grammar news Print Post PP344276/00024
Number 104 – April 2011
Above:
DAY ONE – Camilla & Richie Neville-Smith were all smiles on their first day of school for 2011
Front cover: YOU BEAUTY – Members of Witherby House celebrate that winning feeling during February’s inaugural House Carnival Opposite:
IT’S ABOUT NOTHING – Nick Langford (Benedick) & Tom Singleton (Claudio) in a scene from Much Ado About Nothing, the 2011 Quad Play
Grammar News is published for the Melbourne Grammar School community. Published by: The Lodge, Melbourne Grammar School, 355 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004v Telephone: (03) 9865 7555 Facsimile: (03) 9865 7577 Email: newsletter@mgs.vic.edu.au Editor: Chris Bisogni Layout & pre-production: Drew Gamble Photographs by: Chris Bisogni, Stewart Brook, Drew Gamble, James Grant, Nathan Jessup, Heath Sheridan, Charles Vaughan & Kylie Witt
Melbourne Grammar School respects the privacy of its community members and is bound by the National Privacy Principles under the Commonwealth Privacy Act. For a copy of the School’s Privacy Policy please visit the School’s website at www.mgs.vic.edu.au or contact the School on +61 3 9865 7555. 2
Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News
In This Issue 4 From the School Council 5 From the Headmaster 6 Obituary 7 News 8 VCE Results 10 Grimwade House 12 Wadhurst 14 Senior School 16 Admissions 17 Boarding 18 Out & About 20 Philanthropy 23 The Old Melburnians 24 Branches & Reunions 26 Friends of Grammar 28 Community News 30 Archives 31 Quad Play – Much Ado About Nothing
About this issue We welcome all new staff and students to the MGS community in this issue and catch up with three members of the teaching staff and three boarders who joined us at the start of the school year; relive William Shakespeare’s annual appearance in the Quad Play, Much Ado About Nothing; enjoy the new Wadhurst Oval; and experience the highs of the Grimwade House Prep students’ first day of school. You can also catch up with the School’s Director of Admissions Julie Girdwood and our newly-appointed Director of Development Rachael Henshilwood. On a sad note, the passing of Peter Beaumont (OM 1965) was felt throughout the School community and Grammar News pays tribute to Peter’s extraordinary achievements. The start of the school year is always a time of optimism and 2011 is no exception. Last year’s Year 12 VCE students achieved outstanding results which reflect the School’s ongoing academic excellence and give cause for welldeserved celebration. The 2010 VCE students should feel a great sense of pride. Also worthy of feeling proud are three Old Melburnians who were honoured on Australia Day this year for their services to the community – Australian of the Year Simon McKeon (OM 1973) was recognised for his work in the business and not-for-profit sector while Arthur Day (OM 1951) and Sid Myer (OM 1974) were also acknowledged. I hope you enjoy this issue of Grammar News and as always, welcome your feedback and thoughts.
Chris Bisogni Editor Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News
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From the School Council Clarifying the great funding debate for recurrent funding for MGS students is now $2570 per student, compared with $13,543 for students in government schools and an average of $6050 per secondary student in all independent schools. So, far from being a drain on the public purse, every student attending Melbourne Grammar saves the two levels of government about $10,000 per year.
Professor Richard Larkins
There has been heated debate in the media in recent times about government funding of independent schools. Included in this debate has been considerable misinformation which causes a great deal of confusion. School funding is a matter of current interest and significance as the current Prime Minister, when Minister for Education in the Rudd Government, announced a review of funding of schools chaired by David Gonski AC, a distinguished businessman and Chancellor of the University of NSW. Let me address a few of the factors that have led to the confusion*: First, it is often stated that independent and Catholic schools receive more Commonwealth Government funding than government schools. This is true, although only because the predominant source of government funds for government schools is the State governments, which contribute 88 per cent of the recurrent funding of government schools, but only 12 per cent of the recurrent funding of independent schools. Total funding from all government sources amounts to 96 per cent of the recurrent funding of government schools, but an average of 42 per cent for independent schools. In contrast, parental contributions make up an average of 58 per cent of the recurrent funding of independent schools and an estimated four per cent of funding of government schools. Second, government contributions to independent and Catholic schools are usually quoted as averages. This implies that relatively more wealthy schools, such as Melbourne Grammar School, receive government grants that are roughly half the rate of government funding per student as in government schools. In fact the government grants are scaled according to the socioeconomic status ranking of its students. Thus the total government grant * Much of the data presented in this article is from Independent Update, Issue 2, 2009, published by the Independent Schools Council of Australia, updated where necessary with 2011 information.
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Third, it is often stated that government funding of independent schools has been increasing at a much faster rate than government funding of government schools. This is because increases in government funding of private schools is often expressed in terms of the total funding allocated to such schools, rather than as the funding per student. There has been a sustained growth in enrolments in the independent schools’ sector – in the decade to 2009 these grew by 43 per cent compared with a growth of only one per cent in enrolments in government schools. The apparent difference in the growth of government funding of independent schools compared with government schools is due to this difference in growth in enrolments. The government grants are indexed according to a measure relating to the average state and territory increases in recurrent expenditure in government schools. The government funding per student has therefore been increasing at the same rate in government and independent schools and the relativities have been maintained. Fourth, it is often claimed that independent schools have large operating profits. This is because a surplus is generally reported in the operating results. This surplus is not a profit. It, together with the budgeted depreciation item, generates the cash necessary to fund new capital developments. A truer reflection of what is happening to the school each year comes from looking at the cashflow – just as any household has to do each year. Melbourne Grammar, like other independent schools, is a not-for-profit institution and its funds are used directly, or by returns on investments, to improve the educational experience of the students. Through a generous bursary and scholarship scheme we are able to increase the diversity of the students able to benefit from the broad and enriching educational experience that Melbourne Grammar offers. This edition of Grammar News has as its defining theme “excellence”. The Council and staff of Melbourne Grammar School are fully committed to creating an environment where excellence will thrive in academic, musical, sporting and theatrical pursuits – and where every pupil is motivated to achieve his or her potential, not only in these areas, but in developing a strong commitment to the values which Melbourne Grammar promotes. Richard Larkins Chairman
From the Headmaster The pursuit of excellence To collect a marketing brochure for a school and to not read something about the pursuit of excellence would be a rare occurrence. Of course it would be disconcerting to hear of a school proclaiming its ‘pursuit of mediocrity’ or, even worse, the pursuit of failure. Pursuing excellence is a far more desirable goal, although it could be easy to view this as little more than marketing ‘spin’. However, this is not a view that I would endorse. Melbourne Grammar School has excellence listed as one of its nine core values and it is listed in our strategic documents on school vision, goals and initiatives. We explain excellence in a very broad sense as follows: The recognition and rewarding of individual, team and group achievements in all areas of school life; and with staff recognised and rewarded for excellent teaching, through promotion patterns, performance review, salary and conditions. Examples of excellence are referred to in our School assemblies, publications, meetings and displays around the school and externally through the media. The term ‘excellence’, rather like the term ‘tolerance’, can be a divisive one. The notion that someone can bring themselves to a point at which they can merely ‘tolerate’ another person is not all that desirable. For some students, the notion of pursuing absolute excellence may well become a bridge too far. For example, whilst all young footballers may aspire to become as good as Chris Judd, the reality is that very few will ever reach that standard. Therefore, in an educational context, it is important to recognise that excellence can be both relative and absolute in nature. Absolute excellence can be readily identified. Roger Federer as a tennis player, Beethoven as a musician, William Shakespeare as a playwright and Mother Teresa as a humanitarian, are all people who would be perceived as having achieved specific excellence, a concept with which few would argue. This year we have created a new tradition in the Senior School at Melbourne Grammar School in awarding academic colours at our Academic Assembly, early in Term I. Previously, colours have been restricted to co-curricular activities, such as sporting teams and cultural activities, including music, theatre and debating. A group of last year’s Year 12 students, under the guidance of Director of Leadership Nathan Jessup, put forward the suggestion of academic colours at MGS and they developed the academic criteria required. I am pleased that this student-led idea has been accepted in full by the Senior School Executive and the Curriculum Board.
Roy Kelley
assembly we also endorsed last year’s Academic Head, Peter Lioufas, and Proxime Accessit, Nick Fabbri. There is no doubt that scholastic achievement at this level portrays excellence at an absolute and easily identifiable level. It is crucial to recognise such achievement and to celebrate it at MGS. Importantly, the School also promotes the pursuit of excellence in a relative sense. Whether in terms of academic excellence, sporting achievement, theatre-sports or House singing, all students are encouraged to perform at their best and to reach their potential, regardless of their ability level. I can remember teaching a class many years ago and seeing a young man pass a Year 11 test for the very first time. I will never forget the beaming smile and fist-pump that accompanied his achievement. It did not matter to him that his score was still one of the lowest in the class, he had achieved a very important goal. Relative excellence is thus accessible to all and it is important that it remains so, whilst noting that ‘performing at one’s best’ must be realistically assessed. For this to occur, all students must set achievable goals, be fully committed, be prepared to overcome obstacles and work to capacity, whether it is in class, on the sports field or in The Old Melburnians War Memorial Hall for a concert performance. Accordingly, whether viewed in a relative or an absolute context, the pursuit of excellence in an all-round sense remains a very important core value at Melbourne Grammar School. Roy Kelley Headmaster
The 2010 top academic achievers in Years 11 and 12 have been awarded colours and the resultant symbols have been chosen and are now being proudly worn at school. At the
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Obituary Peter Maxwell Beaumont 18 May 1947 — 9 March 2011 admitted to practice as a solicitor, Peter and his wife, Anne, also a solicitor, travelled overseas in 1970 where Peter worked for two years with a small London firm, Marcan & Dean. They returned to Melbourne in 1973 when Peter took up a position with Melbourne law firm, Madden Butler Elder & Graham in 1973. Peter was appointed a partner of the firm in 1980 and effectively continued his career in the same firm, which became Deacons in 2000 and then Norton Rose in 2010. Peter was chair of the Melbourne office of the firm from 2003 until he retired from that position in 2009, following diagnosis of his illness. Apart from his undoubted legal skills, Peter’s eternal optimism and good cheer marked him out and made him a respected and valued member of the firm. In addition, Peter obtained a degree in town planning in the early 1980s. He was a member of the Heritage Council, the planning committee of the Property Council of Australia, a member of the Urban Planning Institute and Honorary Solicitor for the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.
THANK YOU – Peter Beaumont offers a toast at the 2008 Sesquicentenary Football Dinner. His services to the School & football will remain among the many of his lasting legacies
Peter Beaumont showed dedication to everything he believed in. Whether it was his family, his work or Melbourne Grammar School, Peter committed himself to causes. His long battle with cancer, which ended on 9 March 2011, failed to slow him down. Peter entered Wadhurst in 1959 and left Senior School in 1965. Upon leaving School he graduated from Law at Melbourne University and undertook articles at Herbert, Turner & Davis. After completing articles and being
Outside his professional achievements, Peter was a devoted family man and dedicated 50 years to Melbourne Grammar School, not only as a student, but as a parent and active Old Melburnian. He was President of The Old Melburnians in 1994 and 1995, a Director of the Grammar Foundation since 2002, chaired the Buildings and Grounds Sub-Committee of Council, and was a Member of the governing body of the School – the School Council – since 2003. He was an inspired choice to chair the Melbourne Grammar School Sesquicentenary Steering Committee, and spent some five years arranging an outstanding program of events to celebrate the School’s Sesquicentenary in 2008. Peter’s interest and involvement in football at Melbourne Grammar School and The Old Melburnians Football Club saw him establish the support group for football – The Marn Grook Club – and his name is inscribed on the medal awarded to the best player for MGS in the annual match against Scotch College, the Cordner/Eggleston Cup. Peter showed enormous courage and spirit throughout his illness and continued his involvement with the School right up until his passing. The School extends its condolences to his wife Anne and their six children Simon (OM 1993), Sarah (OM 1995), Patrick (OM 1998), James (OM 2001), Jeremy (OM 2003) and Toby (OM 2006). He will be missed by all.
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News English accent on an MGS tradition Fundraising has a new look and accent at Melbourne Grammar School with the addition of Rachael Henshilwood as the Director of Development. Rachael comes from a similar role at Eton College in the UK and brings with her, her husband, Alex, who is the new Director of Rowing at Melbourne University and their four-year-old son, Bligh. Her first impressions are very positive. “What has struck me more than anything at MGS is the vibrant spirit and strong sense of community. There is also a dignified modesty connected to the achievements of our students. What I find most refreshing is the progressive way in which the School prepares our students for the world ahead.” Rachael has been tackling the concept of ‘What makes MGS what it is’ and it is her intention to answer that question in the coming weeks. “I am trying to meet as many people connected with the School as possible to really understand what MGS has been, is now and what it wants to be in the future. Our community has many great ideas that can add to our plans for development and I am keen to hear them.” With so many appeals for financial support following the horrific national and international events of the past weeks, this must be a daunting role for Rachael. She doesn’t agree. “What we have been witnessing of late brings home the importance of education. So much more can be done for us all to cope better with these situations as they arise and it starts with the education system. Therefore, we need to
INSPIRED – Newly-appointed Director of Development Rachael Henshilwood says she is impressed with what she has seen & heard in her first few weeks at MGS
inspire our students to be the very best that they can be and to want to go out and do what they can to help improve society. As ever, the world is calling out for great leaders, but perhaps a different mould of leader to that of tradition. “Melbourne Grammar School is striving to equip our students with confidence, empathy and global understanding in order to put their talents to use, wherever that may be. We must not underestimate the power of great education to achieve this goal.”
New staff 2011
Back (L to R): Stephen Catton, Alistair Rayner, Matt Stevic, Rob Cooper, Xavier Gargan, Adam Cawood, Will Stanley, Wei Wang, Barry Walters, Richard Smith, Michael Adcock, Heath Pozzi, Peter Wheeler & Roy Kelley, Headmaster Front: Jess Chandler, Hayley Rivers, Margaret Browning, Megan McLaughlin, Edwina Lanham, Caroline Beilby, Grace Galante, Mareike Jacob, Lauren Harper, Monica Baker, Rachael Henshilwood, Deborah Tait, Misty Waters, Margo Peterson, Alice Wood, Emma Mathias-Williams & Rosalind King Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News
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VCE Results Our congratulations to the Class of 2010 The fine results shown below are a product of the talent and dedication of the students, with contributions of expertise and encouragement from their teachers: •
110 (55 per cent) of our students were in the top 10 per cent in the state/nation with an ATAR of 90 or above
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36.5 per cent of students attained an ATAR of 95 or above. This means that 73 of our students were in the top five per cent of the state/nation
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24 students attained an ATAR of 99 or above. Therefore 12 per cent of our students were in the top one per cent of the state/nation
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the Melbourne Grammar School median ATAR for 2010 was 91.5
ACADEMIC PERFECTION – Peter Lioufas, James Ingram & Nick Fabbri returned to MGS earlier in the year to be congratulated by Headmaster, Roy Kelley, on their ATAR score of 99.95
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three students achieved the maximum possible ATAR of 99.95. Special congratulations to Nicholas Fabbri, James Ingram, Peter Lioufas
Melbourne Grammar School is particularly proud of – and heartily congratulates – the class of 2010. The students’ dedication to their studies, as well as their leadership and commitment to a range of endeavours involving the life of the School, has been outstanding.
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22 students (listed below) achieved 24 maximum Study Scores in 12 individual studies. Congratulations go to the following students: Nicholas Allingham (Geography), HectorJack Cheung (Chemistry). Vincent Chiang (Literature), Maxim Copolov (Art), Hugo Dean (English), Nicholas Fabbri (English, Literature), Adam Freeman (English), William Hoang (Year 11, Mathematical Methods), Daniel Lawson (Year 11, Studio Arts), Peter Lioufas (English), Nakorn Manoonpong (Further Mathematics), James Mitchell (English), Nicholas Montgomery (Year 11, Environmental Science), Khuzair Rehan (English), Sam Scott (Chemistry), Bernard Shan (Year 11, Mathematical Methods), Jefferson Tang (Physics, Specialist Mathematics), Nicholas Tang (Year 11, Mathematical Methods), Viet Truong (English), John Warne (Visual Communication & Design), Eamon Weiner (Literature), Charles Wurm (English).
Following on from the stellar results of 2009, the performance of the 2010 cohort included three students who achieved the highest possible Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) of 99.95. One of the three was School Captain, Nicholas Fabbri, who epitomised the ethos of the year group by involving himself fully in the co-curricular program. Of note, the median study score for MGS was 36/50 and 29 per cent of all study scores were 40 or over. This means that 29 per cent of scores were in the top eight per cent of the State. On these measures, as published in the press, Melbourne Grammar was the equal top-performing independent school for 2010. The 2010 Year 12 students achieved a median ATAR of 91.5, which is the second highest at the school since 2001. The strong median ATAR suggests that the curriculum structures, programs and choices currently offered at MGS are appropriate to maximize student learning across the full spectrum of student abilities. Within the broad range of subject areas, there are many performances that deserve to be celebrated, including 24 perfect study scores of 50 achieved across 12 studies.
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All MGS Year 12 students who presented for the VCE this year have been awarded the certificate. Once again, they have achieved exceptional results and we offer them our warmest congratulations. The Melbourne Grammar community wishes the 2010 year group continuing success with their future academic pursuits. Daniel McCoppin Senior School Curriculum and VCE Coordinator
MGS student destinations 2011
The Melbourne Grammar School 2010 class of Year 12 students achieved outstanding results, paving the way for them to launch their post-secondary careers in a variety of exciting directions. The range of destinations reflects the diversity and (increasingly) the adventurous nature of our student cohort. Students from the year group are beginning courses and employment opportunities in Melbourne, around Australia and the world. As the accompanying figures illustrate, there are Melbourne Grammar School leavers enrolled in virtually every Victorian university, as well as a range of TAFE institutes and private colleges in the State. In addition, there are students at universities in New South Wales and Queensland. Three of our students have received offers from overseas universities. This number may well grow in coming weeks, as offers from US and UK universities are released. Locally, the tertiary areas of Arts/Social Sciences and Business remain the most popular choices among our school leavers. Many of the students choose to undertake combined degree programs involving one or other of these fields (combinations with Law being particularly popular), while others choose to undertake courses in a single field as preparation for a more vocationally-based second degree. The University of Melbourne remains the most popular destination, with one third of the ‘Class of 2010’ receiving an offer to study in Parkville. A decade ago, this figure was more like 50 per cent of our cohort; the change is reflective of the wider range of opportunities now available to students and their willingness to explore other options, both here and further afield. The ‘Melbourne Model’, with its emphasis on early breadth and the possibility of moving on to more vocationally-based graduate courses, is attractive to many students. Others prefer to take a more vocationally-based approach from the outset. Students are fortunate to have the choice of different approaches. Four of our Year 12 leavers are currently in full-time employment, including one student undertaking an electrical apprenticeship.
Student Destinations 2011 196 students received tertiary offers (figures below total more than 196, reflecting double degrees and programs across more than one discipline).
Areas of Study Arts/Humanities Agriculture Art and Design Aviation Biomedical/Health Sciences Built Environment # Business Computing/Info Tech Education Engineering Film/TV/Audio/Theatre Hospitality/Event Management Law Medicine Performing Arts Science Sport/Fitness
63 1 3 1 10 17 61 3 4 9 7 2 22 6 1 20 2
Institutions Institutes of TAFE
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Independent Tertiary Colleges
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Universities: Deakin University LaTrobe University Monash University RMIT University Swinburne University of Technology University of Ballarat The University of Melbourne Victoria University Interstate Overseas
32 5 46 17 6 1 65 3 3 3
We offer our congratulations to all Year 12 leavers and look forward to following their progress in their chosen fields. Frank Thompson Director of Career Development Hermione Skadiang Career Adviser
# Includes Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Construction Management and Property courses. Also includes offers to the University of Melbourne Environments course.
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Grimwade House Eddy’s first day – The journey of 1000 steps...
PARTING WORDS – Eddy Walkem prepares himself for his first day of school as his mother Rachel looks on
The first day of school for the Grimwade House Prep students featured many a brave face, smiles and even the occasional tear, but the students fared even better. The summer holidays were soon forgotten with parents dropping the boys and girls off at school on what is traditionally a busy time for everyone. Clean and pressed uniforms, shiny shoes and holiday tans were the feature of the 55 boys and 29 girls who began their days as Melbourne Grammar School students. Of these, 15 are sons and seven are daughters of Old Melburnians, with 28 boys and 16 girls joining their siblings at the School, further emphasising the fact that Grimwade House is truly a family school. For Eddy Walkem, his first day of Prep at Grimwade House is one he won’t forget in a hurry. “Eddy was dressed and ready to go to School by 6 am on his first day, he was so excited,” recalled Eddy’s mother Rachel Hayes-Walkem. “Eddy greeted me with a huge smile when he emerged from Harleston House at the end of the day, and told me he had a new best friend, although he had no idea what his best friend’s name was! When he got home from school he set up his desk in his room with paper and pencils and told me he was very busy and had a lot of work to do. The next morning he couldn’t believe he had to go back to school and do it all again!”. 10
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RIGHT PRICES – The Price family, Brian & Meg & their children, (from left) John, Sara & Charlie looked a picture on the first day of school
A year of HOPE Every year Grimwade House introduces a theme that is worked into the School’s values and incorporated into daily life at the campus. This year’s theme is HOPE, which stands for ‘Helping Other People Everywhere’. According to the Term I and II Grimwade House Captains, Gretel Newton-Brown and Nick Bartlett, HOPE encompasses so much of what their school and classmates represent. In a year already dominated by tragedy, such as the floods in Queensland and Victoria, the earthquake in Christchurch and Japan’s woes, the HOPE theme is certainly a topical one. “I think that hope is something that you believe in and want to happen. When you hope for something, you are making a wish and keeping your fingers crossed,” said Gretel. HOPE will be included in all facets of life at Grimwade, providing a theme that will be thread throughout the classroom, chapel services and co-curricular activities. For co-captain of Grimwade Nick Bartlett, the notion of HOPE is something he can relate to. “Hope is not a wish, a wish is a mere thought that one imagines, whereas hope is something that you set out to accomplish. Behind hope there is determination and persistence,” he said. Elizabeth Ivory, who was in Year 6 last year, came up with the theme of HOPE, following submissions from students towards the end of the 2010 school year.
PLEASED TO MEET YOU – Caroline Beilby with Roy Gregory & Stephanie Petropoulos
Getting to know you... Caroline Beilby says her first few weeks of teaching at Grimwade House have delivered plenty of surprises, friendly faces, dedicated staff and “amazing facilities”. Caroline brings six years of teaching experience with her, but like any new job there were challenges and concerns. Caroline’s first weeks as a Prep teacher at Grimwade House saw her focussing on settling the students into a routine and building their social skills, while learning 21 names and getting used to just as many personalities. For Caroline the experience of teaching primary school students always comes with little surprises. “You may be the most organised person and think you have planned the day so well, yet it could all be thrown out the window in a heartbeat! Children can be surprising and unpredictable – which is great because each day is different,” she says.
But for all the planning that goes awry, there are of course plenty of bonuses. “I enjoy the buzz and satisfaction I get from watching children develop, especially in Prep where the change from January to December can be so dramatic.” Typical of any Prep teacher, Caroline says she takes great pride in her students’ achievements while being constantly entertained by their comments. “I love the advice past Prep students give to the new Preps coming to the school. For example ‘You will like counting your ABCs’ to ‘make sure Mummy packs you some lunch’, or ‘if you get a word wrong in writing the teacher doesn’t stamp her feet or shout’ but my favourite would have to be ‘don’t worry about the pool - they will put you somewhere that you don’t sink!’”
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Wadhurst Outside education A Year 8 Community Awareness Project has been launched. The initiative is a collaboration between the Extension Studies and Leadership programs at the School and involves every Year 8 student completing a project over a six-week period. The aim of the project is to allow students to investigate a number of the social issues which exist in the community and to challenge various stereotypes that they may have. In particular, the issues of homelessness and marginalisation are addressed, with the boys challenged to understand and appreciate such issues beyond the classroom, through interaction with people and places in the community. Some of the workshops already completed have included a visit to the The Big Issue Classroom, a tutorial at the Centre for Adult Education, as well as lunch at Streat (the social enterprise directly assisting homeless people) and a twohour social photography challenge around the city. Perhaps the most powerful experience for both staff and students was listening to a vendor of The Big Issue tell his life story in a very open and candid fashion. While this relatively young man now lives in secure accommodation, he lived on the streets for many years. He painted a grim picture of life on the streets as he shared various stories about marginalisation, drug abuse and survival. ONE THOUSAND WORDS – (from left) Gianni D’Andrea & Freddie Twigg take to the streets as part of Wadhurst’s Community Awareness Project’s social photography challenge
Oval has ‘wow factor’ After years of hosting construction workers and earth moving equipment to facilitate the various building programs being undertaken, the Wadhurst Oval has returned to and, even exceeded, its former glory. Despite delays due to the inclement spring and summer weather, the Oval was completed in February, with the boys enjoying a perfect surface. The artificial turf product, DESSO “Ambition”, installed by HG Sports Turf, meets the artificial turf standards set for the AFL, Cricket Australia and soccer’s governing body FIFA. In addition, there are four cricket practice nets and provision for AFL goal posts at either end for the football season, making it the ideal multi-sport all-weather artificial turf surface. It will cater for the extremely high usage requirements at Wadhurst in general play, PE classes and sporting fixtures. The artificial turf surface, laid over 200 mm of crushed rock, consists of a 23 mm recycled rubber shock pad with a 40 mm artificial grass product in-filled with a naturally-occurring silica sand, which better simulates the performance of natural turf than the traditional rubber-filled artificial turf surfaces. Underneath 12
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the surface is an equally impressive 600,000 litre water tank, enabling irrigation for the Main Oval and the School’s gardens. Head of Wadhurst, Greg Caldwell was understandably overjoyed at the finished product. “It’s got ‘wow factor’ that’s for sure and I am just thrilled for the boys who get to enjoy a wide open space again to burn off their energy and hone their balls skills,” he said. Naturally the boys have wasted no time in getting used to the Oval and its surface, with the open space getting plenty of use with the footballs out unusually early this year. WOW FACTOR – The new Wadhurst Oval
From the kitchen to the classroom
GOOD VISION – Adam Cawood & Seve de Campo focus on the visual aspect of art during class
Adam Cawood’s first job was working as a kitchen hand in a Chinese restaurant when he was still at school. Since then he has travelled extensively as a professional photographer, studied a Fine Arts degree and obtained a Masters in Education and taught art at a secondary college. He considers his latest role as Coordinator of Wadhurst’s Visual Arts program as the “pinnacle” of his career. “My first weeks at Wadhurst have been very positive – the facilities and environment are mind blowing, the staff are very passionate, professional and welcoming as if I am part of a big family,” he says. Adam believes visual arts plays a role in all facets of human life and that art can be interpreted in different ways, by different people.
“An appreciation of visual art comes through the development of a critical eye – and my realisation that educators are central to this – motivated my decision to move into teaching. My eight years of teaching visual arts, together with my industry experience, have helped me to define the essence of quality teaching and quality leadership,” he says. Despite his best intentions, things haven’t always gone to plan for Adam. “Before I started at Wadhurst, I had a Year 8 Art class with a large handful of colourful students. During a drawing demonstration, there was laughter coming from behind me. I turned to see what the commotion was and one of the students was drinking paint directly from the bottle – luckily for me and the student the paint was acrylic!” Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News
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Senior School Colour, competition and camaraderie House spirit came alive on 22 February for the House Activities Carnival, which required each House to field junior and senior teams in four disciplines – Futsal, European Handball, Softball and Swimming. Sunny skies and the splash of House colours on the School’s ovals made for an amazing sight, with the Friends of Grammar on hand to resupply the combatants with plenty of food and drinks. “Such activities promote House spirit, teamwork, individual and group challenges and offer the chance for boys to participate in the life of the School. They also create many leadership opportunities as they allow students to plan, run, score, referee and conclude activities. All these aspects sit well with the broader visions and values of the School,” said Nick Bates, Head of School House. The competition for a place in the finals was particularly fierce (though friendly) and it was evident that all players were giving their all for their House. It is expected, that based on the success of the afternoon, the House Activities Carnival will become a permanent feature on the Senior School calendar. BOUNCE – The Wadhurst Oval was the perfect venue & launching pad for the House Carnival
More pictures: www.mgs.vic.edu.au/grammarnews
City teaching versus country teaching Life teaching in the country wasn’t always easy for Rosalind King. Having started at MGS this year, teaching Philosophy and Religious studies to Years 9, 10 and 12 students, she is grateful to be dealing with a group of engaged students willing to learn. In her previous role she had to deal with a runaway sheep, not ideal for someone who describes herself as a real ‘people person’. “The boys are enthused about their education and life in general and as a group they are making the most of every opportunity,” she says of her first impressions. Rosalind (or Roz as she prefers to be called) is doing something she loves. “I am energised by people and love to contribute to a community,” she says. “I am curious, and thrive on being introduced to new ideas, new ways of thinking about an issue and looking at things from a different perspective. Teenagers are questioning how they want to live and on what grounds to trust the information passed on to them by authorities and the media. This is an important opportunity for them to ask the questions, and hopefully find some answers, to how they want to live,” she says.
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Rosalind King
Her previous teaching experience was in a small school north-east of Melbourne, where she took on the responsibility of not just students, but an errant sheep. “An orphaned lamb which we were looking after, headbutted its way into the classroom and ran through the class to the great delight of the students,” she says, recalling one her most memorable teaching moments.
Hear ye, hear ye
O, what men dare do! At the end of February, three performances of Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing played to sold out audiences in the Quad. Given the weather of recent months, the five clear nights for dress rehearsals and performances were miraculous. For the cast, it was the end of an intense period of preparation, with many rehearsals, including Spanish dancing with School Musical choreographer Jenny Vincent-Green. The production used the dramatic costumes of 19th century Spain, bringing colour and movement to an otherwise sparse set.
Jack Davies
Sunny Sun
The Victorian legal year got off to a great start thanks to two MGS students who did the School proud at the official Legal Year 2011 at Parliament House in January. Jack Davies and Sunny Sun, two Year 12 Legal Studies students, presented their speeches alongside the Hon Justice Chris Maxwell, President of the Victorian Court of Appeal, and Professor Marcia Langton AM, Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne. The event, which was attended by Professor David de Kretser, the Governor of Victoria, was put on by the Law Institute of Victoria and was designed to “celebrate how the community and the legal system work together towards achieving a just society.” If the boys were overawed by the occasion they certainly didn’t show it. They used their opportunity well. Both gave speeches discussing their appreciation for their Legal Studies classes, their hopes for the future of the legal profession and offered some useful criticisms for the jurists in the room. “The courts should be endeavouring to involve the general public more with their day-to-day proceedings, instead of just appearing in the public’s eye because of the media reporting about what they perceive as a soft sentence,” Sunny told the House.
Nick Langford was a stylish, yet vulnerable, Benedick, and Olivia Wawryk’s confident Beatrice matched Benedick’s wit. Tom Singleton (Claudio) and Georgia Maling (Hero) were convincing as the innocent, yet troubled, lovers. Alex Balnionis brought a lot of energy to his portrayal of Leonato, an older character, and George Target, in his first theatrical performance, was confident as Don Pedro. The comic watchmen, led by Hugo Monotti, brought endless slapstick humour to the play, whilst the evil trio who strive to bring about disaster were ably led by Michael Vuckovic as Don John. Mention should also be made of the excellent dancing of the girls, in particular Elizabeth Hall. Highlights of the play included Beatrice’s banter with Benedick, the masked ball, Dogberry’s confident malapropisms and, of course, the dancing! All cast members worked hard since October and are to be congratulated on their polished and consistent performances. Backstage contributors were no less professional, as the play ran seamlessly and looked fantastic. This was made possible by supporting members of staff (notably Tim and Sally Scott), students working difficult hours backstage, committed parent helpers and a valued team of talented old-boys, without whom the Quad Play would not have been possible. Sharon Mulready Director, Quad Play. More pictures: page 31 & www.mgs.vic.edu.au/grammarnews
Jack took on a more idealistic angle. “The law is not an institution intended to point the finger of moral rage, as the society who directs that finger assumes it to be. It is a construction designed to allow for the protection of rights, the rehabilitation of criminals and the reintegration of human beings into a society in which they can live,” he said.
SCENE STEALER – The Quad was once again the perfect setting for the Quad Play Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News
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Admissions The friendly face of Admissions enrolment shortly after their baby’s birth. Offers are made at around 18 months of age, with the date of application a factor in the selection criteria. Year 3 is a very small intake of 16, where girls and boys at the top of the waiting list are invited to an interview with Andrew Boyd, Head of Grimwade House, prior to an enrolment offer being made. Year 7 and Year 9 follows the same suit; boys are required to complete admission assessment tests, provide school reports and NAPLAN results, together with an overview of their hobbies and interests for consideration of an offer by the Headmaster, Roy Kelley. All students who do not receive an offer remain on the waiting list for later consideration. All enrolments are confirmed the year prior to the student’s scheduled start, focussing especially on school readiness for Prep children. You talk about ‘priority children’ – can you explain just what you mean by this?
Julie Girdwood
Melbourne Grammar School’s Director of Admissions, Julie Girdwood, would be a familiar name and face to many parents at the School. She spoke with Grammar News Editor Chris Bisogni and explained the role and process of the Admissions Office. Grammar News: Julie can you explain the role and the purpose of the Admissions Office and how it fits in with the School? Julie Girdwood: The Admissions Office, whether it be by phone, e-mail or visiting the website, is generally the first point of contact with the School. Admissions is a very important part of MGS in that it determines the structure and balance of the student population, working closely with the Headmaster and Heads of Senior School, Wadhurst and Grimwade House. There are a number of additional factors to keep in mind, such as the coeducational ratio for Grimwade House students, as well as maintaining day and boarding student enrolments throughout the School. Can you explain the process which parents need to follow in order to enrol? Each intake level – Prep, Year 3, Year 7 and Year 9 – have their own process. Prep offers, for example, are made four years in advance and it is recommended parents apply for
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The selection criteria is quite a complex mix, Melbourne Grammar School is a family School and very high priority is given if a sibling is already at the School. Then we have a look at family association, whether the mother or father are Old Melburnians or if there are multi-generational links. We also look at date of application, so the earlier the application is received the better. How many queries do you get compared to enrolments? Early in the year we tend to get a lot more queries as it’s at this time that we confirm places for the following year and a time when waiting-list places may become available. The School is in high demand. For example, in 2010 we received over 1100 enrolment applications – this, mind you may have been for a variety of intake years, such as 2023, but last year was a record year. Who makes the final decision as to who comes to Melbourne Grammar School? It’s a mix, Roy Kelley and I offer places to Years 7 and 9 boys, Andrew Boyd and I look after Year 3 and Prep offers. Any waiting-list places that become available are managed by contacting those at the top of the list – for Grimwade House an interview is arranged and for Wadhurst or Senior School, I make recommendations to the particular Head who, following admission assessment tests, interviews the student prior to an offer being made. The School does endeavour to maintain a diverse student body and structure through this process. For more information on the Admissions process, please go to www.mgs.vic.edu.au
Boarding A new year, a new school, a new home
TRIPLE TREAT – Lachlan Harlow, Callum Bundey & Jock Crosbie Goold have all settled into the boarding houses at the start of 2011
The start of any new school year brings with it a range of emotions and feelings, among them trepidation, anticipation and excitement. Spare a thought then for the 29 boys who began the school year not just at a new school, but at a new house as well, specifically the Melbourne Grammar School boarding house.
had to adapt to having my parents live 10 hours away in Singapore,” he says.
For Lachlan Harlow the biggest challenge he faced was leaving behind his close mates in Shepparton. However, such concerns quickly disappeared once he entered the boarding precinct to find familiar faces. “Before I came, I also spent as much time as I could with my mates in Shepparton whom I was sad to leave behind. I knew a kid by the name of Zack Thomson, who is from Shepparton as well, plus one of my best mates, Nathan Drummond, was entering the School at the same time as me which was a bit of a bonus,” he says.
Jock Crosbie Goold is from Camperdown in south-west Victoria. Jock entered School House in Year 10 and follows in the footsteps of his father – John Goold (OM 1959). “My major concerns were the insecurities of not knowing anyone at all and whether I would fit in to the boarding house. I also wasn’t sure whether I would feel homesick,” he admits.
Callum Bundey entered Wadhurst’s Creswick House at the start of the school year with the additional challenge of having to immerse himself into not just a new school and house, but also a new country. Callum joined MGS from Singapore, where he previously attended a British International School. But don’t let that fool you, Callum says he is really an Aussie at heart and the time he has spent at MGS has already enabled him to work on his Aussie twang. “The hardest thing about boarding to me is being away from my parents. Previously I knew that my Mum and Dad were only 30 minutes away, but now I have
“The best thing about boarding is thinking like it is a giant sleepover for a whole term. Everyone in Creswick is nice and has helped me put an Aussie twang to my accent!”
However, he has wasted no time fitting in and getting to know those around him, as well as his surrounds, despite coming from a town of around 3,000 people. Time spent at the new boarders camp gave Jock the confidence to realise his experience at the boarding house was going to be a positive one. “The best thing about boarding is the opportunities that you have at your fingertips all of the time. Being able to go to the gym, or swimming, or going to play tennis is always really enjoyable.”
MGS Boarding Open Day Friday 29 April To register, please go to: www.mgs.vic.edu.au
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Out & About Values In Action 2010 – Cambodia
BUILDING SITE – The dissembling & rebuilding of two village houses were among the many challenges & achievements the 15 MGS students faced in their 2010 trip to Cambodia
Fifteen boys returned from the second MGS trip to two locations in Cambodia, after months spent planning projects and raising funds to finance them. A day’s sightseeing enabled us to acclimatise to the local culture and climate before heading to Ta Tray, a village where people live in conditions that almost pre-date the modern world. Last year’s MGS projects have already changed their lives enormously. This year, we dissembled two houses entirely, painstakingly rebuilding them using local building methods and materials. We also distributed donated clothing, school materials and rice. MGS boys visited each household in pairs to negotiate how a gift of US $50 could best be utilised in each individual family, then navigated the busy market to make appropriate purchases. The villagers were gobsmacked when a bus full of mixed household goods, clothes and groceries later appeared. We also purchased 73 chickens and roosters for them. Additional funds will supply each child in the village with a bike, to make schooling more accessible. 18
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A quick detour to the floating villages on the Tonle Sap preceded our work at the Hope for Cambodian Children Centre in Battambang, established by David McAuley (OM 2004). Here we built a chicken coop for 200 chickens, planted an orchard of mango and banana trees, played sport and spent time with the children. Whilst planned photo-editing lessons did not eventuate, the children clearly needed no help to use 10 donated laptops and 15 digital cameras we purchased. Remaining funds will finance solar panels for the Centre, the savings in electricity costs buying infant formula for young mothers with HIV – so this gift will give twice to this needy community. Members of the MGS and broader community made exceptionally generous donations of goods and money, all crucial to the success of both aspects of this trip. We thank them most sincerely for their support. Kylie Witt Head of Creese House
Tuning Japanese In a first for Melbourne Grammar School (and Japan), more than 60 members of the School’s Symphony Orchestra toured Japan at the end of 2010. The first port of call was Osaka and, despite the sheer size of the city (18 million people) and the grey and cold winter day that greeted the touring party, the city offered a myriad of activities and sights. The first concert was performed with the Soai High School Orchestra, whose players had an amazing level of skill, as the school focuses on music and academia only – no sport or other co-curricular activities are offered. Next up was a ride on the bullet train to Gamagori, a small port city on the way to Tokyo, where the Orchestra played at the 30th anniversary celebration of relations between the Aichi Prefecture and the State of Victoria. The following day the group took the bullet train to Tokyo where they spent four nights with host families, who were from Waseda High School, a school with which MGS has had an association for several years. The Orchestra played its final concert at Waseda University, where Daniel Le, Henry Wei, both of whom finished last year, and Kevin Kanisius, performed as soloists. After the performances, the boys had a day to explore Tokyo with their hosts, followed by a day at Tokyo Disneyland or, the alternative, a cultural tour led by Ben Hanisch, Senior School’s Head of Japanese. A visit to the ancient imperial city of Kyoto, was a perfect way to finish off the tour. Plans are already underway for a trip in 2012.
ON TOUR – (left to right) Nathan Chua, Michael Gu, Bradley Tjandra, Oliver Harley & Hugh Muir enjoy the sights & sounds of Osaka
CELEBRATION – The orchestral performance which recognised 30 years of relations between Victoria & the Aichi Prefecture
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Philanthropy An exhibition fit for a Prime Minister A significant part of Australia’s history has made its way to Melbourne Grammar School, thanks to the generosity of Roger Brookes (OM 1947). Items belonging to former Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin (OM 1871), have now taken pride of place in the library of the Nigel Peck Centre for Learning and Leadership. Roger was Alfred Deakin’s great grandson and among the items he has donated to the School, include the Knighthood of Roger’s father, Sir Wilfred Brookes’ (OM 1922); several photographs; and signed copies of books by Sir John Monash and AB ‘Banjo’ Patterson. A standout in the display is a globe once owned by Alfred Deakin, which was kept in the Prime Minister’s office at the turn of the 20th century. Also in the exhibit are photographs of Alfred Deakin on holidays and war medals awarded to Sir Wilfred Brookes. Roger and members of his extended family, as well as the Headmaster, Roy Kelley; the Head of Deakin House, Natalie Charles; and the Deakin House boys, attended an official opening ceremony to commemorate the historic display. The exhibition launch also coincided with the official opening of the two study rooms, the Deakin Study Room (named after Alfred) and the Brookes Study Room (named after Sir Wilfred).
ON DISPLAY – (clockwise from top left) Sir Wilfred Brookes stands between his grandfather (Sir Alfred Deakin) & his mother while on holiday; a globe that once took pride of place in the Prime Minister’s office; & the Knighthood (far left) & other medals belonging to Sir Wilfred Brookes.
SMILES ALSO ON DISPLAY – (from left) Roger Brookes (OM 1947), Deakin House Vice Captain Campbell Cooke, Deakin House Captain Fletcher Roberts & Head of Deakin House Natalie Charles
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Australian of the Year: Simon McKeon Those who went to School with Simon McKeon (OM 1973) recall a sensitive, intelligent and likeable boy. His Australian of the Year honour came as little surprise to them. Captain of the School in 1973, Rowan Russell, recalled Simon was always interested in people and willing to give to others – a sign perhaps that he was destined to be active in the not-for-profit sector. “He had high morals even at School and was always thinking of others. He was clearly very competent and showed signs that he may be capable of doing some pretty special things,” Rowan said. Simon can relate to his School Captain’s memory. “I guess my fondest memory at School is not speech night and getting prizes (because I didn’t get very many!), but actually the little things like helping a new person who came to the School. It was just me, I used to get a kick out of it,” he said. Former teacher, Ian Rutherford, taught Simon English in Year 11. “There were inner reserves likely to flourish in later life so that, while I was surprised to hear that he had gone into merchant banking, I was not surprised by his decision to put his money into philanthropic ventures – or his being chosen as Australian of the Year.” Simon is a busy man these days. The number of boards he sits on and companies he advises is too numerous to list. The National Australia Day Council Board, however, recognised his extraordinary efforts as a ‘social entrepreneur’ and other achievements since he left school, by announcing him as the Australian of the Year at the annual Australia Day ceremony in Canberra. “I admit I do spread myself thin. I am a classic jack of all trades, master of none. I have ended up with a CV that looks long, but the reality is I have been able to work part-time now for some years, which does free up a lot of time to spend with various organisations,” he said. Simon says giving back to the community stems from his days at MGS, where he recognised that the education and qualities he took away with him put him in very good stead. He says the School needs to continue the strong sense of leadership it instils in its students. “MGS needs to be promoting leadership unashamedly, because many of the students coming out of the School, with the wonderful education it provides, can use those leadership qualities for good. There are leadership positions throughout all aspects of society and in my opinion, a
Simon McKeon
prosperous and settled society only comes about when you have good leadership across an array of different areas.” Simon recognises homelessness and indigenous matters as among the major issues Australia needs to address, especially during his tenure as Australian of the Year. For the full interview with Simon McKeon, please visit: www.mgs.vic.edu.au
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The Old Melburnians Council
Philip Solomon
I welcome The Old Melburnians community to 2011. The Council of The Old Melburnians has certainly hit the ground running. We have welcomed back Nigel Thompson (OM 1969) to our ranks. The identification of mentors for the Mentoring Program, being developed under the leadership of Andrew Tulloch, progresses well. The drinks function for former Grimwade Girls has been locked in for 13 May 2011, with class representatives for each year group now identified. At our meeting in February, the Council of The Old Melburnians was fortunate to receive a presentation on the possibilities associated with The Old Melburnians website. The presentation was made by John Batistich (OM 1993), a founder of the consulting firm Potentiality. The Old Melburnians website can be better utilised: both in the information it provides, and (especially) in relation to interconnectivity amongst us, which it is able to generate. The web page is at www.oms.org.au. I encourage all members of The Old Melburnians community to visit the site and register their interest. Next I mention The Old Melburnians Fellowship for 2011. In my travels as President, I am regularly (too regularly in fact) told that the prospect of receiving a fellowship is not understood by the wider community. This is a failing on our part, which I would like to address. The Fellowship provides the opportunity for young Old Melburnians to undertake travel or study and/or a project providing an opportunity for self-development and discovery. It is encouraged that the
proposed activity be synergistic with the values of the School. Fellows thereafter become ambassadors within the wider school community. (Luther Ellis, the first recipient, spoke at the 2010 Valedictory Dinner.) Applicants must be Old Melburnians who are under the age of 28 at the time of application. Applications close at the end of April. I am very pleased to report that the Premier of Victoria, the Hon Ted Baillieu, MP (OM 1970) has agreed to be the guest speaker at our Annual Dinner later this year. It ought be a matter of great pride for us that the last two Premiers of our State, on different sides of the political fence, attended Melbourne Grammar. The dinner is scheduled this year for 7 October 2011. Unless there is a draw in the Grand Final [personal comment – Go Blues], it will be held in the Members Dining Room at the Melbourne Cricket Club. Tickets will soon be on sale. Finally, for this month, the Council of The Old Melburnians places emphasis on engaging productively and usefully with the various affiliate sporting bodies. The role of those bodies in the wider school community is, I think, under appreciated. I was recently speaking with the Secretary of The Old Melburnians Bowls Club, Bruce Hall. The Bowls Club of The Old Melburnians has approximately 40 members. Membership fees are a relatively modest yearly stipend. After saving a portion of each membership fee for a number of years, in late 2010 and without fanfare, the Bowls Club made a donation to the School. There was no expectation of recognition or award. It is marvellous to be able to relate to you, these anecdotes from our Associations. Philip Solomon President
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The Old Melburnians Recognising the Myer spirit of giving Today Sid, as he prefers to be called, can boast not only a decent chemistry score in his final year at school, but also a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) recognition, following the 2011 Australia Day honours. The Myer family name and philanthropy are synonymous and Sid has continued the family’s proud history in the field. His award was ‘for service to the community through a range of philanthropic, rural development and zoological organisations.’
Sidney Myer AM
Sidney Myer (OM 1974), by his own admission, was not an outstanding student during his time at Melbourne Grammar School. He took a particular interest in languages, specifically German, as well as being an active swimmer, footballer and tennis player. He recalls his days at School fondly, recollecting teachers such as Dr Graham Withers, whom he said helped him achieve his best subject mark (chemistry) for what was then HSC.
Sid wears a lot of hats as a businessman and charity worker and follows a simple formula when he considers causes and groups to support. “The first is, do you enjoy the people that you will be involved with; the second is, do you really feel for the cause; and the third is, have you got money up, that is will you be able to support the cause,” he said. Sid gets as much out of helping others, as those he helps. “I enjoy the diversity of a range of different engagements, each of them bring a range of slightly different people and challenges and with that comes a different set of opportunities,” he said.
A Day in medicine When Arthur Day (OM 1951) first discovered he was nominated for an Australia Day Honour for his service to medicine as a gynaecologist and administrator, through contributions to ovarian cancer research and to medical education, he wanted to give it back. It wasn’t that Arthur lacked appreciation for the honour, quite the opposite in fact. “It was part of the job but it’s a career that I have loved, so to be awarded a Member of the Order of Australia doing something I loved, was a terrific privilege and honour,” he said. “I actually wrote a letter of refusal as I didn’t think I was worthy of it. It was my wife who talked me out of it and I am so glad she did.” Arthur’s career includes 40 years as a lecturer at Monash University’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, 20 years in charge of the Gynaecological Oncology Unit at Monash Medical Centre, as well as a head of a general Gynaecological Unit at Monash Medical Centre. However, he considers his greatest professional achievement is one that flew well under the radar. “We faced a problem in the mid to late 1970s between
Arthur Day AM
the College of GPs and the College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, relating to training of GPs in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and it was looming as a huge issue. A chap by the name of Rex Walpole from the College of GPs and I worked together to form a joint committee and get the two colleges to come together,” he said. The result was a peaceful outcome to what could well have destabilised the way GPs and obstetricians work together today.
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Branches & Reunions 1980 Thirty Year Reunion 1
Matthew Vickers with Donald Lancaster & Huw Williams
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James Edmonds & Timothy Stephens
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Matthew Oldham & Murray Harris
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James Cuming & Bruce Gill
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David Simonson & Charles Hammond
Refuge Cove Expedition 50 Year Reunion 9
Former member of staff Professor Weston Bate with Clem Furphy (OM 1961)
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Oliver Streeton (OM 1959) with former member of Staff Dr Graham Withers (OM 1949)
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Carrillo Gantner in front of an article written by his mother Neilma Gantner, who was a staff member on the Refuge Cove Expedition
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Daryl Evans (OM 1960) with Refuge Cove Expedition Leader & former member of staff John Henthorn
1961 Fifty Year Reunion 6
The Headmaster, Roy Kelley with Bishop Peter Elliott who officiated at his own 1961 Reunion Chapel Service
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Brian Bucknall with Charles Brett & Roger Batrouney
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Michael Dowling with Edwin Kennon
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Friends of Grammar Grimwade House On Tuesday 1 February, the first day of the 2011 school year, 83 excited little Preppies in oversized uniforms waved their mums and dads goodbye. As the 8.30am bell rang and the school day began, some 120 anxious Preppie parents were gently shown the Harleston exit, and so began Friends of Grammar Grimwade House’s (FOGG) first official function for 2011 – a Welcome Morning Tea for the Prep parents. The FOGG committee has barely stopped for breath since this event and by mid-term we had already been involved in over 20 functions and activities around the School. Perhaps our most significant event to date has been the FOGG Annual Lunch & Tennis Day on Thursday 10 March. This year we were delighted to welcome nearly 230 guests to the beautiful Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club, including a small (but growing) contingent of some 10 Grimwade dads. Undoubtedly the highlight of the event was our guest speaker, Headmaster Roy Kelley, who engaged, and sometimes challenged, our guests with some observations and tips on parenting today. For many attendees this was the first opportunity to hear our Headmaster speak. This speech was followed by a lively auction conducted by renowned auctioneer and fellow parent, Justin Long, who was pivotal in helping us to raise valuable funds for Grimwade House. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the FOGG committee for what has been a great start to 2011. All have worked incredibly hard and always with a smile, especially at the Annual Lunch & Tennis Day. I would also like to thank our 2011 class representatives for their support and contributions. Grimwade class representatives are the backbone of our parent community, and this year our class reps have once again taken on their roles with great energy and enthusiasm. Madeline O’Connor FOG Grimwade House President WELCOME – FOGG’s first official function for 2011
GREAT GRAMMAR GIRLS – (left to right): FOG Grimwade House Vice President Wendy Davies, Grimwade House President Madeline O’Connor, Senior School President Kate Alstergren, Wadhurst President Amanda McGinn, Senior School Vice President Sam Douros & Wadhurst Vice President Kim Monk
Wadhurst The 2011 school year at Wadhurst is peppered with wonderful events from start to finish, all designed to create a great social environment for parents and to support our boys. One of the first events is the now traditional Friends of Grammar sausage sizzle and icy pole welcome lunch for the new Year 7 boys. This year 172 new boys were very appreciative of this familiar summer fare, served up by the FOG team. The parents of all our new Year 7 and 8 boys were participants at our next Friends of Grammar event, The Welcome Morning Coffee. Greg Caldwell and I welcomed them all to Wadhurst and told them all about the FOG-hosted
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activities and School events they can get involved with throughout the year. I would like to thank Justin and Sandra Shmith for hosting such a wonderful Year 8 Cocktail Party. It was a fabulous late-summer night with excellent food and drinks and vigorous socialising amongst the parents and teachers. There was a tremendous turnout for the Year 7 Cocktail Party, held a week earlier with over 200 parents and teachers enjoying great food and drinks on the Wadhurst Deck. These initial first-term events herald a forthcoming year packed with tremendous FOG events and activities, including, the now-famous Wadhurst Breakfast; the friendly yet very competitive Father and Son Trivia Night; Class Reporganised functions; Mothers Day and Fathers Day stalls; Wadhurst Sports Day; and the annual Drama production. I would like to encourage our Wadhurst families to take every opportunity to get involved in these events, so as to continue making MGS a standout in community support and friendship. Finally, my thanks to Head of Wadhurst Greg Caldwell and his staff, Judith Mein at The Lodge and of course my wonderful committee for their dedicated efforts and time given to FOG Wadhurst. Amanda McGinn FOG Wadhurst President
Senior School It is only April and already Friends of Grammar and Class Reps have been busy, with many events to welcome new parents and build lasting friendships within the MGS community. Years 11 and 12 have hosted their year-level cocktail parties with fabulous attendances and much celebration. The Quad Play, Much Ado About Nothing, was a great success and each night the audience was treated to a sumptuous array of food at intermission, generously provided by the MGS parents. There have also been many coffee mornings and much planning of lunches and breakfasts for the year ahead, spreading the warm friendship that characterises this unique MGS community. Mid-February saw FOG and Class Reps feed hundreds of hungry and sweaty Senior School boys on the Headmaster’s Lawn as they competed in various house sport events on the Steele, Wadhurst and Main ovals in the first term Sports Carnival. There was a great atmosphere of House and School spirit and the boys enjoyed the food and drinks, with loads of them asking if we would be there tomorrow!
TRADITION – The annual Wadhurst Sausage Sizzle
On Thursday 3 March, the Gearbox Gallery Committee organised their annual and much-anticipated gallery exhibition visit. This year everyone headed up to TarraWarra Museum of Art in the beautiful Yarra Valley to see Brett Whiteley’s Exhibition, Connections. We were treated to a tour of a number of Whiteley’s works from the Besen Family private collection, followed by a wine tasting of magnificent TarraWarra wines and a delicious two-course meal. FOG is thrilled this year to fund the provision of a ‘writerin-residence’ for the English Department and Senior School English students. This is one of a number of worthy initiatives supported by FOG each year, through monies raised from FOG events generously supported by the MGS parent community. We have two major events planned for 2011. The first is the Grammar Lunch for past and present parents, OMs and alumni, to be held in August. This exciting new all-School event is a celebration of the lifelong friendships we make as part of the MGS community. We hope that it will become an annual feature on the School calendar. The second event is the Father-Son Breakfast, to be held in September. This year the boys and fathers can look forward to another inspiring guest speaker and delicious breakfast. We hope that you will join us this year in celebrating and participating in these fabulous events. Kate Alstergren FOG Senior School & Executive President
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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:
18 December 2010 Christopher Gregory & Stephanie Hine
20 December 2010 Alexander Faulkner (OM 1987) & Susan McClellan
5 February 2011 David Bicknell (OM 2000) & Anna Pierkos
19 February 2011 Andrew Bristow (OM 1973) & Jodi Harris
12 March 2011 Rich Hetherington (OM 2000) & Melanie Cope
18 March 2011 Andrew Downing (OM 1993) & Marnie Lewis
19 March 2011 John Tran (OM 2001) & Way Wong
26 March 2011 Anthony De Fazio & Natalie Lutshesko (staff)
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Following his recent retirement Barry Demptster (OM 1961) and his wife made a ‘sea change’, relocating from Halls Gap to Ocean Grove. The move allowed them to see more of their family and the progress of their two little granddaughters Matilda and Harriet. Being closer to Melbourne and the MCG is also an added bonus, especially as Barry is a staunch Collingwood supporter. Michael Dowling (OM 1961) writes that he is Co-Chairman and Chief Negotiator for the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property. Bishop Peter Elliott (OM 1961) was appointed delegate of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference for the Personal Ordinariate for Anglicans seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, while maintaining Anglican patrimony under the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Dr Bruce Fountain (OM 1961) writes that he graduated in Medicine from Monash University in 1967 and worked variously at the Alfred Hospital, the Albury Base Hospital and Monash Medical Centre. He had three children David (OM 1988) and Jane and Catherine who attend Melbourne Girls Grammar. David has three children, two of whom attended Grimwade House with the third to commence in 2012. Jane has three children, all three of whom will commence at Grimwade House in 2013. Catherine also has three children and lives in Sydney. Bruce opened a medical clinic in Noble Park in 1973 and has practised there ever since. Bruce is kept occupied
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Australia Day Honours 2011 2011 Australian of the Year Simon McKeon (OM 1973) Mr McKeon is Chairman of the CSIRO and was previously on the board of World Vision Australia and is Chairman of Business for Millennium Development, which encourages business to engage with the developing world. He is also involved with the Global Poverty Project and Red Dust Role Models, which works with remote Indigenous communities, and recently retired as founding chairman of MS Research Australia. Simon has also held the world speed-sailing record for most of the past two decades, together with crewman Tim Daddo (OM 1987).
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Arthur Day (OM 1951) Citation: For service to medicine as a gynaecologist and administrator, through contributions to ovarian cancer research, and to medical education.
Sidney Myer (OM 1974) Citation: For service to the community through a range of philanthropic, rural development and zoological organisations.
Gerard Vaughan (Current Parent) Citation: For service to the arts, particularly as the Director of the National Gallery of Victoria, through administration, promotion and development of programs, as a scholar and educator, and as a fundraiser.
in his spare time with his three children and his nine grandchildren under 10. He keeps fit playing tennis and attending the gym. David Harper AM (OM 1961) has been a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria since March 1992 and of its Court of Appeal since November 2009. David became a member of the Order of Australia in June 2008 for service to law reform, to the judiciary, and in the area of international humanitarian law, and to the community through support services for the care and resettlement of offenders and their families.
Edwin Kennon (OM 1961) is a consultant at Morrison and Sawes Solicitors in Kyabram and specialises in Water Law. Edwin has lived and worked in Kyabram since 1987. Edwin has four children and one grandchild. He sadly lost his first wife Sue to breast cancer. Edwin later remarried and he and wife Jenny who is a nurse cycle 40km each day and even further on weekends. Last year Edwin cycled 3700km around Britain and helped raise over £ 500,000 for prostate cancer research. Dr Andrew Prentice (OM 1961) writes that following his decision to retire from
his teaching position at Monash University in December 2010 after 39 years of service, he was appointed to the honorary position of Adjunct Senior Research Fellow in the School of Mathematical Sciences at Monash. He will continue to deliver lectures in astronomy to the University and to the general public and will also maintain an active association with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena California. He is currently involved with the Cassini – Huygens spacecraft mission to Saturn and Titan and the Messenger mission to the planet Mecury. His retirement means that he is able to spend more time with his wife and family. William Stokes (OM 1961) notes that the last verse of the Eton Boating Song stated “Twenty years hence this weather, May tempt us from office stools, We may be slow on the feather, And seem to the boys old fools”. Well it is now 50 years on and members of the Melbourne University Eight from the early 1960s are still rowing. The crew includes William and until recently Ian Bult (OM 1959). The crew have at various times rowed at various regattas including Henley-on-Thames, Boston on the Charles, Oxford and Cambridge, London, Varese (Italy), Austria and Germany. Paul Turner (OM 1970) retired at the end of last year after 15 years as the Principal of Woodleigh School, an independent school on the Mornington Peninsula. Paul is also on the Board of the Centre for Strategic Education and Janet Clarke Hall at the University of Melbourne. David Wilks (OM 1970) graduated with a law degree from The University
The Grammar Foundation Annual General Meeting The 36th Annual General Meeting of The Grammar Foundation will be held on Thursday 5 May 2011 at 6.00 pm in the Higgins Theatrette.
Richard Sutcliffe (1986) writes that he is married to Bronte and they have two boys, Matthew and Daniel, and a daughter Anna. He currently works on infrastructure projects undertaken in conjunction with the public sector under a public-private-partnership model. David Willing (OM 1986) informs us that after an enjoyable career in the Navy, he worked for Defence as a federal government executive in Alice Springs until 2007 and fell in love with the Northern Territory. He spent a couple of years in Nhulunbuy and has now settled in Darwin where he works as an Executive Director in the Northern Territory Government. He is married to Adrienne who works as a personal trainer and swimming and
The School has learnt of the following deaths in our community. Our sympathy and understanding is extended to their family and friends.
Andry, P OBE OAM (OM 1942)
NEW FORMAT – Members of The Grammar Foundation are invited to attend this year’s AGM, where they will be able to meet the 2011 School and House Captains, tour the School’s IT and library facilities, hear Luther Ellis (OM 2008) speak and enjoy drinks, canapés and entertainment from Year 12 student band Red House Jesters. of Melbourne and later practised as a solicitor. David then moved into the television industry as a producer and writer based in London and now Los Angeles. David married a New Yorker and is the proud father of two girls. David and his family recently spent three years in Melbourne where his daughters attended Melbourne Girls Grammar.
Obituaries
triathlon coach, and they have two boys, Jake and Luke. Other than work and family, his interests include swimming, mountain biking and triathlon.
Beaumont, P M (OM 1965) Cooper, D F (OM 1952) Burgoyne, R W (OM 1945) Chinn, B W (OM 1957) Debenham, D C (OM 1948) Duncan, J W (OM 1941)
Leigh Golf (OM 1993) returned to Melbourne after three years in Sydney, trying to build a life with his wife and new baby. Leigh is working as an Investment Finance Consultant. He had travelled playing bridge throughout Asia, New Zealand, Australia and America. Leigh won a Silver Medal in the Asia Pacific Championships and then a Gold Medal in the Australian Championships and has represented Australia on a number of occasions.
Gillespie, M C (Past Parent
Ashley Myler (OM 1995) is currently a full time student at Fordham University, completing an MBA in finance and public accounting in New York.
King, A N M (OM 1936)
Andrew Gibbons (OM 1992) and his wife Cassie are the proud parents of Oliver Charles Gibbons, who will attend Melbourne Grammar School – like his father and grandfather before him, into Morris House. Oliver Sisson (OM 2003) is currently studying for a Masters at the University of Utah.
Harper, M A (OM 1979) Harvey, C G (OM 1936) Head, T I (OM 1998) Herring, R G (OM 1964) Herring, R W (OM 1917) Hewison, A R C AM (OM 1952) Hutchens, G (Past Parent)
Kneebush, G E (OM 1952) Lowenstern, D T (OM 1971 McKaige, M E (OM 1974) Monahan, W B (OM 2001) Ponsford, H M (OM 1942) Tatham, A G (OM 1956) Walford, C M S (Past Parent) Watt, A M A (OM 1964)
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Archives Refuge Cove Expedition 1960/61
In December 1960, 35 students along with five staff, including Graham Withers (OM 1949), Tony Smith (OM 1949), Weston Bate, Mrs Neilma Gantner and led by John Henthorn, set forth from Melbourne Grammar School on a scientific expedition to Refuge Cove on Wilson’s Promontory. The students on the expedition were divided into teams which included Survey and Geology, Botany, Marine Zoology, Ornithology, Entomology, Cooking, Photography, Communication and Documentation and Administration. The students spent the time at Refuge Cove conducting a variety of experiments and observations. There was time enough to take full advantage of the idyllic locale and surrounds.
“… from a personal point of view, the Refuge Cove Expedition was a turning point in my life, as I decided that a career in a biological science was for me and as a result I have had a very long and satisfying career as a veterinarian…” Expedition Member Bill Robinson (OM 1961)
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Melbourne Grammar School – Grammar News
By any standards the expedition was a great success with the scientific reports from the expedition winning the Science Talent Quest Prize in 1961. An article by Mrs Neilma Gantner about the expedition also appeared in The Age. However, the real success of the Expedition was the impact that it had on those who attended. Some fifty years later, at a reunion to celebrate that remarkable expedition, both staff and students recalled with great fondness the profound change that occurred in their lives as a result of this scientific adventure.
Quad Play – Much Ado About Nothing
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 CRICOS No. 00977J ABN 61 004 453 829