The Scotch Family Magazine Issue 153 April 2018
Responding to opportunity and challenges of the time
VCE results: doors of opportunity open – New Design and Technology era dawns – Steps on the road to manhood – Major Scotch projects during the summer break – OSCA’s strong focus on engagement
Regulars 1 2 4 6 8 10 16 17 18 22 24 38 42 46 48 51 52 56 78 80 82
Contents
Editor Chairman Principal Chaplain Commemoration Junior School Middle School
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Upper School Features School Captain and Vice Captain Senior School News Music
Scotch's model general Commemorating the war record of our most famous alumnus, Sir John Monash
Sport Boarding Property Foundation Development OSCA What They’re Doing Now School History Obituaries
18 VCE and ATAR sucess for Class of 2017 Opening doors of opportunity and advancing aspirations
The Scotch Family Magazine Issue 153 April 2018 is the official publication of Scotch College, Melbourne. Publisher Scotch College 1 Morrison Street, Hawthorn 3122 Victoria, Australia Phone: (03) 9810 4321 Email: greatscot@scotch.vic.edu.au www.scotch.vic.edu.au ABN 86 852 826 445 Print Post Approved PP100008172
View Old Scotch Collegians' Association news and updates at: www.oscanet.com.au Like us on Facebook Scotch College and OSCA FRONT COVER: JAMES GRANT
Editorial contributors Durga Kamte, David Ashton, Dean Gregory, Paul Mishura, Mark Johnston, Scott Montgomery and Tim Shearer. Editor Durga Kamte (03) 9810 4420 email: durga.kamte@scotch.vic.edu.au Assistant Editor David Ashton (03) 9810 4489 email: david.ashton@scotch.vic.edu.au Production and Art Direction Lisa Sheard (03) 9810 4443 email: lisa.sheard@scotch.vic.edu.au Photography James Grant, Scott Montgomery, Jocelyn Pride, Dylan Coleman, Maggie Bufe, John Ferguson, David Assender, Stephen Kong, Patty WallaceSmith, Photoplay Geelong and Scotch College students, staff, parents and Old Boys.
20 Opening of the Spencer Centre for Design and Technology Design and Technology consolidated in a purpose-built facility
Editorial
DURGA KAMTE EDITOR GREAT SCOT
In the course of researching online the origin of the maxim, ‘with great power comes great privilege’ I was amused by the level of debate as contributors to an online forum ascribed it to persons as disparate as Winston Churchill, Voltaire and ‘Uncle Ben’ from the Marvel Spiderman comics. I would suggest that the philosophical foundation of this maxim is best articulated in Luke 12:48 – ‘ From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.’ Scotch boys, through a variety of programs including the Year 9 Retreat and the Immersion Program for boys in Year 11, are aware of their responsibilities as privileged members of society, and are provided with a wide range of opportunities to give back to those in their
community. This giving takes many forms: fundraising through casual clothes days, barbecues and house auctions for designated charities, and longer-term commitments to projects advancing educational opportunities in Chipapa and Tiwi College. The challenges of our time are complex and multifaceted, and finding solutions requires commitment and the ability to persuade others to join forces in bringing about better outcomes. Our boys recognise the prevalence of sexist language and have shown their determination to challenge stereotypical attitudes. In the IGCSE Global Perspectives class, boys tackle real world challenges ranging from racial and religious discrimination, the effect of social media in political discourse, to food waste and recycling. By analysing a range of global perspectives, they collaboratively devise an outcome to share their awareness with others in the School community. The challenges boys encounter relate not just as they interact with the experiences of others, but affect their own future as they contemplate a rapidly changing work landscape. The School has provided them with many opportunities, and it is hoped these will fit them with the knowledge, skills and resilience to turn these challenges into opportunities to determine their own future directions. Scotch boys have been presented with a wealth of opportunities and stimulating challenges, as they begin to learn through
experimentation and collaboration in Scotch’s superb new Spencer Centre for Design and Technology. Officially opened on a beautiful summer morning in February, the new centre enables the burgeoning subject of Design and Technology to be taught in one purpose-built facility. The finishing touches to the Spencer Centre were completed over the summer months, but that was by no means all that went on at the School while boys and staff enjoyed a well-earned break. It was an excellent opportunity to streamline projects and take on large-scale works right across the campus, all of which will ultimately contribute to the excellence of Scotch’s educational offering. In this issue, OSCA Executive Director, Scott Montgomery interviews Ashley Vines – Vice Captain of the School in his VCE year of 2011 — and described then by the Principal Mr Tom Batty as ‘a natural, happy and willing young man who has made an enormous impact at Scotch, beyond his formal positions’. Now studying for a Master of Economics degree at the University of Sydney, Ashley has been awarded a 2018 Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship, under which he will receive funding for his studies, as well as intensive leadership training and membership of a network of supportive alumni. Ashley is just another excellent example of an Old Scotch Collegian who relishes challenges and turns them into opportunities.
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24 Hour Hike Raising funds for
Property Department's busy season It was all happening over the
Sharing traditions and cultures A second succesful
summer holidays
celebration of Chinese New Year
the Tiwi College Boys' Academy Room Project
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 3
Chairman
THE HON. DR DAVID KEMP AC SCHOOL COUNCIL CHAIRMAN
The Hon. Dr David Kemp AC ('59) – School Council Chairman
Scotch meets the challenge of a changing world Scotch continues to identify our key challenges and opportunities It was an inspiring, sunlit morning in early February. The Meares Oval shone in the sun as the whole Senior School assembled for the opening of the Spencer Centre for Design and Technology. Memories of Chariots of Fire, the film classic about the athletics hero, Harold Abrahams, were evoked as we recalled one of our own Old Scotch heroes, Lionel Richard Vivian Spencer (1915), a brilliant runner who had competed against Abrahams and who brought new motor technology and design in the form of Volkswagen cars to Australia. Lionel Spencer has provided a remarkable opportunity for Scotch boys of the future in the new centre appropriately named after him, honouring his life’s work and his magnificent gift to the School. That morning on the Meares Oval we were joined also by other members of the Scotch Family who have contributed to this path-breaking new facility. As we recalled the life of Lionel Spencer, those present were able to view not only the new building, but to the north the breathtaking Sir Zelman Cowen Centre for Science, already in use, and the opportunities opening up as the
LIONEL SPENCER (1915)
4 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
vista of the new student precinct begins to emerge from the demolition of the old Science Building. Identifying challenges and seizing opportunities have been integral to the culture of Scotch College since its foundation. Scotch’s foundation in 1851 by Reverend James Forbes occurred at a special moment in Australia’s history, when our founder became a leader in debates on the great issues of religious freedom, self-government and democracy, and public education. His challenge had been to make the most of the opportunity to build a better and freer country than that he had left behind. His leadership based on faith and reason, and his Scottish heritage of enterprise and values of service and personal responsibility laid the basis for institutions such as Scotch that have survived and prospered. Today the Council, and our wonderful Principal Tom Batty, continue to seek to identify the key challenges and opportunities for Scotch. And there are many. Above all is the challenge of preparing the boys at the School for successful lives, leadership and service in the changing and dynamic world in which they will live, with its vibrant conflict of ideas, growing awareness of a common humanity, revolutionary technologies, and intellectual and enterprise opportunities. Scotch has an unparalleled opportunity to excel at this task. In the world of the 21st century, successful lives will be built around good and strong values and flexible minds. When society is changing rapidly and knowledge is exploding, universal human values provide the essential foundation for a good society. As Forbes himself said: ‘Any system of instruction which merely conveys knowledge is grievously defective. “Knowledge” it has been said, “is power”; but knowledge without principles only makes man more powerful for evil; … the education of man’s moral part is the only education that can make him useful in his particular situation in life: upright in his conduct; in short, a good citizen and a good man’. The ‘good men’ of Scotch can have a profound impact on the world if the values of honesty, integrity, reverence and respect for others, personal responsibility
ABOVE: SCHOOL CAPTAIN CHARLIE SCHILLING, WITH (LEFT TO RIGHT) SCOTCH FOUNDATION PRESIDENT, DOUG LORDING ('64), SCHOOL COUNCIL CHAIRMAN HON DR DAVID KEMP AC ('59) AND SCHOOL COUNCIL MEMBER, JONATHAN BUCKLEY ('83)
for living by these values and willingness to lead in working for a better world are foremost in their minds. Our Chapel and association with the Presbyterian Church, our sports fields and other extracurricular activities encourage all to consider the values by which they will give meaning to their lives. Equally, a sound basis of knowledge about how the world works and a capacity to reason critically about that world, to avoid fashionable fads and shallow ideas, and to understand the consequences of one’s actions, are also vital. With its education grounded in the Scottish Enlightenment, Scotch’s high quality teachers, educational philosophies, classrooms and facilities all come together to achieve the best that schooling can provide. The task of providing the best education is never completed, but the Scotch Family has good reason to be confident that the School can meet the challenge. When Tom Batty came to Scotch his passion for education stood out as one of his great qualities. Working closely with the School Council,
the Principal’s strategies to lift the quality of teaching and learning at the School are now at the forefront of modern education, and are international best practice. A sound education embraces much more than simply academic results. It encompasses values and ethics as well as knowledge. Recognising that, the fact that Scotch’s median ATAR in the VCE in 2017 was the highest of all APS schools will encourage all parents and staff, as will the achievement of eight boys in obtaining the highest possible ATAR score of 99.95, over a quarter of all such scores obtained by boys in Victoria. Mr Batty from July 2018 will be President of the International Boys’ School Coalition for three years, a position previously held by the principals of outstanding schools in the United States (Roxbury Latin) and the United Kingdom (Eton). I congratulate him on behalf of the Council and the whole Scotch Family. Schooling today faces great challenges. Scotch College, I believe, is able to make the most of the opportunities our world provides.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 5
Principal
MR TOM BATTY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
Mr Tom Batty – School Principal
Bringing lit flame to the challenges and opportunities of the age At some point in my A level physics course, I was introduced to the concept of entropy and its relationship with energy, and something of the lesson has stayed with me. I claim no expertise beyond fading Nuffield course memories of entropy being measures of the number of possible microstates that might deliver the observed macrostate, and of the unavailability of a system’s energy to do useful work. I recall that, by way of example, our teacher asked us to consider a jar of petrol in two states: 1. left alone, covered with a lid 2. left alone, uncovered Our teacher noted that state 1 was one of low but very stable entropy, with the energy potential of the system remaining constant, and, therefore, unable to do useful work. In state 2, he noted that all the petrol evaporates resulting in an increase in the number of possible microstates, and, therefore, high entropy, and again the system’s energy being unavailable to do useful work. He introduced a third state, that in which the cover in state 1 is removed and a lit match introduced. Here, he noted, entropy rises as the system’s energy is put to work. Some years later, while undertaking my main teaching placement in a London comprehensive, I formed the view that there were two easy ways to teach: strict, rigid, distant ‘them and us’ authority, and allowing a total free for all; and that both contributed little to the learning of boys and girls. I had always been (and still am) interested in the relationship between the micro and the macro, and ‘parallels’ in the social world to mathematical and scientific patterns, and suspect this was why, at this key juncture of my teacher training, memories of that physics class came flooding back. It seemed to me that the strict, rigid, distant ‘them and us’ approach was akin to the covered jar of petrol: low, stable entropy and the energy of the system (boys and girls in the classroom) unavailable for any useful work. While the ‘let them do what they want and learn as they do so’ approach could be likened to the uncovered
jar of evaporated petrol: high entropy and, again, unavailability of classroom energy for useful work. I took the view that the way forward lay in my physics teacher’s third state. By adopting an engaged relational approach based on conversation, reciprocity and knowledge of, and passion for, subject matter, the teacher provides the spark to light the latent energy present in each child, and, in so doing, initiates a chain reaction of colliding curious minds. If such an approach had currency amongst the pastel-clad, Cortina MkIII bound casuals of the ‘80s, it gains greater authority as we continue our emergence from the assured linearity of the industrial and postindustrial ages, to a connected environment founded in ready access to information and the free sharing of interests and talents. I suspect that, rather than the oft-mooted lifetime of 20 careers, most of this and coming generations won’t even know what a career is, as skills become increasingly interconnected, delivering a dense network that ‘fogs out’ the once clear paths of employment. I see this as hugely exciting. Increasingly, the interests and talents young people acquire through school and further education will be woven seamlessly into their capacity for service and wealth creation. It will be the passions Scotch boys unearth and become skilled in that will light up unforeseeable networks through the fog. It could be that an interest in photography and imaging leads to advancement in ophthalmology or the treatment of skin cancers. Perhaps proficiency on jazz piano might initiate work with the rhythms of electromagnetic waves to restore movement in limbs after nerve damage. Success declaiming poetry might find a boy developing a dating app based on the resonance and intonation of our voices. Maybe a love of debating and proficiency with technology could join forces in a robot that delivers good discussion for those who live alone and like a good argument. Programmes, culture and landscape must work in harmony to deliver an educational environment responsive to such opportunities and recent years have seen significant advancements at Scotch on these
6 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
fronts. The advent of the James Forbes Academy for Performing Arts, the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre for Science and the recently opened, Spencer Centre for Design and Technology, has not only provided homes for the nurturing of passions, it has re-established the centrality of the ‘marketplace’ as a place of exchange where minds and bodies collide. Our teaching has become more conversational and relational, respecting the creative force that flows from that which is different in each boy and the power of collaboration. New programmes have seen boys stretched further in their areas of strength, given greater opportunity to connect with those who might think differently to them and released from rectangular restraints of time and space to identify and solve problems. We have seen boys develop a simple warning system to reduce repeat rates for cataract surgery; an app operated first responder electronic bandage that compresses, cools and heats as required; a fully automated aircraft trolley; and a ramproof security bollard for pedestrian zones that offers seating, lighting, data points and an urban garden. Such is the ingenuity, talent and resourcefulness of this generation. That the 2018 Scotch roll has been enhanced by 261 new boys hailing from origins as diverse as Greenwich (CT, USA), Jerilderie, Box Hill, Pirlangimpi (Tiwi Islands), Laurieton, Mornington, Gritjurk, Kuala Lumpur, Kowloon and Hawthorn gives evidence to the rich potency of the current vintage. Returning boys set foot on a campus glowing in the aftermath of the busiest period of summer works for our Grounds and Maintenance staff on record. In addition to the opening of a new Design and Technology Centre, an old Science building had disappeared, making possible a glimpse of the near future which will see a revamped Keon-Cohen Building as the central cafeteria/dining hall to a bustling expansive Scotch Square for the boys. In addition to the continued realisation of our masterplan, 2018 will see us further enhance academic care in Year 8 with greater mixing of boys in subject classes; extend our use of young Old Boys as Academic Mentors within the English, Science, History, Languages, Art and Drama departments; explore time provision for teachers to research and develop resources; and progress our ‘Shrinking the Core’ plans for Years 8-10, to provide greater opportunity for teachers to share interests and passions through cross age electives. We will strive to inculcate in each boy an appreciation of, and respect for, the inherent value of each person, so he seeks out, and is excited by, the potential of new interactions. To fill such engagements with substance and purpose, we will encourage boys
MR TOM BATTY AT THE OPENING OF THE SPENCER CENTRE FOR DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
to reflect on how the world came to be as it is and their part in building a better future. We will continue to unearth passions and hone skills, and so develop interested and interesting young men ready to meet the challenges and grasp the opportunities of their age. As the pathways that underpinned confidence in a predictable future are disrupted, I suspect it will be those who have grown up amidst new technologies who will be best placed to identify and solve problems. The task of my generation, and those to follow, is to make sure the young have the tools for the job, the judgement to see through the fog and the courage to bring lit flame to inherent accelerant. I finish by taking opportunity to thank all donors to the Spencer Centre for Design and Technology, and, in so doing, acknowledge all in our community who have given so generously to ensure the physical environment of our School marries with our educational aspirations and belief in the enterprise of Scotch boys.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 7
Chaplain
Rev Doug Campbell – School Chaplain
A smorgasbord of opportunities at Scotch We challenge our boys to grasp opportunities and do great things REV DOUG CAMPBELL SCHOOL CHAPLAIN
YEAR 7 BOYS AT COWES CAMP
It could not have happened at a worse time. The wind was screeching across the veldt and buffeting the house to such an extent that one worried about the roof. Pondering the prospects of the roof’s survival was soon to be a distant recollection. The sudden absence of light heralded the news that the power was now off. After the customary flick of the light switch, I groped in the dark for my faithful head-torch in order to locate the fuse box. My mantra was simple and heartfelt. ‘Please let it just be a tripped fuse!’ Sadly, with all the fuses in their proper position, the reality dawned. The storm had brought the power down around the island. Returning to a now candlelit room, we hunkered down for the duration and hoped that the absence of light and heat would be a short one. Thanks to the work of the unseen heroes of the power company, the light and heat 8 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
returned after a few miserable and cold hours. As we basked in the electric light and felt the heating warm our bones, it was clear that we take these ordinary things for granted. We tend to take many things for granted in life. We expect the heating (or air-conditioning) and lighting to be available every minute of every day. We jump into our cars and expect the engine to start, first time. The days of playing with the manual choke in order to start the engine on a cold Scottish morning are a distant memory. Try explaining that one to your children. If we expect things in life, we also expect things at Scotch College. Some of these things are opportunities. Scotch boys have before them a real smorgasbord of delicacies and interests from which they can choose, and they can challenge themselves in so many different ways. They are able to choose electives and go down
ABOVE: YEAR 9 BOYS AT THE RETREAT
academic paths that pique their interest. They can tread the boards or perhaps learn to operate the sound and lighting at this year’s school performances. They can study a new musical instrument under the guidance of truly gifted musicians. The adventurous can stretch themselves physically on the 24 Hour Hike, on cadet camp or on the various sports fields. Those who prefer a mental challenge can try out for an Olympiad in one of the sciences or in mathematics. The opportunities at Scotch are truly bountiful, and it’s great that so many of our boys grasp all they can during their relatively short time at the School. Sadly, however, for some reason or other, a few let the challenges pass them by. This failure, however, is true of adults as well as boys. You can take a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. For some of us, we just want to remain in our comfort zones with those familiar faces and accustomed activities. However, by remaining in our safe and non-threatening spaces, we stop challenging ourselves and so lose out on the experience of being stretched and out of control.
Chaplains’ Prayer Support Group THE CHAPLAINS’ PRAYER SUPPORT GROUP. BACK ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: DIEU VU, HAILAN MENG, LIZ BLAIR, JUNE SUTHERLAND, BRUCE SUTHERLAND (’48), SOPHIE ATHAN, GEORGIE KILROE-SMITH, CAROLINE BEISCHER AND AILSA WILSON. FRONT: CHAPLAINS DAVID ASSENDER AND DOUG CAMPBELL.
Sometimes opportunities are avoided because we worry about what other people may think about us, or the reactions we might face. I really admire those who quickly grasp an opportunity even though they know they may well struggle and face the inevitable opposition and brickbats. Who would want to be a football coach who treads a path fraught with challenges and the likelihood of vitriol, derision and the inevitable sacking? Every opportunity comes with some degree of risk. James Forbes faced many challenges when starting our School. He had a vision and saw the need for a school in Melbourne, but he needed to inspire and challenge others to share his vision and bring this idea into reality. After his resurrection from the dead, Jesus told his disciples to go into the world and make disciples from all nations. Jesus’ marching orders challenged those Galilean fishermen. These men could easily have been deterred by the sheer scale of the task. They may have pondered anew their own natural limitations and unsuitable temperaments. Yet Jesus challenged them to take the good news of God’s love to a society that had just crucified him on a cross. The known world lay before these friends of Jesus, and despite the real obstacles and challenges, they were obedient unto death. Empowered by God, these faithful followers shared a simple message, made disciples from all the nations and ‘turned the world upside down’. We continue to challenge the boys to grasp the opportunities about them and to do great and good things. May the words of the Apostle Paul inspire them and us: ‘I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13, ESV)
Scotch Family members — parents, grandparents and guardians of current and past Scotch boys, as well as Scotch staff — are warmly invited to consider joining the Chaplain’s Prayer Support Group. The group is an auxiliary of the Scotch Parents’ Association, and meets on Tuesdays during school term time, from 8.30-9.30am in the Boarders’ Dining Hall. It’s a special time of peace, fellowship, prayerful support of the Chaplains, and bringing the needs of the School and its community before God. If you’d like to participate in the group, simply sign in at reception in the Randall Building, Senior School, and walk up the Hill to the Dining Hall. More information: Georgie Kilroe-Smith on 0417 116 812 or georgieksmith@gmail.com; or Liz Blair on 0423 776 984 or liz.eb72@gmail.com. DAVID ASHTON
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 9
Commemoration
Scotch Commemorates World War I
Monash in 1918: Scotch's model general Sir John Monash (1881), Scotch College’s most famous alumnus, reached the peak of his illustrious military career 100 years ago this year. He had been an outstanding pupil at Scotch. He matriculated at just 14 in 1880, when he came second in mathematics and logic to another future general, James McCay (1880). He and McCay became firm friends. At the invitation of the principal, Alexander Morrison, John returned to Scotch in 1881 and earned the position of equal dux. He developed a lifelong love of Scotch. By the outbreak of war he had decided on engineering and soldiering as his ‘life’s work’. The soldiering had hitherto been in a part-time capacity: he was a citizen-soldier. In 1884 John was an early recruit to the university company of the 4th Battalion, Victorian Rifles. He gained experience in the infantry, coastal artillery and military intelligence. Service alongside fellow Old Collegians James McCay and Julius Bruche (1890) fostered his army career, but his own talent was also indispensable to his successes, and by 1913 he was a full Colonel in command of an infantry brigade. A visiting British General, Sir Ian Hamilton, future commander of British forces on Gallipoli, praised Monash’s conduct of manoeuvres in 1914. John’s 100 Hints for Company Commanders became a basic Australian training pamphlet. For four weeks after the outbreak of war in August 1914 John Monash was the chief censor, but was then appointed to command the 4th Brigade of the newly-raised Australian Imperial Force. He directed the brigade’s elementary training before it sailed overseas on 22 December 1914. Monash commanded the convoy of 17 ships, which reached Egypt in January 1915. His training methods impressed his superiors. Monash’s brigade came ashore at Gallipoli the day after the landing, on 26 April. He opposed the plan for the formation’s first offensive, against Turkish positions at Baby 700, on 2 May. In official historian Charles Bean’s words, the results of the unsuccessful attack left John ‘unstrung’. The brigade did its job in repulsing the big Turkish offensive of 19 May. In July 1915 Monash was promoted to Brigadier, and this was tardy, for he had
10 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
commanded the brigade for nearly a year. His German and Jewish background aroused some people’s prejudices, and there were even rumours in Melbourne, London and Cairo that he had been shot as a German spy. On 6 August 1915, as part of the August offensives on Gallipoli, the 4th Brigade attacked Hill 971. The attack failed and, in the words of the Oxford Companion to Australian Military History, ‘this was not Monash’s finest hour’. However, that book also emphasises that the task set his force was beyond any troops. The 4th Brigade was later sent on two attacks towards Hill 60 that failed, at heavy cost. The brigade was withdrawn in September. Monash went to Egypt where he learned that he had been made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He returned to Gallipoli and was there at the evacuation. After further training in Egypt and duty garrisoning the Suez Canal, Monash and his brigade were sent to France in June 1916. That month, John was promoted to Major-General and given command of the 3rd Australian Division, which was forming at Salisbury Plain in England. There was a saying that Monash ‘would command a division better than a brigade and a corps better than a division’, and he now had a chance to start proving this. With characteristic thoroughness he spent the next five months training his division. That formation had a remarkably low crime rate. John ensured that he looked the part of a general, showing great willpower in greatly reducing his weight, to 79 kilograms. Visitors to his division included King George V and Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig. By the time the 3rd Division was sent into the line in France in November 1916, it was as well prepared for action as a new formation could be. Monash was an enthusiastic proponent of trench raids, and he sent his men into these with alacrity in the following months. John Monash and his division were under the command of a highly capable British commander in General Sir Herbert Plumer, who directed Monash’s first major battle, at Messines in June 1917. Bean said that Monash ‘concentrated upon the plans with an amount of thought and care far beyond that ever devoted to any other [AIF operation].’ He gave orders down
to platoon level and even enumerated the number of picks and shovels required in each battalion. Haig praised Monash as ‘a clear-headed, determined commander’. Not everything went well: some of his orders arrived at the front too late to be relevant, while on one occasion he unwittingly ordered artillery to fire on its own men. Despite such inevitable ‘fog of war’ incidents, the 3rd Division performed well, capturing all their objectives and many men and guns. Monash and his division were sent into the Third Battle of Ypres on 4 October 1917, when once again his meticulous planning brought success and saved lives. He planned a series of advances, each shorter than the last and carried out by fresh troops. The 3rd Division made more progress than any other on 4 October and drove off enemy counterattacks. Unfortunately after being relieved and returning to action on 12 October, the division’s fortunes plummeted. Monash did not have time to make his usual careful preparations and, amid pouring rain and great uncertainty about locations, seems to have made a mistake about where artillery support needed to be directed. Lacking artillery support, his division suffered 1800 casualties in this First Battle of Passchendaele. Nevertheless, Monash was probably correct in considering his division by this time ‘one of the Crack Divisions of the British Army’. The Australian divisions were withdrawn in late 1917, preparatory to being reorganised into an Australian Corps under General Sir William Birdwood. In the new year, Monash became a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB), an honour higher than a standard knighthood. Monash and his division returned to action in March 1918 when the Germans launched their surprise attacks on the Western Front. He led his men well in some bitter and important fighting, especially near Amiens. His standing suddenly changed in May when Birdwood was promoted to command the Fifth Army. Birdwood took with him General Brudenell White, the Australian favoured to take his place, and also recommended Monash for the job of corps commander. Bean and journalist Keith Murdoch tried to prevent Monash’s appointment, but failed. Perhaps it was significant that Field Marshal Haig had earlier told Monash
ABOVE: MONASH WROTE THIS INSPIRING LETTER TO MR LITTLEJOHN, PRINCIPAL OF SCOTCH COLLEGE, IN JUNE 1918. IT APPEARED IN THE 1918 SCOTCH COLLEGIAN. ABOVE RIGHT: PORTRAIT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR JOHN MONASH IN 1919. HIS ARMBAND DENOTES CORPS HEADQUARTERS, THE BLUE STRIPES UNDER IT REFLECT FIVE YEARS’ SERVICE.
that he wanted him as a corps commander. On 1 June 1918 Monash took over the Australian Corps and was promoted to Lieutenant-General. He was the right man for the job of leading the Australians in the climax of the war, for he was far more familiar than Birdwood of the practical necessities of modern war. Monash’s planning of the battle of Hamel on 4 July 1918 was one of his great achievements. His plans were detailed and communicated to all ranks. The operation was completed in just 93 minutes and prompted comments from historians such as ‘the perfect battle’, and ‘a war-winning combination had been found: a corps commander of genius, the Australian infantry, the Tank Corps, the Royal Artillery and the RAF’. Monash also won great praise for the direction of the Australians at Amiens on 8 August, when they and the Canadians achieved a breakthrough that the German general Erich Ludendorff described as ‘the black day of the German army’. Three days later at Villers-Bretonneux, in a great gathering of senior allied generals and politicians,
King George V invested Monash with his knighthood. In the great series of Allied victories that followed 8 August, the Australian Corps continued to play an important role. Monash was proud of the achievements of his men, and a British newspaper article of the time described him thus: ‘General Monash, clear-headed, quick in speech and in action, is first of all a great Australian. If, in his view, his country has any faults, he forgets them in his enthusiasm for its virtues. He made one feel that there is no practicable military feat which Australian soldiers cannot achieve.’ Modern Australian military historians have tended to downplay Monash’s significance in 1918, emphasising for example that he was a subordinate to British commanders who made the main decisions, that French forces under Foch were fundamentally important to the 1918 offensives and that Hamel was a small-scale battle, albeit one that was influential on later British offensives. These historians also mention
that Monash was lucky to take over the superb Australian fighting force when he did, and when the Germans had expended their best troops in the March offensives. Nevertheless, they also acknowledge that Monash was an exceptional general. ‘Monash made his own luck’, says Peter Pedersen. ‘Monash’s technical mastery of all arms and tactics,’ he continues, ‘particularly surprise and deception, was unsurpassed among his contemporaries, and he attached equal weight to logistics.’ Later in 1918 Monash was made Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG). In the course of the war he was mentioned in despatches five times and won French, Belgian and American honours. In the words of the Oxford Companion to Military History, Monash has a secure reputation as ‘Australia’s greatest field commander’. DR MARK JOHNSTON – HEAD OF HISTORY More details about all Scotch Collegians killed in World War I can be found on the Scotch website under ‘WWI Commemorative Website’ on the home page.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 11
Junior School
Mr Jon Abbott – Head of Junior School
MR JON ABBOTT HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL
MR JON ABBOTT WITH YEAR 6 BOYS DURING A LITERATURE CIRCLE SESSION
ABOVE: CAMPBELL BATES, MACGREGOR FOOTE, HARPER WOODS AND EMERSON MARSHALL
Absorbed and engaged in problem solving 12 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
‘It is an interesting and exciting time to be alive.’ I suspect that people have used this phrase many times over the ages. The invention of the Gutenberg printing press heralded a new age for society as did the harnessing of electricity, the invention of the camera, the automobile, the telephone, television and computers. However, I suspect that the creation of the internet and the way that it has provided us with never before imagined access to information, knowledge and the ability to communicate across the globe will probably be seen as having one of the most significant impacts on society we will ever see. So many amazing opportunities have been, and continue to be, created since Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist, created the World Wide Web in 1989. However, along with all the amazing
ABOVE: ANG TAINSH, RORY BOOTH AND JUNIEL TOH, WITH MR PHIL RICHARDS
opportunities, there come just as many challenges. Technology continues to develop at an ever increasing pace and most of us would admit to feeling a little overwhelmed at times as we try to keep pace with it. Not so our younger generations, it seems. They readily embrace every new development, each new app, social media format, device or way of communicating, leaving the adults in their dust. In the Junior School we are continually working to adapt our teaching to reflect how today’s students like to learn and to incorporate many of the strategies and technologies they make use of in their external lives. We
have an obligation to prepare them for their futures and not to be teaching them according to how we were taught in the past. This requires us to continually reflect on our teaching practices and pedagogy to ensure that the School remains relevant and vital in each boy’s development and growth. One of the most important ways that we can do this is by providing the boys with opportunities to explore new technologies, along with older ones. To this end, we recently created two new Science and Technology Rooms in the Junior School. What were once unused changing areas have now been transformed into wonderful spaces where the boys and their teachers are able to explore the realms of science and technology. In particular, our Technology Room has been designed to be a very open, multi-use space where the boys can learn about and make use of older technologies such as saws, hammers and drills. Equally they will have opportunity to explore the wonders of programmable devices like Sphero balls and drones, virtual reality, QR codes, robotics and CAD design. With many of our teachers having grown up in a generation that was pre-internet, we probably feel more comfortable working with the traditional technologies and less so in the new and exciting world of digital technologies. However, we have to be brave and provide opportunities for the boys to work across all aspects of technology. This year we have determined to make the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) a major focus, and recently the Junior School
staff worked for a day with Roland Gesthuizen, a STEM Method Lecturer and Professional Practice Consultant at Monash University. Roland introduced Junior School staff to a myriad of ways of incorporating STEM teaching into the curriculum, as well as showing us many of the newest tools, equipment and devices that could also be used to enhance the boys’ learning in this area. Our teachers are looking to include STEM as part of all boys’ learning, and I am sure that the boys will eagerly embrace the opportunities and experiences, hopefully even taking the lead and teaching us, as they race to explore the possibilities and potential of each new activity or piece of equipment. We are entering an exciting new world, and no one can really predict where the pathways may lead us. I am convinced of one thing, though; the current and future boys of Scotch are far more likely to be absorbed and engaged in their learning if they are provided with problems to solve rather than answers to remember. Problem solving is at the very heart of STEM education, and it is this aspect that I believe is its greatest value and provides a wonderful opportunity for schools to embrace.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 13
News
Scotch Preps' first day
14 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
ANGUS KINSLEY-SMITH, ARMAN SHAW AND AIDEN RICHARDS
Challenges and opportunities in Year 1 Minibeasts — an integrated topic for team building Our Year 1 boys have recently focused on the benefits of challenges and new opportunities. They have learned that when presented with a problem, it’s important not to get bogged down by unhelpful thoughts and feelings, but instead to focus on solutions, allowing them
minibeasts. The challenge was to work in small groups and creatively develop their own insect categories for classification. The boys were given pictures of different minibeasts, and their only instruction was to sort them into categories. It was interesting to see how the boys grouped
it in turns to speak and really listening to each other’s ideas. As this was an introductory activity, the boys used their prior knowledge to make connections with new information. They generated, connected and elaborated new ideas until they felt they had a better
to take control of the situation. The boys are developing this line of thinking in the classroom, and consequently enjoy making discoveries and seizing new opportunities. Year 1 was very excited to take on a new challenge for this term’s integrated topic:
the minibeasts. Some were categorised by the speed at which the minibeasts moved and others by their bodily features. During this team-building exercise we established small group work expectations including the importance of respectfully taking
understanding of the topics. It was rewarding to see the boys embrace the opportunity to think innovatively and make connections through peer conversations. PENNY CUMMING — YEAR 1 TEACHER
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 15
News
ABOVE: TIMOTHY SINGH, JUSTIN OOI, HAMISH WRIGHT, EDISON WANG, CHRISTOPHER O’CONNELL, TOMMY KLUCKOW, ASHVIN APPU, EOIN COOPER, HAMISH DISSANAYAKE, JUSTIN NGUYEN, JASON KRIESNER, HENRY ROGERS WITH TEACHER FRAU CORNELIA KOEHNE-DRUBE ABSENT: ZAK BARRY, LAXMAN APPU
‘Fit in Deutsch’ — a great boost for language learning The Junior School has successfully conducted the ‘Fit in Deutsch’ A1 level certificate this year, with 14 boys now having graduated and received their certificates. At the end of Term 1, 2017, Junior School Head of LOTE, Cornelia Koehne-Drube, had presented the idea to her school leadership and discussed the timetable implications. It was decided that boys were not to be withdrawn from classes, but they could do the course in addition to their regular timetable.
All Year 6 level boys — three classes of 26 boys — were consulted, and were asked two questions: Who would be prepared to participate in an early morning extension class? Who would be prepared to follow up, and extend his vocabulary by working with a ‘Fit for Deutsch’ buddy? This follow-up would involve a daily personal commitment of at least 15 to 20 minutes. Once boys had expressed interest and had requested to sign up for classes, a letter was sent to parents, then the boys and their parents were invited to find out more about the
expectations of the certificate classes during a special after school meeting. Originally classes were run using a text and workbook provided through the Goethe Institut, but the boys soon ordered their own textbooks, which not only lightened the teacher’s load, but also made it easier for the boys, allowing greater organisation with reduced paperwork. During classes the boys became familiar with the expected tasks for writing, reading, listening and speaking. Each unit began with an expansion of vocabulary, using small flash cards that boys could use for testing with their buddy or a family member. They learned the W-questions and began to form questions around vocabulary. This extended the boys as they looked at verb endings for personal pronouns, and helped them to discover another way of forming a question, including the more challenging modal verbs. As the class proceeded, boys became comfortable in looking for keywords and drawing links between new and previously known materials. The boys already had sufficient skills to cope with the writing demands of the course. However, listening was a real challenge, as there were very fast speakers on tape and the boys had had little previous exposure to such tasks during normal class time. This gave Cornelia Koehne-Drube some ideas on what she could build into the regular curriculum in the future. Cornelia negotiated with the Goethe Institut for the exam to be conducted at the end of Term 3, and then made an outing of it. After sitting the examination at the Goethe Institut in St Kilda Road, boys were treated to a special robotics workshop, an extension activity in which the boys participated with great enthusiasm, supported by their parents and the kind and understanding Goethe Institut staff — not to mention a hardworking teacher! The extra commitment of the staff member paid off, providing an opportunity for boys who wanted to take their language learning further, although they knew they were adding a further commitment to an already busy timetable. An excellent outcome is that the teacher is now able to sustain a longer conversation with these boys, and they all have an internationally-recognised certificate of achievement. Congratulations to Cornelia and the boys! WARREN PRATT — SENIOR SCHOOL GERMAN TEACHER
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Staff in profile Whole school events, literature festivals and author visits provide wonderful memories. What is the best advice you have ever received? Know your personal values and set healthy boundaries. My parents’ advice to ‘do what makes you happy’ is simple and continues to ring true. When you love what you do there is always a bit of joy to be found during inevitable challenges. What story will your colleagues tell about you at your farewell speech when you retire? There are many chapters yet to come! Wouldn’t it be great if it included a talent for excellent reading suggestions and exemplary catalogue records that provide quick search success! It may include some dodgy displays over time; there was one that involved hot wire foam sculpting. I once attempted to fly out of a Year 5 classroom. It wasn’t deliberate, and fortunately fell short of a tragic ending.
Interview: Deb Parkinson Although born in Melbourne, Deb Parkinson has lived in many locations. Part of her childhood was spent in Dampier, in the north-west of Western Australia, she attended Kuala Lumpur’s Garden International School, and while a young mother lived in New Zealand. It was both her love of the Wellington Public Library and her ambition to be a meaningful part of her daughters’ education that inspired Deb to study. Since school she has worked as a travel consultant, and an Ansett air crew member and trainer, followed by work in various corporate and school libraries while she completed her studies. While working in the Deakin University Burwood library she was mentored and encouraged to pursue her studies, gaining her Bachelor of Library and Information Management. Deb joined Scotch in 2009, becoming a valued part of the Harbig Resource Centre. With her
father and uncles Old Boys, and her genuine love of books and literature, Deb is well matched to Scotch with its strong literacy values. Deb is valued for her warm sense of humour, her genuine support and care of colleagues, her quiet efficiency and positive attitude. KATE IKINGER Many years from now, when you are no longer teaching, what are some of the Scotch memories you will reflect on to warm your heart? I will remember the impact of uplifting energy from young students. It’s a fantastic feeling to welcome boys to the library and witness their interests develop. Reflecting on the thrill of selecting new books, and the excited response to a new book or series will also warm my heart.
What has been your biggest challenge over your years at Scotch? In 2009 I was relatively new to school libraries. My capable Senior School library colleagues shared their expertise, and that collegial relationship continues to assist with ongoing technical change. Keeping up with new book releases is a wonderful challenge. It’s great to find gems that will ignite a delight for reading in our Junior School boys. What advice would you give our VCE students as they embark on a life outside Scotch? Be kind to yourself and others. Be patient and persist with what matters to you. Setbacks are so often precursors to future opportunities at just the right time. Shake up your life – travel, welcome change and look for ways you can be of service to others. Just like a You Choose adventure, the choices you make will affect your experience of life and influence the way your story unfolds. After all these years of service to Scotch, what is your favourite corner of the School and why? The library! My huge workspace overlooks the Junior School Oval and across treetops to the city skyline. It houses a never-ending supply of inspiration and information. I love the gardens in the boarders’ precinct. Our school environment and the people I work with provide a positive influence every day.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 17
Middle School
Ms Katrina Stalker – Head of Middle School
Resilience, and respectful relationships MS KATRINA STALKER HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
The year started very well, with the excited, albeit a little nervous, Year 7s making their first steps into their six-year journey in the Senior School. The routines of the Scotch day, including regular assemblies in Memorial Hall, are now becoming second nature to the boys, and new friendships continue to be formed. The camp at Cowes was a highlight of the start of the year for most of the Year 7 boys. They cemented friendships with their classmates and started to get to know their teachers, while learning about the koalas on Phillip Island, sailing or boogie boarding at YCW Beach. And though they may have missed their parents and the comfort of their own beds, the fun observed at every camp spoke volumes for the value of this camp as part of the transition to the Senior School. The Year 8s also started the year well and settled into their new classes with, for most, a new form group. Mixing the boys up between classes is based on their subject selections and helps to broaden their friendship groups, as well as creating new opportunities, and gently begins their transition into the Upper School. As the Year 8s are no longer the youngest in the Senior School, the expectations on the boys are greater, particularly with their academic studies. Challenge classes have started for some boys, as have many of the extension activities in which Year 8s can participate. We continue to encourage all the boys to find and pursue their passions. Alex Jones (Year 8) is passionate about cycling, and gives his all to this sport. He is to be congratulated on his amazing feats at the 2018 Cycling Australia Junior Track National Championships, held from 21 February. Victoria won 21 of the 28 gold medal events on offer across the four days. The champion of champions awards in the under 15 events went to Alex, who claimed five gold medals, in individual pursuit, time trial, sprints, the points race and the scratch race. In the Middle School the pastoral care program is delivered by the Year 7 and 8 Form Teachers. The program covers study skills but the main focus is on resilience and respectful relationships. The first three-quarters of the program have students working on the social and communicative skills needed to 18 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
understand and manage their emotions, problemsolve, manage stress and anger, and engage in peer support and help-seeking. These are the skills that underpin respectful, positive and caring relationships, regardless of gender. In the sections on gender and respectful relationships, they are challenged to identify the gender stereotypes that influence attitudes and behaviour, and to question when and where various expectations can be harmful or limiting for both boys and girls. They think through the skills and strengths they would need to act with respect in a challenging situation. This program is designed to help teachers provide learning that supports development of personal and social capabilities, which are part of the Victorian Curriculum. It includes a focus on social and emotional learning and respectful relationships. This program is run in conjunction with a number of other programs in the Middle School. The Relating Respectfully program will again be held for the Year 8 boys. This focuses on media portrayal of relationships, and after the success of last year’s sessions with the Man Cave organisation, the Year 7 and 8 boys will partake in this program. The sessions look at breaking down stereotypes and being proactive at developing positive relationships; giving the boys the space and the language to express themselves, and encouraging them to become the young men to which they aspire.
YEAR 7 BOYS AT THE CAMP AT COWES
Upper School
Mr Tim Rayner – Head of Upper School
Exploring possibilities and pushing boundaries MR TIM RAYNER HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL
Several elements of education have not changed dramatically over many years, like the timings of the school day, final examinations and boys being taught in year levels. Breaking away from an educational system that seems so resistant to change can be a challenge, but that should not stop us from exploring possibilities and pushing boundaries, if change leads to improvements. I recently received an email giving guidance to students who wish to apply to American universities. One of the links included an interview with Doug Christiansen, Dean of Admissions at Vanderbilt University, who said, when admitting students, ‘we look for an ability to think, analyse, connect the dots and at the end, see the whole picture … memorisation is not what we are looking for’. So one of our challenges, as teachers, is to ensure we positively encourage our boys to be creative, analytical thinkers: that we prepare and equip them for leaving school. We need only to look at the opening chapters in Charles Dickens’ Hard Times to find evidence of what happens in education when we are deprived of the ability to think. In the novel, when the school superintendent, Mr Gradgrind, drills his boys to learn facts as, ‘nothing else will ever be of any service to them,’ it is evident that we are entering a depressingly uncreative world. Dickens was criticising a draconian and linear education system, one which was anything but geared towards producing curious minds and independent learners. Moving into the twenty-first century, what activities are we doing to ensure
BOYS IN THE SPENCER CENTRE FOR DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
our boys meet the selection criteria set by Vanderbilt and other universities in 2018? Within our curriculum, Year 10 boys have the opportunity to select the Scotch Enterprise Program, a Year 10 elective, where a small group of boys has to identify a problem and work towards finding a solution. Examples of previous projects include developing technology to help people who have had cataracts operations. Also, in Year 10, the Global Perspectives full year elective allows boys to examine a variety of world issues. By doing so, other perspectives are considered and reasoned responses developed; skills that can be used in a variety of other curriculum areas. An added bonus is that this course leads to an International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) from the University of Cambridge Internal Examinations. By removing English examinations for three semesters in Years 9 to 10, boys will now have more opportunities to write creatively and improve their writing by drafting extended responses. Boys will have to reflect more on what they have
written and will be encouraged to read a broad range of literature, rather than a narrow canon of works. This will lead to greater appreciation of writing, that will translate to better responses when boys sit internal and external examinations in their later years. Providing boys with opportunities outside of the classroom can also enhance boys’ thinking skills. Computational linguistics involves a set of problems that four boys have to solve. Together they strategise to find solutions, with team outcomes being of prime importance. This challenging work involves thinking outside the square and learning skills to enhance group work, like listening and flexibility. Interest groups, like our Chess group, also give opportunities for boys in different year levels to work together, make decisions regarding the development of the activity, and, of course, work on developing problem solving through playing.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 19
Features
Congratulations to the 'The true magnitude of the success of the boys, their teachers and their
ABOVE: PRINCIPAL MR TOM BATTY, HEAD OF SELBY SMITH HOUSE, MR JOHN MURPHY, HEAD OF DAVIDSON HOUSE, MR STEVE HOLDING, HEAD OF BOND HOUSE, MR DAVID SKELT, HEAD OF FLEMING HOUSE, TONY JIANG, GEHAN PREMARATNE, AND TIAN TIAN LAN, WHO SCORED THE MAXIMUM ATAR OF 99.95, AND WERE APPOINTED CO-DUCES FOR 2017.
The congratulations of all in the Scotch community go to the boys of the Class of 2017 for outstanding VCE and ATAR results that open doors of opportunity and further advance aspirations. Scotch embraces the pursuit of academic rigour knowing it is the key to unravelling the most stubborn of conundrums, articulating ideas and effecting endeavour. We are, however, acutely aware that future prosperity and harmony is built on qualities far harder to list in rank order across the state. With grace, good humour and growing resonance of voice, those of the Class of 2017 considered, questioned and sought to enhance the Scotch experience for all. Whether welcoming visitors from Tiwi College into their lives, giving their all as a member of a team, orchestra, band, company or crew, or designing, manufacturing and donating a music therapy table to a local hospital, they showed the empathy, purpose and enterprise to identify, and conjure solutions to, the challenges and opportunities of their age. Whilst the tables below provide analysis of their results, the true magnitude of the success of the boys, their teachers and their families, lies in each boy’s journey across the broad canvas of our School and the rich
diversity emanating from our non-selective entry. Over the course of their Scotch years, the Class of 2017 convinced that they would do their bit, do it well and do it to the best of their abilities. Such confidence is testament to the care, skill and commitment of many, and my thanks and congratulations go to all involved: boys, members of staff and parents. To the Class of 2017, you have been an outstanding group of young men. It has been a privilege to share this stage of your journey, and I thank you for all you have given to your School. You have sought to shape Scotch to your world, just as you should. In promoting the inherent value of each of your fellow Scotchies and committing to building something better for those to follow, you have advanced the values and principles of our foundation. What you now do defines what we have done, so, when the time is right, come back, fill in the gaps and share your stories: we want to know what you make of it all. • Letian (Tony) Jiang, Zi Feng (Tian Tian) Lan, Jerry Luo, Oliver McLeish, Dissanayake (Gehan) Premaratne, Zi Xuan (Daniel) Qin, Angus
20 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
Class of 2017 families lies in each boy's journey across the broad canvas of our School.'
MR STEVE DE DOMENICO, AND HEAD OF FORBES HOUSE, MS ALICE COOK CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF JERRY LUO, DANIEL QIN, WILLIAM M SUTHERLAND, ANGUS RITCHIE, OLIVER MCLEISH,
Ritchie and William M Sutherland scored the maximum possible ATAR of 99.95, and are, therefore, the duces of Scotch College for 2017 • Nine boys (3.6 per cent of the cohort) obtained an ATAR of 99.90 or more (top 0.1 per cent in the population) • 20 boys (8.1 per cent of the cohort) obtained an ATAR of 99.50 or more (top 0.5 per cent in the population) • 31 boys (12.5 per cent of the cohort) obtained an ATAR of 99.00 or more (top 1 per cent in the population) • 55 boys (22.2 per cent of the cohort) obtained an ATAR of 98 or more (top 2 per cent in the population) • 82 boys (33.1 per cent of the cohort) obtained an ATAR of 95 or more (top 5 per cent in the population) • 125 boys (50.4 per cent of the cohort) obtained an ATAR of 90 or more (top 10 per cent in the population) • 189 boys (76.2 per cent of the cohort) obtained an ATAR of 80 or more (top 20 per cent in the population) • The median ATAR was 90.38
• Measures of ‘value add’, comparing ability testing data from earlier years and ATARs, indicate a very strong performance from this cohort (Note: the population referred to in the ATAR statistics above is the population of the statewide Year 7 cohort from 2012, including those students who moved or left school before Year 12.) • There were 17 ‘perfect’ scores of 50 across nine subjects • 12 Year 12 boys obtained scores of 50, including: Edward Buckland (Physics), Adam Ho (Further Mathematics), Peter Ho (English), Letian (Tony) Jiang (English EAL and Specialist Mathematics), Zi Feng (Tian Tian ) Lan (English and Literature), Jerry Luo (Literature), Thomas Macky (English), Dissanayake (Gehan) Premaratne (English), Zi Xuan (Daniel) Qin (English Language), Angus Ritchie (French), William M Sutherland (French) and Han Chen (Kevin) Zhang (English) • Three Year 11 boys obtained scores of 50: Christopher Chamberlain (Mathematical Methods), Ziang Wei (Mathematical Methods) and Joshua Zhi Hao Yong (Mathematical Methods). TOM BATTY — PRINCIPAL
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 21
Features
ABOVE: 1. AND 2. BOYS AND GUESTS ON THE MEARES OVAL FOR THE OPENING CEREMONY. 3. PRINCIPAL TOM BATTY SPEAKS DURING THE CEREMONY. 4. PART OF THE WEST FAÇADE. 5. LEFT TO RIGHT: OF THE SCOTCH FOUNDATION, TOM BATTY, SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND CHARLIE SCHILLING, CAPTAIN OF THE SCHOOL. 6. JULIA MORRISON SPEAKS DURING THE CEREMONY. 7. DR KEMP CUTS THE RIBBON.
A new era dawns for Design 'A remarkable new facility for teaching and learning at Scotch' — School Council The sun shone brilliantly at Scotch on the cool, clear morning of Friday 2 February as a new era in the exciting field of Design and Technology began at the School. The magnificent Spencer Centre for Design and Technology was officially opened in the presence of donors to the project, School Council, OSCA Council and Scotch Foundation board members, Old Boys, staff, architects, builders – and of course the boys, who will benefit from the excellent facilities the centre offers. For the first time, teaching Design and Technology at Scotch is now consolidated in one purpose-built facility, with learning occurring seamlessly through experimentation and collaboration in both traditional skills and emerging processes.
The Spencer Centre is named in honour of Lionel Richard Vivian Spencer (1915), whose recently-received bequest to the Scotch College Building Fund – the largest single gift ever donated to the School – enabled the centre to be built, together with generous donations by Scotch Family members. Lionel was a brilliant athlete, both at school and after leaving Scotch. He served in the AIF and the Australian Flying Corps in World War I, and went on to forge a highly successful business career. He died in 1988. Speaking at the official opening, the Principal, Tom Batty, said the Spencer Centre would provide current and future generations of Scotch boys with the tools to achieve and innovate in a wide variety of spheres, some of which are currently beyond our comprehension.
22 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
TIM SHEARER (’85), DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, JULIA MORRISON, HEAD OF DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY, HON DR DAVID KEMP (’59), CHAIRMAN OF THE SCHOOL COUNCIL, DR DOUG LORDING, PRESIDENT 8. BOYS ENTER THE CENTRE AFTER THE CEREMONY. 9. THE PIPES AND DRUMS PERFORM 400%.
and Technology at Scotch Chairman, Hon Dr David Kemp AC. Head of Design and Technology, Julia Morrison, thanked the School Council for their commitment to the future of Design and Technology at Scotch. The Spencer Centre would ‘capture boys’ imagination and prepare them for the world they live in, as the next generation of innovative designers, engineers and systems thinkers’. After the Scotch Pipers and Drummers thrilled the audience with a rousing rendition of 400%, composed by Lincoln Hilton, School Council Chairman, Hon Dr David Kemp described the Spencer Centre as ‘a remarkable new facility for teaching and learning at Scotch, which signifies the coming of age of Design and Technology as an important component of the School curriculum’. He paid tribute to all contributors to the project, including the School Council, in particular the Property Committee, led
by Michael Sim (’78), the Scotch Foundation, led by former Foundation President, Michael Robinson (’55), the Development Office, led by Tim Shearer (’85), Design and Technology department staff, Bursar Ross Congleton (’76), Property Manager, Bill Sciarretta and all members of the Project Control group, Maintenance Manager, Greg McMahon, Curator Michael Smith, Cox Architects and the builders, Kane Constructions. Scotch Foundation President, Doug Lording (’64) acknowledged the key contribution of Scotch Family members to the project, after whom laboratories have been named. Dr Kemp cut the ribbon to launch the Spencer Centre, and guests and donors enjoyed guided tours. DAVID ASHTON
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 23
School Captain
CHARLIE SCHILLING SCHOOL CAPTAIN
Take your opportunities and have no regrets Early in Term 1, the Captain of the School, Charlie Schilling, addressed a special Assembly in the Quadrangle, which included the investiture of the 2018 Prefects. School Vice Captain, Christopher Sparks, also spoke to the boys in Assembly. Here are edited extracts of both speeches.
Opportunity can best be described as a set of circumstances that align to allow you to do something, and we are all here at the start of many an opportunity. It’s the start of a Year 7 boy’s journey through this great School; it’s the start of a new teacher’s pursuit to educate and inspire a group of hungry teenage minds; it’s the start of the prefects’ tenure, during which they will be entrusted with the responsibility to lead by example and play their role in the evolution of the School. It’s also the official start of my role as School Captain, and in many ways I feel the way I did at the start of Year 7: I have a whole new cohort that I am a part of, with new friends to make and new experiences to look forward to. But most importantly, the new school year marks the start of an opportunity for everyone here today. Each year at this School brings new challenges and a new set of highs and lows, but that is what makes it so exciting. Boys — seek out these challenges and confront them head on; don’t be passive, don’t expect that these memories will make themselves. This School is what you make it. We often find ourselves taking what we have for granted; these ovals, these buildings, these teachers, these friendships. But think about what these things represent. The ovals are an opportunity to wear the cardinal, gold and blue and represent your School in more than 30 different sports. These buildings provide an opportunity for you to follow a passion
in science, or to build something from scratch that may change someone’s life in the future. Our teachers offer all of us an opportunity to learn, to challenge, to critically think and ask why or why not. These friendships offer bonds that will last a lifetime. At the opening of the new Spencer Centre for Design and Technology, I met two friends from the Class of ’83 who had ended up running their own business together. You never know where friendships will take you. Boys — be curious, be engaged, but most of all, be passionate. It is our role as students to improve the School, to surpass the marks set by previous classes, and to strive to accomplish bigger and better things than Old Boys who have gone before. Find a passion within the School, whether it’s running seven and a half laps around a track, crashing through packs to score the winning try, marching with fellow cadets in the Tattoo, performing on stage in the music or drama school, or solving the maths problem that Mr Patel put on the end of year exam which is obviously way too hard for everyone. I reflect on what is the purpose of a Scotch education and what makes it unique. I thought back to my first Year 7 assembly back in 2012 with Mr Glover, and I can still remember his message — don’t be a sheep. Stand out from the herd; be brave enough to go your own way, and more importantly, go the way you know is right. Scotch teaches us to be independent
thinkers, not to accept a situation for what it is, but to question it. So I say to you: boys — challenge the status quo and be brave enough to take your own journey through this School, because that is the way you will receive the most out of not only your time at Scotch, but throughout your life. Scotch is your School, and it is what you make it. Be gracious, be humble but be proud. Take pride in your School’s heritage, and celebrate its future. Sing the School songs on Foundation Day with great voice, cheer and chant for those who represent us on the sporting field, watch in awe those who dazzle us with their musical talent. Celebrate the great diversity within this School and the many talents of your peers. We are here today to recognise 28 boys who have made a notable contribution to the School in their five years so far. The title of School Prefect is highly prized in the Scotch community; and having spent some time with the prefects on Tuesday, I can tell you that they are an outstanding group of boys and will grab this opportunity with both hands. Boys — enjoy the year and make the most of your time here at Scotch. Take your opportunities and have no regrets.
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Vice Captain
CHRISTOPHER SPARKS SCHOOL VICE CAPTAIN
A fun, challenging and rewarding year unfolds
Along with the Captain of the School, Charlie Schilling, I would also like to welcome all new boys and new staff members to the School, to what promises to be an exciting and rewarding year. To me, the School has always been an incredibly welcoming place because of the diversity of character and background that so many new people bring each year. And the boys, at the most fundamental level, are the School. Boys — you indeed are the School. Without you and what you represent, this hall is just echoing wood, red stone and the occasional pigeon. So when you improve individually or in teams, it elevates us all. When you support each other, the School becomes a supportive place. When you push yourselves and each other out of your comfort zone, when you don’t ‘just go along with it’, when you instead ask the tough questions, the ones that are hard to ask but right to ask, with answers that are hard to discover, you contribute directly to the School’s culture, and so, collectively, you have the power to improve and challenge it as a result. I would implore you not only to ask questions about the School and its culture, and to take advantage of all the opportunities it will offer you, but also to question and think critically about matters outside the School. Perhaps this will manifest itself as an interest in overseas politics, and you will try and formulate your own nuanced view of the late-stage Jenga tower that is the Trump presidency. Or maybe you’ll start asking questions about more local matters; for example, what are your thoughts on Australia Day, initiatives for 'closing the gap' both in indigenous rights and gender pay inequality.
ABOVE: PREFECTS AND BOYS FROM YEAR 7
I encourage you not only to reflect individually on these issues and others that are currently affecting your world, but also to actively seek out someone with a differing opinion, someone who can challenge your views and potentially break the echo chamber that seems to exemplify so many people’s day-to-day lives. Boys – I hope that 2018 will be a fun, challenging and rewarding year, in which you not only look for and take advantage of all that the School offers, but also that you actively seek out ways to improve both yourselves and the world around you.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 25
News
NEW SENIOR SCHOOL STAFF, 2018 LEFT TO RIGHT: DANIEL ZISIN, DAVID GARLAND, NICHOLAS CLARK. IN FRONT: MANUELA YEE.
A warm welcome to the following permanent staff who began at Scotch at the start of the year: Nicholas Clark is replacing Donna del Porto as Head of Psychology Services and Senior Psychologist. Nick joins the staff from St Kevin’s College, where he was Dean of Student Wellbeing. In addition to his registration as a practising psychologist, Nick holds a Master of Educational Psychology, a Graduate Diploma in Education and a Bachelor of Behavioural Sciences. As well as his role as Head of Psychology Services, Nick will also have oversight of the School’s Social Enterprise Programs. Dr David Garland is joining our History department in his first teaching position. David completed his Master of Teaching at the University of Melbourne last year, having previously completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honours, a PhD and a Graduate Diploma
of Education. David will teach History and Geography across Years 7 and 8 and Latin across Years 9 to 11. Manuela Yee has been appointed to a permanent position within the Centre for Learning, after teaching in the English Department during 2017. Prior to her appointment at Scotch, she was Head of English at North Melbourne Grammar College, and she also worked at Presentation College Windsor teaching Year 11 and 12 Studio Art, Year 11 and 12 Art as well as Year 10 VCD. Daniel Zisin has joined our Music department. Daniel has worked at a number of schools around Melbourne as both a classroom and instrumental teacher. He has a Bachelor of Music from the Victorian College of the Arts, a Diploma of Music Performance and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. Daniel has also worked as a professional musician and composer and will be teaching Music Craft to classes across Years 7-9.
‘A wide smile Scotch, along with four other local schools, participates annually in Sony Camp, which offers a weekend of fun and entertainment for children with severe disabilities, and provides welcome respite for their parents. More than a dozen young Old Boys were voluntary participants in Sony Camp ‘17, held at Xavier College from 15 to 17 December. Peter Ho and Pierre Rodgers gave Great Scot their impressions of the weekend. Peter Ho’s recollections: The 2017 Sony Camp provided a handful of 2017 Scotch graduates with the fortunate opportunity to mentor some children with severe disabilities. We were able to develop pivotal skills that contributed to our own development, and we were privileged to make unique relationships that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. The annual camp was held at Xavier College, and gave volunteers from several schools (Xavier
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and a changed heart’ — Sony Camp ‘17 College, Loreto Mandeville Hall, Genazzano and St Kevin’s) the opportunity to attend to children who were on the autism spectrum; and in turn, allowed parents respite to relax and enjoy a long-deserved summer break. Students from these schools were assigned to a single ‘camper’ in their roles as ‘companions.’ Each pair or triplet of companions was tasked to take care of one tremendously brave young child, and Oliver McIntosh, Mihin Perera and I were privileged to look after one wonderful boy named Lachlan. Pierre Rodgers and Sam Champion were allocated to mentor another boy named Kevin, and both groups had incredibly rewarding, yet different experiences. Though he is a man with no words, it was Lachlan’s enthusiasm, joyfulness and smile that took our hearts away as we spent three adventurous days swimming in the pool,
drawing, dancing and playing sport. As convivial as it was, the most eye-opening moment was the realisation that we enabled a young boy who could not communicate or read, to enjoy a camp that at first would have been incredibly daunting. It is indeed demanding for the children to adapt so quickly to a completely new environment, let alone with complete strangers. But as Lachlan settled in it was great to see the happiness that shone through. Within those three short days, a genuine friendship was cultivated, and it was most fulfilling then to hear and see the joy that overcame Lachlan as he danced around Xavier College jubilantly, full of exuberance. Pierre Rodgers wrote: I was joined by Sam Champion, and looked after young Kevin for the weekend. Kevin was a quiet boy who liked to read, play with Lego, and roll around in the grass. While at the start
we found it a little difficult to connect with Kevin, given that he was so quiet, after the first day a genuine, rich and mutual mateship had formed. We could tell that Kevin had started to look up to and trust us, and nothing made us happier than seeing him smile as he looked out across the Xavier ovals, after he had settled into our company. Although these recollections only provide a small glimpse of what the camp entailed, on behalf of the volunteer group, I am confident in stating that many, if not all, left the camp with a wide smile and a changed heart. There is nothing more euphoric than knowing that not only have you made a single person’s life that little bit better, but you have also helped to make a whole family’s experience more positive.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 27
News
ZAMBIAN CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN THE 'UNLOCK LITERACY' PROJECT
Unlocking children's potential in Chipapa For the past two years the Scotch community has raised funds for the World Vision Immersion Program through our Change for Chipapa campaign, as well as other fundraising events. Last year Scotch boys and the broader school community raised just under $10,000, which has helped World Vision Zambia to continue to improve the lives of children. This year we would love to reach our target of $20,000, and we welcome the support of the Scotch Family. Next year, boys participating in the World Vision Immersion Program will visit the community of Chipapa, where they will work in the community and meet the World Vision team which is currently working in Chipapa. Steve Dunham is one of the major leaders in our campaign, as an Impact Manager in the African team. He has had 13 years’ experience in development projects benefiting marginalised communities, and has successfully managed more than 60 development projects in Africa. In
the section below he focuses on World Vision’s emphasis on changing attitudes and knowledge, rather than building facilities that will benefit communities, but may not help them overcome poverty: ‘Many of the ways we can help communities improve their lives and overcome poverty aren’t clearly visible. New school buildings, health clinics or water taps – things we can see – are all vital. But they don’t lift people out of poverty by themselves. Changed attitudes and practices, equal opportunity, good governance, improved relationships between people, as well as new and useful skills and knowledge are just as important. 'Literacy is a good example. You can’t see or touch them, but being able to read and write well are skills that benefit a person for life. Literacy unlocks human potential and is the cornerstone of development. It can lead to better health, better employment opportunities, and safer and more stable societies. Children who do not develop reading skills during early primary education are on a lifetime trajectory of diminished educational progress and limited economic opportunities. 'This is why World Vision Zambia continues to invest heavily in child education and literacy in its Chipapa Area Program. Located about an hour outside of the country’s capital, Lusaka, Chipapa AP staff and local government officials recently trained 67 teachers from nine local schools in using an innovative approach to literacy instruction. Called ‘Unlock Literacy’, the approach helps children in Years 1-4 improve five
core skills: reading acquisition, letter knowledge, sounding out words, reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. The approach includes four core components: 1. Reading assessments: before and after reading assessments to measure children’s reading levels, evaluate their learning needs, and help schools and ministries of education track students’ progress. 2. Teacher training: teachers learn to incorporate the five core reading skills into their curricula and receive ongoing teacher coaching. Teachers learn to create a print-rich environment in their classrooms and ensure that children remain motivated while learning to read. 3. Community action: mobilising parents and communities to support children as they learn to read through fun, out-of-school reading camps. 4. Teaching and learning materials: creating locally relevant and grade-appropriate reading materials. 'These steps address the ways children learn to read, how teachers and parents can help, and create a culture of reading. 'Early results are encouraging. The nine program schools in Chipapa now assess literacy performance among Years 1-4 students three times per term. Teachers are very enthusiastic about the methodology, explaining that it complements the existing literacy curriculum by making learning more hands-on and fun. Unlock Literacy also allows students to learn to read in the vernacular (Chinyanja) and English, an approach which teachers say is much easier for students to engage with. By fundraising for Chipapa AP, Scotch boys and the broader school community will help World Vision Zambia continue to improve children’s quality of life, by: • Supporting Unlock Literacy in program schools; • Establishing community-based reading camps; • Producing supplementary reading materials in Chinyanja; • Raising awareness in the community about the dangers of child marriage, and the importance of education and birth registration; • Supporting child councils which serve as a platform for children in the community to highlight child protection concerns with local leaders and policy makers; and • Improving school sanitation and hygiene.’ RION AHL — YEAR 10, AND STEVE DUNHAM, WORLD VISION
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An extraordinary 16-day journey in Nepal
PHOTOGRAPHY: DYLAN COLEMAN, TIC NEPAL EXPEDITION
On a crisp afternoon in an out-of-the-way Himalayan village, bright-eyed children and villagers cluster around a rustic schoolyard basketball court. Trek-hardened Scotch boys pit their skills against the local dynamos, who despite their small stature and thonged feet, dart, weave and leap with energy and skill, delighting the crowd. Other boys line the court, ready to enter the fray, or join the delighted local children in an improvised, rough-and-tumble game over an Aussie Rules football, between rows of tents pitched for the visitors. The visit to the Lespar village school, to donate $25,000 raised by the Scotch boys and help with painting and concreting, was one of many highlights of the Nepal trip. Thirty-nine Years 8, 9 and 10 boys, two doctor-parents and six teachers, ably led by Mr Dylan Coleman, flew out to Kathmandu on 28 December 2017. The trip was the culmination of months of preparation and fundraising. After two days’ sightseeing in Kathmandu, acclimatising to a totally new environment and meeting our local trek leaders, Rimzin and Harkar, we flew by Yeti Airlines to Pokhara and set off on a spectacular nine-day trek through the Anapurna region. The trek took us through 120km of steep mountain tracks and ancient stone stairways, into high mountain villages and rhododendron forests, to an altitude of more than 3200 metres. The scenery was stunning, with several of the world’s highest peaks. We camped in tents or frigid ‘teahouses’, as perfect sunny winter days quickly turned to icy nights. An army of 58 Nepalese porters, cooks and guides carried our heavy bags, tents, food and a mobile kitchen, contriving to get to every stop well ahead, pitch our tents and provide three cooked meals a day. Each morning began at 6.30, with a mug of steaming black tea to tempt us out of our snug sleeping bags, followed by a bowl of warm water and a call of ‘washy-washy’.
All of us were forced well and truly out of our comfort zones. Some boys faced major physical and mental challenges in dragging their bodies up the steep tracks. Despite the best of care with sanitation, episodes of gastroenteritis were common and the physical effects of altitude and cold combined to make the trek a genuine physical challenge. For others, functioning in a totally unfamiliar environment without western food or entertainment was a new and difficult experience in itself. It was a delight to see every boy push through his own particular battle and come through. Returning to Pokhara by a classic bus ride around a windy cliff-side road, playing ‘chicken’ with oncoming trucks, while skirting road workers and pedestrians was an experience that will not be forgotten. The relative comfort and civilisation of the adventure and trekking hub of Pokhara, with its spacious permanent campsite and vibrant shopping strip, was a great way to recover and unwind. To top it off, we each soared several hundred metres high, on the 1.8 km zip-line that starts on the hill overlooking Pokhara and descends thrillingly to the valley floor. The final chapter was a further two days in Kathmandu, with fascinating visits to the Fred Hollows eye hospital and then the World Heritage listed Bhaktapur precinct, impacted severely by the destructive 2015 earthquake. There was a strange feeling of familiarity and comfort on returning to Kathmandu, when less than weeks earlier everything had felt so confronting and alien. It was a reminder of how far we had come on our journey. We feel privileged to have been part of a truly life-changing time for this group of boys. They have learned much about themselves and a wonderful country, and have connected in a genuine way with people of a very different world. Yet after that special time with the students at Lespar school, they know they have much more in common than they would have believed. DR ANDREW TAYLOR (‘84) AND ALEXANDER TAYLOR (YEAR 9)
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 29
News
ABOVE: COVER OF MICHAEL WAUGH'S SECOND ALBUM
A ‘masterclass in songwriting’ from Scotch teacher, Michael Waugh Scotch Drama and Media Teacher, Michael Waugh, who away from school has a burgeoning career as a singer-songwriter, released his second album, The Asphalt & the Oval on 23 March in Brunswick music venue, Spotted Mallard. Prior to the launch, The Australian newspaper’s music critic, Andrew McMillen, enthused over the new release. In the paper’s 24 February edition, McMillen nominated the collection as the album of the week, awarding it four and a half stars out of five, and hailing it as ‘a masterclass in songwriting’. Michael’s repertoire is described as ‘uniquely Australian country-inspired folk music’, in which ‘a heartfelt contemporary voice pays homage to the country music that he grew up with’. Michael’s first album, What We Might Be, was launched in 2016 to critical acclaim.
At Scotch, as well as teaching Drama and Media, Michael works on the boys’ drama productions, and is Year 10 Gilray Tutor. Interviewed for Great Scot in April 2016, Michael said he found it ‘incredibly rewarding to facilitate boys’ creative processes’. He said he particularly enjoyed the moments when boys ‘realised their creative gifts’. Michael said: ‘I remember when a number of our current Year 12 Drama students were in Year 8, and recall some of those amazing lightbulb moments for these boys when they became aware that they not only loved drama, but that they were also really good at it.’ Congratulations to Michael on his own creativity, and on his constantly developing music career. Andrew McMillen of The Australian put it succinctly: ‘When Michael Waugh opens his mouth, you should listen’. That applies to Michael’s music and without doubt also to his teaching.
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ABOVE: BOYS AT THE YEAR 9 RETREAT, 28 FEBRUARY TO 1 MARCH
FINDING THE RIGHT ANSWERS ON THE ROAD TO MANHOOD Everyone loves statistics – there’s something comforting about their exactness. Remember when we used to gasp in awe when Google told us it had gathered 3,852,000 results in 0.63 seconds? All that information in the blink of an eye! But how often do we find ourselves confused as we trawl through the meaningless pages looking for the right piece of information? We have plenty of potential answers at our fingertips, but what is the right answer? In the technologically saturated world in which our young people live, searching for answers is
not the problem. Finding the right answers – well, that’s a totally different story. The Year 9 Retreat has been created in an effort to provide boys with some of the tools to negotiate and wrestle with the idea of ‘healthy manhood’. In a time when information flies at us from all different directions in mere milliseconds, our young boys need encouragement and direction to begin forming a picture of what it is to be a young man. At the retreat, the boys are encouraged to take ownership of their behaviour and their future, and to leave behind the ways of childhood. At the time of writing, our Year 9s were away from the classroom, in the open air, undertaking a range of activities designed to help them learn about themselves – their inherent value and endless potential – and their peers. Circus Oz returned to uncover hidden talents of coordination (hopefully!); Andy Watts used his years of outdoor learning experience to help the boys see the real time consequences of their decision-making; and the Christian Education
staff helped them to value the importance of downtime and silence. A real highlight of the program was when two fantastic young men – Old Boys of the school – shared their story, allowing the boys to see that they’re not alone in whatever journey they find themselves taking. Drawing all these threads together were Brenton and Kane from Mustard, who invited the boys to consider three key questions: What am I like? What am I worth? What can I do? With all these elements pieced together, we hope to see boys emerge who are ready to embrace the mindsets and behaviours that are so much a part of a successful young man. What that looks like in the end will be different for each of them; but they will have in common a solid foundation of personal values and sound reference points. It won’t happen in milliseconds, but equally it will not involve trawling through all those meaningless pages. CAMERON CUTCHIE — HEAD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 31
News
24 HOUR HIKE
Tiwi project’s big boost from Scotch hikers Tamar Stafford of Year 10 ran strongly to win this year’s 24 Hour Hike, held on 8 and 9 March, taking out the Andrew Kelso Memorial Prize for his impressive distance of 105.4km. The hike was again conducted in the state forest around Mt Disappointment. The average distance hiked was 63.2 km, with 13 hikers managing to top the elusive 100km mark. Charlie Lines-Perrier’s 100.4 km was particularly impressive, as he is the first Year 9 boy to achieve 100km since 2011. ‘Century’ achievers closely following Tamar Stafford were Sebastian Brasington (Year 10, 104.9km), Charlie Schilling (Year 12, 104.4km), Chris Papapetrou (Year 12, 104.4km), Jacob Proctor (Year 12, 101.9km), Anthony James (Year 12, 101.9km), Timothy Gruner (Year 10, 101.8km), Luca Neerhut (Year 11, 101.1km), Benjamin Beischer (Year 11, 101.1km), Cameron Mackenzie (Year 10, 101.1km), Thomas Oliver (Year 12, 100.5km), Mitchell McLennan (Year 12, 100.5km) and Charlie Lines-Perrier with his distance of 100.4km. The hike ran very smoothly, supported by a strong and committed crew of helpers (staff, chefs, admin, first aiders and outcampers) ably coordinated by TIC Mr Keith Oatley. The Boys’ Academy Room Project at Tiwi College will benefit by the sum of $30,091, raised in sponsorship by the 24 Hour Hikers.
Scotch’s 22-year relationship with Tiwi College began with a football match played on Melville Island in 1996, and has grown to become a valued collaboration between the two schools. It has led to the establishment of genuine, deeprooted and ongoing friendships between Scotch boys and their Tiwi peers, as well as among educators at both schools. This regular contact has had a strong, positive impact on the Scotch Family’s understanding of indigenous Australia. As a weekly boarding school, Tiwi College students ‘vote with their feet’ each week. The school needs to be authentic and relevant to its cohort, and the academy is central to its School Engagement and Positive Behaviour learning strategies. The college has an academy room for its girls, and is seeking to upgrade its facility for its boys. Scotch has committed to raising $50,000 in 2018 to support this project, with the funds raised through the 24 Hour Hike giving the fundraising a significant boost. Tiwi College’s academy rooms provide: • A specific area for the students to go during break time, where they have ownership of the space and are supervised by Tiwi College staff. • A work and meeting space for the academy staff.
• A meeting area for all students prior to academy sessions, where they can map out aims for the term, week and days ahead, while reflecting on students’ performance. • Importantly (in indigenous education) a place for individual case management of students via formal weekly feedback from all areas of the school. The academy rooms act as a hub where information is displayed and college staff mentor and guide the students on their schooling journey. It is a key factor in the college’s excellent attendance and retention rates. • An area to go when students need time and space. When problems arise at Tiwi College, staff strive to teach students how to remain calm and solve the problems while remaining at school. The academy rooms are a positive space where this can occur. This project again intensifies the special relationship between Scotch and Tiwi College, as we seek to help improve the levels of indigenous education, not only through experiences at Scotch, but within indigenous communities at the coalface. If you are interested in supporting this project, please contact Director of Development Tim Shearer on +61 3 9810 4301 or tim.shearer@scotch.vic.edu.au
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Galvanising support for gender equality Scotch boys participated in the eighth annual Walk for Women, held after school on Friday 2 March. The walk is an initiative of a group of students from across Melbourne, which aims to focus awareness on women’s rights, and to raise money for the UN Women’s Fund. On the morning of the walk, Tom Loveridge (Year 12) spoke at Assembly about the walk, and women’s issues, encouraging his peers to broaden their perspectives, rather than simply focusing on a woman’s appearance. Here is an edited version of his address: Every morning, when I don the cardinal, gold and blue, I am very proud to represent Scotch. I’m proud to be a Scotchie hearing the Red Army chants at cricket, at swimming and diving, at footy, at rowing and at athletics. And I’m proud when our peers achieve eight out of 36 perfect ATAR scores; when our musicians perform the Star Wars theme song; when we belt out Loch Lomond at the Foundation Day Concert; when our debaters win the Debaters Association of Victoria state title; and when we all make an effort to change homophobic attitudes. But what I’m not proud of is the way we sometimes talk about women. You’ll notice that in my list of things I’m proud about, none centre around women, and that’s maybe because we attend an all-boys school. For most of us, this means the only time we see girls — other than our mums and sisters and grandmas and aunties — is on the weekend. Whether it’s the Year 7s down at Glenferrie and Chapel, an awesome Year 8 house party, a 16th, a formal or an 18th, it tends to be the case that we see girls almost exclusively in a social atmosphere, as opposed to seeing their academic prowess or sporting ability. Unfortunately, the result of these interactions is that a group mentality can form that revolves around what girls can provide for us. Our relationships are degraded as we see interactions with women merely as transactions. Talking down to women is not in any way a marker of masculinity, and it certainly doesn’t portray strength. When we hang out in our groups and we talk about women, it is important that the conversation doesn’t degrade women. It is important that we start standing up for women, standing up for change. There are times, too, when we may say things, perhaps unknowingly, which may portray women in a negative light because we view women through such a narrow lens. Instead of describing girls as ‘hot’, why not
FRONT ROW: CHRISTOPHER SPARKS, TOM LOVERIDGE, NICK VRAZAS. BEHIND: CHARLIE BARBER, CHARLIE SCHILLING, ANDREW KROGER, CHRIS PAPAPETROU
‘smart’? Instead of ‘gorgeous’, why not ‘strong’? It seems to me that if we broaden our perspective and have regard to a wide range of positive character traits, rather than simply focusing on a woman’s appearance, we can develop a greater respect for the women in our lives. If we can correct each other at these times, we will be able to kick-start a change in attitudes towards women. In these circumstances, which can often arise in our social groups, we need to think twice about our language choices, and pull each other up if we hear something which is negative. I believe that the camaraderie and group strength we display at school should galvanise us all to support gender equality. I want to be proud of the way we think about and act towards women, just as I am when we sing Loch Lomond, for example. After school, the Walk for Women is being held to promote International Women’s Day and to raise money for charities connected to women, as well as to raise awareness about issues such as family violence, and I encourage boys to join us at this event to show their support. Although this issue may appear removed from our lives, I think it is important that we change our attitudes towards women, because poor attitudes can progress into violence and sexual harassment later in life. I don’t profess to be an expert on gender equality, but I feel strongly about campaigning for change, and I invite you to join us on this journey.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 33
Staff in profile
Interview: Ryan Johnstone Deputy Head of English; Literature and Debating Coordinator these responsibilities suggest, education for me is all about the power of the written and spoken word. I want to see our students learning to express themselves in increasingly thoughtful, sophisticated and compelling ways. I believe that the most valuable skill young adults can have when they leave school is the ability to navigate effectively the world of language, in all of its mercurial complexity and emotional force. Ideally I want all of our boys to be deep readers, critical analysts, empathetic listeners and deft communicators; ultimately, though, I just hope that across the course of their English journey each boy will experience at least a few moments of genuine appreciation for the power of literature to move us, and to shape our lives.
What inspired you to be a teacher? My dad was always my key source of inspiration when it came to my desire to teach. He taught secondary maths and science – at the same school, in the same classroom – for his entire 39-year career. By the end of that impressive innings he was teaching the third generations of some families in the district. When I consider it now, his dedication to that one small community strikes me as astounding; at the time, I saw the significance of his work chiefly through the eyes of his students, who seemed almost invariably grateful for, and indelibly marked by, his gentle manner and tremendous mind. I can remember attending, as a young boy, some of his senior student graduation ceremonies and feeling overwhelmed by the emotion in the room. He helped to show me how important it is for teachers to really know, and respect, their students.
What student expressions of growth most impress you? I love seeing thoughtful English students grappling with the political, ethical or moral complexities of texts. In confronting the ‘big questions’ posed by great minds, we are engaging with what it means to be human. In sharing our views, we are shaping our own moral dimensions. To engage with literature is to engage with life. I see students engaging with this process every day, and that never gets tired. I love seeing those students, who might have previously thought that English wasn’t for them, suddenly ‘switched on’ to a particular text, character or idea. The boy who ‘gets’ Holden Caulfield’s contempt for his Ivy League institution’s hollow traditionalism; the boy who sees in Macbeth’s self-destructive ambition a lesson in humility; the boy who sees early twentieth century American society’s treatment of Lennie, Candy or Curley’s wife as a genuine outrage; the boy who laughs heartily at a nineteenth century Russian author’s scathing political satire. I love, also, the sense of refined performance and emerging pride which shadows hardworking English students across the course of an academic year. It thrills me to think of how far they have travelled, sometimes, from day 1, Term 1 to the dying days of discussion and debate, late Term 4. It is the sense of an increasingly complex human being unfolding before your eyes, and it is a wonderful thing. What advice would you give our VCE students as they embark on a life outside Scotch? Keep your friends close and tell them how you are feeling, and how you feel about them – often and openly. Don’t shut yourself off to emotion; when you do that, you become a little less human. Be that man who unashamedly hugs those he loves and helps those who are hurting. Read. Thoughtfully. Whenever you can. Allow yourself to be transported by the lives of others and shaken by the power of transformative, or even transgressive, thinking. Be humble enough to acknowledge that you have a lot to learn, and wise enough to savour the fact that this will never change.
What are your roles at Scotch and what do you enjoy about your work in the School? I am the Deputy Head of the English Department. I coordinate our Literature courses and help to shape our English curriculum at each level. I also coordinate our School’s wonderfully large DAV debating squad. As
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Interview: Claire Jones Geography teacher; Head of Arthur Robinson House each of them to fulfil their potential and follow their passions. I am there to celebrate successes and also to provide support in difficult times. Being on duty at night is a special time. Boys are often willing to share a story from home or reflect on the day that has just passed. They often follow this with an optimistic comment on what the next day may bring. The insights gained from living with 48 young men provide a myriad of ways with which to engage with them, regardless of where that may be — in a boarding house, in a classroom or on a sports field.
BEN LLOYD, CLAIRE JONES, JACK BROWN
What inspired you to be a teacher? Fortunately, I truly loved the schools I attended. As I grew up, I joined the daily wave of walkers and cyclists to school and this created my first extended community. At 16 I attended the United World College of the Atlantic. Here I lived with 150 other students from 68 other countries on the grounds of St Donat’s Castle, in South Wales. The two years spent there intensified this sense of community, with students and staff living and working together. These combined positive experiences and also the professional, caring teachers I encountered, played an immense role in nurturing me as a student. In my teenage years I found that all paid work I had completed included an element of imparting knowledge. With this identified, my path was set. After six years of testing and expanding my pedagogical methods in UK schools, it was time to move on. Having lived and worked in Australia prior to university, Melbourne was where I wanted to be! Within a month of arriving I secured a role at PLC. Prior to Scotch, I worked at MLC and was also the Project Officer at the Geography Teachers’ Association of Victoria – creating Geography resources for teachers all around the state. What are your roles at Scotch and what do you enjoy about your work? My roles at Scotch include being Head of Arthur Robinson House (one of the boarding houses), as well as a teacher of Geography. The core of both roles is the development of relationships with the boys, and is the most enjoyable aspect of my work. Both positions — but in particular in Arthur Robinson House, due to its community aspect — involve nurturing, encouraging and making boys aware of what they can do, and helping
What student expressions of growth most impress you? Academically, I am impressed when boys initiate contact to find help with their work outside class time. On the Hill we see boys seeking out certain staff they know can best help them. This demonstrates an ownership of their learning which is vital for success. It is always pleasing when boys implement feedback which has been provided in any situation. I am proud when boys take responsibility for their errors, make amends and then move forward. Whenever a boy starts to look outward and demonstrates an awareness of others on a small or large scale, this shows invaluable growth in his character. At my primary school the Principal regularly told us stories involving his favourite word — consideration. Getting boys to think about a situation from someone else’s point of view is imperative to give perspective and help them understand and ultimately assist their growth. Whenever a boy ‘steps up’ and takes a stand for something, especially when this position conflicts with his peer group, that also represents a significant growth moment. Our role as staff is to support boys in that situation. What advice would you give our Year 12 students as they embark on a life outside Scotch? Boys — we spend a long time working, so first work hard at finding your passion. Pursue it rigorously. Become more independent and be responsible for yourself. You should be able to use a washing machine, iron your own shirts, clean your shoes and sew on a button! Learn the value of money by getting a job. Find this job yourself, organise your own transport and commit to it. You will find there is much more to be gained from the work than just the dollars. Volunteer your time to a cause which you are interested in, or are passionate about. Spend time exploring by travelling the world as much as possible. Learning about other regions and cultures will change you immeasurably. Invest time in getting to know people. If you have the opportunity to implement change, at whatever scale, make sustainable decisions that benefit communities. The mantra of my Year 12 class this year is ‘Be Bothered’. Do this, but perhaps most importantly, be kind to all who cross your path.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 35
Top Screen
TOP SCREEN SELECTION FOR BOYS FROM THE CLASS OF ‘17 Each year over 300 films are submitted to the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority’s Top Screen, which this year presents the best films created in 2017 by VCE Media students, including short fiction, animation and documentaries. Of the 300-odd submissions, only a dozen are chosen for exhibition at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. In 2018, Con Coutis and William Fairley from Scotch’s Class of 2017 have each had their films selected for Top Screen 2018 and inclusion in the exhibition at ACMI from March to May. To achieve Top Screen ranking, films must have achieved an A+, meet all assessment criteria at a very high standard, be accompanied by an exemplary production design plan, demonstrate individual and distinctive qualities, and show technical excellence relative to their concepts and intentions. Con Coutis’ film, The Unspoken Rule, is a homage to silent film icon Buster Keaton. It aims to entertain through deadpan, visual, and physical comedy, relying heavily on staging and props. The Unspoken Rule challenges the implicit assumptions and conventions of the silent film genre. William Fairley’s film, Notes From The Underground, hand drawn in willow charcoal, is a dystopian sci-fi animation, portraying a man-versus-society narrative. Informed by films such as Metropolis (1927) and V for Vendetta (2005), the protagonist faces a decision: to find his place in a bleak, sterile system or lay down his life on his own terms. These two films have also been selected to be a part of both the Yarra Valley and Warrandyte Film Festivals. JAMIE KANE — ENGLISH AND MEDIA TEACHER
ABOVE TOP: CON COUTIS AND CHARLIE HILL PLAY ROLES IN DARCY WISCHER'S FILM NOIR SHORT. MIDDLE: STILL FROM WILLIAM FAIRLEY'S FILM. BOTTOM: STILL FROM CON COUTIS IN PERFORMANCE LAST YEAR.
36 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
Scotch teachers: passionate about their art Head of Art, Mark Mason and Senior Art Teacher, Yudha Scholes, held a successful exhibition of their ceramics and paintings in the Hawthorn Studio Gallery in November 2017. Titled Surface, the exhibition enabled the teachers to explore colour, shape, imagery and texture, as well as the metaphorical idea of allowing their creativity to ‘surface’. Mark has been producing his striking raku ceramic vessels for many years, using traditional techniques as well as his own experimentation to create bold and contemporary shapes. The unique firing techniques of the raku kiln, combined with an extensive knowledge of chemical reactions at various temperatures,
creates an amazing array of colours on his works, giving each series its distinctive quality. Yudha has painted since finishing art school, and has gradually used many of the techniques he has explored in workshops while on the annual VCE Art tour to Arthur Boyd’s Bundanon art studio. For him, painting is a way to connect to the nature of a place, and share with others the beauty and energy of that nature. He has created his latest series of landscape paintings of his favourite places around Victoria full of colour, life, and vibrant energy. Mark and Yudha have found that students are always curious to see their teachers’ artworks, and enjoy asking questions and finding out
TOP ART AND DESIGN STUDENT’S WORK ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM
EXHIBITION OF ARTWORK BY MARK MASON AND YUDHA SCHOLES
about ideas and techniques they have explored in their work. The teachers believe their own artistic practices are important to maintain, as they can use them to inspire students and staff in the Scotch community, as well as the greater community. Showing their artwork is a great way to share a mutual passion with students, and pass on knowledge and enthusiasm, inspiring students to express themselves by making their own works of art. For more information about Mark and Yudha and to see their artworks, you can visit their websites: Mark Mason: friendlyfireceramics.com; Yudha Scholes: yudhascholes.com.
Outstanding art and design student from the Class of ‘17, Luka Tao, has been shortlisted for Top Designs in both Visual Communication Design and Design Technology. His Visual Communication Design Unit Four folio was selected for this year’s Top Design Award, and is being exhibited at the Melbourne Museum from 17 March to 15 June. Luka was an outstanding art and design student during his time at Scotch. Arriving at Scotch in Year 9 he already possessed advanced drafting skills and a fertile imagination. Under the guidance of Scotch’s art and design teachers he further developed his skills with an insatiable passion and quest for innovation and perfection. In his final year he studied three folio subjects: Studio Art, Visual Communication Design and Design Technology. Luka’s dedication to his craft ensured that he produced folios of the highest quality, creativity and precision in each subject. Congratulations to Luka: only 17 students statewide were invited to display their work in the prestigious Melbourne Museum exhibition. We wish Luka every success as he pursues his tertiary studies at RMIT and a career in the design industry.
MARK MASON, LUKA TAO (’17) AND YUDHA SCHOLES
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 37
News
Music, Drama and the Arts
The beauty and power of mathematics Scotch’s Mathematics department prides itself not just in preparing boys for success in VCE, but in providing opportunities for them to explore the breadth and depth of mathematics as an intellectual endeavour; so that in doing this, they might appreciate the austere beauty of mathematics and be equipped with an understanding of its power to explain the world around them. Here are some examples of successes of students beyond the triad of Further Mathematics, Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics: • Seven Scotch boys undertook University Extension Mathematics in 2017. This subject counts as a fifth or sixth subject in a student’s ATAR calculation, and enables students to complete Monash University’s first year mathematics sequence during Year 12. This subject is taught in house by a member of Scotch staff, and the students are externally assessed by examinations at Monash University. In 2017 all seven Scotch boys received the maximum possible ATAR increment of 5.0 for the subject (equivalent to a study score of 50). Gehan Premaratne was dux of the entire subject, receiving the highest raw percentage mark in the state. • Suitably motivated students across all year levels are selected to participate in mentoring sessions with Dr Angelo Di Pasquale, the Director of Training for Australia’s International Mathematical Olympiad team. These sessions prepare students for the variety of mathematics competitions administered by the Australian Mathematics Trust. One Year 9 boy, Andres Buritica Monroy, has enjoyed particular success in virtually every such competition he has sat. As a result of his performance in the Australian Mathematics Competition, the AMT flew him, and the other highest performing students in the country, to Hobart, where they each received a medal from the Governor of Tasmania. Such an accolade is awarded to no more than three students per year group per state. • Thomas Baker (‘16) was admitted to study mathematics at the University of Cambridge, entry for which is determined, among other criteria, by an interview with a Cambridge professor and by one’s performance in the STEP examinations. These entrance exams for mathematics at Cambridge are notoriously difficult, requiring a significant amount of training. The examinations comprise three papers, each of which is three hours in length and consists of 13 questions. For each paper students are only expected to answer (and only graded on) six of the 13 questions. DR GARETH AINSWORTH — MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT
ABOVE TOP: THOMAS BAKER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE ABOVE MIDDLE: ANDRES BURITICA MONROY RECEIVING HIS MEDAL FROM PROFESSOR KATE WARNER, GOVERNOR OF TASMANIA. ABOVE: LEFT TO RIGHT: GEHAN PREMARATNE, TIAN TIAN LAN, DANIEL QIN, TONY JIANG: FOUR OF THE STUDENTS WHO COMPLETED UNIVERSITY EXTENSION MATHEMATICS (ABSENT: MORRIS GU, CHARLEY MA, JOE XING)
38 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
CONNECTED TO THE REAL IT WORLD THROUGH THE CODING CLUB ABOVE: ANDREW KROGER, RION AHL AND TATE MCLEISH
What I love about Scotch is its ability to continue to surprise you with many unique opportunities that can only be experienced if one approaches them without fear of failure. I had this opportunity when I first entered the Scotch Coding Club in IT lab 2. Coding enables us to create computer software, apps and websites. The club allowed me to connect to the real world by better understanding how companies like Google and Amazon, along
with artificial intelligence, are transforming the world today. Through the weekly skills sessions carefully arranged by Mr Hu, I fostered my love of technology by learning from different speakers each week. Last year, a few boys who are now in Years 11 and 12 taught us how to do basic and advanced coding, and showed us websites and apps that they had programmed. These talks were both engaging and inspirational,
and they have encouraged us to start learning new coding languages and to begin to code our own programs and apps. The Cyber Safe Workshop taught us many useful coding skills for managing our own cyber security. We are grateful to Mr Hu for sharing his expertise and coordinating our weekly workshops. RION AHL (YEAR 10) PHOTOGRAPHY: MR WEI HU
A Latin colloquium In early February, three outstanding Latin students from the Class of 2017 returned to the school to speak to this year’s Year 12 Latin class. Angus Ritchie, Oliver McLeish and Christos Preovolos all performed with great success in Latin, as did all their peers; for the second successive year, Scotch was the top VCE Latin school in Victoria. The young Old Boys passed on wonderful advice to this year’s class, discussing every aspect of the course in great detail and giving the students the benefit of their individual and shared experience. They particularly emphasised the importance of homework— probably the most important aspect of all. Each of them also discussed what they most enjoyed about doing Latin. They took the class on their Year 12 Latin journey and instructed them on the best way to navigate it, from the prose of Cicero (In Catilinam) to the poetry of Vergil (Aeneid Book 8), and the fascination of translating challenging unseen passages, the ultimate test of elite Latin students, and one at which Scotch students excel. We are very grateful to Angus, Oliver and Christos for returning to the school and inspiring boys with their knowledge and passion. TONY HENNESSY — HEAD OF LATIN
ABOVE: STUDENTS FROM THE CLASS OF 2017, ANGUS RITCHIE, OLIVER MCLEISH AND CHRISTOS PREOVOLOS (SEATED FRONT ROW) SPOKE TO THIS YEAR'S LATIN CLASS
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 39 7.
Music
BRAHMS HORN TRIO – TIAN TIAN LAN (PIANO), JAMES BAKIRTZIS (HORN) AND WILMA SMITH (VIOLIN)
Spring, summer and autumn resonate to Scotch music Term 4 2017 concluded with the annual Spring Concert, featuring our intermediate ensembles. The Spring Concert has been organised by Peter Rickard for some 30 years, and the 2017 concert was particularly special because it was Peter’s last one. A very special moment came at the end of the performance by the Dreyfus Band, conducted by Peter – his final formal performance at Scotch – which received a spontaneous standing ovation from an appreciative audience, acknowledging 40 years’ service to Scotch. The year concluded with the Percussion Concert, the Junior School Christmas Concert and the final concert of the year, the annual Summer Prom. This concert featured the Symphonic Wind, Academy Strings and Symphony Orchestra. For the orchestra, it was effectively a prelude to the tour to Spain, and consequently had a sense of anticipation! It has become a tradition for the Principal to announce the various leadership positions in the Music School, and for 2018 Mingus Gu-Yang is Captain of Music, Dion Quach is Leader of the Orchestra, Jonathon Zhang and Hugo Irving-Hyman are Co-Vice Captains of Music, Chris Chamberlain is Captain of Strings, Ray Feng is Captain of Choir, Nicholas Yu is Captain of Bands and Jack Maughan is Captain of Percussion. It’s a splendid team which is leading its peers very competently as the year unfolds.
ScotchArts 2018 season opener In the first ScotchArts concert for the year, on 6 March, Wilma & Friends presented beautiful performances of Mozart, Shostakovich and Brahms. The ScotchArts series, now in its 12th year, brings visiting performers to the School to present concerts and give master classes to current boys.
In recent years, Wilma Smith, formerly Concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and currently Artistic Director of the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition, and Chamber Music Artist in Residence at Scotch, has brought her Wilma & Friends series to Scotch under the ScotchArts umbrella. The 6 March concert was particularly notable because it featured two former students, Tian Tian Lan (‘17) and James Bakirtzis (‘14), performing with internationally acclaimed chamber music artists. James now studies horn at the Musikhochschule in Stuttgart, and has had many professional engagements in Germany. The concert opened with a superb performance of the Horn Quintet by Mozart. James’ playing of the slow movement was exceptional, demonstrating a delightful sense of the musical line, matched by a flawless technique. The Shostakovich Piano Quintet in G minor was simply brilliant – such playing and musicianship from world-class players. Tian Tian, tthe youngest by far, played with a depth and maturity that was wonderful to hear. The final work of the concert was one of my personal favourites, the Horn Trio by Brahms. It was fantastic to see two former students playing with Wilma in such a great performance of that famously demanding work. One feature of Wilma’s series is that she often gives young rising stars an opportunity to shine in the company of experienced professionals. This concert was a great example of her vision and artistry. A really great night!
JOHN FERGUSON — DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
40 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
Viva España!
SCOTCH COLLEGE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN SPAIN. PHOTOGRAPHY: ADAM MERANGE
In January the Scotch College Symphony Orchestra came to the music school for some intense rehearsal ahead of its tour to Spain. The program was big: Rachmaninov’s mighty Piano Concerto No 3, Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 5, Gliere’s Harp Concerto, Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No 2, Chaminade’s Flute Concerto, Nicolai’s overture to The Merry Wives of Windsor, Waltz of the Flowers from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite and Elmer Bernstein’s beautiful score to the classic film, To Kill a Mockingbird. In addition to this formidable list were a few extra items that we performed in combination with Spanish orchestras and choirs, including Morricone’s Gabriel’s Oboe from The Mission – played beautifully in Madrid by Isaac Zhao (Year 11) as solo oboist. So, it was little wonder that we needed some intense rehearsal before setting off! We arrived in Spain, and performed our first concert at the Auditori Nacional in Madrid. A huge audience gave soloists Mingus Gu-Yang (Year 12, who played the Wieniawski Violin Concerto) and Yuki Goh (Year 11: the Harp Concerto) a fabulous reception. The Australian Ambassador to Spain was one of a number of dignitaries to attend. He was totally delighted, and insisted on talking to the boys and having his picture taken! An orchestral tour is a major undertaking. The orchestra performed for longer at each of the six main concerts than it would at the Foundation Day Concert. Every soloist had at least two performances of his concerto during
the tour, with the Harp Concerto getting three (after all, we were dragging a full concert harp in a road case all round Spain), and the piano concerto, being such a profound work, received four performances. Charley Ma (‘17) performed the Sibelius Violin Concerto superbly in Segovia and Granada, and Mingus Gu-Yang received a rock star reception for his breathtaking performance of the Wieniawski in Seville. Yuki’s harp playing featured prominently in every concert, and his concerto performances were outstanding. In Granada, we combined with the University of Granada choir, performing a number of choral works with them. The final concert was in a magnificent, lavishly ornate hall at the university in Barcelona. Tian Tian Lan (‘17) received a standing ovation for a fabulous performance of Rachmaninov’s 3rd Piano Concerto, as did Philipp Eversheim (‘17) for his sensitive as well as virtuosic performance of Chaminade’s Flute Concerto – that particular concert was a great finale to one of the most successful tours ever. Obviously it wasn’t all music. We all fell in love with the beauty of Spain, its fantastic diversity, religious history and exceptional architecture. Then there was the food – tapas, paella, those great hams ... and, of course, the waffles – so many flavours, so little time! JOHN FERGUSON — DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 41
News
World premiere at Scotch will be a unique event A new musical work telling of a poignant merging of Scottish and Aboriginal cultures is the true story of William Barton's family history.
42 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
LEFT PAGE: TOP: CARLIN BRIGGS. BOTTOM: PJ CROCOMBE, COREY CLARKE, TODD GARNER. THIS PAGE: CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: JAMARRA UGLE-HAGAN, LACHIE JOHNSON, CARLIN BRIGGS; PJ CROCOMBE, COREY CLARKE, TODD GARNER, JIMMY GADSDEN, JAMARRA UGLE-HAGAN, CARLIN BRIGGS; CELEBRATED DIDGERIDOO PLAYER, WILLIAM BARTON; PJ CROCOMBE; SPECIAL ARRAY OF PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS. BOTTOM: DIDGERIDOO WORKSHOP IN PREPARATION FOR THE WILMA & FRIENDS RECONCILIATION CONCERT
On Tuesday March 13, the Scotch Music School reverberated to the amazing sounds of Australia’s finest didgeridoo player, William Barton, who used the immediacy of his musical voice to introduce himself to Scotch’s Indigenous Partnership Program students. The meeting was brokered by Wilma Smith, former Concertmaster of the MSO and now Artist-in-Residence at Scotch, and took place in anticipation of a unique musical event. Wilma & Friends concerts at Ian Roach Hall have a reputation for inspired musical casting and clever programming, but this season features something unique. In fact, the concert at 7.30pm on Tuesday May 29 in the James Forbes Academy’s Ian Roach Hall promises to be a one-off event
the performance will be Scotch’s indigenous students, percussionists and one or more pipers playing smallpipes, an evocative, more intimate (indoor) version of bagpipes. William is excited about exploring similarities and differences between the iconic drone instruments of both cultures, the didgeridoo and the bagpipe. To set the stage for the premiere, the concert will start with two atmospheric works by the late great Australian composer, Peter Sculthorpe, good friend and mentor to both William Barton and Ian Munro. William and the string quartet will play Sculthorpe’s Quartet No 12 (with didgeridoo), and the quartet will then be joined by advanced students of the strings department in a performance of Sculthorpe’s Port Essington for Strings, an evocative sound picture of the clash and coexistence of the bush, native fauna and early colonial settlers. When Scotch’s indigenous students were asked if any would like to be involved in the production, all nine were enthusiastic about participating. Photos from this first workshop convey only a small fraction of the excitement, energy and focus the boys brought to the task. Tickets for this special event are available here: https://www.trybooking.com/book/ event?eid=349176. For more information about the artists, please access this link: http://wilmaandfriends.com.au/.
not to be missed. Appropriately timed for Reconciliation Week and placed at Scotch, a specially commissioned new work telling of the poignant merging of Scottish and Aboriginal cultures in the true story of William Barton’s family history will be given its world premiere. Delmae Barton — singer, songwriter, poet, painter, Aboriginal Elder and William’s mother — wrote the words which were the catalyst for two musical responses by Old Scotch Collegian and international pianist/composer, Ian Munro (‘80), and William Barton, also a performer/composer, each working independently then coming together within an agreed overall structure. Professional performers will include all three creators on piano, didgeridoo and voice, along with string quartet, but also integrated into www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 43
Sport
Good performances and significant highlights Scotch boys enjoyed another highly successful summer sports season, with most of our sports performing well and achieving some significant highlights. I have no doubt the summer season will provide some cherished memories for many of the boys who represented the School each week. The performance of our 1st VIII winning the Head of the River and coming second in the Nationals the following day was extraordinary, and a credit to all involved. While many of our other sports teams were in APS premiership contention until late in the season, some narrow losses impacted final places. The diving team performed exceptionally well on APS finals night, achieving second place for the third year straight. The performance of Zach Hutchings (Year 8) in the under 14 event was a clear highlight, as he took out first place in A division. Captain of Diving, Christopher Harris (Year 12), also led from the front, finishing third in the open A division. Our badminton team finished second again to Haileybury, while our futsal team was third. Each team lost only one fixture for the season. Our tennis and volleyball teams were highly competitive, both teams finishing fourth; and there were some promising signs for the future in both sports, with many of our younger players performing well. The table tennis team finished in fifth place overall, with a key victory against Geelong Grammar School a highlight of the season. Swimming climbed one position to seventh, and there were some exciting under-age performances. Captain of Swimming, Dante Negri (Year 12), again led the way for the team, with Thomas Hay (Year 10), Max Boesley (Year 9) and Justin Tan (Year 8) also starring on the night. The 1st XI Cricket team experienced some highs and lows, and despite not winning a game before Christmas the team lifted in the new year, when it had three wins, a draw and two washouts. Will
Lovell (Year 11) and James Gray (Year 12) both scored hundreds during the season. Lawn bowls had its most successful season in recent years, with the A team taking out the APS Championship and finishing equal second in the AGS/APS combined finals. The Scotch Gold Squash team finished undefeated in the APS schools competition. The cycling team enjoyed another excellent year, achieving third place in the Victorian Interschools Cycling Competition. Charlie Barber (Year 12) was second in the individual senior A grade competition, while Joaquin Cross (Year 11) won the senior B grade title, and Alex Jones (Year 8) was third in the junior A division. His achievement was even more impressive because of his limited availability due to state commitments. Remarkably, he won five gold medals for Victoria in the Cycling Australlia Junior Track National Championships. Our orienteers won back the schools trophy with consistent performances all season, and our sailing squad finished sixth in the Victorian State Championships. Our Old Scotch athletes also had a strong Athletics Victoria season, evidenced by the subsequent selection of Fred Leeton (Year 8) and Benjamin Beischer (Year 11) in the 3000 metres at the National Championships in Sydney. The 1st Touch Football team tried hard all season, and while highly competitive, did not register a win — but the thirds and fourths teams were victorious, winning the grand finals in their respective divisions. Congratulations to the seven boys who were selected in APS representative teams. They were: badminton — Leo Li (Year 11), Dorson Tu (Year 12); cricket — James Gray; table tennis — Alec Lai (Year 12 — Vice Captain), Noah Philip (Year 11); volleyball — Hamish Hunt (Vice Captain), Daniel Carrocia (both Year 12). MR STUART POWELL — DIRECTOR OF SPORT
44 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
ALEX JONES (YEAR 8) WON FIVE GOLD MEDALS AT THE 2018 CYCLING AUSTRALIA JUNIOR TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FEBRUARY AND WON THE UNDER 15 CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS AWARD
Sport
THE SCOTCH COLLEGE 1ST VIII RACING IN THE HEAD OF THE RIVER FINAL
IMAGE: PHOTOPLAY GEELONG
A STRONG PERFORMANCE BY THE ENTIRE SCOTCH BOAT CLUB
TEAM TRAINING AT SCOTCH
SCOTCH 2ND VIII L-R J KILROE SMITH, G PERMEZEL, R JOHNSTON, T MCPHAIL, M LEMPRIERE, J HART, J CAMERON, M BLOOM, L PHILLIPS
46 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
On a day of torrential rain and extremely variable winds, Scotch somewhat unexpectedly overturned pre-race favourite Brighton Grammar School to win the 151st Head of the River. In the three weeks leading up to the Head of the River, the Scotch crew was beaten by Brighton Grammar, Melbourne Grammar School and Geelong College. A week prior to the Head of the River, Brighton Grammar defeated the Scotch crew twice, and was the crew to beat entering the regatta. It was a strong showing overall from the Scotch College Boat Club, winning three of the four senior eight divisions and all three of the Year 10 divisions. In addition, the Year 9 quad sculls finished the season strongly, taking first place in seven of the eight divisions. In the 151st staging of the Head of the River, Scotch won the race by about a length and a quarter from Brighton Grammar, with Geelong College a further three-quarters of a length behind in third place. The early part of the race was very close, with several crews, including Brighton Grammar, Geelong College, Geelong Grammar and Scotch, level. The Scotch crew gained a lead of around a metre as the crews approached the 700 metre mark. At around 1250 metres, Scotch pushed out to half a length advantage, before extending the margin to clear water at the finish. The Scotch time was a very respectable 5.54.49, a time bettered only by the race record of 5.49.5 set by the 2017 Scotch crew, but ahead of the previous record of 5.56.07 set by the 2015 Scotch eight. The Scotch 1st VIII consisted of Archie Gill (Coxswain), Marcus Emmett (Stroke), Marcus Cameron (7), Harrison Miller (6), Tim Nothnagel (5), Fraser Miscamble (4), Sam Hobson (3), James Scott (2) and William Dixon (bow). The Scotch 2nd VIII finished its impressive season with victory in the second division, crossing the line 3.61 seconds ahead of second placed Brighton Grammar, with St Kevin’s College a further 4.67 seconds back in third place. The Scotch 3rd VIII raced strongly to win the A final of their division, with Brighton Grammar 3.55 seconds behind and Geelong Grammar third. The 4th VIII also raced strongly to be placed third behind Melbourne Grammar and Geelong Grammar in the final. In the Year 10 eights, the 10A, 10B and 10C crews won their respective A finals by more than three lengths. The 10D crew was placed fifth in the division 3 final, performing well to qualify for the A final and competing strongly against other schools’ 10C crews. The 10E crew also performed admirably to finish fourth in the Year 10 division B final. Scotch had 11 Year 9 quad sculls racing across eight divisions. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th 5th 7th and 8th Quads won their respective divisions. The 6th Quad came fourth in division 6, with the 9th Quad sixth. The 10th Quad came third in the division 7 B final, and the 11th Quad was sixth in the division 8 B final. There were many strong performances and placings across this cohort. It was a strong performance by the entire Boat Club, and all athletes competed to the best of their ability. Thanks must go to all parents, the Cardinal Club, coaches and boatmen for their dedication, support and passion, all of which ensures the Boat Club continues to function productively.
SCOTCH 1ST VIII WITH THE FAIRBAIRN CUP. BACK ROW L-R: M CAMERON, M EMMETT, S HOBSON, A GILL, W DIXON FRONT ROW L-R: F MISCAMBLE, H MILLER, T NOTHNAGEL, J SCOTT
TOM WOODRUFF – 1st VIII COACH AND DIRECTOR OF ROWING
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 47
Boarding
NEW BEGINNINGS NEW OPPORTUNITIES
48 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
DEAN OF BOARDING, TIM BYRNES WITH TOM WHITING (HILL CAPTAIN), TOBY NIXON (CAPTAIN OF SCHOOL HOUSE), CONNOR GOODISON (CAPTAIN OF ARTHUR ROBINSON HOUSE) AND WILL LYONS (CAPTAIN OF MCMECKAN HOUSE)
On Tuesday 30 January, 57 new boys, accompanied by somewhat anxious parents and grandparents, arrived at the boarding precinct to join the boarding community and begin their Scotch adventure. Some boys walked from houses around the corner, some had caught trains and planes, and some had driven many kilometres, all to converge on the Hill here in Hawthorn. They unloaded cars and taxis, dragged suitcases up stairs, checked out beds and cupboards and stared in a little bewilderment at the list of routines and rules necessary for the running of a successful boarding house. ‘What’s prep?’ I heard one Year 7 boy say to his mum, as they walked past the prep room; ‘Can I use the Year 12 microwave?’ asked an innocent Year 8 boy. On hand to help settle in the new boys were the old hands, who walked around with a knowing smile, but also with a degree of empathy and understanding as they remembered their first few days as boarders. Each new boy was assigned a Year 11 mentor, and many had already established some relationships with boys at the transition camp, held in September last year. With the assistance of staff, mentors, an induction program and, vitally, the Year 12 leaders, the new boys slowly began to understand what to do with their laundry, how to work their lockable charging stations and when it was appropriate to ask for seconds (or thirds) in the dining hall. The first weekend saw all new boarders along with many existing boys and the Year 12 leaders, venture down to Cowes for 24 hours of sun, surf and games. As is often the case, being by the beach helped break down some barriers, and with games of soccer, touch footy and cricket among other activities, boys soon began to forge the all-important connections
necessary for a successful boarding experience. Of course being in boarding is not all sun, surf and fun, and bouts of homesickness, especially early in the year, are quite common. Being away from home and sharing a room with complete strangers can be both daunting and overwhelming. It is here that the little things can ease the transition: some comfort food from Matron; a gentle conversation with a Year 12 boy; an invitation to a game of down-ball in the back quad; the affection of the Dean of Boarding’s dog on his late night rounds, all help in those first few weeks. It often surprises me how quickly our boarders overcome their initial pangs of homesickness and their longing for the comforts of family and friends. While each boy’s journey is different, many have already made a strong connection to their respective House and are proudly identifying themselves as Scotch boarders. It is here that the culture of each House is instrumental in shaping the success of each boarder’s experience, and the Year 12 leaders set the culture within each House. We are indeed fortunate to have an outstanding group of young men leading the Hill this year. These boys have ensured the tone across the Houses is one of inclusiveness, where each boy is equally valued and respected. It is testament to the work that has gone before us that Scotch boarding continues to attract boys and families with a strong commitment to the inherent values of Scotch and to respecting the uniqueness of each boy’s journey. Such commitment helps to ensure the viability of boarding at Scotch, and that it remains the heartbeat of the College. TIM BYRNES — DEAN OF BOARDING www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 49
Property
It was all happening over the summer holidays ... While boys and staff were on long summer holidays, the Property Department’s busy season was just beginning. After months of planning, the opportunity presented itself to streamline projects and more efficiently undertake large-scale works, without disruption to the boys, the staff, or the workers on-site. The School became a continuous worksite during the break, with works encompassing all corners of our expansive campus. From the Boarding School, down the Hill to the Junior School, across the grounds to the Melville Oval and into the Senior School, a multitude of building works were undertaken and completed – including the demolition of the entire four-storey old Science Building in just under six weeks! The projects listed below are just the tip of the iceberg: many other pieces of the puzzle were also completed over the summer. This included full external repainting of the Glenn Centre, asphalting works to the student race at Monash Drive, entirely recarpeting Arthur
Robinson House, landscaping works around the new Spencer Centre for Design and Technology, internal repainting of high profile areas in the Boarding School, new Home Room renovations to former senior Design and Technology classrooms, replacing more than 350 exam tables, preparing ovals for growth, weed control and moisture retention over the warmer months, and constructing a new Design and Technology classroom for the Junior School — just to name a few! Holiday breaks are the most demanding, yet rewarding, time for the Property department, with all hands on deck to ensure that our grounds and facilities are continually enhanced and maintained, in preparation for the boys’ use once they return. The end result of the enormous effort by our Grounds and Maintenance staff over the break confidently speaks for itself. ELLIOT GREEN—FACILITIES OFFICER, SCOTCH COLLEGE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT
Air conditioning enhanced in Language Centre A great new surface for Montgomery Sports Field The Montgomery Sports Field, on Scotch’s south-western boundary and used for hockey and tennis, has been resurfaced. Bob Montgomery (’22), a generous benefactor of the School, opened the field in 1985, which was named the R L Montgomery Hockey Field in his honour. Tree root incursion had caused the surface to become uneven in places, and so root barriers have been installed, taking consideration of the welfare of the trees. New line marking will improve differentiation between hockey and tennis lines. The half basketball court on the Montgomery Sports Field’s eastern side has also been resurfaced, repositioned and enlarged, and additional practice back-boards installed.
The school’s electrical sub-station has recently been upgraded, allowing the installation of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioning in rooms within the Language and Culture Centre. A plant room has been constructed in the roof space and nine large condensers fitted. Under the VRF system, air conditioning can now be delivered more efficiently and effectively to all rooms within the centre, and the temperature of each room can be individually controlled.
50 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
Dean of Boarding residence close to completion Renovation and extensions to the Dean of Boarding’s residence on the Hill are proceeding on schedule, with completion expected by mid-May. The works are part of Scotch’s plan to upgrade boarding facilities, and include refurbishing the existing Dean of Boarding’s residence by adding a new kitchen, a family room and a double garage. The residence had formerly been used for staff accommodation, and in the 1980s it was converted into two-bedroom flats for occupation by boarding house tutors. More modern accommodation has now been provided elsewhere on the Hill for tutors. The extension, on the building’s south-eastern side, will incorporate guest bedsitter accommodation facilities for use by the School.
Upgrade for Arthur Rob prep rooms
A home for the Houses Three floors of the General Science building, adjacent to the open space formerly occupied by the Senior Science Building, have been converted to home rooms for six of Scotch’s Houses. On each floor there are two home rooms, each providing study and lounge spaces for 90 boys, and the boys’ lockers have been relocated from the former Senior Science Building (now demolished). Opportunity is provided for boys to interact with their peers for study and conversation. Heads of House have an office contained within each space. Home rooms for the other six Houses are still located in the Quadrangle, but in future they will be allocated home rooms elsewhere, along with the boys’ lockers.
Carrels on large tables in the Arthur Robinson House prep rooms have been removed to create open plan study spaces. The room has been freshly painted, customised book lockers and workstations installed, the carpet replaced with new carpet tiles, and LED lighting and ceiling fans fitted. The open plan and pleasant study environment enables boys to collaborate more readily in conversations of learning than in their former divided spaces. It also permits better supervision of study by tutors and boarding house staff. This work completes a refurbishment project for prep rooms on the Hill: similar renovations were undertaken in School and McMeckan Houses late in 2016.
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Property
New life for disused facilities in the Junior School The disused boys’ change rooms on the ground floor of the Junior School’s Montgomery Building have taken on a new life. The eastern portion of the former change rooms has been converted into a science room and a design and technology room. The building’s air conditioning has also been upgraded, and modern audiovisual facilities installed.
Melville Oval drains replaced
Maths in Morrison Street and the Glenn Centre Relocating all design and technology facilities to the brand new Spencer Centre has freed up space formerly used for teaching the subject at 6 Morrison Street, and in the former art rooms on the ground floor of the Glenn Centre. Four new dedicated mathematics classrooms are now in operation – two in the Glenn Centre and two at 6 Morrison Street. The new classrooms will serve Scotch’s maths students well until the completion of a new mathematics centre at Scotch.
52 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
Scotch’s Melville (Lower) Oval, extensively used for cricket, football, soccer and athletics, came under the shovel over the holidays, when the northern side of the oval was reinstated with 1800 lineal metres of sub-surface drainage. The new drains will provide better all-weather conditions in this section of the Melville Oval, where the heavy native soil tends to become waterlogged during prolonged periods
Foundation
Foundation President – Assoc. Prof. Doug Lording ('64)
ASSOC. PROF. DOUG LORDING ('64) PRESIDENT OF THE SCOTCH COLLEGE FOUNDATION
Many potential developments lie ahead Since I took over as President of the Scotch College Foundation last November, I have become even more acutely aware of the legacy of Michael Robinson. Michael has had two stints as Chairman of the Foundation, from 1993 to 1996, and then for 10 years from 2008 to 2017. Michael embodies all that is Scotch College. He has served the School continuously since 1981, and to acknowledge his outstanding service, the School Council and the Foundation have established the Michael Robinson Boarding Scholarship. I must say it’s somewhat daunting taking over from Michael! A second point which has become abundantly clear to me is the repeated demonstration of the generosity of our school community, exemplified again with the naming and opening ceremony of the Spencer Centre for Design and Technology on 2 February. All those who had contributed to making this possible have been acknowledged on a plaque at the entrance to the centre, and the generous families after whom laboratories have been named were individually acknowledged on the opening day. They are: • Wilson Lai and Anita Wong • The Gance Family • Ken (’55) and Leigh (’91) Jasper • The Luk Family • Daryl Manley (’51) At Scotch we have a long history of thoughtful benevolence. So many of our past students and parents dearly love the School, and over and over again have shown their willingness to support the current and future generations of students and staff by committing to well thought out developments. As I said at the Spencer Centre for Design and Technology opening, ‘It’s in the Scotch blood’, and it’s one of the reasons why Scotch thrives.
A major responsibility of the Foundation is the stewardship of the monies that have accumulated over many decades. These endowments are used to fund scholarships, prizes and other specified projects. In order to fulfil these objectives, the Foundation is aiming to maintain the corpus of each fund at a value comparable to what was originally gifted (relative to school fees), and not to commit more than the income earned from that fund. Our emphasis is on our investments returning a reliable and guaranteed income stream. New scholarships are being created, particularly in support of Scotch’s Indigenous Program. We have nine indigenous students at school this year, and the Foundation has taken on the task of seeking funding to endow these scholarships in perpetuity. The campaign to fund the Tony Briggs (‘85) Indigenous Scholarship in October 2017 was highly successful, and four other families have commenced contributions to named scholarships. This program will remain an important focus of Foundation activities over the next three years. Further support for our Indigenous Program will come through the Foundation Art Show, which opens on 31 May. The importance of bequests has been exemplified by the receipt of several large bequests in the past year, and expanding the Alexander Morrison Circle (for those making a commitment in their Will) is one of the Foundation’s key objectives. The Foundation Board is working hard to support the School, with many challenging developments ahead. Tim Shearer (‘85) is Director of Development and also Executive Director of the Scotch College Foundation, and the two bodies work closely together to support the School. I look forward to the year ahead.
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Development Director of Development, Foundation Executive Director – Mr Tim Shearer ('85)
MR TIM SHEARER ('85) DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A new place to meet, eat and engage
Scotch continues to look forward and respond to the many opportunities and challenges before us by developing facilities that look to the future education of our boys. CSIRO research has revealed that students who study science, technology, engineering and mathematics are more creative, flexible and able to take advantage of the changes that are predicted in the workforce and workplaces of the future. Through the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre for Science, and the recently opened Spencer Centre for Design and Technology, Scotch has committed to providing inspiring teaching and learning facilities in these subjects for boys and staff alike. Working closely with
TOP IMAGE: THE KEON-COHEN DINING HALL ABOVE: THE KEON-COHEN DINING HALL MEDIA WALL
the Scotch Family, the Development Office raises philanthropic funds to enable these important new facilities to be built. Our attention now turns to the creation of a much-needed dining hall/cafeteria facility for our Senior School boys and staff. Over the summer holidays the old Senior Science Building was levelled, paving the way for the existing KeonCohen Building (the original Hawthorn campus gymnasium) to be extended to the west and for the creation of some open space, which in time will link other student-related facilities. The Senior School precinct will form a marketplace of collision and engagement for boys and staff at the very heart of our School. It will be a home for the boys, their aspirations, conversations and collaborations; a place of enterprise, where opportunities are identified and explored, and solutions refined and brought to bear for the greater good. The redeveloped Keon-Cohen Dining Hall, work on which is scheduled to commence in the second half of this year, will form the hub of this precinct. Boys and teachers will gather to meet and eat, and share news and ideas, as they take time away from routines and let their minds wander to all that might be possible. The Keon-Cohen Dining Hall and the Senior School Precinct is a reflection of Scotch’s commitment to the holistic education of boys. It is purpose built and designed to facilitate intimacy, relationships and engagement that the
54 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
KEON COHEN REFECTORY
LEVEL 1 PLAN TOP LEFT: THE KEON-COHEN DINING HALL FLOOR PLAN LEVEL 1 TOP RIGHT: THE KEON-COHEN DINING HALL FROM THE EAST THIS IMAGE: THE KEON-COHEN DINING HALL FROM THE WEST
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS ARE ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF PRINTING AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
School sees as essential to every boy’s education, and to foster and encourage conversations of learning. In 1969 Scotch Senior School boys protested in Satura (the boys’ fortnightly newspaper) about the quality of service and amenity in the tuckshop: ‘The catering facilities at Scotch have been under fire for some years. We certainly suffer in comparison with some other schools … It appears that no real improvement can take place in the present conditions. A completely new tuckshop is the only real solution.’ The Satura article lamented: ‘The authorities are perfectly aware of the inadequacies of the present tuckshop. A new tuckshop has been on the cards for some time, but higher priority items such as the language laboratory have been built instead. Thus the funds from the 1965 building appeal do not now provide for the tuckshop, and it will probably be a couple of years at least before we get one. Mr Field (Bursar) is
travelling to America next year, and one of the things he will be examining is catering arrangements in American schools.’ Satura in 1969 offered a solution: ‘One possibility that has been envisioned is the conversion of the old gymnasium into a two-storey cafeteria. Thus, instead of just buying food at the tuckshop, it will be possible to eat there in reasonable comfort. It is also hoped that a greater variety of food will be available'. The dreams of 1969 will finally be realised in 2018, when – not 40 years on, but 49 years on – the boys’, and the School’s, wishes will become a reality. As in the past, the School and the School Council supported by the Foundation, will look to engage the Scotch Family to help deliver this exciting development. If you would like to support this project, or learn more about it, please contact Director of Development, Tim Shearer, on +61 3 9810 4301 or tim.shearer@scotch.vic.edu.au.
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Development
An exciting new facility well launched Donors, School and OSCA Councillors, Foundation board members, Old Boys, staff, architects, builders – and boys – joined to celebrate the Spencer Centre opening on 2 February.
THE SCOTCH COLLEGE PIPES AND DRUMS PERFORM 400% AT THE OFFICIAL NAMING AND OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SPENCER CENTRE FOR DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY.
ROGER GILLESPIE ('69), DR GORDON DONALDSON, MICHAEL ROBINSON ('55) WITH SCHOOL COUNCILLOR MICHAEL SIM ('78)
The following donors generously supported the fundraising efforts for the Spencer Centre for Design and Technology at any of the Scotch College Foundation membership levels, and are also recognised on a donors’ board located next to the centre’s main entrance: Lionel Spencer (1915) and Yvonne Spencer
Darren Bowdern and Ann Bowdern
Wilson Lai and Anita Wong
Ross Chalmers and Daphne Sawlwin
Edwin Luk and Ada Luk
Yee Chan and Ann Hoh
Daryl Manley ('51)
Wing Chan and Vimmy Chan
WENDY HILTON-WOOD, JULIE DOUGLAS, SCHOOL COUNCILLOR JAMES DOUGLAS ('84), ADRIAN PHILLIPS AND LYNNE LIN
Ben Chen and Vivian Si
LEIGH JASPER ('91), SCHOOL CAPTAIN CHARLIE SCHILLING AND SCHOOL COUNCILLOR ROB PHILLPOT ('91)
Christos Andrianopoulos and Nicky Andrianopoulos
Kee Ming Chi and Jeanette Kwok
Jialing He and Tina Ding
Tony Doan and Carmen Doan
The Jasper Family
Jian Li Fu and Ning Huang
Konfir Kabo and Monica Lim Elgar Ma and Eric Ma
Rupert Goldie ('86) and Samantha Rancewicz
The Starkins Family
Nick Gray and Andrea Gray
Carl Bendix ('65) Robert Bulley ('41) Jason Chan ('20) and Justin Chan ('24) Marcus Freeman and Sarah Freeman William Tao LESLIE AND ROGER GILLESPIE ('69)
Jian Zhou and Lin Miao Paul Aberdeen ('86) and Nina Aberdeen
BRIAN ('52) AND ELIZABETH RANDALL
Paul Haratsis and Anita Haratsis Boyong He and Dan Dan Tang Dr Elizabeth Houlihan James Joughin and Sharon Joughin James Kelso OAM ('47)
ANITA HARATSIS, MANDY ANDRIANAKOS, PRINCIPAL TOM BATTY AND CHRISTOS ANDRIANOPOLOUS
The Lacey Family Bryan Lee and Jiali Lee Nelson Li and Yvonne Lai
Andrew Beischer and Ellen Beischer
Spiros Livadaras and Georgina Livadaras
Leeten Chin and Judy Chin
Andrew Livitsanos and Marina Livitsanos
Jeff Liu and Stacey Nan
Johan Gani and Sukmi Gani
Gus McQueen ('91) and Sara McQueen
Gordon Goldberg ('54)
The McWilliams Family
Grollo Ruzzene Foundation
Simon Nash ('86) and Christine Nash
Hayulm Lam and Chavez Lam
SCHOOL CAPTAIN CHARLIE SCHILLING, GARDINER WARD COUNCILLOR CORAL ROSS, PRINCIPAL TOM BATTY, CHAIRMAN DAVID KEMP ('59) AND SCHOOL COUNCILLOR JONATHAN BUCKLEY ('83)
Mike Haintz and Jackie Haintz
Peter Almond and Carmel Almond
Graeme Fraser ('51) and Pam Fraser
DAVID CRAWFORD ('62), CHAIRMAN DAVID KEMP ('59), KEN JASPER ('55), LEIGH JASPER ('91) AND OSCA PRESIDENT ANDREW CRAWFORD ('89)
SCHOOL COUNCILLOR DUNCAN MCGREGOR (OBSCURED), ANTHONY STARKINS, SCHOOL COUNCILLOR ROB PHILLPOT ('91) AND CHAIRMAN DAVID KEMP ('59)
Neil Pathak
Baojun Li and Jane Yan
Shao Qiu and Hong Peng
Carl Moller and Sarah Moller
Lynne Lin and Adrian Phillips
James Simpson and Karena Simpson
Anthony Pitt and Natalie Pitt
Valerie Tay and Graeme Gonzales
Suba Randolph and Navin Randolph
Gary Yip ('29), Debbie Yip and Brendan Yip
Mark Santini ('79) and Karyn Matotek
Kelvin Zhang and Linda Qu
Gabriel Ting and Emily Loh
Judy Roach
Yu Yang and Wenli Han Sam Zotov and Nadia Zotova
LEIGH JASPER ('91) AND KEN JASPER ('55) IN THE KEN ('55) AND LEIGH ('91) JASPER WORKSHOP
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OSCA
OSCA President – Andrew Crawford ('89)
Reassessing and updating how we engage OSCA strives to improve the quality and reach of its engagement MR ANDREW CRAWFORD ('89) OSCA PRESIDENT
The essence of an alumni association such as OSCA is all about engagement. But not only does engagement mean different things to different people; it means different things to different generations. OSCA’s capacity to engage, and its methods of, engagement need to be continually reassessed and updated. One of the best ways to do this is to appoint young, capable and enthusiastic OSCA Councillors who bring new ideas and fresh approaches to old challenges. I am pleased to report that OSCA has recently welcomed four new, young and very spritely OSCA councillors — Andrew Coates
ABOVE: ROB PHILLPOT (’91), MICHAEL ROBINSON (’55), ANDREW CRAWFORD (‘89) AND CHARLIE SCHILLING (SCHOOL CAPTAIN) AT THE THREE COUNCILS COCKTAILS ON 22 FEBRUARY
(‘85), Matt Guthridge (‘91), Peter Lam (‘99) and Marty Barr (‘96). Their recent appointments symbolise the renewal and regeneration which is essential in any alumni organisation. Through communication platforms such as OSCAnet, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, OSCA will continue to focus on improving the quality and structure of engagement with its 20,000 or so members, its 23 clubs and societies, and its local, interstate and overseas branches. To that end, during 2018, OSCA will undertake a review of its electronic communication platform from the ground up, with a view to improving connectivity between OSCA members and the broader Scotch Family. Preparations continue for the OSCA Annual Dinner on Friday 25 May 2018, and I encourage Old Boys to book as
soon as invitations are released. The guest speaker has been secured but we’re keeping the speaker’s name under wraps for the moment. Deborah Burley, our OSCA Events Coordinator, retired at the end of 2017. Deb commenced at OSCA in 2010 and made a fantastic contribution to the vitality and ongoing success of OSCA. Deborah’s contribution was honoured at a recent farewell dinner for her and her husband Basil, and we wish them well for their retirement. Deborah’s role has been repackaged into the OSCA Events and Community Administrator role, which has been taken over by the extremely capable Bec Marshall. Bec joined OSCA in 2014 as Development Officer, a role she continued to play until her current appointment, and she has already made a significant contribution to OSCA. Her new, expanded role is a reflection of OSCA’s broad strategy to enhance engagement, and we wish Bec every success. One of the challenges OSCA has traditionally faced is encouraging more young Old Boys to engage with the Scotch Family. OSCA has put in place a number of initiatives to try to improve this. An example is the establishment of the Young Old Boys’ committee, which hosted a casual event earlier this year for the Class of 2017, attended by more than 60 Young Old Boys. I would like to acknowledge Scott Montgomery’s (‘85) and Bec Marshall’s excellent leadership and passion which helped to make this initiative so successful. For many years the driving force behind the Old Scotch Music and Drama Club has been Richard Beveridge (‘62), who stepped away from the role last year. I am pleased to report that a number of new volunteers have stepped up to the plate to fill the considerable void Richard has left, and they will be working to deliver Les Misérables later this year. OSCA is working with a number of very enthusiastic Old Scotch Collegians in Hong Kong to formalise OSCA’s Hong Kong branch, and we look forward to hosting a Hong Kong branch evening in June. OSCA continues to work towards establishing annual or biannual events in London and New York, with each city hosting an event later this year. Finally, and continuing with the theme of engagement, OSCA hosted a thoroughly enjoyable Scotch Family Chinese New Year Dinner in the Cardinal Pavilion on 1 March. The event was an outstanding success, and represented a wonderful opportunity for the Scotch Family to come together and celebrate the multicultural threads which make up the rich Scotch tapestry.
58 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
1.
2.
3.
4.
Presidents' Dinner
1. EAMONN BEAMISH (’79) AND WIFE JULIE, WITH MEMBERS OF THE OLD SCOTCH SOCCER CLUB 2. RICHARD BEVERIDGE (’62) AND WIFE ROBYN (ON RICHARD’S RIGHT), WITH MEMBERS OF OSMAD 3. JAMES BUCKLEY (’88), TIM BUCKLEY (’84), PETER BUCKLEY (’54), JONATHAN BUCKLEY (’83) 4. GRAEME BRADBEER CONDUCTING THE HAGGIS CEREMONY 5. PAST OSCA PRESIDENTS 6. DAVID STILLWELL (’03), JILLIAN WOINARSKI, MICHAEL STILLWELL (’68), MARIANNE STILLWELL
5.
6.
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Three Old Boys receive OSCA’s highest award
ABOVE: NEW OSCA HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS; LEFT TO RIGHT: MICHAEL STILLWELL (’68), PETER BUCKLEY (’54) AND RICHARD BEVERIDGE (’62) RIGHT PAGE: NEW OSCA MERIT AWARD RECIPIENTS; LEFT TO RIGHT: EAMONN BEAMISH (’79), JANET GIBSON, JOHN SMITH (’54) AND GEOFF STEPHENS (’59)
Michael Stillwell (’68), Peter Buckley (’54) and Richard Beveridge (’62) have received OSCA’s highest award. OSCA Honorary Life Membership — the Association’s highest award — is an honour which has been accorded to just 45 people during OSCA’s 105-year history. Last November, three Old Boys – Richard Beveridge (’62), Peter Buckley (’54) and Michael Stillwell (’68) – became the 43rd, 44th and 45th men to receive OSCA’s highest award, recognising their great records of service to the Association. The occasion was the 2017 OSCA Presidents’ Dinner, held in the Cardinal Pavilion’s Boykett Room on 22 November. At the
dinner, four people – Eamonn Beamish (’79), Janet Gibson, John Smith (’54) and Geoff Stephens (’59) — received OSCA Merit Awards, honouring their meritorious service to the Association and to individual OSCA clubs.
2017 OSCA Honorary Life Members Richard James Beveridge (’62) attended Scotch from 1956 to 1962. He was then to forge a successful career in marketing and public relations, which he used to great effect in the interests of
OSCA. In 2001 he collaborated in an important study designed to understand the mindset of different cohorts of Old Boys, and enable OSCA Council to develop a strategic plan for the future. A decade later he undertook a successful full-scale survey to establish perceptions of OSCA on the eve of its centenary. Having served 12 years on the OSCA Council and completed his year as President in 2007, Richard undertook the ambitious project of establishing the Old Scotch Music and Drama Club. Ten years on, the Scotch Family and the
wider community have greatly appreciated the consistently high quality of OSMaD’s productions. Richard’s son, Tim, attended Scotch from 1986 to 1993. Peter John Buckley (‘54) entered Scotch in Remove A in 1951. He became a key figure in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when not only was the governance of the School being contested, but the campaign to raise money for the proposed Glenn Centre was a challenge for the Scotch College Foundation. As a Group C member of the School Council,
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Peter’s intelligent and measured contributions were important, as the Council embarked on a new era with a new Principal, Dr Gordon Donaldson. As President of OSCA in 1985, Peter successfully arranged for the creation of the School Archives. Peter’s sons Jonathan (‘83) Tim (’84) and James (‘88) have continued the Buckley line in the School’s narrative, as have his grandsons, James and Oliver (both Year 7), Charles and William (both Year 8) and Nicholas (Year 9). Michael John Stillwell (’68) entered Scotch in 1957 but had a period away from the school from 1961-1965 before returning for his final years, 1965-68. Given his pedigree as a son of the legendary Bib Stillwell (‘44), it was inevitable that his subsequent career and leisure pursuits would be linked to the automobile industry. In 1997 Michael was elected to the OSCA Council and served until 2002. His term of office coincided with the preparation of the School’s 150th anniversary in 2001. As OSCA President in 2000, Michael attended the launch of the anniversary celebrations in Scotland. In the footsteps of his father, Michael also contributed to the Scotch College Foundation and served as President from 2004-2008. For many years through his firm, Stillwell Motors, Michael has been a generous supporter of both OSCA
his playing seasons. He went on to become club President in 1996-97. Eamonn was player/coach of the Old Scotch Thirds side from 1999, picking up a championship and several runner-up medals in the process, before retiring in 2002. After Old Scotch separated from Waverley in 2005, Eamonn became Senior Head Coach in Provisional 3 grade, while overseeing the Reserves in its inaugural year. The Seniors were promoted to Provisional 2 after finishing as runners-up at the end of that year. The club won promotion again, from Provisional 2 to Provisional 1, this time as champions, in 2007. The following year (2008) Eamonn coached the Seniors to the Old Boys’ Cup, then took the club to State 3 in 2010, which is the highest division of any old boys’ soccer club in Victoria. Eamonn has given great service to the Old Scotch Soccer Club as player, coach and administrator. Janet Gibson has given long and faithful service to the Old Scotch Film Society. She efficiently served as Honorary Treasurer of the society from 2001 to 2016, and earned the enormous respect of the committee and the members
of the society during her long term of service. Since retiring as Honorary Treasurer, Janet has continued to serve on the Film Society’s committee. Janet’s late husband, Peter (’52), an Old Boy, gave considerable support to Janet in her work as Honorary Treasurer. Their son, James (‘84), also attended Scotch. Janet has maintained a great interest in the School throughout her long association with Scotch, first as a parent, and later by serving the Old Scotch Film Society. Her courteous and friendly nature and willingness to help at all times have earned the esteem of her many friends and colleagues. John Phillips Smith (’54) has worked in the Archives as a volunteer for 12 years, first working with Paul Mishura’s predecessor as Scotch Archivist, Jim Mitchell, and often seated alongside legendary Archivist, Gary Day. John has compiled thousands of Old Boys’ files in the Archives during this time. He has worked energetically and assiduously, and Jim Mitchell and Paul Mishura have been grateful for the support he has provided. John is an active member of the Old Scotch Heritage Club. At school
he was awarded triple colours, and was Captain of Cricket in his final school year of 1954. Australian Test cricketer Bob Cowper (’58) has said that John, who played one first class match for Victoria taking four wickets, was a very underrated fast bowler, and was unlucky not to play more games at higher levels. Geoffrey Keith Stephens (’59) has been a valuable member of the Old Scotch Bushwalking Club since joining the club in 1995. He served on the club committee for eight years, and for nearly 10 years he was the coordinator of the club’s monthly midweek walks. Geoff did an excellent job in the role of midweek walks coordinator. He was quietly efficient, creating an interesting and varied program of walks. He often led walks himself, or stepped in to lead a walk if a leader had to pull out unexpectedly. Geoff has also frequently contributed articles to the club’s quarterly publication, Tracknotes. Away from bushwalking, Geoff has been a contributing community member, volunteering at an indigenous plant nursery in Box Hill. He is also an active member of the Camberwell Probus Club.
and the Old Scotch Football Club. Michael has been unfailingly loyal to the spirit of OSCA, and continues to be a regular attender at Annual Dinners. His son David attended Scotch from 1998 to 2003.
2017 OSCA Merit Awards Eamonn Leonard Beamish (‘79) joined the Old Scotch Soccer Club in 1987, taking out the club’s best and fairest award in one of www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 61
OSCA
OSCA Executive Director – Mr Scott Montgomery ('85)
The opportunities that challenges provide Choosing to be positive is guiding the actions of a young Old Boy MR SCOTT MONTGOMERY ('85) OSCA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ashley Vines, who was Vice Captain of the School in his final year of 2011, received the coveted Perelberg Award that year for ‘exemplary Scotch Spirit’. Presenting Ashley with his award, the Principal, Tom Batty, said Ashley had displayed outstanding leadership in such formal positions as School Vice Captain and Captain of Gilray House. 'Ash Vines is an outstanding young man', Mr Batty said. 'He shows extraordinary maturity. He is well grounded, and this, combined with his compassion for others, makes him a wonderful friend and role model. He is passionate about raising the profile of Aboriginal issues within the school community.’ Now studying for a Master of Economics degree at the University of Sydney, Ashley’s impressive academic profile, extracurricular involvement and leadership potential have earned him a 2018 Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship. Ashley will receive funding for his studies, as well as intensive leadership training. I asked Ashley two questions relating to this edition’s theme of ‘responding to the opportunities and challenges of the time’. What challenges did you face to get to the position you are in today? Throughout my undergraduate studies, and since finishing at Melbourne University, I have worked in agriculture, construction, disability care, indigenous affairs and the non-government and not-for-profit sectors. These experiences have included work in regional and remote Australia, the inner city, and in Asia. There were certainly many challenges faced in all sectors and work contexts, particularly living and working in isolated and remote cross-cultural contexts. However, these experiences and my willingness to put myself out of my comfort zone, were the fundamental reasons why I, surprisingly, was fortunate enough to be considered for a Westpac Scholarship. Working through life and work challenges with people from different cultural perspectives, and learning with them and from them, has led me to understand the enabling and inhibiting factors that impact on our lives as Australians; more
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importantly, policies that impact on those facing adversity on a day-to-day basis. I therefore have a desire to pursue a career in public policy, and take my grassroots learnings and experiences from the many varied and diverse workplace contexts I have experienced, to a more macro-level policy setting. I have viewed all of my challenging experiences as most valuable contexts for learning and fundamental to my personal and professional development. In addition to the challenges you have faced I am sure there were plenty of opportunities. How did you respond to these, and use them to your benefit? I have long been an admirer of the former Westpac CEO, Gail Kelly. I read some years ago, and have taken on board her ‘seven lessons for life and business’, one of these being, ‘choose to be positive’. This has guided many of my actions in recent years, and has provided me with life experiences not experienced by many other Australians. In choosing to be positive in my actions, I have always found myself saying ‘yes’ to a lot more experiences and opportunities than I would say ‘no’ to. In saying ‘yes’, sometimes to things I don’t necessarily want to do or have the time to do, I have learned my most valuable lessons and gained meaningful contacts. For example, I was approached by someone over three years ago to help on a film project on Goulburn Island, in the Northern Territory. I skipped university for a couple of weeks and camped out with that person on the island, creating the film in collaboration with the local people at Warruwi. Despite having the most amazing time and learning an enormous amount, it was through meeting people at Warruwi and working with my new friend, that I got the recommendation for my most recent job on the Tiwi Islands, helping to run the Tiwi College farm project. The last time I had been to the college was when I was at at Scotch. If it wasn’t for me seizing the opportunity to go to Goulburn, I would not have had the opportunity to go back to work at Tiwi College – a place where I have learned so much. Like Gail Kelly, I believe that approaching life with a positive attitude, and becoming a ‘doer’ rather than thinking things are ‘too hard’, allows for many more interesting opportunities to come my way.
Scotch Family Golf Day Friday 18 May 2018
The National Golf Club – Long Island The links between Scotch and Wesley go back a long way, and include the time during World War II when the schools shared Scotch’s facilities after the Army occupied Wesley’s campus. Scotch and Wesley have always maintained a good relationship and a friendly rivalry. We are extending an invitation to members of both schools' communities to participate in the 2018 Scotch Family Golf Day. To book: www.oscanet.com
‘Mr Badminton’— a worthy Coaches and Services Award winner
Scotch badminton coach, Danny Tan (‘04), took out the 2017 Young Old Boys’ Coaches and Services Award, after being nominated by Peter Riley, Scotch’s TIC, Badminton. Danny received his award during an event held at the Elgin Hotel in Hawthorn on 5 December. Through the annual event and the award, the School pays tribute to the backstage army of nearly 200 Old Boys who contribute in a variety of ways to the School’s sports program throughout the year. The Coaches and Services Award and the presentation event were initiated in 2016. Danny Tan has been ‘Mr Badminton’ since his schooldays. He captained the School team to joint premiership success in his VCE year, and as an Old Boy he has coached the School’s 1st Badminton team since 2005. He was appointed Director of Badminton Coaching in 2007, and now also manages five other Old Boy badminton coaches. During Danny’s tenure the Scotch team has achieved an outstanding record, winning the premiership nine times and finishing as runners-up three times. In addition, Danny has recently set up an Old Boys’ badminton squad. His contribution to Scotch and Old Scotch badminton is unparalleled. Congratulations to Danny, and to all the Old Boys for their significant contribution to the success of Scotch’s sports program. JAMES MALON (’13), CONNOR MISCAMBLE (’15), ROBERT MCLAREN (’73) – SCHOOL VICE PRINCIPAL, RICK WESTERN (’80), DANNY TAN (’04), STUART POWELL – DIRECTOR OF SPORT, SCOTT MONTGOMERY (’85) – OSCA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ANDREW WILSON (’78), RICHARD GOODEY (’14), SAM SHERLOCK (’16)
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Australia Day 2018 honours list Fourteen members of the Scotch Family are known to have received awards in the 2018 Australia Day honours. Here is the list of recipients — congratulations to each of the awardees. 3. 1. Hon William Robert Baxter (‘64) — Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Mr Baxter received his award for significant service to the people and the Parliament of Victoria. 2. Mr David Lawrence Bardas (‘54) — Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) Mr Bardas received his award for distinguished service to the retail fashion industry, to the Jewish community, and through philanthropic contributions to indigenous, education, cultural, social welfare, visual arts and to medical organisations. 3. Professor Tony David Holmes (past parent) — Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) Professor Holmes received his award for distinguished service to medicine, particularly to reconstructive and craniofacial surgery, as a leader, clinician, and educator and to professional associations. 4. Adjunct Professor Ian Maxwell Dunn (‘61) — Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Professor Dunn received his award for significant service to the law, to legal standards, education and specialist accreditation, and as a practitioner in the areas of negotiation and dispute resolution. * 5. Mr Jon Meredith Hickman (‘66) — Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Mr Hickman received his award for significant service to the community, particularly to education, heritage preservation, infrastructure and financial planning, and to public administration. 6. Adjunct Professor John William Kelly (‘70) — Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Professor Kelly received his award for significant service to medicine through the management and treatment of melanoma, as a clinician and administrator, and to education. 7. Justice Chester Stewart Keon-Cohen (‘59) — Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Justice Keon-Cohen received his award for significant service to the
law and the judiciary in Victoria, and as a supporter of a range of health and community organisations. 8. Andrew Vallejo Myer (’79) — Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Mr Myer received his award for significant service to the community through support for a range of cultural and environmental conservation organisations and to the film industry. 9. Adjunct Professor Morton Christopher Rawlin (past parent) — Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Professor Rawlin received his award for significant service to the medical profession particularly through governance in the areas of general practice and medical education. * 10. Russell Miles Scott (‘62)— Member of the Order of Australia (AM) Mr Scott received his award for significant service to chemical engineering through leading roles in developing and improving professional education. 11. Colin Bruce Campbell (‘62) — Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) Mr Campbell received his award for service to the winemaking industry. 12. John Stuart Dahlenburg (‘46)— Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) Mr Dahlenburg received his award for service to conservation and the environment, and to the community. * 13. David Bruce Gay (current parent)— Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) Mr Gay received his award for service to business, and to environmental pest management. 14. Raymond John Sneddon (‘58)—Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) Mr Sneddon received his award for service to sports administration, and to the community. *
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FROM LEFT: CHARLIE LONG ('11), WILL KITCHEN ('08), MATT BARKER ('04), RICHARD PORTER ('06), TOM BULL ('02), JACK BULL ('08), ANDREW JELBART ('11)
Challenges provide opportunities for a growing company That search logically included considering former Scotch schoolmates whose credentials fitted the company’s requirements. ‘One of our challenges is that the choices we make in recruiting staff can make or break a developing business like ours,’ Tom Bull told Great Scot. ‘Though we select and approach candidates based on how they fit with the business’s values, the opportunity to choose from a group of well educated young Scotch alumni whose characters and abilities are known to us has been very successful for Texco,’ he said. ‘The result has been that seven Old Scotch boys have so far joined the company.’ Richard Porter (’06) was working in the construction industry for a Texco competitor, and was known to Tom Bull who played football with Richard’s elder brother, James (’03). Tom and Matthew approached Richard for a role at Texco, and he joined the company in 2013. Richard is now Design Manager. Jack Bull (’08) was working in the construction industry for a Melbourne-based company. After gaining valuable experience there, Jack joined Texco in 2014 as a Project Manager and is now Texco’s Business Development Manager. Will Kitchen (’08) was completing a law degree at Melbourne University in 2014 when he decided a profession in law was not for him. He began at Texco part time in 2014, then full time as a graduate in 2015. Will had
Back in 2011 when Tom Bull (‘02) and Matthew Barker (‘04) were setting up their own industrial design and construction business, Texco Construction Pty Ltd, they needed to select a skilled and reliable team to help establish the company and set it on the path to prosperity. One way to recruit staff was to advertise in newspapers or via social media, but they also turned to another tried and true recruiting method: seeking likely candidates among their sporting, social and alumni networks.
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connections at Texco through Jack Bull and his older brother Edward’s (’04) friendship with Matthew Barker. Will is now a Project Manager for Texco. In 2016 a junior position at Texco became available and Jack Bull sought candidates through the Old Scotch Football Club, where he is Club Captain. Clubmate Andrew Jelbart (’11) was proposed as a suitable candidate with a hard working attitude, and joined the team. Andrew is now Contract Administrator across a number of Texco projects. In 2017 another requirement for a junior administrator arose, and again the Scotch connections were tapped into through the Old Scotch Football Club. This time Charlie Long (’11) joined the team. Texco, which specialises in designing and constructing industrial and commercial facilities throughout Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, has steadily grown, from very modest beginnings operating out of an Ashwood shopfront, to a business that employees 30 employees with more than 100,000m2 of industrial facilities currently under construction. Employing Scotch College alumni has been a recurring theme with Texco, and seven Old Boys are playing their part in helping the company to grow and prosper in challenging times. SCOTT MONTGOMERY ('85)
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A new Scottish celebration — the Melbourne Tartan Festival Scotch families are well aware of the influence of Scottish values and culture in shaping the School’s identity, which continues to find expression in the modern era. In July, OSCA will contribute to an important new Scottish cultural event when the inaugural Melbourne Tartan Festival is held. The festival is the brainchild of the Victorian Scottish Heritage Cultural Foundation, in which OSCA is actively involved through its three representatives on the board, along with the Melbourne Scots representatives. The foundation was established through a significant bequest from the late Geoffrey Donaldson ('28). Hamish Tadgell (’85), who chairs the foundation board and is a member of the School Council, said Geoff Donaldson wanted to promote Scottish culture in all its forms. ‘The VSHCF was established in 2013 to further that aim’, Hamish said. The Melbourne Tartan Festival will provide an opportunity for Scots to celebrate their culture. It will include: • a ceilidh (traditional social gathering) at the Abbotsford Convent on Thursday 19 July; • a gala dinner with Scottish entertainers at Melbourne Town Hall on Saturday 21 July; and • a parade of Scottish pipe bands in the city on Sunday 22 July, followed by a Kirkin’ of the Tartan service (celebrating Scotland and Scottish
heritage) at Scots Church in Collins Street. The Scotch Pipes and Drums will participate in the service. In addition, the VSHCF is encouraging schools to learn about tartan and Scottish heritage, with the aim of designing a tartan for their own school. This project is being introduced into the Year 7 curriculum in the second semester, and it is hoped to roll it out more broadly to schools in Victoria which are interested in the project. Details of the festival and tickets for the ceilidh and gala dinner appear on OSCAnet, at www.vshcf.com.au and on the festival website: melbournetartanfestival.com.au. Hamish Tadgell said the VSHCF hopes Old Boys and their families who are proud of their Scottish ancestry will fully support the Melbourne Tartan Festival. SCOTT MONTGOMERY ('85) www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 67
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Chinese New Year Dinner – sharing traditions and cultures
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More than 160 members of the Scotch Family enjoyed fun, fellowship and great food. After the success of last year’s inaugural Scotch Family Chinese New Year dinner, it came as no surprise that this year’s event, again hosted by the old Scotch Collegians’ Association and held in the Cardinal Pavilion on 1 March, was a sellout. More than 160 members of the School community enjoyed great food, had plenty of fun, and celebrated friendship — and the Year of the Dog. Master of ceremonies, OSCA Executive Director, Scott Montgomery (‘85) introduced the Principal, Tom Batty, who warmly welcomed guests. There was a spectacular Lion Dance, and music from members of the Australian Dunhuang Arts Academy. Scotch traditions also formed part of the dinner, with Brian Symington (’66) from the Old Scotch Pipes and Drums Club leading the haggis party into the room with due ceremony. OSCA Chaplain, Graham Bradbeer, then expertly performed Ode to a Haggis. Guest speaker, Scotch’s Dean of Students, Stephen Kong (‘69) spoke about his experiences at Scotch as a student and his time as a current teacher, providing a wonderful insight into the strong connections the School has with the wide network making up the Scotch Family. Guests mingled after dinner, concluding a most enjoyable evening of fun and friendship. Special thanks go to our hard working organising committee — Michelle Zheng, Susan Ginn, Joyce Meng, Katrina Gu and Bec Marshall — whose efforts ensured that the night would be a resounding success.
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OSCA Reforestation in Africa
An Old Boy’s work helping African sustainability, and beyond
TIM MORRIS (‘89 – LEFT) RECEIVING AN AWARD FROM SWISS GOLD STANDARD FOUNDATION CEO, ADRIAN RIMMER, FOR THE FOUNDATION’S FIRST-EVER CERTIFIED REFORESTATION PROGRAM IN THE WORLD. PHOTO TAKEN AT THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES, WARSAW, POLAND.
During the last decade, Tim Morris (’89) has been in charge of food security and natural resources at World Vision. Tim worked with an outstanding team member, Tony Rinaudo, a world expert in reforestation, who led the regreening of millions of hectares of barren land, especially in Africa. Land degradation is a major cause of food insecurity. However, back in 1983 in the arid African country of Niger, Tony discovered that scrub consisted largely of the remnants of old tree roots. By cultivating regrowth, he revealed that trees could regenerate rapidly and cheaply, where replanting had failed. Farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) was born. Now throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America millions of trees have been restored, resulting in reduced erosion, a more reliable supply of groundwater, improved crop yields and increased wood supply. Also, through the addition of fruit trees and Australian acacias (the latter generating a high protein supplement), previously barren regions have become more food secure. After years at KPMG and working for the Canadian government, Tim helped Tony to scale-up, by fostering partnerships. Some of the partners have included the German, Swedish, Australian and Dutch governments,
the World Bank and the Standard Bank. The project portfolio grew from under US$1m to over US$30m in finance, targeting forestry, agriculture and energy programs. Between 2009 and 2015 Tim and Tony’s team delivered the first reforestation project in Africa certified under the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism, in partnership with the World Bank – returning revenues to 50,000 villagers over 10 years. Tim received an award at the UN for the first forest restoration project certified by the Swiss Gold Standard Foundation, and Tony received a UN award for combating desertification. Tim’s team achieved another positive result. According to the World Health Organisation, three billion people use open cooking fires, contributing to over half of premature deaths from pneumonia among children under five, through household air pollution. Tim secured funding for 100,000 stoves, produced and put into operation in Ethiopia, helping to reduce indoor pollution, save young lives and conserve forests. After six years with World Vision, Tim now works for Delta Risk Management on projects and organisations deploying people travelling and working overseas. Meanwhile, Tony continues spreading FMNR globally. DAVID ASHTON ('65)
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A different focus on the life of our greatest Old Boy A new play centres on Sir John Monash's intense, long-term relationships. Sir John Monash — unparalleled as a military tactician, revered as a war hero, industrialist and engineer, and greatly respected at Scotch, a school he always loved and often revisited, as our greatest-ever Old Boy. As an Old Scotch Collegian, Monash served his alumni as President of the Old Scotch Collegians’ Association in 1927. But there was another side to Monash’s life which is not as well documented as his exploits in war and public life. Now, with the staging of a new play written by an Old Boy, the focus will intensify as seldom before on what Monash did when not building bridges or planning successful military campaigns. Among other issues, the play, MONASH in Love, and War, will centre on the intense,
long-term relationships Monash had with three women during his adult life — relationships which sometimes overlapped. It will look at the choices he made, and the dissent they invoked. All of this will be seen against the backdrop of the Great War and its effects on morality. The role of Monash will be played by Old Boy, Ezra Bix ('81). The play, to be professionally performed, will open at the Loft Theatre, Chapel on Chapel in Prahran on 24 April, with the season running until 6 May, from Tuesdays to Saturdays. Bookings can be made at https:// chapeloffchapel.com.au/show/monash-love-war/ Andrew Joseph (‘62), who has written the play, says he has always had a deep interest in Monash’s life. ‘This was inspired not only by his spectacular career, but also by the fact that he
and his wife, Victoria, were my great-great-aunt and uncle,’ Andrew told Great Scot. Andrew Joseph’s family is deeply embedded at Scotch, with numerous relatives in every generation having attended the School, going back to Monash’s era. Andrew’s father Maxwell (‘30) attended Scotch, as did sons James (‘93) and Jonathan (‘95). His great-uncle, Reuben Lenzer (1907) was for a time the third oldest known living Old Boy. Andrew’s oldest grandson, Lachlan, starts at Scotch in 2020.
TOP LEFT: ANDREW JOSEPH ('62) TOP RIGHT: EZRA BIX ('81)
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1. OLD BOYS FROM THE CLASS OF 1957 2. PETER MOORE, IAN ROBINSON, ALAN FINCHER 3. JIM HALL, JIM DAVIES, PETER HENDERSON, JOHN HENLEY, ANDREW PEACOCK; SEATED: PAUL BRAND, TONY STALEY 4. BOB LEVENS, PETER KERR, PETER TURNLEY, BILL HUTCHINSON, BOB GRIEVE 5. ROGER GREEN, DON VALE, DUNCAN FRASER-SMITH, ANDREW PEACOCK 6. JIM DAVIES, ANDREW SHOWERS
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1. FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT: ROB FLOCAS, SCOTT PICKETT, CHARLES JOHNSTONE, DAVID ROLLESTON, MICHAEL LEAKE, TAM LORD. BACK ROW, FROM LEFT: JASON LINDEMAN, ROBERT BRUCE, TIM LAWSON, DAVID BONE, NICK COX, ANDREW FORTEY, TOM REHFISCH, ANDREW SUTTLE 2. RICHARD O’NIANS, EMLYN SCOTT, SCOTT CUMBRAE-STEWART, MARK SPROULE 3. FROM LEFT: MICHAEL SIM (’78), PETER MILLINGTON, BOB FLOCAS, NICK HARPER, TIM JOHNSON, ED JOHNSTON, MATT TUCKER, STUART CUMMING, HAMISH BERRY, CHARLES JOHNSTONE 4. FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT: ANDREW BALES, CHARLES JOHNSTONE, STUART CUMMING, RICHARD O’NIANS. BACK ROW, FROM LEFT: GAVIN BUCKETT, DUNCAN BUTTERFIELD, BEN STOCKDALE, TIM JOHNSON, RONALD CERABONA, DUNCAN MACKELLAR 5. FROM LEFT: ED JOHNSTON, CAMERON ADAMS, RICHARD HAMILTON, MICHAEL ROBINSON, STUART GIBBS 6. FROM LEFT: TEACHERS – JOHN PRIOR, ALAN WATKINSON, GRAHAM BRADBEER, CHRIS HAYES
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Symphony Orchestra BEE MOIGNARD (LEFT) AND RHONDA HOELTER OUTSIDE LA TROBE COTTAGE
Bushwalking Club
Fascinating city ‘bushwalk’ For variety, a bushwalking club can sometimes take on a city walk, and that is precisely what the Old Scotch Bushwalking Club did on 26 February when the club’s midweek walk featured visits to two very different government houses in Melbourne. Our first stop was at the current Government House, where, led by volunteers from the National Trust, we enjoyed a fascinating guided tour. Government House was built from 1872-76, just after the Gold Rush, at a cost of £200,000. In those times of wealth from gold in the colony of Victoria, no expense was spared: for example, the ballroom is larger than the ballroom at Buckingham Palace. (When Queen Victoria heard of this, she was not amused.) After our tour we set off across the parkland towards a government house of a starkly different character — La Trobe’s Cottage, the home of Victoria’s first Lieutenant Governor, Charles Joseph La Trobe, his wife Sophie and their children, from 1839 to 1854, part of which is Melbourne’s oldest surviving building. The cottage was a demountable building shipped to Victoria. It has been relocated twice, and now stands in King’s Domain. It has four modest rooms, compared with approximately 240 rooms in the present Government House. After a guided tour of the cottage, we enjoyed a picnic lunch out in the gardens. For more information about the Old Scotch Bushwalking Club, please contact our Secretary, Sonia Gilderdale (0407 828 366 or gilderdale@bigpond.com). DAVID ASHTON
A new world with OSSO The Old Scotch Symphony Orchestra (OSSO) — is celebrating its fifth year of making beautiful music. In March the orchestra tackled some musical gems of the New World, including Dvorák’s momentous New World Symphony and Leonard Bernstein’s delightful overture to Candide. OSSO audiences are in for yet another big concert on Sunday 26 August at 3pm.
Koomerang Ski Club
KOOMERANG’S MAGNIFICENT LODGE AT MOUNT HOTHAM.
Koomerang’s membership incentives Koomerang Ski Club, affiliated with the Old Scotch Collegians’ Association, has had a long and fruitful association with Scotch and with Old Scotch Collegians and their families, stretching back to the 1950s, when the original Mount Buller lodge was built by Scotch boys, Old Boys, parents and Scotch teachers. The tradition continues today, through the club’s ongoing connection with Scotch snowsports. There is also an excellent opportunity for current boys, Old Boys and their families to join Koomerang, a vibrant club with four lodges to choose from. Koomerang has recently amended its membership rules to make entry or transition to
OSSO is always on the lookout for passionate musicians and volunteers – please contact the OSSO committee at oldscotchso@ gmail.com if you can help OSSO to achieve its vision of sharing fine music with the wider Scotch community. JAMES LITTLEWOOD (’12) — OSSO COMMITTEE
full adult membership easier, and to encourage family members to join the club. Young Old Boys can apply for restricted membership, an option open to any eligible person aged between 18 and 27 years. An entrance fee (normally $1500) is not payable until restricted members convert to full membership, In addition, for restricted members the full member subscription is discounted by 50 per cent (or $205 in 2018). Restricted members have full booking rights, with a nightly accommodation rate at a 25 per cent discount to guest rates. An additional benefit is that restricted members’ annual subscriptions contribute to a future reduction in the entrance fee. The club has also introduced benefits for new full members. Entrance fees can now be spread over equal annual instalments, and if a spouse or partner of an existing full member applies for full membership, the spouse or partner will be entitled to a 50 per cent discount on the entrance fee. Finally, a Koomerang junior family membership is a great option for families, with the annual subscription of only $40 per annum designed to encourage sons and daughters of our full members to join the club. For more information, please visit the Koomerang website: https://www.koomerang. com.au/; or contact membership secretary, Robert Bruce at membership@koomerang.com.au. ROBERT BRUCE (‘88)
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Athletics Club
Hard work pays off for Old Scotch athletes Fourteen athletes represented Old Scotch at the Victorian Junior Athletics Championships, held over the weekend of 24 and 25 February. We finished with nine top six placings in finals and eight personal bests. Seven different athletes shared those top six placings in the 200m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 200m hurdles, and the high jump. A couple of gold medals were the icing on the cake — and as well as the golds, several performances caught the eye. Fred Leeton (Year 8) took it up to the field in the 3000m, running a very well controlled race with good tactical awareness. Fourth place was very well deserved. Benjamin Beischer’s (‘17) 3000m effort greatly improved his
personal best and qualified him for the national championships, a result he has achieved after a good period of training. He is likely to achieve a time of well under nine minutes at the nationals. Jack Polkinghorne (Year 10) ran his two best ever times over 800m and 1500m in the space of 40 hours. Like Benjamin, this was the result of a good stretch of training, and it won’t be long before two minutes beckons for Jack in the 800m. Mari Campbell earned fourth place in the 200m hurdles with a big finish over the last couple of hurdles, when she reined in a couple of opponents and challenged for third. It was a nice way to celebrate a birthday. And then there were the medallists. James Lightfoot (‘17) controlled proceedings beautifully in the 5000m, before kicking away over the last 600m for a convincing win. The nationals and a World Schools Cross Country are next on the schedule. Ed Beischer (‘17) finished second in the event of the championships, the under 20 1500m. It was a quality field, and with 250m to go, any one of six athletes could have taken it out. Ed was pipped by just 0.3 of a second. Archie Wallis (‘17) ended our weekend with a withering finish to win the under 20 800m, backing up from his World Junior Championships qualifying run of 1.49.92 the week before on the Gold Coast. Let’s hope the selectors are taking note. Competition starts to wind down or wind up now, depending on one’s perspective. The
Australian Junior Championships from 14 to 18 March included six of our athletes: Archie Wallis (under 20 800m and, at the time of writing, possibly the 400m), Ed Beischer (under 20 1500m and probably the 800m), Benjamin Beischer (under 18 3000m), James Lightfoot (under 20 5000m), Stephen Liu (‘17 — under 20 200m), and Fred Leeton (under 15 3000m, and possibly the 1500m). Congratulations to all our athletes on some great running, and in particular to Archie Wallis, who has been included in the Australian team for the World Junior Athletics Championships in Tampere, Finland in July. Meanwhile, a fund has been established to assist our athletes and their coaches. Donations can be made through the Australian Sports Foundation and are tax deductible. Gold, silver and bronze sponsorships are available, and donations, however small, are sought. Visit https://asf.org.au/projects/old-scotch-athleticclub/ The first winter cross country run — the Alex Jamieson 5km — was held at Scotch on 7 April: it was a gentle way to start the winter season. The provisional program can be accessed on the APS Old Collegians website: http://apsoc. net.au/.
ARCHIE WALLIS (‘17) COMPETING IN A MILERS CLUB MEET AT LAKESIDE PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS, IN WHICH HE FINISHED THIRD WITH A TIME OF 1.50.81.
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Cricket Club
Clubs
Many positives for cricket club — but still no silverware There were plenty of positives during a dominant season for the Old Scotch Cricket Club — but like last year, a season which promised so much ended without the club taking home any of the sought-after silverware. Unfortunately Old Scotch saved its worst performance for last, and on 10 March on the Scotch Main Oval, the 1st XI lost the MCC Club XI division one grand final to Old Xavier. Winning the toss and batting, the team failed to bat out its overs for the first time all season and posted a
THE OLD SCOTCH CRICKET CLUB 1ST XI: FRONT: WILL BONWICK ('16), CHRIS JACKSON ('17), TOM MURRAY ('06), WILL HAYES ('13), MATT MITCHELL ('12). REAR: SAM SHEARER ('10), SEB ARMSTRONG ('10), TIM HOSKING ('99), CAPTAIN COACH MATT GROSE ('08), GARY BENNETT ('88) AND JAMES WATSON ('01)
modest 144, with, incredibly, extras top scoring with 40. In reply, Xavier passed our total with eight wickets down and two overs to spare, taking out the Hector Donohoo Trophy. While this was a disappointing finish, the club cannot let one bad performance take away from what was a very successful season, containing many highs from both an individual and a team perspective. The 2nd XI narrowly missed the finals. Needing to earn a bonus point in the final round to secure a finals berth, the boys, led by Captain John Stavris (‘12), pulled off a remarkable victory, only to be denied a finals place when other results did not fall their way, stranding the team one point outside the final four. It was a valiant effort, considering the team was near the bottom of the ladder at the midway point of the season, and it bodes very well for the future, with some prodigious talent having been unearthed. Seasoned campaigner David Armstrong led the charge with the ball, taking 16 wickets for the season. David was closely followed by Will Meggitt (‘12) and John Stavris, each with 14 wickets. Mark Griffiths (‘80) and Hayden Tilbrook (‘13) both had consistent seasons with the bat, and newcomers James Halse (‘16), Will Clark (‘17) and Fraser Sutherland (‘17) produced
glimpses of the future talent the club will have at its disposal. At the conclusion of the home and away season, the 1st XI topped the ladder, 12 points clear of the second-placed team. Sam Shearer (‘10) had his best ever season for the club, accumulating 602 runs at an average of above 50, and backed this up with the ball, taking 25 wickets and emerging as the dominant player in the competition. Sam was well supported by Matt Mitchell (‘12) with 521 runs and Tim Hosking (‘99), who totalled 363. Matt Grose (‘08) and evergreen Gary Bennett (‘88) both had strong seasons, capturing 17 and 16 wickets respectively. The club is most grateful to the School, and especially to Curator, Mick Smith and the ground staff, for the excellent facilities they provide for us each week. We also thank our club sponsor, the Elgin Hotel, for its continued support, and all our members and supporters for their contributions. The saying goes that you learn more from your losses than your wins, and after two years of disappointment at the final hurdle, the club will be taking what it has learned and using this as a launching pad for the 2018/19 season. TIM HOSKING (‘99) — OSCC PRESIDENT
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Football Club
THE 2018 MEN'S SENIOR LEADERSHIP GROUP. JAMES SANSOM ('09), HARRY LARWILL, ANDREW JELBART ('11), JORDAN CLARKE ('11), JACK BULL ('08), CAPTAIN, GENE VAN DEN BROEK ('10), VICE CAPTAIN, NICK JAMIESON ('10), JACK HURLEY ('11) AND WILL CARRINGTON ('13). ABSENT: CONOR O'BEIRNE ('11), TIM MACMILLAN ('12)
Old Scotch welcomes the Stars Old Scotch Football Club has been well prepared for its return to VAFA Premier division and the launch of women’s football in season 2018. Senior Coach, Dale Bower, has been joined by some new faces on the coaching panel, including Andrew Toop, Rob Paterson and former Club Captain, Tristan Beranger. PUMA FOOTBALL JUMPER_WOMEN Schneider will coach the reserves team ARTWORK SIZE:Murray MEDIUM and Paul Gregor will again coach the thirds, as the team looks to achieve back to back COLOURGEAR COLOURS: premiership success. Mark Gnatt and Mick PANTONE Clearihan will look after the under 19 teams, and 3425 C Methodist Ladies’ College staff member, Ryan Duke, will coach the Old Scotch Stars, the new WHITE women’s team. PANTONE The club’s entry of a women’s team in the 276 C VAFA competition is a landmark moment in which we are delighted to be partnering with MLC COLOURGEAR TO MATCH and the Camberwell Sharks. Anna Hayes is the inaugural women’s captain, and the team will play in VAFA Premier B (White) Division, which is COLOURGEAR TO MATCH effectively the competition’s third division. Jack Bull (’08) will again Captain the men’s COLOURGEAR TO MATCH 1st XVIII and Gene van den Broek (’10) will again be Vice Captain. Andrew Jelbart (‘11), Conor PANTONE 342 C O’Beirne (‘11), Tim Macmillan (‘12), Jordan Clarke (‘11), Jack Hurley (‘11), Harry Larwill, Nick Jamieson (‘10), Will Carrington (‘13) and James
MLC
Sansom (‘09) will support Jack and Gene. Old Scotch launched the 2018 season with a breakfast at Leonda by the Yarra on 6 April. Hawthorn Football Club President, past Premier and Old Scotch Collegian, Jeff Kennett AC (’65) was our guest of honour. Jeff was later joined in a panel session by OSFC number one ticket holder, Susan Alberti AC, Western Bulldogs AFLW player, Jess Anderson, St Kilda’s Jack Billings (’13) and former Hawthorn and Gold Coast Suns champion, Campbell Brown (’01). Nat Edwards from AFL Media was master of ceremonies. The season began on 7 April with a replay of the 2017 Premier B grand final, against Old Brighton Grammarians at Brighton Beach Oval. The clubs were playing for the inaugural Michael Perry Trophy, named in recognition of Old Scotch boy Michael Perry (‘62), who has strong links with Old Scotch and Old Brighton. In 1962 Michael was recruited from Scotch, and played 59 games from 1962-1964 for Old Scotch. He was our club’s best and fairest in 1963 and 1964, and a Victorian representative in 1964. Michael then played 53 games for Richmond from 1965-1969. In 2000, Michael was named at centre half-back in the Old Scotch Football Club’s Team of the Century.
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WOMEN'S AND MEN'S CAPTAINS ANNA HAYES AND JACK BULL ('08)
Later, when his son Nick played for Old Brighton Grammarians (where Nick had gone to school) Michael became President of Old Brighton from 1994-1998. In 1997, the club’s seniors and reserves were premiers in B Section and B Reserve section respectively. Nick Perry captained Old Brighton from 1995-1998, playing 200 games for the club, and captaining the seniors to its 1997 B Section premiership win. Nick is a life member of the club. TIM SHEARER ('85) — OSFC PRESIDENT
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Pipes and Drums
HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY, PIPES AND DRUMS PAST STAFF MEMBERS AND PARTNERS DURING A TOUR OF THE SPENCER CENTRE FOR DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
Past Staff Club
10 years up The Old Scotch Past Staff Club will celebrate its 10th anniversary in May with a tour of the MCG and lunch in the MCC Committee Room. With a membership of 139 drawn from past Scotch Junior and Senior School teaching staff, as well as former administrative, ancillary and grounds staff, the club keeps ex-colleagues and their partners in touch with one another and in contact with the School. This is achieved through newsletters and a few cultural, social events and lunches held each year. Gatherings at the Kooyong Tennis Club, tours of St Paul’s Cathedral, the La Trobe Library, the McClelland Gallery and Sculpture Park and golf days have been among events over recent years. The best attended recent function has been the annual cocktail party, held towards the end of the year in the Lithgow Centre’s staff lounge. There is always a buzz of conversation as past colleagues and partners representing service to the School over six decades or more rekindle memories and stories. In 2016, the gathering was preceded by a tour of the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre for Science, and last year by a tour of the Spencer Centre for Design and Technology. The entertaining and informative tours led by Tim Shearer and Scott Montgomery (both ‘85), brought home to past staff the changing face of the School, as it meets the ever-changing challenge of providing the best possible educational opportunities. Any past member of staff interested in joining the club is invited to contact the Secretary, Hugh Wilson, by email: secretaryospsc@gmail.com. IAN SAVAGE
OLD SCOTCH PIPERS WARMING UP AT THE CANBERRA BURNS CLUB HIGHLAND GATHERING LAST OCTOBER.
At its annual end-of-year barbecue last December, Old Scotch Pipes and Drums celebrated its 10th anniversary, with President, Brian Symington (’65), reminiscing. On 17 April 2007, he said, a group of enthusiastic Old Boys met to discuss forming a band. ‘On 17 June 2007 the band had its first “playout”, attended by a number of rather “rusty” players. Much rehabilitation of pipes was needed to actually make them work again. But we needed even more work on the players! Ten years ago our repertoire was a modest eight tunes — now we have a growing repertoire of around 50 tunes. ‘We have developed a taste for competition, we practise much more often, we are playing very much better, and we are producing great results, culminating in first place (grade 4) in Canberra at the ACT Pipe Band Championships in 2017. ‘We have gradually improved our uniform with the generous support of the Victorian Scottish Heritage Cultural Foundation, and we now have an active membership of around 35 including a growing contingent of younger Old Boys. But most importantly, we are a gregarious group that shares a common interest in piping and drumming, common playing enjoyment goals, social camaraderie and mutual mentoring, and we really enjoy each other’s company. So — happy birthday, Old Scotch Pipes and Drums!’ The band achieved third place (from a large field) at the Ballarat Highland Games in February, and a more recent first place (grade 4) in the Victorian Pipe Band Championships in Geelong in March. We are working hard towards further successes, rounding off with the Australian Pipe Band Championships later in Brisbane. STEWART WALLACE (’71)
Sid notches his century Scotch’s latest centenarian is Sidney Pascoe Birch (‘34), who celebrated his 100th birthday in Sydney on 8 February. Despite his venerable age, Sid is the ‘youngster’ of our group of centenarians — he is our sixth oldest known living Old Boy. Ahead of Sid are 102-year-old Bill Morgan (‘35), and Hal Oxley (‘33), Sir Lenox Hewitt (‘34), Arthur Atkins (‘35) and Herbert Purton (‘35), all of whom are aged 100 plus. Sid attended Scotch from 1927 to 1934, along with his very slightly older twin brother, Louis, who was at Scotch from 1927 to 1934, and died at the age of 91 in 2009. An elder brother, Hugh, attended Scotch from 1926-32 and died in 1996, at 79. Sid served in the AIF in New Guinea in World War II, and worked for the Shell Company before and after the war. His working life included six
SID BIRCH AT 100. ON THE TOP SHELF TO SID’S RIGHT IS HIS CONGRATULATORY CARD FROM THE QUEEN
months working for Shell in the UK and Europe, during which he visited the wilds of the then Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) before becoming Administration Superintendent at Shell’s Clyde operations in Sydney in 1961. He spent the rest of his career in Sydney and now lives at Killara on Sydney’s Upper North Shore.
78 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
OSCA Chaplain
OSMaD
NEW WINE FOR OLD SCOTCH As Honorary OSCA Chaplain, here and there I meet Old Boys. It’s a privilege to encounter men young and not so young, coping with life in all its variety and complexity. I also now minister to a small Christian church. While there are several very large churches nearby, mine is small, and elderly; half of my congregation are over 80 years of age. The story is told of the politician visiting the aged care facility. He asked an old lady, ‘Do you know who I am?’ She replied, ‘No, darling, I don’t. But if you ask the sister over there she’ll tell you’. One thing has become clear: growing old is not for the faint-hearted! In marked contrast to the young, each elderly person comes with a long and fascinating story. What a privilege to hear people recall and share precious memories. What a grief it is when that memory is assaulted by illness. I have just read Sally Magnusson’s remarkable book, Where Memories Go. It is a raw, candid and beautifully lyrical expression of her elderly mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Sally, a journalist and daughter of journalists, made notes as she witnessed and experienced her mother’s decline. Her tale is of frustration and foreboding, but with shafts of hilarity and joy. It is a sublime chronicle of an assault on memory as abnormal deposits of proteins form plaques and tau tangles throughout the brain, and once-healthy neurons stop functioning. It’s essential reading for anyone coping with dementia. I remember as a child seeing photos of my grandparents as young people. It was a revelation. The photos were taken before they were bald (those genes!) or wrinkly (the Great Depression left its mark) or gaunt (that was World War I). Memory is my favourite of the songs from the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical, Cats. How melancholic yet evocative. Let the memory live again. If only. Can memories live again? Sally Magnusson points to King Lear’s great question: does anyone here know who I am (act one, scene four)? Another kind of identity problem was encountered by Jason Bourne in Robert Ludlum’s famous spy story, The Bourne Identity. This Sunday my little congregation will participate in Holy Communion. We do this because Jesus invited disciples to ‘do this in memory of me’. Jesus’ life, death and resurrection have become the key to helping Christians understand who they are. Everything precious in our story is, like the unknown soldier, known to God. ‘He who believes in Me’, said Jesus, ‘will live, even though he dies’ (John 11:25). The new wine of the Gospel said Jesus, can only be contained in new wineskins (Mark 2:22); a life begun with a new way of thinking, a kind of new birth (John 3). If you’d like to pick up on any of this, you’re welcome to contact me through the School. Anyway, get into the new wine! GRAHAM BRADBEER
Anything but miserable … OSMaD presents Les Misérables After 10 years of stellar professional standard productions OSMaD is bringing back to the stage the worldwide classic of musical theatre, Les Misérables. Based on Victor Hugo’s novel, Les Misérables reminds us that despite class, wealth and politics, we are all part of the same human family, with a desire for those great French ideals: liberty, equality and fraternity. Across the world, audiences continue to be moved by Les Misérables, and with each new audience the magic and power of the show continues to grow. Les Misérables opened on London’s West End in October 1985 and then on Broadway two years later. The Broadway production was nominated for 12 Tony Awards, winning eight. It has since been performed in more than 40 countries and translated into 21 different languages. Les Misérables was OSMaD’s first venture into musical theatre in 2008. Many then and now have described the decision to launch OSMaD with such a challenging show as distinctly courageous. Even though we were ‘green’ and relatively inexperienced, that initial production has paved the way for the past 10 years of wonderful theatre – using the School’s state-of-the-art performance facilities. While we always have a large contingent of Scotch-connected people on stage, backstage or in support roles, we have always maintained an open recruitment policy for cast and crew. This has ensured we tap into Melbourne’s best – and most certainly the resource of talent in Melbourne community theatre is immense. The production management team has been augmented this year through the addition of three young Old Boys, who have taken on the task of pulling together many of the loose ends and threads required to reach the standard for which OSMaD productions are known. The three are Ben Andrews (’06), Chris Richards (‘13) and Charles Pruden (’15). Our performances will take place from 18 to 27 October. Tickets will go on sale in July, on www.osmad.com.au. For more information, or to help in any way, please contact me on 0414 413 013. RICHARD BEVERIDGE (’62)
OSCA
What they're doing now – compiled by Mr David Ashton
LEFT TO RIGHT: TOM ANDERSON (’57), KENNETH HAYNE (’62), RICHARD GROOM (’57), TREVOR BOND (‘67), PAUL SYMON (’78), ALISTAIR THOMSON (’77), PETER BENNETTS (’85), ALBERT JOU (’05)
1950s Now retired and living at Maffra, 220km east of Melbourne, TOM ANDERSON (‘57) was a boarder in School House from 1954 to 1956, following in the footsteps of his father, ALAN, who was a boarder at Scotch in 1921. Tom rowed in the 6th VIII in 1956 and in the winning Littlejohn House crew in 1956, and was a member of the Quarter Guard. He farmed the family property, Hilton Park at Denison near Heyfield from 1957 to 2003 and then retired to Maffra. Tom married Fay at Maffra in 1968, and their three sons all boarded in School House at Scotch – RODNEY (‘89), who is now in real estate, CAMERON (‘90), who is a senior engineer with Toyota, and TONY (‘92) who is Gippsland Manager of Rabobank. Tom, a former OSCA Councillor (1991-97) was Secretary of OSCA’s East Gippsland branch from 1966 to 1981, and President in 1982-83. Like father, like son: Tony is now Secretary of the OSCA East Gippsland branch. Tom and Fay are very involved with Lions and Probus, and enjoy travelling, both within Australia and overseas. They have eight grandchildren who are fully involved in school and club sport. About six months after finishing at Scotch, RICHARD GROOM (‘57) met Jill Rank at a party in Footscray. There was some immediate compatibility, and this led to their marriage at St John’s, Toorak, in February 1962. Four children followed between 1964 and 1970, two of whom attended Scotch: DAVID (‘81) and CHRIS (‘84). Richard gained a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1961, which led to various commerciallyoriented jobs before he became Bursar at St Catherine’s School in 1973, a position he held for 21 years. Richard’s outside interests have centred on cricket and Rotary. His passion for cricket dates from 1947, when he attended the Melbourne Ashes Test, and continues to this day. Fifteen
years as an MCG tour guide and 19 years’ active membership of the Rotary cricket fellowship have been expressions of this passion. Active membership of three different Rotary clubs over 27 years has been very rewarding for Richard.
1960s KENNETH HAYNE (‘62) is the Commissioner heading the Federal Government’s Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry, which the Governor-General established on 14 December 2017. Ken is authorised to submit an interim report by 30 September 2018 and a final report by 1 February 2019. He was formerly a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1997 to 2015, and before that he was a Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria from 1992, later serving on the Victorian Court of Appeal until his appointment to the High Court. In Sydney on 26 November, former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer AC officially launched author ROLAND PERRY’S (‘65) latest book, Monash and Chauvel: How Australia’s two greatest generals changed the course of world history. In Roland’s typically lucid way, the book follows the emergence of the two great soldiers, SIR JOHN MONASH (1881) and Harry Chauvel, and tells of the Great War campaigns they led which helped, in different theatres of war, to defeat the Germans and the Turks. Describing Roland’s research as ‘outstanding’, Tim Fischer said the book would give proper recognition to the significant achievements of the two men, while boosting the campaign to elevate Monash’s rank to field marshal by 11 November 2018. (Tim believes Chauvel should also be posthumously promoted to field marshal.) Roland has published 32 books across genres including
biography, politics, espionage, history, sport and fiction. More information: www.rolandperry.com.au. TREVOR BOND (’67) lives in Deal in Kent, UK, on the English Channel near Dover, with his wife, Carolyn. Trevor is a tireless contributor to local government: already serving as a Dover District Councillor and a Deal Town Councillor, last year Trevor was elected to the Kent County Council. As he says, ‘It makes my life very busy for a 68 year old!’. Trevor is a Group Sales and Marketing Manager for Brilliant Hospitality Management, which manages the day-to-day running of five hotels in the UK. Trevor’s business career has included management positions within Australia with TAA (now part of Qantas), TT Line (now the Spirit of Tasmania), and overseas with ferry companies in the UK, Belgium, Sweden, Argentina and New York, before he returned to the UK to work in the hotel industry. Trevor has four children and five grandchildren. He still plays village cricket, and until last year he also played hockey.
1970s There was a Scotch influence in the victory ceremony for the men’s snowboard cross competition at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The medals (including a silver to Australia’s Jarryd Hughes) were presented by International Olympic Committee member James Tomkins, accompanied by Federation Internationale de Ski member, DEAN GOSPER (‘75). James, a triple Olympic gold medallist with the ‘Oarsome Foursome’, co-coached the Scotch 1st VIII from 1991-93. Dean is President of Ski and Snowboard Australia, after having served as a director since 1997. He is also the Deputy Chairman of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia. Outside snowsports, Dean’s commercial experience
80 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
includes more than 11 years in corporate banking with a leading International investment bank, and he has partnered in the establishment of a high profile fresh food brand. After 25 years in the UK, ALISTAIR THOMSON (‘77) is now a Professor of History at Monash University. Al’s latest book, Australian Lives: An Intimate History (with Anisa Puri, Monash University Publishing, 2017) illuminates the history of everyday life in Australia across the past century. The book follows 50 Australians, born between 1920 and 1989, who narrate their experiences as children and teenagers, in midlife and old age (where applicable), about faith and migration, work and play, joy and sorrow. Al says Australian Lives shows how Australians from all walks of life have been shaped by contemporary history and how, in turn, they have made their lives and created Australian society. ‘As well, e-book users can listen to hundreds of interview extracts by connecting direct to the National Library online archive to hear interviewees tell their stories in their own voices,’ he told Great Scot. For more information: http://profiles.arts.monash.edu.au/ alistair-thomson/. Major General PAUL SYMON (’78) has been appointed Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, Australia’s foreign intelligence agency. Paul has extensive experience in Australia’s national security and intelligence community, and has served as a major general in the Australian Army. He has been Deputy Chief of Army and Director of the Defence Intelligence Organisation. Paul took up his appointment last December.
1980s PETER BENNETTS (‘85) lives in Elwood with his family of four – his wife, Sue, son William (12) and daughter Madeleine (11). After school, he
completed an MBA, post-graduate Commercial Law, CPA and Bachelor of Economics. He is currently the Chief Financial Officer of Hinkler Group. Before that he was Head of Finance Planning and Analysis (and a member of the local board) at Miele Australia and New Zealand. He has had strategic and commercial management roles with Pioneer Electronics and Fairfax, and was a Senior Consultant with KPMG in management consulting and corporate tax. Peter formerly worked in the north of the UK for two and a half years and Sydney for a year. He enjoys running, bike riding, tennis, and chasing his children around basketball and netball courts. ANDREW GADD (’87) is currently Regional Sales Manager, Victoria/Tasmania, for Waratah Fencing, a leading rural fencing company. Andrew’s whole career has been in agriculture, in which he has undertaken various management roles in sales and operations. After leaving school Andrew worked as a jackaroo on various NSW properties, before graduating from Glenormiston Agricultural College in 1992. Two years in livestock nutrition followed, before he returned to full-time study, completing a Bachelor in Management at Orange Agricultural College in 1995. Further studies have included a Masters in Accounting, through Charles Sturt University in 2010. Andrew lives in Geelong with his wife, Kate, and sons, James and Ben, and he enjoys trailbike riding, fishing, water-skiing, camping, golf, and observing his two boys growing and developing into young men.
1990s Professor NICK BISLEY (‘91) is the new Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at La Trobe University. Nick has degrees in political science and international relations from the University of Melbourne and the London School of Economics and Political Science, and has held several senior academic leadership positions across the higher education sector. Nick is an internationally-recognised expert on Asia’s international relations, great power politics and Australian foreign and defence policy. He has written and edited numerous books, journal articles and opinion pieces on international politics, defence and security, and issues associated with globalisation. JAMES CHOI (‘95) is a Director with EY’s Melbourne tax practice. He has extensive experience advising on all indirect tax matters, helping to resolve GST issues arising in both
the government and private sectors, with a particular focus on property transactions, mergers and acquisitions, asset finance, cross border arrangements and general business operations. James and his wife, Grace, have two children. They live at Kew East. MYLES ARMSTRONG (‘97) spent the first 10 years after school working in the retail sector, including owning his own business for three years, before joining the Army for five years as a fuel specialist. He was posted to Townsville, returning to Melbourne at the end of 2013. Myles now lives at Mount Eliza with his wife of seven years, Nicole, and their two sons, Lachlan (six) and Harrison (three). He is currently working as an aluminium fabricator, custom building aluminium and glass balustrading for balconies, decks and stairways.
2000s Since leaving Scotch and finishing university studies, ALBERT JOU (‘05) has been actively involved in a variety of start-ups, most recently as the Chief Technology Officer of an app called Vent. Albert says Vent ‘allows people to express how they feel’, and he says his team is very proud of the community that has developed. The app has been downloaded over one million times on the Appstore and Google Play. ‘It has become a mental wellness app to many users, helping them to overcome some of life’s difficulties by sharing them with like-minded individuals’, Albert told Great Scot. ‘Our team is actively finding ways to help users understand their emotions and live happier lives.’ SHERWOOD DU (‘10) attended Scotch from 1998 to 2010. Sherwood was Captain of Table Tennis at Scotch, and he continued his passion for the game while at the Australian National University, serving as the President of the university’s table tennis club. He graduated with Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws degrees with honours in 2015. Sherwood is currently a litigation lawyer at Canaan Lawyers, a boutique law firm in the Melbourne CBD. He practises in civil and commercial litigation, criminal law, employment law, and family law. He returns to Scotch from time to time to play violin in the Old Scotch Symphony Orchestra.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 81
Archives
The 25 oldest known living Old Boys 1. Rev. William Morgan, b. 23 October 1915. Captain 1935. Aged 102
14. Allen Cansdell Cover, b. 13 July 1919
2. Harold Knights (Hal) Oxley, b. 22 November 1916. Aged 100
15. Charles Otto Malmgren, b. 14 August 1919
3. Sir Cyrus Lenox Simson Hewitt OBE, b. 7 May 1917. Aged 100
16. Alexander Marshall, b. 18 September 1919
4. Arthur Henry Chesterman Atkins DFC, b. 5 August 1917. Aged 100
17. Malcolm Robertson Riddle, b. 18 December 1919
5. Dr Herbert Culvenor Purton, b. 21 November 1917
18. Russell Stanley Garnsworthy, b. 29 December 1919
6. Sidney Pascoe Birch, b. 8 February 1918
19. James Moore Allard, b. 12 February 1920
7. John Morton Parker, b. 24 July 1918
20. Ronald Taft, b. 3 June 1920
8. John Henry Asher, b. 13 September 1918
21. Dr James Kenneth Mackenzie, b. 14 June 1920
9. Daniel Glasser, b. 28 September 1918
22. Benjamin Pascoe Hanna, b. 9 October 1920
10. Thomas Henry Iser, b. 20 April 1919
23. William Wallace Stuart, b. 19 October 1920
11. Bruce McInnes Plowman, b. 9 May 1919
24. Randal James Watt, b. 1 November 1920
12. Lionel Liddell Smith, b. 13 May 1919
25. Norman Horace Rashleigh, b. 3 January 1921
13. Joshua John Pitt, b. 31 May 1919
The youngest boy is Edisen Lau, b. 14 April 2013.
25 oldest known Old Scotch Collegians since Scotch’s inception in 1851 Including five living Old Boy centenarians. 1.
Francis Campbell Stuckey, b. 14.4.1906, SC 1918-24, d. 22 August 2011. Aged 105 years, 4 months, 8 days
2.
Alfred William Herbert Chandler, b. 1.6. 1905, SC 1918-22, d. 1.9.2010. Aged 105 years, 3 months
3.
William Balleny Howden, b. 14.3.1906, SC 1920-23, d. 2.7.2009. Aged 103 years, 3 months, 18 days.
4.
Raymond George Durston, b. 26.7.1899, SC 1913-17, d. 19.5.2002. Aged 102 years, 9 months, 23 days.
5.
John Alexander Lyne, b. 23.10.1909, SC 1924-28, d. 20.5.2012. Aged 102 years, 6 months, 27 days.
6.
William Morgan, b. 23.10.1915, SC 1923-35, aged 102 years, 4 months, 6 days as of 1.3.2018.
7.
Victor George Taweel, b. 16.6.1912, SC 1924-29, d. 18.10.2014. Aged 102 years, 4 months, 2 days.
8.
Frederick Harry Uther Baker, b. 16.9.1900, SC 1907-17, d. 25.9.2002. Aged 102 years, 9 days.
9.
William Alan Duncan, b. 10.11.1910, SC 1922-26, d. 13.10.2012. Aged 101 years, 11 months, 3 days.
10. Donald Hamilton McLeod, b. 19.8.1915, SC 1930-32, d. 25.6.2017. Aged 101 years, 10 months, 6 days. 11. Charles Keith Geer, b. 4.2.1915, SC 1929-32, d. 6.10.2016. Aged 101 years, 8 months, 2 days. 12. Robert Leslie Ponsford, b. 12.12.1894, SC 1911-12, d. 23.7.1996. Aged 101 years, 7 months, 7 days. 13. Harold Knights Oxley, b. 22.11.1916, SC 1926-33. Aged 101 years, 3 months, 7 days as of 1.3.2018. 14. Harold George Robinson, b. 8.9.1907, SC 1922, d. 16.8.2008. Aged 100 years, 11 months, 8 days.
Scotch would appreciate hearing of any suggested omissions from this list. Please contact the Scotch Archivist, Paul Mishura on 9810 4470 or paul. mishura@scotch.vic.edu.au.
15. Cyrus Lenox Simson Hewitt, b. 7.5.1917, SC 1926-33. Aged 100 years, 9 months, 22 days as of 1.3.2018. 16. John Nicol, b. 16.4.1868, SC 1884, d. 28.1.1969. Aged 100 years, 9 months, 12 days. 17. Joseph Robert Archibald Glenn, b. 24.5.1911, SC 1927-29, d. 4.1.2012. Aged 100 years, 7 months, 11 days. 18. Arthur Henry Chesterman Atkins, b. 5.8.1917, SC 1929-35. Aged 100 years, 6 months, 24 days as of 1.3.2018. 19. Walter John Paton, b. 29.11.1914, SC 1926-32, d. 28.5.2015. Aged 100 years, 5 months, 28 days. 20. Melbourne Crutchfield Clayton, b. 30.12.1905, SC 1922-23, d. 24.6.2006. Aged 100 years, 5 months 25 days. 21. Roy Riggall Prentice, b. 20.6.1906, SC 1916-18, d. 14.12.2006. Aged 100 years, 5 months, 24 days. 22. Charles Howard Rubie Johnston, b. 9.3.1878, SC 1891-93, d. 2.8.1978. Aged 100 years, 4 months, 24 days. 23. James Sutherland Henderson, b. 20.12.1914, SC 1928-31, d. 6.5.2015. Aged 100 years, 4 months, 16 days. 24. Stanley Charles Quinn, b. 7.4.1896, SC 1911, d. 25.7.1996. Aged 100 years, 3 months, 18 days. 25. Herbert Culvenor Purton, b. 21.11.1917, SC 1935. Aged 100 years, 3 months, 8 days as of 1.3.2018.
82 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
Archives
School Archivist – Mr Paul Mishura
Scotch’s man in the Wild West – of Alaska MR PAUL MISHURA SCHOOL ARCHIVIST
Philip Gerschel – our most interesting 'export' to the Frozen North
PHILIP GERSCHEL (1883) PICTURED IN 1936, WHEN HE SPOKE ON NEW YORK RADIO ABOUT HIS ALASKAN EXPERIENCES.
Since the earliest years of Scotch, her sons have found their way to every far-flung part of the globe. Several made their way to Alaska, including Mackinder Hotchin (born 18 October 1883, SC 1897-1900), who was there in 1904, but no trace of him has since been found. Perhaps Scotch’s most interesting export to Alaska was Philip Gerschel. Born at Collingwood on 13 September 1865, he attended Scotch from 1876 to 1883. In 1890 he was a tobacconist at Broken Hill, and in 1894 he was being sued over a nearby opal deal. In 1900, writing as ‘P.G.’, he had lengthy articles published in The Argus, Melbourne, about his experiences in ‘The Frozen North’. Headings such as ‘The Quick and the Dead’, ‘Wild Life in Dawson City’, ‘The Worship of the Pistol’, ‘A Madman Murderer’ and ‘The Vigilantes and their Man’, were followed by colourful descriptions of life in lawless parts of Alaska. Gerschel wrote of the mining boom at Nome, miners’ hardships and lonely deaths, bar fights ending with blazing pistols, fights over (very scarce) women, and every other possible Wild West cliché. His accounts were filled with what were purported to be verbatim exchanges in the rough language of the miners. Gerschel said he was employed in an Alaskan saloon and gambling den when he witnessed the infamous shooting of Dan McGrew in Dawson City in 1898. Another ‘eyewitness’, ‘Klondike Mike’ Mahoney, claimed in 1951 that it was in 1904, stating that Dan was a nasty piece of work who would ‘shoot people to see which way they would fall’. He said that McGrew met his end when his girlfriend’s husband caught up with them (the husband meeting Dan’s fate too). Poet Robert William Service wrote The Shooting of Dan McGrew, a narrative poem that even Ronald Reagan and his Canadian counterpart recited in alternating parts. In 1936 Gerschel was in New York to talk on a radio program about his experiences, saying that he had forsaken studies at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music for a life of adventure, and that he knew Service from his time in Alaska. This photograph of him was taken at the time and – quite by chance, when trying to determine Gerschel’s fate, I found it for sale on eBay. On 21 September 1938 Gerschel died somewhere in the United States. He was one of several touring ‘eyewitnesses’ to the shooting of Dan McGrew that the poet later explained was a work of fiction, written by him at the suggestion of the editor of the Yukon’s Whitehorse Star.
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 83
Obituaries
School Archivist – Mr Paul Mishura
Deaths of Old Boys or former staff members of which Scotch is aware are listed here. Obituaries for the names in italics below appear on the following pages of this edition.
INDEX ARNOTT, Leonard James (’48). Born 25.5.1930, SC 1943-46, died 2.7.2017. BARRATT (later De BARRATT), Christopher Leslie (’72). Born 17.12.1953, SC 1968-72, died 26.6.2017. BARROW, Eric Douglas (’48). Born 11.7.1929, SC 1943-46, died 9.12.2017. BAXTER, Rupert Alexander (Bert) (’43). Born 22.6.1925, SC 1939-42, died 27.11.2017. BOLTON, David Nicholas Charles (’96). Born 14.12.1978, SC 1993-96, died 6.11.2017 at St Martins, Guernsey. BUDGE, Kenneth Sutherland (’36). Born 29.3.19, SC 1933-35, died 17.4.2017 BRUCE, David Alexander (’46). Born 22.9.1926, SC 1940-44, died 24.1.2018. CLAYTON, Helen Hilda Mary. Born 1.8.1940, staff 1976, died 14.12.2017. COURTNEY, Neil Cameron Wilson (’56). Born 31.5.1938, SC 1952-57, 1957 School Captain, died 2.9.2017. CRAIGIE, Alexander Colin (’46). Born 10.2.1929, SC 1940-45, died 29.6.2017. DIETZ, Thomas Antony (’41). Born 13.12.1923, SC 1939-41, died 6.3.2018. DRAKE, Ian Robert (’56). Born 3.2.1940, SC 1953-56, died 15.12.2017. EPSTEIN, Clemens Henry (’58). Born 13.6.1941, SC 1954-58, died 2.2.2018. FERGUSON, Alan Clark (’45). Born 26.7.1928, SC 1942-45, died 24.11.2017. FIELDING, Garnet Stewart (’51). Born 6.1.1935, SC 1948-51, died 31.1.2017. GARDINER, Lachlan Keith (’42). Born 5.12.1924, SC 1938-41, died 26.11.2017.
GIDDINGS, Dr Geoffrey Julian (’59). Born 26.12.1941, SC 1955-59, died 8.11.2017. GODWIN, Ian Russell (‘55). Born 30.3.1938, SC 1951-55, died 4.11.2017. HEALE, Ross Edward (’58). Born 9.4.1941, SC 1955-58, died 11.3.2018. HICKOX, Geoffrey Walter (’50). Born 19.5.1934, SC 1948-40, died 18.3.2018. HODDINOTT, Alexander Leslie (’01). Born 12.10.1983, SC 1996, died 1.3.2018. HOGG, Thomas Franklyn (’43). Born 9.11.1925, SC 1934-43, 1943 School Captain, died 18.10.2017. HOGG, William Brian (’46). Born 10.6.1927, SC 1935-45, died 28.7.2017. HOLLINRAKE, Ian Thomas (’63). Born 10.12.1946, SC 1952-63, died 17.3.2018. HOLSTOCK AM, Donald Frank (’42). Born 23.2.1926, SC 1936-41, died 15.1.2018. HUMPHRIES, Richard Hatherley (’66). Born 22.10.1947, SC 1962-66, died 8.11.2017. JARDINE, Robert (’40). Born 29.3.1922, SC 1933-39, died 7.2.2018. JOUNING, Brian John William (’49). Born 29.7.1931, SC 1948-49, died 8.1.2018. LETHBRIDGE, Robert Anthony (’45). Born 1.2.1927, SC 1941-44, died 20.7.2017. LUKE, John Monteith (’51). Born 23.10.1933, SC 1941-49, died 22.12.2017. MARQUARD, Wade Murdoch (’59). Born 3.10.1941, SC 1955-58, died 15.2.2018. McLEAN, Norman Carlisle (’42). Born 25.2.1924, SC 1936-40, died 26.8.2017.
McMECKAN, William James (’63). Born 11.10.1945, SC 1957-63, died 10.2.2018. MITCHELL, Anthony Barclay Thomas (Mitch) (’63). Born 29.9.1944, SC 1957-63, died 21.10.2017. NORTON, Matthew Hargreaves (’88). Born 7.2.1969, SC 1982-86, died 16.8.2017. OCHILTREE, William Bertram (‘55). Born 29.8.1938, SC 1952-54, died 2.11.2017. PEACOCK, Bertie Thomas (’44). Born 23.12.1925, SC 1939-42, died 26.5.2017. PENINGTON, Dr John Stewart (’46). Born 18.4.1928, SC 1939-45, died 16.12.2017. PRITCHARD, Graham George (’43). Born 30.9.1926, SC 1940-42, died 23.1.2018. RITCH, John William (’58). Born 15.7.1941, SC 1955-57, died 1.7.2017. ROSS, Keith Cameron (’42). Born 31.3.1925, SC 1937-41, died 28.8.2017. RUDGE, John Peter (’56). Born 28.10.1940, SC 1950-56, died 30.11.2017. SCHRADER, Michael Clifford Galway (‘47). Born 30.9.1930, SC 1944-47, died 27.11.2017. THOMAS, Dr Bruce MacAulay (’55). Born 24.10.1937, SC 1950-55, died 24.2.2018. THOMPSON, Phillip Flower (’39). Born 22.6.1921, SC 1933-36, died 1.8.2017. TOAL, Michael Robertson (‘53). Born 18.3.1936, SC 1948-49, died 2.11.2017. ULRICH, Dr Peter Edward Rodney (’44). Born 16.3.1927, SC 1941-44, died 6.1.2018. WARNER, Maxwell John (’50). Born 13.9.1934, SC 1947-50, died 28.7.2017.
WILKEN, Mark Andrew (Contractor 2010-18). Born 19.11.1957, died 8.2.2018. WILLIAMS, Bruce Edward Edgar (’44). Born 31.8.1927, SC 1936-44, died 9.1.2018. WILLIAMS, Bruce Russell (‘65). Born 4 December 1945, SC 1956-59, died 17 January 2018. WITTNER AM, David George (’51). Born 19.5.1933, SC 1947-50, died 28.1.2018. WOOD, Noel Vasey (’57). Born 18.12.1939, SC 1954-57, died 15.8.2017.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! The Archives needs more volunteers to join its busy volunteer team, which includes Old Boys of various eras, wives, and grandmothers. Volunteers with some computer literacy are urgently required. All volunteers must accept Scotch policies and complete a Working with Children Check. The Archives are open from Monday to Friday and volunteers’ hours are flexible. Please contact Paul Mishura on 9810 4470 or email: paul. mishura@scotch.vic.edu.au for more information.
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The following obituaries have been written by family or friends. BAXTER, Rupert Alexander (Bert) (’43). Bert’s wife, Enid, wrote: Rupert Alexander Baxter was born at Nagambie on 22 June 1925 and attended Scotch as a boarder in McMeckan and School Houses from 1939 to 1942. Known as Bert, he always spoke of his time at Scotch as a happy one of learning and great guidance, particularly as his father Alexander had died in 1930. Bert’s Scotch relatives included his cousins Allen Alexander, Guy Moorhead, Herbert Moorhead and William Samuel Baxter. On 22 November 1947 Bert married Enid Merle Davis at Scotch, and they celebrated their 70th anniversary together. They had a son, Ian, and daughters Janice and Jillian, followed by seven grandchildren and 12 greatgrandchildren. During Bert’s final year at Scotch he studied wool classing at Melbourne Technical College on Saturday mornings. He continued those studies while working for Goldsbrough Mort in 1943, gaining experience on large New South Wales sheep properties. Bert also helped his guardian, Uncle Herbert, to run his grandparents’ property, Greenbank, on the Goulburn River until 1947. From 1947 Bert and Enid managed a 1000 acre (405 hectare) sheep property at Kerang, taking on rabbits and snakes. In 1948 they bought a 200 acre (81 hectare) property at Nalinga, running milking cows and merino ewes. They sold it for a profit in 1950, and bought a 450 acre (182 hectare) Dorset Horn stud at Carag Carag, growing wheat and oat crops. Selling the farm in 1959, they ran the Golden
Fleece service station and mixed business at Kangaroo Flat. Bert also became a stock and station agent for Victorian Producers. They moved to Junortoun to run another service station and mixed business, then ran the Marong Post Office. Bert retired at 66 and moved to Tweed Heads. Bert joined the Stanhope Masonic Lodge in 1954, and was 1977 master of Lodge No. 24 at Maldon. Bert loved all sport, and won trophies in golf and lawn bowls. He supported the Hawthorn Football Club. After Bert’s missing address was tracked down in 2005, he was delighted to renew contact with Scotch, read every edition of Great Scot, and kept them all. He died at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Birtinya, Queensland, on 27 November 2017. BUDGE, Kenneth Sutherland (’36) This photo of a Scotch crew appeared in the Archives and Obituaries section of the December 2017 edition of Great Scot. Ken Budge was the coxswain but he was accidentally cropped out of the photo, which when it appeared in Great Scot showed only the other three crew members. The portion of the photo above shows Ken in the coxswain's seat. COURTNEY, Neil Cameron Wilson (’56) Neil’s wife, Frances, and brother-in-law, Don Hume (SC 1949-59), wrote: Neil was born at Perth, Western Australia, on 31 May 1938, the son of Charles Wilson Courtney (born
27 August 1896, SC 1911-14, died 6 December 1978) and younger brother of Jock (SC 1951-54). He attended Scotch from 1952 to 1957. Neil was a 1955 Probationer, 1956 Prefect and 1957 School Captain. He stroked the 1956 and 1957 1st VIIIs, and was 1957 1st XV Captain. Neil was also 1956 Music Captain and 1957 Captain of Boats. His final year, matriculation, was essentially in the sciences, with an arts flavour through English teacher and rugby coach Gordon (Fido) Owen’s intervention. Neil won a Commonwealth Scholarship to Melbourne University. He studied geology in 1958 then changed to English language and literature, graduating with first class honours. His poetry reflected events, people and places from his own experience. He was influenced by Professor Ian Maxwell’s love of Icelandic literature, and Vincent Buckley’s particular passion for W B Yeats’ poetry. Neil’s master`s thesis on Yeats` political poetry received first class honours. He enjoyed student theatre with Patrick McCaughey (SC 1954-60), Peter Corrigan, David Kendall and Graeme Blundell. Neil was described as creating anarchy while feigning normality. In 1962 Neil stroked the Melbourne University eight to second place over two miles on the Swan River in Perth. He later joined Hawthorn Masters, rowing in a double scull with old Mercantile compatriot Chris De Guinguand. On 18 May 1963 Neil married Frances Elizabeth Hume at College Church, Parkville. In 1969 they sailed to Italy for Neil to teach at the British Institute of Rome. They visited the great art and architectural sights of Rome and later discovered the countryside’s hidden gems. Two later overseas trips involved teaching English at the Golder`s
Green School of Languages, and to the Chinese at Suzhou University, where Neil collated the Chinese/ English Dictionary of Australian Slang: a source of great merriment. Neil’s final years of teaching were at the Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education (later the Churchill Campus of Monash University). Neil died at Alchera House, Korumburra, on 2 September 2017. He is survived by his wife and older daughter, Brigid. GARDINER, Lachlan Keith (’42) Lach’s son, Michael (SC 1957-67), wrote: Lachlan Keith Gardiner was born at Inge Var, Merbein, on 5 December 1924. He attended Adwalton preparatory school for boys in Malvern, and then attended Scotch from 1938 to 1941. His close Scotch friends, who became lifelong friends, were Bill Broadhurst, Noel Roberts, and Ian Latimer. Bill and Pat, Ian and Rachel, and Noel and Jean hosted increasingly competitive and elaborate fancy dinner parties. Also at Scotch were Lach’s sons Michael and Peter (SC 1960-68) and cousins Samuel Fisher Anderson (born 2 October 1919, SC 1929-37, died 10 May 2008) and Jock Anderson (SC 1931-42). Lach served in the army from 1942 to 1943 as a private before being accepted into the RAN (1943-46). He was a coder in M Special Unit, a joint Australian, New Zealand and British military intelligence unit, in the South Pacific Islands, and New Guinea. Lach was stationed mainly in Vila, New Hebrides (now the Republic of Vanuatu). Intelligence was gathered on Japanese shipping and troop movements. Lach coded
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intelligence reports and forwarded them to headquarters. After the war, Lach, who had considered becoming a farmer or a wool classer, took up a funded place at Melbourne University to study law, and was admitted to practise in Victoria in 1951. On 15 August 1947, Lach married Joy Elaine Gissing in the Littlejohn Memorial Chapel at Scotch. Lach had sole practices in Carlton, Richmond and Dandenong, and at Southport on the Gold Coast. He preferred to represent the disadvantaged and the underdog. Lach successfully represented his son Michael in court as a conscientious objector against conscription for National Service during the Vietnam War. In 1960 the family moved to the middle of a set of three terraced houses in Jolimont, with Olivia Newton John and staff of Dr Bertram Wainer on either side. Golf was Lach’s constant sporting outlet throughout his adult civilian life: from the paddocks of his parents’ sheep farm in northeastern Victoria, to the Tallebudgera Golf Course until six months before he died. Lach died peacefully on 26 November 2017 after two days’ palliative care at John Flynn Hospital in Tugun, Queensland. GIDDINGS, Dr Geoffrey Julian (’59) Geoff’s brother, David (SC 1961-64) wrote: Geoff was born at St Andrew’s Hospital, East Melbourne, on Boxing Day 1941, and later lived in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. He attended Scotch from 1955 to 1959 as a member of LawsonMacFarland House and was a keen sportsman, representing Scotch in
School Archivist – Mr Paul Mishura
the 1959 1st Tennis team, and the 4th XVIII. Geoff made many friends at school. Probably inspired by Messrs Ferres and Stump, Geoff completed a Bachelor of Science and Diploma of Education. His first teaching appointment was at Geelong High School where, as a young, popular teacher, he displayed excellent teaching skills. Soon, while still in his twenties, Geoff was asked to join the Secondary Teachers’ College (later Melbourne University Education Faculty). Geoff completed his Masters at Monash and later completed his PhD in science education at Iowa State University in the United States. In the 1980s Geoff was appointed to the-then Western Australian Institute of Technology (later Curtin University) as a senior lecturer in the School of Curriculum Studies, within the Faculty of Education. He soon assumed the role of postgraduate coordinator and, with a co-researcher, won a grant from the Australian Research Council for research into science laboratory classroom learning environments, which led to widelycited journal articles. By the late 1980s, Geoff had been appointed as head of the School of Curriculum Studies and promoted to associate professor. As well as a continued passion for playing tennis and golf, Geoff’s personal interests often revolved around his natural understanding of mathematics, leading to an understanding of odds in a variety of pursuits, including a love of horse racing. Geoff continued to support postgraduate students on a parttime basis as associate professor, until his death at Perth, Western Australia, on 8 November 2017. He was justifiably proud of his decades of contributions to the success of Curtin’s Science and Mathematics
Education Centre, and to the national Key Centre for School Science and Mathematics. Geoff was a passionate science educator, with an outgoing personality. He leaves behind his partner, children and grandchildren. HOGG, Thomas Franklyn (’43) Based on an obituary by Nicholas Honey and Lindsay Cuming AM, with input by the Archivist: Thomas Franklyn Hogg was born at Kew on 9 November 1925, the son of a rope works manager, and attended Scotch from 1934 to 1943 as a member of Monash House. His time at Scotch was fruitful, as a member of the Athletics team (1940-43), the 1942 and 1943 premiership 1st XVIIIs (kicking 41 goals in 1943, including 14 against Xavier College), and the 1943 Swimming and Tennis teams. Tom was a 1942 Probationer, 1943 Captain of Monash, and 1943 School Captain, wrangling both Scotch and Wesley boys while Wesley was based at Scotch. Among others at Scotch were his brother Peter de Burgh Hogg (born 17 December 1923, SC 193441, died 10 February 2011), uncles including Charles de Burgh Hogg (born 29 April 1896, SC 1912-14, killed 31 December 1916 in World War I) and sons Richard Thomas Hogg (born 16 March 1950, SC 1958-68, died 30 September 1993) and Charles (SC 1958-71). Tom enlisted in the RAN (194447) and as a sub-lieutenant served on a patrol ship off the Queensland coast and the south Pacific islands. Aged 20, he commanded a harbour defence launch, and was believed to be the youngest ever RAN officer to command an RAN vessel.
In 1949 Tom graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from Melbourne University, winning a Blue for football, in which he represented the university at three Australian Football Carnivals. He was 1949 captain/coach of University Blues, which he followed all his life. On 12 February 1949 Tom married Elizabeth Willis Baker at Scotch; she died on 28 July 1985. Tom joined rope and twine company James Miller and Co in 1950, working in procurement and sales, and travelled extensively throughout the world. When its managing director died, Tom became Executive Director (1961-70) alongside his brother as Managing Director. In 1971 he became a research analyst at stockbroker Roach & Co, becoming a partner in 1976. It was at Roach’s that he met Merrilyn Honey, with whom he shared his life for more than 30 years. Tom was later an investment adviser at Merrill Lynch Private Ltd. A member of the Melbourne Stock Exchange (1974-87), in 1987 Tom became a member of the Australian Stock Exchange. His business acumen and warm nature earned him lifelong clients, and he became Australia’s oldest active sharebroker. Tom travelled the world with Merrilyn. He was a keen gardener, a passionate Demons supporter, a Peninsula Golf Club player, a Victoria Racing Club member, and a 46-year member of the Australian Club. As an Old Scotch Collegian, Tom played in the 1958 MCG re-enactment of the 1858 football match with Melbourne Grammar School. For many years he organised successful dinner dances at the Kew Town Hall, and in 1976 he was the 36th President of the Old Scotch Collegians’ Association. Tom died on 18 October 2017.
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HOLSTOCK AM, Donald Frank (’42) Don’s daughter, Annie, wrote: Donald Frank Holstock was born at Bethesda Hospital, Richmond, on 23 February 1926. Don entered the Scotch Junior School in 1936 and was proud to be the first in his family to attend Scotch. Always early at school, he became the bell-ringer, pulling a long chain mounted high above the Quadrangle to summon boys to Assembly. Also at Scotch was Don’s brother, John (SC 1946-50). Don successfully completed his Leaving Certificate in 1941, but due to the lingering effects of the Great Depression, left school to work at the Shell Oil Company. He joined the RAAF in 1944, trained as a wireless operator, but was too late to serve overseas, and was demobilised in 1945 as a flight sergeant. Scotch’s lasting legacy was Don’s interest in hockey. After playing for Scotch, he captained the Old Scotch Hockey Club and became Hockey Victoria’s public relations spokesman. In 1956 he was an ABC commentator for the Melbourne Olympic Games hockey matches. On 24 September 1949 Don and Elizabeth May Sprague were married at Scotch by the Reverend Alec Fraser. In the post-war years Don was a manager in the family motor business of Holstock and Jamieson. In 1968 he joined the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce. He moved to Sydney in 1973 as executive director of the Motor Traders’ Association of NSW. One of his achievements was the establishment of the Code of Ethics, setting standards for
MTA members, and protecting consumers. Don founded the Automotive Group Training (NSW) in 1982 to train apprentices, and continued as its chairman after retiring from MTA in 1992. A highlight was Don being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), for service to commerce and industry, in particular to the motor trade. Don had a spinal stroke in 2000 but had his car modified to carry his wheelchair to maintain his independence. His last formal occasion was the Scotch Family Sydney Branch dinner in August 2017. He died on 15 January 2018 at the Bupa Nursing Home, Mosman, New South Wales. Don is survived by two daughters, three grandchildren and a greatgranddaughter. HUMPHRIES, Richard Hatherley (’66) Richard’s wife, Margaret, wrote: Richard Hatherley Humphries was born at Jessie McPherson Hospital, Melbourne, on 22 October 1947. He attended Carey Baptist Grammar School (1953-61) and Scotch from 1962 to 1966. Also at Scotch were his sons Fergus (SC 1981-93) and Charles (SC 1984-95), and nephew Hamish Everard (SC 1981-92). He told many entertaining tales about his teachers, but always with respect and gratitude for the education they provided. Richard was indebted to his parents for the opportunity to attend Scotch and also Melbourne University, where he completed a building degree. Scotch gave him a rewarding career and lifelong friends. On 6 December 1969 Richard married Margaret Muriel Langham
at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Gardiner. Richard always planned his life and achieved his goals. He formed C C & R H Humphries, Master Builders, a construction and architectural firm, with his cousin Christopher. They handled commercial, industrial and residential projects, including oil company work and housing projects in the eastern states. They started an alpine building firm for ski lodges, and were founding partners of the Dinner Plain Village near Mount Hotham. Richard retired in 1998. Enthusiastic about giving back to his profession, Richard was 1991 and 1992 national President of the Australian Institute of Building. Highly respected as a leader in construction management, he was chairman of a board providing advice about construction and property degree programs to Melbourne University. While building in the Alps, Richard obtained his unrestricted pilot’s licence for his work. He flew family and friends on adventures around Australia – seeing places like Broome, Darwin, Thursday Island, Lizard Island and much of central Queensland and the outback. Richard enjoyed travel to France and Russia after his retirement, and he became passionately interested in Russian history, art and architecture. His only regret at Scotch was that he learnt Latin, not Russian! His five trips to Russia inspired many friends to travel there. Richard lived life to the fullest and with no regrets. Richard’s friends and his five delightful grandchildren helped him to live with strength and cheerfulness in times that were sometimes challenging. He died at the Epworth Hospital, Richmond, on 8 November 2017.
McMECKAN, William James (’63) Jim’s wife, Tina, wrote: Jim was born at Melbourne on 11 October 1945, the son of Hugh and Miriam (nee Schmidt) McMeckan. He attended Carey Baptist Grammar School (1954-56) then Scotch (1957-63), where he excelled in sport, in particular representing Scotch in 1963 in Athletics and the 1st XVIII; and he helped to break an 11-year Scotch drought as bow of the winning 1st VIII. Jim obtained House colours, and was a 1963 School Probationer and Morrison House Captain. He helped to establish Scotch in the Alps, which took boys hiking in Victoria and New South Wales. The strong camaraderie that developed from Jim’s broad Scotch experience established many lifelong friendships. From 1964, Jim attended Ormond College and rowed for the Melbourne University Boat Club (MUBC), representing MUBC in Japan in the 1969 winning intervarsity eight. He was involved in building the Ormond ski lodge at Mount Hotham, which reached its 50th anniversary in 2017. Jim became an excellent skier, adding yet another sport to his repertoire. After obtaining a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) and Masters of Transport Planning from the University of Melbourne, Jim moved to California where he earned an MBA at UCLA and met the love of his life, Tina Renna Lada. They returned to Australia, and married in the Point Lonsdale Uniting Church on 19 July 1980. Their son Douglas (born 1981) attended Melbourne Grammar School and daughter Hilary (born 1989) attended Merton Hall.
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In Australia Jim was employed by Macquarie Bank for over 20 years, leaving the company as an executive director. By the late 1990s, Jim was actively involved in public infrastructure projects, particularly rail, overseeing the privatisation of the Victorian public transport system. He was later a partner of a specialised consulting firm focusing on public transport. Later in life, Jim bought a small vineyard named Basils Farm, transforming it into one of the most popular destinations on the Bellarine Peninsula. Jim died at Warringal Private Hospital, Heidelberg, on 10 February 2018 after a battle with cancer. He lived an extraordinary life filled with ambition and adventure, and his positive outlook never failed to inspire those around him. MITCHELL, Anthony Barclay Thomas (Mitch) (’63) Mitch’s mate, Peter Ingham (1953-62), wrote: Born on 29 September 1944 at Jessie McPherson Hospital, Melbourne, the son of Leslie Douglas Mitchell (born 14 August 1918, SC 1928-35, died 27 September 1972), Mitch (as he was known) attended Scotch from 1957 to 1963. Also at Scotch were his uncles, Kenneth Bonar Mitchell (born 27 November 1915, SC 1928-34, died 9 August 1978) and Alexander Maxwell Mitchell (born 8 April 1924, SC 1931-41, died 3 July 1999), and his nephew Stephen Black (SC 1981-92). Mitch was the epitome of modesty and understatement, belying a perceptive mind and a keen but exceptionally dry wit. Mitch worked for many years in Kodak Australia’s finance division,
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then became a self-employed food services industry retailer. In 1992 a lifestyle change took him to south-east Queensland, working for George Hartnett Funerals in Cleveland until retiring in about 2006. A very accomplished swimmer and a member of the 1962 Swimming team, Mitch’s main sport was golf, at which he also excelled. In Queensland he regularly played at the River Lakes Golf Club, of which he was treasurer for several years. On 2 October 1993 Mitch married Anna McAllister Alford at St George’s Anglican Church, Beenleigh, Queensland, and they had a loving marriage until Anna sadly died on 30 April 2006. Mitch died on 21 October 2017 at home at Mount Warren Park, Queensland, after a long illness, during which his qualities as a person were so apparent. He regarded himself as fortunate to have lived for 73 years, and he never complained about his health issues. Conversations were always about other people and their activities. Until the end he lived for the moment in a very philosophical way without a hint of self-pity. He will be remembered as a fun guy with a wicked sense of humour who enjoyed simple pleasures. Mitch loved a punt on the races and an evening of blind poker with the boys – he also enjoyed a glass or two of white wine, which I enjoyed sharing with him the day before he died. Mitch is survived by his sisters, Jacqui and Maxine; and also Chrissie and Belinda, the daughters he had with his first wife, Elizabeth Joy Kelley, whom he married in the Littlejohn Memorial Chapel at Scotch on 14 December 1973.
PENINGTON, Dr John Stewart (’46) John’s brother, Professor David Penington AC (SC 1940-47), wrote: John was born at Melbourne on 18 April 1928, the son of physician and teacher Dr Geoffrey Alfred Penington. He attended Carey Baptist Grammar School (1934-38) and Scotch (1939-45) and grew up in Wimba Avenue, Kew, with younger brother Graeme Ronald Penington (born 23 December 1932, SC 1940-51, died 12 June 2012) and me. Others at Scotch included our uncle Alan Harry Penington (born 9 March 1910, SC 1924-27, died 17 March 1986) and John’s great-nephew Geoffrey (SC 2000-01). John greatly enjoyed Scotch. He ran in the 1943 Athletics team and played in the 1944 and 1945 1st XVs. He graduated in medicine from Melbourne University (1951), later receiving his MD, membership of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (MRACP), and fellowship (1966). John’s first wife, Christina Clark Bennett, graduated in medicine in 1954. They married at College Church, Parkville, on 11 February 1956 and sailed to London. He worked at Hammersmith Hospital, taking the MRCP exam. He became honorary physician to out-patients at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in 1961, becoming senior physician from 1968, and retiring aged 65. He continued honorary mentoring of young doctors in his RMH unit. Highly sought as a consulting physician, with Collins Street rooms, John initially practised jointly with our father, and later with others including Dr Peter Greenberg. John was a physician at St George’s Hospital, Kew, for 33 years from
1960. A caring and humble person, John got to know every patient and their families, seeing healthcare as involving the whole person. Thousands of people have fond memories of his care. Christina held appointments at the Royal Melbourne, and became clinical supervisor of its Clinical School. They had three children, Christopher and David (both of whom attended Carey) and Alison (MLC). After Christina’s death from cancer on 15 June 1983, John was devastated. He married her Scottish nurse, Anne Gibson Milligan, on 17 February 1984 at the Melbourne Registry Office. They had a wonderful second marriage. John died at Kew on 16 December 2017. At his memorial service, Peter Greenberg cited respected medical colleagues attesting to him being a fine, caring physician, teacher and mentor of junior doctors. RITCH, John William (Jack) (’58) Jack’s daughters wrote: Our father was born at Nathalia on 15 July 1941, the son of James Hamilton Ritch (born 22 August 1908, SC 1924, died 3 February 1993). Known as Jack, he was a brother to Louise, Joan, Jean and Heather. After leaving Ringwood High School, Jack attended Scotch from 1955 to 1957. He spoke with pride about his Scotch days, and was thrilled to attend a school reunion a few years ago. On 23 October 1968 Jack married Patricia Ann (Tricia) Lloyd at the Melbourne Registry Office. Jack followed his father into the hardware game. There was nothing he did not know about hardware. It was said he could sell snow to
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an Eskimo, and often a customer would come to buy a tap washer, but leave with a set of taps and all necessary tools. Business took Jack from Boronia, to Sherwood in Brisbane, to Cremorne in Sydney, eventually settling in Brisbane in 1984. A keen golfer until he became less mobile towards the end, the social aspect of golf was most important, and Jack could be found at the Bellbowrie Rec and Spec on a Friday afternoon even if he could not play. His other passion was the Geelong Football Club, which he passed on to his grandchildren, Thomas, Mia, Rafael, Sam, Noah and Liam. In retirement Jack spent more time with them, teaching them to all play cards (and cheat quite well!). Jack and Tricia’s 49-year marriage was a great example of their endurance of love and patience. Jack loved good food and Tricia cooked delicious meals or desserts right through until his last days in hospital. Jack is remembered for his booming voice, infectious laugh and great interest in anyone he was talking to on any topic. Exceptionally well read, he devoured newspapers, the ABC news and the National Geographic. Jack died at the Wesley Hospital, Auchenflower, Queensland, on 1 July 2017. SCHRADER, Michael Clifford Galway (’47) Michael’s brother, Aubrey (SC 1946-50), wrote: Michael was born at Kew on 30 September 1930 to parents of English, German and Irish stock. He won a 1944 Junior Entrance Scholarship to attend Scotch from 1944 to 1947. A Probationer in his
final year, Michael matriculated with honours in Economics (Dux), French and Latin. He played in the 1946 and 1947 1st XV, rowed for Gardiner House, and keenly participated in the Dramatic Society. In March 1948, his father died after a long illness caused by a head wound received while fighting the Germans in France in or about 1917. At Melbourne University (1948-50), Michael graduated with honours in his Arts degree in Economics. From 1954, his great interest in transport became associated with his employment. With BP, Mayne Nickless, ACI and the Commonwealth Bureau of Roads, his focus was on the present and future economic aspects of the transport industry. He became a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Transport. Then, from 1972 to 1984, he was director of the Victorian Bus Proprietors’ Association, representing the association in overseas study tours, negotiations with unions, marketing, and cooperation with RMIT in its Bachelor of Business Studies (Transport) course. On 11 September 1976 he married Sandra Joy Rogers at St Clement’s, Elsternwick. Michael had always been interested in steam trains, and from 1953 he became very active in the Australian Railways Historical Society, eventually becoming an honorary life member. He was repeatedly a winner of the society’s annual photography competition. His brilliant shots of steam trains in action can often be found in railway publications. He was also, in the late fifties and early sixties, a Senior Scout Leader with the 10th Malvern Group, inspiring young hikers with enthusiasm for steam locomotives and overgrown bush tracks or disused timber tramways.
In 1984 Michael was appointed Director of Railways of Australia, an organisation which coordinated inter-system state activities in all spheres – operations, passenger and freight marketing, technical standards, industrial relations and research. Michael retired in 1996. He died, survived by Sandra, at Epworth Hospital, Richmond, on 27 November 2017. WARNER, Maxwell John (’50) Max’s brother, Peter (SC 1955-59), wrote: Maxwell John Warner was born at Kew on 13 September 1934 and attended Camberwell South Primary School, spent a year at Box Hill High School and then was at Scotch from 1947 to 1950 in Lawson Macfarland House. Max was young for his year level at Scotch, but enjoyed Scotch life throughout his time there. In 1949 he was a member of the Library Committee, and he was a member of the successful 1950 under 16A premiership cricket team. Relatives who subsequently attended Scotch included his brother Peter, and his nephews Steven (SC 1980-85), David (SC 1982- 87) and Anthony (SC 1984-89). Although Max wanted to study journalism, he found his way into the family plant nursery (now Warners Nurseries) at the urging of his father, and he never looked back. He married Margaret Helen Murton at St Mark’s Anglican Church, Camberwell on 26 May 1956. They lived in Burwood and raised three children, Suzanne, Michael and John, the two boys joining the family nursery. After divorcing, Max married Anne Marie Cullen at Gretna Green, Scotland,
on 18 May 2001. They set up a family home in Blackburn South with her children Vanessa, Matthew (SC 1991-96) and Michelle. Burwood was Max’s community: the people, the cricket club, the football club, the shops – Max knew everyone and everyone knew him. Such was his passion for the nursery industry that Max became the President of the Nurserymen’s Association of Victoria, and was subsequently the President of the national body. The nursery became an institution in Burwood, and more recently moved to much larger premises at Narre Warren North, celebrating 100 years as a family business in 2014. Max spent 51 years at Warners, from 1951 until 2002, helping it to grow from a retail plant nursery to the giant it is today, winning the national award for the best wholesale nursery in Australia in 2014. Max died at the Bellbird Hospital, Blackburn, on 28 July 2017. WILKEN, Mark Andrew (staff 2010-18) Scotch’s Head of Art, Mark Mason, wrote: Mark was born on 19 November 1957 and became a designer in residence at Scotch College in 2010. As a designer he had worked in the automotive industry in Germany and later was a design lecturer at Monash and Swinburne Universities. Mark ran drawing and rendering classes with students from the Art and Design and Technology Departments. He especially helped them visualise their design ideas and get them on paper. Mark always managed to make himself available to Scotch students even though he had
www.scotch.vic.edu.au Great Scot 89
Obituaries
a busy schedule as a freelance designer and lecturer. On 8 February 2018 he lost a long battle with cancer. Mark will be remembered by many Scotch design students as a friendly, patient and talented teacher, who always put them at ease and made them feel confident about their drawing and rendering. He will be sadly missed around the department for his artistic talents, generosity and his infectious laugh. WOOD, Noel Vasey (’57) Noel’s son, David (SC 1988-95), wrote: Noel Vasey Wood was born at Kew on 18 December 1939 and attended Scotch from 1954 to 1957.
School Archivist – Mr Paul Mishura
At Scotch he enjoyed basketball and showed a flair for chemistry. As well as his son, Noel’s nephew, Donald Moore (SC 1986-1997), also attended Scotch. Noel studied at Melbourne Pharmacy College and opened his own busy pharmacy in North Clayton, often making deliveries after hours. He took on a tough yet vital position at Moreland Hall Drug Clinic in Northcote during the 1990s, providing one-on-one counselling and dispensing methadone to heroin addicts. As a young man he enjoyed horse riding in the Blue Mountains and fishing with friends from a boat. Noel married Maureen Jean Moore at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Canterbury on 17 June 1964. His hobbies included scoring hymns, playing the piano, and
games of cards with friends and family, using his Scotch College cards. Noel briefly tried winemaking at his Portsea property and was a passionate wine enthusiast and collector. He had a very keen sense of humour. A member of Prahran Lions Club, Noel was president (1971-72), and he later joined the Wine and Food Society of Victoria. Noel fervently barracked at any Hawks’ game he attended. He was fond of cats, which followed him around and tore up his furniture. His titanium hip replacements kept his family waiting while navigating airport metal detectors. Noel was proud to have quit smoking in 1980. He collected Beach Boys albums in the 1970s, and was delighted to see them live at the Palais in 2015. A featured guest speaker at ‘Women’s Aglow’ Chadstone,
Caulfield, where he worked as a lay counsellor (2000-17), treating his work as highly confidential. He liked to attend the Christmas lunch for Scotch’s East Melbourne Glen Chapter and was a life member of OSCA. He kept his old footy socks from Scotch days. Noel fought prostate cancer, but it spread undetected, and he died in his sleep, surrounded by his family in palliative care at Cabrini Hospital, Prahran, on 15 August 2017.
Great Scot obituaries
The Great Scot obituaries column is a significant section of the magazine, recording the dates of birth, death and (where applicable) the Scotch attendance years of all current and past students, staff, School Council members, and others who have made a significant contribution to Scotch College, the Old Scotch Collegians’ Association or to the wider community. The School’s policies for Great Scot obituaries are: • The names, Scotch attendance years (where applicable) and dates of birth and death of current and past students, staff, and School Council members will be listed in the Great Scot obituaries column. • Family members or friends are invited to submit obituaries for editing by the Archivist and the Great Scot editorial team. All edited obituaries will be sent to originators for approval, to help ensure that obituaries are an
accurate, relevant and interesting record of • Obituaries are limited to 350 words, with Scotch Family members’ lives. the exception of those for very noteworthy • Only spouses for whom full marriage people as determined at the discretion of the details (full maiden name and exact date and Great Scot editorial committee. place of marriage) are supplied will be included. • Photographs of Old Boys should ideally • Reference will be made to multibe from their time at Scotch, and should be generational Scotch connections (e.g., son, sent as TIF files with a resolution of 300 dpi for father, grandfather, great-grandfather). photographs 6 inches x 4 inches, or 600 dpi • Special tributes recognising Scotch for a smaller photograph. Alternatively, original Family members who have made an photos can be donated, delivered or mailed outstanding contribution to Scotch College, to the Archivist for scanning (and return, if not the Old Scotch Collegians’ Association, or to donated to the School). the wider community will be initiated by the Great Scot editorial team. In these tributes, the Enquiries are welcome about Great Scot School will seek to include material, including obituaries. Please contact the Great Scot reflections, quotes and photographs, from Editor, Mrs Durga Kamte, on 9810 4302, or family or friends, and from other sources. durga.kamte@scotch.vic.edu.au. • Scotch College takes no responsibility Tributes and photographs should be for the accuracy of information supplied emailed to the School Archivist, Mr Paul by family members or friends, other than Mishura: paul.mishura@scotch.vic.edu.au, information which can be confirmed by or mailed to Great Scot Obituaries, Scotch Scotch College records. College, 1 Morrison Street, Hawthorn 3122. Noel was also asked to preach at his home church, St Paul’s, North
90 Great Scot Number 153 – April 2018
Online payment option now available Parents can now make secure online payments to either their school fee account or for trips/ excursions, from their 'My Account' page. Go to https://www.scotch.vic.edu.au/accred in order to view your account and make an online payment. Please contact Jane Chen (jane.chen@scotch.vic.edu.au) in the Accounts Office if you have any queries in relation to your account.
Scotch College, OSCA and Foundation Events
SCOTCH COLLEGE EVENTS Cordner–Eggleston Cup Cadet Tattoo Year 12 Formal Science Oration
27 April 1 June 11 August 15 August
Family Day
15 September
Foundation Day Concert
17 September
APS Athletics Finals
13 October
Valedictory Dinner
23 October
OSCA EVENTS Cordner–Eggleston Cup Lunch
27 April
OSCA/OWCA Golf Day Melbourne
18 May
OSCA Annual Dinner OSSO Concert
25 May 26 August
APS Golf Day Melbourne
26 October
Remembrance Day
9 November
OSCA AGM & Presidents’ Dinner
21 November
SCOTCH FAMILY BRANCH EVENTS London Branch
13 April
Mornington Branch
29 April
Perth Branch
10 May
Adelaide Branch
14 June
Hong Kong Branch
23 June
North East/Rutherglen Branch New York Branch
22 July July TBA
Sydney Branch
9 August
Bendigo Branch
24 August
Bellarine Branch
28 October
Tasmania Branch
1 November
OSCA REUNIONS Class of 1968 50 Year Reunion
20 April
Class of 1998 20 Year Reunion
31 August
Class of 1978 40 Year Reunion
7 September
Class of 2008 10 Year Reunion
12 October
Class of 1958 60 Year Reunion
16 November
FOUNDATION EVENTS Foundation AGM EMG Winter Lunch
23 May 6 June
Foundation President’s Dinner
19 September
EMG Christmas Lunch
14 December