Grammar News No 132 June 2020

Grammar News

Issue 132 June 2020

Grammar News

What you might have missed

About this issue

The 131st edition of Grammar News, published at the end of Term I 2020, was in digital only format.

This is an unusual edition of Grammar News due to our unusual times. There was a shift to an off-campus learning program for 77 days earlier this year, and many of our usual School activities were cancelled or postponed.

To view this edition visit news.mgs.vic.edu.au HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: Meet Mr Philip Grutzner • Year 6 students interview our new Headmaster • Mr Grutzner reflects on the opportunities and challenges ahead Old Melburnian profiles • Retired Supreme Court judge, The Hon Hartley Hansen QC AM (OM 1960), highlights the importance of contributing to the community.

• Former Senior Choristers, Timothy Reynolds (OM 2001) and Max Riebl (OM 2009), talk about their lives as professional singers, and give an exclusive performance for Grammar News

It has given us the opportunity to do something a little different. The magazine focuses on big ideas – from Old Melburnians, teaching staff and others.

Some news stories do appear, but perhaps not as many as might normally be included. The balance is likely to return to normal when our world is back to normal.

In addition, this is the first edition with our new look.

I hope you enjoy reading this ‘new and unusual’ 132nd edition of Grammar News.

Wendy Lawler Editor

2019 Results and Destinations • Read about Melbourne Grammar’s outstanding 2019 VCE results • Meet the six students who attained the perfect ATAR of 99.95, as well as other students achieving success in their fields of endeavour.

Do we have your email address?

The next edition of Grammar News, to be published at the end of Term III, will be in a digital only format. We need your email address to be able to send it to you.

To update your contact details Contact the School Reception +61 3 9865 7555 mgs@mgs.vic.edu.au or visit mgs.vic.edu.au/update-details

On the cover A snapshot of Melbourne Grammar School’s offcampus learning program which commenced on Monday 23 March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in Prep and in Years 1, 2, 11 and 12 returned to on-campus learning on Tuesday 26 May 2020. Students in Years 3 - 10 returned on Tuesday 9 June 2020.

Grammar News aims to connect our School community with our initiatives and activities, present news about our Old Melburnians, and explore the ideas that are shaping our School and leading us towards new ways of thinking.

Free to School community members, Grammar News is published four times a year, at the end of each School Term – digital only at the end of Terms I and III, with print and digital editions at the end of Terms II and IV. For further information and to provide feedback: newsletter@mgs.vic.edu.au news.mgs.vic.edu.au

Issue 132, June 2020 Contents 04 From the School Council 05 From the Headmaster

FEATURES

20 Queen’s Birthday Honours

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34 From the Old Melburnians

What if we did it differently?

Meet four Old Melburnians whose big ideas are shaping our world

35 Obituaries 36 Featured artwork

ARTICLES 14 Initiatives that helped us stay connected 16 The Understanding Map 17 Prioritising education 18 A unique school association fosters global connections 20 Class of 2019 update 21 Reconcilliation Week 32 Connections across time through sporting prowess

ONLINE EXTRAS View more at the Grammar News digital site news.mgs.vic.edu.au Video: Andrew Michelmore AO, Chair of Council Stories, videos and galleries: Initiatives that helped us stay connected Student speeches: Reconciliation Week

Top: Richard Tonkin (OM 1961) Middle left: Associate Professor Kirsten Perrett (OM 1993) Middle right: John Tass-Parker (OM 2006) Right: Emeritus Professor Bob Officer AM (OM 1957)

22 Challenging the norm Melbourne Grammar staff present thought provoking explorations

28 Celebrating generosity We honour 25 years of patronage by Witherby Tower Society members Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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FROM THE SCHOOL COUNCIL

Recognising leadership in a time of change

I

am honoured to take up my role as 13th Chair of Melbourne Grammar School Council. As a student at the School, I benefited greatly from the opportunities offered to me, as did my three brothers and the seven other family members who have attended since. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to give back to the School that gave me so much.

Andrew Michelmore AO

About Andrew Michelmore AO Andrew Michelmore AO (OM 1970) is a leading figure in the global mining sector.

He also chairs several notfor-profit entities. A Rhodes Scholar, Andrew has won rowing gold for Australia at an international level.

To read more about Andrew Michelmore and to watch a video in which he explains the role of the School Council, his future focus and his longstanding connections to the School, visit news.mgs.vic.edu.au SEARCH: ‘Michelmore’

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2020 has certainly presented challenges to which our School community has risen. Our educational, financial and operational strengths have allowed us to deliver a fine off-campus learning program during the COVID-19 crisis. We were also able to offer all families a tuition fee discount in Term II, and waive boarding fees for the period of Boarding House closure. During a time of intense change, teaching and general staff have continued to provide an exemplary educational experience for all students, and build and support our community.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognise the astute and careful governance of the School by my predecessor, Mr Michael Bartlett (OM 1973) who retired from School Council in May 2020. Michael completed a 12-year term on Council, which is the maximum available under the Constitution, the past five as Chair. Working together with former Headmaster, Mr Roy Kelley, and then current Headmaster, Mr Philip Grutzner, along with Mr John Jesson, Director of Finance & Administration, as Chair, Michael placed the School in an enviable position in terms of its ability to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

An exemplary leader, Michael’s many contributions to the School also include cementing a cultural shift within the Bluestone to create a more diverse, inclusive and safe place for everyone, regardless of their heritage, gender or sexual orientation. Michael and former Headmaster Roy Kelley created an environment well ahead of the requirements defined by legislation that met the evolving norms and expectations of the community. This work included joining the National Redress Scheme and devising a practical, child-first approach to Child Safety in the School.

Michael’s support extended beyond the immediate demands of Council. He served on a range of important School groups over the years including the Investment Management Committee, the Finance & Audit Committee, the Melbourne Grammar School Foundation Board and the Witherby Tower Society Committee.

Of course, the above is only a very limited overview of Michael’s impact on Melbourne Grammar. More than all this, Michael was, and is, a gentleman in the true sense of the word. Calm, considerate and conciliatory, Michael brought honour and enthusiasm to each of his roles.

On behalf of the entire School Council, I thank Michael for his dedicated service over many years.

As incoming Chair, I look forward to supporting the School on its continued path of honouring tradition, responding to change, and achieving success in all fields.

Andrew Michelmore AO Chair of Council

FROM THE HEADMASTER

Beyond resilience: building a culture of big ideas

T

he past few months of rapid change and uncertainty have definitely offered our students the opportunity to build resilience.

Resilience is important, but it is only part of what we need to truly thrive.

There are times when we need to push beyond the boundaries we are presented with, rather than simply operate within them. When we are able to imagine an entirely new approach to a given challenge, we create big ideas that can reshape our world.

Big ideas are those that transform societies, physical landscapes and our own understanding of ourselves.

Some are powerful at a local level, changing the way a workplace or a sporting club operates, or the way we manage our daily routines.

Others create broad, even global, transformation. Whether our ideas apply to a whole population or just to the people we’re most familiar with, they redefine who we are.

Philip Grutzner

We want Melbourne Grammar School students to have the capacity and inclination to develop big ideas, following the example of many Old Melburnians before them. These are people who have made significant contributions to our political, legal and financial systems, been responsible for extraordinary scientific and medical breakthroughs, and much more.

This is what we want for our students – the confidence and capability to think beyond stereotypes, the norm and the obvious.

This magazine highlights just a few of these Old Melburnians who are shaping our culture and ways of thinking.

Creating an environment where this kind of thinking is natural and expected begins on day one at Melbourne Grammar School. It relies on the work and guidance of skilled teachers who can inspire exploration and creativity. During my time as a Melbourne Grammar student, my teachers fostered interests that became my passions later in life. They also welcomed the hard questions when it came time for me to ask them. Today, our School culture is still defined by staff who value and respect big ideas, some of whom are also included in this magazine.

Beyond the classroom, the sense of thoughtful discovery that permeates each campus is encouraged through cocurricular activities. These include debating, our Community Speaker Series, community service and many other tailored academic enrichment programs. Importantly, the notion that our students walk alongside others, not in front or behind, has a role to play. In or outside the classroom, big ideas must be communicated with empathy, patience and understanding.

All these factors are part of building a culture where students can move beyond the predictable to explore the possible. Sustained by the energy of our wonderful students, staff and community, I look forward to seeing how our current generations of students shapes the future of all of us.

Philip Grutzner Headmaster

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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OLD MELBURNIAN

From Perry House to NASA launch

Australis OSCAR 5, 1966-1970

E

xperimentation, curiosity and a healthy disregard for naysayers were key themes when Mr Richard Tonkin (OM 1961) spoke to Melbourne Grammar students about the unlikely team that built Australia’s first satellite.

While parts of Australia’s space race story have been told, few would know that our first satellite was built by an enthusiastic team of students from the University of Melbourne who sourced many of its parts through donations from local businesses.

“There were about a dozen of us in our late teens and early twenties,” Mr Tonkin told students at his February presentation. “We thought, ‘Well, why not?’ As you’ll find out, when you’re that age, there’s nothing you can’t do.”

Mr Tonkin, a former Perry House boarder and now a family lawyer with a career spanning 40 years, was the only member of the team without a background in science or maths. What he offered was a passion for space exploration first sparked during his time as a Melbourne Grammar student.

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Melbourne Grammar School

“My life changed dramatically in 1957 when the Russians launched the first satellite, Sputnik,” he told the students.

“On the night of 5 October 1957, our Housemaster took us up to the top of the hill where the Shrine of Remembrance is located and told us to look up at the sky where we’d see a faint light passing. Sure enough, there it was. As an impressionable 14-year-old, I became fascinated with space from that moment.

I followed all the launches and my parents subscribed to a space magazine for me – I was hooked.”

Mr Tonkin’s presentation included photos of the actual components used to create the satellite, dubbed Australis Oscar 5, along with hand-drawn diagrams used in its planning. He also shared a photo of the team standing on a University of Melbourne rooftop in 1967, preparing to launch a weather balloon.

“Air traffic control was rather more relaxed back then than it is today,” Mr Tonkin explained. “For one of our launches, they told us to wait until after we saw the 747 from San Francisco come over the horizon.”

“We’d attached notes to the balloons that said: ‘This is not a UFO. Please ring this number and we will come and retrieve it.’ We had quite a few farmers ring us, and we also lost quite a few balloons.

That was part of the deal.”

Once the team’s satellite was built and tested – using facilities including an oven in the student quarters – next came the question of transporting it to the United States where it could be launched by NASA. “We were impoverished students, so we asked the then University of Melbourne Chancellor, Sir Robert Menzies, if he could fund a couple of tickets to America,” Mr Tonkin said. “He had two return tickets for us the next day.

Sir Robert became our hero after that.”

The satellite was delivered to NASA in a hand-painted box that read: ‘God Save the Queen’.

After the team returned to Australia, they spent a nervous period waiting for news. Meanwhile another satellite, created by Australia’s Weapons Research Establishment (now the Defence Science and Technology Group), was launched, making Australis Oscar 5 the first Australian satellite built, but the second launched. “It went into orbit on 23 February 1970 and lasted about six weeks until the battery was exhausted although, because of the height of its orbit, the satellite is expected to stay in space for another 100,000 years,” Mr Tonkin said.

Mr Tonkin left students with a strong message to believe in their ideas, even when faced with opposition. “People told us: ‘You’re mad. It can’t be done. Get on with your studies. Don’t be silly.’ But the moral of the story is, if people tell you that you can’t achieve something, just ignore them. There’s nothing you can’t do.”

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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OLD MELBURNIAN

Pursuing new knowledge from Mongolia to Melbourne

S

ummarising the career of Associate Professor Kirsten Perrett (née Angus) MBBS FRACP PhD (OM 1993) is no small task.

Highlights include her work on clinical trials with the Oxford Vaccine Group and time as a visiting scholar at Stanford University with the Lucille-Packard Children’s Hospital Vaccine Program.

Today she holds multiple concurrent roles: in allergy research at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, as a paediatric allergist and vaccinologist at the Royal Children’s Hospital, and as a Honorary Principal Fellow at the University of Melbourne.

All this merely grazes the surface of Kirsten’s professional life – one that was shaped by early encouragement to ask questions and pursue ideas. “My father was a scientist and my mother a teacher, so I was raised with science and learning around me,” she says. “I also grew up with a strong moral code to make the most of one’s gifts and to help others.”

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Melbourne Grammar School

Kirsten’s foundational years also included attending Grimwade House from Prep to Year 6. She is still connected to the School community today through fellow Old Melburnians and as a parent, with two of her four children currently attending Grimwade House. “I have such fond memories of my time there,” she says.

“We were so spoilt with opportunity and nurtured by beautiful people like Marion Church, Peter Valder and Margot Wood.”

The path from an early interest in science to clinical research involved dedication, hard work, and one significant detour.

After achieving her medical qualifications, Kirsten and her husband decided to volunteer in Mongolia through the AusAID programme. “I’d only been a doctor for two years before we went,” she explains.

“I worked on a project at the maternal and child hospital in Ulaanbaatar, and it was there that I saw how much disease could be prevented through research, education and sharing knowledge.”

As her career progressed, Kirsten came to focus on the growing need for food allergy prevention. “The ultimate goal of my research today is the eradication of food allergy,” Kirsten explains. “For those we can’t prevent, we are testing early intervention strategies so children have the best chance of going to school without their EpiPen – without the burden a food allergy places on their lives.”

“Australia is a leader the field in terms of research into prevention and early intervention,” she adds. “The incidence of food allergy has been rising for more than 30 years, but we’re on the brink of research results that will show whether the tide has turned.”

While research makes up a large part of Kirsten’s work, she still finds fulfilment working directly with patients each week.

“Interacting with children is so rewarding,” she says. “I love the immediacy of being able to help the child in front of me, optimise their current health issues and try to intervene to prevent long-term problems.”

Alongside clinical work, research and family life, Kirsten still sees the importance of encouraging others to ask questions and explore new knowledge. “I’m part of a mentoring program at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and I’m also involved in a clinical research incubator aimed at fostering and nurturing clinician researchers at the Royal Children’s Hospital,” she says. “I’m passionate about inspiring the next generation to find out what the problems are, and to discover how they can contribute to the solution.”

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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OLD MELBURNIAN

Grounding big ideas in practical realities

E

meritus Professor Bob Officer AM (OM 1957) could have chosen to focus solely on the world within university walls. One of Australia’s pre-eminent financial economists, his outstanding academic career spans roles at the University of Queensland, Monash University and the University of Melbourne. But for this self-described “practical economist,” a detached approach runs counter to his personal philosophy.

“I think academics have a duty to the broader community,” says Professor Officer. “If you’re an expert in a particular area, I think you have a responsibility to take that expertise and apply it in the wider world.”

Professor Officer is modest in describing his expertise, but the fact remains that his work continues to affect the way Australia’s economy operates. In the late 1980s, for example, he was part of a team that thoroughly considered how companies should behave under the newly introduced imputation system of dividend taxation. His conclusions are part of the reason Australian companies are motivated to raise capital from shareholders rather than borrow funds.

10 Melbourne Grammar School

More broadly, the financial models he has contributed to are still relied on by organisations such as the ACCC, and his advice is regularly sought by commercial companies, financial institutions, government organisations, not for profits and others. Professor Officer has held senior roles on the Boards of many of these organisations.

“Quite frankly I think my biggest pride is the cup I got for second Best and Fairest for the team I played for in a Victorian Country Football League,” Professor Officer says. “But I do have a reputation for being a financial/economic modelling expert. Nonetheless, I used to start every new university class by emphasising that we can’t be religious in our trust of models. I told my students: ‘Don’t think a model is going to carry you through life or make you millions on the stock exchange.

Life is more complicated than that.’ Even today, I spend a lot of time pointing out the problem of relying too much on models to the people I work with.”

Professor Officer is just as unassuming when describing his “serendipitous” educational path. An early interest in agriculture led to a placement in rural western Victoria, where, in Professor Officer’s words, “social life was zero”.

With time on his hands, he took the opportunity to educate himself on an entirely new subject.

“I got sick of reading novels, so I thought I might as well read some of the economic texts I had at hand,” he explains. “That led to studying at the University of New England, where I was lucky enough to have some very good professors who were American-trained. One connection there got me a scholarship at the University of Chicago where I had the opportunity to work on practical projects.

That had a strong influence on the way my career unfolded.”

A boarder during his time at Melbourne Grammar, Professor Officer is still connected to the School through his great nephew, Year 5 student, William Officer, his attendance at reunion events, and quarterly gatherings with a group of fellow Old Melburnians. Remembering his school days, he returns to a moment that underscored the importance of independent thought and practical action.

“While I was there I was a great admirer of our Headmaster, Sir Brian Hone,” Professor Officer says. “I can remember complaining to him about a particular class. He said to me: ‘Ah, young man, you’ll turn out to be your own best teacher.’”

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OLD MELBURNIAN

16

johntassparker

An interview with the Head of Politics and Government at Instagram As Head of Politics and Government at Instagram, John Tass-Parker (OM 2006) works at the nexus of social networks, politics and media.

With an idiosyncratic background in photography and film production, John has been recognised by Forbes as one of their 30 under 30, and received an RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Award for Instagram’s and CNN’s work together on the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election.

He is a Fellow of the Sine Institute for Politics & Policy at American University and a proud member of the Fred Hollows Foundation U.S. Advisory Council.

johntassparker ents

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Melbourne Grammar School

Describe your responsibilities as Head of Politics and Government at Instagram.

I lead Instagram’s work on civic empowerment around the world.

In this role, I’ve had the privilege of working at the intersection of culture, expression and technology since joining the company in 2014.

My team works around the world with incredible and diverse colleagues across partnerships, product and policy departments to ensure the integrity of elections, create features to encourage positive participation in democracy and support the ecosystem of government accounts on the platform. We’ve worked on projects with everybody from @NASA and major media networks to the tourism organizations in Japan and provide support for politicians around the world who use Instagram.

As an example, we built a cheeky and culturally relevant ‘democracy sausage’ feature into the app for last year’s federal election in partnership with the acclaimed Australian artist Tony Albert. More recently, we just launched a new feature in the United States to help users encourage their followers to register to vote— an essential part of the civic process in America. During the 2018 U.S. midterms, our tools on Facebook and Instagram helped register over two million voters— so we’re excited to continue that momentum and see how people will use these features leading up to the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election.

What big idea(s) are you currently grappling with?

Of what are you most proud, professionally speaking?

The numerous tech advancements over the past two decades have changed every aspect of our lives, and those changes seem to be accelerating rather than abating.

Simply look at the way COVID-19 has fundamentally changed the nature of work. Hundreds of millions of people have forced themselves to become proficient with video conferencing tools. That will have profound effects on the way businesses are built and operated, as they become less reliant on in-person interaction. But it will also have a profound effect on the relationship between government and its citizens. We will see changes to the way governments provide services, citizens receive essential information, and policy makers create solutions for new issues.

There is no greater privilege than public service, and to this day I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as an adviser to Prime Minister Gillard and Prime Minister Rudd during their governments. My time as an adviser allowed me a front row ticket to decision making and helped me develop an appreciation for the deeply complex interconnectedness of our world.

What has been the biggest challenge in your career to date?

The way we use social media is a major part of the ongoing, rapid evolution that technology has brought to our lives. My career has centered on navigating those changes and impact of social media on society and the civic ecosystem.

While now we understand there is a relationship between social media and politics, when I first went to Canberra only eight years ago digital media was barely understood. Now, it’s central to business, government and political communications. Social media provides incredible societal and personal benefits when used for good — from providing opportunities and channels for people to express themselves through to empowering businesses to connect with new customers. But it’s essential to continue the important work to increase transparency online, improve efforts to detect bad actors, build defences against election information operations, and fight misinformation.

I met some of the most intelligent, driven and compassionate people from all sides of politics. That being said, I wouldn’t wish the long hours on anybody.

What did you learn at Melbourne Grammar that has helped you in your career?

I’m so grateful for the education I received at Melbourne Grammar. But above all it was the seed of curiosity, context and ability to express myself which I discovered across my Art, Economics and English classes shout out to my former teachers, Nick Konstantatos and Cat Poljski.

With that context, confidence and curiosity as a foundation, I was able to begin working as a professional photographer, and begin a career that has taken me well and truly into the unknown.

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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LEARNING

Initiatives that helped us stay connected Across our School community, students, parents and teachers have used the COVID-19 lockdown as a chance to try out new approaches to learning and engaging.

Read all articles in full, watch videos and view galleries at news.mgs.vic.edu.au SEARCH: ‘CONNECTED’

CONTINUING A VITAL CLASSROOM ROUTINE

MAKING MUSIC AS AN ISOLATED ORCHESTRA

For our youngest students, hearing a book read aloud is an important part of learning. To maintain this crucial classroom practice, Headmaster Mr Philip Grutzner created a library of online videos in which he read picture books to the girls and boys of Grimwade House. The videos, recorded prior to social distancing measures, presented stories of kindness, hope and optimism to lift children’s spirits.

Senior School Symphony Orchestra members have continued their activities by creating an ‘off-campus recording’. Students recorded their individual parts at home, then these recordings were knitted together to create a completed piece.

“The boys felt it was important to create something for the wider School community,” says Director of Symphony Orchestra, Pat Miller. “They love making music and thought this could contribute to cheering everyone up during this period.”

WADHURST STUDENTS CREATE COVID-19 TIME CAPSULE When off-campus learning began, Wadhurst teacher, Mr Paul Stewart, seized the opportunity to create The Pandemonium – a weekly magazine filled with student articles, artwork, recipes, photographs, competitions, stories, crosswords and more.

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“It was important to find another avenue to connect students back to School each week,” Mr Stewart said. “What I loved about it was it gave students who wouldn’t normally showcase their work the opportunity to submit written pieces, drawings or photographs.”

FINDING TIME FOR REFLECTION AMID RAPID CHANGE

VIA COMMITTEE PROVIDES SUPPORT CLOSE TO HOME

Responding to the challenge of lockdown, the Senior School Chapel Committee created student-led Chapel services, constructing and uploading 10-minute reflections for students to access online.

While plans for a Vietnam trip could not proceed this year, the Values in Action Committee still made sure students could help those in need. Initiatives included distributing secondhand technology, board games and sporting equipment, creating hampers of essentials and food, and writing letters to aged care residents.

Each week focussed on a different theme, from fear of failure to loneliness and gratitude.

While very different, the format gave students a new way to consider these issues in their own time, at their own pace.

VIDEO RECIPES OFFER ANOTHER WAY TO CONNECT AND LEARN Deputy Headmaster and Head of Senior School, Mr Ben Hanisch, has been busy in the kitchen during the COVID-19 lockdown, filming cooking demonstrations for his Senior School students.

This was another way students and teachers could stay connected while learning from home. Hopefully, mum, dad and the family also benefited from a few meals taken care of by our home cooks!

A GLITTERY GREETING LANDS IN YEAR 3 LETTERBOXES Year 3 students received a handwritten note from their teachers in their letterbox while studying off-campus – a way to connect and provide comfort during this isolating time.

“We wanted them to know that we cared about them beyond their academics,” says Year 3 teacher, Mrs Shelley Faulds. “We imagined they would get a thrill opening their letter and having an explosion of glitter and sequins.”

SHAKESPEARIAN ANALYSIS FOR THE VIDEO GENERATION Year 8 English teacher, Mr Dan Bevan, has captivated his offcampus students by challenging them to turn a written essay into a video essay.

Students were asked to learn a Shakespearean soliloquy and provide commentary on it, then find a creative way to present their ideas through video.

“With online learning, we had to invent another way for students to build on their written analysis,” explains Mr Bevan.

“We wanted to support the most disadvantaged members of our community who, tragically, are the worst affected by this pandemic,” said members of the Committee.

CROSS COUNTRY CHALLENGE REACHES NEW ZEALAND This year the Grimwade House community took up the Cross Country challenge to walk, ride or run with their families. Each House competed to reach the goal of 2,575km. This was the distance between our community and the Head of Campus, Mr Royce Helm, who was isolating in New Zealand with his family.

Grimwade House reached a combined total of 3,393km, with Austin House taking home the 2020 Cup.

CENTRALISING PARENT SUPPORT AND INFORMATION The online COVID-19 Resource Hub has operated as a resource for parents during the pandemic, particularly in relation to off-campus learning.

In addition to weekly information updates, the Hub contains numerous resources aimed at supporting health and wellbeing, faith and spirituality, and engagement between School community members. covid-19.mgs.vic.edu.au

Find out about our photography competition on the back cover of the magazine.

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LEARNING

The Understanding Map

T

hinking is the precursor to making connections, being creative and problem-solving.

The better you are able to use your thinking skills to explore new topics and develop a deep understanding of related concepts, the more likely you are to be able to shape new ideas.

“Human beings often have preconceived ideas about where we expect our thinking will lead us,” explains Mr Andrew Baylis, Director of Learning and Research. “Sometimes that traps us. The Understanding Map provides students with tools which can help them move out of that space.”

The map outlines eight broad questions or ‘understandings’ students could address when thinking creatively, each with various tools which might be useful in that instance. Some routines were developed by Dr Ritchhart, others by Grimwade House staff. A few examples are provided below.

Grimwade House has introduced The Understanding Map – a ‘thinking toolkit’ - to assist students to advance their reasoning and understanding capabilities, and to provide them with a framework for solving increasingly complex problems.

“If our students can think more widely and more creatively, we hope they’ll have the capacity to solve the multifaceted problems they’ll come across in the future,” he says. “The earlier we embed this ability, the better.”

A poster of The Understanding Map is in each Grimwade House classroom.

It is also included in the Upper Primary Student Diary.

Developed in collaboration with Dr Ron Ritchhart, a researcher at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, The Understanding Map is a visual depiction of the range of strategies or ‘routines’ which a person could call upon depending on the type of thinking that is needed.

The introduction of The Understanding Map is another step in Melbourne Grammar School’s development of a ‘culture of thinking’, a term coined by Dr Ritchhart’s team which relates to ‘places where a group’s collective as well as individual thinking is valued, visible, and actively promoted as part of the regular, day-to-day experience of all group members.’

REASON WITH EVIDENCE

“We have used colours and symbols to make the map accessible to even our youngest students,” explains Mrs Edwina Lanham, Head of Upper Primary. “Supported by a shift to flexible seating in a classroom, we are seeing students collaborate more using The Understanding Map as their common basis for discussion.”

“It is fabulous watching children challenge their own thought processes and question each other in meaningful ways,” says Mrs Lanham. “It is clear how far we have come in encouraging students to think more deeply.”

Why do you think so?

Step inside

Circle of viewpoints

CONSIDER DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS What’s another angle on this?

Step inside

Circle of viewpoints Tug of war See-think-wonder I used to think and now i think...

Compass points Explanation game Colour-symbol-image Peel the fruit Generate-sort-connect-elaborate

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Melbourne Grammar School

Tug of war Sentence-phrase-word Generate-sort-connect-elaborate Peel the fruit

UNCOVERING COMPLEXITY What lies beneath the surface of this?

Step inside Tug of war See-think-wonder Zoom in Sentence-phrase-word Claim-support-question Red light, yellow light I used to think and now I think...

Generate-sort-connect-elaborate

BOARDING

Prioritising education

W

hen it became clear that countries were about to close their borders to prevent the escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic, our international students were faced with a quandary – stay in Australia and risk not seeing their family for some time or leave with the possibility of not returning to the School for an indefinite period.

For Year 11 student Andy Jiang, who hails from Shanghai, there really wasn’t any choice.

“When I came back to Australia at the start of the school year, the virus was already in China and travel bans were being talked about, so my family knew there was a chance I might not be able to get back for a period of time,” he explains. “However, we agreed that my education was really important, and I wanted to complete it at Melbourne Grammar, so I made the journey to Australia knowing I might not get back to them for a while.”

Above: From left: Andy Jiang, Daniel Raurela

“I am used to going home every Term break, so I really miss my family,” adds Andy.

“I’ve been lucky to have good friends in the Boarding House who have helped me through this. I stayed with a former boarder who is now at university during the offcampus learning period, and I’m going to stay with another boarder’s family in Geelong over the upcoming break.”

Daniel Raurela, Year 11, has quite a strong Melbourne-based support network in place so, for him, that made the decision easier. He was fortunate have a Local Support Person (guardian) who invited Daniel and another Papua New Guinea student to stay with her family while the Boarding House was closed. Daniel’s older brother, Dudley Raurela (OM 2017), is completing his tertiary studies in Melbourne so he also had a close family member nearby.

“A whole year is a long time to be away from my mum and dad, and younger brother. They are really missing me as well,” says Daniel. “I’m pretty lucky to have people in Melbourne who help take care of me.”

“I’d really like to thank my guardians for all they have done,” says Daniel. “I normally only go home in the middle and end of the year, so I have stayed with them before, but this was for a much longer period of time.”

“I want to do well in my studies so, even though it was a hard choice, I think I have made the right decision,” adds Daniel. “It was the best thing for my education.”

Of the 16 international students attending Melbourne Grammar School, ten elected to stay in Australia when the COVID-19 travel restrictions were foreshadowed.

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

A unique school association fosters global connections

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stablished in 2006, the G30 Schools group is an informal association of leading schools from around the world. Melbourne Grammar School was a founding member and the current Chair of G30 Schools is Melbourne Grammar School Headmaster, Philip Grutzner.

Initially conceived as a way of providing Heads with an opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss key issues facing education and their roles as educational leaders, the association now also provides schools with networking opportunities and, more recently, at the instigation of Mr Grutzner, forums for student to student engagement.

There are currently 30 schools in the association drawn from 19 countries.

Membership is by application, ensuring a diversity of schools and countries, and according to the standing of the school and the capacity of the school’s leader to contribute to the group.

BETWEEN HEADS “It is invaluable to have a group of educational leaders with whom we can explore the complex issues confronting many schools,” says Mr Grutzner.

“Most recently we have focused on how schools are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been helpful to gain perspectives from those in quite different environments than Melbourne Grammar and at different stages of the COVID-19 infection curve, yet who are facing similar issues as us.”

“As Heads of leading schools who are not in competition with each other, we share the joy but also the challenges – personal and professional,” he says.

BETWEEN TEACHERS This year, the G30 Schools group has extended into teacher collaboration. In addition to discipline and subject based networks, groups relating to teaching and learning more broadly, as well as pastoral care and boarding have been established.

For Andrew Baylis, Director of Learning and Research, and Chair of the Teaching and Learning network, this was an obvious next step given the preponderance and expertise in technology in schools. “Our group tends to focus on how schools and their systems work,” he explains. “We consider big ideas like assessment, timetable structures, professional learning and appraisal.”

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Melbourne Grammar School

Discipline based groups in place currently include French, PE and Outdoor Education, with others to follow.

There is great value of stepping outside our own doors to talk to others according to Mr Baylis. “If we stay within our own echo chamber, we may fall into the trap of thinking our problems are unique. The more widely you engage, you realise that others are addressing similar problems in similar ways. This affirms your own actions and also offers you the opportunity to pick up some valuable new ideas,” he says.

“Understanding that you are part of a very large education community all looking out for young people is grounding in one sense, but also inspiring,” adds Mr Baylis. “Through these networks, teachers also realise their skills are transferable and are valuable anywhere in the world. This idea of having a professional global currency is very empowering.”

The Director of Boarding and Head of Student Development, Geoff Guggenheimer, is part of a group that has discussed the impact of COVID-19 on boarding and the way boarding schools planned their reopening.

BETWEEN STUDENTS Student to student dialogues have recently become part of the G30 Schools agenda with Melbourne Grammar School students chairing both the lower secondary and upper secondary forums.

The purpose of these engagements varies. For the lower secondary student group – of which Wadhurst is a part – the aim is to broaden students’ perspectives by exposing them to new ideas, new environments and new people.

“A group of boys and I were keen to explore the possibility of establishing a meaningful connection with another school, building on the skills they have developed during the current term,” says Wadhurst’s Head of Teaching and Learning, Mark Coleman. “One possible future direction is that the boys share perspectives on current events during the meetings. Whatever we do, it must be purposeful.”

The collaboration between Wadhurst students and their peers from the Field School of Charlottesville has necessarily occurred in the early morning for the Australian students and early evening for those in USA.

An unexpected benefit was that, because everyone was online at home, pets could be ‘involved’ in the conversation. “Putting pets in front of the camera created an immediate connection between the students,” says Mr Coleman. “Any guardedness dissolved away, and the boys were far more relaxed with the situation and with each other after that.”

In the case of the upper secondary group – of which Senior School students are a part – the agenda is quite sophisticated. Chair of the group and Year 11 student, William Flintoft, explains that the network is currently preparing two Accords which will provide the scaffolding for the group’s work in the future.

“We want to establish a common set of principles we can all work within in the core portfolios of Service and Climate Change,” explains William. “Once these are in place, we intend to implement some short term actions but, more importantly, set long term goals which we collectively work towards.”

While it is in its infancy, it is anticipated that the Climate Change Accord will ultimately establish a unified approach for participating schools in relation to dealing with this environmental crisis through, for example, emissions reduction, supply chain management and sustainability practices.

In the area of Service, William believes an initial focus will be on combatting poverty by, for example, improving access to jobs, education, and services at both local and international levels.

And when asked whether this is realistic, he explains that: “Getting some of the leading schools around the world working together to combat poverty will be very powerful. We, as a collective, can act and make a difference. Our approach is to get an agreed framework in place setting out broad goals, then structure initiatives we can deliver as a group.”

“G30 schools usually have good access to technology, resources and support, and the students recognise their obligation to use these advantages for the betterment of others. What’s more, many G30 schools already have strong service programs in place,” says William.

“We want our students to be the best human beings they can be,” says Mr Grutzner. “The more you understand the human condition, the more you are able to become a better human being.

Engaging with others on a global basis opens up the world to students and makes them more likely to understand the world as a single community in which we all need to work together, now and in the future.” www.g30schools.org

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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EXCELLENCE & ACHIEVEMENT

Class of 2019 update PREMIER’S AWARDS Eight Melbourne Grammar School 2019 Year 12 students have been recognised for their outstanding academic achievement through the Premier’s VCE Awards announced in May. Three students received Awards for more than one subject.

Congratulations to: • Fedele De Campo – English and Philosophy

“I was particularly pleased to note that two students – Thomas MacKinnon and Ben Solomon commenced at Melbourne Grammar School in Prep – demonstrating the solid educational grounding that is provided at all levels of our School,” adds Mr Grutzner.

Matthew Wong was also the 2019 Academic Head of the School and, together with Fedele De Campo and four other students, received the maximum ATAR of 99.95.

• Harry Gell - Philosophy • Jasper Harrington – Drama and Literature • Thomas MacKinnon – Australian History • Joshua McGlaughlin – English • Zacch Seah – Music Performance • Ben Solomon – Latin • Matthew Wong – English and Latin Selected on merit, the Awards celebrate the highest achieving students across each VCE subject in any given year.

“These students deserve our admiration,” says Mr Philip Grutzner, Headmaster. “While there is no doubt that an underlying talent is needed to perform exceptionally well in any subject, without sheer hard work and dedication outstanding results cannot be achieved.”

TERTIARY OUTCOMES UPDATE As reported in the Term I edition of Grammar News, four 2019 Year 12 students applied to study at universities in the UK. One student has been offered a place at the University of Oxford to study History. The others received offers for places at Imperial College London, King’s College, University of St Andrews, University of London and Durham University.

Five students have now also received offers for places at US tertiary institutions, one with multiple offers relating to basketball scholarships.

The institutions are Arizona State University, University of California (Berkeley), Claremont McKenna College, Columbia University, El Camino College, Sierra College, and Skyline College.

You can read more about the 2019 VCE results and destinations at news.mgs.vic.edu.au SEARCH: ‘2019 Results’

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2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours Melbourne Grammar School congratulates all members of our community recognised through the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours. These include: MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AM) Ms Genevieve Overell AM (Past parent) For significant service to the community through roles with a range of organisations.

Dr John Matthews AM (OM 1959) For significant service to dentistry through professional associations, and to education.

PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL (PSM) Mr Hakan Akyol PSM (Past parent) For outstanding public service to multicultural policy design and program delivery in Victoria.

MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (OAM) Her Honour Judge Carolyn Douglas OAM (Current parent) For service to the law, and to the judiciary.

Ms Peta Edebone OAM (Current parent) For service to softball as an athlete and coach.

INCLUSIVENESS & DIVERSITY

Reconciliation Week On 27 May 2020, on the first day of National Reconciliation Week, TJ Bin Hitam-Keeffe (Year 11) and Jack Brown (Year 12), Co-Chairs of the School’s Reconciliation Committee, gave meaningful speeches highlighting the need to create a better Australia for all Australians, as the Australian Aboriginal flag flew from Witherby Tower.

To read their speeches in full, visit news.mgs.vic.edu.au and search ‘RECONCILATION’ “2020 – a trying time for all of us amid the unfortunate circumstances that we have found ourselves in due to COVID-19. However, this year’s reconciliation theme encapsulates the essence of what we, as Australian’s, Indigenous or not must do in this time of turbulence.

‘In this together’, as the 2020 reconciliation theme, reflects that reconciliation is not an individualised approach to removing the barriers that divide our Indigenous and non-Indigenous counterparts. It takes courage, belief and understanding from all parties to move forward to come to a mutual understanding of the pain derived from the past and the existing pain and issues that are prevalent today.

Just yesterday was Sorry Day, a day to commemorate those, alive and passed, who were taken from their families aligning with a white Australian government induced policy. A policy that labelled our people as half cast and aimed to assimilate us into a white culture based on beliefs of inferiority.

To put it blandly, we are dying years earlier than our non-Indigenous counterparts; we are being killed in custody and are faced with systemic racism from the very institutions that are designed to help us.

A hard to swallow pill for mainstream Australia is realising that they are a part of these issues when they demonstrate complacency because it hurts Aboriginal and Torres-Islander people, as it would anybody, when they aren’t seen as equals, and people stand by and watch.

And to clarify – this is not a cry for sympathy, this is merely truth telling. We can and will be better, as a nation and a community.”

TJ Bin Hitam-Keeffe, Co-Chair of the Reconciliation Committee.

Excerpt from 2020 Reconciliation Week speech Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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EXPLORATION

The interplay between teaching and testing

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n the field of education, it is not uncommon to hear stories from colleagues who have decided to start learning an instrument or to begin studying a new language. Teachers share a love of learning, and we understand the need for people to become lifelong learners. Having said that, it would be a mistake to suggest that this means that teachers find learning ‘easy’. On the contrary; teachers will often seek out those areas in which they are going to be challenged.

In education there is an oft-quoted cliché that warns us to ‘test what is taught, don’t teach what will be tested’. The introduction of regular testing (such as NAPLAN) has challenged schools to think carefully about curriculum design. Since 2000 the OECD has published Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) data, a global survey of students at 15 years of age. Over time the survey has expanded to include countries from all over the world, and the tools that are used have made increasingly sophisticated analysis possible.

The leader of PISA is Professor Andreas Schleicher.

During my own studies I was fortunate enough to be able to spend time speaking to him about the ways in which data can be used at a systemic level in order to inform the policy making process. What I didn’t anticipate was that my conversation with him would completely alter the ways in which I use data to inform decision making for individual students.

The broadest possible outcome from the PISA survey is a ‘rank’, an international league table that measures one country’s education system against another. During the period from 2000 to 2010 one of the most improved systems (by this ranking) was Poland. Professor Schleicher challenged me to explain why. I’m sure I responded with something that was unnecessarily complicated, because the simplicity of his response has resonated with me ever since: It’s because they started teaching 14-year-old students how to respond to PISA-like tasks.

One of the characteristics of a great leader is that they have a clear vision. One of the characteristics of a great teacher is that they know the outcome towards which they are working. In recent years there has been a lot of criticism of the ways in which ‘measurement’ and ‘assessment’ are used in schools, but perhaps that has more to do with the way in which some of these tasks have been designed.

Professor Schleicher certainly wasn’t arguing that the Polish education system had improved; his argument was far simpler – the OECD tests their ability to respond to certain types of tasks. If they want to achieve better results, then one strategy is to include those tasks in the curriculum. In other words, the Polish government was willing to abandon existing structures in order to ‘teach what would be tested’. The outcome (improved standing in the PISA rankings) was almost guaranteed, but this doesn’t mean that the manner in which it happened was positive for secondary school students in Poland.

I think about this when I teach my own classes. What skill do I want the students to be able to demonstrate? How can I ‘chunk’ that into manageable parts so that they can progress through the learning journey? How will I measure their progress? And if a measure suggests that they have not mastered a particular skill, what interventions will be necessary to overcome the deficit?

Data helps governments to make decisions about policies, and data helps teachers to provided targeted learning support for individual students.

It certainly isn’t the only skill that teachers need to possess, but in combination with strong content knowledge, effective curriculum design and appropriate assessment tasks it can help to ensure that the work we do achieves the outcomes that we desire.

Dr Bryan Wood

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Introducing Dr Bryan Wood Dr Bryan Wood commenced in the role of Head of Teaching and Learning in the Senior School at Melbourne Grammar School in 2020. Bryan has held leadership roles at other independent schools including Trinity Grammar School, where he made significant contributions to their teaching and learning programs. Bryan also has significant experience in teaching both commerce and politics subjects at the VCE level.

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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EXPLORATION

Can everyone be successful at Mathematics?

What if the common misconception that you are either good at Mathematics or not simply isn’t true?

Adrienne English is the Enrichment Coordinator at Grimwade House.

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common misconception with regard to Mathematics is that we fall into two groups: those who are good at it and those who are not.

Underlying this is the belief that those who are successful possess a special ‘gift’. What if this simply isn’t the case?

There is now substantial evidence to suggest that success in Mathematics can be attainable for every student, given the right training and beliefs about ability.

Whilst we all have a unique set of genetic traits, success in any domain is about more than this. It’s also about attitude and perseverance. Let’s think for a moment about talented musicians, athletes and artists. Do we not recognise that any innate ability is just the start? Success comes from the hours of practise, dedication and passion for the domain, and Mathematics is no different.

The brain is said to be plastic, that is it physically changes as we learn and experience new things. Neuroscientists tell us that with each new experience and memory, the brain changes by making connections between its neurons.

Doing something over and over again doesn’t just make it easier, it actually changes the brain. Cells grow, some form connections with new cells, some stop talking to others.

Information we no longer need may get lost over time, whilst other connections strengthen and it becomes easier to remember things. The brain continues to develop and change throughout our lives so it’s never too late to start learning something new.

This plasticity of the brain also applies in learning Mathematics. Developing fluency in recalling factual knowledge and choosing appropriate procedures requires practice and repetition, but will lead to the ability to tackle more advanced problems without having to think through each step involved.

As with anything in life, success will come from time, effort and endurance. Continue to learn skills to expand your intellectual capacity in Mathematics. Strengthen understandings through concerted efforts to practice. Challenge yourself to persist with problems for extended periods of time. According to Malcolm Gladwell in his book ‘Outliers’, “Success is a function of persistence and doggedness and the willingness to work hard for twenty-two minutes to make sense of something that most people would give up on after thirty seconds.” Be your best persistent and dogged self!

Adrienne English

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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EXPLORATION

On loving one’s neighbour

26 Melbourne Grammar School

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t comes as a surprise to those who consider the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche an enemy of Christianity to discover that he envisaged the “Overman’ to be akin to a Caesar with the soul of Christ. [Will to Power, 983] This is a rather startling remark when set against Nietzsche’s famous attack on Christianity, which he considered harmful because, in his view, it cut us off from the vitality of natural life.

How then might we make sense of his appeal to the ‘higher man’ possessing the soul of Christ?

The answer, or at least the beginnings of an answer, can be found in Nietzsche’s discussion of the Christian concept of ‘loving one’s neighbour’.

In a telling passage from Beyond Good and Evil [201] he writes: ‘So long as the utility which dominates moral value-judgements is solely that which is useful to the herd, so long as the object is solely the preservation of community…there can be no ‘morality of love of one’s neighbour’.

He further reveals his hand when he goes on to say: ‘love of one’s neighbour is always something secondary when compared with fear of one’s neighbour…’

Nietzsche contends that fear, not goodness, lies at the source of conventional or social morality.

He seeks to expose the hypocrisy of the morally righteous by arguing that beneath the veneer of what we deem ‘good’ in ourselves (attitudes and actions such as ‘fairness’, ‘selflessness’, and ‘humility’) we discover a cauldron of repressed emotions and drives such as fear, hatred, envy, resentment and a thirst for revenge. Our ‘love of neighbour’ is conditional on the acceptable behaviour of the neighbour, which is to say, we love only those we do not fear. But when threatened or harmed, we will turn on our neighbour in an instant, condemn them as evil and perhaps even get a psychological thrill from seeing them punished.

But Jesus was not like that. And Nietzsche seems to have recognised this. We tend to think of Jesus as a good man who cared for the sick and the poor.

Nietzsche challenges us to consider not his actions, but the soul of the man behind the actions. And we find no better expression of his soul than in the words he utters when his ‘neighbours’ condemn him to death and nail him to a cross: ‘Father forgive them, they know not what they do’. Here we witness a quality of soul that surely transcends morality. Jesus’ words invite us to go beyond the good and evil of conventional ethical categories where we keep score and call it justice.

The challenge to ‘love our neighbour as ourselves’ perhaps takes on new meaning here. To become capable of such love, we are called to free ourselves from what Nietzsche calls the ‘worms’ that eat away at us on the inside - fear, envy and resentment for example. In Jesus we catch a glimpse of what true nobility of soul might look like. If we are honest, we also recognise that despite our best efforts, we will always fall short of achieving it. That is perhaps why we find Nietzsche also telling us that ‘In truth there was only one Christian – and he died on the Cross’.

[The Anti-Christ, Aphorism 39] Dr Felicity McCutcheon

Dr Felicity McCutcheon a teacher of Philosophy and Religious Studies in the Senior School at Melbourne Grammar School.

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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PHILANTHROPY

Celebrating a 25-year history of generosity

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very student who passes through the Bluestone benefits from the generosity of those who have gone before them. The Witherby Tower Society, which honours those who choose to remember the School in their Will, is a tangible representation of this generosity. 2020 marks 25 years since the Society began its work. Since then, the impact of those who have provided bequests has been felt through scholarships, improvements to our buildings and grounds, and many other vital projects.

Incoming Witherby Tower Society Committee Chair, Jim Cousins AO (OM 1961), has a first-hand understanding of why this kind of support matters.

“When I first started at Grimwade House as a boarder it was a very difficult time for me at home,” he says. “The Boarding House became my second home. In my later years at the School, when it looked like I might have to leave due to financial difficulties, I was offered a scholarship that allowed me to stay.”

Jim sees the role of Committee Chair as one of moving the Witherby Tower Society forward, adding that he has always felt “indebted” for the education that enabled his later achievements. “I thought the best thing for me to do would be to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy the advantages that I gained,” Jim says. “The support we can provide gives opportunities not only to people who wouldn’t usually be able to afford to come to the School, but also to those who already attend but find themselves in circumstances where they need support to remain with us.”

While the students and projects supported through the Society have been many and varied, the central mission to develop and sustain the School has not changed. Bruce Parncutt AO (OM 1968), who was Chair of the Melbourne Grammar School Foundation when the Witherby Tower Society was established, says this sense of constancy is important.

“For members of the Melbourne Grammar community, the School is an enduring and trusted institution. It has a history of over 160 years, so people who are members of the Society know their gift will support the institution for centuries to come.”

Bruce says. “Our members are people who have a great sense of belonging to, and appreciation for, the School.”

A member of the Society himself, Bruce worked alongside others such as Founding Patrons Don Cordner (OM 1939), Free Strickland AM OBE KStJ (OM 1937), Nigel Peck AM (OM 1945) and John Clark AM (OM 1951), to create what was a unique organisation for its time – perhaps the first of its kind in Australia.

“Establishing the Witherby Tower Society was a recognition that people who have a passion for a particular institution are part of a family,” says Bruce. “We all like to belong. To be part of the Society is to be an ongoing part of the School family and School life into the future.”

Recognising Andrew Guy As we celebrate 25 years since the founding of the Witherby Tower Society, we also express our gratitude and appreciation for outgoing Committee Chair, Andrew Guy (OM 1965).

Having held the role of Chair since 2011, Andrew’s service has contributed to the lives of many, from talented students whose attendance is only possible through a scholarship, to those who gain an exemplary education through outstanding buildings and grounds.

“I’d like to acknowledge Andrew’s fine leadership and strong involvement over the past nine years,” says incoming Chair Jim Cousins AO (OM 1961). “Andrew has done an outstanding job. His work will benefit the lives of past and present students for many years to come.”

28 Melbourne Grammar School

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1. The late James Grimwade (OM 1954) & the late Nigel Peck AM (OM 1945) 2. Guests at a 2019 Witherby Tower Society Lunch 3. John Capp OAM (OM 1947), the late Free Strickland AM OBE KStJ (OM 1937) and Lady Southey AC 4. Des Anderson 5. John Carre-Riddell (OM 1944), Ian Rutherford (OM 1950) and Michael Bartlett (OM 1973)

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6. The late Nigel Peck AM (OM 1945), the late Don Cordner (OM 1939), the late Free Strickland AM OBE KStJ (OM 1937) 7. Jim Cousins AO (OM 1961) & Libby Cousins 8. Angus Mackay (OM 1952) 9. Guests at a 2011 Witherby Tower Society event 10. Theo Nelson (OM 1953) and Peter Staughton (OM 1948)

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If you are interested in finding out more about joining the Witherby Tower Society, please contact: Andrew Boyd Director of Advancement and Admissions +61 3 9865 7680 Andrew.Boyd@mgs.vic.edu.au

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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PHILANTHROPY

A decision to support generations to come For new Witherby Tower Society member Jan Amarasekara, pledging a bequest to Melbourne Grammar was one more way to show her appreciation and support for a community she feels passionate about.

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rs Amarasekara’s connections to the School are many and varied. Her two sons – Thindika (OM 1991) and Sanjeeva (OM 1993) – are both Old Melburnians, and she also has three grandchildren currently attending Wadhurst and Grimwade House. In addition, Jan’s daughter, Rosheeka, is married to Andrew Field (OM 1998). Jan has also served the School as both VicePresident and President of Friends of Grammar at the Senior School.

Having emigrated to Australia from Sri Lanka in 1980, Mrs Amarasekara says she found the School’s emphasis on service, respect and loyalty to be closely aligned with her own cultural and family values. These values are encapsulated by one childhood memory in particular.

“When I was growing up in Sri Lanka, there was a huge mango tree at the front of our house,” she explains. “In mango season, the branches got so heavy they almost touched the earth. One day my grandfather and I were sitting on our verandah looking at the tree and he said: ‘It’s so full, but it’s bending towards the earth. That’s what we need to be like in society – grateful for what we have and always looking for opportunities to give and share.’ It’s a simple message that still holds true today.”

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For Mrs Amarasekara, membership in the Witherby Tower Society is both a recognition of how much the School has provided her family and an investment in Melbourne Grammar’s future. “As a family, we will continue our tradition of maintaining an association with Melbourne Grammar for many years to come, so I want the School to thrive,” she says. “I don’t think I can do enough for the School to help make it the best it can be.”

“Being part of the Witherby Tower Society also gives me the chance to meet other like-minded people,” Mrs Amarasekara adds. “When I meet other parents, wherever I am, there’s that immediate connection. We recognise that we’re part of a community with the same ideas and the same ambitions for our children.”

Mrs Amarasekara’s pride in Melbourne Grammar is clear, as is her continued energy for involvement with our community. “My experiences here have been of absolute positivity,” she says.

“Melbourne Grammar School has been an integral part of our family and this is another way we continue our love and loyalty to the Bluestone.”

Creating greater access to education W hen John Wall (OM 1947) made his bequest to Melbourne Grammar School as a founding member of the Witherby Tower Society, his wish was to support a student who wouldn’t otherwise be able to attend the school. This year, Year 7 student, Edward Du, is the inaugural recipient of the John Herbert Wall Scholarship, fulfilling this vision of greater access to education.

“It was such a relief when we got the news that I had been awarded the scholarship,” says Edward, who travels 40 minutes each way by train to reach Wadhurst from his home in Springvale.

“I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to come to Melbourne Grammar.”

Edward held the role of School Captain at his primary school while working towards his outstanding academic record. A keen sports player and talented pianist, he is the only student from his primary school now attending Melbourne Grammar apart from his brother Albert, an outstanding Year 11 student who is also a scholarship recipient.

“It’s a little different to my old school,” Edward says. “I’m learning a lot here. I really enjoyed the orientation program and camp at the start of the year. They were helpful especially for boys like me who didn’t know anyone. I quickly made lots of friends.”

Edward’s father, Mr Ninh Du, who arrived in Australia as a Vietnamese refugee at just 14 years of age, says sending his children to a school like Melbourne Grammar was once unimaginable. “When we got the call to say Edward got the scholarship we felt unbelievable joy,” Mr Du says. “I never would’ve dreamed that my boys would go to a private school.

My father was ecstatic as well, knowing his grandchildren are getting such an excellent education.”

“I think education is the foundation of a person,” Mr Du adds. “Not only academically, but in terms of human values and principles. My hope for my boys is that they’ll become responsible and caring people. If you’re a good person, you’ll be good at whatever you choose to do.”

For Edward, becoming a dentist is the goal once he completes his education.

“I think our city has some of the best healthcare and dentistry, but I want to give back to my local community,” he explains.

The John Herbert Wall Scholarship will support students like Edward in perpetuity, continuing Mr Wall’s support of the School that included involvement with the Old Melburnians Masonic Lodge, attendance at reunions and events, and other charitable donations. In line with Mr Wall’s vision, scholarships like his will not only transform the lives of the students they support, but also add to the diversity of our student body – one of the central values of our School as a whole.

Left: Edward Du Right: John Wall (OM 1947)

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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HISTORY AND RECOLLECTIONS

Connections across time through sporting prowess Four of the school’s most intricate and beautiful sports trophies are linked by an Australian Prime Minister and an Olympian.

THE TULLOCH MEMORIAL CUP, presented by the Old Melburnians Society from 1926 to 1972 to the winner of the annual inter-House rowing competition, remembered Eric Tulloch (OM 1900). He was shot and killed in a burglary early on the morning of the Head of the River race on 8 May 1926. Up until that fateful day, he had coached the Melbourne Grammar crew to two Head of the River victories in 1921 and 1923. A new school boat was named in his honour in 1923. While at school he had played football, and rowed in the historic first eight-oared race for schools in 1899 on Albert Park Lake against Geelong Grammar School. Soon afterwards he rowed for Victoria. After serving in WWI, he was one of the coaches of the Australian Imperial Force crew that won the first King’s Cup in London in 1919 at the Royal Peace Regatta.

32 Melbourne Grammar School

One of Eric Tulloch’s teammates in the first eight-oared race for schools in 1899 was Stanley Melbourne Bruce (OM 1901). He served in WWI. He became Prime Minister of Australia (1923–29), the High Commissioner for Australia in London (1933–45), and the first Chancellor of the Australian National University. While at Melbourne Grammar, Stanley Bruce was twice School Captain, a cadet, and represented the school in Firsts teams for cricket, football and rowing. He won the CHAMPION CHALLENGE CUP FOR THE BEST GENERAL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR (aka the Champion Athletic Cup) an extraordinary three times - in 1899, 1900 and 1901.

Five students of remarkable athletic prowess won this trophy twice in its 25 years of being awarded (1885– 1909). The other four were John Mouritz (OM 1887), Edgar Anderson (OM 1895), Mark Gardner (OM 1903) and William Ronald (OM 1905).

Mark Gardner, Captain of the School in 1903, also won one of the six ARMY AND BAR TROPHIES given to the School that year. He represented the School in cricket, football and tennis, became an ophthalmologist, and served in WWI. Mark Gardner’s Army and Bar trophy was for football.

Another of the five Army and Bar trophies awarded that year, also for football, was won by Edward Cordner (OM 1905). School Captain in his final year, Cordner later played football for the Melbourne Football Club, became a surgeon, and served in WWI. He won the Champion Athletic Cup in 1905.

Of the remaining four Army and Bar trophies, two recognised outstanding cricketeers, and two were given to boys who excelled in sport from the Preparatory School.

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At a special ceremony at school on 11 November 1903, these fancy trophies were presented to the winners by distinguished professional soldier Colonel John Hoad, representing the army, and prominent barrister and Queen’s Counsel James Purves, representing the legal profession.

James Purves’ ties to Melbourne Grammar were strong, for he had attended the Melbourne Diocesan Grammar School in the early 1850s.

Mark Gardner’s eldest brother, Eric Gardner (OM 1899), was Head (Dux) of the School in his final year as well as serving as the Captain of the First Cricket XI and Vice-Captain of the Football First XX. In 1897 Eric and his brother, Corrie Gardner (OM 1898) tied for the HANDICAP CUP – a trophy relating to performances at the Annual Athletics Sports – having both received 9 points. However, Corrie conceded in favour of his brother, so Eric is recorded as receiving that trophy in that year. An outstanding scholar, Eric died aged just 24.

Corrie, the middle Gardner brother and a Captain of the School like Mark, won the Champion Athletic Cup in 1897. A high-performing all-rounder, he excelled in all sporting contests, and was selected for First teams in cricket, football, tennis and rifle shooting.

For several years he held the title as champion hurdler in Victoria, and represented Australia in 1904 at the Olympic Games in St Louis. After he returned, and during his working life, he served on the Old Melburnians Council for almost 50 years (1905–53).

These trophy winners served their school and country with distinction and a considerable degree of prominence.

Their stories are a sample of the many which can be traced through the school’s outstanding collection of trophies.

1. Tulloch Memorial Cup 2. Champion Challenge Cup for the Best General Athlete of the Year 3. Army and Bar trophy 4. Handicap Cup

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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OLD MELBURNIANS

Andrew Tulloch

T

A time for proactive support

he purpose of the Old Melburnians Society is to foster goodwill amongst the alumni of Melbourne Grammar and support the welfare of the School. The emergence of the COVID-19 virus has prompted a re-examination of how the Society can foster goodwill amongst our community and placed even more importance on our support of the School.

Old Melburnians contribute to our community in all sorts of ways, however COVID-19 has reminded us of the important work Old Melburnians do in fields such as medical research, emergency services, health treatment and policy making, illustrated by the outstanding contribution of Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Murphy (OM 1972).

The Society was proud of the proactive approach taken by the School in responding to COVID-19 and was pleased to join with the Headmaster and Chairman of School Council in an email to Old Melburnians setting out the School’s plan.

The impact of COVID-19 on the activities of the Old Melburnians Society has been significant, involving the cancellation or postponement of all our events including the Annual Dinner and year group and branch reunions. However, we have established new programs including a webinar speaker series with expatriate OMs and a new suite of community support initiatives. Under the leadership of the Old Melburnians Council member, Bill Cowan (OM 1963), the Council established the ‘Gold Star program’ for younger OMs to help senior OMs who may have been isolated under the COVID-19 lockdown, and the ‘Blue Star program’ for late career OMs to assist early career OMs with advice in dealing with an economic downturn.

34 Melbourne Grammar School

The response to both programs has been wonderful, with many more young OMs offering support than senior OMs seeking support. Many senior OMs responded to support the program even though they personally didn’t need any assistance. Both these programs have demonstrated the care and goodwill amongst Old Melburnians for each other in this time of need. The Old Melburnians Council plans to continue facilitating such community support activities beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

Opposite is a call to action for younger OMs to apply for the 2020 Dick Cotton Fellowship. The Fellowship is named after medical researcher, Dick Cotton OAM (OM 1958) and provides financial support to a young OM to undertake a community service project. In line with the wonderful spirit of volunteering we have seen in 2020 we encourage young OMs to consider making an application this year.

Andrew Tulloch President of the Old Melburnians

OBITUARIES Old Melburnians Dick Cotton Fellowship

The School has learnt of the following deaths in our community. We extend our sympathy to their families and friends.

The annual awarding of The Old Melburnians Dick Cotton Fellowship is open to any Old Melburnian under the age of 30.

A’Beckett, W O (OM 1960)

Goddard, B H (OM 1948)

Oxbrow, A D (OM 1983)

Ansell, V G (OM 1960)

Gowan, R B (OM 1953)

Payne, R M (OM 1963)

Arnold, B W (OM 1975)

Gray, S M (OM 1940)

Penhalluriack, T G (OM 1969)

This grant ($3,000 in 2019) provides an opportunity to undertake a community service project work that supports selfdevelopment and discovery beyond the benefits offered by higher education.

Beddison AC, A J (Past Parent)

Greig, F E (OM 1942)

Richardson L R (OM 1946)

Bilson, E A (OM 1961)

Gregory, M H (OM 1991)

Robinson, T K (OM 1950)

Cohen, V L (OM 1944)

Hains, H G (OM 2010)

Scales, P J (OM 1947)

Crawcour AO, E S (OM 1938)

Hansen, N F (OM 1947)

Sholl, D K (OM 1950)

Crow, G J S (OM 1982)

Hardham, G A B (OM 1971)

Slaviero, D A (Current Parent)

Cuddon, J S A (OM 1947)

Hattam, B J (OM 1960)

Stokes, A C (OM 1958)

Cumming, M J (OM 1951)

Houghton, J T (OM 1946)

Street, D R (OM 1960)

We hope that each Fellowship recipient will become an ambassador for the School community, acting as a role model to current students about community service once their Fellowship year is complete.

Davey, F G (OM 1956)

Humphries, M E (OM 1964)

Sutherland, J G (OM 1958)

Davis, J G (OM 1948)

Hur, S P (Current Parent)

Teasdale, J E (OM 1958)

Day AM, A J (OM 1951)

Imison, R K (OM 1955)

Traill, D B (OM 1949)

Dickens, D R V (OM 1956)

Joseph, C E (OM 1942)

Trumble, A C (OM 1950)

Dodds, S W (OM 1950)

Llewelyn, B J (OM 1955)

Tucker, E J (OM 1953)

Draffin, D G (OM 1960)

Lowe, G D (OM 1950)

Waller, R G (OM 1962)

Applications for the 2020 Fellowship open on Monday 13 July 2020 and close on Friday 14 August 2020.

Edmond, R M G (OM 1960)

Maine, G D J (OM 1952)

White, C E (OM 1951)

Edwards, B C (OM 1942)

Marks, P B M (OM 1960)

Williams, W McB (OM 1945)

Evans, G W (OM 1956)

Mayne, J L (OM 1970)

Wilson, N H (OM 1953)

Applicants are welcome to request assistance in identifying suitable projects.

Everist, P S (OM 1964)

Mercer, G M (OM 1966)

Wright, J F L (OM 1945)

Falconer, S C (OM 1976)

Michaelson, R G (OM 1950)

Felton, R U (OM 1950)

McAdam. R D D (OM 1958)

Fraser, S C (OM 1959)

Neville-Smith, R (OM 1955)

Fraser, P Past Parent

Ng, E K (OM 1998)

Gill, P N (OM 1950)

Nikakis, C (OM 1950)

Goldberg, C (OM 1947)

Osborne, E J C (OM 1956)

Further information is available at: mgs.vic.edu.au/om-fellowship

Do you have a recent obituary to report?

Please contact us if you are aware of a death in the Melbourne Grammar School community. mgs@mgs.vic.edu.au

Grammar News No. 132 - June 2020

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FEATURED ARTWORK

Photograph by Oscar Nastri, Year 11, taken at his family’s Balnarring farm.

This photograph was submitted to the Senior School Photography competition held during our period of off-campus learning. It was one of many initiatives designed to keep our community connected while we were apart.

View more Photography Competition entries at news.mgs.vic.edu.au Read about other off-campus initiatives on page 14 of this magazine.

Melbourne Grammar School 355 St Kilda Road, Melbourne Victoria 3004 Australia +61 3 9865 7555 | mgs@mgs.vic.edu.au

CRICOS No 00977J