Grammar News no 83 Dec 2003

Print Post PP344276/00024

The Melbourne Grammar School Community Magazine

Melbourne Grammar School in Concert

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Prep to Year 12 – Melbourne Concert Hall – 3 September 2003

In this issue From the School Council 4 From the Headmaster 5 Curriculum Initiatives 6 Innovative Learning 7 Out & About at Senior School 8 Boarding 12 Out & About at Wadhurst 13 IT @ MGS 14 Learning in Action 16 The Grammar Foundation 18 Archives 20 Supporting Staff Development 21 Friends of Grammar 22 Branches & Reunions 24 The Old Melburnians 26 Community News 28 Old Melburnian Major Events 30

Innovative Learning

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is published three times a year for the Melbourne Grammar School Community

IT @ MGS

Published by Development Office Melbourne Grammar School 355 St Kilda Road Melbourne 3004 Telephone: 9868 7100 Facsimile: 9868 7177 email: newsletter@mgs.vic.edu.au

Our front cover:

Year 7 students Philip Xie and Daniel O’Donnell with the Wadhurst rainbow dragon in preparation for the Melbourne Grammar School Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival (see page 7 for more details).

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From the Editor A classical music concert, Aboriginal art gallery opening and Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, all occurred side by side in two weeks early in September at Melbourne Grammar School. These functions demonstrate the variety of activity which occurs every day at the School and showed me the diversity of experience available for both students and staff at my new employer Melbourne Grammar.

Melbourne Grammar School fosters the pursuit of excellence by offering an educational experience ranging across intellectual, social, cultural, spiritual and physical pursuits.

Editorial Board

Drew Gamble, MGS

Printer GT Graphics

Mailing & Distribution

16 The Old Melburnians Dinner

Happy reading and have a joyful festive season.

Fostering Learning and Leadership

Kirrily Johns

Design & Layout

I am delighted to inform readers of Grammar Newsletter that Jenny Baldwin, editor of this publication for the last five years, has had a healthy baby boy called Brodie.

Kirrily Johns

Editor

Ann Badger Stewart Brook Jane Lee Gordon Sargood (Chairman)

Learning in Action

The volume, standard and range of activities within the School is amazing; plays, art exhibitions, community service days, work experience, sports, all in addition to the core curriculum. In this edition of Grammar Newsletter you can read about students learning and experiencing in all manner of ways.

From my short time here I see a school full of vibrancy – the teachers have a real passion for their students, subject areas and the School and the students enthusiastically approach learning and life.

Grammar Newsletter

31 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 9868 7100.

Data Connection

Photographs Mark Annabell Ann Badger Kimbal Baker Jenny Baldwin Chris Bradtke Stewart Brook Anna Denton Gena Ferguson Carolyn Freezer James Grant Greg Hughes Kirrily Johns Patricia Langton Gus May Grantley McDonald Sally Wallis Scancolor Matthew Weigall MGS Archives and others

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From the School Council MGS Vision

Building Update

The School Council worked diligently on a weekend retreat in August to document an extensive and exciting vision for the School for the next ten years. The Headmaster is to be congratulated on the success of the retreat and for his leadership in developing a thorough framework for our future.

As one aspect of the vision building projects remain a highlight at each campus. Contractors are busy at Memorial Hall with current focus on deep excavation and civil engineering works.

Central to the vision is Melbourne Grammar School’s commitment to being one of the world’s leading teaching and learning institutions by offering our students the finest education.

John Hasker

Schools are dynamic entities and evolve and develop over time. To maintain the pursuit of excellence we regularly review goals, plans and operations to ensure we have the best and most appropriate programs and facilities for students and staff. The Council and Headmaster are looking forward to sharing the vision in full with the Grammar Community in the new year.

School Council President

Work is soon to begin on the new Alfred Felton Hall at Grimwade House, with the foundation stone to be laid in March 2004. Furthermore, preliminary design work has begun for the proposed Centre for Learning and Leadership on the site of Old School House and a car park under the Steele Oval.

Happy Holidays

The Most Reverend Peter Watson Archbishop of Melbourne

May I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I would like to thank Headmaster Paul Sheahan for his leadership throughout 2003, particularly for his leadership on the development of the new vision for the School. The Melbourne Grammar staff have continued to show dedication and a pursuit of excellence throughout the School and I thank them all and wish them a relaxing time over the holiday season.

Chairman John Hasker

Deputy Chairman Graeme Blackman Peter Beaumont Peter Danne Barbara Fary Vince FitzGerald Stuart Gooley Sandy Massina Lelde McCoy Bruce Parncutt Ian Vaughan Catherine Walter

The new MGS Sports Complex at Todd Road, Port Melbourne is looking great. Building works are complete including the clubhouse, scoreboard, caretaker’s flat and associated buildings to store plant equipment and rowing shells. The synthetic fully lit hockey ground is also finished. Grassing of the two ovals is under way and faces the uncertainty of Melbourne’s summer rainfall and possible water restrictions. A date is being sought in mid 2004 for an esteemed Victorian to officially open these new sporting facilities.

The basement storage area under construction in Memorial Hall

John Hasker

Headmaster Paul Sheahan

Secretary to the Council David Temple (Bursar)

The orchestral rehearsal room & new driveway progress in the area beside Memorial Hall

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Building work is complete at the MGS Sports Complex; shown here the pavilion, observation deck & grass beginning to shoot on the oval

From the Headmaster Diversity ‘Diversity’ is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘being diverse (that is, unlike in nature or qualities; varied; changeful), unlikeness; different kind; variety’, and derives from the mediaeval Latin diversificare, involving the past participle versus from vertere turn, via the Old French diversité and Middle English.

The old saying has it, also, that ‘variety is the spice of life’.

Investment managers will also tell you that diversity in the portfolio will guard against collapse (in general!); to invest too much in speculative stocks or in equities, rather than property and fixed interest, leads to a distinct possibility of financial ruin if things run adversely.

Grimwade House Co Captains with Paul Sheahan, from left: Luci Ross (Semester 1), Isabelle Sayers (Semester 2), Henry Hanlon (Semester 2) & Nicholas de Steiger (Semester 1)

Football teams need a range of shapes and sizes of player to perform individual tasks. Theatrical productions demand casts with differing abilities.

Orchestras have to have players of different instruments to flesh out the sound in a structured but sympathetic way. Even gardens look best when there is a variety of plants that complement and contrast each other, too. In fact, the whole of life demands diversity for its very survival and promulgation.

So it is that one of the values that shines through in the soon to be released vision statement is ‘Diversity’: a variety in all areas of the School’s life is seen as enhancing the experience for all students. We value diversity both in the student community and the staff complement – nothing would be more stultifying for students than to be confronted by staff who emerge from some predetermined mould and nothing would be less educational than to have students mix only with others from a similar background both socioeconomic and cultural.

With respect to the staff it is our considered aim to have a blend of young and ‘not-so-young’, Christian and non-Christian, intellectual and physical (not that those two are necessarily mutually exclusive), reflective and ebullient teachers to open up new possibilities and new ways of thinking for the students. Equally it is our considered aim to make sure that we have a variety of cultural backgrounds amongst the student population; that is why we value the scholarship program so highly. It enables us to encourage some families who could otherwise not consider Melbourne Grammar School for their child – on the basis of cost – to access the finest education possible and, in the process, bring a richness to the culture in which the students learn that could not be achieved in other ways.

The diversity of a Year 8 class

Therefore, in paying more than lip service to the value of diversity, activities within Melbourne Grammar will include a broad and liberal curriculum; studies in understandings of different cultures and belief systems; encouragement of different points of view; promotion of debating issues and events of local, national and international importance; visits by speakers from business, industry, politics, and other walks of life; a wide range of co-curricular sports and activities; teams at many levels of ability and skill; an extensive outdoor education program; celebration of academic excellence; and many opportunities for interstate and international travel. All of these things help in developing a broad and sympathetic outlook.

Diversity does enrich our life at MGS and, given that it is now one of the nine central elements that the School values above all else, it will be one of the determinants in making decisions about any aspect of the School’s operation.

Paul Sheahan

Fostering Learning and Leadership 5

Curriculum Initiatives

Photograph by Sally Wallis

Explore & Learn

Year 8 students learn to kayak

In addition to their classes at school students at Wadhurst undertake many activities off campus. All boys spend a week in their form group at the Robert Knox camp at Woodend gaining proficiency in map-reading and navigational skills. For many boys this is also a great introduction to best camping practices and a chance to develop peer friendships as they work in small groups.

All subject areas are represented in a long list of excursions, tours and field trips which have included destinations such as Switzerland, England, France, New Caledonia, Canada, China, the Northern Territory and Sydney.

Closer to home the Latrobe Valley, Warrnambool and the Great Ocean Road, Bendigo, Queenscliff, Kyneton and Wonthaggi have all been visited by groups from Wadhurst in the recent past.

Some excursions are based on units of work incorporating several subject areas, such as animals week in which Year 7 boys cover topics and skills from English, Chinese, French and Latin, the Year 7 camp in the Western District late in the year in which English, Geography, History and Science are involved and the Year 8 Marine Biology camps cover skills from Art, Geography and Physical Education as well as Science.

Wadhurst’s location opposite the Shrine of Remembrance makes short trips to points of interest close to the city practicable and sites visited have included the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Chinese Temple in South Melbourne, Flinders Street Station, the Stock Exchange and Victoria Barracks.

Drama Week

Junior Primary performance during drama week

Creatures with feathers, fur, fins and aluminium found their way to the Grimwade House Hall during drama week in September. All children in Prep to Year 2 were involved in drama workshops with Caroline Smart and Philip Linsdell during Term III which culminated in presentations to parents. Caroline and Philip worked closely with Sally Cordner and the year level teachers to ensure that these drama opportunities were an extension of the classroom programs; bears, the outback and feathers, fur, fins and scales were the units of work each year level had been studying in class during the term.

Caroline and Philip from Carp Productions create unique shows that include movement, poetry and song and all children participate as different characters in short skits as part of the total production. These drama productions are inclusive, engaging and fun and are supported by the wider Grimwade community, notably the Music and Art Departments. Genuine joy and excitement was seen on the faces of all children and when casting an eye over the audiences the same was evident.

Glyn Howitt

Roger Peake

Politically Correct One of the key aims of the Politics Department this year was to bring the subject closer to the students. To this end the Year 11 and 12 classes have benefited from the visits of several guest speakers.

Photograph by Stewart Brook

Politics students David Carolan (far left) & Toby Allen (far right) with State Opposition Leader Robert Doyle & Politics teacher Jeremy Hamilton

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In August, George Brazier, Acting US Consul to Melbourne, spoke to the Year 11 class on the evolution of the US political system and the

operation of the presidency. Mr Brazier’s visit effectively coincided with the Term III study of the US political system.

The Year 12 course focuses entirely on the Australian federal system. The class was fortunate to have a visit from Alison Lloyd, an Officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who discussed the operation of the Department and recent changes to the foreign policy agenda.

In September both classes welcomed the State Opposition Leader Robert Doyle and participated in a lively discussion on the topic of ‘real politik’.

Jeremy Hamilton

Innovative Learning Mid-Autumn Festival The night of Friday 12 September began with a burst of colour and light. Out came the Wadhurst rainbow dragon led by the fiery lion and its dance.

The clash of cymbals and drums was accompanied by dancers executing martial arts moves as they led the dragon around the Wadhurst Deck.

Resembling a Chinese movie scene, red banners, gold and purple hangings and fairy lights lit up the Wadhurst Deck. The night, of course, was the third annual Melbourne Grammar School Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. This night, in Chinese communities, has been celebrated since ancient times and traditionally brings families together to celebrate the recent harvest and the famous love story of Chang Er. Chang Er was a beautiful maiden who fled to the moon and can still be seen today.

At Melbourne Grammar this Moon Festival, as it is commonly known, brought together 260 members of the Grammar Community from Grimwade House, Wadhurst and Senior School.

The Festival is a great showcase for the students to show off their Chinese talents in both language and cultural performances. It has grown to be an integral part of the School’s overall Chinese program in which students learn both the language and what is at the basis of all language – the cultural life of the people. Chinese love to eat, celebrate and get together and the Moon Festival really complements all these aims.

Following the dragon parade there were performances from the Grimwade Chinese students including a ribbon dance and recital of short scripted pieces. The dragon was driven by fourteen Wadhurst students in its body and Wadhurst boys also recited Chinese poems dressed in scholar and emperor’s clothing of gold, red and blue. The Wadhurst strings, artfully led

by Chris Pfitzner, performed two romantic Chinese pieces of music.

The Friends of Grammar Chinese Auxiliary organised a Chinese feast for all and dinner was served by a team of 12 parents and Senior School students on magnificently decorated tables during the performances.

At the end of the evening all students assembled on the stage dressed in their Chinese finery and led a lantern procession into the misty night, an apt finish to what was a great night of family spirit, Chinese charm and plain good fun!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Friends of Grammar for their continued support along with the most willing contribution of teachers, the Annabell family and the FOG Chinese Auxiliary team. I particularly pay credit to the students from all three campuses for their great involvement on the night. This is one of the nights of the year and it is a credit to them all. See you next year!

Greg Hughes

Origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival The story of Chang Er and her flight to the moon, dating back to the Warring States period of 475221 BC, is well known to all Chinese. Chang Er stole the elixir of immortality from her husband Hou Yi and then fled to the moon.

Our front cover

Scholarships for Year 7 Entry Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence and are also available for boys of outstanding musical ability and for students who need to board.

The scholarship exam will be held on Saturday 28 February 2004 and applications are made on-line.

For scholarship information and to make an application including fee payments please visit the scholarship link on the front page of our website <www.mgs.vic.edu.au>. The closing date for registering applications on-line is Thursday 19 February 2004.

Enquiries to the Admissions Office: <enrol@mgs.vic.edu.au> or 9868 7170.

A famous Tang Dynasty poet Li Shang Yin 813858 AD wrote: Chang Er remorseful for having stolen the elixir of immortality Nightly pines amid the vast sea of the blue sky.

Fiery lion

Along with this intrigue was the wish of farmers to celebrate after an extended period of harvest.

Thus two traditions were combined into the one festival.

Melbourne Grammar’s rainbow dragon was created by students and staff of the Wadhurst Art and Chinese Departments in 1992. The first dragon to be made by a school and officially blessed as a Victorian Chinese dragon it led the Moomba Parade in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and is 12 metres long. Our dragon currently resides in the Wadhurst Library.

Photographs by Mark Annabell

Rainbow Dragon

Wadhurst rainbow dragon

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Out & About at Senior School Work Experience In 2003 the largest group of Year 11 Melbourne Grammar School students ever to undertake work experience spent a week in the workforce. The locations, jobs and employers were as diverse as the boys themselves. Here two students explain their work experiences.

Film and Television I intended my work experience to give me an insight into how the Australian television and film industry functioned. These intentions took me to two highly respected and wellknown establishments, Frameworks inc. and Channel Seven studios. Frameworks inc. is one of Australia’s leading feature film and television editing companies and while there I was able to sit in on an editing session with the Assistant Editor for a new Australian film The Illustrated Family Doctor. She demonstrated how a feature film was dubbed and spliced and informed me that it takes at least seven months to edit a feature film. Channel Seven studios produce many local television shows but most famously the studio shoots Home and Away. While at Channel Seven I was able to sit in on a script session with the Home and Away script producers, writers and editors. I thoroughly enjoyed my visits to both companies and these two experiences have taught me a lot about the mechanics of the industry.

Music Store Unlike most of my school peers who spent their work experience in formal office settings I spent mine talking to two guys about music for five days in a specialist music store called Synaesthesia, a small, pokey place located in the Block Arcade.

Being a specialist music store, you won’t find the expected canon of popular music in the racks but rather row after row of obscure, experimental music, which is mostly imported from overseas or purchased from special distributors. As I browsed and catalogued the owner Mark’s selection I quickly became aware of the unique aspect of the store.

For the five days that I was there I sat in this little place and listened, read and conversed about music with Mark and another work experience student from Camberwell High. This may sound boring (as well as lazy) but being as passionate about music as I am I found it one of the most interesting, stimulating and invigorating weeks of my life. Throughout my time there I was constantly enthralled by meeting different people, getting experience first hand in music distribution and overall expanding my grasp of the cultural and artistic magnitude of experimental music.

I can only thank the School for providing such an experience for me as it has revitalised my yearning for cultural curiosity and exploration.

Robert McDougall (Year 11)

Tim Russell (Year 11)

School Captains Unite

Headmaster Paul Sheahan with APS school captains

One of the highlights in 2003 for School Vice Captain Eric Fransella and me was the opportunity to host the annual Australian Public Schools (APS) School Captains’ meeting in August. This was the first meeting of its type to be held at Melbourne Grammar School with 19 captains from every campus of each of the 11 APS schools present.

Following a tour of the School and a light snack we hibernated for three hours in the Morrow Room. The following discussion covered issues such as the school captain and prefect selection process, the role of prefects as ‘police’ versus ‘mentors’, school formals (and their customary after parties), leadership training, security of notebooks and mobile phones and the division of responsibilities among the prefect body.

Photograph by Jenny Baldwin

The success of the meeting prompted a proposal that next year two meetings be held, one much earlier in the year to establish communication and share preparations for the year ahead and a later one to share experiences and offer guidance for future leaders.

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In a position that at times can seem rather isolated it was enormously helpful to meet and hear how other student leaders manage under similar circumstances.

Nick Russell (School Captain)

Photograph courtesy David Smith - Leader Community Newspaper

Kim Ramchen following his win

Right Equation Year 10 student Kim Ramchen proved his mathematical talent by winning the intermediate division of this year’s prestigious University of Melbourne BHP Billiton School Mathematics Competition.

More than 3000 of Victoria’s brightest young students from state and private schools pitted their mathematical prowess against questions designed to test a student’s problem solving ability in areas such as number theory, probability, geometry and algebra. The nature of the problems is different from that encountered in school mathematics courses; they do not rely on memory and require students to be creative and insightful.

Melbourne Grammar School has an impressive record in the competition, with winners each year in the six year period 1992 to 1997 in the intermediate and/or senior category: Lawrence Ip (1992), Frank Calegari (1993), Chaitanya Rao and Kuhn Ip (1994), Norman Do (1995/1997), John Dethridge (1996) and Lev Ramchen (1997).

Neil Luo & George Nedovic receive their award from Federal Treasurer Peter Costello

Michael Gomm receives his award from Petro Georgio MP

Australian Students Prize Several Melbourne Grammar School students have been awarded the 2002 Australian Students Prize on the basis of their Year 12 results. The students received a certificate of excellence and an award of $2000 from the Commonwealth Government. The Australian Students Prize celebrates the outstanding achievement of the very best students who graduate from secondary schools each year. Winners of these prizes are of the highest academic standard and are to be congratulated on their outstanding results.

Melbourne Grammar 2002 Australian Student Prize Winners Michael Gomm Brian Leung Neil Luo Nicholas Luo George Nedovic Prasanna Venkataraman

Lawrence Doolan

Cordner Eggleston Cup At the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 8 August 2003 the Melbourne Grammar School players and supporters, as always, eagerly awaited play to begin for the MGS v Scotch College Cordner Eggleston Cup. Whilst neither side was in a position to win the Associated Public Schools Football Premiership, both sides were jockeying for third position on the ladder. The match was a forerunner to the AFL Melbourne v Geelong match to be played later that evening. Our preparation could not be faulted. We were willing and very capable participants.

The match was played in testing conditions. Both sides had trouble coming to grips with the driving rain and wind that swept the stadium. Scotch had the cleaner start and their early scores proved ultimately to be the difference. With less than a kick in the game at the last break Scotch steadied with the last two goals of the match to run out worthy winners with the final score Melbourne Grammar 5.12 (42) losing to Scotch College 8.8 (56). There was much emotion in the rooms after the match. For the Year 12 players it was their

MGS boys give their all against Scotch at the MCG

swansong. Dr Donald Cordner spoke quietly but with spirit and feeling to the team. Each player was awarded an AFL Foundation Day medallion. The Melbourne Grammar boys did their school proud. Melbourne Grammar football is on the way back.

Tim Habben 9

Out & About at Senior School

Photograph by Ann Badger

Sixth Form Evening

The Rev’d Tim Costello, Director ‘Urban Seed’, seen here with School Captain Nick Russell & School Vice Captain Eric Fransella.

As this year’s Sixth Form Evening guest speaker Tim spoke eloquently about community – that the real wealth of the Year 12 students experience lay in the journey together, the interchange along the way, the relationships developed & the values shared

The Sixth Form Evening, instituted

by Headmaster Nigel Creese in 1972 as an occasion dedicated to presenting awards and formally farewelling the Year 12 students, occurs annually in October immediately before the students departing for ‘swat vac’.

Usually held in the Memorial Hall, this year’s event was held at the National Theatre, St Kilda owing to the Hall’s refurbishment. The awards were presented by this year’s guest speaker The Rev’d Tim Costello. Tim Costello has been very prominent in working with important social justice issues and drawing to the attention of government the plight of marginalised groups within society.

Traditionally, only recipients of prizes and awards were recognised but in 1990 the addition of

Valedictory cake served at supper following the Sixth Form Evening

Valedictory Certificates meant that all students received a presentation.

In 1997 a generous joint gift from the Friends of Grammar and The Old Melburnians saw the presentation of the Valedictory Certificates in handsome blue folders and this custom has continued ever since. In addition the Headmaster wishes each student well as he leaves the dais presenting him with a pair of MGS cuff links, another gift from the Friends of Grammar.

A commemorative program is produced and since 1995 the front cover has featured art work by one of the Year 12 students. This is an honour highly regarded by the student whose work is selected and is in itself a form of prize.

Barry Barton

Photographs by Grantley McDonald

A Classic Tour of Italy

Above: Temple at Paestum Above right: Charles Peake, Jonathan Chiam & Aaron Revelle at the Syracuse amphitheatre

This year’s Classics Tour to Italy in September/ October was a great success, testament to Peter Mountford who recently retired to devote himself more fully to his beloved Virgil. At full strength the touring party numbered 31, including students from all three campuses, parents, relatives and friends.

The first part of the tour encompassed a number of Greek settlements in Sicily and southern Italy, including some impressive temples and amphitheatres. Local museums were packed with artefacts including a bewildering array of vases, statues, mosaics and wall paintings.

Highlights included the wonderful Greek theatre at Taormina, the temples of Paestum and the

Riace bronzes, a pair of warriors discovered thirty years ago off the Calabrian coast. We then used Sorrento as a base to explore Naples, Tiberius’ Villa on Capri, Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Moving north to Rome we visited the remains of the ancient city at the Forum, Pantheon and Colosseum as well as more recent masterpieces such as the Vatican. Peter Mountford drew our attention to how many buildings in Rome such as the Trevi Fountain, S Maria degli Angeli and S Maria in Trastevere, incorporate large fragments of antique brick and stonework into their construction. I took the opportunity to do some research in the Vatican Library for three days while Peter took the boys to a number of fascinating sites including the Villa d’Este and Rome’s ancient port at Ostia. We then visited some beautifully painted Etruscan tombs near Viterbo before returning home to a new term.

The tour was demanding and resulted in a few injuries to some of the older members of the party but was thoroughly worthwhile; the food was a particular highlight! I am sure that a few pairs of eyes have been opened to the austere and spectacular beauty of classical art and culture.

Grantley McDonald

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Christmas in Germany

The Society for Australian-German Student Exchange (SAGSE) was founded in 1967 by Fritz von Einem-Joosten, a Melbourne-based businessman who wanted to foster international understanding by means of a German-Australian youth exchange. Through the Society German firms based in or with subsidiaries in Australia each sponsor a student for 10 weeks during which

they live with a German family, attend school and travel throughout Germany, including a weeklong stay in the capital city, Berlin.

David’s scholarship has been generously provided by Siemens and he will be their guest at the company’s German headquarters during his visit. This is a unique opportunity to experience German life and to build both personal and sometimes professional links that last a lifetime. These scholarships are offered each year to students of German in Years 11 and 12 throughout Australia.

Kylie Witt

Award Winning Musician

Photograph by Kylie Witt

Congratulations to David Stuchlik of Year 11 who has recently been awarded a prestigious SAGSE scholarship and is looking forward to a white Christmas in Europe this year.

David Stuchlik receives his scholarship at the annual SAGSE presentation banquet

Practice makes perfect for Mark Chu

Year 9 student Mark Chu began learning the piano at the age of three and gave his first recital at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney three years later, followed by others at the University of Melbourne and the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. He performed a Mozart piano concerto with the Melbourne Grammar School Symphony Orchestra when he was eight. In 2000 he was awarded a Melbourne Grammar scholarship for excellence in music and academic study.

Piano Competition in the 13 to 15 age group. He played Bach’s Prelude and Fugue Book 1 No 22 and Liszt’s Transcendental Etude No 10 in F minor at the final held at the Canberra School of Music.

Mark has also passed the selection stage and is admitted to the fifth Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians to be held in Osaka, Japan in March 2004. In addition he has been selected for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s 2003 Young Artists Program which involves recording with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in December.

This year Mark won the state final and then the national final of the Yamaha Australian Youth

This has been a most successful year for Mark and we wish him well with his future endeavours.

Martin Rutherford

Confirmation

Photograph by Kirrily Johns

Year 9 Community Service

Chai Phonsuwan & Sam Clark tidy toys at the Coventry Child Care Centre as part of the Year 9 Community Service Day held in October

On Sunday 7 September Bishop John Wilson confirmed Melbourne Grammar School candidates in the Chapel of St Peter. Students & staff assembled with the Bishop & Headmaster outside the Chapel after the Service

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Boarding Goodbye Perry House As I approach the end of my ten years as Head of Perry House I can only think how quickly the time has gone. The many faces, the contact with parents, emotional meetings and departures have been etched in my memory and I reflect on a happy time in my life.

It coincided with the birth of my children and as we prepare to leave it will be the first time that our children will live in a ‘normal’ house, without 50 plus teenage boys in tow!

I have been lucky to have a very supportive family and will enjoy the opportunity to spend more time with them.

The journey has been challenging and exciting – thanks to all those boys and parents that have made it a special one. Perry is a great place!

Robert Shields

Farewell Mr Shields As the Year 12s begin to see the light we are able to reflect on the good times we have had at Melbourne Grammar School. The boys from Perry House have not arrived at this point without the tremendous effort of a very passionate man – Mr Shields. Whether he’s entertaining an economics class, on the rugby pitch, in the boarding house or causing havoc on the ski slopes, he is always passionate about what he is doing.

For the last ten years he has run Perry House with enormous passion. It has been a privilege to be a part of Perry under the jovial and seemingly relaxed Mr Shields. I would like to thank him for making boarding his passion as he has been such an enormous part of all our lives.

Rob Alsop (Perry House Captain)

Robert Shields with his family outside Perry House. From left: Hannah, Kathryn, Patrick, Robert, Greta & Chloe

New Perry House Leader News of my appointment to Perry House from 2004 provoked a range of responses. Happily most were complimentary! Only those who are passionate about pastoral care can begin to understand why I applied and why I am excited at the prospect of working with a great team of tutors and 52 fine Perry lads in the New Year.

I began at Melbourne Grammar School as a teacher of Chinese and Religious Education in 1989. My first six years were spent as a tutor in Deakin House under the well-respected Ken Emselle. Ken’s quiet but firm leadership style influenced me greatly.

Michael Shaw ready for his new role as Head of Perry House

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In 1993 I was offered the opportunity to be a tutor in Pasley House with Steve Norris at the helm. My wife Mary and I took up residence in Domain Street and I became involved in the junior boarding program out of school hours while maintaining my duties in Deakin House during the day. My older children have fond memories of accompanying a handful of Pasley boys and me on our Sunday ‘excursions’.

In 1996, with my appointment as Head of Miller, Mary and I were allowed to remain for a further year in Domain Street on the condition that I found time to work with the overseas students in Perry House. This was my first foray into senior boarding and I enjoyed the experience of spending out of school time with many of the boys I was teaching.

The last eight years have flashed by. I have been thoroughly spoilt by so many wonderful young men, their families and the experiences in Miller.

I am indebted to the terrific staff for having shared this time with me and now wish Geoff Guggenheimer well as he takes over the reins at the ‘Mighty Magenta’.

Mary and I and our five children are very much looking forward to our move in January to the Gables beside Perry House. The opportunity to share in the lives of the young men in Perry over the coming years is both a privilege and a challenge I am eagerly anticipating.

Michael Shaw

Out & About at Wadhurst

Photographs by Patricia Langton

Playful Generation

Performed on the Wadhurst Deck on two October evenings, The First Generation completed a trilogy of ‘Generation’ plays written, directed and produced by Drama Coordinator Fiona Mackenzie. The culmination of a year’s process, from the pen to the stage, the play involved more than 150 students in a variety of roles, including set construction and painting, stage management, ticket and program design, sound and lighting and, of course, acting and dancing.

Underpinning her approach to the total project of a school play is Fiona Mackenzie’s wish to create and maintain an atmosphere of mutual endeavour, cooperation and support between teachers and students working together as a team. This team factor is vital to the success of the enterprise and the boys and the production were supported directly this year by no fewer than 18 members of the Wadhurst staff, seven of whom had cameo performance roles of their own!

Following the audition period towards the end of Term I were some 200 hours of rehearsals spread over the next six months. Each boy who auditioned gained a part and those who expressed a preference for offstage responsibilities were readily given an opportunity to utilise their more hidden talents.

What remained after the dazzling colour, the buoyant humour and the foot-tapping music of each performance was the engaging delight and enjoyment on the faces of the talented young actors, who for a couple of hours transformed the Wadhurst Deck into a theatre of energy, enthusiasm and sheer good fun.

Above left: Wadhurst students go back to The First Generation. From left: Charlie Cumbrae-Stewart, Jono Gooley, William Lennie & Andrew King Above: Jack Lang as Witch Doctor Jazz Bones

Paul Wilhelm

Trying out Chinese food was challenging for some and enjoyable for all – from a Peking duck banquet to barbecued ‘dolphin’ at a street market which turned out to be ‘doufu’ or tofu as we call it in English! Shopping at the local markets put pressure on all suitcases and provided many opportunities for bargaining in Chinese.

From left: Tim Goh, James RobertsThomson, Matt Lugg & Anthony Renzella at the Forbidden City

Gus May at the Great Wall of China

The hundreds of photos taken will remind students of what was probably the most exciting holiday and certainly the best learning experience of their lives.

Marilyn Burke

Photograph by Gus May

Visiting first the modern capital, Beijing, then the ancient capital city of Xian, the group packed many highlights into busy days and nights.

Students experienced China’s history through visits to sites such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven and the huge terracotta army of the first emperor.

They explored local areas by foot, tour bus, local subway, pedicab and trolley bus.

A day spent in classes at Haidian Foreign Language Experimental School was definitely the highlight for many.

Cultural experiences were provided through evening visits in Beijing to performances of Peking opera, acrobatics, martial arts and a superb Tang Dynasty musical program in Xian.

Photograph by Greg Hughes

Almost cancelled because of the SARS scare, this year’s 14 day Wadhurst China Tour lived up to all expectations and provided the 20 student travellers with a taste of all that amazing country offers.

Photograph by Greg Hughes

A Taste of China

Students on a traditional Chinese bridge at Houhai Lake, Beijing

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IT @ MGS Technology in the Learning Experience Australian, particularly Victorian, schools lead the way world wide in the use of technology to facilitate students’ learning. At Melbourne Grammar School we believe technology to be an enabler, a tool for learning, communication

and collaboration. This permeates every aspect of the curriculum programs, information resources and our communications in different ways. Students may use technology to help learn how to:

 link with schools around the world to track and analyse global weather activity  publish a multimedia book with animated illustrations and spoken dialogue  use a digital microscope to view, analyse and discuss actual scientific images as a class  design and build a three-dimensional model of an energy efficient house  map an area for a specific issue eg. litter around the Senior School and use GIS software to collate data, create maps and develop solutions  set up links with an overseas class of their age using email with sound and picture attachments to explore our similarities and differences  plan and document all aspects of a three-day trip to a city (eg. Paris) using authentic current resources to develop an itinerary, walking tours, places to visit, transport details, costs, accommodation, weather, appropriate clothing, etc.  create an interactive alphabet with sounds and animation  write and sound a Chinese character  design, develop and manufacture a functional object in response to a brief  create a simple melody line and backing track for a number of instruments  design and manipulate shapes that tessellate through slides, rotations and flips Year 8 students create energy efficient house models

Year 4 students Matthew Ralph & Anna Grutzner design & manipulate shapes

To better present technology outcomes the Information Technology team has prepared a site for visitors. In your browser use <http:// visitor.mgs.vic.edu.au> and explore a small sample of what is actually happening in the classroom…

In this article Sue Lines, Director of Information Technology, discusses the School’s learning technology philosophy and program.

Sue, notebooks were introduced at MGS in 1996. Why has MGS chosen this educational pathway?

The simple answer is that a student notebook program delivers different outcomes to a computer lab program. There are sound educational strategies that underpin the notebook program; we believe that technologies are an important resource for the learning process, technologies need to be available ‘on demand’, available in the form rooms, subject classrooms and special resource facilities like the libraries.

A personal notebook provides continuity and ownership of the information and work stored on it.

At MGS we believe that computer labs are ‘static’.

They restrict access to resources whilst seeming to provide them. We have chosen to resource two labs – one is a training and presentation classroom for staff; and a Mac lab in the Art Department tailored for Graphic Design and Visual Arts student projects. However, mobile computing better meets the need for students to ‘own’ technology in a hardware, personal and intellectual sense. The technology is available anywhere, anytime…

Our students are certainly connected. I don’t mean connected as in the notebooks they use but in the comprehensive digital world available to them. The internet, email, on-line forums,

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mobile telephony, instant messaging, digital sound and images – CDs, DVDs – are readily accessible and readily exchanged in a 24 x 7 world.

At Melbourne Grammar School every classroom from Year 5 to 12, effectively becomes a ‘computer lab’ when the teacher asks ‘Please take out your notebooks and begin work …’

What feedback do we receive from educationalists visiting the School to view our learning technology program?

Yes, we do have many visitors from schools in the UK, USA and Australia. The reason they visit us is that we can provide a comprehensive model for what is being practised, how it’s evolving and the manner in which it is implemented, supported and resourced by MGS staff. We can demonstrate how staff responsible for curriculum development and those responsible for delivering and supporting technology development, work closely together. Our emphasis is on integrating good technology practices in the learning experience Our visitors respond positively to being in the classrooms, experiencing the way in which subject teachers have incorporated a myriad of technologies in their professional practices.

Visitors will often comment about the natural and spontaneous way in which our students simply utilise their notebooks, the information and communication services and the raft of educational software applications available to them.

How is the School monitoring learning technology?

There is vigorous debate in all our educational institutions about technology and its value in teaching and learning. The rich educational experience of the students here at MGS is enhanced by technology. Alberto Rizzo, the School’s learning technologist, is currently evaluating research in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia to determine world practices and standards for the enhancement of our curriculum programs and appropriate inclusion of technologies.

An aspect of technology that we are witnessing daily is the way in which students with differing learning styles become engaged and utilise technology to their advantage and the way in which the classroom is being transformed.

Currently we are engaged in constructing a statement about eLearning and what this means at MGS – incorporating sound assessment practices for technology and its relevance to the curriculum programs, classroom practices, professional development, infrastructure and, most of all, the integral value of technologies in the development of our students.

A notebook is an every day tool of learning for Year 8 student Al Armstrong

Ann Badger & Sue Lines

Barak Gallery Opens Judith Ryan, senior curator of Indigenous Art at the National Gallery of Victoria, officially opened the Barak Gallery on Thursday 11 September 2003.

Named in honour of William Barak, Ngurungaeta (headman) of the Wurundjeri people, the Gallery showcases a diverse range of works by Indigenous artists from all over Australia (many of whom are currently represented by the NGV) and includes etchings by Vicki Couzens and Lee Darroch from East Gippsland and dot paintings from the Watiyawanu Community at Mt Liebig to name but a few.

Class of 2003 has generously decided to donate a gift to the Gallery – a gesture that emphasises and legitimises its existence now and for decades to come. Hundreds of students pass through this space on their way to classes every day and we think that the Barak Gallery is a powerful and appropriate tribute to Indigenous Australia.

Natalie Charles

Visitors are always welcome at the new Barak Gallery which is located above Reception at Senior School

Judith Ryan spoke of Barak’s artistic significance and of his enduring legacy as an advocate for his people. He died 100 years ago on 15 August 1903, the centenary of which was fittingly marked by the annual MGS/Worawa Aboriginal College football match (his remains lie buried in a plot within the grounds of the College.) In a final gesture of appreciation to the School the Year 12 15

Learning in Action

Tackling Commu As part of a learning program which fosters leadership and responsibility, girls and boys in Year 5 at Grimwade House are experiencing a ‘hands on’ approach to problem solving as they participate in the Community Problem Solving Program.

Based on an international program, it is designed to teach students about the various steps and stages involved in problem solving and allows students to learn by doing in their chosen environment – school, home or community.

From left: Nina Breidahl, Genevieve Alison & Nicholas Karsz who are creating a Harry Potter play for kindergarten students

“We realised that children meeting their foster families for the first time would probably feel lonely and we wanted to find a way to make them feel welcome. We thought of making welcome kits that would contain personal items like a toothbrush, hairbrush, doona cover and books to help the children feel more comfortable in their new homes,” said Year 5 team member Sophie Mcleod.

“It was really good how we our community, not just in o

The students developing the welcome kits have contacted a donations. “We would like to make 20 kits to begin with,”

Student Sophie Hoy said, “The best thing about the project same ages as us,” and team mate Laura Trumble added, “It community, not just in our school.”

Three other teams are working alongside some underprivile fun day for their students and make a donation of books an through the generosity of the Grimwade House community busking at Malvern Central and a mufti day.

Photograph courtesy of Jason Sammon – Leader Community Newspaper

From left: Sophie Hoy, Laura Trumble, Vincent Leung & Sophie McLeod with items they are collecting to include in welcome kits for foster care children

Students at Grimwade House have four teams working on various community issues.

One of the issues selected by students was that of foster care provided by Anglicare. After researching the foster care program provided by Anglicare, visiting one of the residential units and meeting with Anglicare staff, students decided that they wanted to find a way they could assist children in the transition into foster care.

The students’ projects are eva Solving Program projects com are invited to participate in th this year. The winning teams International Conference held were invited to participate in

The Enrichment Program tea students to reach the Australi in their division. Not only did awarded places. In third place Hoy, Sophie McLeod, Laura T ‘Literacy Packs’ project under van Veenendaal.”

Head of Grimwade House An Program is providing our stud encouraging citizenship throu beneficial for all involved – th 16

unity Challenges

could make a difference in our school.”

a variety of businesses asking for support through said student Vincent Leung.

t has been working as a team to help other children the was really good how we could make a difference in our

eged kindergartens in Melbourne to present an educational nd other needed resources. Books are being collected y and funds raised for resources through activities such as

aluated and compared with other Community Problem mpleted by students throughout Australia. The top teams he Australian finals which were held in October in Sydney are then invited to the Future Problem Solving Program d in the United States in June 2004. All four of our teams the Australian finals.

Recognising the world as an interdependent global community, the project offers over 250,000 students from USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries the opportunity to participate.

Students work in teams and follow a problem solving model which breaks the activity into five main stages:  observation and awareness − identifying community problems/issues  selection and investigation into a specific area of concern  research/brainstorming for ideas for possible solutions

From left: Sam Scott, Emma Hoy, Callum Champion de Crespigny & Georgia Davis who are fundraising to provide books & other resources for kindergartens Centre: Community Problem Solving Program team and Australian finalists, from left – back: Laura Trumble, Nina Breidahl, middle: James Jesson, Callum Champion de Crespigny, Nicholas Karsz, Vincent Leung, Sam Scott, Iona Norton, Sohpie McLeod, front: Emma Hoy, Genevieve Alison, Georgia Davis, Sophie Hoy, Diva Baggio, Leo van Veenendaal

 development of a plan of action, keeping in mind possible challenges  implementation of the plan of action The Community Problem Solving Program gives students a practical educational experience where they can develop and utilise creative and critical problem solving skills.

Jenny Baldwin, Adrienne English & Kirrily Johns

From left: James Jesson, Leo van Veenendaal, Iona Norton & Diva Baggio with some of the books they will include in literacy packs for kindergartens

acher Adrienne English said, “It is a great credit to the ian finals as it places them in the top echelon of teams d the teams make the finals but two of the teams were e was the ‘Welcome Home’ project undertaken by Sophie Trumble and Vincent Leung. In second place was the rtaken by Iona Norton, Diva Baggio, James Jesson and Leo

ndrew Boyd said, “The Community Problem Solving dents with a greater insight into community issues while ugh ‘real-life’ community experiences. The program is he students and the broader community.”

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The Grammar Foundation Giving Today for Tomorrow The Grammar Foundation seeks to raise funds for the Grammar Building Appeal and the Endowment Fund to meet the challenge of educating tomorrow’s generation of students.

The Tomorrow’s Leaders Today campaign, of which we have profiled the Chairman and Patrons in recent editions of Grammar Newsletter, aims to raise funds for our planned Centre for Learning and Leadership. This centre is the cornerstone of Melbourne Grammar School’s commitment to fostering learning, leadership and innovation.

Incorporating the main library, information technology facilities and a leadership centre, it will provide vital gateways to the world and will play a key role in preparing our students for the information demands of today and tomorrow and developing their leadership potential.

Led by Bruce Parncutt the campaign team is focussing on securing leadership and major gifts to form a strong basis for this campaign before going to the wider Grammar Community in 2004.

Art work by Daniel Tidd (Year 8) completed as part of Aboriginal artist Craig Allen Charles’ in residence program at Wadhurst reflecting on our friendship with Worowa Aboriginal College

Foundation Fellowships: Fostering innovative learning

Much of the work of The Grammar Foundation focuses on raising essential funds for buildings, scholarships and the endowment fund. Over the last few years Foundation has also provided seeding capital for new and innovative initiatives which foster learning and leadership for students and staff.

The first Fellowship was awarded in 2001 to James Brown to work with The University of Melbourne on a Mentor Program to extend the academic experience of highly able students in Years 9 and 10. In 2002 two projects were funded: writing, producing and staging an opera at Grimwade House with Year 5 students and putting the Year 9 & 10 Earth Studies courses online.

This year the Foundation has extended the fellowship to support five initiatives at Wadhurst and Senior School.

Annual Giving

Emerging Historians

Current parents have strongly supported the opportunity to be involved in giving to Melbourne Grammar with over $125,000 raised to date this year. Led by a wonderful team of volunteers who sign a personalised letter, Old Melburnians are approached via their year group and to date over $105,000 has been donated with over nine per cent of those asked giving. The 40s decade leads the way with 100 donors and the 1951 year group has the highest participation rate.

During Term II the History Department implemented the Graduate Student Internship Program. Four graduate students in History: Laura Donati, Jennifer Kloester, Tim Goldsmith and Aron Paul communicated to our students their passion for and expertise in higher studies of History. All the graduate students enlivened our classes and in discussion with individual students out of class nurtured the emerging interest of several budding historians.

The History Department hopes to develop further our association with graduate historians from The University of Melbourne and, if practicable, with other graduate programs as well.

Images of Reconciliation Initially the grant was for the production of a picture storybook outlining the developing and ongoing relationship shared between MGS and Worowa Aboriginal College. As the project has evolved this has led to a series of images depicting the friendship between the two schools which will be displayed in the Barak Gallery (see page 15). The photographs show Worawa students at work on aspects of the storybook at their College. The paintings include images by Wadhurst and Senior School students done as part of Aboriginal artist Craig Allen Charles’ in residence program reflecting on our friendship with Worowa Aboriginal College.

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The Grammar Foundation: Striving to raise “philanthropic funds to meet the educational needs of today and tomorrow’s students. ”

Inspiring Young Mathematicians

Drama takes Centre Stage

Norman Do (1997) won a silver medal at the Mathematical Olympiad in Argentina in 1997.

As a young OM and mathematician Norman has been working with gifted Year 7 and 8 students to extend their mathematical abilities and interest through challenging problem solving exercises.

School Tours Why not join one of our regular tours to see what Melbourne Grammar School has to offer?

Tours are held during the school day and are particularly designed for families to view educational facilities of each campus.

Semester 1 2004 Grimwade House Small group tours of our co-educational junior campus are held on a regular basis.

Further information and bookings can be made by contacting the Grimwade House Office on 9525 9051.

Heading in the Right Direction

Wadhurst Tuesday 10 February 9.00am

Juliet (Carmen Dafner) & Romeo (Patrick Doubé) in the famous balcony scene in Romeo & Juliet

The Quad Play featuring a Shakespearean production has been a tradition at Melbourne Grammar since it was introduced by Nigel Creese and Ross Clayton in 1974.

Malcolm Crang & Tom Larkins navigate using GPS

Much of the first semester was spent researching the best Global Positioning Systems (GPS) model to purchase for Earth Studies Fieldwork purposes and to select appropriate software to operate with ‘ArcView’ (previously purchased with the 2002 Grammar Foundation Fellowship). Two GPS Garmin 76 Navigators and a license to use Garfield PRO software for students to convert their GPS coordinate data into GIS maps using notebooks were purchased. With these items in place departmental members are now developing fieldwork applications to be implemented in Earth Studies Units from Years 7-11 in 2004.

The integration of GPS into fieldwork exercises complements the application of Geographic Information Services in Earth Studies.

The availability of multi media and online resources now means that in Earth Studies students maximise their parents’ investment in notebook computers and no longer need to purchase text books or do extensive photocopying.

All units including assessment tasks and due dates are detailed on the Portal and, ideally, student work is handed via email or the Portal.

The support of The Grammar Foundation enabled the assistance of two directors, Des James and Loucharno Martuchi, from the Bell Shakespeare Company. The directors worked as artists in residence with Director Matthew O’Meara and 85 students from Melbourne Grammar and Melbourne Girls Grammar to increase staff and student skills and expertise working within a professional theatre environment.

The impact of their work was evident in the final three performances where it was clear that a new level had been reached both in front and in back of stage and the audience were delighted by the fresh interpretation of Romeo and Juliet.

The Bell Shakespeare Company had never worked with a school in this capacity before and it was a great privilege that they accepted our offer to come. Many students were inspired by the enthusiasm of the directors in residence and became committed to an acting career in the future. Their visit and a directors course at NIDA, completed by Matthew O’Meara, is intend to greatly improve the professionalism of future performances at Melbourne Grammar.

Tuesday 30 March 2.00 – 4.00pm (Wadhurst Discovery Day) Thursday 17 June 2.00pm

Senior School Wednesday 17 March 2.00pm Saturday 1 May 9.00am Bookings are essential and may be made with the Admissions Secretary on 9868 7170. These tours leave from The Lodge 355 St Kilda Road Melbourne.

Boarding Precinct Saturday 1 May 11.00am (Boarding Information Day) Tours of the boarding precinct are organised on request. To make a booking please call the Admissions Secretary on 9868 7170.

Ann Badger 19

Archives Archival Gallery Regular displays are held at the School’s Archives Gallery situated at the rear of The Lodge 355 St Kilda Road.

The Gallery is open each day during term time and visitors are most welcome.

Term I Growth of the Bluestone

Term II The School and the Armed Services

Into Africa – The School and the Boer War By the time Alfred Vincent Chick entered the School in 1861 at the age of 16 he had already served as a powder monkey at the siege of Lucknow in the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Albert Victor Sayer (OM 1890) was killed fighting with the United States army in the Spanish American War of 1898.

Melbourne Grammar School’s first substantial involvement in overseas conflict, however, came with the Boer War of 1899-1902.

Some two months before the cessation of hostilities in South Africa an honour board was commissioned and unveiled in Big School, the assembly hall. After a speech by Alfred Deakin (Attorney-General of the Commonwealth and acting President of The Old Melburnians) the board was unveiled by the GovernorGeneral, the Earl of Hopetoun. The wooden board, painted black and inscribed in white, listed 65 Old Melburnians who served, including eight who lost their lives.

The problem was that records were incomplete and more and more names and casualties were reported in the following years. It became impossible to incorporate all these additional inscriptions in any orderly way. With the demolition of Big School in 1920 to make way for the Millear Building the honour board was stored in the Carpenters’ Shop to await its re-erection in the Memorial Hall. Given its 30 or more errors of omission and two of inclusion, as well as its perceived inappropriateness of design for the new hall, it was decided to begin again.

Photograph by Scancolor

The Memorial Hall was opened in November 1928 and in 1930 a new Boer War honour board was erected recording the names of 101 Old Melburnians who served, including 11 who were either killed in action or died of disease.

Boer War memorial window

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In 1906 a second memorial was donated by Old Melburnians and others. This was a stained glass window for the chancel of the Chapel of St Peter. Designed by the English firm of Clayton and Bell whose work figures so prominently

Boer War honour board

in Melbourne’s St Paul’s Cathedral, it depicts the death of St Alban. The difficulty of filling such a high, narrow window with a single scene was resolved by a base panel of angels, a top section of tabernacle work and more angels and by running the main scene across both lights.

St Alban, Britain’s protomartyr, was killed in the third century by Roman soldiers at Verulamium, later to be renamed St Albans in his memory.

Legend has it that as a pagan soldier he helped a Christian priest to hide from Roman forces and was converted by him. At the approach of the Romans Alban dressed as the priest to enable the latter to flee. He was condemned to death but converted one of his captors only to be beheaded by another, whose eyes allegedly dropped out. The site of his martyrdom was marked by a church containing his shrine, later to be replaced by the wealthiest abbey in the land.

The Rev’d Ambrose Wilson, Headmaster 188593, composed the Cricket, Rowing and Football verses of the Games Song in 1888. In 1906, having returned to England, he penned a War verse reflecting the School’s involvement in the Boer War: Some in strife of sterner omen Faced the Empire’s Afric foemen; Fought, as erst their sires – her yeomen;

Won a deathless name.

Praise ye these, who stood for Britain – These, by rebel marksmen smitten; Praise them, for their names are written

High in storied fame.

There was a feeling in the School Community that with the Boer War over some of the wording was inappropriately specific. It fell to the newly appointed Chaplain, The Rev’d Arthur Tonge (1906-11) to render the verse more universal.

Afric became stubborn and rebel became foreign. Come the republic we might be in for further changes.

Gordon Sargood

Supporting Staff Development Bursaries Since 1991 the Friends of Grammar and The Old Melburnians have supported bursaries to assist the professional growth of the staff at Melbourne Grammar School and improve our educational programs. In 2003 two projects were funded: Greg Hughes/Chinese and Matthew O’Meara/ Business Studies.

In May Matthew O’Meara traveled to the USA to visit three schools that use the Harkness Table teaching method, to look at this pedagogy and see how it could benefit the School.

As reported in the August Grammar Newsletter (page 6) the essence of the Harkness Table is its shape and unique ‘pull-out’ drawers. The shape promotes a collaborative style in which each student can present their unique responses to a topic and the ‘teacher’ becomes a genuine facilitator and guide.

However, the Harkness Table is not just a piece of furniture; it is a new teaching methodology that promotes the idea of students playing an active role in, and taking responsibility for, their own learning. Matthew’s report from this study tour has been the catalyst for much discussion amongst staff and some trialing of the technique.

In a first in Australia, the School will be introducing a table next year for use in a number of teaching areas including English and Business Studies and has plans for more in the near future.

Chinese at Wadhurst Circumstances have meant that Greg Hughes has had to postpone his bursary trip to China until next year. However, during the Wadhurst China Tour (see page 13), staff and students visited

Photograph by Kirrily Johns

Harkness Table of Learning

the Hai Dian Foreign Language School and an ongoing relationship between the two schools will be investigated as part of Greg’s study tour.

FOG/OM bursary recipients Greg Hughes & Matthew O’Meara

The Hai Dian Foreign Language School is a new Prep to Year 12 private boarding school.

Situated in the ‘Silicon Valley’ of Beijing, it is a most impressive complex with gym, indoor pool, modern dorms and excellent classrooms equipped with the latest IT facilities. The Wadhurst students participated in their school program for a day.

This exchange project could include Wadhurst students staying at the school, attending special Chinese language/culture classes and being involved in activities with their Chinese counterparts. The school stay and field trips would provide ample opportunity for students to practise and improve their language skills. Greg will report in a forthcoming issue of Grammar Newsletter.

Ann Badger

Retired Staff Association The Retired Staff Association was founded in November 1998 with a three fold purpose: to foster contact with fellow retired colleagues from the three school campuses, to offer support for members in need and to maintain links between former members of staff and the School. These aims are achieved through a range of activities throughout the year and a regular seasonal newsletter.

We have settled into a pattern of four activities a year: two large-scale functions – the Annual General Meeting in June and the spring picnic – and two smaller ones, in summer and autumn.

In March we chartered a cruise boat for a trip up the Maribyrnong River. This gave us a chance to look at the Docklands development from sea level and to hear something of the history of the river. Perfect autumn weather greatly added to the enjoyment of the outing. In September 40 members booked in for a tour of some of the galleries of the new Ian Potter Centre, NGV at Federation Square. We were most fortunate to be shown around by two enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides. The last event for the year was the November picnic held at Janice and Weston Bate’s property on the Mornington Peninsula.

Michael Wilkins 21

Friends of Grammar Senior School This will be the last Grammar Newsletter published for 2003 and it is a timely opportunity to reflect on the events of this year.

The year kicked off with the inaugural Writers’ Festival held in conjunction with Melbourne Girls Grammar. The boys appreciated the opportunity to breakfast with the girls and enjoyed the Festival.

The cocktail party with Campbell McComas was also an enormous success.

The next major event on the calendar was ‘Woodstock at Wadhurst’, an opportunity for parents and teachers to recapture their youth and relive their Woodstock experiences with such questions as “Where were you during Woodstock?” From the replies of some teachers you could accurately access their ages, particularly those who were only ‘babes in arms’. The Special Events Committee must be congratulated on an event that promoted friendship although one cannot forget the assistance of FOG Committee members and the class representatives.

The cocktail parties were well attended this year and again gave parents an opportunity of catching up with old friends and to make some new ones. Our thanks go to class representatives for organising the cocktail parties.

Congratulations to the Swap Shop helpers for providing a wonderful service to parents for the acquisition of pre-loved uniforms. The organisation of sorting, selling and sending out cheques can not be underestimated.

Half way through the year the successful salmon drive was held. Our thanks go to Shirlee Burge for organising and distributing the salmon even though she resides in Deniliquin.

The class representatives were of great assistance and their meetings had some very interesting speakers, the topics being broad and diverse. Who could forget Jane Lee’s talk on ‘Secrets of Paris’?

The auxiliaries have been very busy this year. The music and drama auxiliaries had a very successful year and the parents enjoyed the performances of the boys at the various locations. Our thanks to the music and drama auxiliaries for supporting and assisting with the evenings.

The Mid-Autumn Festival was an exciting night and well supported by all the School Community.

It was fascinating cultural experience with the highlight being the dragon dance.

The art shows were of a high standard and the visit to the artist studios later this year will be great fun.

The Coastal Gardens Walk saw the support of over 230 people with four buses travelling to the Peninsula. The weather was kind to us with all 22

who partook in the trip having a great time. Our thanks go to the Garden Sub-Committee who organised the trip and in particular to Jane Burke, Fiona Brockhoff and Kathy Kostos who opened their gardens to Friends of Grammar and gave their time so generously.

I must thank Jamie Brennan and his staff and Spotless Catering for their assistance during the year with functions and the untiring support of Ann Badger and the staff at The Lodge for their support, assistance and advice during 2003. Community Secretary Jane Lee has gone beyond the call of duty and we thank her for her continued assistance to all the FOG Committees.

The events of 2003 would not have been possible without the support of the FOG Committee members who give up their time unselfishly for the support of the parents and the Grammar Community. Thank you again to the FOG Committee members of 2003, the class representatives and all of you who have supported the Committees and the events.

Our best wishes go to the members of the 2004 Committees for a successful year.

Margaret McAuley

Wadhurst Term IV is almost to a close. We have had many opportunities during Terms III and IV to join together to watch our sons participate in activities or to meet at a variety of social functions which has been most enjoyable.

Numerous activities this semester were either organised or supported by the Friends of Grammar Wadhurst Committee and class representatives of Wadhurst. These included parent information evenings, the Wadhurst play, house athletics day, fathers’ day stall, coffee mornings, lunches, morning tea with Laurie Carew and a spring luncheon at Telstra Dome.

The spring luncheon at Telstra Dome was the highlight of the year with 240 ladies and friends of the Melbourne Grammar School Community enjoying an enlightening and informative lunch with five guest speakers. The title of the lunch was ‘Wheel of Change – coping with change’. It was a contrast to last year’s fashion parade. We look forward to the spring luncheon in 2004 – keep your eyes and ears open for this annual event!

The Friends of Grammar Wadhurst Committee is an amazing group of very committed women, many of whom have large families and work parttime. They are a hardworking bunch of whom we should all be very proud and grateful to for their

I would also like to thank the class representatives who have contributed tremendously throughout the year together with all our ex-officio members.

I wish to thank all the staff at Wadhurst and The Lodge but particularly Paul Wilhelm, Julie Hopkins, Russell D’arcy, Gabriella Fanning, Ann Badger, Jane Lee and all the staff from the development, finance, maintenance and catering departments for their invaluable support and assistance. Last but not least thank you to my husband Chris who has been an amazing support throughout the year.

Finally to my Vice President, Cathie VickersWillis, thank you very much for your support. I wish Cathie and her Committee a very happy and successful 2004. Thank you everyone!

Fiona May

Grimwade House On reflection 2003 seems to have been one of the lighter years in terms of blockbuster events for the Friends of Grammar Grimwade House Committee. The Committee however along with our ever-enthusiastic class reps has organised and/or been involved in over 100 activities throughout the 38 weeks of the school year. (This calculation doesn’t even begin to include the hours spent sorting and selling clothes in the Swap Shop or arranging flowers in the Chapel, let alone the weekly reading in the classrooms or the one on one Reading Recovery program.)

It is not just the big events that help to create the wonderful atmosphere at Grimwade. It is often the smaller, more intimate ones that forge deeper friendships. The individual class coffee mornings, generously provided in parents’ homes, the class lunches, even selling produce at our popular year level cake stalls or participating in market research groups generates a warmth and cohesion that is so much a part of Grimwade.

I would like to formally thank some people: Denise Jenkins, our office saint, for her tireless patience and guidance; Marita O’Keefe, ‘Madam Unflappable’, who can organise absolutely anything and is always ready with a laugh and solution to any challenge (and then another laugh); our groundsmen who seem to move tables and chairs on a weekly basis and often twice on the same day; the FOG Grimwade House Committee who needless to say, has been outstanding – always ready to go that extra metre with the coffee urn or bottle of wine; the class coordinators – an often unsung role but a very demanding one; the class representatives – they are the ones who actually make it all happen.

Photograph by Anna Denton

Photograph by Gena Ferguson

Photograph by Anna Denton Photograph by Carolyn Freezer

dedicated work. It has been a full year for our family having Annabelle, baby number four and the Committee has been extremely helpful to me.

Their genuine support and friendship has been overwhelming. My sincere thanks to them all!

Highlights for the year have to include the glorious tennis day lunch in Edwina le Maistre’s gorgeous garden, the frenzied father and child games night, the painstakingly careful selections made by the children at the stalls for mothers’ and fathers’ days, the noise generated by the class cocktail parties and the common sense dispensed

by Helen McGrath at her ‘resilience’ information evening, not to mention the memorable music at ‘Woodstock at Wadhurst’.

Clockwise from top left: Friends of Grammar visit the vegetable garden belonging to Fiona Brockhoff on the Coastal Gardens Walk Grammar Community at Wheel of Change luncheon Louise Crosby, Margaret Howie, Valerie Gallent & Jackie Mackinnon enjoy a rest & a glass of wine on the Coastal Gardens Walk FOG Wadhurst enjoy morning tea with Laurie Carew

To Rosalba Renzella, President for 2004, you won’t need luck you’ll be amazing and I thank you for going beyond the call every time and for being a constant and wonderful Vice President all year.

Finally thank you to everyone for helping anywhere and everywhere throughout the School, I hope you have felt part of Grimwade House and that you realise how much your children have appreciated and loved your participation in their school.

Bianca Korn

23

Branches & Reunions 1

2

3

4

5

6

Central Victoria

Western Australia

1 David Ross-Soden and Vice President of The Old Melburnians David Field at the Central Victorian function at Nagambie jointly hosted with MGGS.

5 Enjoying catching up at the Western Australian function in Perth, Brigadier Bill Jamieson (1940) and Merran and Max Hipkins (1960).

2 Headmaster Paul Sheahan, Principal of MGGS Christine Briggs, President of The Old Melburnians Jonathan Roberts (1972), Convenor Edwin Kennon (1961) and his brother Phil Kennon QC (1964) at Kirwanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bridge Restaurant.

6 Enjoying the Western Australian function were Paul Aldred (1960), Bill Creswell (1959) and Chris Allen (1969).

3 Dr Bruce Sterling (1963), Vice President of The Old Melburnians David Field (1965) and Gary Houghton (1968) enjoy catching up at Nagambie.

4 Convenor of the Central Victoria Branch Edwin Kennon (1961) and his wife Jenny with Head of Creswick House Gerald Moylan.

7 Headmaster Paul Sheahan, host Richard Alder (1960), Vice President of The Old Melburnians David Field (1965) and convenor Paul Orchard (1965) at the Western Australian function held at the home of Richard and Marilyn Alder in Claremont.

1983 Twenty Year Reunion 8 Enjoying catching up at the Reunion were Charles Hardy, Trent Kneebush and Justin Noxon.

9 Michael Collett and Harish Rao discuss days past at the 1983 Twenty Year Reunion.

24

1993 Ten Year Reunion 10 John Batistich and Peter Handbury enjoy catching up at their Ten Year Reunion.

11 Mark Anderson, Julian Sallabank and Oliver Boyd enjoy the opportunity to catch up at the Reunion.

12 Peter Shaw, Chris Capes-Baldwin, Andrew Broadfoot and 1993 School Captain Nick Thorne at the 1993 Reunion.

Old Boys Function 13 Geoff Hardy (1947), John Wall (1947) and Bruce Barlow-Barker (1944) enjoy themselves at the Old Boys Function at the Ian Potter Centre, NGV. 14 Dick England (1931), with guest speaker and School Council member Vince FitzGerald, shared with Philip Opas QC (1931) the honour of being the oldest present at the Old Boys function.

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Photographs by Stewart Brook

25

The Old Melburnians Hockey Club

Photograph by Matthew Weigall

The state league team suffered from inconsistency this year and will look for a stronger showing in 2004. A new look Metro 4 team followed last season’s grand final victory with many convincing wins and yet another finals appearance.

The OM team in blue force a smile for the photographer despite losing to the MGS 1st XI in red

2003 has seen further expansion of The Old Melburnians Hockey Club. Currently boasting three winter teams, the club caters for players of all standards.

But our stand out performer was the Metro 3 team who earned promotion to Metro 2 with their top of the ladder finish. Sadly the premiership eluded them, by the narrowest of margins, in a tightly fought encounter.

An enjoyable practice match against the MGS 1st XI showed that numerical supremacy on the field is often reflected in the score line.

The Old Melburnians Hockey Club is excited to be able to call the new MGS Sports Complex home in 2004. To talk about playing in the current summer competition, or next year, please phone Tim Mustow on 0415 537 396.

Matthew Weigall

OM Sporting Clubs Interested in joining an Old Melburnian Sporting Club?

Visit the Grammar Community section of the School’s website: <www.mgs.vic.edu.au> to contact the various clubs.

Golf Day A shot gun start again enabled a large number of Old Melburnians to mingle before and after the game at Royal Melbourne on 16 July. The magnificent new club house and the challenging west course contributed to an excellent event.

Graeme Henshaw and Barlow Telford won the main trophy playing against OM President Jonathan Roberts and Richard Clifton-Jones. Tristan Forster, Mathew Wieland, Julian Sallabank and John Batistich made up an interesting four and requested

a buffer of as many holes as possible as they expected to have a lot of hits – they didn’t disappoint.

Peter Barraclough collected a lot of silver by winning the Reid Cup and Tartakover Cup for the longest drive. He played with Michael Glen, Peter Roberson and Andrew Howard.

Those wishing to play in future OM or Public School golf days should contact Harvey Tartakover on: 9690 8100 or <harvey@tartakover.com.au>.

Harvey Tartakover

Tennis Club It is hard to believe, and even more difficult to put in writing, that no Melbourne Grammar School team made the finals in any grade in this year’s winter season. While many OMs played in finals for Royal South Yarra or Albert or MCC, the initials MGS were not placed on any trophy for the first time since I began the competition in 1987. Our best effort was Robert Abrahams MGS Blue team in A Reserve who lost the Semi Final to Albert (4.8.51 to 0.1.34).

Socially, however, the season was a lot of fun with few washouts and another great end of season

night at our sponsors Stillwells BMW with car weekends, rackets and watches given as prizes. We thank Robert Abrahams, Alan Ramsdale, Peter Torey, John Scott-McKenzie, Nick Walters and all the players for their endeavours.

We extend an invitation to any OM, aged from 18 to 60, who would like to play occasionally or regularly, at a cost of approximately $30 a season (plus drinks) to contact me on: 0421 614 742 or 02 8215 5576 or <david.bryden@richemont.com>.

Groups or individuals welcome. Competition for the next winter season starts April 2004.

David Bryden

26

The Old Melburnians Council From the President Attending the Sixth Form Evening and presenting The Old Melburnians Prize for School Captain to Nick Russell, confirmed to me why we retain our involvement with the School. Nick is a fine and talented young man and has made a large contribution to our Society during the year.

To see this collective group of Year 12 boys and the level of their achievements as they graduate as Old Melburnians is of great satisfaction to many OMs who continue their support of the School.

The School this year has given great support to our Society led by Headmaster Paul Sheahan who has encouraged many of our initiatives and attended all of our branch functions and some of the year group reunions. All sections of the School Community have worked extremely closely, including Friends of Grammar and The Foundation.

This has also spread to our sporting clubs who provide so much pleasure and contact for many Old Melburnians. Thank you to all those involved who put in so much.

Our branch convenors, country, interstate and international all work particularly hard to represent our OM community. We have had larger than normal attendances at all our functions this year.

This is also due to the efforts of the Development team at The Lodge, led by Ann Badger, Alumni Manager Stewart Brook and the support of Jane Lee and Judith Mein. Thank you also to Gavan Woinarski who has always been willing to share his knowledge of our School’s community. We wish him well with his new career at MLC. In August at the Melbourne Cricket Club in The Long Room, some 400 OMs attended the Annual Dinner, one of the final dinners there before its demolition. Our guest speaker was Tim Lane, Australia’s doyen of sports commentators. He provided much debate as he nominated his ten most memorable sporting moments. The theme of the night was the close connection between our School and this famous sporting club which includes the three most recent Presidents of the MCC being Old Melburnians: Dr Donald Cordner, John Mitchell and Bruce Church.

It was also great to see the past custom of the

most recent school leavers (the 2002 year group) attending and wearing their OM tie for the first time and the awarding of two life memberships of The Old Melburnians Football Club to Simon Theodore (1989) and Cam Thompson (1989).

There were eight members of the Hawkins family and seven Cordners, including Stephen who had travelled from Switzerland to be at the dinner.

The Business Breakfast was held in September at The Windsor Hotel with the guest speaker Andrew Mohl (1972), CEO of AMP. He gave a most insightful and interesting background to the AMP story and of his progression to the top job since his school days at Melbourne Grammar. Our thanks to Andrew.

Jonathan Roberts

The Headmaster and OM Vice President attended our branch function in Perth hosted by Richard and Marilyn Alder in September and recently Edwin Kennon (1961) convened a most successful Central Victorian branch function held in conjunction with Melbourne Girls Grammar at Kirwans Bridge Winery at Nagambie. Thank you to the Principal of Melbourne Girls Grammar, Christine Briggs, for attending and speaking.

It is with sadness that we lost two most respected Old Melburnians recently – David Leahey (1942) OM President 1976 and John Jess (1937) an active participant in our Bellarine branch. We extend our condolences to their families.

My thanks to a committed and supportive OM Council for their hard work, especially Senior Vice President Simon Wilson, Vice President David Field and a diligent Secretary Treasurer Nick Batrouney. I am most indebted to our Past President Sandy Massina and thank him for his many years of service to the Old Melburnians Council.

I extend all of our best wishes to our new President David Field (1965), son of Past President Darragh Field (1932).

OMs Online

Wishing the Grammar Community a very Happy Christmas and New Year.

Catch up with friends and former classmates at OMs Online

Jonathan Roberts

www.mgs.vic.edu.au Over 900 OMs now online – It must be time to visit!

For further information contact Stewart Brook in the Development Office on 03 9868 7281.

27

Community News Major Justin Holt (1983) has just been awarded an MBE for duty in Iraq with Britain’s Royal Marines. He led 150 marines in an attack on Abu-al-Khasib under fire without suffering a fatality.

His “impeccable leadership qualities, coolness under fire and adaptability were exceptional,” according to his citation.

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

Anderson S J (current parent) Baker J D (1930) Brooks T B (1943) Bullen J L (1943) Charles H N (1932) Clark R H (1963) Curry L L (1938) Duncan D A (1945) Essex W B (past parent) Fethers J V (1944) Galbraith L W (1991) Gibbes P J (1932) Greenshields J A (past parent) Hancock R G (1926) Harper J P (1938) Henshaw J H (past staff) Jamieson A J (1944) Jess J D (CBE) (1937) Leahey D B (1942) McCracken J M (1935) McIntosh I S (Sir Ian) (1931) Major D C (1972) Mapleson M H (1950) Parbury C G (1927) Parsons J R (1979) Pinkus N B (1938) Rothwell T R (1933) Smibert J (1929) Smikin M B, Brig (1940) Thomas O M (1922) Thomson J B (1930) Vernall J E (current parent) Watson A (current parent) Wilkie J E (1925) Wray F D H (1935)

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After completing an Arts/Law degree at the University of Melbourne, Charles Parkinson (1996) will be taking up a 2003 UK Commonwealth Scholarship at Trinity College, University of Oxford to undertake a doctorate in Commonwealth constitutional history.

Simon Abrahams (1999) was the Producer of the recent biannual arts festival MUDfest at the University of Melbourne.

Simon, a fourth year student, is undertaking theatre studies and marketing. MUDfest is an art festival celebrating the colourful, political, diverse and daring talents of more than 1000 students at the university.

Barrie Kosky (1984) may well have been instrumental in saving one of Berlin’s struggling opera houses when he directed Gyorgi Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre at the Komische Opera House to capacity crowds recently. The audience was treated to a spectacular performance of this grotesque satire which featured an array of bizarre characters and even stranger settings.

Kosky is a director renowned for his provocative and daring productions in Australia and now in Europe as Co-Director of Vienna’s Schauspielhaus.

He was recently back in Melbourne bringing his Viennese production about Kafka and Houdini The Lost Breath home for the Melbourne Festival.

Euan Pennington (1987) is now working full time as Dive Operations Manager for Kalinda Dive Charters which also conducts marine education and research programs. As well Euan works part time for Australian Marine Ecology as a researcher and is currently involved in studies for Victorian National Parks and the Victorian Channels Authority.

News from Tony Fryer (1983) who was unable to attend his recent 1983 reunion and sent his apologies from Texas in the United States where he now lives with his wife. In his spare time Tony spends plenty of time sailing his boat whenever the Texas weather allows. Robert Phillips (1983) was another from 1983 who was unable to make it back for his reunion as he now lives in Christchurch with his wife Andrea and their daughters Lillie and Sarah.

He is currently working as Operations Manager with Scarlett Hydraulic.

Robert Nelson (1983) who made it along to his reunion writes that he and his wife Priscilla have three daughters – Lucinda, Gabriella and Sophia. He is currently General Manager of Toshoku Limited, a Japanese trading company specializing in food and food ingredients for Japan.

Robert completed a Master of Agribusiness at Monash last year. He is a Life Member of The Old Melburnians Football Club and played 200 games during his career with the club.

Warwick Dreher (1983) has been busy as a computer programmer since leaving MGS and has been active with The Old Melburnians through both the OM Hockey Club and the OM Lodge where he has been a member since 1992 and was Master 20022003. Another from 1983 who is working in information technology is Mark Morrison (1983) who is a Recruitment Consultant for Elan IT. He was married to Soroya last year and their first child Laura Lily was born in late September this year. Stefan Walter (1983) is also involved with information technology and recently completed a Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) at Monash University. He is marrying his Indian fiancée in Bangalore in November of this year.

David Fryda (1978) is an IT Manager for ADT Australia/ New Zealand and is now based in Sydney. Also in Sydney Daniel Ingall (1993) has returned there after a six-year absence.

Trent Kneebush (1983) another of those who made it back to his twenty year reunion has left the Werribee/ Wyndham City Council as a Town Planner and is now an Associate at KLM Gerner Consulting Group – Town Planners, Landscape Architects and Urban Designers. He is married to Belinda and they have a son Benjamin who is five.

Gordon Syme (1983) runs Yachtmaster Sailing School and trains adults to sail and race. He has trained and skippered numerous crews which have competed in and won Melbourne to Hobart and Melbourne to Launceston races.

Guy Youngman (1983) moved to the UK in 1990 with Sandoz Pharmaceuticals. He worked in a variety of sales and marketing positions before leaving to start his own marketing and consulting business in 1993. Guy married Tabitha in 1995 and their daughter Amy was born 2001.

He and the family have no immediate plans to move back to Melbourne but are seriously tempted when it gets cold, wet and dark.

Robert Cooper (1983) left Australia in 1988 to work for Elcede GmbH in Germany which took him to several locations including South Africa, England and Singapore.

Robert has worked for Hy-Q International since 1990 which again has involved travel to various locations including the headquarters of the company in Cincinnati. Robert was appointed Director of the worldwide group in 1993. He and his wife were married in 1994 and have two children Stephanie and Peter.

Lucas Burns (1994) After finishing school, he completed a music degree at the University of Melbourne, majoring in Music Admin and then worked with Orchestra Victoria (formerly State Orchestra of Victoria) as a Production Coordinator. Lucas presents two programs on radio station 3MBS FM and performs regularly with the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Darryn Paspa (1986) worked in Defence Procurement for nearly 10 years. Darryn established a prime vendor program (supply of medical consumables) for Faulding Healthcare at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital He is currently Manager, Supply and Contracts at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Darryn also keeps himself occupied with continuing home renovations and tries to keep up his love of travel.

Weddings

Pilot Officer Peter Charles Lewis D’Ombrain

James Salvaris (1969) a GP who now lives in Perth is the proud father of twin boys aged 18 who will follow in his footsteps by pursuing a medical career after they recently gained admission into Medicine at the University of Western Australia. James reports that life this year has been very busy but has found time to visit Melbourne midyear to catch up with family and old friends.

On the night of 31 May 1944 a four-engined bomber, Lancaster LS-C ‘Charlie’ of XV Squadron RAF was shot down by a night fighter of the Luftwaffe and crashed in a field to the west of the village of Beauvaison, some 40 miles north east of Paris.

There were no survivors of the seven-man crew. The Pilot of the ill-fated aircraft was Old Melburnian Peter Charles Lewis D’Ombrain (1940) who was at Melbourne Grammar from 1937 to 1940.

The crew were all aged 21 at the time of their deaths.

His sister and sole surviving

Robert Knights (1996) is another involved in the IT field and has been working with Expert Information Services as IT Consultant/ DBA as well as with Ericsson Australia. He is now working with Telstra Corporation.

relative Mrs June Schwarz, wife of Peter Schwarz (1946), travelled to France earlier this year to attend a service held in Beauvais and then to a field, the actual site of the crash and also attended the Marissel Cemetery where all the aircrew are buried. The son of the wartime Mayor of Beauvais had arranged for the ceremonies and a permanent memorial to be erected at the sight of the aircraft crash.

Some 25 relatives of the crew of Lancaster LS-C ‘Charlie’ attended the ceremonies which were held befittingly on 31 May this year.

The Grammar Community is pleased to congratulate the following couples who recently celebrated their marriage in the Chapel of St Peter:

6 September Andrew Maughan (1979) & Ann McAllister

13 September Geoffrey Tymms (1989) & Diane Oppawsky

4 October Rodney Kennedy & Victoria Wilson (1994)

5 October Robert Officer (1981) & Suzanne Wishart

Simon Kogler (1987) left for London in 1992 initially working with Sony and then with a number of touring bands across Europe. He then began working at BMG Entertainment before moving to New York for a number of years making films. Simon later moved to Austria where he now lives and is currently enrolled in a tertiary course at the University for Applied Arts in Vienna studying media arts.

He still continues to make a living by making documentary digital films.

25 October Cameron Syme (1988) & Rowena Wilson

Photograph courtesy of Photonet

Stephen Harper (1978) moved to Sydney in 2001 where he is now the Executive Partner of Norton White, a law firm with a focus on all aspects of transport law including shipping and aviation. The firm has offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Auckland. Stephen practises in admiralty work including salvage, ship groundings and collisions as well as commercial marine project work.

Congratulations

Barry Humphries (1951) receives an honorary Doctor of Laws at Melbourne University in July Compiled by Stewart Brook 29

Community Business Breakfast

Chairman of Council John Hasker (1956), School Captain Nick Russell, Guest Speaker Andrew Mohl (1972), School Vice Captain Eric Fransella, President of The Old Melburnians Jonathan Roberts (1972) with the Headmaster Paul Sheahan at the Business Breakfast

Enjoying the Business Breakfast was Chairman of Tomorrow’s Leaders Today campaign Bruce Parncutt (1968) with current parent Peter Leigh

Guest Speaker at the Business Breakfast was Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of AMP Andrew Mohl (1972)

The Melbourne Grammar School Business Studies Department staff with senior students.

Standing Rob Shields, Nick Bates, Carolyn Walker, Matthew O’Meara (1988) and Tim Habben and seated Joel Lithgow, John Alsop, Luc Borrowman and Michael Kong

President of The Old Melburnians Jonathan Roberts (1972) introduces the Guest Speaker at the Breakfast – friend and former classmate Andrew Mohl (1972)

Headmaster Paul Sheahan, Chairman of Council John Hasker (1956) and Guest Speaker Andrew Mohl (1972)

Andrew Mohl (1972) Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of AMP was the Guest Speaker at the Community Business Breakfast held on 10 September 2003 at the Windsor Hotel.

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The Old Melburnians Dinner

Associate Professor David Russell (1968) with his son Captain of School Nick Russell and his father Roy Russell (1938)

Guest Speaker at The Old Melburnians Dinner was Tim Lane, Australian Sports Commentator

One of the last functions to be held in the Long Room at the MCC

The Old Melburnians Football Club Life Membership recipients Simon Theodore and Campbell Thompson with President of the OMFC Ed McKeon

Old Melburnians Council Member Simon Derham rings the bell in the Bullring to signal the move to the Long Room

Free Strickland (1937), the Headmaster Paul Sheahan, President of The Old Melburnians Jonathan Roberts (1972) & Guest Speaker Tim Lane

Members of the Class of 1988 enjoy the pre-dinner drinks in the Long Room

Jane Nethercote (1995) with father Rob Nethercote (1967) and her brother David Nethercote (1997)

The Old Melburnians Dinner on 28 August 2003 with Guest Speaker Tim Lane was one of the last functions to be held at the MCC members pavilion before demolition.

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Grimwade House Nativity Window

o “

I

n the beginning

was the and the

Word,

Word was with God

and the

Word was God …

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory

John 1:1

o

full of grace and truth.”

In late 2002 a new stained glass window depicting the annunciation and birth of Christ was unveiled in the Chapel of St Andrew at Grimwade House. Stained-glass artist David Wright also worked with Grimwade House children in 1992 to create the stained glass Fish Fuse Window in the Cordner Physical Education Centre and in 1997 he created the Ruth Window in the Chapel of St Andrew.