To the centenary and beyond

Kelly Southworth, Editor

In the lead-up to Carey’s centenary next year, Torch spoke with Chair of the Carey Heritage Committee (CHC) and member of the Centenary Book Committee (CBC), Carolyn Apostolou (1996), and former Chair of the CBC and CHC and current member of the CHC, David Morgan OAM (1961).

What is next for the CHC, post-centenary?

Carolyn: At the moment we’re working on a booklet recognising all the sporting achievements of the Carey community, and we’re hoping to have that ready for the centenary sports dinner on 20 October next year. Moving forward, we’ll be working hard helping Helen Wolff with the archives and the Heritage Trail. That’s going to be a walk around the Kew campus with insights into the history of certain buildings or interesting moments that took place around Carey. It’s a great experience we can give to the School and future visitors. But the future is evolving and we need to run with the ideas that the School has for us and the members on the committee have too.

What does the centenary mean to you?

David: The centenary means a great deal to me. I began at Carey in Year 7 in 1956, matriculated in 1961, and returned as a member of staff in 1974. I was also a member of the OCGA Council and Chair of the CHC until 2021 and Chair of the CBC until this year, so I suppose I never really left. There is a feeling of continuity, and, although 100 years is an arbitrary number, there is a sense of this being a real milestone.

C: I started in Prep in 1983 and for about the past 12 years I’ve been working as a casual relief teacher at the School. More recently, I chaired the Carey Medal Committee and now am the Chair of the CHC, so I feel very connected to the School! I wouldn’t miss the 100-year celebration, even if I wasn’t so involved. I’m looking forward to seeing the community embracing the celebrations, and the launch of the centenary history book, Torchbearers by Helen Penrose.

What was your contribution to the centenary history book?

D: It was a great pleasure and privilege to serve as Chair of the CBC. The committee was chosen from various periods of the School’s history, each member with a special knowledge and expertise covering the entire period of its existence – except, of course, for the first 30 years. However, these were probably the most extensively recorded: the school had far fewer activities in the early days, and there was scope for detailed reporting in the Chronicle.

C: I loved reading the drafts and seeing the book come together. It was fascinating to learn about different aspects of the School and events from before I was a student. The CHC predominantly worked on accuracy in the staff lists and collected many of the oral history interviews over the years.

Any favourite stories or discoveries from Helen’s research?

C: I have so many vivid memories from my time at Carey so the different perspectives were really valuable. When I was a student, I was heavily involved in music. What I didn’t realise was that the principal at the time, Ross Milliken, had a music background and is really known for lifting the profile of and bringing about more music here at this school.

D: There are many fascinating stories, but the real eye-opener was the meticulous research and outstanding historiography that accompanied them. I had never seen a professional historian work close up before and I learnt a great deal about the process. The title also shows a stroke of genius. Helen insisted on Torchbearers, not The Torchbearers, to imply that every member of the Carey community is a torchbearer, carrying responsibility, delight and pride in playing a part in the story.

Celebrating the people of sport at Carey

The CHC is seeking your sporting memories (including photos and footage) or knowledge of any significant sporting achievements from your time at Carey and beyond, such as Carey staff or alumni who have participated in the Olympic or Commonwealth Games, represented their state or country, broke a record or anything of that nature. Please share them with us at communityengagement@carey.com.au