Grammar News No 110 Apr 2013

grammar news Print Post PP344276/00024

Number 110 – April 2013

Above:

Year 5 students Cassandra Petropoulos & Roy West practise new skills at the Year 5 iPad launch

Front cover:

Mr Mark Brady’s Year 10 Drama class performs a Commedia dell‘Arte improvisation exercise

Opposite:

Morris House faces off against Witherby House in the Senior School House Sports Carnival

Grammar News is published for the Melbourne Grammar School community.

Published by: The Lodge, Melbourne Grammar School, 355 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004 Telephone: (03) 9865 7555 Facsimile: (03) 9865 7577 Email: newsletter@mgs.vic.edu.au Editor: Peter Davies Layout & pre-production: Drew Gamble Photographs by: Stewart Brook, Peter Davies, Drew Gamble, James Grant, Heath Sheridan Melbourne Grammar School respects the privacy of its community members and is bound by the National Privacy Principles under the Commonwealth Privacy Act. For a copy of the School’s Privacy Policy please visit the School’s website at www.mgs.vic.edu.au or contact the School on +61 3 9865 7555.

2

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

In This Issue 4 From the School Council 5 From the Headmaster 6 News 11 Boarding 12 Grimwade House 14 Wadhurst 16 Senior School 18 Values in Action 19 Indigenous Programme 20 Sport 22 The Old Melburnians 24 Community News 26 Community Events 28 Foundation 29 Friends of Grammar 30 Archives 31 Around the School

About this issue Welcome to the first issue of Grammar News for 2013.

In this issue, we consider diversity at Melbourne Grammar School. To begin, the Chairman of School Council, Emeritus Professor Richard Larkins, and the Headmaster, Mr Roy Kelley, take a close look at demographics, within both the School and the wider community. It becomes clear quite quickly that the School community brings together a rich and varied mix of backgrounds, cultures, languages and ideas.

These same themes emerge in our report on student destinations (page 7). Our 2012 Year 12 students have set out on a wide range of study pathways, tackling everything from humanities to architecture, business to sports science.

We also see diversity in the everyday life of the School and, in particular, the range of activities available, both curricular and co-curricular. In this issue, we take a look at recent happenings around Grimwade House (page 12), Art and English programmes at Wadhurst (page 14), and Senior School’s Symphony Orchestra Tour and Quad Play (page 16).

As a final note, I am always open to stories from across the Melbourne Grammar School community. I invite you to get in touch with me via The Lodge, with article ideas, photographs or any other suggestions for future issues of Grammar News.

I hope you enjoy this issue.

Peter Davies Editor Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

3

From the School Council

until recently, been Europe, with the United Kingdom being the dominant country of origin in Europe, once the big waves of migration from Italy and Greece had subsided.

For arrivals between 2007 and 2011, the country of origin of the most number of new immigrants was India at about 13%, followed by the UK at about 12%, China 11% and New Zealand 10%. There were also significant numbers from Africa.

Emeritus Professor Richard Larkins

How things have changed When I was growing up in country Victoria, there was little evidence of cultural diversity. There were one or two Italian families and maybe a Greek family and a few “Poms”, but that was about it. The limit of our concept of diversity at my state primary school was the distinction between Catholics and Protestants. I am not even sure that we had a local Chinese restaurant, and it was a big highlight to visit one on our trips to faraway Melbourne. Our standard fare was meat and three veg, although my mother was pretty inventive and adventurous from time to time. Tolerance of difference for the occasional child at our school from an exotic (that is, different) background was minimal, and such children were given nicknames that would classify as racial vilification now and that must have made them quite miserable.

How things have changed in our community!

The 2011 census showed that 26% of the Australian population was born overseas, and at least one parent of a further 20% was born overseas. Moreover, there has been a dramatic shift in the country of birth of those arriving in Australia over the last four years, compared with those arriving earlier. The main source of our new arrivals has,

The changes in our society have been reflected at all levels and should be a cause for celebration. AFL supporters are used to coping with Australian stars of Italian and Greek origin and, of course, Indigenous Australians have long delighted us with their dazzling skills. But we now have players from African, Fijian, Middle Eastern and Asian backgrounds. Our opera, ballet and orchestras have Asian and European performers and, at a hedonistic level, our cuisine has been elevated to a new and more exotic level.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics shows us that the new arrivals are significantly younger than those born in Australia, with many more being in their reproductive years.

Moreover, those who have taken the dramatic step of leaving their country of birth have often done so to give their children more opportunity to succeed, so they are highly motivated and often pass this motivation on to their children.

Considerable sacrifices are made to give their children every chance of success in life, and this often entails sending their children to private schools such as Melbourne Grammar School. It is not surprising, therefore, that the transformation of our society has been reflected in our school population.

The diversity in our school population is further enhanced by a relatively small number of international students accepted into our boarding houses and by the active Indigenous programme and Papua New Guinea programme.

There is no question that the diversity of our student population adds complexity to the teaching and co-curricular programmes, but it is also incredibly enriching for the school, just as it has been for the country. There is so much to learn from people of different cultural backgrounds.

Melbourne Grammar School embraces diversity in all its forms. We can all learn from each other in the spirit of mutual respect.

Richard Larkins Chairman

4

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

From the Headmaster

Strength in diversity Diversity is one of Melbourne Grammar School’s strategic core values. It is, in part, a reflection of our desire to have students at the School with different ethnic origins, spiritual beliefs and social backgrounds. However, it extends well beyond enrolment issues, to our belief that a school should also have diverse curricular and co-curricular offerings and programmes. As a concept, diversity has attracted considerable interest from people as influential as Nelson Mandela and John Kennedy. I like this quotation from American writer Max De Pree, which states, We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion.

Educational institutions have an obligation to encourage ideals such as openness, dignity and inclusion, with diversity being an important ingredient in ensuring that this actually happens. Diversity actually is built into the Melbourne Grammar DNA, given the fact that we have long existed as a three-campus School, each one with its own student cohort, identity, programmes and culture. Of course, there was a time when MGS had two competing primary schools in Grimwade House and Wadhurst, until the Middle School concept was embraced in 1990.

The MGS student cohort of even fifty years ago would have been very different to that of today. In 1963 the vast majority of the students would have been of direct AngloSaxon origins. Our current student population is much more diverse, as revealed by the following statistics: • 9% of our students (157 in total) speak a language other than English at home, with thirty-one languages spoken in total, the majority being Mandarin and Greek.

• 11% of our students were born in countries other than Australia, covering a total of thirteen other countries.

• Our students identify themselves as belonging to thirteen different religions.

• Thirty-four of our students live overseas.

• Ten students are Indigenous and three are from Papua New Guinea.

• Australian students at MGS come from 166 different postcodes throughout Melbourne and interstate.

One of the aims behind our enrolment policy is to give students who would normally not consider an MGS education the option of attending this School. In turn, it gives MGS students a better understanding and appreciation of different cultures, beliefs and points of view to prepare them for living and working in a global community. One major

Roy Kelley

way in which we can ensure cultural diversity is through funded scholarships and bursaries. Whether it is through our Indigenous and Papua New Guinea bursaries or our academic and general excellence scholarships, students who could not normally attend MGS can do so and the benefits are transmitted to the entire community.

Whilst the School considers a traditional curriculum as being important, we have diversified our curricular offerings in recent times and will do so in the future. The addition of subjects such as VCE Psychology, Visual Communication and Design, Media and Drama are just a few examples.

The unitisation of the Year 9 and 10 curriculum means that subjects such as Sports Journalism; Tyrants, Terror and Total War; Rockets and Robotics; and Espionage are now taught.

This highlights some of the ways in which we ensure that our curriculum offerings are diverse and changing. Similarly, in co-curricular programmes we offer many choices to our students. The addition of sports such as APS futsal and table tennis are just two examples of sports that were not played at School level, even by many recent OMs. Cultural activities now include a range of offerings from theatre sports and jazz nights to biennial musical productions. Community service activities now number more than twenty in the Senior School alone, including Values In Action trips to Cambodia, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea and weekly primary school homework club visits to Richmond and Collingwood.

In conclusion, sitting alongside other core values such as the importance of learning, integrity and spirituality, diversity is a crucial part of a Melbourne Grammar education. With diversity comes strength and its universal application to life beyond school means that it is important that this is always the case at MGS. Roy Kelley Headmaster

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

5

News VCE success in 2012 VCE results for 2012 have ranked among our finest.

Without denying the undoubted pleasure in knowing that three of our students achieved the highest possible tertiary entrance rank, the School is particularly pleased to note the median ATAR of 91.65. Within a few decimal points, half the students have been ranked in the top 8 per cent

of all students in Australia who sat for the assessments associated with a final certificate. We are privileged to be able to work with such a talented group of students. Such outstanding results have been and continue to be cause for celebration.

Melbourne Grammar School has a long-held reputation for academic success, and the results of 2012 will further enhance that reputation. Education in this century is complex, with increasing importance being placed on educating the whole person, preparing students for an uncertain future and providing them with skills to cope with unpredictable situations. Ironically, federal and state policies emphasise common assessment tasks or content, while educators are more concerned with recognising and rewarding the various potentials, intelligences and nascent abilities within individuals.

Congratulations to Albert Wang, Winston Dzau & Nathan Chua who achieved ATAR scores of 99.95 in 2012

Three Melbourne Grammar School students achieved the maximum possible ATAR of 99.95 in 2012. We warmly congratulate Nathan Chua, Winston Dzau and Albert Wang.

Significantly, Winston and Albert have been at Melbourne Grammar School since Prep, and Nathan joined the School at Wadhurst in Year 7. Albert’s father is an Old Melburnian and he is understandably very proud of his son’s achievements.

Winston Dzau has been awarded the position of Academic Head for 2012, and Nathan Chua is the Proxime Accessit.

In addition, twelve students achieved sixteen study scores of 50/50 in nine individual studies. Congratulations to Mackinlay Cookson (Year 11 – Physical Education); Winston Dzau (Biology, Chemistry, Physics); Lewis Fisher (English); Daniel Goldblatt (English); Jack Kelly (English); James Kelly (Environmental Science, Psychology); Ed Langley (English); Victor Lin (Year 11 – Mathematical Methods); James Salamy (Physics); Roshan Selvaratnam (Mathematical Methods); Bradley Tjandra (Physics); and Joshua Wright (English, English Literature).

Contemporary education values the opportunity to provide students with skills that can be applied in a variety of settings. There is a temptation for teachers, particularly at the senior secondary level, to see their role within the narrow confines of preparing students to perform well on particular tasks associated with examinations. In fact, we have little choice but to do both: build generic skills, the residual skills that students will take with them into adulthood, as well as to ensure that students can draw upon those skills and the more specific ones, for a known examination context.

I am confident that teaching staff at Melbourne Grammar strike the right balance. We have learnt that academic success requires students to be organised, resilient, self-disciplined, resourceful, collaborative, open-minded, strategic, organised and emotionally secure. We continue to respect the academic rigour associated with the disciplines, but are mindful of developing all those skills that support learning in and for this century.

I would hope that the 2012 Year 12 class recognises that success takes a variety of forms. It changes and is less and less predictable. The students should be justly proud of their achievements to date, but highly conscious that further learning will lead them into the unknown, perhaps the presently unimaginable.

In congratulating them, I would also like to acknowledge the work of Mr Danny McCoppin, the outgoing Senior School Curriculum Coordinator, who has played such a significant role in the success achieved at the VCE level over the last nine years.

Chris Bradtke Director of Teaching and Learning

6

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Student destinations The outstanding results our students achieved were a reward for hard work, not only throughout the VCE years but, for most students, in the years leading up to Year 11 as well. Of course, not every student can achieve an ATAR of 99+, and there are many options for motivated and wellinformed students, whatever their VCE results.

Student destinations 2013 In 2012, 200 students received offers (figures below total more than 200, reflecting double degrees and programmes across more than one discipline).

Areas of study Arts/humanities Agriculture

One important quality displayed by our class of 2012 was the willingness to carefully examine their various interests, find their passion and pursue it. Sometimes that meant taking the longer path to achieve their goal.

The pattern of offers made to our students reflects a diversity of fields of study, as well as locations. Arts/humanities and business courses remain areas of interest. In many cases, students have chosen to combine them with each other or with fields such as science, engineering or law. Medicine offers appear low in comparison with previous years. It should be noted that the trend towards medicine as a postgraduate study has reduced the number of opportunities for direct entry at an undergraduate level. Some of our highest-achieving medicine-oriented students decide to take up scholarships in undergraduate courses that provide pathways into postgraduate medicine on completion.

The University of Melbourne and Monash University remain the most popular destinations for our students, with offers from these two universities making up almost two thirds of total places offered. At the same time, our students continue to look to other states and overseas. The comments of two of our Year 12 leavers illustrate the growing willingness of our young people to look beyond their immediate surroundings: I was motivated to go to the Australian National University (ANU) by a lot of different factors. First and foremost, I would say, was the adventure of it all: going to a different city, living on campus, in a college, and attending a university with very few people I know.

George Hibbard (OM 2012) I had the opportunity to study a Bachelor of Commerce and Engineering at both Monash University and the University of Queensland (UQ). However, after receiving an offer from Kings College at UQ, I thought the idea of leaving home for the first time to live on campus and getting to know new people in a different environment sounded quite appealing. As a result, I decided to make the move to Queensland to study.

Stewart Madsen (OM 2012) We wish all of our school leavers well and encourage them to keep in touch.

Frank Thompson Director of Career Development and Hermione Skadiang Career Advisor

51 2

Art and design

10

Biomedical / health sciences

15

Built environment#

17

Business

61

Computing / info tech Engineering

13

Film/TV/audio/theatre

2

Hospitality / event management

2

Law

23

Medicine

4

Music

1

Science

#

5

37

Sport/exercise science

5

Teaching

1

Includes architecture, landscape architecture, construction management & property courses. Also includes offers to the University of Melbourne environments degree.

Institutions TAFE institutes

5

Independent tertiary colleges

2

Universities*

185

The University of Melbourne

66

Monash University

56

RMIT University

20

Deakin University

18

Interstate

8

Swinburne University of Technology

7

La Trobe University

3

Overseas*

3

Australian Catholic University

2

Victoria University

2

* University offers for the UK & USA are made over a period of months in the first half of the calendar year. The above figures represent students with firm offers to date. In coming weeks, we expect that additional students will be successful in their overseas applications & some of them may choose to take up those places in preference to their Australian offers.

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

7

News New recruits Some new faces appeared at Melbourne Grammar School at the start of this year – and not just new students, but some new staff as well. New teachers commenced at each campus, and they are a mix of first-time teachers and experienced educators. Regardless of experience, they each bring a lot of enthusiasm and a diverse range of skills to their new roles.

Back row (left to right): Headmaster Roy Kelley, John-Paul Hougaz, Mel Filippelli, Vickie Wheelahan, Yoshiko Take, Sally Harris, Alina Wegner, Malcolm Woolrich, Jo Clancy, Sarah Durham, Mitch Le Fevre, Paul Roux, Pam Grills, Maree Kardis Front row: John Donaldson, Shelley Faulds, Swati Filippova, Morgan Cloke, Peter Davies, Hans Christiansen, Charlie Murray, Tim Bratton, Dianne Ruffles, Simon Finnigan, Belinda Annan, Natalie Ormiston

We asked four new team members to share their experiences from their first few weeks at Melbourne Grammar School.

The first month at Wadhurst has been both the busiest and most rewarding experience of my teaching career. The boys are well and truly immersed in the Science curriculum, as well as putting in some stellar performances on the cricket field. I look forward to what the rest of the term has to bring.

Mr Timothy Bratton Science Teacher (Wadhurst)

It is easy to see why Melbourne Grammar School has the reputation it does.

The two days of orientation prior to the school year gave the perfect head start for my new journey. The tour of the Senior School and hearing about the history and tradition was the highlight for me. But Melbourne Grammar is much more than buildings – it’s the culture and commitment from the staff that I have continued to fall in love with. I am very proud to be part of the staff for 2013.

Ms Jo Clancy Year 2 Teacher

I still remember day one at Grimwade. It was a typical sunny Melbourne morning when I jumped on a tram, eager to get to Grimwade and meet my Year 4 students. As I approached the school gate, a young boy yelled out “Hi Ms Grills! Do you remember me? I remember you because you played the guitar in our room when our teacher was sick. How did you learn all those chords?”

This moment has stuck with me because I have noticed, over and over, the friendliness of Grimwade, whether it be students, staff or parents.

Ms Pam Grills Year 4 Teacher

8

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

My first few weeks at Melbourne Grammar School have gone very quickly and have been very rewarding. I have also thoroughly enjoyed meeting the students in a whole range of different settings, whether it is in the amazing Library building, the History classroom (where ManningClark once roamed, I am told), in the Ross House tutor rooms, on the oval or at the Quad Play. I am delighted by the warmth displayed by the MGS staff and impressed by the lively and engaged students I have encountered.

Ms Di Ruffles Teacher-Librarian, History Teacher, Ross House Tutor

Faith, religion & healthy scepticism

Hans Christiansen

Malcolm Woolrich

Bill Peacock

What is the role of faith at Melbourne Grammar School? And how do we balance the School’s Anglican tradition with an appreciation of world religions?

We sat down with the School’s chaplaincy team – the new Senior Chaplain, Hans Christiansen; the new Wadhurst Chaplain, Malcolm Woolrich; and the Grimwade House Chaplain, Bill Peacock – to discuss ideas around faith, teaching religion and their respective pathways to Melbourne Grammar School.

Hans: I’m deeply involved in interfaith dialogue so, from my perspective, the Anglican faith sits completely comfortably alongside other religions. Of course, there are many perspectives within the Anglican Church so I can’t speak on behalf of my colleagues. Certainly at Melbourne Grammar School we’re happy to be engaged with other religions and we certainly see it as part of our goal.

Malcolm: I’m very aware of the power imbalance. You can’t be there saying “You must believe in this.” I preface my remarks by saying, “Christians believe this …” and then the students can think, “Well, I’m not a Christian, but I’ll listen to this – it might be of some value.” It changes the dynamic.

Bill: I say to the students early on in Year 5 and 6 that I’m not here to tell them what to think but I am here to encourage them to think about religions, about values and about spirituality.

Hans: I think Anglicanism in particular is quite good at that, emphasising reasoning and not just pure, simple dogma. I actually believe that any religious person should engage with people of other faiths because it’s important for the social cohesion of society.

Malcolm: I think your engagement needs to be intelligent and creative too.

Hans: We educate about religion in the classroom, but we never educate for religion. We never proselytise in the classroom and it should never happen. It should be educated teachers, teaching about religion.

Malcolm: All teachers should be pastoral but in our roles there is a different dimension to that in some ways. There’s

a sort of public role too, teaching gospel, leading worship and speaking at assembly.

Hans: We all come from quite different backgrounds. I came from a Lutheran Christian background, but we didn’t go to church very often, only at Christmas and Easter. I was baptised and confirmed into the Lutheran Church. It was later, when I started searching for meaning in life during my teenage years, that I began to explore in depth the spiritual teaching of the church and various world religions.

Bill: I came from a nominally Christian background too. My family went to church occasionally. I went through a period where I thought it was all rubbish, and then I got connected to a church youth group and I was converted. I trained as a teacher then felt a calling to the ministry. I studied theology and then I worked in parishes. I’ve been at Grimwade now for four and a half years.

Malcolm: I don’t think being Christian has been in my family for generations. In my formative years I didn’t know anyone who went to church amongst my family and friends. I went to Caulfield Grammar, so coming here I’m still singing the same songs I sang then. There were some good teachers in the senior school who were Christians and they encouraged me to think about it, to question, and that was very good.

I wavered in my twenties. I never had a calling to join the ministry – I went to university and then started my own legal practice. Then I made the fatal mistake, after twenty years, of thinking it might be good to go back and study, so I studied theology.

Hans: The pastoral role we play is incredibly important. Our doors are always open.

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

9

News Peer Support training This year’s Peer Support programme commenced with a valuable what-not-to-do demonstration courtesy of Jonah Takalua, expert bully and star of television programme Summer Heights High. Excerpts from the series showing Jonah in action prompted students to consider the nature of bullying and its impact on their peers.

Community Speaker Tristan Miller

Forty-five students from Year 11 are participating in the Peer Support programme this year. Selected by their Houses, the students attend six ninety-minute training sessions during Terms I and II. These sessions involve experiential learning activities, role plays and small group discussions. At the completion of the formal training, students run activities within their Houses, focused on building cohesion, friendship and support. They also assist students who may be feeling isolated or alone, by providing a listening ear.

“The objective of the programme is to help students develop the skills to give emotional, social or practical help to their peers,” says Dr Justin McNamara, School Psychologist.

“Overall, the programme aims to empower students to enhance the individual and collective wellbeing of the School community. It encourages students to create a sense of empathy, support and understanding within their peer group, their House and the School.”

Marathon runner Tristan Miller

You might have read a story in the paper not so long ago about a crazy man who ran fifty-two marathons in fifty-two weeks.

His name is Tristan Miller and it turns out he’s not crazy at all – just very energetic and very dedicated.

In March, he visited Melbourne Grammar School as part of the Community Speaker Series.

Tristan shared the very personal story that led him to this extraordinary feat. In his twenties, he experienced some personal setbacks – a failed relationship, abandoned career goals – that saw him battling depression and at risk of losing his job.

“What people call depression, I call anti-gravity – everyone starts to move away from the train wreck. All of a sudden you’re not engaging with as many people and you start internalising a lot of stuff,” Tristan recalled.

He credits the beginning of his running success to a colleague, Rob, who encouraged him to start running. It soon became a ritual for the pair, with Rob assuming the role of coach, mentor and team mate. Tristan’s interest in running gained momentum, his endurance increased, and he ran his first marathon in 2005, from Frankston to Melbourne. A few years later he faced another setback – redundancy from his role at Google – but instead of despairing, he saw it as an opportunity for a real adventure.

He set off on his twelve-month self-funded marathon programme, competing in major events in forty-seven territories, including Tokyo, Marrakech, Prague, Havana and Easter Island. During his presentation, he shared extraordinary images of his travels – running past herds of yak in Mongolia, slogging through snow in Antarctica, and observing extreme poverty and optimism in India.

Peer Support training encourages Year 11 students to look out for their peers & develop their sense of empathy

10

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

He spoke passionately about the importance of goal-setting, motivation, and remaining positive and flexible in the face of difficult conditions.

Boarding Boarders’ Parents Network

Thursday night LOTE tutoring

For the parents of boarding students, distance can make it a challenge to be involved with everyday life at the School.

The Boarders’ Parents Network plays an important role in keeping the families of boarders up to date with happenings in the Melbourne Grammar School Boarding Houses.

Immersion, it’s often said, is the best way to learn a new language. Failing that, an on-site Language Assistant is surely a good alternative.

On Sunday 17 February 2013, the Boarders’ Parents Network met for their first meeting of the year. The day commenced with a service in the Chapel of St Peter, led by the Reverend Hans Christiansen and attended by students and their families.

At the completion of the service, families proceeded to the Higgins Theatrette in the Nigel Peck Centre for Learning and Leadership for the formal meeting. The meeting was well attended and covered a wide range of topics including Boarding House operations, new staff members, health and safety procedures and more. The Headmaster, Mr Roy Kelley, finished the meeting by discussing the important role boarding plays in the School community.

Following the formal proceedings, students and their families gathered in the Handbury Family Cafeteria for a delicious buffet lunch. To make the most of the summer sun, tables and chairs were set up outside for alfresco dining. The lunch was an ideal opportunity for parents to meet with teachers, tutors, Heads of House and their sons’ friends.

Each Thursday evening, the School’s four Language Assistants pay the boarders a visit. It’s an ideal opportunity for the students to hone their vocabulary, practise verb conjugation, or tackle the intricacies of tenses.

This year’s Language Assistants are Tokyo native Miss Etsuko Hikari, Miss Jing Wang from Shanxi Province in China, Miss Alina Wegner from Hanover in Germany, and Mr Paul Roux from the French city of Grenoble.

“It’s really generous of them to volunteer their time after hours,” says Mr Mike Shaw, Director of Boarding. “They turn up each Thursday and it’s a very good opportunity for the boys to practise their languages.”

Language Assistants visit the School for a twelve-month period, living on site and working with the School’s LOTE staff to give students authentic conversation skills and insights into everyday life in their home countries.

To conclude the day, students invited their families back to the Boarding Houses for afternoon tea and a tour of the facilities.

Miss Etsuko Hikari, Japanese Language Assistant, assists Lachlan Brown & Derek Lee

Boarders & their families enjoy lunch together

Jack Condie & Andrew Pizzi work with Miss Alina Wegner Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

11

Grimwade House A new year With bags packed, hair brushed, and uniforms pressed, our students said goodbye to holidays and hello to the 2013 school year.

It’s an exciting time. There are new friends to make, new subjects to learn, new activities to get involved in and, of course, new teachers to meet – see our story on page 8 for an introduction to our new teaching staff.

In 2013, Grimwade House welcomed 103 new students to Prep, along with 42 students at other levels. In total, 74 new families joined the School community. Of our new students, 46 were children of Old Melburnians.

12

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Year 6 destinations

Artist Dean Bowen

At the end of Term IV, we said goodbye to our Year 6 class of 2012, wishing them well as they move onto new adventures. In total, students will be attending eight different secondary schools, including Wadhurst, Melbourne Girls Grammar School, Methodist Ladies College, Lauriston, St Catherine’s, Mentone Grammar School and Caulfield Grammar School. We checked in with a couple of last year’s Year 6 students to see how they had chosen their new schools and how they were settling into Year 7.

A collection of whimsical creatures inhabits the work of artist Dean Bowen. There are grinning bronze cats, stylised parrots and beetles, and even a bird-lover with arms stretched into elongated perches for his feathered friends.

Eloise Sutherland chose Melbourne Girls Grammar School. “It has been a hectic start with new teachers and a lot of new subjects but I feel that Grimwade House has prepared me well. We had a camp in our second week which was really great and allowed the Grimwade girls now at Melbourne Girls Grammar School to make many new friends.”

Almost all of the Grimwade House boys made the transition to Wadhurst. “I made the decision to continue at Melbourne Grammar a few years ago. Grimwade was a lot of fun; I learnt a lot. I liked being able to continue to Wadhurst with my friends from Grimwade,” says Jack Fergus.

“When I started at Grimwade, I think it was always the plan for me to come to Wadhurst. I was very keen because I love being able to get the tram to Wadhurst,” says Carlo Toncich. “There are heaps of people and lots of activities.

It’s great being able to go up to the Centre for Learning and Leadership.”

As visiting artist for 2013, Dean has been sharing his creative talents with students at Grimwade House. During the first few weeks of Term I, Dean worked closely with students, explaining his techniques and his sources of inspiration. He encouraged students to apply these ideas to their own art projects. With experience across a range of media – bronze sculpture, oil painting, etchings, lithographs and watercolours – Dean shared a wealth of knowledge and practical skills.

“It’s been great sharing my ideas with the students,” Dean adds. “And I’ve gotten a lot out of my visits too; normally I work alone in my studio so it’s wonderful to have all the questions!”

Dean will continue visiting the School throughout the year.

He’ll be helping students with printmaking projects for the Grimwade House Art Show in Semester Two and he’ll also be working with Mrs Jan Rizzo, Miss Maryanne Nairn and Mrs Hayley Rivers to help students understand the role of an artist – what makes an artist, what an artist does, how they choose their subjects, and how they exhibit and sell their work.

“If you google ‘Dean Bowen’ and look at his website, you’ll get some understanding of the breadth of his art practice,” says Mrs Jan Rizzo, Head of Visual Arts. “He is amazingly modest, given his abilities, experiences and his international reputation.”

“Grimwade has been one of the most enjoyable parts of my life. I have made lifelong friendships and learnt so much.

I chose Methodist Ladies College because it is a big school with lots of opportunities. I also chose MLC because it is one of the only schools that offers both VCE and IB,” says Mishka Bathija.

“I chose my school with my parents,” says Lucy Porter. “We went around three different schools and talked about what we liked and disliked about all of them.

In the end we picked St Catherine’s. I really enjoyed my time at Grimwade.

There is such a nice community there, I feel like I am always welcome and I always will be.”

Visiting artist Dean Bowen introduces Mrs Hayley Rivers’s Year 4 class to new art techniques

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

13

Wadhurst Across generations

Digital darkroom How does technology influence artistic expression? That’s the question Year 8 Art classes have been exploring in their ”Urban Environments” photography project.

Mr Adam Cawood set students a fascinating brief: to document Melbourne’s urban environments and then manipulate their images using Pop Art techniques.

Students visited urban locations in Melbourne’s inner suburbs, including Westgate Park, the Altona Refinery precinct, Richmond and St Kilda. These areas, with high density and an array of man-made structures, provided plenty of rich material for students’ photographs: industrial forms, architecture of varying scale and style, and active public spaces.

For the project, students drew inspiration from a range of acclaimed urban photographers from the 1900s to the present day, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Jeffrey Smart, Lauren Marsolier, Thomas Demand, William Eggleston and Rick Amor.

Wadhurst Captain Charlie Bidgood & Vice Captain Rich Bartlett

Have you met our Wadhurst Captains for 2013?

Charlie Bidgood, Wadhurst Captain, is a fifth-generation Melbourne Grammar student. The dynasty begins with his great, great grandfather Edmund Samuel Parkes, who attended the school in the 1870s, along with several other relations.

In the 1900s, Charlie’s great grandfather joined the student body, followed by his grandfather, John Hayes (OM 1957).

John’s uncle, PG Hayes, also attended the School, graduating in 1969.

Back at School, students took advantage of Wadhurst’s new digital darkroom. A former storeroom has been converted into a digital lab, with new iMacs. As part of the project, students selected their favourite images from the shoot and then experimented with layers, colour and contrast to create dynamic Pop Art images.

The digital darkroom is a versatile resource that will be used across the Wadhurst Art programme to help students develop their understanding of layout, design and photoediting – all valuable skills in the digital age. Students will become familiar with Photoshop, Illustrator and other relevant software.

Across these five generations, Charlie’s family has connections to many others including the Reads, the Langdons, the Parkes and the Olivers, to name a few.

“We have a long and proud tradition with the School, and it’s great to see it go on,” says Charlie’s grandfather, John Hayes.

Rich Bartlett, Wadhurst Vice Captain, also has a multigenerational connection to the School. His father, Michael Bartlett, graduated in 1973 and now sits on the School Council. His great uncle, Ned Holland (OM 1934), also attended the School. Rich’s two brothers attend Melbourne Grammar School as well as several of his cousins.

Mr Cawood’s Year 8 Art class at work in the Digital Darkroom

14

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Sports & the media

Year 8 biographies

“The great thing about media is that when it’s done properly, it is the voice of the people,” said media personality Eddie McGuire during a recent presentation at Wadhurst. He was visiting the School to talk to Year 7 students about sports in the media, a unit in the English curriculum.

Year 8 English classes have been on the hunt for halftold stories, delving into family histories for their unit on writing biographies. For the assignment, students identified someone they knew who had an interesting story to tell – a relative, neighbour or friend. The focus was not so much on great deeds, but on capturing the unique experiences of everyday people. Students will conduct a formal interview with their chosen subject and then write a biography detailing the person’s life and times.

The unit encourages students to think carefully about storytelling and how to conduct an interview. In preparation for the assignment, students participated in a workshop with Simon Dalton, a professional biographer from Life Stories.

Simon spoke to the group about interview technique, use of open-ended questions, active listening, and being sensitive to the subject’s responses. He also encouraged students to think carefully about the logistics of interviewing – timing, venue, noise levels and the subject’s comfort.

Eddie McGuire spoke to Year 7 students about his roles in sports media

What became clear immediately in Eddie’s story was the passion he had for both sports and media from a very young age. He’d just begun secondary school when he secured a role as a statistician with The Herald. At 14, he had his first cover story published, an article about cricket. His employers had no idea how young he was. Around the same time, he was also spending his weekends working at Channel 10.

Simon emphasised the importance of research and drafting questions before the interview. “Be prepared with a range of topics to discuss, but also be ready for the interview to go in other directions,” Simon said.

Simon will be returning to the School twice during Term II, working with Mr Tim Inglefinger, Mr Nick Dawe and Mr Mark Leslie to help students with writing and polishing their biographies.

Eddie touched on some of his later career highlights – hosting The Footy Show and Who wants to be a millionaire?, pioneering AFL coverage on FM radio, and developing support for the Underbelly series. He was also keen to explore the power of media to invigorate sport. He talked about the way media can engage people with sports industries and events – for example, media promotion of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, BSkyB’s contribution to the success of the UK soccer industry, and the role of Australian television in popularising AFL culture.

What was perhaps most impressive about Eddie’s presentation was not the breadth of media experience in his career, but the passion that he still has for the profession.

“In the media you can make your own luck,” he explained.

But making your own luck, Eddie continued, requires real persistence sometimes. “Everything I’ve ever done, someone – usually the boss – has told me it wouldn’t work.

You just have to persist, to keep working at it.”

Simon Dalton, a professional biographer, will be working with Year 8 students on storytelling

Eddie also touched on media ethics and encouraged students to value honesty, fairness and accuracy in journalism. “It’s like everything in life: if people trust you, you’ll get the good stories.”

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

15

Senior School Prefects for 2013

Orchestra Tour

The School’s new Prefects for 2013 were formally inducted at a Senior School assembly on Wednesday 30 January 2013.

The twenty-two Year 12 students selected for these positions play an important role as leaders of the student body.

During the assembly, the Headmaster, Mr Roy Kelley, introduced the Prefects with short biographies detailing their time at the School. Together, these biographies demonstrated success across a diverse range of curricular and co-curricular activities – there were tales of sporting passion, academic success, excellence in the arts and dedication to community service.

“Our Year 12 leaders bring a rich range of backgrounds and experience to the important role they play as mentors and role models for younger students,” says Dr Tim Scott, Director of Students.

The Symphony Orchestra performs in La Chapelle Sainte Thérèse in Paris

With its rich classical music tradition, Europe was a fitting destination for the 2012 Symphony Orchestra Tour. In December, forty-five students undertook a busy schedule of performances in France and Belgium. Students performed a lively programme, including music by Beethoven, RimskyKorsakov, Saint-Saëns and Mendelssohn, conducted by Mr Mark Drummond, Director of the Symphony Orchestra.

The 2013 Prefects were inducted at a Senior School assembly

We congratulate our 2013 prefects: Captain of School: Henry Gardiner – Hone House; Vice-Captain of School: Maxim Cave – Deakin House; Prefects: Adam Barrington – Miller House; Christian Boffa – Morris House; Sebastian Clarke – Bruce House; Mackinlay Cookson – School House; Bill Dix – Rusden House; Tom Eastick – Deakin House; Oliver Graham – Perry House; Andrew Hurley – Bromby House ; Jeremy Jones – Creese House; Jackson Koop – Perry House; Greg Koumouris – Deakin House; Jack Martin – Morris House; Michael Merakis – Ross House; Zach Merrett – School House; Lloyd Miller – Rusden House; Lochie O’Donnell – Rusden House; Harrison Roubin – Creese House; Joseph Sitch – Miller House; Kieran Thompson – Hone House; and Owinda Weerawardena – Witherby House.

16

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

In France, students performed a series of concerts at Villers Bretonneux, Reims, Senlis and Paris. There were valuable opportunities during the tour for students to collaborate with other musicians. In Reims, the students performed their third concert in conjunction with students from the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional in Reims. “It was fantastic – they were working with French students of roughly the same age, perhaps a little bit older, but of a similar ability. We had a double-sized orchestra. We each performed a bracket and then combined for two pieces. That was a lot of fun,” recalls Mr Drummond.

Students also travelled to Brussels, Belgium, where they performed at Halles St Géry. This performance was attended

by Duncan Lewis, Australian Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union and NATO. Mr Drummond commented, “The second last concert was at a private school on the outskirts of Paris. My impression was that it was about a thousand years old. It was incredibly atmospheric performing in the school chapel – quite extraordinary, very Hogwarts. There is a sense of history about travelling to Europe that is hard to replicate in Australia.”

Twelfth Night The love triangle, that staple of romantic melodrama, is the crux of Twelfth Night, this year’s Quad Play. One of Shakespeare’s most enduring comedies, it was written between 1601 and 1602 and tells a tale of shipwrecked aristocrats, mistaken identity and romantic entanglements in an Illyrian court.

Under Ms Sharon Mulready’s direction, the play was reimagined as a melange of Shakespearean eloquence and seventies psychedelia. With the aid of several students from Melbourne Girls Grammar School, the cast delivered strong characterisation and skilful musical interludes across three performances on Wednesday 20, Thursday 21 and Friday 22 February 2013.

There were plot twists aplenty. Aristocrat Viola (Rosie Yates) is shipwrecked in Illyria, her twin brother Sebastian (Matthew Bowes) nowhere in sight. To improve her job prospects, she disguises herself as a young page, Cesario, and secures employment in the court of Duke Orsino (James Singleton). Her plan begins to unravel when she is sent to woo his sweetheart, Olivia (Emma Hill), who swiftly develops an ill-placed crush. And thus, the love triangle – Viola/Cesario loves the Duke; the Duke loves Olivia; Olivia loves Cesario/Viola. The reappearance of Sebastian is the catalyst for further derring-do.

The play’s comic relief is provided by the machinations of Olivia’s household – her carousing uncle Sir Toby Belch (Lloyd Miller), his dissolute friend Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Jon Walpole), her silver-tongued fool Feste (Reilly Holt), her social-climbing manservant Malvolio (Jack Martin) and the mischievous help, Maria (Perri Rea) and Fabian (James Little).

“This was the fortieth play to be performed in the Quad and, by chance, it was set (very loosely) in the time of the first performance, in 1974,” says Ms Mulready. “When planning this production I began with the issue of Malvolio’s transformation, and ‘faux glam rock star’ provided the basis for the rest of the design.”

Balmy summer weather, replete with ominous clouds on Thursday, offered an atmospheric setting, while a seventies soundtrack, evocative lighting and playful costumes and makeup added the final touches to three terrific performances.

Top: Viola (Rosie Yates) & her twin brother Sebastian (Matthew Bowes) Middle: Olivia’s manservant Malvolio (Jack Martin); the rowdy Sir Toby Belch (Lloyd Miller) Below: Maria (Perri Rea), Feste (Reilly Holt), Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Jon Walpole) & Fabian (James Little) Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

17

Values in Action Cambodia 2012 The fourth Values in Action trip saw fifteen boys and two staff travel to Cambodia.

We began in Phnom Penh, where we acquainted ourselves with the brutal history of the Khmer Rouge time. Whilst this was extremely disturbing, it gave the boys some insight into why so many people in Cambodia still lead such povertystricken lives.

In Battambang, we spent time in the Hope Centre, painting children’s play equipment and generally interacting with the children through sport and simple, fun activities. Whilst this may not sound like much, we are one of the few visiting groups that offers them the opportunity to interact with a large group of English-speaking young people, so we provide valuable assistance with the development of their English and their social skills. This ultimately provides them with the tools for leading independent lives, free of poverty and the danger of exploitation when they leave the centre.

We also visited three of the families supported by the Hope Centre’s Mother–Baby HIV prevention programme.

Melbourne Grammar School is the largest financial contributor to this programme and, without our fundraising efforts, they would find it almost impossible to keep it going.

We then spent three days on the outskirts of Siem Reap, where we have an established relationship with the Ta Trie

village. This year, we donated four hundred kilograms of rice, purchased household goods at the local markets to the value of US$50 for each family in the village, donated art supplies to a newly established local school and each boy carried ten kilograms of donated goods from Melbourne to be distributed amongst the villagers.

Our big project for this region this year was in a neighbouring village, Kiri Meanun, where we built a new house for a family of eight. A highlight was the housewarming ceremony, where our group leader, Mr Ivan Mathieson, was called upon to bless the new home. The boys handed over a generous selection of household goods to enable this family to enjoy their new home appropriately.

The trip was a huge success. All the boys thoroughly enjoyed their experience and have come back much wiser through their exposure to the daily routine of these poor but happy people. Many have voiced the wish to stay involved with the programme and to return soon.

We sincerely thank everyone in the Melbourne Grammar and wider community who donated time, money or goods to our fundraising efforts throughout 2012. This trip will run again in December 2013, and boys in Years 10 and 11 are encouraged to apply.

Kylie Witt Head of Creese House

18

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Indigenous Programme From strength to strength A number of projects have been underway in Term I to further develop Melbourne Grammar School’s Indigenous programme.

Ms Natalie Charles, Programme Coordinator, has been working on the strategy that underpins our approach.

The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows the retention rate for Indigenous students from Year 7 to Year 12 is 51 per cent, the result of a history of dispossession, trauma and discrimination. The School’s Indigenous programme seeks to bridge this educational gap, by offering Indigenous students pathways to future study and long-term employment.

So far, twenty-eight Indigenous students have graduated from the School or are currently studying here. Their achievements are impressive – 75 per cent of our students have graduated from Year 12 and, of these graduates, 75 per cent have been offered university places.

Lachlan Harlow, Bernard Kelly & Nathan Drummond

The School has recently entered a new funding partnership with the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF).

Along with a substantial funding contribution, the AIEF partnership will give our Indigenous students access to a pool of tutors and mentors drawn from AIEF’s corporate partners.

“I am very pleased that AIEF’s partnership with Melbourne Grammar School will allow more Indigenous students to access quality education and careers,” says Andrew Penfold, CEO of AIEF. “AIEF is proud to partner with thirtythree leading schools across Australia, opening doors for Indigenous students to high-quality educational opportunities in culturally inclusive environments.”

Melbourne Grammar School’s Indigenous programme has evolved since 1998, when a Reconciliation plan was initiated by the then Headmaster, Mr Paul Sheahan, to recognise Reconciliation Week each year. In 2006, the Indigenous bursaries were made available, which continue to this day.

Jika Lovett & Toby Bedford

The programme also plays an important role in promoting social justice and building cultural awareness. Across the Senior School, a range of activities will focus on embedding sequential learning experiences, to complement the teaching of Indigenous History at Middle School and the celebration of Reconciliation Week in May. Together, these activities will provide rich and rare opportunities for the Melbourne Grammar community to engage with Indigenous individuals, families and communities.

Future growth of the programme depends on securing sustainable long-term funding. In late May, the School will be hosting a dinner to celebrate the achievements of our Indigenous students, past and present, and to invite the School community to become involved in the programme’s future.

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

19

Sport House Swimming Carnival – Wadhurst Cuming House and Cain House have been passing the Wadhurst House Swimming cup back and forth since 2008. Could this be Caffin House’s year to snatch it back?

Wadhurst students gathered at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Friday 22 March 2013 to find out.

The dress code was blue, green and gold, accented with an array of decorative headwear, capes, and wigs – items not generally conducive to performance swimming, but ideal for chants and cheers.

There were 119 races in total, across freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly, plus hotly contested relay events.

20

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

The diving events were held earlier in the day.

The day delivered some outstanding performances. The champions in each age group were Thomas Hunt-Smith (Year 7 U13, Cain House), Andrew Feaver (Year 7 U14, Caffin House), Will Middleton (Year 8 U14, Caffin House) and Khoa Dao (Year 8 U15, Cuming House).

At the conclusion, Caffin House was victorious with 25,585 points, narrowly beating Cain House on 25,487 points, with Cuming House just behind on 25,241 points.

House Sports Carnival – Senior School House pride and competitive spirit delivered some impressive performances at the Senior School House Sports Carnival on Tuesday 19 February 2013. The competition saw the twelve Houses competing for places in junior and senior divisions, across softball, European handball, futsal, bocce and downball.

In futsal, School won the senior final with an impressive 5–0 defeat of Witherby; but Witherby was not deterred, fighting back to take out the junior competition 3–2 over Hone. In European handball, it was School again who managed to secure the senior division, with Creese taking the junior title.

In softball, Bromby proved an unbeatable foe, taking out the

senior and junior finals. In bocce, School secured the senior division, while Ross fought off Rusden to take the junior title. In downball, Perry proved dominant, taking the senior division, while School gained another victory, in the junior division.

“It has to be said that the sight of eight hundred students, all in their House colours, makes for a very impressive sight on our ovals,” says Mr Nick Bates, who coordinated the carnival. “However, even more impressive was the intense and enthusiastic manner in which each of the sports was tackled.”

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

21

The Old Melburnians Council

Ameet Bains

On behalf of the Old Melburnians Council, I wish all members of our community the best for 2013 and trust that the year has started accordingly.

While we were sad to farewell three long-serving Council members at the November AGM, we are equally delighted to welcome onto Council three impressive OMs. Andrew Maughan, Thindika Amarasekara and Jon Ellinghaus are each enjoying successful business careers and will no doubt make an important contribution during their term on Council.

With the appointment of these OMs to Council, the OMs community should take comfort that their interests are being represented by a diverse group of OMs who possess a spread of professional skills and experience and hail from a broad spectrum of year groups.

With diversity the issue in focus in this edition of Grammar News, it is timely to acknowledge and celebrate the diversity that permeates the OMs network more generally.

While external perceptions no doubt continue to frame a stereotypical image of the type of individual who passes through Melbourne Grammar, the reality is, and continues to become, quite different.

As you have read elsewhere in this publication, the School dedicates enormous time and importance to both teaching and community-based activities that promote diversity and tolerance. As a Council, we have been fortunate to hear many tales from the Headmaster about the positive outcomes that are achieved by educating students in this way.

Preparing students in this way also acknowledges a simple, yet critical, fact. That is, Australia continues to evolve demographically. The 2011 national census revealed that almost half the country’s population were either

born overseas or have at least one parent born overseas.

Socioeconomically, the nation is also very diverse.

In its short existence, the awarding of the OMs Fellowship has played an important part in helping young OMs pursue activities that strongly embrace the notion of diversity, while building on learnings from their time at School. As many of you know, the aim of the Fellowship is to provide young OMs with support and encouragement to undertake travel, study and/or a project that provides a unique opportunity for self-development, while at the same time benefiting the wider community. Furthermore, it is hoped that Fellows will become ambassadors within the wider School community and be role models to students by participating in the School’s Leadership programme.

The Fellowship also showcases what we, as a Council, still firmly consider our greatest strength and asset: our broad and extensive network of men and women. Activities such as the OMs Council–facilitated mentoring programme are prime examples of how we believe we can best leverage this network and derive benefit for our community at large.

The mentoring programme will continue to be a key focus area in 2013, and we encourage OMs to register online as either mentors with wisdom to impart or mentees seeking guidance.

Similarly, as a Council we take delight in seeing a broad range of OM-affiliated clubs and groups. Diversity in these ranks is important in providing OMs with varied interests a forum to remain connected to the OMs and some of their peers. In 2013 we will continue to work on bringing these clubs and groups closer to the OMs, as well as the School.

As always, please stay connected through the OMs Online website at online.oms.org.au where you can also connect to our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages.

Ameet Bains President

22

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

The Old Melburnians

Profile – Life through the lens As a filmmaker, Josephine Wright (OM 1997) spends her days capturing extraordinary Australian stories on film.

Following a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences at the University of Melbourne, Josephine completed a Diploma of Film and Television at the Victorian College of the Arts. Since that time, she has worked on a diverse range of projects within television, film production and new media.

For the past four years, Josephine has worked with 360 Degree Films. Recently she has started working with Emmy Award–winning documentary filmmaker Sonya Pemberton of Genepool Productions. She has worked on a wide range of projects, from six-part natural history series Penguin Island (2010, ABC, BBC, Arte France) to a one-hour National Geographic documentary, Australia’s Great Flood (2011). In 2008, she produced an interactive documentary titled Chasing the Law, which was funded by the Legal Services Board and helps Indigenous students to consider careers in law.

Josephine’s most recent project took her to the Northern Territory. “I have just finished producing my first half-hour documentary for ABC Television, Queen of the Desert, which follows a transgender youth worker, Starlady, who works out in remote Indigenous communities running hairdressing workshops,” Josephine says. “It was an amazing experience filming and living in Areyonga.” The documentary has been a great critical success and has been screened at film festivals in various countries. It was just awarded Best Short Documentary at the Blood Hero International Film Festival in the United States.

Josephine recalls her time at Grimwade House fondly. “I started at Grimwade in Prep back in 1985 as one of twenty one girls, compared to sixty-odd boys in our year level. As Grimwade girls, we were treated as equals to the boys and told that we could do anything that the boys could do. We were encouraged to be independent and to never shy away from a challenge. Our teachers treated us as equals and celebrated our diversity and creativity,” she says.

These are ideal qualities, it seems, for someone pursuing a career in film production – they helped Josephine to be appointed as a youth ambassador to China for the Australian Film Institute and also to secure an internship with US producer Amy Kaufman (The Whistleblower, Y Tu Mamá También).

When reflecting on her time at Grimwade House, Josephine recalls a particular assembly that is etched in her memory.

“I remember at assembly being asked to come up to the stage as I was the shortest student in the school, and they stood me next to the tallest boy who, at that stage, was in Year 8 and towered over me. This could have been a potentially intimidating experience but, at Grimwade, we were encouraged to have confidence and the School felt like a place where you could excel in an environment that was like an extended family,” Josephine says.

“It’s hard to say where one would be if one had experienced a different upbringing, but I feel extremely lucky that my path has led me into documentary filmmaking. It’s an industry that I find both incredibly interesting and rewarding.”

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

23

Community News Weddings Congratulations The Grammar community is pleased to congratulate the following couples who recently celebrated their marriages in the Chapel of St Peter:

2 February 2013 James Beaumont (OM 2001) & Christina Argourias

23 February 2013 Thomas King (OM 1990) & Marguerite Houston

2 March 2013 Benjamin Anderson (OM 1999) & Genevieve Barnes (OM 1999)

23 March 2013 Michael Theophilos (OM 1997) & Anna Smith

Brigadier Bill Jamieson (OM 1939), who lives in Perth and is a spritely 89 years old, informs us that he still plays billiards regularly with fellow Old Melburnian Richard Alder (OM 1960).

Bill also told us that another Old Melburnian Max Hipkins (OM 1960) was running as an independent candidate in the electorate of Nedlands in the recent Western Australian state elections. Max is a town planner, architect and engineer who has spent most of his professional life in consulting to the private sector and government. At Nedlands, he has served two years as a Councillor and two as Deputy Mayor.

Max is currently Mayor of the City of Nedlands.

Professor John Penhalluriack (OM 1963) attended his 1963 Fifty Year Reunion at the Royce Hotel in late February. John was unable to speak on the night due to a medical condition but wrote down his best memories of School and thought he would share them. “I was one of the ‘brains’ of the School, along with Richard Brent, Geoff Cumming and Frank Callaway and some others (to whom I apologise for not

The Under 15B Football team, captained by John Penhalluriack (OM 1963), won the Newton Cup in 1961

naming here). But what I remember most about the School were some sporting achievements. I was the only one among the ‘brains’ to be awarded my House colours. And one of the best lessons I took away from MGS was the belief that everyone could and should be able to contribute. The first clear manifestation of this was at a Wadhurst athletics carnival. This was unusual in that every student got to compete in a race, not just the best athletes. And the results of every race counted towards the House total. I was very proud to have won my race, and to have contributed as much to the House score as the best athlete in the

John Penhalluriack (OM 1963) was a fast bowler in the Under 16B Cricket team which won the Turner Cup in 1962 24

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

House. Similarly in the Senior School, there were two cups: the Turner Cup for cricket and the Newton Cup for football. These were awarded to the team with the best results for the season (for football, matches won plus goals for versus goals against; for cricket, it was a matter of games won plus runs scored versus runs against).

All teams could compete for these cups, regardless of the age and grade. And on two occasions, I was a member of teams that won the cup. I was the Captain of the Under 15B Football team in 1961 which won the Newton Cup. And I was a fast bowler in the Under 16B Cricket team, which won the Turner Cup in 1962. I still remember with pleasure the cheers and applause I got from the School, when, as Captain of the Under 15B Football Team, I accepted the Newton cup.”

Philip Nicholls (OM 1993) was recently appointed Director of Music at St Paul’s Cathedral. He will be the sixth Director of Music in the cathedral’s 122-year history. While at Melbourne Grammar School, Philip was Senior Choral Scholar

under John Kirkham and Martin Rutherford. He also performed as a principal and children’s chorus member in the then Australian Opera and Victoria State Opera.

His undergraduate studies took him to the University of Melbourne where he performed with choirs including the Melbourne Voices and National Youth Choir of Australia. From 2001 he was the Director of Music at Christ Church South Yarra. In 2007 he became a member of the chaplaincy and music staff at Trinity College. In 2006, he started working as a General Editor of the Australian Hymn Book Company. Philip has completed a graduate degree in Theology from MCD University of Divinity and is currently undertaking postgraduate research on liturgical music of inner-city Melbourne worshipping communities.

Mt Buller athlete Anton Grimus (OM 2008) enjoyed a World Cup careerequalling best-qualifying result and a fourth place in the consolation final in the ski cross test event for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Russia.

An athlete at the Australian Institute of Sport and NSW Institute of Sport, Anton set up a solid performance in the last freestyle skiing test event in Sochi, by recording convincing wins in the round of thirty-two and a quarter final before finishing fourth in a semi-final. With only the first two places from the semis qualifying for the final, Anton had to be content with a place in the consolation final. He ended the day in eighth place overall. The result enabled him to retain his

world ranking of thirteen.

Anton finished the Olympic test full of confidence and with a number of areas to focus on for the rest of the World Cup season and to help him gain a place in the Australian Winter Olympics team competing in Sochi next year.

James Beavis (OM 2008), brother of Hugh, Year 12, recently competed for Monash University in the World University Debating Championship (WUDC for short). The competition was held in Berlin around New Year and comprised 384 teams from a large number of countries around the world. The tournament had three divisions: Open, English Second Language and English Foreign Language.

The debates followed British Parliamentary style and involved teams of two.

James and his teammate,

Nita, made it into the finals for the open division in forty-eighth spot – the last team to qualify. After going through four preliminary finals, during which the top two teams in each debate make it through to the next round, they made it to the Grand Final against Sydney B, Auckland A and Otago A, and in a six-tothree split decision they won the final debate to clinch the championship for Monash. James was also the sixteenth best speaker at the tournament and was awarded the honorary award for best speaker in the grand final. He returned to Melbourne Grammar School in 2012 as part of a group of Monash debaters who joined with 2012 MGS debaters to present a very entertaining demonstration debate in the Higgins Theatrette.

Obituaries The School has learnt of the following deaths in our community. Our sympathy and understanding is extended to their family and friends.

Bear, G (Past Staff) Berry, S (OM 1965) Bland, B (Past Staff) Copolov, RS (OM 1946) Gahan, KW (OM 1944) Kermode, EK (OM 1956) King, MB (OM 1952) Laycock, KJ (OM 1937) McRoberts, IH (OM 1946) Perry, J (FOTS) Potts, HL (OM 1948) Shattock, JW (OM 1953) Skinner, KAR (OM 1950)

Australia Day Honours

Speer, PK (OM 1958)

Member (AM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division

Tuck, GD (OM 1961)

Mr John Aubrey Gibson (OM 1968) (Deceased)

Thompson, GW (OM 1932)

Turner, BE (OM 1947) Waters, RA (OM 1939)

For significant service to international relations as an advocate for human rights.

Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division Mr Frank Arthur Roberts (OM 1948) For service to community health, particularly through patient support services.

Dr Jon David Rosenthal (OM 1948) For service to the visual arts as promoter of Australian artists.

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

25

Community Events

1963 Fifty Year Reunion 1

John Gill, Ian Gillespie-Jones and John Penhalluriack

2

Mervyll Reid, Rev’d Hans Christiansen and Rev’d Peter Orchard

3

Ted Blamey and Michael Banks

4

Peter Couzens and Hugh Wallace-Smith

5

Peter Dixon and Richard Hopkins

6

Michael Dowd, Ed Beacham and Bruce Robinson

New Parents Cocktail Party 7 -12

Over 160 new parents gathered in the Nigel Peck Centre for Learning and Leadership on Tuesday 12 February 2013, for the annual New Parents Cocktail Party.

It was an ideal opportunity to celebrate the start of the year and to meet other new parents and staff.

1 2

3 4

26

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

5 6

7 8

9 10

11 12

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

27

Foundation Overcoming disadvantage For Malcolm Chestney (OM 1949), funding a scholarship at Melbourne Grammar School was a way to recognise his parents’ commitment to education and to help a talented student overcome disadvantage.

“Well, education is important,” Malcolm says, “and I wanted to do something in memory of my Father. I went to Melbourne Grammar during the war years, and I know finding the funds was tight for my parents. Still, they found a way. A scholarship designed to help disadvantaged students seemed an appropriate tribute.”

Putting the scholarship in place was a collaborative effort: Malcolm and Melbourne Grammar School worked with The Smith Family to identify students who would benefit most from the opportunity, through their Learning for Life programme, which supports disadvantaged students to achieve their potential.

“The Smith Family is delighted that a young person has a life-changing opportunity to attend Melbourne Grammar Witherby Tower Society member Angus Mackay (OM 1952, at right) with Headmaster Mr Roy Kelley & School Captain Henry Gardiner

School on a full scholarship, thanks to the generous support of Malcolm Chestney,” says Anton Leschen (OM 1983), General Manager of The Smith Family in Victoria. “This is just one way in which The Smith Family and Melbourne Grammar School is partnering through a shared vision to give children from disadvantaged backgrounds opportunities to reach their potential, while at the same time enabling the School to live its values.”

Malcolm sees an underlying value in welcoming students from different backgrounds to the School community.

“It’s good for the School to have a diverse student population. There are benefits for everyone in sharing those experiences.”

With the scholarship now in place for several years, Malcolm is now looking at how to ensure it continues. “My aim now is to make the scholarship ongoing. Every six years, we hope to offer a disadvantaged student a place at Melbourne Grammar.”

WTS Luncheon Several generations of Old Melburnians gathered together for the annual Witherby Tower Society luncheon on Thursday 7 March 2013. Between them, the attendees had participated in much of the School’s history, with representatives from peer years 1935 to 1981.

The Witherby Tower Society is the School’s bequest society.

Their generosity plays an important role in providing critical long-term funding for the School’s programmes. The annual luncheon is an opportunity to thank Witherby Tower Society members for their valued contributions to the School.

Held in the Wadhurst Hall, the luncheon began with a welcome from Andrew Guy, Chairman of the Witherby Tower Society, and grace from Reverend Hans Christiansen, Senior Chaplain. After lunch the Headmaster, Mr Roy Kelley, discussed the rich range of experiences and activities that enlivened School life. To illustrate, James Little (Year 11) shared his Beyond the Gates experience last year, and Henry Gardiner, School Captain, reflected on the diverse experiences he had enjoyed in his time at the School.

The lunch finished with a piano recital from Michael Gu, Captain of Music, performing Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz.

Arthur Day (OM 1951, at left) & Roger Hall (OM 1951, at right) with Vera Hall & Hilary Day 28

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

If you would like to know more about how you can contribute to a scholarship or become a member of the Witherby Tower Society, contact the Development Office on 9865 7596.

Friends of Grammar A busy start to 2013 There is barely a spare day in the FOG diary – at Senior School, Wadhurst and Grimwade House, parents have been organising, attending and contributing to a wide range of events and activities.

Senior School At Senior School, a hundred class representatives have been busily organising year level and House functions, which are ideal occasions for parents to get to know each other in a relaxed, informal setting.

They have also played an important role in keeping the boys fed and watered: they supplied much-needed hydration via the drinks stand at the House Sports Carnival in February; they coordinated the intermission catering for this year’s Quad Play; and they’ve been busy at Flack Park ensuring our sportsmen and their supporters are looked after between games.

“With the support of our OM barista, we opened the Flack Park Cafe for the first week of summer sport fixtures. We look forward to welcoming players and supporters to Flack Park and serving cold drinks, coffee and the popular egg and bacon rolls,” says Claudia Holt, FOG Executive and FOG Senior School President 2013.

Wadhurst The FOG Wadurst team has also been busy. Enthusiastic class representatives organised successful year level events in Term I. The Year 7 Cocktail Party took place on the Wadhurst deck in February, while Year 8 parents attended a cocktail party hosted by Caroline and Tony Baum.

Wadhurst parents also welcomed students back to school at the start of term. “Our first event was carrying on the tradition of holding a sausage sizzle on the orientation day for the Year 7 boys. Such a wonderful way for the boys to start secondary education at Wadhurst, with a welcome sausage and smile from the FOGW committee,” says Danielle Podolak, FOG Wadhurst President 2013.

FOG Wadhurst also supports the School’s community awareness programme – each term they hold a “Tuckerbox” and profits are distributed amongst the Houses, for students to donate to their chosen charity.

Grimwade House Year level cocktail parties have also been underway at Grimwade House. The FOG Grimwade team brought together enthusiastic groups of parents for relaxed events during February and March. As always, the events were well attended at each year level.

Claudia Holt, FOG Executive & FOG Senior School President; Rachael Keeble, FOG Wadhurst Vice President; Anna Cave, FOG Senior School Vice President; Danielle Podolak, FOG Wadhurst President; Maureen O’Keefe-Anders, FOG Grimwade President.

Absent: Georgina Porter, FOG Grimwade Vice President

The FOG Grimwade annual tennis lunch is coming up on Thursday 2 May 2013 at the Royal South Yarra Tennis Club.

This is a major fundraising event for the year, attended by approximately two hundred members of the Grimwade community. Tennis enthusiasts also have the option of playing a few sets before the lunch commences.

A highlight of the FOG Grimwade calendar was the Year 3 Father, Friend and Child Night, held on the Upper Primary Deck on Friday 22 March 2013. Over 150 fathers, friends and children attended, for a casual barbecue and a busy schedule of fun and games.

The work of FOG at each campus would not be possible without the generous support of parents at each year level.

A sincere thank you to everyone who has contributed to FOG activities so far – we look forward to an exciting calendar of events for the year.

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

29

Archives A life of service & devotion We welcome the appointment of Reverend Hans Christiansen as the new Senior Chaplain at Melbourne Grammar School. The School, with such a strong Anglican tradition, has been blessed with some remarkable Chaplains throughout the past 155 years. All have given outstanding service, none more so than the Reverend Kenneth Julian Faithfull Bickersteth (MGS 1912–1915), whose short tenure at Melbourne Grammar did not reflect the profound influence that he had on the School and its community.

Julian Bickersteth (1885–1962) was educated at Rugby School and Christ Church, Oxford (BA 1907; MA 1912).

After visiting India, he attended Wells Theological College, was ordained in 1910, and accepted a curacy at Rugby Parish Church. He was appointed Chaplain at Melbourne Grammar School and arrived on 30 September 1912.

His old Headmaster at Rugby School recalls that Julian Bickersteth “was a boy, as he is a man, of considerable ability”. Bickersteth made an immediate impact as Chaplain at Melbourne Grammar School through his ability to connect with all in the community.

The outbreak of the First World War and reports of the loss of life and immense suffering had a profound effect on Julian Bickersteth, and he reluctantly tendered his resignation in late 1915 so he could travel to England to do his duty and enlist.

Bickersteth was farewelled at a School assembly on 8 December 1915 and was presented with a cheque which came as something of a surprise to him. He replied that he would use the money to buy something he very much needed, namely a set of communion vessels to use at the Front. He said that these would remind him of his work in the Chapel of St Peter and the three very happy years he had spent at the School. When he first arrived from England, he held the idea that whatever was English was necessarily the best, however he found much to admire in Australia and the School where he met with three qualities that were typically Australian – large-heartedness, the love of fair play and unequalled generosity.

Bickersteth returned to England in December 1915 and immediately joined the army. He was appointed 4th Class Chaplain in early February 1916. He arrived in France as Brigade Chaplain to the Rangers and London Scottish on 22 February. Bickersteth, throughout the course of his war service, was always attached to a fighting unit and saw action at the Battles of Gommecourt, the Somme, Arras, Ypres, Cambrai, Bullecourt, Valenciennes and Mons.

Bickersteth was “Mentioned in Despatches” twice and was awarded the Military Cross in January 1918.

30

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

His Commanding Officer at the time wrote that “Bickersteth has been a great asset to the division since its formation, he has never spared himself in his devotion to the welfare of all ranks with whom he is exceedingly popular. He leads an active outdoor life and is always moving among the troops, sharing both their pleasures and their hardships. He has shown himself to be capable organiser in everything pertaining to the welfare of his troops, both spiritually and otherwise. He has also displayed courage and endurance of a high order in the performance of his duties.”

Though Bickersteth was in the British Army, he did his utmost to catch up with Old Melburnians whenever he could. Whilst on leave, he managed to attend a function in London where over twenty Old Melburnians were present.

Many letters sent home from the Front by Old Melburnians recall encounters with “Mr Bickersteth”.

Bickersteth wrote from France in August 1917 that he tries “to keep in touch with the old School as far as possible and always looked forward to receiving The Melburnian, but I fear that I am a poor correspondent. It is not altogether my fault, for nearly all the time I can spare for letter writing is occupied in writing letters to widows or bereaved parents so that I have to neglect letters to many of my Melbourne friends. If anybody asks after me, will you tell them that I have not forgotten them or the School and am looking forward to the time when I shall be free to set my face once more towards Australia. With every good wish to the old School.”

Bickersteth returned to Australia in 1919 having been appointed the Headmaster of St Peter’s College in Adelaide.

At St Peter’s he built up pupil numbers, especially boarders, and improved academic standards. Bickersteth was instrumental in establishing St Mark’s College, a residential college at the University of Adelaide. He organised the first of the Headmaster’s Conferences for Independent Schools in Australia.

Bickersteth left Adelaide in 1933, having been appointed the Head of Felsted School in Essex. In 1943 he became the Archdeacon of Maidstone and Residentiary Canon of Canterbury Cathedral. In 1953, Bickersteth was appointed Chaplain to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, a post he held until he retired in 1958.

Reverend Kenneth Julian Faithfull Bickersteth’s long life of service and devotion came to a close on 16 October 1962, while he was preparing a sermon.

Stewart Brook Alumni & Community Manager

Around the School

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

31

Melbourne Grammar School 355 St Kilda Road Melbourne Victoria 3004 Australia T +61 3 9865 7555 F +61 3 9865 7577 mgs@mgs.vic.edu.au www.mgs.vic.edu.au CRICOS No. 00977J ABN 61 004 453 829