Grammar News no 99 Jul 2009

grammar news Print Post PP344276/00024

Number 99 – July 2009

2009 ANZAC Commemoration Service

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Front cover: Year 6 students from Grimwade House, including Joshua Kerin and Nicholas Drossos, perform in the Dr Seuss adaptation, Seussical Opposite: First Basketball Captain, Thomas Chambers (Year 12) shoots from the foul line in a recent match Grammar News is published for the Melbourne Grammar School community.

Published by: The Marketing and Communications Department, Melbourne Grammar School 355 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004 Telephone: (03) 9865 7555 Facsimile: (03) 9865 7577 Email: newsletter@mgs.vic.edu.au Edited by: Kate White Page Layout: Drew Gamble Photographs: Eva Bonacci, Stewart Brook, Rod McCallum, Polly Flanagan, Steve Godbee, James Grant, Tim Morris, Di O’Sullivan, Kate White 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.

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

In This Issue 4 From the School Council 5 From the Headmaster 6 Donald Pruen Cordner – Obituary 8 Meet the School Council 9 News 11 Music Beat 12 Grimwade House 15 Wadhurst 16 Senior School 20 Out & About 26 Boarding 28 Staff Spotlight 30 As it Happened…

31 The Old Melburnians 36 Community News 38 Branches & Reunions 40 Friends of Grammar 42 Community Diary Dates & Notices

About This Issue Welcome to the first online edition of Grammar News.

We are delighted to introduce a new way to deliver this issue, which allows us to share more news with you throughout the busy winter months. As well as supplementing printed editions of Grammar News, which will continue to be released in Terms I and IV, this edition is a fun, interactive and environmentally friendly way to catch up on all the latest news at Melbourne Grammar School.

It has certainly been an eventful first semester, with weekend sport, concerts, camps, exams and social events keeping students and staff busy. A particular focus at each campus has been community engagement and personal development programs, which are featured in this edition.

The Old Melburnians will also enjoy several new pages, highlighting the activities of OMs both at home and away.

Please enjoy the first Grammar News online and don’t forget to read the handy instructions for online reading on page two. Remember, be green – read from the screen!

Kate White Editor Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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From the School Council

was all encompassing. Chris told of the time when “in early January 1969, Dad went to Vietnam for three months with a civilian medical team. The day after he left bad bushfires broke out. In Diamond Creek alone about 20 houses were burnt down, as the fires came right into the village. While my brother Stephen and I were up at the Church of England, which was threatened by fire, a young woman passed by, hurriedly pushing her pram towards the fire brigade shelter in the main street. Recognising me she said: ‘I just knew something terrible would happen as soon as Dr Cordner went away’!”

Sandy Clark

Recently I invited a small number of the School’s principal benefactors to lunch with our new Headmaster. In a note of thanks, one guest said, in part, “I do believe that Roy Kelley will be an excellent appointment. The role of a Headmaster is very difficult. I often think it’s one of the more rigorous tasks one could undertake!” I think he’s correct on both counts. My feedback, from staff, students and parents confirms that Roy Kelley has made a most impressive start.

However I suggest the role of Headmaster has become progressively more complex as the pace of change in education has increased, and the perceived role of parents has become more intrusive and demanding. We all wish Roy Kelley and his wife Ann, a long, happy and fulfilling life at Melbourne Grammar.

The Council With the retirement of Ian Vaughan from the Council (see last Grammar News), the Council has decided, unanimously, to appoint Richard Larkins as the new Deputy Chairman.

A member of the Council since October 2007, Professor Larkins retires as Vice Chancellor of Monash University on 30 June, and we congratulate him on his excellent leadership of the University over the past six years.

Donald Pruen Cordner 21·1·1922–13·5·2009 On Thursday 21 May, the School was honoured to hold the Memorial Service for Don Cordner in the Memorial Hall.

In a most moving eulogy, laced liberally with pathos and humour, his son Dr Chris Cordner highlighted his father’s many qualities and the roles he played, particularly as loving father and husband, and as doctor and leader of the Diamond Creek/Greensborough community. His influence

Don Cordner’s exploits on the football field are well known, particularly playing for Melbourne where in 1947 he won the Brownlow Medal. Paul Sheahan, as Vice President of the MCC, spoke eloquently at the Service of Don’s great contribution to the Melbourne Cricket Club where he served on the Committee from 1964 to 1992, being President from 1985.

But I would like to emphasise Don’s commitment, and service, to this School where, from 1973 until early 1989 he was on the Council, being Chairman for the final five years.

Events during his period as Chairman included: •

The retirement of Nigel Creese (whom Don admired immensely) and the appointment of Tony Hill, a selection process Don ran

•

The restructure of the School with Primary education at Grimwade House, Years 7 and 8 at Wadhurst, and Secondary education at the Senior School

•

The announcement of the Four Term School year in 1981

•

Property purchases in Domain Street and Fosbery Avenue at Grimwade, and the purchase of the Arnold Street Creative Arts Centre, later to be the Motor Works

•

The approval of the brief for the PE Centre at Grimwade House, ultimately built in 1991 and named in Don’s honour and the naming of the PE Centre at the Senior School “The Strickland PE Centre”.

In 1989 Don was honoured further when the Old Scotch Collegians and Old Melburnians decided to establish a perpetual trophy for the annual football match, to be named the Cordner-Eggleston Cup. In addition to the Grimwade PE Centre named after Don in 1991, in 1996 those old friends, Don and Free Strickland were invited to be the joint patrons of the newly formed “Witherby Tower Society”, recognising those who undertake to include the School as a beneficiary in their will.

Don Cordner is undoubtedly one of the really great Old Melburnians. He will be greatly missed by the School, but of far greater importance, his passing will leave an unfillable void in the lives of his family. To them our love and our sympathy flow.

Sandy Clark Chairman

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

From the Headmaster

I wish to thank many people for the warm welcome that both my wife and I have received since arriving in Melbourne at the commencement of Term II. I feel fortunate to have joined such a close-knit community and I am impressed with the pride that so many current students and Old Melburnians have for their school. I also wish to acknowledge the on-going support received from my predecessor, Mr Paul Sheahan, and the strong legacy he has left at MGS. My varied experience in independent schools across three countries has highlighted to me that there are far more similarities than differences between such institutions. In the 21st Century, education continues to face enormous pressures on so many fronts. These pressures place great strains upon schools as they try to deal with the range of economic, technological, legislative and social problems and issues that encroach upon the teaching and learning dynamic that is their core function. Whilst academic staff feel much frustration with such ‘interferences’ to teaching and learning, the reality is that schools must deal with them.

Education and schooling is, without doubt, becoming more complex in nature. Indeed, as Aristotle stated, ‘the roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet’ and so it is vital that education and schools move with the times and reflect carefully upon the society into which their graduates will move. However, the more difficult task is finding the correct balance between retaining the school’s core values and traditions, whilst discovering ways in which to continuously improve the educational offerings to students.

My first term at Melbourne Grammar has highlighted many positive features about the School. My impression is that MGS is a proud, successful and high-achieving educational establishment. I have visited classrooms in Grimwade, Wadhurst and Senior School and have been very impressed with the standard of scholarship in evidence and the warm relationships between students and staff.

Melbourne Grammar is well served by excellent leadership at each campus and the School is a motivated and happy place. In addition, MGS clearly has a strong relationship between school, home and the wider community, so vital in today’s society. I have been impressed with the significant commitment that Friends of Grammar and The Old Melburnians make in support of their School.

Whilst Melbourne Grammar currently has a very talented Common Room, the declining number of people choosing teaching as a profession suggests this issue will become an extremely important one in the near future. So how will MGS attract and retain the best teachers? We will need to continue to pay teachers well and innovatively; provide quality working environments that both stimulate and enthuse teachers; we will need to promote very well the

Roy Kelley

best things that we achieve and reveal ourselves to be a school with a healthy respect for past traditions and core values, whilst ensuring that we pursue a clear direction towards the future. Providing the best working environment in a total sense will attract and retain the highest quality teaching and non-teaching staff.

Fundamentally, it is the quality of the relationship between teacher and student that is the greatest factor in determining student achievement in schools. My desire is to ensure this relationship is positive, dynamic and forward looking to obtain the best possible result for all involved at Melbourne Grammar School.

Roy Kelley Headmaster

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Donald Pruen Cordner – Obituary Donald Pruen Cordner 21·01·1922–13·05·2009 Donald Cordner, Melbourne footballer, general practitioner at Diamond Creek for nearly 50 years, and a great contributor to the community in many arenas, died at home on 13 May this year, aged 87. He was a pupil at Melbourne Grammar School for 10 years, a boarder at Grimwade House from 1930 to 1934, and a day boy at the Senior School until 1939. Donald’s father and uncle also attended the School, as did his sons and two of his grandsons.

Donald was one of four brothers who played for the Melbourne Demons in the 1940s and ‘50s, after his father and uncle before them. His nephew David also played for Melbourne. Donald played in two Melbourne premiership sides: the first of those, in only his second game, as a 19-year-old in 1941. He captained the 1948 premiership team, which won the replay against Essendon, after the League’s first drawn Grand Final.

Donald was the first winner of the Truscott Cup, the Demons Best and Fairest award, in 1943.

He was selected in Melbourne’s Team of the Century, captained the Victorian Team, and was one of only four Demons awarded Legend status in the Club. In 1946 he won the Brownlow Medal, and he remains the only amateur ever to have done so.

While appreciating the accolades bestowed on him for his football, Donald was also a little uncomfortable with them. He always thought of football as a pastime and not a career. He remained a great supporter of the University Blacks, his first senior

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Donald Pruen Cordner – Obituary

team, and he felt honoured to be Patron of the Victorian Amateur Football Association.

Donald’s range of activities was extraordinary. He was a member of the Melbourne Grammar School Council for 15 years until 1989, and Chairman from 1984 to 1989. Among many other things, he helped streamline the Council so it could better identify and respond to the School’s needs, and he oversaw the restructuring of Wadhurst and Grimwade House, many building projects, and the appointment of a new Headmaster. Donald was one of the two inaugural Patrons, along with Free Strickland, of the Witherby Tower Society. The PE Centre at Grimwade was named after him; and the Melbourne Grammar and Scotch First XVIII football teams compete each year for the Cordner-Egglestone Cup. Donald served on the Melbourne Cricket Club Committee for 28 years until 1992, and was President for the last seven.

Among many initiatives, he drove the debate that led to women being admitted to the Club as members; and his key role in mending relations between the then VFL and the MCC in the 1980s led both to the securing of a long-term agreement for the Grand Final to be played at the MCG and to the building of the Great Southern Stand. The Cordner Entrance to the Members Stand commemorates his and his brothers’ service to the Club.

Donald was active in many other forums in Victoria too, but also beyond it – as when he spent three months in Vietnam with a civilian medical team in 1969. In all these forums his gritty wisdom, his openness to others, and his great ability both to energise people and to get them to work together, bore rich fruit.

same time he was forthright in his opinions, and sometimes plain blunt. As one of his female patients put it: “Doctor Don is a bit brusque and short at times, particularly if there isn’t much wrong, but he’s so nice when you’re dying!”

Donald was respected, admired and loved in the Diamond Creek community, in which he was both a cohesive and a galvanising force.

Donald was named Victorian of the Year in 1993.

Donald was handsome, tall, robust, big-hearted, articulate, cheerful, self-possessed, fair-minded, free of all rancour and resentment, exuberant, endowed with what William Hazlitt called gusto, a vital, confident responsiveness to life and to other people, a lover of conversation and of laughter, precise in thought, decisive, forthright, a doer. But he was also a contemplative, sensitive and gentle man. Perhaps his heart bypass at the age of 69 brought these latter qualities closer to the surface.

Donald and Moyle had been married for 61 years. They were utterly devoted to one another. Moyle looked after Donald at home right through his final illness, with the close support, in the last few months, of their children, Jenny, Christopher and Stephen.

The bond between Donald and his brothers was extremely strong, as are the ties across his extended family. Of Donald’s three brothers, Ted, Denis and John, only the youngest, John, survives him.

Donald Cordner had a long, full, rich, happy life, which gave warmth and light to a great many people. We mourn the passing of one of the School’s greatest old boys.

As a General Practitioner in Diamond Creek, where Donald was born, he made an enormous contribution. Unless actually out of town, he was on duty 24 hours a day, weekin week-out for 30 years, often responding to calls after midnight from as far afield as Panton Hill, Whittlesea or Arthur’s Creek. After Donald and his wife Moyle moved closer to Melbourne in 1975 as his other responsibilities grew, Donald continued to practise at Diamond Creek until 1992, when they retired to Point Lonsdale.

Donald’s involvement with Melbourne Grammar School and the Melbourne Cricket Club had its trials, but also its obvious public recognition. His practical and pastoral care of his patients vastly exceeded any duty of competent medical care. There was compassion and gentleness in his wise and decisive practical help, and often the only people who knew what he’d done were those for whom he had done it. At the

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Meet the School Council Recent Appointments

Michael Bartlett

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Stephen Gibbons

Lloyd Thomas

Richard Treloar

Michael Bartlett (OM 1973) joined Council in May 2008 and serves on the Finance and Planning Committee and is Vice President of The Grammar Foundation. In addition to his Foundation role, he is the Chairman of the Witherby Tower Society Working Party, concentrating on potential bequests to MGS.

Lloyd Thomas joined Council in September 2008 having been involved with Melbourne Grammar School for more than 20 years. His three sons attended the School: Mark (OM 1995), Peter (OM 1998) and Andrew (OM 2006).

Lloyd’s wife Debbie has also been a very strong supporter and was FOG President in 1996.

Michael is the father of three sons at Grimwade House, the oldest two of whom are twins. Michael was a member of the Grimwade Tomorrow’s Leaders Today campaign committee. Following his university studies, Michael taught at Wadhurst from 1977–1981, before embarking on a commercial career. He is a former Executive Director of Morgan Stanley with whom he worked in London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore, and K2 Asset Management in Melbourne. Michael also holds Directorships at the Potter Museum of Art at Melbourne University and the Opera Australia Capital Fund, and Chairs the Davis McCaughey Scholarship at Pembroke College in Cambridge.

Lloyd took over as President of The Grammar Foundation in 2008 from Ross Adler, having previously been a longstanding Board member, and in 2009 became a Patron of the Foundation. He was actively involved with the Tomorrow’s Leaders Today campaign and chaired the Key Gift Working Party for past parents. In addition, Lloyd has joined the Risk Management and Audit Committee. Lloyd is CEO/Managing Director of NHP Holdings, an industrial electrical engineering products company. His charitable work has extended beyond MGS through a longstanding association with Surf Lifesaving Victoria, where he has served as a Director and is currently President of the Surf Lifesaving Victoria Foundation.

Stephen Gibbons (OM 1979) joined Council in October 2008 having served as a co-opted member on the Risk Management & Audit Committee since mid 2006. Stephen was a long-time Council member of The Old Melburnians Society and served as Old Melburnian President in 2007– 2008. Stephen was a boarder during his School years and is a current parent (Sam Year 12). By profession, Stephen is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. Stephen is a Fellow of The Grammar Foundation and headed up the Wadhurst Parents Group as part of the Tomorrow's Leaders Today campaign.

Richard Treloar joined Council in February 2008, having been appointed under the School's Constitution as the Archbishop's Alternate. Richard is currently the Vicar of Christ Church South Yarra and also chairs the Board of Christ Church Grammar Primary School. Richard provides a most important link in the School's relationship with the Anglican Church and his involvement at Christ Church Primary School is relevant, given the high proportion of boys who enter Wadhurst in Year 7 from Christ Church Grammar.

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

News Keeping their Memory Alive The ANZAC Commemoration Service was held at the School on Monday 27 April, in The Old Melburnians War Memorial Hall. Guest speaker at the Service was author and historian, Dr Ross McMullin (OM 1969), who gave an outstanding address on the battle of Frommelles and the single worst day for loss of life in Australia’s history. The following is an extract from that address;

“The worst day Victorians have ever experienced remains the battle of Fromelles in July 1916. It was the worst day not just for Victorians. It was the worst day in Australian history. At Fromelles no fewer than 5,533 Australians became casualties in one night. This was equivalent to the Australian casualties in the whole of the Boer War, the Korean War and the Vietnam War put together. In just 24 hours at Fromelles.

Many of you will have seen the Australian film Gallipoli, which depicts the charge at the Nek in August 1915. The Nek was indeed a terrible engagement for the Australian lighthorsemen involved in it – and their families – and was similar to Fromelles in being an extremely ill-judged attack, but in casualties Fromelles was 14 times worse than the Nek.” As part of the Commemoration Service, The Ode was read

by George Derham (OM 1943). George joined the Navy after leaving School and saw service in India, Burma, the Pacific Islands, including Leyte Gulf, Okinawa and later Japan. George’s son, Simon Derham (OM 1973), is the current President of The Old Melburnians and Simon, along with Ross McMullin and School Captain Alex Mattingly, laid wreathes in The Sanctuary as part of the Commemoration Service.

The Commemoration Service was followed by a luncheon in the Luxton Dining Hall for guests, Old Melburnians and staff who had been on active service.

To download a copy of Dr Ross McMullin’s address, click: here

Garth Epstein (OM 1935) with former staff member Ewan Morgan and James Flood (OM 1937) in the Quad

Friends, former classmates and comrades in arms gather at the Anzac Commemoration Service Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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News New Staff: Interview with Ivan Mathieson School and its students have so much to offer each other.

School is such a crucial part of their lives; if we can make small improvements across all areas, most students will see great benefits.

What challenges lie ahead in your new role?

The greatest challenge for us is making sure that we recognise the boys who need help. There are many students who don’t stand out as needing help, but if we can identify their needs, we can help them do better, both at school and personally. For instance, anxiety is often overlooked, but it can be just as debilitating as depression. That is the biggest challenge in my position, but it is also a challenge for the entire School community.

From a wider perspective it is also vital that we support the wellbeing of all students, not just those with identified mental health problems. We need to ensure we are taking a more preventative approach to dealing with conditions such as depression and anxiety.

New Director of Education Services, Ivan Mathieson

Ivan Mathieson has recently replaced Elaine Hosie as Director of Educational Services at Melbourne Grammar.

Here Ivan talks to Grammar News Editor, Kate White, about his breadth of experience in adolescent mental health and what he hopes to achieve at the School.

Tell us about your background.

Prior to coming to Melbourne Grammar I was with the Austin Hospital in Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

However it was in an earlier role at the Austin, working with adolescent psychiatric inpatients, where I found my passion for working with teenagers. I have also worked with children at the Royal Children’s Hospital and at Ballarat Hospital.

What prompted you to move into Education?

My work has always involved schools, and I found that successful outcomes with young people often occurred as a direct result of working closely with teaching staff and the school system. Through this experience I developed a passion to work within a school context.

After family, schooling is the most important aspect of a young person’s life. The academic aspects of a school are imperative; however it is the whole school environment that can contribute to a positive sense of self and wellbeing. This is particularly the case at Melbourne Grammar, where the

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

An exciting challenge facing Melbourne Grammar is to create a common language that helps us describe issues related to wellbeing. Although the School already does well in this area, it is certainly an area upon which we could improve, and hopefully this language could be shared by all members of the School community. One way to achieve this is to further improve the visibility of the Counselling Department within Senior School. There are many ways of doing this and my collegue, Justin McNamara, Senior School psychologist, is already well known to many of the boys, enjoying his capacity as a coach of tennis and football teams. I personally would jump at the chance to be involved in coaching rowing next season, and am looking forward to being a part of other aspects of the School.

What do you enjoy most about being at Melbourne Grammar?

I am really enjoying working with a diverse group of boys who have struck me as extremely capable young men with many positive aspects in their lives. I also enjoy working with an incredibly talented group of staff, who are extremely supportive of pastoral care at Melbourne Grammar.

What is your goal?

There are two major goals, which are dependent upon each other. The first, on a personal and professional level, is to improve the wellbeing of young people who are experiencing personal, social and emotional difficulties. From the School’s perspective, the major goal for me is to make sure every student finds Melbourne Grammar to be welcoming and enjoyable place, and ensuring that every student leaves the School having achieved their best.

Music Beat

The Chapel Choir performed a stirring rendition of Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra in May

Australian David Selig Brandenburg Orchestra I was rather taken aback to receive a phone call from the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra early in Term I. The Orchestra was exploring the possibility of the Chapel Choir joining with the Choir of Trinity College, University of Melbourne, for two performances of the Vivaldi Gloria at the new Melbourne Recital Centre. The sold-out performances took place on Sunday 17 May and Monday 18 May and were preceded by memorable rehearsals with the Orchestra’s internationally-acclaimed conductor Paul Dyer. The Choir is still recovering from Paul’s request to sing the second movement ‘as if your pet dog just died’.

Mid-year Concert On 20 May, The Old Melburnians War Memorial Hall resounded to the music-making of the Wadhurst and Senior School String Orchestras and Concert Bands.

Additionally, the Wadhurst Orchestra and Choir and the two Senior School Jazz Ensembles performed. The combined membership of each ensemble reaches the rather staggering figure of 260 students. It is little wonder that a near-capacity audience was there to support the musical endeavours of the boys. Our new Head of Brass, Mr Colin Doley, used the Concert to rename the Senior Concert Band as the Melbourne Grammar School Symphonic Wind Ensemble.

As he explained, the change of name reflects the size, repertoire and artistic aspirations of the Ensemble.

Paris-based concert pianist, David Selig (OM 1974), returned to the School to give a recital of Beethoven’s last three piano sonatas on Tuesday 26 May. David had personally chosen the School’s new Steinway Concert Grand Piano in Hamburg, so he was naturally rather excited to discover how it was sounding in The Old Melburnians War Memorial Hall.

The recital was memorable, with the delicacy of his playing, alongside his wide range of beautiful tone colours, were hallmarks of his performance. Prior to the recital David gave a masterclass to five of the School’s most advanced pianists; Kevin Canisius, Nathan Chu, Michael Gu, Daniel Le and Henry Wei. David developed an instant rapport with the students and revealed himself as an inspiring and practical tutor. He performed Schubert and Brahms at Assembly the following day, to a long and heartfelt ovation from students and staff.

Philip Carmody Director of Music

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Grimwade House Possum Skin Cloak Project led by Lee Darroch, Artist-in-Residence 2009

Lee Darroch, with assistance from Grimwade House Co-Captains, Paul Nicol and Elise Ashley, explained the significance of each symbol

We were very honoured and excited when Lee Darroch accepted our invitation to join Grimwade House as Artist-inResidence, to create a unique possum skin cloak with Year 6 students.

The process began in April, with Lee creating symbols that represented the important indigenous ‘dreaming’ lands around Grimwade House and students identifying symbols representing aspects of Melbourne Grammar’s 150-year history. Together, these formed the decorations on the cloak.

Lee taught students how to mix ochres to colour the cloak and how to use wood-burning tools to burn the images into the possum skin. (The skin came from New Zealand, as it is illegal to cull possums in Australia).

On the frosty morning of 1 June, Lee Darroch, wearing the finished cloak and walking with Evajo Edwards and her dance group, led all of Year 6 to the old gum tree – a corroboree tree – in nearby Greenmeadows Gardens.

There the dancers performed to the accompaniment of a didgeridoo, as Lee explained how important it is to continue traditional ceremonies and the significance of our cloak.

Everyone then followed Lee back to Grimwade House where, with Mr Andrew Boyd on one side and Mr Roy Kelley on the other, Lee entered the front gates to a moving sight – the entire School community gathered quietly to receive the cloak in a welcoming arc around the lawns of Harleston, while a didgeridoo played. With more music, dancing and speeches, the cloak was then presented to Mr Andrew Boyd for safekeeping at Grimwade House. It was a fitting end to a very special residency with the cloak now on permanent display at Grimwade House. It is important to acknowledge the role played by Mrs Sandra Morgan, recently retired Head of Visual Arts, in beginning the project, as well as the support from FOGG under the leadership of Mrs Di O’Sullivan.

We all now understand more fully that our cloak is extremely special, a ‘one-off’, and is in fact the only possum skin cloak in Australia outside a public collection. To have had permission to create it was an extraordinary opportunity. The process, including as it did all Year 6 students and several parents, and of course the cloak itself, are important symbols of Melbourne Grammar School’s commitment to true Reconciliation and a ‘fair go’ for all Australians.

Jan Rizzo Head of Visual Arts, Grimwade House

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Grimwade House Possum Skin Cloak

Leadership Day

Project led by Lee Darroch

Year 6 students views challenged Leadership underpins what we do and how we do it at Grimwade House. There are many ways to display leadership and many opportunities for students to learn about leaders. In April, Year 6 students at Grimwade House participated in a Leadership Conference that challenged their view of leadership through discussion and hands-on workshops.

Polly Flanagan, Director of Leadership, opened the Conference and spoke on our theme of ‘Compassion’.

Compassion in Leadership was chosen as it is one of the MGS values and has been adopted by Grimwade this year as a focus for OAK – Ordinary Acts of Kindness.

Mrs Flanagan outlined how and why compassion is an important quality in leaders. She explained various programs in place at MGS that provide direct links between compassion and leadership.

Our guest speakers came from diverse backgrounds. Eddie McGuire, a successful businessman and President of the Collingwood Football Club, added a different perspective as he talked passionately about his life. The students thoroughly enjoyed Eddie’s anecdotes and his ability to remember statistics.

Evajo Edwards and dancers entertained students and staff during the traditional ceremony

Lee Darroch is a Yorta Yorta woman whose art practice includes drawing, painting, printmaking, basket-making, weaving, large scale public art installations and sculpture. She has been a Koori arts worker and community artist at East Gippsland Aboriginal Arts Corporation for 10 years and is a Director of Riverbank Arts Pty Ltd, a Koori arts and cultural company.

Lee participated in the creation of the Birrarung Wilam Eel Path Sound Design Project at Birrarung Marr, near Federation Square in Melbourne and has helped to create possum skin cloaks for the National Museum in Canberra and the Melbourne Museum, as part of a project to resurrect lost indigenous skills.

She is guided in her artwork by the old people who have gone before and her elders today, in the hope that a rich legacy will be left for others to follow and the Dreaming will continue in an unbroken line.

Second speaker, Sean Willmore, founded an organisation called ‘The Thin Green Line’. Sean is a Park Ranger who works with other park rangers from all over the world to combat such environmental issues as: deforestation, poaching and the protection of endangered species. This gave another perspective to compassion in leadership where it directly relates to the environment. The children were impressed that he had dodged bullets from poachers and survived an elephant charge.

A highlight of the Conference was the involvement of four Year 6 students from Dixon’s Creek Primary School, who travelled to Grimwade House for the afternoon and made friends quickly. It was lovely to have the girls participate in the Conference.

All students had researched and written a biography of a world leader that they presented at a Global Leaders Forum. It provided students with the opportunity to learn about historical and modern leaders.

The Conference was a culmination of learning and a development of ideas centred on leadership. Our Year 6 students will have many opportunities throughout their lives to be leaders.

Prue Petsinis Head of Upper Primary, Grimwade House

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Grimwade House Community Problem Solving

Nine students from Melbourne Grammar had the experience of a lifetime representing the School at the International Future Problem Solving Finals in the United States in May, taking out first and fourth in their respective divisions

International Conference Michigan Two Year 6 Community Problem Solving teams recently participated in the International Finals for Future Problem Solving at Michigan State University, USA. The students were selected as National finalists to represent Australia in an international forum. The Barrier Busters team was made up of James Hurley, Sarah Jaboor, Max Mezger, Nikki Sitch and Marion Wilson. Their project focused on ways to break down barriers between able and disabled children. This group won first place in their division – a huge accomplishment.

The team behind UNIFY (Uniting Neighbours Indigenous Friends Youth) consisted of Olivia Brown, Alexandra Culliver, Lachlan Jobling and James McLennan. Their project highlighted the cultural exchange shared with a Koori Education school in Mildura and was ranked fourth in their division – a great achievement.

Both teams should be congratulated for the impact they have had on their community and the world as a whole.

It was a great pleasure to accompany these outstanding Grimwade House representatives and their parents/ grandparents on this trip.

At all times the students were friendly, mature, informative, courteous and dependable – fantastic ambassadors for our School. They have worked extremely hard and were able to enjoy the laurels aptly deserved. Well done!

Adrienne English Talent Development

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Day 10

Lansing, Michigan Today was the awards ceremony. We would find out if we had won, came second, third or nothing at all. We all met for breakfast in our school uniforms, very excited. We basically sprinted all the way to the stadium where the Community Problem Solving officials had hosted the Opening Ceremony.

During the introductions, we were all extremely nervous but we calmed down after the hour of announcing other people’s teams. Finally, when the judges announced our division we were very nervous. Unfortunately when they announced the civic/cultural issues category UNIFY did not get a place. Our category, the Health and Human concerns was next. When the announcer said for three teams to come up on stage, and we were one of them, our parents were crying with joy and we were jumping out of our skin.

When the judges announced 3rd we thought we would get that but they gave 3rd to the team next to us on the stage.

The same thing happened with the 2nd place winners.

When the judges said we came first we couldn’t believe it!

When it was time to come off the stage we could barely carry the trophy because it was so huge and heavy. Have you ever felt so proud of yourself? It is just the best feeling in the world. In a few seconds it just sinks in that what you have done is just amazing. So back at the hotel we all had hot chocolate and went to the mall.

Max Mezger Year 6

Wadhurst Indoor Soccer Cup As part of the Wadhurst Personal Development curriculum, each class participates in a community service activity. This year 8CM2 decided to raise funds for the Computer for Every Child Foundation. They organised and managed the inaugural ‘Wadhurst Indoor Soccer Cup’. We were overrun with so many teams wanting to participate: 36 in total from Years 7 and 8.

Throughout lunchtime for five days, the students competed against each team in a ‘round robin’ competition. The winning team consisted of Darcy Lechte, Greg Koumouras, Tom Scott and Christian Boffa, who each took home a championship trophy.

The class raised over $800 during the event, whilst also learning a lot about event management and community service. In fact, it was such a success that a second class followed suit by hosting the ‘Wadhurst Indoor Dodgeball Cup’, which also provided some lunchtime entertainment while raising funds for a very worthwhile cause.

Wadhurst students enjoy some healthy competition during the Indoor Soccer tournament

Matthew Houniet Head of Personal Development, Wadhurst

Crop-a-Kid Day Wadhurst raises almost $100k for charity On 19 June, Wadhurst again played host to Crop-a-Kid Day with a record 75 students ‘cropping’ their hair to raise funds and awareness for the Make a Wish Foundation. A special appearance was put in by Richmond Football Club star Matthew Richardson, who managed to pin down the Head of Wadhurst, Greg Caldwell, for some precision cutting!

This year the students raised enough funds, approximately $7,000, to provide a young boy and his family the trip of a lifetime to Disneyland USA. Since 2004, Wadhurst students have raised $97,000 and directly granted 12 wishes to seriously ill children, ranging from a swimming pool, trips to Disneyland, to meeting Collingwood Football Club hero Nathan Buckley and family holidays.

A big thanks to all students and teachers who participated, with a special thank you going to the stylists from the Australian Academy of Hair Design and Beauty who patiently cropped the students’ hair over a period of three hours.

Richmond forward Matthew Richardson reassures Head of Wadhurst, Greg Caldwell, that the clippers are safe in his sizeable hands Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Senior School Students prepare for Autumn Production for the sole purpose of letting the performers and audience catch their breath. Bearing this in mind, Mr Philip Carmody has kept members at singing rehearsals on their toes during weekly practice through a combination of ‘pheasant plucking’ tongue-twisters and stringent attention to musical detail.

The entire cast spent the last week of their mid-year holidays at work in The Old Melburnians War Memorial Hall, putting the show together, culminating in a full dress rehearsal on Sunday of that week.

The Pirates of Penzance will be performed in Term III, on 12, 13 and 14 August. Be sure to book tickets in advance as this much-anticipated show is sure to sell out. Tickets will be available for purchase online.

Eric Gardiner 12Ce Theatre Prefect

Dedicated students rehearse for Pirates of Penzance during school holidays, ahead of the August performances

Following the success of Melbourne Grammar’s Quad and Year 9 plays this year, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Kes, preparations are continuing for the upcoming Autumn Production: the Joseph Papp adaptation of Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic musical, The Pirates of Penzance, directed by Dr Tim Scott.

A hard-working group of students and teachers have begun construction of the set on weekends and its framework is beginning to fill out. Once complete, it will include not only an elaborate pirate galleon, which will manoeuver on and off stage, but also a curved extension to reach out over the orchestra pit.

On the skeletal stage itself our choreographer, Jenny Vincent-Green, has begun plotting complicated dance routines with performers to accompany the production’s musical sequences.

The importance of such rehearsals cannot be stressed highly enough in a play in which almost perpetual singing and dancing are only occasionally punctuated by dialogue – perhaps

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Senior School Dr Ron Ritchhart returns to Melbourne Grammar

Dr Ron Ritchhart, of Harvard University, conducted valuable sessions with students and staff

Through funding provided by The Grammar Foundation, staff recently had the opportunity to work with Harvard University’s Dr Ron Ritchhart. Dr Ritchhart’s work focuses on creating classrooms where thinking is promoted, valued and above all visible. His project is one of several that constitute the prestigious Project Zero at Harvard, where academics work in association with selected schools to improve understanding of the learning process. Indeed there is a happy collaboration between practice and theory. The participating schools have the opportunity to benefit from the Harvard research, while the researchers draw valuable practical details from the teachers and their students.

Over the last three years, many of our teachers have been highly involved with improving classroom practice with respect to thinking and intellectual character, mainly through the various activities promoted by Dr Julie Landvogt’s Ithaka project. Work in this area has led to considerable changes in curriculum design, especially at Wadhurst. Staff at the middle school have once again, with assistance from The Grammar Foundation, worked in collaboration with American educator Dr Jay McTighe to remodel units of work according to his Understanding by Design curriculum model.

During his time at Melbourne Grammar, Dr Ritchhart, in his capacity as visiting Foundation Fellow, offered a series and variety of activities focused on the processes associated with thinking routines. Thinking routines are the means by which teachers create a culture in their classrooms that encourages students to think in a variety of ways. At the same time, the routines lead students to an understanding of how they are thinking, along with ways in which they can apply knowledge, rather than simply know.

In all his sessions, Dr Ritchhart emphasised the importance of reflective practice. He led workshops with staff interested in peer observation, with a particular emphasis on developing a common language and facilitative structures for conversation. He also presented to key decisionmaking groups within the School. These sessions focused on benchmarking local pedagogical practices against international ones, as determined by the framework of Project Zero, Harvard.

Chris Bradtke Director of Teaching and Learning

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Senior School From the Mountains to the Sea During the April holidays, students embarked on a variety of outdoor education camps, both around Victoria and interstate. The following are excerpts from camp reports written by students who enjoyed a range of experiences, from mountain biking to scuba diving.

Hiking and Biking at Mt Buller and Mt Stirling As with any outdoor program, camp provides an enriching experience because we are thrust into an environment that is designed to challenge us in many different ways. I was fortunate enough to participate in a camp located at Mt Buller and Mt Stirling, along with its surrounding forestlands.

The week began as any camp would, most people excited to leave and some a little anxious about the trip. I hoped this camp would be as good as the ones I’d been on in previous years to Woodend. The camp was split into four groups, each with its own course to take throughout the week, and we soon disbanded.

The next day we awoke to a sunny morning, which was warm, considering the altitude. We packed our bags, taking everything for a full day’s hike, but not before rock climbing and abseiling in the morning; a highlight of the camp.

We hiked over Mt Stirling, from where you could see the surrounding mountains and down either side. Climbing to

the highest peak was definitely an achievement for me, and many others. The night at King’s Saddle was cold but enjoyable, exchanging stories, cooking dinner over a trangia and sleeping in tents.

We spent Tuesday mountain bike riding along tracks, which were a challenge on the uphill sections but fun and relaxing coming downhill. The day ended on a high and, although most people were exhausted we passed along tracks and roads with interesting views. On Wednesday, we packed up our gear from King Saddle and continued to ride, catching spectacular views of Mt Buller and Mt Stirling. We rode hard towards our next camp destination at Mirrimba, an enjoyable downhill ride through 4WD track, forests and creeks. I believe this was the best part of the bike riding, having included all our skills and testing us in our endurance capabilities.

Thursday’s hike back up to Mt Buller was, as expected, a long and painful one, uphill through dense forest. Mitch, our navigator, did a spectacular job leading us through the forest and up to the beginning of the Western Ridge Trail.

Encouraged by mates in the group, we walked along the trail right up to the summit hut, which was a spectacular sight.

On Friday morning, camp was surrounded by thick clouds.

This was amazing, as I’d never been able to touch a cloud on a mountain before. The camp was an experience I won’t forget, having its ups and downs when the going got hard, but most people enjoyed it. Thanks to everyone for making my camp week as enjoyable as it was.

Michael Mackie Year 9, Creese

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Senior School

Scuba Qualification Camp It was obvious very early into the camp that obtaining a SCUBA Qualification allowing you to dive around the world was not going to be easy. Before departing, there were many tasks that had to be completed and passed to be eligible. The first was to obtain the Diving Medical Certificate, which was definitely not as easy as it sounds.

This included chest x-rays, balancing acts, breathing tests, ear testing, swimming tests and urine samples. We were also required to read and complete questions from a Dive Manual.

Scuba Diving is an activity that can be fun, but also very dangerous if not treated with respect. Therefore listening and following the rules is crucial. The group consisted of Year 9 and 10 students and upon arrival was divided into two, each housed at different locations; one at Salt House Lodge and the other at Queenscliff Dive Centre.

The course was structured around the SSI Dive Manual and executing all of the required skills to pass the necessary theory and practical tests. Some of the necessary survival skills were removing the mask under water and putting it back on, removal of weight belts and the buoyancy compensator device, and communicating with our buddies under water. After two pool sessions and a snorkel session we were finally allowed to have our first dive underwater in Port Phillip Bay. There were five different dive sites, all of which gave divers a variety of different marine life. Cottage by the Bay was a very amiable and calm site, but only went to a depth of 6 metres. Nepean Bay had much better marine life, such as sting rays and for the seafood lovers, giant cray fish. We were fortunate enough to see a shipwreck, which was very exciting. Pope’s Eye had a wide range of fish and was an amazing experience. I am sure that all the boys were blown away by the different kinds of fish and coral. The best dive was when students over 15 years of age reached the depth of 18 metres at a Bass Strait site.

The week seems to have ended too quickly and we would all have liked to stay on another week to continue to practice all the skills we had learnt. The camp also provided all participants with its share of laughs and fun and in the end it is fair to say that most of the students enjoyed this camp and many hold it as their best camp ever.

Evan Karatzas Year 10, Bruce and Eric Kreis Year 10, Perry

Ovens Valley Mountain Bike riding Camp’s week for all BIKEOV boys and teachers will go down in the memory books as one of the most challenging and

rewarding six days of our lives. We were lucky enough to have Mr Hamilton and Mr Ellinghausen to direct the group.

Their experience was much valued by all the boys, as was the supreme organisation of Ms Witt, who ensured all meals were cooked, and everyone did their share of work.

In total we rode more than 150 kilometres over the week, over many tracks and situations. For the first few days we rode along a ‘rail trail’ connecting Wangaratta to the peaceful rural town of Beechworth and, from Beechworth to Bright.

Kip, Ashley, David, Blake and Dawei led the way for the rest of the group, showing their love of a challenge and setting us a benchmark. We were given a crash course in mountain bike riding, which gave James and Matthew the opportunity to display their skills, as the group followed in awe. Bike riding inevitably brings crashes and Brendon offered some of the most dramatic we have seen. He was lucky to escape unscathed.

On the final Thursday, the skills we had learned from experienced teachers culminated into the biggest ride of the week. It involved, flat, downhill, uphill, as well as road.

I would like to thank all boys and teachers for their efforts and for helping everybody, including myself, experience some of the most valued memories of our young lives.

Charles McDonald Year 9 Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Out & About Winter Sport Report The 2009 winter sporting season got off to a slow start due to the Steele and Wadhurst Ovals being unavailable and the Melbourne City Council making its grounds unavailable for training and games for the first few weeks of the season.

Our reliance on outside grounds has become a huge problem for the School. Edwin Flack Park has been an excellent addition to our sporting program but it is not able to cope with the demands of the School.

The 2009 season has seen the unofficial introduction of lawn bowls. This has created some interest amongst both boys and OMs. The 1st XV Rugby team have had a good season so far under the leadership of their new coaches Tyronne Mitchell and Josh Moore. Our soccer program has benefited greatly from the welcome addition of Fabien Incantaloupo (ex-Australian player) as a specialist coach for Wadhurst and Senior School. I am hoping that Fabien will be involved with Grimwade House in Term III.

MGS First XI bounced back from early losses to defeat Scotch College in the Rose and Thistle Cup

Captain Jack White scores against Wesley

Nick Jewell has continued his excellent work in a similar role for the AFL program at all three campuses. Nick has also taken on the role of coaching the 9A Football team this year.

The number of students playing Rugby and AFL has increased this year. Soccer and Basketball have remained the same and Hockey has decreased in numbers. The Rugby boys have, once again, enjoyed a few games on the Main Oval at School this year. We are looking at the possibility of Rugby using the Wadhurst Oval once it is renovated after the current building project. This would enable all three football codes to be played at the South Yarra campus. The new synthetic Steele Oval will be used for junior soccer, the Main will continue to be used for junior AFL and the Wadhurst will, hopefully, become a playing venue for some Rugby.

The APS has a number of confronting issues that will require attention at the completion of the 2009 sporting season. It is time that some serious changes occur to the structure of APS sport in order to ensure that all our students are taking part in the best possible school sporting program. Currently, I am not sure that we are achieving this!

Nick Gibbons Director of Sport

The rugby 1st XV celebrate winning the annual Colin Bell Trophy against Scotch College

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Out & About Winter Sport Report – The season thus far…

REPORT SPORT: MANAGER:

AFL Michael Ford

The 2009 season has started well with nine MGS Senior School teams taking the field. At Senior level, we have a record 120 lads in the program making five teams, so for the first time in a long time we have a 5ths football team representing the School. Our results are indicative of the quality of effort our lads show each week and accordingly most teams have a solid win/loss record. Our focus must be maintained until the end of the season as we continue to improve. We are looking forward to ending the season as strongly as we have started it.

REPORT SPORT: TEACHER IN CHARGE:

Basketball Rod McLeod

With the loss of six year 12s from our strong 1st V team of last year, this season was expected to be one of rebuilding with seven new players in the Squad. However, the new team has exceeded all expectations, narrowly missing out on finishing fourth on the ladder. The team will now compete in a Finals Series with Carey, Xavier and St Kevins. All of these games are winnable as we have already beaten Xavier and St Kevins. Our 1st V Captain, Tom Chambers, the only Year 12 in the Squad, has led the team in exemplary fashion, both on game days and at training. Tom usually top scores for the team each week and his skills have recently been recognised with selection in the Victorian Secondary School’s U18 Basketball Team, to compete in the National Titles in Newcastle in August.

REPORT SPORT: TEACHER IN CHARGE:

Hockey David Aitken

MGS fields eight Hockey teams with over 80 boys involved consisting of five Senior School teams and three from Wadhurst. The 1st XI has played a total of five games to date with two draws and three losses, which were to stronger teams in the competition. Two of our teams remain undefeated so far this season, the Seconds and the Year 7A side – and it must be said that at junior level MGS is one of the strongest, if not the strongest school in the APS competition, with our teams dominating most opposition each week. Later in the year a number of the boys will compete in the Quikstix competition held in Canberra, against schools from all over the country. This is a marvellous opportunity for the boys and a great experience.

REPORT SPORT: TEACHER IN CHARGE:

Rugby Rob Shields

We have six teams playing Rugby at MGS in 2009, and each have enjoyed a successful start to the season. The Under 14 team toured to Japan for their pre-season, while the Under 15s attended the Australian 7s in Adelaide. The Open squad were hosted by Christchurch Boys High in New Zealand for their Invitational Easter Rugby Festival. All players are well prepared and we have new 1st XV coaches in Tyronne Mitchell and Josh Moore. The 1st XV won the annual Colin Bell Trophy against Scotch in May and are strongly placed for the finals.

As is now customary, we play a number of visiting schools during the season and this year teams include; Queensland, New Zealand and England. Finals will be held on Saturday, 8 August at Scotch College and I urge all supporters to come and see our Rugby teams in action.

REPORT SPORT: TEACHER IN CHARGE:

Soccer Geoff Davies

Buoyed by a promising pre-season tour enjoying the autumn colours of New Zealand, the Melbourne Grammar First XI confidently approached the APS season, only to find that life at home can be very humbling. Early losses could have brought a lesser team to its knees, but under the leadership of Coach Andy Near, Captain Hugo Trotter and Specialist Coach Fab Incantalupo, the boys showed great resilience in fighting back for a victory over Scotch for the coveted Rose and Thistle Cup. With renewed confidence, this was soon followed by a fantastic win over Xavier on their Kew turf! With all of our other teams enjoying a positive win/loss ratio, Soccer is not only growing in numbers at MGS but is also thriving in on-field success. All credit to committed managers, enthusiastic coaches and the MGS boys who just love their Soccer! To be informed and involved please visit www.mgssc.org.

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Out & About Framing the future in ‘Second Life’ As a part of our Year 10 Framing the Future Leadership Conference in 2008, numerous projects were explored by students from around the State in workshops and seminars.

One such initiative, the Make Poverty History Concert in Second Life project, saw several Year 10 students from Melbourne Grammar and Debney Park Secondary College recreate elements of the Conference within the virtual domain of Skoolaborate.

Working closely with Victoria University, the now Year 11 students Nick Hall, Steven Ooi, Lorgen Scott and Justin de Steiger (with the assistance of Max Porritt and Jake Foster) collaborated online with Debney Park SC, MLC School in Sydney and students from around the world. The aim was to raise awareness of the international Make Poverty History campaign by broadcasting the live concert at the end of the Conference into Second Life within Skoolaborate, using avatars (digital representations of people) playing the roles of Archie Roach and the rest of the band. This was then streamed back onto a screen that formed a backdrop behind the musicians in the Hall.

Re-creation of the concert then allowed students from the Skoolaborate global cluster across Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Sydney and Tasmania to participate in the live event in real time.

As a result, the Make Poverty History Concert in Second Life Avatar Project was awarded ‘Community ICT Innovator of the Year’ at the 2009 Australian Community ICT Awards.

Project Leader, Stefan Schutt from Victoria University, was highly complimentary of the contribution made by the School to the success of the project.

“One of the highlights has been the involvement of students in the MGS Leadership Conference and Make Poverty History Concert... and the resulting opportunity for the two groups of students to work together in a collaborative fashion. Your welcoming and dynamic facilitation of the initiative was largely responsible for the success of this experiment”, he said.

MGS students used the virtual world of Second Life to reproduce elements from the Framing the Future Leadership Conference

Skoolaborate is a global initiative using a blend of technologies including blogs, online learning, wiki’s and ‘virtual worlds’ to transform learning.

The virtual learning space within Skoolaborate is secure and only accessible via invitation, and aims to provide engaging collaborative learning experiences for students aged between 13 and 18 years of age.

To find out more visit www.skoolaborate.com

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The project proved to be a very challenging endeavour for our students; however, this initial learning experience has prompted a continued involvement of learning using ‘virtual worlds’ within the Skoolaborate global school cluster. Dale Linegar from Victoria University is currently working with several Year 9, 10 and 11 students to re-create The Old Melburnians Memorial Hall in Second Life. Talented students Max Porritt, Josh Collard, Will Donohoe, James Howard, Ed Howard, Sam Scott, Harrison Fielding, Oliver Sims and several others, are currently building a 3D model of the Hall which will be capable of displaying virtual performances and concerts, allow people to ‘walk around it’ using touch screens, experiment with theatre concepts and so much more.

A video of the Make Poverty History Concert in Second Life was also made by MGS students and can be viewed here.

Alberto Rizzo eLearning Coordinator

Out & About

Ross House students lend a hand to pupils at Dixons Creek Primary School

Bushfire Response Committee Melbourne Grammar has been busy working on its community response to the February bushfires that affected so many people and communities in Victoria. Our Bushfire Response Committee decided to support a number of individual families and the Dixons Creek Primary School.

A relationship has been forged with the primary school at Dixons Creek and many activities have taken place. Earlier this year, students from Years 5 and 6 at Dixons Creek travelled to Grimwade House to participate in the Year 6 Leadership Conference. In May, the whole school spent a day at Grimwade. Students watched the final dress rehearsal of the musical Seussical and had swimming lessons with Grimwade staff, before enjoying a barbecue provided by Friends of Grammar Grimwade.

In the Senior School, Deakin House and Ross House students have organised activities and visited Dixons Creek Primary School to work with the students. Deakin House arranged a day of sporting activities and donated books and sporting equipment to the primary school. Ross House presented each student in the school with a canvas and supervised a painting session.

Student representatives from Ross House will return in Term III and each student’s canvas will be included as part of a large collage. Sally Smith, Acting Head of Deakin House, and Carolyn Walker, Head of Ross House, believe that the experience was beneficial not just for the Dixons Creek students but for MGS students who thoroughly enjoyed their time and the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the community.

We have set up a system of care coordinators to support individual families affected by the bushfires. This is being coordinated by Melbourne Grammar School’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Annie Hayward. A care coordinator has been assigned to each of the five families we are currently supporting. Care coordinators assist their families in a variety of ways. Assistance has ranged from baking treats for school lunches to organising for the delivery of a storage shed. The care coordinator system is working well and is part of our commitment to provide assistance for those affected by the fires for the next 12 to 18 months.

Click here for the latest Bushfire Response newsletter, including how you can help the families.

Polly Flanagan Director of Leadership Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Out & About Students make a stand for climate change On 17 May, St Kilda beach was transformed as a crowd of over 5,000 joined a Guinness Book of World Records attempt to spread a clear message about climate change.

Led by the Schools’ Sustainable Living Improvement Committee (SLIC), 15 students from Melbourne Grammar took part in the historic event helping to form part of a 350metre human sign, which read; ‘Climate change – our future is in your hands’. Significantly, the ‘Y’ was then removed to make the sign read ‘our hands’.

Event organisers, Locals into Victoria’s Environment (LIVE), which included Luke Cable (OM 1998), held the event in opposition to the Government’s minimum 2020 greenhouse target of a five per cent reduction in emissions from levels recorded in 2000.

Congratulations to the students who participated on behalf of the School.

MGS students proudly join in to voice their concerns about climate change on May 17 in St Kilda

Bruce House students learn a valuable lesson In Term I, five Bruce House students were invited to attend a Garden Party in support of their House Charity, Windana Drug & Alcohol Recovery. The students gave their support not as guests, but as waiters, providing an invaluable service to Windana on the night of their annual fundraiser.

At the event, Year 11 students Ed Allen, Josh Dunell, Michael How and Will Thompson, along with Frazer Woodhead of Year 12, were amazed to hear about the experiences of several guest speakers who had been part of the rehabilitation program. One in particular spoke candidly about the catastrophic effect drugs and alcohol had on his life and, now, his recovery process through Windana.

“Never before had I seen a grown man with such problems stand up and talk about it, in tears, in front of 150 people,” Will Thompson said. Will also noted that there was much more Bruce House and Melbourne Grammar can do to support charities like Windana. “They make the little we give go so far,” Will said.

To this end, Bruce House has begun discussing the possibility of hosting a black-tie fundraising dinner in the

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future. The House also intends to provide support for Windana’s proposed Yacht Race fundraiser, scheduled for early 2010.

As a thank you, CEO of Windana, Carol Nikakis, invited the boys to visit the Patron of the Charity and long-time supporter of Melbourne Grammar, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, at her Cruden Farm home. Dame Elisabeth was delighted to welcome the group and talk to the boys about their experiences at the charity event.

Bruce House has supported Windana Drug & Alcohol Recovery for the past five years, holding regular fundraisers like the Bruce House Breakfast on 30 April, which raised $800.

“Windana sees the relationship with Bruce House as important and productive and we see the opportunity to deliver important messages to our boys about drug and alcohol use,” said Head of Bruce House, Glenn Matthews.

For further information on fundraising opportunities please contact Glenn Matthews on 03 9865 7517 or visit www.windana.org.au.

Out & About Perry House Relay for Life 2009 For everyone who supports the Cancer Council’s Relay for Life at Albert Park each year, it is an opportunity to remember friends and family who have battled cancer and to encourage those who are continuing the struggle. To that end, the fundraising aspect is very important and Perry House is proud to have donated over $5,000 this year.

However, for the boys and staff of Perry House, the endurance aspect of the event is also a key component, and the House room shelves proudly show off the trophies won in past years for completing the most laps over the 24 hours.

The boys of Perry 2009 determined that they would continue this tradition, and under the excellent leadership of Captain Patrick Crosswell (11Py), the team ran 725 laps, 200 ahead of our nearest rival.

The Relay for Life took place on the weekend of 2 – 3 May, next to Albert Park Lake. It began in the most perfect weather conditions and there was a big crowd on hand to support the participants in the first lap, including cancer survivors and their carers. Perry was honoured to have Jane Thomas (mother of 2009 School Vice-Captain, Duncan Thomas) and Carolyn Walker (Head of Ross House) representing us.

Then the running began in earnest, and many of the 56 Perry boys and staff who participated took the opportunity to combine fundraising with fitness. Our leading individual runners, Mitch and Lachlan Hawkins, each completed 45 laps, with 13 Perry participants completing over 20 laps.

Kenneth Khoo (12Py) and Sam Wong (11Py) were honoured to complete the first lap alongside Carolyn Walker and Jane Thomas

The beautiful sunny day became a clear and bitterly cold night, but enthusiasm never waned as the special blue and white Perry baton kept going around and around the 350metre track. Special mention must go to the six boys who did the 12.30 – 6.30am ‘graveyard shift’: Wynn Chairote, Todd Alexander, Tim Dartnell, Bailey Iyanaua, Alan Somboba and Patrick Crosswell. Perry’s actual Head of House, Mike Shaw, even turned up for a guest appearance in the middle of the night and did seven very quick laps!

The event was a resounding success and we are very proud of our continuing association with it.

Tim Morris Acting Head of Perry House

The team from Perry House successfully completed 200 laps more than their nearest rival on the day

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Boarding The chance of a lifetime

Duncan has enjoyed many life-changing experiences as a boarder at Melbourne Grammar: from home on the farm, to tree planting in Papua New Guinea and School Vice-Captain in 2009

Going away to boarding school can be an enormously daunting prospect. The obvious factors of leaving your family and childhood friends are always going to be clearly evident, but what most boys find hardest are the things that they are not prepared for. Quite often these are the so-called ‘simple’ pleasures that we take for granted living at home, for example a favourite pet, your own pillow, even sibling rivalry as crazy as it may sound.

All these things are such a big part of a child’s life, but are rarely recognised until they are missing; having said that, they are not completely lost in a boarding house environment.

What a boarding house cannot replicate, it replaces with other

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positives such as sports facilities, 100 other boys of similar age to play the brother role and boarding tutors who are always there to help where they can with school work and any other problems a boy may have.

The experience of leaving home can differ with age and each age has unique needs. For me, coming to a boarding environment at the age of 13 could have been a monumental undertaking; however, having regular contact with home and the extremely close community that Creswick House provides, helped to minimise any feelings of homesickness and allowed me to foster friendships, which I will take with me long after my time in the bluestone.

Boarding

The reasoning behind me coming to Melbourne Grammar at such a young age is broad; firstly, I am an only child who grew up on the land. My routine after school was to get the bus home, get changed out of my uniform and go to see how I could help on the farm. Things like feeding stock, droving sheep, carting hay and fencing were everyday activities. At the time, my grandmother’s health was declining and she was progressively in need of more specialist treatment in Melbourne. This meant that my mother was spending a lot of her time here and simple tasks like taking me to sport training were becoming more and more difficult.

Under the guidance of Mr Moylan in Creswick, I found my place within the Melbourne Grammar community and started working towards improving my academic results to catch up to the MGS standard. In the summer holidays prior to Year 8, I received a phone call from Mr Wilhelm, then Head of Wadhurst, asking if I would accept the role of Vice-Captain of the middle school, which was not only a great honour but a huge surprise. Soon came the transition to Senior School and the freedom that came with it. There was now greater independence but also greater responsibility and trust given to us by the staff, especially within the boarding house.

Having been a boarder for two years by the time I reached the Senior boarding house meant that I was not the ‘new guy’. I understood the ropes and was able to enjoy meeting new people, rather than spending most of my time getting used to the routine at Melbourne Grammar.

There is no comparison between the life I have here in the boarding house and where I would otherwise have been.

My two closest friends at primary school (both off the land), left school in Year 11 to gain apprenticeships and if I had remained at home, I am sure I would have been tempted to do the same.

The education I have received at Melbourne Grammar has given me the opportunity to reach much higher levels than I could ever have envisaged. These academic privileges, along with those of music and sport, go hand in hand with the camps that are offered at MGS. Opportunities to tour Central Australia, gain my scuba qualification, sail a tall ship from Monkey Mia and visit Papua New Guinea would never have been available to me at home.

In my final year I can happily look back and say that I have a far greater understanding of Melbourne, Australia and in fact the world, thanks to the opportunities I have had here. I am sure that being part of the boarding community has helped me to develop as a person, far more than what would have otherwise been possible.

Duncan Thomas School Vice-Captain Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Staff Spotlight Glenn Matthews – Head of Bruce House

Most people believe that we all get 15 minutes of fame.

For Head of Bruce House, Mr Glenn Matthews, it was more like 15 seconds, but that doesn’t make his story any less remarkable. Here he speaks to Kate White, about his amazing journey through Asia and Europe in the late Eighties, which shaped his passion for teaching and included working as a movie extra on Good Morning Vietnam and hanging out with actor Robin Williams.

What was your plan when you set off?

My goal was simply to have a diverse experience. I was part-way through my degree and figured that once I started teaching I would become totally focused on it, so I wanted to explore the world first. It was 1986 and after hitchhiking to Darwin, I flew to Timor for $100. Unfortunately I contracted Malaria shortly after and went through ten days of suffering, losing about 1kg a day. I then headed off to Indonesia, Malaysia and up into Thailand.

How did you become a movie extra?

Around the tourist areas in Thailand there were advertisements looking for extras to work on films being shot on location. They usually needed a supply of ‘American’ looking men and essentially you just showed up and got fitted. It was quite funny, as we always tried not to get in front of the camera, because as soon as you did, that was the end of your movie work. So we spent all our time scurrying away from the continuity person. Hence I don’t feature too clearly in many of the films.

In Bangkok, I landed a role as an extra in Good Morning Vietnam and had the strange experience of standing with Willem Dafoe and Gregory Hines, who were surrounded by people signing autographs. The locals didn’t really know who was who, so I stood there signing autographs alongside those guys.

What was it like meeting Robin Williams?

He was very interesting, because he would talk to you normally until other people joined the conversation. Once they started listening Robin would change into performance mode. He was naturally witty, but actually seemed like a quiet type of person, until he switched into the other supercharged powerhouse personality, which was quite incredible.

You do feature in the movie Bat 21, what are you doing?

I was plotting a course on a map in the background, while Gene Hackman gave orders to other actors. It was very cool getting to know actors like Gene Hackman, Danny Glover and a fun guy called Jerry Reed, who turns up in movies with Burt Reynolds. I am still trying to work out why Gene Hackman decided to tell me all about his recent divorce.

The big names were housed in a luxurious hotel, while I was staying in a water village with a toilet that dropped straight into the South China Sea. So we often visited them and sat around the pool, just talking and carrying on. I became friends with one of the minor actors, Clayton Rohner, and we stayed in touch by mail for a few years.

[Clayton Rohner went on to star in TV favourites like Star Trek: The Next Gen, Murder One, Charmed, Angel and Weeds – Ed]

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Staff Spotlight Glenn Matthews – Head of Bruce House

What was the highlight of your trip?

Over three years there were a whole range of highlights. It is hard to differentiate between the most fun times, or wildest times, to the most stunning moments. One of the most stunning was being in Burma, overlooking the ancient city of Began which is home to about 4,000 temples. The sight stuck with me for a long time.

Calcutta was probably a turning point, the real watershed moment in my journey. I volunteered to be part of a medical clinic that was started by an Englishman called Jack Preger, who basically dedicated his whole life to the program. Every day for four months I assisted doctors and nurses and dressed wounds for people with diseases like leprosy and tuberculosis. I saw some things there you could not imagine coming from Australia. Yet there was a calm, happy dignity in these people who were really suffering terribly, in physical terms, which made a deep impression on me.

Calcutta is an amazing place with a rich, rich culture. In fact, I watched more arthouse Australian movies there than anywhere else I’ve ever been! They are also right into their literature, in a way Australians can barely even guess at. The whole place is just so full on, dynamic and fascinating. I think many people who spend time in Calcutta see it as a pivotal point in their lives.

How did the experience change you?

I saw first hand that the values people place on education, in places where it is hard to find, were just amazing. It leaves you with a profound sense of how lucky you are to be educated. I was a B-grade student beforehand, but when I came back I really had the ‘bit between my teeth’ and was soon achieving A’s. I completed my Honours and then a Masters Degree in International Relations, as I had developed a real thirst for that area. I worked hard to achieve things like getting my work published, which I had never really imagined before.

Do you think it has made you a better teacher?

No doubt. Having had exposure to and an appreciation of the depth of all those cultures, it certainly has. For example, if I meet a kid from Pakistan, I’ve been to his country and travelled from one end to the other. It has been really important.

What has been a highlight of your 12 years at Melbourne Grammar?

Probably becoming Head of Bruce House last year, which is great because you get to know the kids and their families in a much more personal way. It has given me the opportunity to become more a part of the School community, not just as a teacher. It is very rich and rewarding.

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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As it Happened…

Melbourne Grammar Burns – 1910 Taken from the Melburnian Vol XXXV No1, April 27 1910

“

A number of old boys and friends of the School did excellent service in removing from the walls of Big School the portraits of former Headmasters, and the honour boards, which are at once a valuable record of past achievements, and an inspiration to successive generations of schoolboys.

When the fire was extinguished, the staircase and all the interior fittings of the classrooms in the south-east corner, including floors, ceilings and furniture, had been destroyed.

Less serious damage was done in the upper and lower storeys of the South Eastern front. It is matter for congratulation that the Witherby Tower and the Big School on the one side and the Chapel on the other, were saved.

The Headmaster, who was residing at Upper Beaconsfield, visited the School immediately on receipt of the news. As only a fortnight remained before the reopening of the School after Christmas it was necessary to make immediate provision for temporary classrooms. Arrangements were made to erect four wooden classrooms in the quadrangle, to fit up a laboratory in the Lodge and to utilise the cricket pavilion and a room in the private house for teaching purposes.

The Headmaster's annual report presented on Speech Day, April 8th, contained the following remarks: "I take this opportunity to thank the members and friends of the School from different periods of its history who assisted at the fire by saving the honour boards and portraits and in other ways, or who sent messages of sympathy and offers of help. The reconstruction of the burnt block of building will give opportunities for the introduction of the most modern improvements in ventilation, lighting and heating.

“

Late in the evening of January 25th last, a serious fire broke out in the South Eastern part of the School buildings.

The cause of the fire remains a mystery, but its place of origin seems to have been the wooden staircase in the lobby at the eastern end of Big School. Before it was discovered it had spread to the upper classrooms, and to the row of studies on the ground floor nearly as far as the Witherby Tower. The watchman in the tower of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, at Eastern Hill, had already called out the firemen when the alarm was given by the St Kilda Road police, and by several civilians, including a member of the School, L. Phillips, who was one of the first on the scene. Chief Officer Lee, with seventy men and ample appliances, reached the School before eleven o'clock, and in about half an hour had got the fire under control.

Yesterday’s News Edition 37 of Grammar Newsletter, published in May 1989, contained an interview with new School Council Chairman, Ralph Ward-Ambler, in which Ralph paid tribute to his predecessor, Donald Cordner. He commented that Don had performed his duties “…not only with skill, but with humility and gentility and all those wonderful characteristics that he has, including lots of humour. Don is a very hard act to follow”.

Ralph also noted that advancing technology was making significant changes to the lives of students, stating: “Just to think that our HSC students carry calculators in their hip pocket more powerful than the Melbourne University computer in 1953 is just mind-blowing”.

[Two decades later, students can see a street view of downtown Tokyo, read the newspaper and even order pizza, with a device smaller than those calculators! Ed]

The News also reported that a design had been selected for the proposed Old Melburnians War Memorial Hall. Council approved the plans for the Hall to be built upon the existing tennis courts site “…so that it may be the centre of the life of the School”.

In OMs news, Cameron Daddo (OM 1983) had recently landed the lead role as Huckleberry Finn in the national production of Big River.

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

The Old Melburnians Council

Simon Derham

From the President As we move through 2009 there have been several major events that have taken place while The Old Melburnians Council continues to pursue the implementation of our fiveyear plan and work harder and closer with all groups of the Grammar Community.

Of course the most significant event has been the arrival of our new Headmaster Roy Kelley and his wife Ann. To say that Roy hit the ground running would be an understatement. His preparation for and attendance at not only School functions but Old Melburnian meetings, Branch and Reunion functions would have most OM Sporting and Affiliate Clubs wishing they had more players and members like Roy! On a more serious note, Roy has been gracious enough to attend several OM functions and events. The first being the annual ANZAC Day Service and Luncheon, which saw an excellent address given by Dr Ross McMullin (OM 1968).

This was followed up by attending the ’49 Year Leaver’s Reunion and the Bellarine Branch function, hosted by Brian Davie (OM 1952) and his wife Val. The real test came when the Head attended his first OM Council meeting, assisted

by Deputy Headmaster and Head of Senior School, Peter Tooke, at the Junction Oval and stayed for a joint OM/OMFC function to formally welcome him.

On a sad note, The Old Melburnians wish to acknowledge the passing of Dr Donald Corner, a truly giant OM and our sympathy goes to Moyle, Chris, Stephen and Jenny and the extended Cordner family.

Don had the most amazingly positive influence on all he met.

He will be sorely missed.

I would also like to report that Life Membership of The Old Melburnians was awarded to both Martin Rutherford and Reg Walsh, for their outstanding contribution to the School, and more specifically music at the School, over a long period.

As we move into the second part of the year, we continue to diligently work on our five-year plan and this will see the adoption and implementation of a new Constitution and By-laws. This will also see greater interaction with other members of the Grammar Community including meeting with The Grammar Foundation and The OM Lodge (Freemasons), which is planned for the third quarter of this year.

The single most important event on the OM calendar is the Annual Dinner on Friday, 31 July in the Members Dining Room at the MCG, with the address being given by Roy Kelley. A night not to be missed. Please click here to purchase your tickets.

The 150th celebrations might have been big, but I can assure you that the pace has not slackened.

See you at the Dinner!

Simon Derham President

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Old Melburnians at Home and Away A family affair at OMFC If you’ve been down to Junction Oval on a Saturday afternoon this season, there’s every chance you will have been seriously impressed by a lad named ‘Beauie’, marvelling at how many kicks, marks and handballs he racks up at both ends of the ground. Well don’t be fooled, Beauie can definitely play, but he has some help.

In 2009, Simon, Patrick, James, Jeremy and Toby Beaumont are all lining up for The Old Melburnians Football Club. It is a first for the Club and a proud moment for parents Peter and Anne, and sister Sarah, who we suspect spent a large part of her childhood umpiring footy grudge matches.

With Simon, Jeremy, Toby and James playing in the Seniors and Patrick pulling on the boots for the Club Eighteen, there’s bound to be a fair showing by the Beaumonts in the vote count later this year.

2. If your brother was playing for the opposition and had his head over the ball, would he be fair game?

TOBY: Absolutely!

JEREMY: Yep. All’s fair in love and war!

JAMES: Yeah I guess so. I’ve never played a competitive game against any of my brothers but it was no holds barred when we were younger!

PATRICK: Without a doubt.

SIMON: He would be fair game, but you always have the potential to physically hurt the opposition in football and if it came down to hurting them or not, I would take it a bit easy on them.

3. What would your mother say about that?

TOBY: “I can’t believe you got cleaned up by Toby.”

JEREMY: “I’ve never seen you do that before.”

Here the boys talk about what it means to play at OMFC together and who is the sorest loser.

JAMES: Mum’s probably the toughest out of any of us so I think she would be disappointed if we went easy on each other!

1. What do you remember about playing with your brothers growing up?

PATRICK: “You’re not very nice, Patrick.”

TOBY: Just always being the youngest and struggling to get a look in. The dining room sessions were always fun, but they generally ended up in tears.

JEREMY: The most vivid memory I have was playing in the street with James. We had a marking contest. If James marked it he got $2 and if I spoiled it I got the $2. After five ‘double or nothings’, James finally marked one. The next contest he marked it but fell on the road and broke his arm.

Luckily he forgot about the $2 I owed him, because that was a fortune to me at the age of seven.

JAMES: I just remember we used to play all the time. Out in the street, down at the park or in the dining room at home, we were always at it. I think we broke everything of Mum’s that was ever any good. Patty put his elbow through the wall once and we tried to hide it by sticking a piece of paper the same colour over the crack. It took Mum about three minutes to find it and crack some skulls.

PATRICK: Rather than the backyard, I remember footy games in the dining room of our house and breaking numerous vases around the room!!

SIMON: Always winning!! (I was five years older than the next brother). I also remember an intra-club game at Carlton where I played against (or with, I can’t remember) James.

I can’t remember too much about it other than James was flattened by Justin Murphy (I squared up for it five years later though…).

SIMON: I think that she’d be happy I wasn’t trying to hurt them, although I couldn’t be sure.

4. What does it mean to play for Old Melburnians FC all together?

TOBY: It’s fantastic! I have never really had an opportunity to play with any of my brothers and I’ve always looked up to them as footballers. I have really enjoyed running around the park with them.

JEREMY: It’s great. We’ve all played different levels of football but have always wanted to play together. To come together when the Club is on the up and try to win a premiership, with family and friends, is exciting.

JAMES: It is awesome. It just adds another dimension to playing when your brothers are out there. We all get on pretty well so it’s good spending a bit more time together too.

PATRICK: It means a lot to me. Because of the age difference between us all, it was never something I thought would be possible, but always thought would be pretty special if it happened.

SIMON: It’s great to have the opportunity to play with the other boys and something I thought would never happen (given that I retired four years ago).

5. Do you naturally look for your brothers on the field?

TOBY: I will say no, but I’m sure that on a subconscious level I would go to them.

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Old Melburnians at Home and Away Lieutenant Alexander Block (OM 2002) Australian Army, Darwin – Afghanistan

The Beaumont brothers pictured here on a cold, wet night at Junction Oval. From left: James, Jeremy, Simon, Patrick and Toby

JEREMY: I think I do. I know that if I kick it to any of them they will usually do something good with it.

JAMES: I probably should say no because my other teammates might get a little shirty, but I definitely do. It’s just an instinctive thing. You also want them to play well, so if you can help them get a kick then it’s all good!

PATRICK: Some more than others… (joking). As we’re mostly in different teams I haven’t actually played with any of them yet, but I’m sure I would do, if they provided a decent lead!

Lieutenant Block recently returned from an eight-month deployment in Afghanistan with the 2nd Cavalry Unit. He spends most of the year stationed in Darwin, but enjoys regular leave visits to Melbourne to see family and friends.

Luther Ellis (OM 2008) Orphanage Volunteer, Tanzania

SIMON: Occasionally you do (depending on which one it is), and at other times you naturally don’t (depending which one it is).

6. Who was the biggest sook growing up?

TOBY: Growing up with four other boys there wasn’t really much room for being sooky. Some people would get more worked up than others, but you would always have to put on a brave face.

JEREMY: No one really. I used to get pretty upset when I was too young to play with the older boys.

JAMES: I don’t think any of us were really sooks. I could get a little worked up back in the day though, so the other boys will probably say me!

PATRICK: I wouldn’t say any of us were sooks. Jimbo never took losing too well though…

SIMON: Toby.

7. Who do you think is the best player?

TOBY: All of the boys have been good at any level they have played at, and all excel in different areas: however, with Simon’s record, I think he probably takes the prize.

JEREMY: Simon JAMES: You would have to say Simon.

PATRICK: Ever: Simon. These days: Jimbo SIMON: Jeremy, he just can’t be bothered trying though…

I decided midway through Year 12 that I would defer from my studies and travel abroad. I chose to venture to Tanzania, in Eastern Africa, and do some voluntary work at an orphanage. I arrived in April and will continue to work here until mid-August, at which time I will travel south through Southern Tanzania and potentially neighbouring countries, until I find another project to assist with.

It has been a real eye-opener (as clichéd as that may sound).

There are 24 kids at the orphanage, aged from three to 13, only one of whom is HIV positive. They are all very willing to learn, yet can be a real handful as well. My role is to teach basic things such as the alphabet and how to count.

I feel very safe here in Moshi, which is a town dependent on the large number of Westerners who volunteer. Moshi is fairly developed considering that Tanzania is the ninth poorest nation in the world. I'm sure once I head south it will be a different story!

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

33

The Old Melburnians Football

The Colin Bell Club

The OMFC is enjoying a very successful start to the season.

The Club has wonderful depth which has allowed us to field a third Eighteen Team, coached by Erwin Leyden (B grade premiership coach of 2002). We now have five teams representing the Navy Blue and over 130 registered players.

We pride ourselves on providing a game for all, regardless of perceived ability; one club, five teams.

Named in honour of the master who reintroduced Rugby to Melbourne Grammar in 1957, the Colin Bell Club is a not-forprofit Association which enables former players and other members of the School community to maintain an interest in the welfare of the game.

To date the Club has not sought to field teams in the Victorian Rugby Union competition, but encourages school leavers to participate in the Rugby community, whether as players with civilian clubs or as coaches and administrators.

It is particularly pleasing that a large number of the Club’s members are presently assisting as coaches of the School’s Rugby teams.

The highlight of the Club’s social calendar is an Annual Dinner, generally conducted at the Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club. The Dinner is held to coincide with the visit by the national team, the Wallabies, for their annual test match in Melbourne. This year we were delighted that the recently appointed skills coach, Richard Graham, accepted our invitation.

Former players from the 1959 B Grade premiership relive the glory days at the reunion lunch in May

After 11 rounds our Senior team sits in second position with eight wins, our Seconds are undefeated on top of the ladder, as are the third Eighteen. The Under 19s are also on top, having dropped only one match. The Club Eighteen is sixth with five wins. This is a great set of results to date; however, the challenge will be to maintain this record as the season progresses. All players and coaches are to be congratulated on their achievements to date.

A recent highlight for the Club was the representation by one family of five boys playing on the same day. Simon, James and Jeremy Beaumont are in the Senior team, Toby in the Seconds and Pat in the Club Eighteen. It was a great day for the Beaumont family and a first for the Club (see page 32 for related story).

On 9 May, the 1959 B Grade premiership team held a reunion lunch at the Junction Oval. It was a great day with 120 people in attendance and some excellent recollections

by Coach Andrew Ramsden and Captain Bruce Church – wonderful memories and a very good attendance by team members. This celebration means a lot to the Club and we were grateful to be part of it.

Go OMFC. Andrew Ristrom President

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

We are also assisted greatly by ABC senior sports journalist and commentator, Jim Maxwell, or Roger Wills, who always ensure our guests are interviewed in a professional manner.

The Club is always keen to attract new members.

Please contact Jonathan Ramsden on 03 9819 6841 or 0419 526 202, or by email JR.Ramsden@hotmail.com.

Jonathan Ramsden

Golf Club A large contingent of Old Boys enjoyed a great day of competitive golf on the West Course at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club, on 21 July last year. We thank Royal Melbourne for assisting in a very well organised and enjoyable day on one of Australia’s best golf courses.

Results: Weigall Cup Best Four Ball: Richard Launder & Peter Daddo (+7) Jack Campbell Cup Best Handicap: Tom Seccull (Square) Reid Cup Best Scratch: David Temple Tartakover Cup Longest Drive: Conrad Spies Murray Peden Trophy Nearest the Pin: Brian List All Old Melburnians who wish to play in The Old Melburnians Golf Day on 27 July or the Public Schools Golf Day on 16 November, should contact Harvey Tartakover on (03) 8696 9109 or via email: harvey@tartakover.com.au.

Harvey Tartakover Chairman

The Old Melburnians Athletics The Old Melburnians Athletics Club (OMAC) has seen a huge resurgence over the past four years, increasing its membership ten-fold, to around 80 regular athletes.

OMAC competes in both Track and Field (summer) and Cross Country (winter) competitions, run by Athletics Victoria and the Associated Public Schools Old Collegians Amateur Athletic Association.

Victorian Champions U/18 4x400m – from left: Henry Hanlon, Adam Fegan, George Larsen and James Smith

Track and Field competition is where the Club truly shines.

The summer competitions see a plethora of OMAC athletes competing week in week out, with regular success. OMAC is a breeding ground for current MGS athletes and it has been great to see a number of recent OMs stay involved with the Club.

Some notable performances from recent OMs include Sam Baines (08), Australian record holder for the Under 18 110m Hurdles and ranked number one in the world; Henry Frayne (07), current Australian Under 20 Triple Jump record holder (16.58m) and represented Australia at the World Junior Championships in 2008; Ollie Wurm (07) current Victorian and Australian U/20 400m champion, recording a Club record of 47.62 seconds; Jordan Tunbridge (08) Victorian Champion in the U/20 High Jump for the past two years recording a personal best of 2.04m; George Rennie (OM 1959) silvermedallist at the Victorian Masters Games in the 1500m and 5000m; and Stephen Paine, who continues to record fantastic times in the APOSC Cross Country competitions, regularly placing and recently recording an amazing 11mins 48secs for the ‘tan’ at the Dyson Relays.

The 2009/10 Track and Field season kicks off in October and looks to be a very good one for the Club. If there are any old boys who are interested in rejoining OMAC, please visit the OMs Athletics Club website or contact Ms Paula Ransom at pmransom@mgs.vic.edu.au.

OMAC finished 3rd in Victorian Open 4x200m – from left: Ollie Wurm, Michael Hazel (Olympian 2000), Mark Ladbrook (Olympian 1996), Sam Baines.

Basketball This year has been exciting and busy for the Old Melburnian Basketball Club. The year began with formation of a new committee, headed up by Luke Travers (OM 2005) as Chairman. More recently we have fused two competitions in Waverley and at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

OMBC is now ready for new members, teams and supporters for the summer season ahead and beyond. Visit www.ombc.com.au for further details or contact Huw Jones if you are interested in competitive or social basketball at aitchjay4@gmail.com.

Huw Jones Secretary

Paula Ransom Club President Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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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:

21 March 2009 Sam Thomas (OM 1994) & Ineke Hay

21 March 2009 Allan Hamley (OM 1994) & Sophie Stephens

28 March 2009 Cavan Wee (OM 1997) & Jessica Liew

4 April 2009 Richard Davies (OM 1995) & Rachael Fortune

4 April 2009 Josh Dellios (OM 2000) & Emily Baird

25 April 2009 James Canty (OM 1995) & Clare Cameron

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John Arnold (OM 1958) sent us the following update: I retired from the United States Air Force in 1992 after nearly 28 years of service as C-130E pilot, C-12 pilot, MC-130E special operations pilot, test engineer and acquisition manager. I served in Taiwan, Vietnam, Australia and Zaire, with extended temporary duty in Thailand, Korea, UK, Germany, Turkey, Crete, Philippines, Diego Garcia and Korea. I attended the Australian Joint Services Staff College in Canberra in 1985. My state-side assignments were in Texas, Arizona, Ohio, California, Washington State, Florida, and finally Washington D.C. at the Pentagon, for my last seven years of service (living in Arlington and Fairfax, Virginia). My wife, Diane, worked as an Air Force civilian employee in the Pentagon for 19 years and was there on the day of the attack on 11 September 2001. Diane also worked for the State Department at the Embassy in Zaire and for two other agencies in the CubanHaitian refugee camps in Florida and Arkansas, so had over 22 years of government service, and on 9/11 was the Resource Manager for all the USAF test locations, facilities and aircraft. After retiring from the US Air Force in 1992, I worked for ANSER, a public interest research institute, in Arlington, Virginia, where I mostly worked on requirements, development, strategic planning and analyses of alternatives for the US Department of Defense and defence industry. In my years before retiring from ANSER in 1993, I supported

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Air Force Headquarters, Air Force Special Operations Command, United States Special Operations Command, Air Force Research Laboratory, Boeing Helicopters and Bell Textron. Most of my work involved Homeland Security, Counterterrorism, Special Operations, Emerging Technologies and Tilt-rotor applications and systems: such as the MV-22 and the CV-22 Osprey variants.

Diane and I both really enjoyed our work at this difficult time in history and were very involved in lots of fast moving activities. Our older daughter, Lori, and her husband Preston, work together in Neuroscience research and teaching at Indiana University in Bloomington. Lori began studies in August 2006 at Indiana University, for a Masters Degree in Business Management focussed on not-for-profit or public interest organisations. Our younger daughter, Lisa, is the top salesperson for a division of Snap-On Tools in San Diego in California and lives in Fairfax, Virginia with her former Marine husband, Allen and our two grandsons, eight-yearold Andrew, six-year-old Christopher and our fouryear-old granddaughter, Emma-Lynn. Allen was a ground support Equipment Technician in a Marine F/A18 Hornet attack squadron, and was just returning from a seven month deployment in Japan, when the attack on 11 September 2001 delayed their return. He has since served for seven months in Iraq.

Howard Dick (OM 1959) writes that he has recently retired from the University of Melbourne and will be

moving to live on Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, while maintaining honorary positions at the University of Melbourne and the University of Newcastle.

Richard Hogg (OM 1959) retired after 40 years in Information Technology, having run his own consultancy practice since 1992. Richard was awarded the Centenary of Federation Medal in 2001, for services to the Information Technology profession.

Richard is still active in the Australian Computer Society having been National President in 2002/2003.

John Turner (OM1959) writes that he has recently become Chairman of the not-for-profit organisation Whitelion. The organisation supports young people who are either in the Juvenile Justice System or are unable to live with their parents because of the threat of violence from within the home. Whitelion offers a positive role model/mentor and when ready, the organisation arranges employment for these young people. John says that it is extremely rewarding to see young people turn their lives around.

Mac Fergussen (OM 1959) writes that in 2008 he completed a Master of Technology research degree at RMIT University, on the topic of ‘The effect of residual alkali and laundry detergents on the light fading of reactive dyes’.

Mac received a gold medal from the Association of Dyers and Colourers in the United Kingdom for contributions to colouration technology and education within the colouration industry.

Community News Jeremy Gaylard (OM 1959) is the managing Director of GAP Agrifood Exports Pty Ltd, a major supplier of food products into Asia including meat, fruit and vegetables.

The company has offices in Jakarta Singapore and Saigon.

Douglas Bilson (OM 1959) writes that since retiring from the Occupational Health and Safety Authority in 1998, he has been actively campaigning on local issues in Port Melbourne and Lorne. As a Justice of the Peace he is regularly called on to witness documents and other items. Doug still retains business interests in Colac. He completes five or six ocean swims each summer and has completed 25 Pier to Pubs. Doug was until recently active in ocean racing for sailors with disabilities.

Peter Baxter (OM 1977) has over the years continued to play music and the viola.

Peter has expanded the number of instruments he can play to over 20, and has conducted a variety of bands and participated in teaching.

Jonathan Sharrock (OM 1984) writes that after a couple of years in Singapore and five and a half years of heading up the industrial business in Korea, he has been running a business in Egypt, since 2008. Jonathan is based in Cairo and happily married with two boys and says that life is good, ‘Humdulilah!!’

Chris Elstoft (OM 1986) is currently living in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is attached to the Australian Embassy, where he is Head of the Economic Section for

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on a posting for three years.

This comes after previous postings (since 2000), to Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby), Solomon Islands and Iraq. He is married with a four year old son, Lucas, who is at the International School in Jakarta. He would be pleased to see any OMs visiting Jakarta.

Stephen Paine (OM 1991) took the men’s championship title for the consecutive years at the Laguna Phuket International Marathon, on Sunday 14 June 2009. Paine crossed the 42 kilometre Marathon finish line in 02:39:23.

Michael Gregory (OM 1991) writes that he is Executive Officer in the Pacific Division at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Barton, Canberra, and was previously the Second Secretary at the Australian High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan, from 2005 to 2008.

Charles Hoskin (OM 1992) recently wrote: I graduated with a Bachelor of Business in 1996 and then completed a Master of Arts in Asian Studies, with a major in Chinese,

from Monash University in 1999. My career has since been focused largely around China. Initially I was employed in a variety of roles at the Australian Embassy in Beijing. I also worked for the Victorian Government in Melbourne in 2004-05, managing Asia oriented export facilitation programs and returned to China in late 2005, to pursue a career in the private sector. My recent experience has been with a small IPR consultancy based in Shanghai, managing anti-counterfeiting investigations for Fortune 500 clients. During this time I also gained the requisite qualifications to become a registered Australian Trade Marks Attorney. In February 2009, I commenced my current role as Senior Brand Protection Manager for Unilever China, responsible for directing the company's brand protection efforts across the Greater China region. I am married and my wife and I are now planning to start a family.

Obituaries

Aaron Thomas (OM 2005) Budding chefs and reality televsion enthusiasts may have recently seen the television cooking show MasterChef Australia on the Ten Network. One of the top twenty contestants was Aaron Thomas. Aaron was eliminated from the contest, but has been offered an apprenticeship with one of the judges, George Calombaris, who runs the acclaimed restaurant, The Press Club, on Flinders Street. We wish Aaron all the very best with his new career.

McKenna, M (Past Parent)

The School has learnt of the following deaths in our community.

Our sympathy and understanding is extended to their family and friends.

Ballinger, N (Past Staff) Beattie, B M (OM 1949) Bolton, S W (OM 1969) Braddock, H P (OM 1932) Brett, P M (OM 1936) Carlin, D J (Current Parent) Coggins, W M F (OM 1962) Colquhoun. G J (OM 1943) Cordner, D P (OM 1939) Dyson, P J (OM 1945) Graham, B W (OM 1935) Guy, A R (OM 1934) Hallo, R E (OM 1958, Past Staff) Harris K E (Past Staff) Harris, P J W (OM 1934) King, J B (OM 1925) Robertson, J (Friend of the School)

Mellahn, J B B (OM 1940) Miller, I D (OM 1968) Newman OBE, S F (OM 1933) Nicholas, M G (OM 1958) Nicholson, J C (Friend of the School) Poulton, J M (OM 1941) Trinca AO OBE, G W (OM 1939) Trim, P R (OM 1966) Vague, I W (OM 1976) Warford-Mein, D P (OM 1939) Warnecke, G R (OM 1945) Watts, R H (OM 1940) Young, B (OM 1939)

Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Branches & Reunions Honorary Life Membership Presentation 1

Former Director of Music Martin Rutherford receiving his Old Melburnians Honorary Life Membership from the President of The Old Melburnians Simon Derham (OM 1973)

1969 40 Year Reunion 2

Malcolm Kennedy and Ralph Wollner at the 1969 40 Year Reunion in the Luxton Dining Hall

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Robert Porter and Michael Hawkins

1999 Ten Year Reunion

Grammar Foundation AGM 7

Bruce Parncutt (OM 1968) and Theo Nelson (OM 1953)

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President of The Grammar Foundation Lloyd Thomas with Past President Geoff Hone (OM 1962) and Philip Kennon QC (OM 1964)

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Libby Cousins, Geoff Handbury AO (OM 1942), Jim Cousins AO (OM 1962) and Foundation Board Member, Penny Fowler

Bellarine Community Function 10 Host Brian Davie (OM 1952) with the Headmaster Roy Kelley and OMs Council member John Whittington (OM 1979)

4

Benjamin Anderson and James Wilson

11 Past member of staff John Thwaites (OM 1943) with the President of The Old Melburnians Simon Derham (OM 1973)

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Amber Stanley, Genevieve Barnes, Chloe Wiesenfeld, Olivia Dobrzanzki and Elise Gourlay

12 Bellarine Branch Convenor Peter Ansell (OM 1976) with host Val Davie and Helen Thwaites

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Tim Nathan and Christopher Turnbull

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Friends of Grammar Senior School

Guests enjoyed lunch at Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s Cruden Farm estate

Term II heralded in a new Headmaster and we have enjoyed welcoming Roy and Ann Kelley to the School. It has certainly been a full term and their presence has been well and truly felt across the vast array of activities the School offers.

As is usual with Friends of Grammar, there have been many coffee get-togethers and the Year 10 and 11 Cocktail parties were most convivial. Our appreciation and thanks go to those families who opened their homes so generously for these functions.

Our treat for the Term was a day bus trip visiting the McClelland Art Gallery and Sculpture Park, Langwarrin, which included a talk by gallery director, Robert Lindsay. We then travelled to nearby Cruden Farm to visit the cherished garden of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, where we lunched in the stone stables and explored her private garden, which has been nurtured and shaped by Dame Elisabeth for more than eight decades. We were further delighted to have her come to meet us and draw the raffle. All in all it was an uplifting and thoroughly pleasurable day.

Funds from such days are put to good use. We are delighted to provide continued support for the Bursary program and have contributed to the purchase of lion, gibbon and tarsier skeletons. In conjunction with FOG Wadhurst, we also supported the initiative for students to design and build a solar car with reusable parts for the annual Model Solar Vehicle Challenge competition at Scienceworks. We wish the team every success in this year’s October competitive race. Again in conjunction with Wadhurst, the reading area of The Nigel Peck Centre for Learning and Leadership will be decked out with comfortable lounge furniture to seat 20, encouraging readers to linger longer. Supper was also provided for the Mid-year Music Concert.

During the term, the Gear Box Gallery at Motor Works exhibited Daniel Dorrell’s Labyrinthian model and Vera

Tania Broughan helps Dame Elisabeth Murdoch draw the raffle

Moller’s ‘fictitious creations that mimic real plants’. The portal provides links to give information of Gear Box Gallery exhibitions. The kiosk at Flack Park continues to do a marvellous job of providing healthy tucker to hungry, sporty boys. The Swap Shop for second hand uniforms is flourishing and assisting communities as far away as Papua New Guinea and Cambodia.

In Term III, the Come Together Dinner Dance will be held in The Memorial Hall on Saturday 29 August. Term IV will culminate in our all School event on the Main Oval on Friday 20 November. MGS talent will rock and roll us into summer with ‘Bluestone Beach’. Tickets for these events will be readily available on the portal.

We hope you will continue to find many occasions to mingle and enjoy. The contribution and participation of all those who generously give their time is enormously appreciated. If you care to lend a hand or have suggestions please contact me on 0408 510 961 or Judith Mein, Development Coordinator, at the Lodge on 03 9865 7682.

Annie Cleaver President, FOG Senior School

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Friends of Grammar Wadhurst

Grimwade House

Kerrie Schoeffel, Annabel McFarlane and Lisa Everingham volunteer their support during the Wadhurst Breakfast

Elise Ashley, Di O’Sullivan, Andrew Boyd, Roy Kelley and Lee Darroch enjoy the Possum Cloak Ceremony

There’s always a great sense of occasion at the Annual Wadhurst Family Breakfast and this year was no exception.

Hosted by Head of Wadhurst, Greg Caldwell, Friends of Grammar Wadhurst (FOGW) and our Year 7 and 8 Class Reps on the second last day of Term II, a record 300plus families and teachers managed to find a spot in the Wadhurst Hall and had a lot of fun. It was a huge team effort and thanks to everyone who contributed so kindly.

I sat down to begin this report and had to reflect on how quickly this term has passed. Members of the FOG Grimwade Committee have all worked tirelessly to keep the feeling of community very high and and enhance the term with social functions.

The last couple of months have also seen a flurry of activity with Discover Wadhurst Day, House and Year-level coffee mornings, the Year 7 parents ‘Signature Sandwich Lunch’ and the Year 8 parents ‘Winter Warmer Lunch’.

Many thanks to Pan and Gary Pendergast, Mayra Figgins, Anna and Andrew Permezel, Nicola and Ian Minchin and Katie and Mark Rothfield for opening their homes to us.

The Wadhurst Mother’s Day stalls received a huge response from the boys and it was great to see them choosing their own special gifts for mum.

Thanks to Cathy Burke, Mandy Rethus, Sophie Gardiner and Lisa Hall for sourcing the gifts and to everyone who helped on the days.

We look forward to organising this Term’s events, which will include the Father’s Day stall and the Wadhurst Father-Son Trivia Night, to be held on 3 September.

The Class Representatives are very busy organising various functions for their respective classes. All year level functions have now been held, with high numbers in attendance. The feeling of community has been very obvious as the functions always seem to go far beyond the allocated time.

We held the annual Mothers’ Day Stall, which was as always a truly engaging day. All the children come armed with their money to buy a gift for their much loved mothers. I feel that this is a service to our school community that is greatly appreciated by the parent body, and this is obvious by the number of volunteers who man the stall every year.

Children and parents from Dixons Creek Primary School visited Grimwade House in May to see dress rehearsals of the musical Seussical. After the performance, FOGG supplied the children with a sausage in bread, drink and an icy-pole.

This was a lovely event to be involved in.

FOGG has also enjoyed meeting with Roy and Ann Kelley and seeing Roy’s presence in the School. We welcome them into the Grimwade family and know that the children are very enthusiastic about Roy’s classroom visits.

Susie Immurs President, FOG Wadhurst

Tribute to Chris Briscoe 30·8·50 – 17·6·09 Melbourne Grammar School and Friends of Grammar would like to pay tribute to Chris Briscoe for his outstanding voluntary creative contribution to so many MGS events across Grimwade, Wadhurst and Senior School. Chris, a former Adelaide Scotch Collegian, designed, named and illustrated The Big 150, Audience with the Queen and the Merry Grammar Fest logos, amongst others. Chris passed away suddenly on 17 June and will be sadly missed.

As always, I would like to thank Andrew Boyd for his continued support of all that we do. Thank you to the office staff and teaching staff at Grimwade House who are all very appreciative and make our time on committee a joy. Last, but by no means least, thank you to the 13 girls who make up the FOGG Committee. It hardly seems a chore when we have so much fun.

Di O’Sullivan President, FOG Grimwade Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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Community Diary Dates & Notices

The Old Melburnians’ War Memorial Hall, Saturday 29 August 2009, 7pm ‘till late, click for more information or for tickets

School Tours Wadhurst »» »» »» »»

Boarding Precinct

July – Thursday 23 at 9.15am August – Tuesday 18 at 9.15am October – Tuesday 13 at 9.15am November – Tuesday 10 at 9.15am

Senior School »» »» »» »»

July – Wednesday 29 at 9.15am August – Wednesday 26 at 9.15am October – Thursday 8 at 9.15am November – Tuesday 17 at 9.15am

Bookings are essential and may be made with the Admissions Secretary on 9865 7570.

Tours of the boarding precinct are organised on request. To make a booking call the Admissions Secretary on 9865 7570.

Grimwade House Small group tours of our coeducational junior campus are held on a regular basis.

Further information and bookings can be made by contacting the Grimwade House Office on 9865 7800.

Grimwade House Open House is scheduled for Thursday 20 August from 9.15am to 11am.

Remembering C. A. Bell Remembering

mar School 3

Remembering C.A.Bell

C. A. Bell

A biography of C.A. Bell will be released in August 2009. The publication has been funded

by Cranbrook School, the Old Cranbrookians Association and Melbourne Grammar School.

While the book covers Mr Bell’s life from his birth and early education to his death in 1988, its main focus is his teaching of English in the two schools where he spent over 40 years.

He was also the first resident master of Rawson House at Cranbrook and an outstanding coach of Rugby at both schools. This is one of the few biographies published in Australia of a schoolmaster below the position of headmaster.

Colin Aubrey Bell, M.A. (Syd.) was one of the most outstanding teachers of English in Australia in the twentieth century. He was also a great coach of Rugby Union football.

At Cranbrook School from 1932 to 1956 he was officially the third ranking schoolmaster after the Headmaster and the Senior Master. In practice he was the most important and influential Cranbrook schoolmaster after the Headmaster during the entire period from 1940 until 1956. His greatest years were between 1940 and 1950 when Brian W. Hone was Headmaster. They formed a formidable team.

He followed Sir Brian Hone to Melbourne Grammar School in 1957, and he and Hone again became a powerful team. In his final five years at MGS he was the Senior Master, effectively the Deputy Headmaster, although he never used that title. He retired in 1973 and died in 1988.

The justification for rekindling interest in Colin Bell is to celebrate the life of a schoolmaster whose influence upon those who benefited from it was profound. Like many great assistant schoolmasters in Australian independent schools in the last century, there is no record of his work other than in the consciousness of those who came under his spell. A small group of Old Cranbrookians who were taught by Mr Bell in the nineteen fifties decided to rectify this omission before the chance was lost forever. They were joined by a former Deputy Headmaster of Melbourne Grammar School.

Remembering C.A.Bell is the result.

Many will be interested to read about the 25 years of the close association and influence Colin Bell enjoyed whilst working with Mr B W (later Sir Brian) Hone first at Cranbrook and then at Melbourne Grammar. He was the Deputy Headmaster of Melbourne Grammar when he retired in 1973, although he used only the title of Senior Master.

Special features of this limited edition book, which contains many photographs, are memories of Colin Bell by almost 100 Old Cranbrookians, Old Melburnians and former masters, as well as two chapters containing writings by Mr Bell himself.

Front cover photo

MALCOLM DAN

IAN RUTHERFORD DAVID CASTLE

Colin Bell and Brian Hone (l. to r.) in characteristic pose in front of the Cranbrook Rotunda about 1947. Bell worked for Hone for twenty-five of Hone’s thirty-one years as Headmaster of Cranbrook and Melbourne Grammar. They formed such a formidable team it is hard to think of one without the other.

The book launch will be held in The Nigel Peck Centre for Learning and Leadership at Melbourne Grammar School on Tuesday, 11 August 2009 To download your invitation or an order form click here

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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

Community Diary Dates & Notices Community Dates & Events JULY

FRIDAY 31

AUGUST

FRIDAY 7

SEPTEMBER

FRIDAY 11 FRIDAY 11

OCTOBER

THURSDAY 8 FRIDAY 16 FRIDAY 30

NOVEMBER

FRIDAY 20

2009

The Old Melburnians’ Dinner — Melbourne Cricket Club 1984 Twenty Five Year Reunion — Clarendon Hotel Community Business Lunch — 401 Collins Street 2004 Five Year Reunion — Clarendon Hotel Bluestone Lunch OMs 1930-1959 — Royal South Yarra Tennis Club 1989 Twenty Year Reunion — Royce Hotel 1994 Fifteen Year Reunion — Clarendon Hotel 1979 Thirty Year Reunion — Royce Hotel

Notice of 2009 Annual General Meeting of The Old Melburnians (ACN 004 199 580) The 2009 Annual General Meeting of The Old Melburnians Society will be held at 6.00pm on Tuesday 10 November 2009 in the Ricketson Room, Melbourne Grammar School, Domain Road, South Yarra.

Agenda: 1. To receive and consider the financial report and the report of the directors and of the auditor for the financial year ended 31 July 2009.

2. To elect directors.

3. To elect office bearers.

4. To consider, and if thought fit, pass the following resolution as a Special Resolution: “That the Constitution tabled at the meeting and signed by the Chairman of the Meeting for the purposes of identification, be adopted as the Constitution of the Company in place of the present Constitution (Articles of Association) adopted 26 November 1990, with effect from the close of the meeting.”

5. Any other business.

Nominations for suitably qualified OM Life Members to be elected to the Council are invited. Nomination forms will be available from the OMs web site and completed nominations must reach the Honorary Secretary by Tuesday 13 October 2009. A list of nominations received will be made available on the OMs web site prior to the AGM. OM Life Members are entitled to appoint a proxy (who must also be a OM Life Member) to attend and vote on their behalf.

Proxy forms will be available from the OMs web site and must reach the Honorary Secretary by Sunday 8 November 2009.

An important item of business at the meeting will be for the members of the Society to consider, and if thought fit, pass a resolution for the adoption of a new Constitution of the Society. Substantial changes have been made to the Constitution, which was last amended in 1990, to simplify it and allow for current technology (eg email, web sites) and community expectations (eg current governance best practice). A copy of the proposed Constitution will be made available on the OMs web site in October for consideration by the members.

John Whittington Honorary Secretary Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News

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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 ABN 61 004 453 829