was to Singapore where current parent Vincent Lai and past parents Shek Voon Jen, Swee Choo Yeoh, Adrian Tan and Shook-Wah Kan and past grandparent Rita Yeoh very kindly and most generously entertained the GGS party. President of the OGG Singapore Branch, Randall Lee (P’93), was present for the
6. Chris Lim (Cu’95), Jed Kwek (Cu’09), Nicolette Yim (Cl’09) and John Kirkham (M’52) had an opportunity to meet in Singapore 7. A group of 1988 leavers in KL; Fu Yee Yoong (Cu’88), Jonathan Manifold (M’88) and Kelvin Ngow (M’88) 8. Tiffany Young (Cl’90), Meg McTaggart (Ga’95), Vish Padmanabhan (Cu’76), Lesley Robinson (Cl’78), and current parent Angela Sanchez in Singapore
9 information session and, after Stephen Meek had spoken about the School to the group, Randall was able to assist by sitting with individual families and giving a firsthand account of his time at GGS. A small group of Old Geelong Grammarians and current parents attended the following cocktail reception and once again some strong connections were formed during an enjoyable evening. OGG Singapore Branch Secretary Kevin Kang (M’90), was among the guests, which also included former Branch President John Kirkham (M’52). It was once again a
9. Kevin Kang (M’90), current parent Vincent Lai, Stephen Meek, and John Kirkham (M’52) at the Cocktail Reception in Singapore
good opportunity for those present to be kept up to date with the happenings at the School and to reconnect with each other. Katie Rafferty (Spry, Ga’84) Alumni Manager. 1. Members of the OGG Hong Kong Branch (L to R) Paul Ng (FB’88), President Roland ‘Singh’ Wu (P’93), and Desmond Ting (FB’89) 2. Current and future parents had a chance to mingle in Hong Kong. Pictured (L to R) Gilly Moore, Tanny Sutton, Liz Redfern, and Anne Salt 3. Past parent Shane Chaplin with son Charles Chaplin (P’05) at the Malaysian function.
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Justin Robinson Head of Positive Education
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Positive Education This edition of Light Blue highlights the important concept of Character Strengths, which is a key tenet of Positive Psychology and underpins each of our six domains of Positive Education here at Geelong Grammar School. Renowned psychologist, Martin Seligman, asserts that deploying ones highest strengths promotes engagement, leads to more positive emotion, to more meaning, to more accomplishment and to better relationships. At GGS, we believe that knowing, utilizing and growing your character strengths are a vital component in developing wellbeing and promoting flourishing.
Character Strengths In 2004, Professors Chris Peterson and Martin Seligman were charged with the question of: “How can we help people to evolve toward their highest potential?” After several years of research, their answer became helping people to recognise and utilise their character strengths. Peterson and Seligman examined historical, cultural and religious documents in an attempt to discover character strengths which are universally valued across time and culture. Their research resulted in a systematic classification and measurement of twentyfour specific strengths which fit under six broad virtues: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance and transcendence. Their resultant text Character Strengths and Virtues – A handbook and classification, is one of the most substantial and perhaps defining texts of the first decade of positive psychology. These twenty-four strengths exist within each one of us to varying degrees. As individuals we are required to call upon our strengths in different ways and under different circumstances. For example, a student might call forth his or her social intelligence and curiosity when with friends; use selfcontrol and prudence when eating; draw on teamwork and perseverance when studying and use love and kindness with family and friends. It is meaningful to think of an individual’s character as a unique profile of strengths with varying highs and lows. I find it a fascinating paradox, that whilst our character strengths are deemed to be part of our personality and therefore relatively 10
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Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Bravery, Creativity, Curiosity, Fairness, Forgiveness and Mercy, Gratitude, Honesty, Hope, Humour, Kindness, Leadership, Love, Love of Learning, Modesty and Humility, Open-Mindedness, Persistence, Perspective, Prudence, Self-control, Social Intelligence, Spirituality, Teamwork, Zest. stable, our strengths can also be grown and cultivated and should not be viewed as fixed traits. Through intentional activity, significant life events, changes in lifestyle, and for our students – often through a growing sense of maturity and responsibility, ones character strengths will evolve over a period of time. As further research is completed on character strengths it will be interesting to understand how and when strengths are developed during childhood. For example, at what age does a child fully understand and correctly deploy strengths such as: Forgiveness, Prudence or Self-regulation? One key concept we endeavour to explain to our senior students is that whilst the twentyfour character strengths are universally valued across time and culture, any of the strengths can be overused, misused, or under-used. It is amazing to think how quickly a particular strength can be forgotten, or expressed in unbalanced or harmful ways. We discuss strength continuums and brainstorm words around the exaggeration, absence or opposite of a particular strength. For example: the exaggeration of kindness could be perceived as intrusive or the exaggeration of zest as hyperactivity; the absence of love could be viewed as isolation and the opposite of gratitude as entitlement. Peterson and Seligman believe that a key to flourishing is through knowing and expressing one’s character strengths, especially one’s signature strengths. Signature strengths are top ranking strengths used across different settings, readily noticed by others, that help you feel energized and true to oneself when expressed. The signature or intuitive strengths are the strengths that an individual uses without thinking, while the other strengths are drawn upon by consciously thinking to do so. Ones signature strengths are readily noticed by others, help you feel energized
and provide a feeling of being true to oneself when expressing them. The use of strengths is “orchestrated” by the individual once they have recognised the situation and have given consideration to appropriate strength use. It is the “conducting” of the orchestra of strengths that truly delineates the effective management of life from moment to moment. We are currently in the process of establishing a sound scope and sequence from ELC – Year 12 for the teaching of character strengths at GGS. With the majority of our staff and senior school students currently aware of their signature strengths and familiar with the common language of strengths we are observing an increasing level of respect and confidence on our campuses. Parents and OGGs are encouraged to go online and take the VIA Character Strengths survey test on Martin Seligman’s Authentic Happiness website (www.authentichappiness. com). There are a multitude of interesting questionnaires on the website; however, at this time we are commending the VIA Survey of Character Strengths. This survey is free of charge, has 240 questions and takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. On completion, you will receive your individual ranking of the character strengths and hence you will be able to identify your signature strengths and also consider different strengths which you may choose to grow. Well in excess of one million people have taken this survey. Justin Robinson Head of Positive Education
Visiting Positive Psychologists It was lovely to have our friends Ray and Sandy Fowler visit us at the start of this term. An expert in the field of Positive Health and an inspiring role-model in living and maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle, Ray is a Professor Emeritus of the University of Alabama and a former president of the American Psychological Association. In his talk The Many Applications of Positive Psychology, Ray referred to the topics of Positive Mental Health, Positive Psychotherapy, Positive Organisational Psychology, Positive Education, Positive Neuroscience, Positive Health and Positive Ageing. We were also thrilled that Dr. James Pawelski, Director of Education in the Positive Psychology Centre at the University of Pennsylvania and founding Director of the renowned MAPP (Masters of Applied Positive Psychology) programme was able to attend our inaugural Faith and Positive Psychology Conference and then stay for several days to experience our Positive Education programme first-hand and make a range of presentations to staff and students. A hilight of his visit was James’ evening presentation to staff, Positive Humanities – Advances in Positive Education, in which he raised the concept of needing the Humanities to provide a positive culture to underpin the science of positive psychology. James provided an in-depth analysis of three branches of the Humanities – Literature, Theatre Studies and Mathematics! He challenged us to consider increasing
students’ level of engagement through adding meaning to the curriculum and emphasising where possible the historical context of the development of subject matter. Throughout his visit James had numerous conversations with staff members and has enriched our understanding of expanding our implicit Positive Education curriculum. We thank him for giving so generously of his time.
Faith and Positive Psychology Conference Geelong Grammar School hosted its inaugural Faith and Positive Psychology Conference on 27 July. It was a great success with over 90 delegates attending, representing a large number of Geelong and Melbourne schools. The conference was a joint initiative of our Chaplaincy and the Positive Education department, working with the Chaplains in Anglican Schools, the Victorian Association for Religious Education, and the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne. Father Hugh Kempster, our Senior Chaplain, gave the morning keynote address titled - The Greatest of these is Love: a theological reflection on the virtues of positive psychology, morning workshops were presented by key GGS staff members and Dr Craig Hassed (Monash University) presented the afternoon keynote address entitled– Mindfulness, Meditation & Science of the Brain. Afternoon workshops were delivered by external presenters: teachers from St. Peter’s Primary School in East Bentleigh, a representative from the Catholic Education office, Dr. Peter Kaldor from the Leadership
Institute of the Uniting Church, and Dr. Dianne Vella-Brodrick from Monash University. It was an inspiring day. The energy and enthusiasm from the opening session onwards was palpable, and by the end of the day people were calling for another conference, only next year they felt it should be held over two or three days! 1. In Pam Barton’s Year 5 classroom each butterfly contains messages from students describing acts of kindness they have observed being carried out by their peers 2. Head of Positive Education, Justin Robinson, with Year 2 students from Toorak 3. Monash University’s Dr. Craig Hassed and Vice Principal Charles Scudamore. 4. Year 8 students sharing lunch, which was prepared and provided for by their peers 5. Dr. James Pawelski with Head of Positive Education, Justin Robinson
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Careers Day Term 3 is a time for important decisions to be made by Senior School students; what subjects will I choose next year, what career would appeal to me after Year 12, will I do the VCE or IB, should I do a GAP year, what courses will I apply for? The range of options available to students is huge and many find the decision making a little overwhelming. An initiative of the Old Geelong Grammarians, the OGG Careers Discovery Day is one of the key events on the school calendar and for the last nine years we have been blessed to have young OGGs return to familiar surroundings and talk to Year 10 students about their career paths since leaving GGS. On July 18 we had 45 OGGs, and a few “friends of GGS”, make themselves available to talk to students and parents. The keynote address was delivered by Campbell Macknight (Cu’98), who is a lawyer and case manager in the Refugee and Humanitarian Branch of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Campbell, who won the Myrna Brown Prize for Legal Studies in Year 12, now puts his well-honed legal skills into practice; interviewing refugee claimants within Australia’s jurisdiction (including “irregular maritime arrivals”, i.e. those coming by boat), assessing whether they are refugees in accordance with international law, and deciding whether to grant them a visa in accordance with Australia’s international obligations. 12
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Students and parents then moved off to small sessions where they listened to the career journeys of several different OGG mentors. Each provided a unique insider’s perspective of their chosen career, exposing students to an incredibly broad cross-section of career paths, from Melbourne Symphony Orchestra violinist Peter Edwards (Fr’80) to marine archaeologist James Parkinson (Fr’95), PricewaterhouseCoopers communications manager Nina Anderson (Cl’93), and Monash Immunology stem cell researcher/scientist Michael Wong (Fr’00). The range of careers was huge, and was segmented into 16 specialist sessions, with students attending three sessions each and hearing from up to nine different OGG mentors. Parents also had the opportunity to learn more about VCE/ IB options and the transition from GGS to tertiary education. The aim of the day is not to identify a specific career that a student will plan their final years of education around. Such linear paths are very rare now days and generally unrealistic. The Careers Discovery Day continues to provide a message that it is important to follow your interests and passions and be prepared for a more meandering career path. It is OK not to have a specific job in mind when you are at school. Most importantly, it is about seizing the opportunities that become available and enjoying the journey.
Once again the day was a great success as students appreciated an insight that would not normally be available, parents appreciated the opportunity to discuss some important issues with their children, and the mentors enjoyed speaking with students, catching up with school friends and teachers. My thanks and appreciation to the mentors and “friends of GGS” who so willingly give their time and energy back to the School community. The role of Careers Day and OGG mentors is important in assisting students decide subjects, university courses and career options. We encourage any OGG who is interested in acting as a mentor to students (and other OGG) to register on the OGG website. Peter Craig Head of Careers 1. L to R: OGG President Rob de Fégely (FB’74), OGG mentors Portia Morgan (He’00) and Georgie Bain (A’01), and Vice Principal Charlie Scudamore 2. OGG mentors (L to R) Tony Reynolds (Fr’97) and George Crawford 3. Macquarie Bank’s Ivan Varughese (M’00) was one of 45 OGG mentors to discuss career paths with students and parents 4. The ‘Building Stuff’ session was popular as always, with OGG mentors (L to R) Nick Ashton (P’99), Al Crosby (A’98) and Sarah Crowley (Cl’03) discussing careers in property valuation/real estate, property development and architecture respectively
3 Part of the process for any individual to come to know their authentic self is to identify what their personal strengths are. At Bostock House we endeavour to help our students to develop a greater awareness of their character strengths. They also learn to acknowledge, recognise and value the strengths of others. They do this through a wide range of classroom activities, ranging from peer nominations to discussing the strengths of characters in stories. The strengths identified range from kindness, spirituality and humour to perseverance, courage and diligence.
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be more independent, open-minded, fair, resilient, kind and the like. At Bostock House we encourage our children to employ their strengths every day at school, at home, and in their local community. By incorporating and utilising their strengths in everyday life we believe that they will perform better, enjoy greater life satisfaction, have higher energy levels and feel happier. In short they will flourish.
During our recent Art Week at Bostock House the children were asked to nominate animals that they thought best represented these various character strengths. Some of their thoughts included a dog for loyalty, a lion for courage, a donkey for spirituality, a giraffe for appreciation of beauty, an owl for wisdom, a dove for peace, a monkey for humour, and an elephant for learning because an elephant never forgets. Our resident artist for the week, Mrs Nola Klugg, then painted murals depicting the children’s ideas in the outdoor meeting area. The murals brightened up the area and made it a more inviting to play. They also serve as a tangible reminder of the many and varied strengths that we all possess.
I believe that Positive Education is transforming education in this way. Many educators now believe that we need to encourage a much greater diversity of talents. At Bostock House we endeavour to give our children genuine opportunities to develop their strengths and talents. We also encourage them to pursue their passions and to see learning as a natural, everyday life-long process, rather than a task orientated thing that one does in school in order to achieve a certain result. Nothing new has ever come from the process of never making a mistake along the way, yet at times the system seems obsessed with getting everything right, all the time. Of course we continue to teach the vital literacy, numeracy and other basic skills, but we are endeavouring to do more and to give 6 our children the capacity to put their skills, knowledge and passions to good use.
We know that character strengths can be developed. Individuals are able to learn to
Daryl Moorfoot Head of Bostock House
1. Year 1 students display some their signature strengths (L to R) Jasper Ellery, Medhi Sabary, Alexander Matherson and Ed Creati 2. Tiffani Bohun (Yr 1) displays one her character strengths: spirituality 3. Fleur Stephen (Yr 1) with one of her character strengths: love 4. Year 1 students (L to R) Ethan Colley, Charlotte Newman and Lachlan Parkhill share a character strength: love of beauty and excellence 5. Julian Bajer (Yr 1) displays on of his character strengths: curiosity
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Minding the Through the innovative teaching and learning strategies of Positive Education at the Toorak Campus, the children are developing the tools to cope with the demands of a busy life. On a daily basis, through implicit teaching, the children are given guidance and support on how best to learn , grow and develop a more engaging, confident and resilient attitude. We have been fortunate to welcome Janet Etty-Leal, a Mindful Meditation Consultant, as part of this process. Janet has undertaken to spend time with all our children from the Early Learning Centre to Year 6 and let them experience the benefits of Mindful Meditation. This will, in turn, support their increasing awareness of skills in a number of areas that will help to foster positive relationships and friendships with peers. It will further enhance core ingredients for learning such as concentration and positive creativity. I have been impressed by the responses we have seen in these areas together with the resulting advancement of individual understanding of the benefits of Positive Education at all levels in all year groups. As a community we will continue to support each other through the highs and lows of every day as we work towards making our campus a happy and positive environment within which we live and learn together.
Children’s Reflections “I love blowing bubbles, that’s because I like them. It makes me feel good. It pops on my nose and I love to hear it pop. It makes me feel good because I like it.” - Samuel, ELC 3 “I like myself because I go to sleep. I like the bubble meditation because it’s pretty and I feel happy.” - Jeylan, ELC 3 “It feels me happy and calms me.” - Will, ELC 3 “I like meditation bubbles; it makes me feel good and happy and I like it when we get beautiful music and relax and that’s all.” - Charlotte ELC 3 “The blanket looked nice. Nice things help you feel good. I want to feel good.”- Millie, TP “It makes you love. If you feel good, it makes you love.” - James, TP 1. Mindful Meditation Consultant, Janet Etty-Leal, spending time with the ELC 3 children 2. Lucy Auditore (ELC 3) 3. Maximus Bodon (ELC 3) 4. Oliver Barnard (ELC 3) 5. Winter Judd (ELC 3)
Garry Pierson Head of Toorak 14 14
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Minds of Children Australia used to be called “The Lucky Country”. When it comes to wellbeing, just how lucky are our youth? The most recent national study of mental health problems among children was conducted in 1998 (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) and at that time the prevalence of mental health problems among children and adolescents aged 4-17 was 14%. It is a sobering thought to hear Professor Patrick McGorry say that mental illness could affect up to 50 percent of people at some stage of their lives (Herald-Sun, January 19, 2010). Geelong Grammar School is proactive in enhancing mental health and wellbeing, and is a ‘lighthouse school’ globally, with its commitment to Positive Education. Mindful Meditation is an important adjunct to this programme. We know that physical health does not come about by chance. Physical wellbeing is the result of diet, exercise, hydration, rest and healthy relationships. Positive mental health exists in a symbiosis with physical health and is usually not the result of luck either. Mindful Meditation provides a wonderful way to help children of all ages establish a strong, personal foundation. The key skill is to develop self-knowledge. Through a
wide range of practices and experiences, practical, effective life skills can be mastered. Children can discover how to effectively focus their attention, which is the pre-requisite for learning. By choosing where their attention goes, they can literally change their minds … and make up their minds! Recent studies in neuroplasticity reveal that the brain is able to change its own structure, responding positively to stimulus, exercise and challenges.
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Importantly, children can begin to grow a sense of inner-knowing, so that emotions can be managed better, resilience grows and they can feel more comfortable in their own skins. As self-knowledge grows, benefits naturally flow on to academic and sporting outcomes, social relationships and feeling happier. Janet Etty-Leal Mindful Meditation Consultant 1. Mindful Meditation Consultant, Janet Etty-Leal, working with Year 2 2. Noah Thurston (Yr3 AL) 3. Janet Etty-Leal teaching meditation techniques to Year 1 children 4. Year 6 gather round 5. Robert Hinrichsen (Yr3 AL)
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6. Charlie Traynor (Yr2 AL)
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Middle School All of us have certain character strengths. These strengths vary from person to person. Character strengths have a moral association. Whilst talents refer to things we do well, it is character strengths that are often linked with ‘the right thing to do’. A character strength is a particular good or beneficial quality that is valued by the individual and also the community. Character strengths are recognised through six core virtues: Wisdom/ Knowledge, Courage, Love/Humanity, Justice, Temperance, and Spirituality/Transcendence. The sub-sets of the six core virtues are the 24 Character Strengths. Positive Education gives all students the opportunity to recognise their character strengths, nurture these strengths, and apply them in their life. This might be as simple as thinking about the strengths that are important for having strong relationships with others and choosing to develop one of these strengths through a friendship. Different students in Middle School were asked to reflect upon how they might use, recognise, and nurture character strengths in their own lives. Tony Inkster Head of Middle School 16 16
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Throughout the season the Year 8 football team had one main focus, and that was team work. At the start of the season we had players who did not trust other players and they would not pass it to them because they did not believe that they shared the same skill level. They were playing selfish football and wanted themselves to shine. As the season progressed, we started to work more as a team and bring everyone into the game; we realised we had to play and train as a team. When we started doing this we started to win games and when we started to bring the whole team into the game, we started to see the potential and how good all of our players were. We used the strength of team-ship to improve throughout the season – There’s no ‘I’ in team. Nicholas Anastassiou (Yr8 Ot) My father, George Chirnside, was only thirteen years old when he was first diagnosed with cancer. His knee became really sore and the muscle started wasting away. The bone cancer spread rapidly up his leg and into the knee and he was forced to make a decision that would change his life forever. After treatment and operations, Dad was told that he would have to lose his leg or his life could end within a year or two due to the cancer.
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The operation was performed and his leg was amputated. Weeks later, he began something that would be the most challenging thing he would ever complete – Timbertop. At Timbertop his determination shone throughout the year. He was determined to live life to the fullest and to not let the loss of his leg influence his life. He even completed the marathon at the end of the year on a pair of crutches! He arrived back at the campus late that night, and as he crossed the finish line, applause broke out as the students stood there with torches. Dad suffered a huge setback in losing his leg but bounced back to lead an active life. His resilience has continued to this day. Last year he broke his hip and femur in a horse-riding accident but after some fine surgery, he was back on the slopes doing what he loves – skiing. My Dad has endured a lot in his lifetime; he is a remarkably resilient person who looks to use the character strength of ‘perseverance’ in all that he does. Phoebe Chirnside (Yr8 Hn) Before I became a student at GGS my life was quite different. It was basketball, school, hanging-out with friends and a quiet life at Fitzroy Crossing. On the day I was told I was coming to GGS I was very excited, but I didn’t want to leave my friends and I wasn’t sure
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that a life at GGS was for me. I knew I would have to be resilient and use many of my strengths to manage this change. When I first arrived I was overwhelmed. The people were so friendly and welcoming and this certainly made life easier. I needed to be self-confident and engage in conversation with others. I also had to accept new responsibilities; such as being appointed a Captain of the Soccer Team. I also had to understand that kindness was important; at GGS all people are treated as equal. Now GGS is my home away from home. My friends here have become my family and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. GGS has changed me and my future and I look forward to the rest of my time here.
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Della Bedford (Yr8 Cn) In the June holidays I was in the GSODA Junior Players’ production of The Wizard of Oz. I was in this with about sixty other people. We were all really good friends. In making the decision to be involved in this production, I needed to be confident because we had to perform in front of lots of people. We all had to be very committed because we had to rehearse on Tuesdays and Saturdays. I had to persevere and not quit. Sometimes it was hard because it took up so much time but it was a wonderfully rewarding experience because we were always together and the cast became really close. It was a great experience and it was heaps of fun.
1. Tiah Vocale (Yr8 Cn) and Alice Macmillan (Yr8 Cn) helping to look after some of the many children on campus 2. Mimi Fraser (Yr5 Ot) creates her own origami shapes in Japanese class 3. Jack Boyle (Yr8 Bw) built his own skateboard in the Activities Programme
8. Through the Talented and Gifted Programme, Obby Bedford, Ella Boyle, Juliette Moran and Deanna Pascoe (Yr7 Cn) were able to create their own special dance routine 9. The Winter Season was successful for all of our Middle School teams. Hugo Frank (Yr7 Bb) bursts through the pack against Xavier.
4. Our Year 6 students happy to be back for the start of Term 3 5. Our Middle School Tournament of Minds team in preparation for their competition day in Term 3 6. James Martyn (Yr5 Ot) and Kingsley Leung (Yr5 Bw) enjoy their lunch 7. Billy Whitton (Yr5 Ot) shows his skills on the didgeridoo
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Timbertop “It is not always the people who start out the smartest who end up the smartest” – Alfred Binet It is mid-winter in the High Country and the dams are full, the creeks are rushing by, the mountains are blanketed in snow and the Timbertop pastures are lush and green, with sheep, young lambs and fat cattle grazing. One of my signature character strengths is hope and I look upon all this with tremendous optimism. It means that the creeks will be running for our Term 4 hiking programme and full dams and lush pastures auger well for the coming summer season. I am also looking out my window at the construction of the fine safehaven which will have the roof added next and this adds to my optimism for a safe summer for our Timbertop community, bushfires or not. Clearly, it is very easy to apply this character strength in happy times, but one of the reasons we ask students and staff at Timbertop (and GGS as a whole) to sit the VIA Character Strengths test is to determine key strengths so that they can be drawn on in the good times and bad. There have been times where I’ve had to apply my character strength of hope and optimism when the Timbertop community is experiencing difficulties. Our students, too, must call on their key character strengths when dealing with challenges and adversity at Timbertop. Certainly, on our Winter Expeditions in Term 3, plenty of zest and energy is required to climb the summit of Mt Stirling, sometimes on cross country skis with a pack on your back. In the Units, humour and playfulness are often important character strengths in order to deal with the difficulties of living with 13 other boys or girls during the winter months when moods can be tested. One of Sandy Mackinnon’s signature strengths is also humour and playfulness, which is evident in his English and drama classes, and surfaced while conducting the Timbertop choir at the parents’ dinner during the Term 3 exeat. Of course, at Timbertop with such a rich and diverse community, we are very fortunate to have people with such a broad range of character strengths. I look at the kitchen staff, 18 18
3 for example, where character strengths such as appreciation of beauty and excellence were on display during our inaugural Timbertop Art Show. Our brilliant Catering Manager and chef, Gerald Losa, painstakingly painted and carved a set of magnificent totem poles. Geoff Riddell displayed some beautiful paintings. Graham Tie, the self-titled Baron of Barjarg, made some amazing food sculptures. Amber Harrison displayed several elaborate handmade bags and Helen Bernasconi showed some intricately woven rugs. The Timbertop Director of Student Welfare, Cameron Mackenzie, believes, as does Christopher Peterson (the creator of the VIA Strengths Test), that “Other People Matter” is the cornerstone of the field of Positive Psychology. He also believes this is essentially why Positive Education so seamlessly aligns itself with the existing goals and ideals of the Timbertop Programme. An overriding focus for students throughout the year is to develop an understanding of community and a realisation of the importance of their place within that community and its success. We challenge the students to look beyond the individual, their own personal struggles and adversities, to look at the strengths and diversity of those around them. It is refreshing, especially as an educator, to move beyond the traditional focus of schools of looking at what is wrong with individuals to exploring what is right with a community and the strengths of those who live in that community which then provides the opportunities and potential for true happiness. Kurt Hahn, upon whose ideals the Timbertop Programme was founded, spoke
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commonly about the importance of being “of service”. He wrote: “If you are ‘of service’ you will make others happy, and you will be happy too.” Timbertop purposely removes from the students’ lives what many of them believe makes them happy – and this is replaced by more fundamental things such as selflessly being of service to others without expecting a return. They learn throughout the year to move away from looking for happiness in short term hollow experiences to seeking a much more essential appreciation of their lives – how fortunate they are – through a meaningful understanding of their place within the community and that “Other People Matter”. There is no doubt that the use of the VIA Strengths test results enables us to understand ourselves better, it also enables us to use our key character strengths and not dwell on our weaknesses. This knowledge allows us to understand others and hence develop a more positive community. Roger Herbert Head of Timbertop 1. Metalwork sculpture was a feature of the Timbertop Art Show 2. B Unit boys savour the view from the summit of Mount Stirling during the Winter Expedition 3. Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence... B Unit boys enjoying some winter sunshine
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Grease
Production Grease was definitely the word at Geelong Grammar School in Term 3. Over 120 Senior School students unveiled one of the School’s biggest musical productions ever as Grease took the stage from August 1-6. The show followed on from the hugely successful Annie Get Your Gun (2009) and continued the school’s proud history and commitment to dramatic and musical excellence. With songs like Sumer Nights, Greased Lightning and the finale We Go Together, Grease built a huge following around the world and it was no surprise that the production took GGS by storm. “Thanks for giving my child the opportunity to be part of such a special experience – I can’t believe he has waited until Yr 12 to participate – he clearly got so much out of it!” – Current parent “I just wanted to say a sincere thank you for putting on such a great production. I really enjoyed being a part of it all, and from the rehearsals and up to performing, it was a great experience. I can’t wait to see what next years’ production will be.” – Cast member “Grease was sensational – the range of students who produced such magnificent performances all interwoven so well. GREAT singing, great dancing, great music, so much energy and enthusiasm harnessed and coordinated to produce such a fun experience for all.” – Current staff member
As a special treat for our wider Corio community, we opened up a final rehearsal free of charge for students from primary and secondary schools surrounding GGS, as well as aged care homes, and the Karen refugee community. We were thrilled with the positive response. The rehearsal was a full house and the students were very excited to receive a Grease pack with a sticker, programme and some afternoon tea supplied. We also received some wonderful feedback. “Thank you to you and your lovely students for allowing us to come and see Grease last night. Just seeing the admiration and awe on my students’ faces was enough to make my day! They had such a great time and it has shown them what is actually possible. They are now keen as anything to keep going with drama. Hurrah! For most, it was their first trip to the theatre and I had to explain that ‘INTERMISSION’ was 1/2 time!” – Norlane Secondary College “Thank you so much for allowing St Laurence old folk and my AYCE “school refusers” to come along to see Grease yesterday. They ALL absolutely loved it. So much so that my school refusers said, “These are awesome kids. I’d love to come to school here!!!!” This is a really big statement from students who are terrified of regular school. They loved the energy and the obvious enjoyment and fun, friendship and
support that the performers had for each other. The old folks were still smiling and laughing about it all as I loaded them onto the bus. One lady said it has been the highlight of her year – Lyn Bouvier “It was brilliant to see pensioners, Karen refugees, parents and families, students from other schools, and GGS students have such a fantastic time. I loved the energy, zest, zing, and the whole show.” – Charlie Scudamore, Vice Principal I would like to pay tribute to the talent, passion and energy of the cast, crew, teachers and students behind Grease; their zeal and their fervour behind what will be remembered as one of the schools biggest and brightest musical theatre productions. Phil Bohun Director 1. Tash Remeljej (Yr11 EM) starred as the leader of the Pink Ladies gang, Rizzo, alongside Elliot O’Reilly (Yr11 Cu) as T-Birds’ bad boy Kenickie 2. Boys ensemble, led by Elliot O’Reilly (Yr11 Cu), launch into Greased Lightning 3. L to R: Anthony Bellofiore (Yr12 FB), Tom Duff (Yr12 P), Will Drury (Yr12 P), James Eddington (Yr11 Cu), Mitch Smart (Yr11 Cu) and Bayles Abercrombie (Yr11 P) 4. L to R: Portia Atkins (Yr11 Cl) and Georgie Dixon (Yr10 He) play best friends Frenchy and Sandy
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Winter Sports
Upon reflection the Winter Season has been outstanding. There have been many individual and team highlights, including our U16 Rugby team finishing the season undefeated. Coached by John Arton-Powell and Mike Keats, the team won their final game 12-5 against St Kevin’s on the back of a 50-metre try by Deluca Lawson-Matthews (Yr10 M) and subsequent conversion by Jack Mann (Yr10 FB). The 1st Netball (7 wins and a draw) and Football (4 wins and a draw) teams recorded their best result for years, whilst the Rugby, Girls Soccer and Hockey teams also had very successful and competitive seasons, finishing mid table in their respective competitions. Other undefeated teams included the Boys Hockey and 2nd Girls Soccer. However, whilst success is fantastic, it is the manner in which one competes as an individual, team and school that truly makes the difference. For this we can be proud of the manner in which all our players have represented the school this Winter Season. At the completion of the Winter Season both the APS and AGSV competitions select representative teams. The resultant matches are always of the highest quality with many State players in each of the competing teams. To be nominated by your school is an acknowledgement of one’s season, but to be selected is truly an outstanding achievement. This Winter Season the School was fortunate to have a number of students selected. Congratulations to the following: • Ellie Leslie (Yr11 He) - Girls Soccer (APS won by 7 goals) • Maddi Smedts (Yr12 Ga) (Co-captain) - Netball (APS won by 22 goals) • Kate Thompson (Yr11 Fr) - Netball • Claire Moore (Yr10 Cl) - Girls Hockey (APS won by 10 goals) • Phoebe Rothfield (Yr11 He) - Girls Hockey • Dannielle Baulch (Yr11 A) - Cross Country (APS won by 4 points) 20 20
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• Tom Scudamore (Yr12 A) - Boys Soccer (APS lost by 1 goal) • Troy Davis (Yr12 FB) - Football (APS lost by 4 points)
Exhibition
• Jakob Kiddle (Yr12 A) - Football • Brent MacLeod (Yr12 Fr) - Football For the past 14 years, 30 of Australia’s best AFL footballers are inducted into the Australian Institute of Sport’s (AIS) AFL Academy. Of the 30 selected, 10 spots are reserved for the best U17 players. Devon Smith (Yr11 A) was one of the 10 recipients of U17 scholarships for 2011. He joins Sam Gordon (Yr11 P) who received a similar scholarship in 2010. As part of the 2011 programme, Devon will travel to Europe in April to attend the AIS elite training centre in Italy, followed by an exhibition match in London, and finally Turkey, where the squad will attend the ANZAC Day service.
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At the recent Victorian Netball League awards night Kate Thompson (Yr11 Fr) was named in the Victorian U19 All Stars Team and ranked 2nd in the Top 3 Hot Shots Award for shooters. The Spring Season is now well under way and I would like to congratulate the Spring Season sports captains upon their selection, including Athletics Captains Eleonore deVienne (Yr12 Cl) and Carl Wright (Yr12 Cu), and Snow Sports Captains, Will Hayward (Yr12 FB) and Morgan Temple (Yr12 Ga).
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Paul La Cava Director of Sport
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4 1. Troy Davis (Yr12 FB) in action against St Kevin’s – a game which was among a number of narrow losses suffered by the 1st Football team this year. Troy was selected in the APS representative Football team alongside Jakob Kiddle (Yr12 A) and Brent MacLeod (Yr12 Fr) 2. Phoebe Rothfield (Yr11 He) led the Girls Hockey team to six wins this year and was selected in the APS representative Hockey team alongside team- mate Claire Moore (Yr10 Cl) 3. Jordan Prainito (Yr12 Perry) breaks through the lines against Trinity Grammar. The 1st Rugby team narrowly missed a finals berth but Jordan enjoyed a breakthrough season and was selected to represent the Victorian Schools Division 1 team at the Australian Schools Championships in Brisbane
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4. While the 1st Soccer team endured a luckless season, Tom Scudamore (Yr12 A) was selected in the APS representative team
The fourth annual Coriobald Portrait Exhibition attracted a record number of entries, with more than 120 portraits on display at the School’s Sinclaire Gallery during Term 3. What started as a local parody of the Archibald Prize, Australia’s most notable national portrait prize, has become a muchanticipated annual event on the School calendar. Entry conditions are that the subject of each portrait must have contributed in some positive way to the culture of Geelong Grammar School. The parameters in regard to technique are not as strict as the Archibald and types of media range from drawing and collage, to sculpture and installation. There are two prizes arising from the exhibition, both of which are aquisitional. The Judges’ Prize is awarded by a three-person panel consisting of a staff member, a student representative and a guest judge. This year’s guest judge was Ann Robertson, who has had a long association with the visual arts, having previously organized the Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award at Werribee Park. Anne joined Corian editor Ann Raybould and Zayaana Ahmed Husni (Yr12 Ga) in awarding this year’s Judges’ Prize to Isobell (Issy) Adams (Yr11 Ga) for her installation piece
‘Everybody Is Equal’. There is also a People’s Choice Award decided by viewers of the show, who are invited to vote for their favourite piece upon visiting the exhibition. Millie Faulkner (Yr11 Ga) said the Coriobald exhibition provided a focus for the School’s budding young artists. “It provides us with a focus and gives us a chance to see what everyone is up to,” she explained. Inspired by the work of Ben Quilty, Millie’s portrait of Blake Nielsen (Yr11 Fr) was painted with a trowel over a period of more than two months. “I took a lot of photos and worked on it over the holidays.” The exhibition will be on display at Geelong Grammar School’s Sinclaire Gallery until September 16.
1. Cosmo White (Yr11 FB) and Millie Faulkner (Yr11 Ga) with Millie’s portrait of Blake Nielsen (Yr11 Fr), which was an entrant in the 2010 Coriobald Portrait Exhibition 2. A large crowd gathered for the official opening of the 2010 Coriobald Portrait Exhibition on Thursday 22 July 3. One of a pair of resin self-portraits by Taa Visudhipol (Yr11 P) “intended to show the relationship of me with the community... that since we are part of the community and we all live together doing various activities as one” 4. Dan Lee’s (Yr10 Cu) mixed media portrait of Music School staff member Wayne Bowden 5. Isobell (Issy) Adams (Yr11 Ga) was awarded the Judges’ Prize for her installation piece ‘Everybody Is Equal’. Issy is pictured receiving the award from art teacher and Head of Francis Brown, Martin Beaver
Rick Price Head of Art
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Rev’d Dr Hugh Kempster Senior Chaplain
Diary of our
Senior Chaplain The following is an edited extract of ‘The greatest of these is love: a theological reflection on the virtues of positive psychology’, which was a paper delivered by Rev’d Dr J. Hugh Kempster at the inaugural Faith and Positive Psychology conference at Geelong Grammar School on 27 July 2010. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (Corinthians 13:13, New Revised Standard Version) Positive psychology emerged as a field of scientific study in the late 1990s under the leadership of Martin Seligman, the then president of the American Psychological Association. Seligman sums up the goal of this new discipline: “The time has finally arrived for a science that seeks to understand positive emotion, build strength and virtue, and provide guideposts for finding what Aristotle called the ‘good life’.” In 2004 Christopher Peterson and Seligman published their ambitious Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification with the stated aim of providing a ‘Manual of the Sanities’ to sit alongside the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association (1994), nick-named the ‘Manual of the Insanities’. One of the most substantial and perhaps defining texts of the first decade of positive psychology, Character Strengths and Virtues attempts to identify universally acknowledged human virtues and strengths from a diverse range of spiritual and philosophical traditions such as Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Platonism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The resultant ‘High Six’ core virtues and twenty four related character strengths form the basis of their subsequent cataloguing and research: 1) Wisdom and Knowledge: creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness/judgement, love of learning, perspective. 2) Courage: bravery, persistence/industry, integrity/honesty, vitality/zest. 3) Humanity: love, kindness, social intelligence.
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4) Justice: citizenship/teamwork, fairness, leadership. 5) Temperance: forgiveness, humility/ modesty, prudence, self-regulation. 6) Transcendence: appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, humour, spirituality (i.e. religiousness, faith, purpose). The Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS) is an extensive web-based survey that has been developed around these virtues and in particular the character strengths. At Geelong Grammar School (GGS) students sit the VIA-IS questionnaire as part of their Positive Education classes. When analysing the frequency of top five strengths for 164 Year 10 students the top three scoring signature strengths (Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence, Gratitude, and Humour) all come under the virtue of Transcendence. In Australia as a whole, Transcendence fairs much worse, with the top three national strengths (Fairness, Open-mindedness, and Curiosity) drawn from Justice and Wisdom respectively. The students’ lowest scores, perhaps not surprisingly, went to three of the Temperance cluster (Prudence, Selfregulation, and Forgiveness) which is also our least ranked virtue nationally. It is of interest to note that Spirituality, however, listed last in Australia as a whole does comparatively well among these teenagers, even outranking similar U.S. studies. Christianity is a unique and complex cultural and historical perspective, and key theological concepts are bound to be lost or distorted in any attempt to synthesise it within a broader framework. The Christian source drawn on by Peterson and Seligman is Thomas Aquinas: The account of the Seven Heavenly Virtues, the classic Christian enumeration of human strengths, is described in Aquinas’s (12241274) doctrinal work Summa Theologiae... In his virtue catalogue Aquinas deleted all of Aristotle’s additions to Plato. He constructed his list by retaining the cardinal virtues of temperance, courage, justice, and wisdom and then adding the three theological virtues proposed by Saint Paul: faith, hope, and charity (love). Aquinas argued for a hierarchical organisation of the virtues – of the cardinal virtues, wisdom is the most
1 important, but the transcendent virtues of faith and hope are more important than that, and of all the seven charity (love) reigns supreme. Given the broad spectrum of spiritual and philosophical traditions they are drawing from, it is interesting to note how closely Peterson and Seligman’s six core virtues equate to Aquinas’ seven. The crucial difference, however, lies in the theological virtues. Faith (fides) and hope (spes), rather than virtues in their own right, become character strengths of a new virtue: transcendence. Similarly love (caritas) elevated by Aquinas as ‘the mother and root of all the virtues’ is subordinated to the virtue of humanity. Aquinas Theological Virtues
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Peterson & Seligman
Faith (fides) Hope (spes) Transcendence Love (caritas) Cardinal Virtues Wisdom (prudentia) Wisdom and Knowledge Justice (iustitia) Justice Courage (fortitudo) Courage Temperance (temperantia) Temperance The virtue of humanity is an interesting one. It is identified by Peterson and Seligman as a central virtue of the teachings of Confucius (551-479 BCE): When asked to define humanity (jen), Confucius answered, “Love people”; when asked to operationalize it, he said “If you want to make a stand, help others make a stand, if you want to reach your goal, help others reach their goal. Consider yourself and treat others accordingly: this is the method of humanity.” The Peterson-Seligman definitions of love are shaped by this overarching virtue: “In its most developed form, love occurs within a reciprocated relationship with another person” and “Love represents a cognitive, behavioural, and emotional stance towards others”. It is manifest, they argue, in three prototypical forms: a child’s love for a parent, a parent’s love for a child, and romantic love. Freud is cited as the first to propose a formal theory about love, but Peterson and Seligman
2 choose attachment theory as their primary theoretical device.
benefit from positive psychological as well as further theological study.
While this understanding of love is certainly of use theologically, in Christian terms at least it tells only half the story. Jesus’ response to the scribe’s question in Mark’s gospel (12:29-31) concerning a hierarchy of commandments has long been held up as a condensation of Christian teaching; and love is at the crux:
Richard Rolle (1290-1349) for example, a somewhat eccentric fourteenth-century English hermit and prolific contemplative theologian, wrote Emendatio vitae or ‘The Mending of Life’ toward the end of his life. One might characterise it as a medieval twelve-step program that became hugely popular among lay people, as well as clerics and religious, in the following century. Rolle’s twelve chapters are carefully constructed to take the novice reader through conversion, detachment, the establishment of a ‘good life’, patience, prayer, meditation, and ultimately into an understanding of love-ofGod and the experience of contemplative union with God. Some twenty five years later an anchoress known as Julian of Norwich (c. 1342-c. 1416) had a visionary experience that led her to produce an equally remarkable work of theology entitled A Revelation of Love. Less of a contemplative manual, Julian’s work is an incredibly detailed self-analysis and theological reflection of her own love-of-God experience; it was written and re-written over at least fifteen years, and is extant in a longer and a shorter version. Like Rolle, Julian wrote contemplative theology in the vernacular, therefore making it accessible to the lay person; a risky business in that era. In the final chapter of her Revelation Julian reflects on the meaning of her mystical experience:
Jesus answered [the scribe], ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Love is gradually becoming a more recognised field of psychological research, but we might describe these as love-of-neighbour studies (Post, Johnson, McCullough, 2003). Despite the ground breaking work of William James at the start of last century love-ofGod is currently the elephant in the room of psychological research. Alan Tjeltveit notes: “Unless theologians’ understandings of love are addressed, we may end up with an understanding of something called love which falls short in fundamental ways of the robust, multidimensional, comprehensive complexity of Christian love, as traditionally understood by Christians and as understood in sophisticated contemporary theological accounts”. Theological resources around the theory and the human experience of love-of-God are immense. Contemplative or mystical theology in particular holds great potential for dialogue with positive psychology, being rooted in the practice of deep meditation and the perceived individual experience of union with God. Kevin Gillespie and Phyllis Zagano have undertaken a study of Ignatian spirituality in the light of positive psychology, building on a long tradition of psychological studies of the Spanish mystic Igantius of Loyola (14911556) and his Spiritual Exercises. Between the 13th and 16th centuries in Europe there was a flourishing of mystical experience and contemplative theology, and there are a wealth of writings from this period that would
3 seen as the servant or handmaid of theology (ancilla theologia). Alister McGrath, in his three-volume work A Scientific Theology, has argued that the natural sciences today should serve as the new handmaid to theology. Whether handmaid, dialogue partner, or donut vendor there is certainly much work that needs to be undertaken at the interface between positive psychology and theology. And far from being ivory-tower theory, the emergent conversations will I am sure continue to have direct practical applications for ministry in our schools, our chaplaincies, and our parishes. Rev’d Dr Hugh Kempster Senior Chaplain *The full article is pending publication in the Religious Education Journal of Australia. 1. Julian of Norwich is considered one of the great English mystics whose major work, Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love (circa 1393), is believed to be the first book written by a woman in the English language 2. Head of Poistive Education, Justin Robinson, addresses the School’s inaugural Faith and Positive Psychology Conference 3. Dr. James Pawelski, Director of Education in the Positive Psychology Centre at the University of Pennsylvania and Founding Director of the renowned MAPP (Masters of Applied Positive Psychology) programme, was a guest speaker at the conference
I desired many times to know in what was our Lord’s meaning. And fifteen years after and more I was answered in spiritual understanding, and it was said: ...Know it well, love was his meaning. Who reveals it to you? Love. What did he reveal to you? Love. Why did he reveal it to you? For love. Most positive psychologists are not philosophers or theologians. Teleology and questions of ultimate meaning are not their trade. Does this then mean that positive psychologists have nothing to contribute to theology or philosophy? On the contrary, the absence of a centre may in fact be a strength; it opens up the possibility of multiple centres. One could argue that Aquinas judged Aristotle’s virtue ethics to be a happiness donut and placed love (caritas) in the middle. Certainly in the Middle Ages philosophy was 23 23
Biddlecombe
Society Bill Ranken Chairman, Geelong Grammar Foundation
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Fundraising
I am delighted to let you know that we have appointed Tony Bretherton as the new Director of Community Relations and Executive Director of the Geelong Grammar Foundation.
Annual Giving Campaign
Stephen Meek, School Principal, Jeremy Kirkwood, Chairman of Council, Paddy Handbury, former Foundation Chairman and current Deputy Chairman of Council, Helene Bender, Member of Council, and I were unanimous that Tony was the right person for the job. We are very pleased that he has accepted the appointment.
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Tony is currently the Director of Development and Head of Fundraising at Wells Cathedral School in the United Kingdom. Tony has a great deal of experience having previously been the Executive Director of the University of Limerick Foundation and the Director of the University of Waikato Foundation. I believe that we have been enormously fortunate to secure his appointment. In addition to running a number of major capital campaigns, Tony has recently set up a fundraising support organisation in Hong Kong for Wells Cathedral School, has worked across the USA, and has been a member of the international CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) Council for Philanthropy. Tony comes from New Zealand and has been a frequent visitor to Australia. Tony has adult twins (Diane and Robert) who live in Brisbane. He has been a broadcaster with the BBC and Radio New Zealand, has made international award winning films, has been a road roller driver, railway wagon loader, firefighter, wine and spirit salesman, and trapeze artist. Ordained a Priest in the Anglican Church in 1976, Tony continues to hold a licence to officiate and may pop up in unexpected roles from time to time. Above all, Tony sees educational advancement as a vocation and is looking forward to working with the wider community at Geelong Grammar School. “I’m thrilled to be coming to Geelong,” Tony said. “I want to understand more deeply what is meant by Exceptional Education and to ensure that the School explains it, delivers 24
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4 it, and funds it fully, ensuring that there is no better school anywhere than GGS.” I am confident that Tony will be a very strong member of the team at Geelong Grammar School and I am sure that he will be welcomed warmly into the Geelong Grammar School community. I am very much looking forward to working with him in the future. Bill Ranken (M’72) Chairman, Geelong Grammar Foundation
1. Newly appointed Director of Community Relations and Executive Director of the Geelong Grammar Foundation, Tony Bretherton, will join the School from Wells Cathedral School in Somerset. He is pictured test driving a newly delivered Geelong Football Club scarf 2. L to R: Bindi Simson, parents Tim and Jane Derham, and Foundation Board Member John Simson (Cu’73) at the opening of Elisabeth Murdoch House 3. Foundation Chairman, Bill Ranken (M’72), with parents Cameron and Jennifer Macaulay at the opening of Elisabeth Murdoch House 4. Current parents Richard O’Beirne (Cu’72) and Corinne O’Beirne with Michael Collins Persse at the opening of Elisabeth Murdoch House
After several years of very generous donations to our Annual Giving Campaign, we have seen a continuation of this trend with the 2010 campaign currently exceeding $183,000. A key component of the Geelong Grammar Foundation’s fundraising efforts, the Annual Giving Campaign provides the School community with an opportunity to assist with the improvement of facilities and infrastructure enjoyed and valued by our past, current and future students. Over the past 14 years the kindness and benevolence of many donors has helped our Annual Giving Campaign reach a total of more than $1.8m, all of which was utilised in the year in which it was received. The immediate and vast impact our Annual Giving programmes have every year cannot be underestimated, with funds being used to assist with our educational programmes, refurbish numerous buildings and grow our worthy Scholarship Fund. This year we have noticed a greater number of supporters in the form of current students and GGS Friends than in recent years, which we find very encouraging and for whose support we are extremely grateful. This is a measure of the value our students place on their educational experience here at GGS, and their contributions, along with all others, are very much appreciated. In 2010, the Annual Giving Campaign focuses on three specific projects – Scholarships, Library (Toorak Campus), and Buildings and Grounds (War Memorial Cloisters) – and after the success of last year’s campaign we are hopeful that, with our community’s participation, this year’s goals will be achieved.
Equestrian Centre The proposal to establish a new Indoor Equestrian Arena and improve other equestrian facilities was met with much anticipation and excitement within our school community, and is reaching a very significant stage in the fundraising process. The increased popularity of riding has been matched by a growing number of students
wishing to bring their horses to the school, confirming the need for expanded and improved facilities. As well as ensuring our students have the first-class facilities necessary to take their equestrian activities to an elite level, the new Equestrian Centre will be used by surrounding schools and pony clubs for competition at a higher level. An all-weather indoor arena with sand, gravel and woodchip surfaces will allow extended riding time during winter and provide protection from extreme weather conditions, while a demonstration area with associated classroom will be used for lessons and applied practice. An audience viewing area with 200 seats will ensure students have the opportunity to demonstrate their riding skills. The cost of our proposed facility is $1.8m, and we will soon be mailing Case Statements and information to relevant members of the school community. If you would like to become involved with the establishment of the proposed Equestrian Centre, share ideas or donate to the Equestrian Centre Appeal please contact Jennifer Wraight, Fundraising Manager, on telephone +61 3 5227 6297 or email jwraight@ggs.vic.edu.au.
Timbertop D Unit We have had a wonderful response to our Timbertop D Unit Campaign in 2010, and anticipate building works will soon begin on the new Single Staff Quarters, shortly before works on D Unit begin over the summer holidays. As always, we must thank the past parents whose sons attended Timbertop over the past few years for their willingness to participate in our campaign – we also encourage all our past D Unit men to become involved to ensure future generations of students will continue to share in this memorable and infinitely valuable living and learning experience. Our Timbertop D Unit Campaign is now drawing to a close but there is still an opportunity to show support by contacting Jennifer Wraight, Fundraising Manager, on telephone +61 3 5227 6297 or email jwraight@ggs.vic.edu.au.
The continuing success of Geelong Grammar School in offering exceptional education is due to the extraordinary dedication and generosity of generations of staff, parents and supporters over the past century and a half. Since its earliest years the School has been fortunate in attracting the support of generous donors who have aided the establishment of the School, the building of its campuses, and the enhancement of the School’s programmes and facilities. Others, by their gifts, have enabled boys and girls otherwise unlikely to attend Geelong Grammar School to do so via the funding of scholarships. Many of these benefactors are commemorated in the names of buildings, scholarships, bursaries and prizes and societies. The Biddlecombe Society is named to commemorate the exceptional generosity of Janet Biddlecombe (nee Russell) of Golf Hill, her husband and her family over many years. I have recently taken on the role of chairman of the society and I am continuing the splendid work of Michael Collins Persse, who to my very great pleasure has agreed to remain as the Society’s President. Working with a small advisory group Fiona Ratcliffe (Archer, Je’77), Ros Adams (Ritchie, Cl’76), Jennifer Wraight, Bill Ranken and Stephen Meek, we intend to raise the profile of the group and encourage more friends and supporters of GGS to remember the School in their wills. In addition to those who are already members of the society, we are keen to hear from other members of the GGS family who are interested in making a commitment or simply offering help and advice. For OGGs and their families, the benefits of the liberal education offered by the School have had a profound effect on the direction of our lives, whether it be the choice of our careers, the code by which we live our lives, or the manner in which we interact with our friends. The ‘GGS stamp’ is something which I have observed in my travels around Australia and I suspect that I am not alone in my desire to ensure the long term wellbeing of Geelong Grammar School. Following the inaugural Biddlecombe Society Lunch held at Corio in 2009, we had 34 attendees at the 2010 lunch at the Melbourne Club in April. A lunch for our NSW supporters will be held in Sydney on 8 September and we hope to organise similar functions elsewhere. If you would like to know more about the Biddlecombe Society, please contact Jennifer Wraight, Fundraising Manager, jwraight@ggs.vic.edu.au, 03 5227 6297. Neil Robertston (FB’72) Chairman of Biddlecombe Society
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2010 Reunions and OGG Events Book on line for the events below: www.ggs.vic.edu.au/events 1970 Timbertop Reunion Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 September, Merrijig/Timbertop New York OGG Branch Drinks Saturday 2 October, New York AIS USA Foundation Gala Dinner Saturday 2 October, New York
Rob de Fégely (FB’74) President, Old Geelong Grammarians
Los Angeles OGG Branch Drinks Sunday 3 October, Los Angeles
1 Plans are now well advanced for our 110th Anniversary Dinner at Zinc in Federation Square on Thursday 21 October. Our guest speakers are Professor Tony Holmes (Cu’63) and Mr Keith Dunstan OAM (FB’42). While Keith is widely known from his 20 years as a columnist for The Sun newspaper, Tony recently came to prominence as the craniofacial surgeon who led the team that separated the conjoined Bangladeshi twins Krishna and Trishna. Tony has devoted his life to working with children with facial deformities. Upon leaving the School in 1963, he studied medicine at Melbourne University before studying plastic and reconstructive surgery at Harvard. He has been a pioneer in craniofacial surgery; establishing the Melbourne Craniofacial Unit in 1979 and working in developing countries like Papua New Guinea and East Timor. In the case of the latter Tony narrowly escaped the invading Indonesian forces as he evacuated East Timor in a light plane in December 1975.
1957 Timbertop Reunion Saturday 9 October, RACV Club, Melbourne
The President of the Old Geelong Grammarians, Rob de Fégely, invites you to celebrate 110 Years of
The Old Geelong Grammarians Association
The President’s Dinner Zinc, Federation Square Thursday 21 October 2010 7.00 for 7.30pm Cost: $130 pp Dress: Business Suit RSVP: Friday 8 October 2010 on reply slip or book online at www.ggs.vic.edu.au/events
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For more information, please contact Katie Rafferty, Alumni Manager on tel: +61 3 5273 9338 or email: katier@ggs.vic.edu.au
Guest Speakers: Keith Dunstan OAM (FB’42) Journalist and author, Keith has been described as “among the most prolific of all Australian writers”. Renowned for his daily column A Place in the Sun in Melbourne’s The Sun newspaper from 1958-78, he is also the author of more than twenty five books. Tony Holmes (Cu’60) A plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Tony is currently Head of Cleft and Craniofacial Surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. He made headlines in 2009 for his lead role in the successful separation of conjoined Bangladeshi twins, Trishna and Krishna.
On June 24 I was honoured to be the guest speaker at the Annual Dinner held by the United Kingdom Branch at The Travellers Club in London. It was great to see so many recent leavers at the dinner, many of whom are on GAP years and were obviously very happy to meet up with their school friends. Recently Katie Rafferty, Honorary Secretary, and I met with Associated Public Schools (APS) Presidents and Executive Directors of Alumni Associations at a dinner hosted by The Geelong College and Old Collegians. It was very informative to understand how our kindred schools are managing their alumni programmes and to understand some of the challenges they are facing. 26
OGG President’s Dinner Thursday 21 October, Zinc Federation Square, Melbourne OGG Golf Day Friday 22 October, Barwon Heads Golf Club An Evening with Michael Collins Persse Thursday 28 October, Vaucluse House, Sydney 1990 20 Year Reunion Saturday 6 November, Riva St Kilda OGG Tower Luncheon (for 1960 and earlier leavers) Saturday 13 November, Corio Tasmanian OGG Branch Gathering Saturday 20 November Papua New Guinea Gathering Thursday 25 November, Port Moresby
2011 Reunions and OGG Events OGGAsia Reunion, Hong Kong Saturday 12 March 2011, Central Hong Kong 1960 Timbertop Reunion Saturday 9 April 2011, Merrijig/Timbertop
The COGA lunch is also progressing very well for a fantastic centenary celebration at 9 Darling Street on Saturday 9 October. The Newman and Carji Greeves clubs again held a very successful dinner at the Geelong Football Club with over 360 people attending the annual dinner on the Friday evening prior to the football game between the School XVIII and The Geelong College on 5 June. Many attended the lunch at College on the following day before watching the game where, after a slow start, GGS recovered to be within 3 points at ¾ time before the rain set in and College edged away to win in the last quarter.
South Australian OGG Branch Dinner Saturday 16 October, The Adelaide Club
NSW OGG Branch Gathering Wednesday 4 May 2011, Sydney OGG AGM Tuesday 24 May, 2011
Save the Date! OGGAsia Hong Kong 2011
1971 Timbertop 40 Year Reunion 24 & 25 September 2011, Merrijig/Timbertop
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Saturday 12 March Business Lunch followed by a Reunion Dinner The OGGs and members of the Old Geelong Collegians have been discussing options for mutual assistance with alumni events and to build on our already successful joint Golf Day and the Football Dinner. I attended a reunion held by the Old Geelong Collegians at the Old Geelong Football Club and we are hoping to do something similar next year. On Saturday 12 March 2011 OGGAsia will be held in Hong Kong. With the increasing importance of China to not only Australia but the rest of the world we are planning to hold a business and networking lunch followed by a reunion dinner on the Saturday evening. Finally to create a lasting memento of our 110th Anniversary celebration we are planning to write a history of the Old Geelong Grammarians to ensure the work and the
people involved with not only the OGGs but what they have done for the School is respectfully recorded. Rob de Fégely (FB’74) OGG President 1. Long-standing GGS staff members (L to R) Jane Masser and Lesley Widdison were recently made honorary Old Geelong Grammarians at the OGG AGM in May. They are pictured with OGG President Rob de Fégely (FB’74) 2. C.E.R ‘Boz Parsons (M’36) and wife Barbara flanked by sons David (FB’69) and Bill (M’66) at the launch of Neville Clark’s biography Boz, Aviator, Farmer, Schoolmaster 3. L to R: Chairman of Council, Jeremy Kirkwood (FB’79), Principal Stephen Meek, Jim Craig (Cu’42) and Norm Maberley Smith (P’62) at the OGG NSW Branch Cocktail Party in May
OGGAsia Hong Kong 2011
Old Geelong
Saturday 12 March 2011
Barwon Heads Golf Club
OGGAsia; the biennial reunion of Old Geelong Grammarians celebrating our South East Asian Community.
(Following the OGG President’s Dinner)
Rob de Fégely, President of the Old Geelong Grammarians, invites you to a Business Lunch followed by a Reunion Dinner in Central Hong Kong, save the date! For more information, please contact Katie Rafferty, Alumni Manager on tel: +61 3 5273 9338 or email: katier@ggs.vic.edu.au
50 Year Reunion (1958 Timbertop Year) Friday 11 November 2011, Melbourne
Grammarians Golf Day
OGG Tower Luncheon (for 1961 and earlier leavers) Saturday 12 November 2011, Corio
Friday 22 October 2010
Dates yet to be confirmed for:
OGG and parents of current Year 12 students welcome. Entries close Wednesday 13 October. Book online at www.ggs.vic.edu.au/events For more information, please contact Katie Rafferty, Alumni Manager on tel: +61 3 5273 9338 or email: katier@ggs.vic.edu.au
2001 10 Year Reunion 1991 20 Year Reunion 1981 30 Year Reunion To be part of the organising committee for any of these reunions please contact Katie Rafferty (details below). For more information about any of the above events, please contact Katie Rafferty in the OGG Office on tel: +61 3 5273 9338 or email: katier@ggs.vic.edu.au
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OGG Gatherings OGG NSW Branch Cocktail Party Min and Ian Darling (P’79) very kindly hosted the OGG NSW Branch Cocktail Party in their home this year. It was a lovely evening with around 130 members of the GGS community attending. Chairman of Council, Jeremy Kirkwood (FB’79) and OGG President, Rob de Fégely (FB’74) were both able to attend and it was an honour to have Jim Craig (Cu’42) in attendance as well; the most senior OGG at the function. Will Wilson (P’78), NSW Branch President, along with Fiona Newman (He’65) and Fiona Ratcliffe (Je’77) did a great job putting the evening together and the Old Geelong Grammarians thank them and the Darlings for another successful and enjoyable event. The NSW Branch Cocktail Party will be held again next year on Wednesday 4 May.
OGG SA Branch Barbecue The South Australian Branch of the Old Geelong Grammarians held a family gourmet barbecue at Hugh and Fiona MacLachlan’s picturesque property in the Jumbuck Olive Grove at Mt Pleasant on May 16. The weather held and the day was enjoyed by close to 90 members of the GGS community including Bob Jose (Cu’42), most senior OGG in attendance. Branch Secretary, Ruth Vagnarelli (Hickinbotham), and Brooke
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Yates (MacLachlan) organised the event and thanks go to them, their committee and to the MacLachlans for another enjoyable gathering.
4. Edward Vagnarelli with his grandparents, the late Alan Hickinbotham and Margaret Hickinbotham (parents of OGGs David, Jane, Julie, Michael and Ruth) at the OGG SA barbecue in May this year
OGG ACT Branch Dinner
5. Ian Darling (P’79), Christine Meek, Stephen Meek, Min Darling and Will Wilson (P’78) at the Darling’s home, the venue for the OGG NSW Branch Cocktail Party in May
Ironically the OGG ACT Branch Dinner coincided with Federal Election night in Canberra. Branch President Peter Crowley (Ge’60) welcomed members of the GGS community to the dinner and the most senior OGG in attendance, John Stutterd (FB’39), said grace. Branch Secretary, Claire Sullivan (Ga’93), spoke and introduced Principal Stephen Meek. Stephen spoke of the current happenings at GGS and was pleased to see a diverse group of community members at the gathering, in particular four younger OGG who had not attended such an event before. The Old Geelong Grammarians thank Claire and Peter for all their work organising another successful Canberra Dinner.
6. Alister Haigh (Cu’72), South Australian OGG Branch President Bill Seppelt (M’64) and Peter Fisher (Cu’71) in May 7. SA Branch Secretary Ruth Vagnarelli (Hickinbotham, (Cl’82) with Jude Rogers (McDonald, Je’79) and Edwina Grant (MacLachlan, Cl’82) at the SA Branch barbecue
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9. Simon and Brooke Yates (MacLachlan, Cl’86), Will Abel Smith (M’81) and his wife Sara Abel Smith were also at the SA barbecue. 10. Cameron Colquhoun (FB’69) pictured with David Coles (P’60) wearing his old Perry jumper and blazer at the OGG Canberra Branch Dinner on election night
1. OGG ACT Branch Secretary Claire Sullivan (Ga’93) and President Peter Crowley (Ge’60) at the recent Canberra Dinner
11. Ashley O’Donnell (Ga’07) and Ji-Shen Loong (P’07) were among the younger OGG at the Canberra Dinner
2. Chris Legoe (M’46), Simon Haigh (Cu’75), Islay Mackenzie, Marion Jose and Bob Jose (Cu’42) attended the South Australian Branch barbecue held at the property of Hugh and Fiona MacLachlan
12. Alex Vollebregt (Ga’01), Sam Wythes-Willis (FB’00) and Ariella Webb (Cl’01) at the NSW Branch Cocktail Party in May
3. At the NSW Branch Cocktail party in Sydney were David Whish, Annette Culley (Cl’78), Warwick Johnson (FB’77), Simon Swanson (P’75) and Virginia Swanson
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8. Sam Legoe (M’78), his father Tom Legoe (M’46) and Tom’s brother Chris Legoe (M’43) at the South Australian barbecue
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OGG Sport Old Geelong Netball Club
We had a very strong end to the VAFA Netball Competition this year with OGS 1 (undefeated the entire season) and OGS 3 making it to the semi-finals. Unfortunately with many players away or injured at the time, neither teams made it through to the grand final but massive congratulations must go to the girls for a fantastic season as always.
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30 Year
Reunion
What a reunion! After our 20 Year being such a success many people suggested that we have a 25th. We decided to wait for the 30th and now believe that this was a great idea as the catch up was amazing. Apart from small groups we really hadn’t seen each other for 10 years and therefore the noise in the room was full on. We had discussed having some music playing and luckily we didn’t go to great costs to arrange that as we would not have heard a single song! As for how we look...well, once again there was a debate as to how the females were holding up a tad better than the males. Maybe this came at a cost but it was still duly noted. The nametags were essential at the beginning of the night and as the evening wore on and the night got well underway, they became even more important. We had a fantastic turnout, a great venue, and the night really drilled home that good friends are there for life and they will tease you mercilessly forever! Many people saw the sun come up which just goes to show that we may be growing older, but we’re not growing up. Katie ‘Egg’ Dopheide (Evans, Je’80) 30 18
With only three more games before the finals set in for the Prahran Comp, the girls are getting fired up! We’ve got three teams in this competition also and the OGS 1 are proving to be a tough team to beat. With them narrowly missing the semi-finals in the Summer Season this year, they are hungrier than ever to bring out their best for their final three games of the Winter Season. A few of our girls have been overseas, so we are very much looking forward to having them back with us nearing finals. Good luck to all for the final three weeks! Furthermore, the club is always welcoming new players whether it be to join existing teams or start stand-alone teams – if you or someone you know would like to join please contact – Alegoe@ords.com.au
5 1. Sarah Nevile-Lavingdale, Katie Dopheide (Evans), Jen Ames (Smith), Jane MacDonald (Milledge) and Trish Doble (Smith) at the 30 Year Reunion 2. Richard Allen, Richard Wallace, Michael Hickinbotham and Katie Dopheide (Evans) 3. Miles Prince, Glenn Feeney and Anthony Clement 4. Clive Landale, Robert Hanna, David Ritchie and David Breadmore 5. Sarah Dempsey (Gunnersen), Cameron Lloyd-Cocks, Nina Furnell (Teague), Ruth Clarke (Baulch) and Sally Northfield
Annie Legoe (Cl’03)
Old Geelong Football Club The Old Geelong Football Club is nearing the end of its 2010 campaign. Although three of the teams are enjoying successful seasons, unfortunately the senior side has struggled to match its rivals in C section for most of the year. After enjoying some early season wins, and the contributions from Henry Legoe (M’99), Jack O’Shea (A’09) and Sandy Neville (P’09), the side has fallen away in the latter part of the year, and some close losses have proved costly. Unfortunately a current position of 9th means the club won’t be able to hold onto its position in C section for 2011. Despite this, depth at the club has proved to be exceptional, with the reserves firmly entrenched in the top four (having just beaten the top side at the time of writing), and well placed for yet another finals campaign. The Club XVIII, coached by Jim Legoe (M’97)
4 enjoyed a great year and some fantastic wins, but despite finishing equal third on points, were unlucky to miss out on a finals spot due to percentage. The under 19’s are currently 4th, and with three games to play are on track for another appearance in the post-season following last year’s premiership success. Significant contributions in that side have come from Rob Officer (M’08), Max Gubbins (M’08), Jussy Lewis (Cu’09) and Fearghus Wallis (P’09). A further highlight for the team was the opportunity to welcome some current GGS students to the side in the school holidays including Rupert Kemp (Yr12 M), Josh Sumura (Yr11 P), Andy De Fégely (Yr12 FB) and Mitch Smart (Yr11 Cu). Alex Southey (M’01)
OGG Ski Club The OGG Ski Club was founded to provide a facility for OGGs at Mount Buller. The recently renovated lodge, centrally located on Stirling Road, in sleeps 18 and is open all year round to OGG Ski Club members. Membership is open to all OGGs and to become a member of the OGG Ski Club the current entrance fee is $2500 with a yearly subscription of $250. The lodge consists of seven rooms abd includes a double kitchen, lounge, two bathrooms, ski room and drying room. Members have exclusive booking rights up to 31 March and after that the lodge can be booked by non-members and guests. Accommodation rates are as follows, per person, per night: $50 for members, $60 for non-members midweek, and $80
for non-members at weekends. For more information about the OGG Ski Club, including membership and accommodation, please contact Club President Andrew Morphett (FB’73) on mobile: 0412 541 151 or email: amorph@bigpond.net.au or Secretary Hamish Patterson (FB’83) on mobile: 0438 828 885 or email: hp@itro.com.au
Alexandra Lockie (A’05) Since leaving GGS, former senior prefect and proxime accessit of 2005, Alexandra has combined her studies of Bachelor of Science/ Laws with her love of snowboarding. After deferring her studies to pursue a year honing her skills snowboarding in the mountains of Colorado, USA, she has had success this winter. She took part in the Skiing and Snowboarding Australia Talent Identification Camp, and at the Australian New Zealand Snowboard Continental Cup FIS snowboardcross event she placed 3rd and 4th, being first placed Australian both days. Also, at the intervarsity level she was the first ranked female snowboarder across all disciplines. This summer she intends to join a training group in the USA and begin to compete on the North American circuit. 1. OGS player Ben Skelton (M’08) takes an impressive mark 2.
Alexandra Lockie (A’05), pictured right, competed in the Open Female Snowboard-Cross events at the Australian and New Zealand Snowboard Continental Cup FIS at Mt Hotham in August
3. The OGG Ski Club Lodge at Mount Buller under snow 4. Johnny Luxton (P’09) in full flight at an OGS match
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1 Autumn Lunch
Rokewood, where “Cooee!” was sung.
Our Autumn Lunch was held in May at the Parkside Restaurant in Belmont. The numbers were down a little but there was plenty of space for warm and happy chatter. Our president Deidre Griffiths welcomed everyone and after grace we enjoyed a tasty meal. Our guest speaker was Laurel Ling, a palliative care nursing specialist and the manager of Anam Cara, the new Hospice opened recently in the grounds of Saint Mary’s Basilica (and also the mother of the Geelong Football Club’s captain, Cameron Ling!) We were all interested to hear the description of the modernisation of the priests’ old accommodation to cater for palliative care, or relatives of people in hospital and the great work that is done there. The majority of this care is provided by volunteers. We were pleased to welcome Rosemary Elder and Heather Lochhead, representing Morongo Old Collegians, to our luncheon.
I apologise to those who could not be contacted. For future reference my email address is jdpmwebb@bigpond.net.au.
Jenny Jordan HOGA Secretary
Apology The death notice of Beverley Kemp (Taylor) was incorrectly made in our last Newsletter. The correct name of the Old Girl who passed away is Jenny Murdoch (Kemp). We extend our sincere apologies for this error and the distress it will have caused. However, Beverley Kemp has since died on June 17th.
1970 Class Reunion A most successful lunch was held in Jill Murray’s (Cameron-Murch) beautiful home and garden ‘Vailima’, on Eastern Beach, in March. Thirty-four Old Girls attended and everyone genuinely enjoyed catching up on the last ten years! There were eight apologies and Jane Kelman (Lamb) sent a letter and old photos from New Zealand. It was suggested that we don’t leave it so long next time and get together again in five years! The food was superbly catered by Barb Epstein. On Sunday there was a barbecue lunch for those who could attend in Trish Taylor’s (Bingley) magnificent home at ‘Warrambeen’ in 32
2 Clyde Centenary and AGM 2010
Pru Webb (Spittle)
50 Year Reunion for the class of 1960 The 1960 class reunion was held at The Sands Resort, Torquay, in April. We were delighted to welcome thirty-two girls, especially those two who had travelled from Queensland and one with whom we had not had contact since leaving school. Eleven sent apologies and good wishes, but unfortunately we have no contact addresses for ten, while a further ten did not reply. We also remembered the three from our year whom we know have died. Those present had a very happy day and a wonderful time catching up with school friends and hearing news of the many and varied routes their lives have taken over the last fifty years. The noise level was high and the day was over far too quickly; perhaps we should gather for a weekend next time! We are now planning to compile a book of short biographies together with appropriate photos, which will be available to all who replied. It was felt that we should meet again in five years time and we are also looking forward to being able to attend the Tower Lunch at GGS Corio on 13th November. Our thanks go to Ruth Thompson (Timms) who was the chief organiser of a very special day. Paddy White (Munro)
School History A history of our school is going to be written, so if anyone has any photos or diaries, etc., to lend or donate, please phone Lesley Robinson (Donaldson) on tel: 03 5521 1207. 1. Back: Robina Tayler (Excell), Cath Calvert, Fiona Higgins (Spiller), Yola Cox (McCann), Ros Bowen-Day (Grigg), Lou Sutherland (Wishart), Jenny Chapman (Botterill), Beeb Fleetwood, Jenny Floyd (Smith), Jill Grant (Mitchell), Diane James (Cutts), Robyn Cox, Sue Fairly (Perry). 2nd Row: Jenny McConachy (Gubbins), Trish Taylor (Bingley), Paula Dijksman (Raggett), Kerry Clark Raggett (Raggett), Jill Murray (Cameron-Murch), Jenny Bade (Glen),
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Julie Herd (Libby), Pom Mackenzie (Russell), Deb West (Blakiston). Front: Pru Webb (Spittle), Sue Bailey (Boyle), Penny Hambling, Ann Fairbairn, Jill Hutchison (Jeremeas), Viv Gostelow (Bitcon), Vicky Marles, Margie Burns, Robyn Treyvaud at the 1970 Reunion
2. Irma Macauley (Skelton) and Bev Kroger (McCracken) at the Autumn Luncheon 3. 1960 Girls: Janice Schneider (Blyth), Ruth Thompson (Timms) and Ros Leigh (Tayler)
Diary Dates 2010 Monday 25 October Golf Day at Barwon Heads Golf and Lunch - $60 @ 8.00am for 8.30am Shot Gun start. Lunch only - $25 @ 12.30pm. Golf and lunch for BHGC members - $30 Please make cheques payable to Elizabeth Nicholson, PO Box 105, Point Lonsdale, 3225. Bookings Essential. Enquiries: Lib. Nicholson (Calvert), tel: 03 5258 1257. Email: libnicholson@bigpond.com Monday 6 December Christmas Morning Coffee All Saints Hall, Noble Street, Newtown. Bookings: Jenny Jordan (Gray), tel: 03 5244 0145
On Saturday 9 October the COGA AGM and Clyde Centenary Lunch will be held at Nine Darling Street, South Yarra. Invitations have been posted to all addresses available on the COGA membership list. The lunch invitation was designed and printed with the help of John Simson (Cu’73), who kindly contributed his time and expertise to the COGA Committee. So far nearly 300 replies have been received. It will be a great celebration, and a fantastic opportunity to catch up with old friends. If you know a Clyde Old Girl or Clyde School staff member who has not received an invitation, please call Annette Webb on tel: +61 3 9827 3174.
Timor to undertake nursing work in a remote rural hospital during September.
Annual Jumble Sale
Jane Loughnan (Weatherly, Cl’70) organised a brilliant Jumble Sale held on Thursday 24 June at St John’s Church Hall in Toorak. Many thanks to the Alexandra Club who generously donated beautifully made curtains and coordinating soft furnishings as a result of recent refurbishments. These were delivered to the hall by Alexandra Club committee member Anna Affleck (Durham, Cl’71) and Bim Affleck, and were greatly admired and appreciated. Jane Nevile (Lewis, Cl’45) and her helpers provided high quality home-made goods for the Produce Stall which were also COGA Address List much appreciated. Bric-a-brac, books, bags Sue Schudmak (Sproat, Cl’64) has worked and bazaar bargains covered many tables. tirelessly to update the COGA Address List. Any items left at 12 noon were collected by Together with Katie Rafferty, Alumni Manager at a representative of the Prahran City Mission GGS, she has been incorporating the numerous opportunity shops. A cheque for nearly changes and newfound addresses which $2300 was later forwarded to the Isabel have been sent in through invitation replies, Henderson Kindergarten by COGA Treasurer Centenary table captains and other COGA Peta Gillespie (Cl’69). A huge thank-you to Committee members. Many lost Clydies have the team of helpers, many of whom gathered been “found”, and a very pleasant discovery afterwards for a casual lunch at Royal South was Miss Eve Masterman, who taught French at Yarra Tennis Club, organised by Anne Stoney Clyde School from 1940-45. She has recently (Peardon, Cl’62) celebrated her 103rd birthday in Hobart, and Reunions and Gatherings was pictured in the Tasmanian press looking very cheerful and well! A huge thank-you to Dallas Kinnear (Heath, Cl’53) has suggested Sue and Katie for this vital work, and to all who that school leavers of 1952-53-54 might like have submitted address changes as they came to meet for regular casual lunches alternating to hand. The list will make it possible for year in Melbourne or Geelong, at convenient groups to organise reunions, and old friends to venues close to train stations or other public find each other when they need to. For address transport. For enquiries ring Dallas on tel: changes, contact Sue Schudmak on email: 03 5348 4099 or 0439 988 056, email: schudmak@bigpond.net.au dallaskinnear@bigpond.com. Please note the 40 year Reunion for school leavers of 1970 in The Cluthan 2010 Diary Dates below. This year’s issue of The Cluthan will be posted in early September. Editor Cathie Mahar (Cl’66) COGA Mornington Peninsula and helpers have been busy compiling and Garden Tour collating information and photos, ready for Please take note of the fabulous 3-day sending to Julia Ponder (Cl’69) in Queensland garden tour planned for 20-22 October for formatting. As usual it will be printed by 2010 organised by Fern Henderson (Welsh, MissPrint Services in Moorabbin. As you know, Cl’59) and Dizzy Carlyon (Cl’58). The itinerary The Cluthan is the official invitation to the COGA includes gardens which have been designed AGM as well as being our annual newsletter. by their owners, and others by well-known Many thanks to Julia and Cathie, who will designers such as Robert Boyle, Murray finalise The Cluthan before she travels to East
2 Collins, Paul Bangay and Fiona Brockhoff. There will be a visit to an historical garden under threat from a freeway and a tour of the Myer family’s garden sculptures. Accommodation for two nights will be at the Cape Schanck Resort. 1. COGA Committee members after working on a design for the Centenary invitation: L to R Margie Gillett (Cordner Cl’71), Jackie Mackinnon (Kelly Cl’69), Fern Henderson (Welsh Cl’59), Joan Mackenzie (Bloomfield Cl’52), Caroline Walford (Cl’71), Annette Webb (Cl’62), Trish Young (Cl’75). 2. Dame Elisabeth Murdoch (Cl’26) was joined by proud relatives and Clyde Old Girls at the official opening of Elisabeth Murdoch House on 24 April. L to R: DEM’s great- niece, Rosalind Adams (Ritchie, Cl’75), DEM’s grand- daughter, Judy Paterson (Handbury, Cl’75), COGA President, Margie Gillett (Cordner, Cl’71), Brigid Robertson (Gordon, Cl’75) mum of GGS school captain Hannah Robertson (Yr12 Cl), and DEM’s daughter, Janet Calvert-Jones (Murdoch, Cl’56)
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Diary Dates 2010 Saturday 9 October COGA AGM & Clyde Centenary Lunch Nine Darling Street, South Yarra, Vic. $70 per person. 10.45am - COGA AGM; 11.30am - Pre-Lunch Drinks; 12.45pm Centenary Lunch. Enquiries to Annette Webb on tel: +613 9827 3174 Sunday 10 October 40 Year Reunion (for school leavers of 1970) Details to be advised. Enquiries to Jane Loughnan (Weatherly) tel: 03 5264 1628 or 0417 535 862. Monday 18 October Fun Cup Golf Day, Peninsula Golf Course Contact Anna Tucker (Kimpton) tel: 03 9509 0952 or 0408 540 252. Email: annatucker@ odcg.com.au Wednesday 20 - Friday 22nd October COGA 3-Day Mornington Peninsula Garden Tour Wed 20th, 9am sharp. Bus leaves Stonnington Car Park, Glenferrie Road. Accommodation for two nights at Cape Schanck Resort. Cost: $480 per person twin share ($640 single) all inclusive of dinner, bed, breakfast and 2 lunches. Payment required in advance. For enquiries and bookings contact: Fern Henderson (Welsh), 26 Ocean View Avenue, Red Hill South 3937. tel: 03 5989 2664. Email: davhendo3@bigpond.com 33
Michael Collins Persse
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OGG in Focus Maddy Hay (Cl’05) will officially launch her debut album Smoke In The City at Melbourne’s The Toff In Town on September 16. “This album has been an intense journey; musically, personally and emotionally,” Maddy said. “And I am awfully proud of it.” Maddy wrote the title track, Smoke In The City, while at Geelong Grammar School under the tutelage of jazz teacher Paul Rettke. “At that stage, the song was about waiting to share my music with the world,” she explained. “And today it brings me great joy to be able to sing that in front of a live audience.” The song would go on to finish in the top three of the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 2008. Maddy’s personal journey was no less “intense”. After finishing school, she took a job singing and playing piano in a hotel in a small village outside Shanghai, “endeavouring to do some soul searching”. After six months of “singing to all who would listen”, she returned to Melbourne and immersed herself in the live music scene, where her songs began to blossom. “Ideas and songs were flowing into my head like a never ending waterfall and I almost felt overwhelmed,” she said. Maddy hooked up with producer Jonathon Zion via MySpace in 2008 and her album began to take shape. “He saw depth and vulnerability in my songs and enabled them to swell into something magnificent, adding sounds that I had only ever dreamed of, with lush string arrangements, the ethnic sounding piano accordion and a touch of the childlike glockenspiel.” Zion was touring Europe with Australian singer-songwriter Pete Murray when he passed on two demo tracks to a friend at Sony Music. “I got a call and was told that his friend at Sony loved it and was setting up a deal with Columbia and also a publishing deal with EMI for Europe and the UK.” Consequently, the album was first released in Europe in 2009, where the title track became a surprise hit in the Netherlands. After a whirlwind tour of Holland, Maddy returned to Australia last October to perform at her favourite haunts, like the Paris Cat Jazz Club, 34
building a reputation for her unique blend of pop, jazz-inspired vocals, and original compositions. She was back in Europe earlier this year, before a live performance on ABC’s Art Nation in late March. While Maddy will officially launch her album in Australia in September, it has already received a glowing review in ABC arts and music magazine Limelight: “Maddy’s songwriting is her true strength: she writes intelligent chamber pop tinged with jazz and blues, usually accompanied by string quartet, piano and double bass. Altogether a classy album from a singer too young to be this good.” John Bedggood (Cu’92) is hitting all the right notes with his new band The Wilson Pickers. The multi-instrumentalist originally teamed with fellow band members Danny Widdicombe and Andrew Morris as part of Powderfinger frontman Bernard Fanning’s band for his award-winning solo album Tea & Sympathy. The trio clicked and, joined by Sime Nugent and Ben Salter, recorded debut album Land of the Powerful Owl in 2008. The unique mix of traditional instruments – banjo, fiddle, harmonica, acoustic guitars – and infectious five-part harmonies won plenty of fans on the festival circuit and saw the album nominated for an ARIA award for best blues and roots album of 2009. The Wilson Pickers released their second album, Shake It Down, in May. The critical response has been nothing short of ecstatic, described by Sydney street press The Brag as “seriously contagious”. The Wilson Pickers perform in the Chapel of All Saints part of the Geelong Grammar School Concert Series on Monday 11 October. Rebecca Barnard (Cl’78) has released her second solo album since parting ways with indie pop-rockers Rebecca’s Empire. Everlasting was launched at Bennetts Lane Jazz Club in Melbourne on July 3 and the album has since received a slew of positive reviews. “Everlasting is a beautifully conceived and realised album of emotive songs,” according ABC Radio National’s Lucky Oceans. The Dwarf’s Ching Yee Choo described the album as “uncomplicated and
beautiful”. “The hurt, the raw emotions, the confidence – it’s all there in the lyrics and the hauntingly soulful melodies,” Yee Choo explained. Rebecca first found fame as singer-songwriter for indie pop-rockers Rebecca’s Empire, whose debut single Atomic Electric was a Triple J favourite way back in 1994. The band’s breakthrough album, Way Of All Things, was released in 1996 before the band dissolved in 2000. Rebecca released her first solo album, Fortified, through Shock Records in 2006, before teaming with jazz pianist Barney McCall to record Everlasting in New York. Rebecca’s musical relationship with McCall dates back to childhood. Rebecca’s dad, jazz drummer Len Barnard, introduced jazz music to Barney and his brother John by playing them classic gramophone records – both would go on to forge successful careers as jazz pianists. “Barney and I grew up together,” Rebecca told The Age newspaper. “The McCalls and my family were like one big family, so we had that almost sibling bond.” Rebecca explained that Everlasting was a reflection of her maturity as an artist. “It’s a bit like one of those Chinese stocks that’s been simmering away for years and years,” she said. “The longer you let it go, the stronger it gets until it’s got all these elements that you’ve been striving for. Of course, you want everyone to love your record but I’ve matured to a point in my life and my career where I could do what really felt was right, instead of worrying about how other people were hearing it. This time I thought ‘no, I’m going to follow my stream and see where it goes’.”
Sir Vincent Fairfax CMG (M’28; GGS Council 1955-66), who died in 1993, established in 1962 a charitable trust which he saw as a family one, continuing a family tradition of philanthropy that now spans six generations in Australia. Already a considerable benefactor of the community in a range of fields, the trust became in 1988 the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. Vincent himself was chairman for nearly 30 years – and his widow, Lady (Nancy) Fairfax AO, OBE (1916-2007), after him. The centenary of his birth on 26 December 1909 was marked in two ways: by Sir Vincent Fairfax: 100 Years – Commemorative Book, 2009, recording his background, life, achievements, and ideals and those of the Foundation (which by then had distributed to hundreds of recipients nearly $90 million dollars for public charitable purposes); and by nine special distributions, totalling nearly $9million, to organizations in which Vincent had had personal involvement: Scouts Australia; the National Library of Australia; the Gawura campus of St Andrew’s Cathedral (providing Kindergarten-to-Year-6 education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children); Mission Australia; the Walter and Eliza Hall Trust; the Girls and Boys Brigade; the State Library of New South Wales; the Royal Agricultural Society Foundation of New South Wales; and Beyond Empathy (which uses the arts to influence change in the lives of individuals and communities experiencing recurring hardship). Geoffrey White AM, husband of Vincent’s elder daughter, Sally (herself a Director of the Foundation), and a son of the late Geoffrey Duckett White (M’29), led the Foundation as executive officer through the past two decades; and Vincent and Nancy’s other children – John B Fairfax AO (M’60; Fellow of The Old Geelong Grammarians), Timothy Fairfax AM (M’64), and Ruth Armytage AM – also continue the family tradition of philanthropy and service. Vincent and John have both been major benefactors of GGS, as has John’s second-cousin James Fairfax AC (M’50), son of Sir Warwick Fairfax (M’19) and himself one of Australia’s great philanthropists, particularly in the fields of education and the arts. Jean Thompson née Willan (He’20s), who died in October 2009 at almost 98, was twice widowed. Her first husband – married in 1941 – was Roydon Sargood (Mick) Hornabrook
Peter Armytage AM (M’41), who died in June, was prominent among some 150 descendants of the Victorian pioneers George Armytage (1795-1862) and his wife Elizabeth née Peters (1801-1874) who have attended GGS since its opening day in 1855 when two of Peter’s great-great-uncles were among the 14 boys present. His grandfather Charles Norman Learmonth Armytage (GGS 1874-76) became Senior Prefect and Captain of Boats, going on to win a Rowing blue at Cambridge (one of four Armytage and Fairbairn grandsons of Beth McCracken née Whitehead (He’32), who George and Elizabeth who were the first four died in March, was described in an obituary by OGGs to do so). His father, Charles Morrell her daughter Elspeth McCracken-Hewson in Armytage (GGS 1908-12), was a Prefect and The Age on 3 May as having “created hats for captain of both Cricket and Football. Peter the country’s most stylish women before she himself became a School Prefect and won produced knitted garments for the mightiest Colours for Rowing and Football. From January to the poorest….Despite being crippled by 1942 he served in the RAAF, in 1943-44 as a osteoarthritis, she continued to knit almost to Flight-Lieutenant in 625 Squadron, Bomber the end, producing stacks of jumpers for babies Command, until shot down over Germany. in Africa.” Her identical-twin sister, Margaret Evading immediate capture, he escaped (He’33), and she married brothers, Gordon into Holland, where he was helped by the and Harold McCracken (of the legal practice Dutch Underground, but was betrayed to the McCracken and McCracken). They and their Gestapo and spent the last year of the war brothers – Jack Whitehead (P’26), Robert V in successive prison-camps until liberated Whitehead (P’28), and Geoffrey Whitehead by the Russian Army. A distinguished career (P’32) – were the children of Robert Whitehead followed as grazier near Dunkeld (on Caviar, (Old School 1895-99) and his wife, Mabel formerly part of Mount Sturgeon) and in racing Vaughan, of Kooringal, near Warrnambool, and administration including 15 years on the they had been doubly orphaned by 1930 when Committee of the Victoria Racing Club (from their father’s Bugatti car hit a tree. Beth studied 1986-91 as Chairman) and outstanding service domestic science at Invergowrie Homecraft to the Victorian thoroughbred racing industry in Hostel, and after an apprenticeship worked general as evidenced in tributes published in with Thomas Harrison, a well-known CollinsThe Age, including an obituary on 19 June. He Street milliner. Once her three daughters were married Diana Officer, who died in 2007, and at school, she started what became a 40-year they were the parents of Simon (M’64), Tim career as a professional knitter for Coates (M’67), Charles (M’68), and Anita. Seven of Patons, also testing their patterns and making their nine grandchildren attended GGS. Peter garments for display. Involved with the Overseas was the brother of Sheila Molesworth (Cl’36), Christian Fellowship, she and Harold were Diana Strong (Cl’36), and Savile Armytage hospitable to many students from overseas. (M’47). Sam McCulloch (Cu’35) Evan Macgregor (M’41), who joined the campus at the died in April, “excelled” – in University of California, Irvine, the words of his son, John in 1964, where he became the (M’69), in an obituary in founding dean of humanities, The Age on 14 May – “in after serving as dean of the such disparate fields as college at San Francisco State school sports, as a World University. Now almost 94 and an emeritus War II commando, footballer, businessman, professor (he is an authority on the history of yachtsman and contributor to civil society”. the British Empire) and the oldest living faculty Captain of Football in 1941, he went on to member, he became the unofficial campus captain and coach the OGGs to premierships historian and in 1996 produced a book, Instant in 1956 and ’57. His characteristic generosity University, on UCI’s early years. From 1981 to included the gift of his many sporting trophies 2008 he was moderator of the University Club from schooldays to the School Archives. Forum, whose function has been the presenting Robin Corfield OAM (P’45) of “interesting talks” by faculty members and wrote Don’t forget me, community leaders. The library at the University cobber: The Battle of Club bears his name. Among many tributes Fromelles, 19/20 July 1916 – from colleagues have been phrases such as An Inquiry (Melbourne, 2000) “part of the heartbeat of UCI”, “a sustained – the first history of that and refreshingly outspoken unofficial ‘adviser’ battle, in which the Australian to all of our chancellors and executive vicearmy sustained its greatest losses in the 1914chancellors”, “a true gentleman – always 18 War – after years of work by him and a considerate, courteous, affable, and warm …. friend, Lambis Englezos, with the Friends of the always available for a kind word and candid 15th Brigade. From this book Lambis gained advice ….a genuinely good human being”, “the the crucial clues which led to the discovery of quintessential egalitarian” (a “splendid trait” attributable to “his Aussie birth”), “a legend on the pits in which the Germans had buried the the campus”, and “a model to any wise enough bodies of Australian and other soldiers. Ninetynine of these bodies have now been identified to have engaged this noble scholar”. (M’27), who died of malaria in 1944 while a prisoner-of-war employed on the infamous Burma-Siam railway. Her second, who did not long survive the birth of their son, Nigel (Jean’s only child, who himself survives her with his own sons, James and Simon), was “Tommy” Thompson. Jean – also known as Jane or Jinnie – remained close to the Hornabrook family, who had shared with her the anxieties of the war years when Mick was posted “missing” and then “p.o.w.”. She had a great gift for friendship and is remembered fondly by many, not least for her tennis, golf, and (more recently) ability at bridge.
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and given named graves. On July 19th, the 94th anniversary of the battle, Prince Charles (T/Cu’66) spoke movingly at the burial of an unidentified soldier and official opening of the new Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Fromelles. In the work on Robin’s book, many German sources were used – some translated by Waldemar Dabkowski (Staff 1998-2004) and a German Assistant Barbara Sauer (Staff 1998), from near Munich, who was able to detect many of the local colloquialisms used by the Bavarian soldiers at the battle. Sydney Christian (GGS 1883-87), then a brigadiergeneral, Eric Carr (GGS 1902-04), a secondlieutenant, and Tom Bolton (GGS 1909-12), a young private, served in the battle itself. Tom was wounded and taken prisoner (in Germany and later, for facial surgery, Switzerland); Eric died in the battle; Sydney never fully recovered from its effects. John Heilmann (Cu’45), who died in 2008, was a leading figure in the wine and spirits industry in the United States. In 1988 he retired as president and CEO of the Distillers Somerset Group which marketed the Johnnie Walker and Tanqueray brands and owned distilling and winery interests absorbed into the GuinnessUnited Distillers Group organization, forerunner of Diageo. As chairman of the National Association of Beverage Importers, he was a spokesman for the industry. Edward Bryans (Cu’50), who died in March, “made his name as a newsreader on ABC radio and television” between 1963 and 1992, as Gillian Forwood recorded in an obituary in The Age on 26 June. The only son of Baynham Bryans and Lina, of the Michaelis-Hallenstein family and herself a modernist artist, he grew up at Darebin Bridge House, “surrounded by cosmopolitan artists and writers” including William Frater, Ian Fairweather, Alan McCulloch, Nina Christensen, and Nettie Palmer. Shortterm jobs in the arts in London were followed by writing theatre reviews for The Herald in Melbourne. In 1962 he married Mary (Bobbi) Roope, who survives him with their sons, Paul and James. “His fine voice and attention to detail were suited to radio news reading. No inaccuracy, however slight, in pronunciation or punctuation, escaped him, and by 1963 he was on camera as the face of the nightly television news.” At GGS he played drums in the Band – the beginning of a lifelong love of jazz. Dr Peter Pockley (Ge’53), who is Senior Correspondent for Australasian Science and engaged in many other projects including the Oral History programme of leading scientists, was in May presented by the Governor-General with the Australian Academy of Science’s Medal in recognition of his “outstanding contributions to science by means other than the conduct of scientific research” – work which has greatly “advanced the cause of science and technology in Australia”. The medal is normally awarded not more than once every three years. Professor Robyn Williams, Fellow of the Academy, said that Peter “was one of the pioneers of 36
Handbook on Leading Learning in Congregations: science broadcasting when it had hardly yet A Christian Learning Community Perspective – been invented. In radio and television, both in Leadership audit included (Adelaide, 2010). Australia and around the world, he led teams and fronted programmes which transformed the Mechai Viravaidya (P’59), whose medium” – adding that he has “combined lively work that began in 1974 with the presentation with rigorous accuracy” and “flair foundation of the communitywith the highest standards of authority”. based Family Planning Services (now known as the Population Richard Morgan AM (P’54) is the author of and Community Development Lessons from the Global Economic Crisis: The Association) has long been Relevance of Adam Smith on Morality and Free Markets (Connor Court Publishing, Melbourne, world-famous, was presented by His Majesty the King of Thailand in January with the 2009 Prince 2009). Mahidol Award in the Field of Public Health. “This Jonathan Welsh (P’55), who award,” Mechai said, “represents the tireless died in May, was a muchwork of our organization over the past 35 years loved man who was the to improve health for all of Thailand’s citizens. joint founder and managing We have worked with numerous partners from director of Modern Technology the business and government sector successfully Manufacturing amid other to carry out our health endeavours in family business commitments. A planning and the fight against HIV/AIDS, and this son of Maxwell Welsh (P’30) and Jacqueline, award would not have been possible without their a Mackinnon with many GGS connections, he assistance.” The Prince Mahidol Awards have was the father by his first wife , Judy Watson been given annually since 1992 to individuals (later Brodribb), of Lachlan (P’80), Sophie, and or institutions demonstrating “outstanding and Jamie (P’85), and by his second wife, Elizabeth exemplary contributions to the advancement of Lucas, of Matthew (Gl’94) and Edward (P’03). medicine and public health for humanity”. In July, The portrait of Jono as a boy shown here was at the International AIDS Conference in Vienna, painted by the Australian artist James Govett. Mechai was named one of 15 world leaders to be members of the United Nations AIDS High Level Rodney Gray (Bo’56), who died in April, was Commission on HIV Prevention. given an obituary in The Birregurra Mail of 28 April as “a colourful character” who “left James (Bim) Affleck (Cu’67) completed a a lasting mark in the town’s history” by his tetralogy of military biographical registers with spirited participation in many of its social the publication in July by The Geelong College events, including those of the football club, as Foundation of Geelong Collegians at the Second well as through his skill in carpentry. He was World War and Subsequent Conflicts, having one of a group who “saw the township as a gem now served both GGS and GC magnificently by and transformed many of the older houses into recording in detailed prose the war services of the homes that now add to the historic charm of their Old Boys, particularly in the two World Wars. Birregurra”. Tawfik Ismail (FB’71) has with Ooi Kee Beng Jeremy Dummett (FB’57) read history at Trinity compiled Malaya’s First Year at the United College, Cambridge, and followed a career Nations: As Reflected in Dr Ismail’s Reports Home in marketing with international companies, to Tunku Abdul Rahman (Institute of Southeast Ogilvy & Mather (advertising agents) and Asian Studies, Singapore, 2009). Tun Dr Ismail American Express (the financial and travel Abdul Rahman (1915-1973), who was Tawfik’s company), where he was Marketing Director father, was one of the three statesman principally in the European Headquarters. Mostly based responsible for Malaya’s independence from in London, he lived for ten years in Milan and Great Britain in 1957 and the subsequent early two in Athens. Latterly he acted as consultant development of Malaysia; the Institute’s first to banks in the City of London and European publication (in 2006) was his biography, The markets. In his retirement since 2002 he has Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr Ismail and His Time been a frequent visitor to Sicily and has written by Ooi Kee Beng (with Tawfik in strong support). on its history and monuments in Syracuse, City Three of Tawfik’s children have followed him at of Legends: A Glory of Sicily (I.B.Tauris, London, GGS: Seth Tun-Ismail (FB’07), Sulayman Tun2010), described by Judith Harris, author of Ismail (FBYr12), and Alia Tun-Ismail (GaYr11). Pompeii Awakened, as “a welcome travelling Neil Robertson (FB/L’73) companion whose enthusiasm is catching”. retired in March after 18 highly Jordan Lancaster, author of In the Shadow of successful years as national Vesuvius: A Cultural History of Naples, says: executive officer of Australia’s “Don’t leave for Sicily without this guide.” Open Garden Scheme. We are Jeremy, who lives in London, married Hermione delighted at the School to have Mason in 1966 and is the father of Alexander him now as chairman of the Oliver (born in 1971), Mark Sebastian (born in Biddlecombe Society. 1973), and Henry Theodore Robert (born in 1976). His sister, Caroline Kirk (Cl’57), was a lay Ian Sauer (P’75) was awarded the Medal of the Inspector of Schools in Suffolk, is the mother Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday of two daughters, Georgina (born in 1968) Honours of 2010 “for service to natural-resource and Natalie (born in 1971), and now lives in management in Tasmania, particularly through Cheshire. Landcare”. The Reverend John Littleton (Cu’59), who is a priest in the Diocese of Adelaide and Consultant in Christian Education for Parishes, has written and published A
Richard Allen (P’80) is the author of The Spirit of Golf – and How It Applies to Life (Melbourne University Press, 2010), dedicated to his late father, Richard Stanley Allen (M’38; Council 1972-84), “who always played the game in the right spirit”.
Anthony Elliott (A’81), who is Professor of Sociology at Flinders University and Visiting Research Chair at the Open University in the United Kingdom, is the editor of The Routledge Companion to Social Theory (2010). He reviewed The Politics of Climate Change by Anthony Giddens in the February 2010 issue of Australian Book Review. Nicholas van Gelder (Cu’83), who died in July after a heartattack, had a distinguished career with Macquarie Bank, mostly in Seoul and Singapore. Third son of Helen and the late (Lieutenant-Colonel) Malcolm, he followed his brothers – James (Cu’77) and Tim (Cu’79) – to Tudor House and GGS, where he became a House Prefect and was vicecaptain of Rugby. With a degree in Economics from the University of Sydney, where he was a member of St Paul’s College, he became a Certified Valuer, completed an MBA course in London, and spent nearly 10 years, mostly in the United Kingdom, working in property and development, before 13 years with Macquarie Bank, where he became Head of Macquarie Capital Funds for Asia and the Middle East. Strong, competitive, and adventurous, he long continued playing Rugby, went down the Amazon in a canoe, climbed Mount Aconcagua, part-owned a racehorse, played the piano, wrote a song, and everywhere made friends, becoming a mentor to many. In 2004 he married Samantha Killesteyn, who survives him with Alexandra and Anna (aged 4 and 2). At his crowded funeral in St Mark’s, Darling Point, in Sydney, she said that Nick had “embraced fatherhood with a passion” and “always wanted me to challenge myself: he taught me about tolerance, self-belief, hard work, loyalty, and embracing life”. Miranda Tobias née Darling (Je’91) is the author, as Miranda Darling, of The Troika Dolls (Allen & Unwin, 2010), reviewed in The Age of 17 July as a “thriller” that “runs on a full tank of action and suspense, perfumed with a whiff of emotion”. Since reading English and Italian at Oxford and travelling widely in countries including Russia, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Namibia, and Indonesia, she has returned to Australia, obtained a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies and Defence, analysed new security threats for a think-tank, written other books (as already recorded), married Nick Tobias (see below), and become the mother of Samson (now 3). Anthony Stevens (A’94) graduated BCom and BIS in 2000 and MComlLaw in 2006 from the University of Melbourne. Having previously worked for the ANZ Bank, he joined the Dimension Data group of companies in 1999, becoming its Chief Information Officer in 2007. Early in 2009 he joined the executive team at Spotless Group Limited as its inaugural Chief Information Officer. His marriage and the birth of a son are recorded below. Deanna Stevens (A’96) studied in her “gap” year at the Osaka International University for Women in Japan, and then at the University of Melbourne, graduating BA and DipML (Japan) in 2002 and with a GCertArts (DevSt) in 2004. She worked as an administrative officer in the University’s Faculty of Law and then in the Refugee Tracing Services area at the National Office of the Australian Red Cross. She obtained
a Master’s degree in Primary Teaching at the same university in 2009, and now teaches at Endeavour Hills Primary School. Her marriage is recorded below. Rupert Imhoff (Cu’02) was the winner of the Start Up Hero Award at the 2009 Smart Company Crown Lager Business Start Up Awards for his business, 199Buddy. David Odling-Smee (Staff 1962-65), who for many years worked for Aboriginal welfare in the Northern Territory, particularly as Principal of Yirara College in Alice Springs, has more recently been in East Timor, working for Timor Aid Social (a distinct part of a non-government organization called Timor Aid, based in Dili) which helps orphans, street-children, the poor, the disabled, sufferers from leprosy, school hostels for rural youth, health, education and vocational training, small businesses, refugees, and the victims of floods. Mark Robertson (Council 2005-) was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queens’s Birthday Honours of 2010 “for service to the community through executive roles with charitable organizations, and to the hospitality sector”. He and Anne are the parents of Will (P’03), Oliver (P’08), and Lachlan (PYr11).
Births Emma and Richard Allen (P’80), a daughter, Zoe Jill Elisabeth, on 16 April 2010 Eve née Robinson (Je’84) and Chris Armytage (M’84), two daughters, Zoe on 27 September 2005 and Zara on 4 September 2008 Josephine and James Baillieu (Bn’80), a daughter, Annelise Latham McArthur, on 8 August 2010
James Montgomery, on 5 September 2008 Tania née Stokes (Staff 2002-) and Jordan Hill, a son, Darcy Alexander, on 1 June 2010 Zoe née Appleton (He’94) and Mark Holland, a daughter, Poppy Ashton, on 31 May 2009 Fiona née Richardson (Cl’91) and Nick Holuige (Glc’80), a son, Louis Thomas, on 14 April 2010 Melody Webb and Sam Hryckow (P’92), a son, Buster Alexander, on 23 June 2010 Bianca and Gavin Hudson (M/A’94), a son, Will Peter, on 7 October 2008 Rita and Charles Jeffries (M’92), a son, Thomas Kurt Meldrum, on 6 May 2010 Katrina Webb (Cl’93) and Nicholas Lehman, a daughter, Charlotte Olivia, on 27 March 2010 Catherine McGregor and Emmanuel Le Ray (Cu’01), two sons, Archie on 16 April 2006 and Gabriel on 12 March 2009 Sophie and Lachlan MacKinnon (M’93), a son, Angus Guy, on 26 May 2010 Kathy Suvoltos (He ’95) and Jon Malpas (Fr’97), a son, Charlie, on 12 July 2010 Elizabeth née Cust (Cl’88) and Tom McDonell, a Duncan Alastair, on 27 May 2010 Justine Ulmann (Cl’88) and Daniel McKay, a son, Duncan Robert Ulmann, on 2 April 2010 Jane and Malcolm McMillan (Cu’90), a son, Charlie Edward, on 24 February 2010 Lizzie Matthews (Ga’90) and Andrew Moffat, a son, James Peter (Jimmy), on 19 February 2010 Suzanne and David Nadorp (A’89), a daughter, Grace Elizabeth, on 15 March 2007, and a son, Harry Charles, on 15 January 2009
Susie McDonald (Ga’85) and John Beaumont, a son, Henri Philip, on 28 March 2010 Jennifer and Greg Naylor (Staff 2001-07), twin sons, James Brian and Thomas Desmond, on Alicia and Richard Brown (P’96), a daughter, 18 December 2007 Beatrice Myra, on 8 May 2010 Phoebe Lamont Ward and Matthew Parsons Melissa née Colless (Cl’92) and Adam Bergin, a (M’95), a son, Jet, in September 2007 son, Cale Peter, on 4 June 2009 Kirsty née Munro (Cl’94) and Anthony Perry, two Loren Gold (A’00) and Sean Bowen, a daughter, sons, David John Munro on 29 September 2006 Ellie Louise Gold, on 27 August 2009 and Angus Frederick Munro on 4 February 2009 Edwina née Burgess (Ga’88) and Paul Callus, a Heide and Jeremy Robson (FB’83), a son, son, George Reece Adrian, on 5 June 2010 Maximilian, on 27 November 2000, a daughter, Jackie Winkelman and David Chandler (Fr’87), a Elizabeth, on 28 June 2002, a son, Sebastian, son, Samuel Winkelman, on 15 March 2010 on 16 January 2004, and two daughters, Josephine on 10 September 2005 and Leigh and Geoffrey Chandler (Fr/L’86), a son, Henrietta on 23 April 2009 James Daniel, on 6 March 2010 Kristy and Duncan Shirley (Fr’94), a son, Lucy née Knox-Knight (Cl’91) and Tony Emmanuel James, on 13 March 2009 Clemenger, a daughter, Amelia Gwendolen Knox-Knight, on 11 June 2010 Justine and Adam Stansen (T’86), a daughter, Matilda Lloyd, on 1 April 2010 Michelle Owen and James Craik (A’81), a son, Frederik Broughton, on 24 October 2008 Naomi and David Stevens (Fr’93), a daughter, Zara McColl, on 29 July 2010 Catherine Campbell (He’00) and Adrian Friend, a daughter, Emma Jane, on 17 March 2010 Skye née MacKinnon (Cl’97) and Lachie Stevens (M’96), a son, James MacKinnon Ayers, Janita and Robert Gow (Staff 2002-), two sons, on 26 April 2010 Harrison Robert on 9 December 2004 and Angus George on 30 May 2008 Susan Kentish (Je’82) and Brett Wainscott (FB’82), a daughter, Sariel Faith Kentish, on 24 Tatsani née Tungka (Ga’00) and Irawan August 2009 Handoko, a daughter, Kimora Tanujaya, on 22 April 2010 Sarah née Paterson (Cl’00) and Tom Whinney, a daughter, Jane Helen, on 31 May 2010 Jessica and Angus Henderson (M’93), a son, 37
Chloe née Lewisohn (Cl’91) and Charles White, a daughter, Eloise Lewisohn, on 15 April 2010
Marriages Zoe Appleton (He’94) married Mark Holland on 29 December 2009
(Dr) Andrew John Dominikovic (1975-80) Edward Ivar Dorum (1952-60) on 2 June 2010 Helen Campbell Dyball née Maddever (197475) on 9 May 2010
Margaret Williams née Peel (Clyde 1930-35) in 2010
Alan David Hickinbotham, A.M.
Alan Hickinbotham, who died on 25 May 2010, Sarah Cahill (A’01) married Jolyon William James Gordon Chute (Jim) Ellis (1968-76) on 1 taught at Corio from 1949George on 19 December 2009 May 2010 51 – as his father, Alan Robb Robert Crossley (Cu’99) married Michelle Anne Graeme Frederick George Fenton (1945-57) on Hickinbotham, had done in 1923 before a Jefferies on 14 August 2010 long and distinguished career at Roseworthy 31 March 2010 Miranda Darling (Je’91) married Nick Tobias on Graham Gregory Fox (1948-50) on 13 February Agricultural College in South Australia, where he pioneered the teaching of winemaking. 11 June 2006 1997 The younger Alan, who was born in Geelong William de Fégely (FB’00) married Drita Vukovic Keith Leslie Ian Freeman (1934-35) on 24 July on 9 December 1925, went to Prince Alfred on 27 March 2010 College and the University of Adelaide, 2010 graduating Bachelor of Science. He played Andrew Graham (A’89) married Sonia Maria Rodney Ian Gray (1951-56 at Bostock House) League football for South Adelaide (of which Broderick on 13 February 2010 on 3 April 2010 Club he was later president) and Geelong as Deborah Handbury (Ga/Fr’00) married Anne Grunwald née Millear (Clyde 1938-43) on well as State football thrice for South Australia, developed vineyards, and in 1954 founded a Alexander Lyons (Fr’99) on 16 January 2010 23 June 2009 company which established itself as the leading Angus Henderson (M’93) married Jessica John William Haines (1957-59) on 21 April South Australian organization in housing and Harkin on 8 December 2007 2010 development. The Hickinbotham Group of Companies “in many ways”, as an obituary in Azhar Ibrahim (FB’93) married Alina Fauzi on John Ernest Heilmann (1941-45) on 17 the Adelaide Advertiser on 26 May said, “set 31 July 2010 September 2008 the tone for residential development” in that Robert Lindblade (A’88) married Trudy Belinda David Arnold Thornley Henderson (1947-55) on State. In addition, it has contributed regularly Clark on 15 May 2010 22 April 2010 to the arts, sporting teams, community clubs, health foundations, and many charities; and Jo McDonald (Ga’87) married Dale Middleton Douglas Bruce Hopkins (1947-50) it brought 1,000 migrant families to Adelaide, on 31 January 2010 helping them to settle there. Alan married (Dr) David Alan Jolley (1937-41) on 22 Annabelle McGregor (Je’92) married Andrew Margaret Herbertson in 1953, and their September 2004 Robinson on 6 March 2010 children all came to GGS: David (P’72), Jane (Dr) John Bedlington Jolley (1939-46) on 27 Grantham (P’73), Julie Byron (P/L’76), Michael Anthony Morphett (FB’00) married Avalon Carr May 2010 (P’80), and Ruth Vagnarelli (Cl’82). In 1998 on 13 November 2009 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Beverley Kemp née Taylor (The Hermitage to Thea Parkinson (Fr’97) married Matthew Nye on 1950) on 17 June 2010 Australia “for services to housing and urban 10 April 2010 development as founder and managing director Robert Francis Bruce (Bob) Lefroy (1939-41) for over 40 years of the Hickinbotham Group, Edward Plowman (Cu’94) married Jenna Korin Rosemary Little (The Hermitage to 1953) on 30 and to the community of Adelaide”. From the on 21 December 2009 Ground Up: The memoirs of Alan Hickinbotham April 2010 Eve Robinson (Je’84) married Chris Armytage was published by Lythrum Press in Adelaide in Evan Murray Macgregor (1936-41) on 18 April (M’84) on 11 November 2006 2004. 2010 Jeremy Robson (FB’83) married Heide Meldau Kenneth John Mappin Elizabeth (Beth) McCracken née Whitehead on 28 August 1999 (The Hermitage 1928-32) on 29 March 2010 Ken Mappin, who served Adam Shirley (Fr’94) married Ingrid Claire on the School staff at Corio Ann Meesen (former Bookroom Attendant) on 3 Zappia on 2 January 2010 from 1948-67 and on that of May 2010 Clyde School in 1968, died Tom Staughton (P’97) married Alicia Robertson on 22 April 2010. He made Charles Owen Moore (1934-39) on 7 April 2010 on 8 May 2010 an inestimable contribution to the teaching Charmian Sarah Nicolson (1976-80) John Stoney (FB’82) married Jacqueline Anne of science – with an influence that became Baensch on 10 October 2009 State-wide and beyond through his Year-11 James Ogilvie (Jimmy) Noall (1937-40) on 2 Chemistry textbook and his role as examiner May 2010 Deaths and member (for a time chairman) of the John Stephen Plowman (1942-44) on 6 Victorian Universities and Schools Education Peter Charles Tustin Armytage AM (1933-41) December 2009 Board’s standing committee on Chemistry. He on 8 June 2010 was Housemaster of Cuthbertson House from Lucy Reid née Hamilton (The Hermitage to Oswald James Bant (1945-47) on 15 April 2010 1962-67, and throughout his time at both GGS 1940) and Scotch he directed plays with brilliance. Jill Audrey Bechly (wife of Glen [Staff 1966-96]; Trina Mary Thomas née Harvey (1976-80) on During the short interval at Clyde, to improve Piano teacher) on 9 June 2010 28 March 2010 the teaching of science, he “gave it,” in the Joan Brisbane née Brown (The Hermitage to words of Joan Montgomery (Headmistress Jean Beatrice Thompson, formerly Hornabrook, 1939) on 26 March 2010 1960-68), “a fillip like nobody else”. née Willan (The Hermitage 1920s) on 26 William Norman Ronald Brisbane OAM (193840) on 12 July 2010
Loris Violet (Laurie) Caddy, formerly Robertson, née Yencken (Clyde 1938-42) on 20 July 2010 Katherine Rose (Kate) D’Arcy (1987-90) on 15 June 2010 38
George Ledlie Eadie (1944-49) on 6 July 2010
October 2009
Ian Nathaniel Turner (1945-49) on 27 March 2010 Nicholas Willem van Gelder (1978-83) on 18 July 2010 Jonathan Norman Ronald Welsh (1948-55) on 7 May 2010
Born at Yarraville on 3 April 1922, he was the son, with a sister, of Lily and Harry Mappin. His father, a fitter and turner, was mayor of Footscray in the late 1930s. In 1940, from Williamstown High School, Ken was awarded one of the first five free places in Victoria for student teachers, and he accepted the obligation carried by it to teach science though,
from his abilities and interests, it might well have been literature and philosophy (he read widely). On graduating from the University of Melbourne he taught at Geelong High School until appointed to GGS. In 1950-51 he taught on exchange at Christ’s Hospital, the “Bluecoat School”, in England. He became a leading actor and director in repertory theatre in Geelong, where a fellow actor was Thelma (Bill) Birdsey. They married in 1956 and became the parents of Katherine known as Kate (Assistant, Timbertop, 1976-77), Margaret known as Meg, Peter (Bo’67), and Alison. Kate and Alison were to die tragically in a road accident in 1979. The Corian of December 1967 listed 24 of Ken’s major dramatic productions at Corio (there were also House and other plays). They included seven Shakespeares (Henry V twice), the musical 1066 – and All That (thrice), Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (twice) with John Brazier (Staff 1934-65) as musical director, and (biggest of all) Their Succeeding Race, the pageant-play celebrating the Centenary of the School (two years late) in 1957. Tim Murray AM (P’53; Staff 1959-77), who as a boy had acted in Ken’s productions, and who later supported and succeeded him in GGS theatre, spoke eloquently of Ken’s work and influence at a memorial gathering where Nick Davison (Bo’71) read an account of Ken’s life (prepared by Bill, Meg, and Peter) and two later colleagues, Ian Harrison and Andrew Tait, spoke of his work at Scotch. An obituary by Ian was in The Age on 14 June.
Paul John McKeown, A.M. Paul McKeown, who from 1955-58 was an early member of the School staff at Timbertop, where he taught English and pioneered the Outdoor Education programme (the emphasis in the previous two years having been more on getting the school built), died on 14 May 2010. He went on to be Headmaster of Canberra Grammar School from 1959-85, Chairman of the Headmasters’ Conference of the Independent Schools of Australia (1975-77), President of the Arts Council of Australia (1968-71), President of the Australian Association of Religious Education (1978), co-editor of The Independent School (Melbourne, 1967), and editor and partauthor of Deo, Ecclesiae, Patriae: Fifty Years of Canberra Grammar School (Canberra, 1979). One of Australia’s great educators and described on his retirement from his headship as “a superb headmaster”, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia “for service to education” in 1979.
(Je’79), whose daughter Phoebe Stewart (HeYr11) has followed her at GGS.
Bronwen Schoeffler, née Phillips
Bronwen Phillips, who during her time on the teaching staff of Glamorgan (now Toorak Campus) from September 1968 to December 1995 was known by her married name of Schoeffler, was born on 18 November 1940 and trained as a teacher in New Zealand. In her early years with us she worked in the SubPrimary area as a thoughtful and diligent class teacher. She was involved in various after-school activities and had a great love of books, so that it was no surprise when she was appointed to administer the Coulter Library and teach Children’s Literature. She did this for twelve The Reverend John Daniel Potter years, surviving three floods in the Library (from the Baillieu Field) along with the introduction of a John Potter was Chaplain (the second to hold computerised book-cataloguing system. She had that office) at Timbertop from 1959-64, and in no interest in sport – particularly the AFL – but 1965 a Chaplain at Corio. While at Timbertop won the tipping competition recently because he married Janet Ingpen (He’55), then Matron there. They became the parents of David (P’82), she loved cats! The Coulter Library was always full of busy children, many of whom stopped Timothy (P’84), and Katherine (Ga’87), and off for a bright chat with such a caring member themselves remained well-loved members of of the staff as Bron always was. We were sad the School community. Down-to-earth, wise, to hear of her death on 24 June 2010, after a loving, full of fun, and firm in his Christian short illness, and our thoughts are with her New conviction, John invested all that he did – especially services in our Chapels and his other Zealand family and her many friends. churches – with his own whole-hearted priestly David Ronald de Mey dedication. His role as pastor and friend in the Warren, A.O. lives of many OGGs continued. In the early 1950s Paul gained a Diploma of Education at Oxford, taught there at the Dragon School, became an early instructor at Gordonstoun’s Outward Bound Mountain School in the Lake District (where the mountaineer Eric Shipton was warden), and, before coming to Timbertop, was deputy superintendent at the Northampton Remand Home – “where,” as John Farquharson wrote in an obituary (in The Canberra Times on 27 May), “he learnt a lot about human nature”.
He was born in New South Wales at Emmaville on 1 April 1929 and educated at the Central School there, at The Armidale School, at the University of Sydney (graduating BA in 1950), and St John’s College, Morpeth. Curate successively at Gunnedah, St Peter’s Cathedral in Armidale, and Glen Innes, he was Vicar of Wee Waa before his GGS years. After them he was Curate at Christ Church, Harrogate, in England; Chaplain of St Mary’s School, Wantage (near Oxford), from 1966-68; from 1968-71 in Singapore as Chaplain of St John’s School, Honorary Assistant at St Andrew’s Cathedral, and Officiating Chaplain to the British Forces there; Vicar of St Paul’s, Canterbury, from 1971-86, and from 1986-94 of All Saints’, East St Kilda (where his requiem mass was held); Locum in European parishes from 1995-98; Vicar of Christ Church, Seymour in 1999; and from 2000-08 Locum at various times in Benalla, Mansfield, Kinglake, Marysville, and Yea. He died on 24 April 2010.
Gordon Ross
Gordon Ross, who was School Marshal at Corio from 1972-89, died on 12 June 2010. In his early years at Corio he served in the Cadet Corps and administered audiovisual equipment. He taught Metalwork and Mathematics, ran the Canoe Club, and encouraged participation in the annual Murray Born at Tumut in New South Wales on 1 River Marathon. Born on 13 December 1929, November 1923, Paul was the second of the he served in the British army (in the 10th three children of Canon Kenneth and Florence Hussars) and in 1951 married Charlotte, known McKeown. From Canberra Grammar, where he as Lotte (later a Domestic Supervisor at Corio), excelled at sport, and after wartime service with whom he had first met in 1948 while on a the medical corps in New Guinea and Borneo, training session in Westphalia. They became he went to the University of Sydney, where the parents of Petra (now Zehmeister) and he was a member of St Paul’s College and Deborah (A’77; now Bohm). In a letter to me graduated in Arts. Teaching at Hamilton and Gordon said that their years at Corio were Western District College, he met Wilma David, “one of the happiest times that Lotte and I had a music teacher there. They married in 1951 together in our almost 50 years of marriage and and became the parents of Christopher (FB’70), a truly wonderful experience”. Deirdre, Elizabeth, Jonathan, and Penelope
David Warren, whose first post – before university teaching and work as Principal Research Scientist with the Australian Defence Department from 1949-83 – was at GGS, with Junior School, in 1946 and 1947, died on 19 July 2010. He was described in an obituary by Macarthur Job OAM and Gerry Carman in The Age on 22 July as “one of Australia’s greatest inventors, whose ‘black box’ flight data recorder installed on airliners and military aircraft around the world has helped save countless lives for more than half a century…. Such has been the success of the concept of recording critical flight data from an aircraft and conversations between flight crew as well as with air traffic controllers that similar devices have been installed in trains, ships, trucks, and even cars. The ability to recover this data emitted in the lead-up to crashes has played a key role in helping aircraft manufacturers and aviation safety authorities determine the cause of crashes and correct oversights and design flaws, as well as uncover incorrect actions by pilots. This prevents similar accidents from occurring, thus saving lives.” David, who was born on 20 March 1925 and married Ruth Meadows in 1948 (she and their four children survive him), was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2002 for this great service to aviation. Obituary of Bronwen Schoeffler by Ivan Sutherland (Staff 1950-93); others by Michael Collins Persse (Staff 1955-).
39
Shortly to be published and distributed through the Geelong Grammar Shop (see overleaf), theAlife story of CER HE at Corio IOGRAPHY Boz’s connectionsOF with GGS areEMARKABLE inherited, through both Boz: Aviator, Parsons,Farmer, almost universally known as ‘Boz’, will be of parents (he is part of a large OGG cousinage on his Schoolmaster considerable interest to the GGS community, especially former LD Robertson EELONG side), as wellRAMMARIAN as virtually lifelong since he members of Manifold House but also the many others who The family of Boz Parsons had been a small boy at the GCEGPS – the predecessor have known him. DFC (M’36; Staff 1962-80; of Bostock House – before joining Junior House at
T
B O G
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OGG Secretary 1981-87; Corio in 1931. Both as schoolboy (finishing as a School It is have a handsomely generously hardback OGG Fellow) done not produced, Prefect) and master, hisillustrated clear-sighted and loyal service colour cover of 212 240 –x has been his only himvolume but also with the School have and beenjacket, invaluable, as –pages, increasingly community a great Itservice 170mm. contains an account of Boz’s GGS schooldays, wisdom. I found, not surprisingly, of specialhis interest by commissioning Neville of and the book which covers hisas years as a war service, his time that as asection farmer, his return to GGS (Staff 1973Clark MCteacher schoolmaster, (what as I didhis thecolleague early part devoted and senior administrator Frank to his 78) to write a biography background and upbringing (particularly bythe a wonderful Shortly to be published and distributed through Geelong Covill calls ‘his total GGS background’). of this highly respected, mother). I learned most from the section devoted Grammar Shop at Corio (see overleaf), the life story of CER indeed much loved, patriarch. Cecil Naturally, Edgar Robertson his wartime service in Bomber Command – and over such ato lengthy period of service to Country and Parsons, almost universally known as ‘Boz’, will Parsons, always known as Boz, is now nearly 92 – still felt, as I read it, how percipient his family had beenbe of School, anecdotes and legends have accumulated around Boz’s very active (not least as a pilot), stillconsiderable in evidence at interest to the GGS community, former in choosing in Neville an author whoespecially not only writes name, all the more so because of his characteristic reticence important School functions, still fresh in the memory very well indeed but also knows wartime military members of Manifold butanswers also the many others who about himself. In the service book House you will find to these of a multitude of OGGs, especially those fortunate from the inside (albeit in his case in the Army have known him. questions, and much more. enough to have had him as their Housemaster in and in Vietnam). Indeed, in this fine book Neville has It isManifold a handsomely produced, generously hardback volume with colour cover between 1965 and 1978. Geelong Grammarillustrated compounded his own already considerable service to • What did he actually do in the war? With whom did he fly, and where? School owes him many debts, the most obvious of GGS not only on the Staff – as Head of English and and jacket, of 212 pages, 240 x 170mm. It contains an account of Boz’s GGS schooldays, his war which from his stepping withhis Robin Ritchie • How did he derives meet the and Queen, andreturn why was decorated with the Distinguished Flying in Cross foundation Housemaster of Fraser House its second service, his time as aKing farmer, and toheGGS as teacher and senior administrator (what (Cu’54; Chairman of Council 1973-78; Chief Executive metamorphosis into a Senior Day House in 1976 on and awarded the Mention in Despatches twice? his colleague Frank Covill calls ‘his total GGS background’). 1979-80) into the huge breach left in December 1978 the Amalgamation of the three Schools – but also as • What was it like over to bedeath asuch Junior House boy period under Jennings, a GGS under Darling, a colleague Naturally, lengthy topupil Country School, anecdotes by the accidental ofaThe Honourable Charlesof service the compiler and editorand of Reflections for an Age, the and with Garnett and Fisher? Fisher (Head Master 1974-78) and conducting the 319 “Saturday Reflections” of Sir James legends have accumulated around Boz’s name, allcollected the more so because of his characteristic management of the School through a longhas Interregnum • How did Boz become a farmer, andbook where he flown since the (Headmaster war? (In his 1930-61). own Piper Arrow, Darling reticence about himself. In the you will find answers to these questions, and much more. until arrival in August of Johnyear Lewis (Head indeed, hethe flies to this day, in1980 his 92nd and counting...) One other aspect of the book must be mentioned in Master 1980-93; Principal 1994). What did he actually do in the war? Withbrief whom did this perforce review: its he reflection of the debt that GatheredA from many family and School reminiscences as well as from wartime records, this narrative splendid book is the result, awhere? hardback of just over not only Boz and his family but also Geelong Grammar fly, and constitutes tributedesigned to one and of the most(etc.) senior Old Geelong Grammarians ‘venerable’ is notkindness 200apages, typeset by Robjon School owes to(although his dear wife, Barbara, whose How did he meet the King and Queen, and why a word that comes to mind)—Boz has been a great schoolmaster, an inveterate pilot and a remarkable Partners – which means two more former members – particularly to those for whom they were mentors he decorated Flying Cross For nearly 50 years Australian. of the School staff,was John Bedggood (Cu’52;with Staff the Distinguished in Manifold House – is legendary. 1956 and 1960-95) and awarded his wife, Robin House in Despatches now, since Boz’s return to Corio in 1962, she too has and the(Otway Mention twice? At the insistence theLesh Parsons family, the book has been written Neville Clark, formerly GGS Head Matron asof Miss 1966-67; to OGG gracedby our community. What wasAssistant itthe like to behis a Junior House boy under of English, Fraser1988-96) Housemaster during subsequently Headmaster of Mentone Grammar. Secretary – and published by1970s, Boz andand Michael Collins Persse with a GGS pupil under Darling, a colleague wife Barbara’s elderJennings, son, Bill Parsons (M’66). It was Official launched Launch:at Corio amid a gathering more than 200 Garnett and ofFisher? The Principal GGS, Stephen Meek, has in the of Fisher Library on June 11 by Billkindly Lester agreed (P’43; that Boz, Aviator, Farmer, Schoolmaster will be How did speech Boz become aforfarmer, and where has he 1952-85) in absentia, readon officially Staff launched in the Hawker his Library atbeing 5.00pm 11th June 2010, and all members of the GGS flown sincereply the war? (In his own Piper Arrow, indeed, himare by his son Tom LesterPlease (P’83). community warmly invited. by 4th June: there is a form for this purpose overleaf.
Boz
Aviator, Farmer, Schoolmaster
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: Brendan McAloon Photography: Darren Apps Trudy Burney Michael Collins Persse Kate Dewey Gavin Dowling Linda Hartskeerl Tony Inkster Anne Martin Allison Pasznyk Julie Pearce Katie Rafferty Drew Ryan Steve Solomonson Jennifer Wraight Layout & Page Design: Kate Dewey Printing: Adams Print CRICOS No. 00143G
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he flies to this day, in his 92nd year and counting...) To Order Boz, Aviator, Farmer, Schoolmaster: Gathered from many family and School reminiscences The order form overleaf explains the options for purchase of the book.as well as from wartime records, this narrative constitutes a tribute to one of the most senior Old Geelong Grammarians (although ‘venerable’ is not a word that comes to mind)—Boz has been a great schoolmaster, an inveterate pilot and a remarkable Australian. Bostock House special education/ Timbertop English and drama teacher, literacy Fay Clark, Tran, has formerly AJ ‘Sandy’ McKinnon, recentlythe book has been written At the instance of the Parsons family, byteacher, Neville released her debut book, Teaching released his second book, The Well GGS Head of English, Fraser Housemaster during the 1970s, and subsequently Headmaster of Kids to Read (Wilkins Farago). Fay has at the World’s End (Black Inc. Books). Mentone Grammar.Author of bestselling travel memoir authored several papers on children’s
Congratulations
learning difficulties, and her debut book provides parents and teachers with the proven methods of teaching children to read his remarkable journey to drink water from a well on The Principal of GGS, Stephen Meek, has kindly agreed that Boz, Aviator, Farmer, using phonics, which teaches children to recognise the the Isle of Iona, off the coast of Scotland. Then, as Schoolmaster will be officially launched in the Hawker Library at 5.00pm onthem 11th June to 2010, sounds letters make and blend together read and local legend has it, he will be granted eternal youth. unfamiliar words. all members oftothe community aredowarmly invited. According the GGS travel guide books, he must so by travelling over land and sea, which Sandy interprets Please reply by 4th June: there is a form for this purpose overleaf. Head of Visual Communication as no flying. “I’ve always been convinced that flying & Design, Peter Bajer, has been has robbed travel of its true adventure,” Sandy said. awarded a PhD in History by the To Order Boz, Aviator, Farmer, Schoolmaster: “It is very convenient, very fast but very soulless as School of Philosophical, Historical well.” So without much of a plan, Sandy takes leave and The order form overleaf explains the options for purchase of International the book.Studies at Monash from his teaching job and heads off on an adventure, University. An Adjunct Research hitching rides in cars and yachts, travelling by train and Associate at Monash, Peter delivered freighter, stumbling from one disaster or dead end to a paper at the Writing Central Eastern Europe another, everything infused with an infectious humour. International Conference at Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, in June. The Unlikely Voyage of Jack de
Official Launch: Crow, Sandy’s second book follows
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