MICHAELHOUSE THE CHRONICLE 2012 HEALTH HYDRO KICK-START1-IEALTHY LIVING & ENJOY 4 BESLrar L r°OPS , SOME WELL DESERVED “ME” TIME Brookdale focuses on providing an escape from the stresses of everyday life. Retreat to our haven where physical health and mental well-being can be restored to their balance through pampering treatments, healthy eating, moderate regular exercise and stress management. Why not take time out between your child's school commitments for a quick pamper at our Day Spa or treat yourself to a relaxing and rejuvenating 3 or 6 night package at the Hydro. 3 & 6 NIGHT FULLY INCLUSIVE PACKAGES FROM R 4150PP SHARING These rejuvenating packages include accommodation, 3 wholesome meals and mid-morning and afternoon snacks, pampering treatments, exercise classes, talks and use of all facilities. TERMS & CONDITIONS APPIY MINUTES FROM MICHAELHOUSE, VA HOURS FROM DBN & 4Vt HOURS FROM JHB j Tel 033 266 6208 www.brookdale.co.za GIFT VOUCHERS, DAY SPA AND SHOP AVAILABLE HEAVENLY & HEALTHY FOODS - A GREAT GIFT Our fabulous recipe and lifestyle book is packed with delicious healthy meals and a 21 -day eating plan. Purchase from the Hydro or order on our webiste and we will post it to you. 1 INDOOR HEATED POOL LIFESTYLE PROGRAMME I PROFESSIONAL TREATMENTS I I JACUZZI I SAUNA I STEAM ROOM I GYM STUDIO I LABYRINTH I Contents POSITION Michaelhouse, the Anglican Diocesan College of Natal, was founded in 1896 and is a South African boarding school for senior boys, with an international reputation. Situated on a secure estate in the beautiful Midlands of KwaZulu- Natal, the school has a fully residential staff which facilitates a high level of pastoral care and interaction with the pupils. The distinctive architecture of inter-linked quadrangles inspires a sense of belonging amongst the 555 boys. VALUES To live our lives according to the Christian values of integrity, humility, compassion and courage in service to our community and country. MISSION To provide a dynamic and progressive education for boys that respects individual needs and embraces diversity and change in pursuit of academic, sporting and cultural excellence, while developing social and leadership skills and nurturing spiritual growth. VISION ‘Our aim is to make, not accountants, not clerks, not clergymen, but men; men of understanding, thought and culture’ Founder Canon James Cameron Todd, Speech Day 1897 MESSAGE FROM 02 THE RECTOR LEADERSHIP 03 STAFF NEWS 08 ANNUAL REPORTS The Michaelhouse TYust 12 Buildings & Grounds 14 EVENTS Prize Giving 16 Speech Day 22 Receptio Ad Portas 33 ACADEMIC 35 SPIRITUAL 71

file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] CULTURAL 76 ENVIRONMENT 90 & COMMUNITY SPORT 94 STUDENT LIFE 134 HOUSE REPORTS 147 OLD BOYS 164 CLASS OF 2012 181 Editor: Mrs Melanie Wester Editorial Committee: Rector Guy Pearson, Mrs Melanie Wester, Mr Murray Witherspoon Advertising: Mr Murray Witherspoon Formal Photograph Organiser: Mr Graeme Calway Informal Photographs: Mr Elmar de Klerk, Mr Murray Witherspoon, Mrs Melanie Wester, Mr Ian Crawford Design & Layout: TerraNova Printers: Intrepid Printers Contact: Private Bag XI, Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal 3275, South Africa Telephone: +27 33 234 1153, Facsimile: +27 33 234 4611 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.michaelhouse.org 01 MESSAGE FROM THE RECTOR The Chronicle is a wonderful record of what has been an outstanding year for Michaelhouse. We are indebted to so many different constituents who have supported us and contributed to our success: Parents, Academic and Support Staff, Old Boys and the Board of Governors who give so generously of their time and expertise in the interests of the School. Most importantly I congratulate the boys on making the most of the opportunities afforded to them; it has been an exceptional year in all spheres of School life. As this is my last message in the Chronicle, I thought it would be appropriate for me to articulate what makes Michaelhouse special. It is first and foremost a Christian School; we are the Boys’ Diocesan School of KwaZulu-Natal. This is our foundation and informs our values and all that we do here. It’s no coincidence that the Chapel is at the very centre of the School. The sheer beauty of Michaelhouse, whether it be the Oribi Reserve with views over the Berg and across the Balgowan Valley; the grounds through the changing seasons; the stained glass windows; the grandeur of Warriors’ Walk, the cloisters. This is a beautiful place. The very nature of the design and texture of the red brick buildings gives a feeling of warmth and welcome. The quad system contributes to the special sense of belonging. The fact that we are a fully residential School; all Academic Staff and boys living on campus leads to a special relationship where we get to know the boys so well and mutual respect is achieved. Michaelhouse is an inclusive School: we accept all types from all parts of the country, and indeed the continent and the rest of the world. We have the ‘larnies and the farnies’ and the ‘bofs and the dofs’. We must never lose that balance! At Michaelhouse, individuality is encouraged. This idea necessitates respect for the individual. We encourage the maverick with its associated challenges which are always worth it. This is why we produce authors, businessmen, entrepreneurs, St Michael Award winners and the like. Our philosophy is to educate the whole man; to produce the ‘gentleman, scholar, athlete’, in that order. Let us not change that in the face of increasing professionalism and specialisation. I have always said that Michaelhouse provides the opportunity for every boy to find his niche. Some boys are good at everything but every boy is good at something. They can find that something here. And lastly, the boys. Mareé and I have entertained over 1 400 New Boys to dinner in our home, every occasion a special one. I have always appreciated the amazing openness of Michaelhouse boys, their social maturity in being able to engage and converse with anyone in any situation. To watch young boys grow into young men is truly a privilege and a joy. I thank everyone who has made the last 11 years such a special journey for us. It has been an honour to be the file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] fourteenth Rector of Michaelhouse. G PEARSON Rector Leadership H BOARD OF GOVERNORS: Back Row: Prof Owen Skae (President OBC), Mr Kevin Fleischer (Trustee), Mr Nigel Porter, Mr Charles Nupen, Mr Martin Mohale, Mr Peter Harris, Mr John Brand, Mr Chris Lister-James, Mr Chris Brown, Mr Rob Strachan, Mr Charlie Burton (Bursar), Mrs Kathy Butcher (Secretary) Front Row: Mrs Dolly Mokgatle, Mrs Lorato Phalatse, Mr Jamie Inglis (Chairman of the Trust), Mr Nigel Tatham (Board Deputy Chairman), Mr Gary Ralfe (Chairman of the Board), Mr Guy Pearson (Rector), Sir John Craven (Associate Governor), Mr Laurie Dippennaar (Associate Governor), Dr Zola Songca SCHOOL VISITOR Right Reverend Rubin Phillip, Bishop of Natal BOARD OF GOVENORS Mr F Bradford Mr JWD Brand Mr CCM Brown Mr NZ Buthelezi Mr JD Cheshire Mr PJ Harris Mr RH Strachan Mr CM Lister-James Mr MN Mohale Mrs D Mokgatle Mrs LWC Phalatse Mr NI Porter Mr GM Ralfe (Chairman) Prof FO Skae (President OBC) Dr Z Songca Mr C Nupen Mr NR Tatham (Deputy Chairman) Mr GN Pearson (Rector) Mr CB Burton (Bursar) ASSOCIATE GOVERNORS Sir JA Craven Mr LL Dippenaar Mr JG Inglis Dr B Ngubane Mr D Sacco TRUSTEES Mr PG Armitage Mr SL Crutchley Mr BG Dunlop Mr K Fleischer Mr RWJ Gush Mr JG Inglis Mr A Hewat Mr NI Porter Mr GM Ralfe Mr AM Smythe ^ ^ Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. ^ ^ Harold R. McAlindon 03 9 Leadership MANAGEMENT: Back Row: Mrs Melanie Wester, Mr John Crawford, Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield, Mr Nic Cahill Front Row: Mr Charlie Burton, Mr Allan Laing, Rector Guy Pearson, Mr Paul Fleischack, Revd Canon Alan Smedley MICHAELHOUSE STAFF 2012 MANAGEMENT Mr Guy Pearson, BCom, BED (Rhodes), Rector Mr Charlie Burton, BCompt. (Hons), CPA (SA), Bursar Revd Canon Alan Smedley, BCom, Dip. Theol, Chaplain Mr Paul Fleischack, MSc, HDE, Deputy Rector (Academics) Mr Allan Laing, HED, FDE, BED, MED, Deputy Rector (Pupils) Mr John Crawford, BA, UED, BED, Senior Master (Sport) Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield, BSc, PGCE, BED (Hons), Senior Master (Academics) Mrs Melanie Wester, Director of Marketing Mr Nic Cahill, HED, Senior Housemaster HOUSEMASTERS Mr Michael Bownes, BA, HED, M.U.R.P, Founders Mr André van Wyk, HED, BED (Hons), MED, East Mr George Ferreira, BA (Hons), HDE, West Mr Michael Schwartz, MSc (Physics), HDE, Farfield Mr Nic Cahill, HED, Tatham Mr Peter Huntley, BA (Hons), HDE, Pascoe Mr Johan van Rooyen, BA (Hons), HDE, Baines Mr Iain Guthrie, MSc, HED, Mackenzie HEADS OF DEPARTMENT Mr Richard McMichael, BCom, HDE, Accounting, EMS, Senior Tutor - Founders Mrs Louise Erwee, BA, HDE, Afrikaans, Home Room - East, Tutor - Media Mrs Julie Flanegan, BSc (Info. Proc.), HDE, Computer Applications Technology, ICT, Tutor - IT Mr Tim Jarvis, BA (Hons) (Ed), BA (Hons) (Psych), Counsellor, Life Orientation Revd Canon Alan Smedley, BCom, Dip. Theol, Chaplain, Divinity Mrs Sue Tarr, BA, UED, Dramatic Arts file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Mrs Win de Wet, BA, HDE, Economics, EMS, Home Room - Farfield, Intern Admin Mr Elmar de Klerk, HED, Engineering Graphics & Design, Tutor - Mackenzie Mrs Mary McMichael, BA, HDE, English, Home Room - Mackenzie, Tutor - Media Ms Martine Planteau de Maroussem, BA, PGD, HDE (French) Mr John Alexander, BA (Hons), Geography, HSS, Tutor - Founders Mr Mike Thomson, BA, HDE, History, HSS, Tutor - Founders Mr Sandile Khuluse, BA, UED, BED (Hons), Dip. HRM and Training, isiZulu (left 31/03/12) Mr Sizo Chalufu, BPead, PGF (Geog), isiZulu (wef 01/05/12) Mrs Lynn van der Vegte, BSc (Hons), MSc, Media Centre, Media Studies, Tutor - Media Mr George Ferreira, BA (Hons), HDE, Life Orientation Mr Paul Snyman, BSc, HED, Life Sciences, Natural Science, Tutor - Mackenzie Mr Bailey Coxon, BSc (Hons), HDE, Mathematics, Tutor - Baines Mr Abri Venter, BMus Ed, Music, Tutor - Music Mr Matthew Higginson, BSc (Hons), HDE, Physical Science, Natural Science, Tutor — East Ms Joy Preiss, HDE (Art) Visual Arts, Home Room - Founders, Tutor - Media 04 Leadership H ACADEMIC STAFF 2012: Back row: Mr Paul Snyman, Mr Dominic Gruijters, Mr Hayden Henderson-Everill, Mr Mzwandile Khwela, Mr Mike Thomson, Mr Sandile Khuluse, Mr Samukele Mofokeng, Mr Andrew Brown, Mr Ian Crawford, Mr Nhlanka Nzimande, Mr Justin Randall, Mr Murray Daniel, Mr Linda Linda, Mr Matthew Higginson, Mr Graeme Calway Fourth Row: Mr Halalisani Xulu, Mr Dean Forword, Mr Michael Stead, Mr Simon Crane, Mr Hannes Ebersohn, Mr James Bullough, Mr Craig Pieterse, Mr Richard Snowden, Mr Deon Royappen, Mr Righardt Kotze, Mr William Silk, Mr Bernard Whitaker; Mr Sibusiso Ncamane, Mr Jaap van der Vegte, Mr Shaun Thompson Third Row: Mr Bongumusa Cele, Mr Elmar de Klerk, Mr Gavin Ross, Canon Fred Pitout, Mr Peter Stevens, Mr Tim Jarvis, Mrs Lynn van der Vegte, Mrs Susan Tarr, Mrs Julie Flanegan, Sr Joanne McMillan, Ms Carlien Walters, Mrs Mary McMichael, Mr Bailey Coxon, Mr John Alexander, Mr Rodney Zondi, Mr Ryno Combrinck Second Row: Mr Abri Venter, Mr Chris van der Berg, Ms Martine de Maroussem, Ms Joy Preiss, Ms Isabelle Schweyer, Mrs Win de Wet, Mr Msizi Mchunu, Sr Leisa Albertyn, Mrs Lizel Ferreira, Ms Lisa Hardie, Mrs Hélene du Toit, Mrs Colleen Cook, Mrs Louise Erwee, Mr Richard McMichael, Sr Lauren Richmond, Mr Sihle Mtshali Front Row: Mr André van Wyk, Mr George Ferreira, Mr Johan van Rooyen, Mr Peter Huntley, Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield, Mr John Crawford, Mr Paul Fleischack, Mr Guy Pearson, Mr Allan Laing, Revd Canon Alan Smedley, Mr Nic Cahill, Mr Michael Bownes, Mr Michael Schwartz, Mr Iain Guthrie, Mr Bryan Tarr ACADEMIC STAFF Mr Dean Forword, BCom, PGCE, Accounting / EMS, Tutor -Mackenzie Mr Ryno Combrinck, HED, Afrikaans, Director of Rugby, Senior Tutor - West Ms Heléne du Toit, BA HED, Afrikaans, Home Room - Tatham, Tutor - IT Mrs Lizel Ferrreira, BSc HED, Afrikaans Mr Chris van der Berg, MA, HED, Afrikaans, Tutor - Baines Mr Johan van Rooyen, BA (Hons), HDE, Afrikaans Mrs Carlien Walters, BDram, Dramatic Arts / Afrikaans Mrs Kate Smedley, BA, HPTD, Divinity, Home Room - Baines Mr Andrew Brown, BCom. (Hons) HDE, Economics, EMS, Tutor - Baines Mr Linda Linda, BED, Dip. Tourism and Administration, Economics, EMS, Tutor - Founders Mr Msizi Mchunu, BED, Economics, EMS, Accounting, Tutor - Farfield Mrs Colleen Cook, BA, HDE, English, Assistant Librarian Mr Simon Crane, BA (Hons), HDE, English, Senior Tutor-Mackenzie Mr Richard Snowden, BCom, PGCE, English, Tutor - Farfield Mr Peter Huntley, BA (Hons), HDE, English Mr Samukele Mofokeng, BED, English, IsiZulu, Tutor - West Mr Bryan Tarr, BA, UED, English, Tutor - East Mrs Isabelle Schweyer, BA (Hons) (Spanish), French Mr Michael Bownes, BA, HED, M.U.R.P, Geography, HSS file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Mr John Crawford, BA, BED, Geography, HSS Mr Sibusiso Ncamane, BED, Geography, HSS, SeniorTutor - Baines Mr Bernard Whitaker, BED, Geography, HSS, Senior Tutor - Tatham Mr Dominic Gruijters, BSc (Hons), Information Technology, Tutor - Pascoe Mr Righardt Kotze, BSc (Hons) Sport Sciences, PGCE, Life Orientation, HK and Sports Sciences, Life Sciences, Senior Tutor - Farfield Mr Nic Cahill, HED, Life Sciences, Natural Science Mr Paul Fleischack, MSc, HDE, Life Sciences Mr Iain Guthrie, MSc, HED, Life Sciences, Natural Science Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield, BSc, PGCE, BED (Hons), Mathematics, APM Mr James Bullough, BED, HDE, Mathematics, Senior Tutor - East Miss Lisa Hardie, HDE, Mathematics, APM, Home Room - Pascoe, Tutor - IT Mr Allan Laing, HED, FDE, BED, MED, Mathematics Mr Sihle Mtshali, Mathematics, Tutor - Farfield Mr Peter Stevens, BA, HDE, Mathematics, Tutor - Pascoe Mr Deon Royappen, NPDE, ACE, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Tutor - Pascoe Mr André van Wyk, HED, BED (Hons), MED, Mathematics Mr Hannes Ebersohn, MMus (Performance), UVLM and UOLM (Piano and Organ), PGCE, Music, Home Room - West, Tutor - Music Mr William Silk, MMus, (Performance), Vocal Training and Conducting, Music, Tutor - Music Mr Gavin Ross, BSc (Hons), HDE, Physical Science, Natural Science, Senior Tutor - Pascoe Mr Jaap van der Vegte, BSc (Hons) (Chem and Wildlife Management), BED, Physical Science, Natural Science, Tutor - West Mr Michael Schwartz, MSc (Physics), HDE, Physical Science, Natural Science Mrs Janet Emanuel, NTSD, DSE (Rem), Academic Support Mr William le Cordeur, MA (Drama and Performance Studies), Theatre Director Mrs Sandile Sibiya, Visual Arts ■ Leadership STUDENT AND INTERN STAFF Mr Bongumusa Cele, Tutor - East Mr Ian Crawford, Tutor - Farfield, Home Room - Farfield Mr Murray Daniel, Tutor - Tatham Mr Ashley Dixon , Tutor - Mackenzie Mr Hayden Henderson-Everill, Tutor - Tatham Mr Mzwandile Khwela, Tutor - Mackenzie Mr Nhlaka Nzimande, Tutor - Founders Mr Craig Pieterse, Tutor - Baines Mr Justin Randall, Tutor - Farfield Mr Michael Stead, MSc, Tutor - West Mr Shaun Thompson, Tutor - East Mr Halalisani Xulu, Tutor - West Mr Rodney Zondi, Tutor - Pascoe IT SUPPORT Mr Brad Flanegan, BSc (Hons), Network Manager Mr Simon Dottridge, BCom, Network Senior Technician Mr Sbusiso Dlamini, Network Technician Mrs Naveshree Baldavoo, IT Support Secretary / ICDL Co-Ordinator / Test Supervisor SUPPORT STAFF Ms Zanele Ndlovu, Life Sciences Lab Mr Sipho Zikhali, Life Sciences Lab Mr Raymond Duma, Science Lab Miss Patience Ngubo, Visual Arts Centre SPORTS Mr Graeme Calway, UCB Level III (Cricket), Sports co-ordinator, EGD, Tutor - Tatham MEDICAL OFFICERS AND SANATORIUM Dr Jonathan Cook, MA. (FA) HDE, MB, BCH Dip. for Med (SA), School Doctor Sr Joanne McMillan, SRN (Dip), RM (Dip), RCN (Dip), B.Tech.- Primary Health, Senior Sanatorium Sister Sr Leisa Albertyn, SRN (Dip), RM (Dip), Community Health, file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Psychiatry and Midwifery, Sanatorium Sister Sr Lauren Richmond, SRN (Dip), RM (Dip), Pharm (Cert), Occupational Health (Cert), Sanatorium Sister ARCHIVES Mrs Robyn Gruijters, Archivist BOOKROOM AND TRANSPORT Ms Shy Bhugwandeen, Bookroom Manageress / Transport Clerk BURSARY Mr Charlie Burton, BCompt. (Hons), CPA (SA), Bursar Mrs Susan Dawson, Assistant Bursar (Admin) Mrs Pushpa Ramharack, Bursar’s Personal Assistant / Debtors Controller Mrs Rita Bhugwandeen, Cashier / Accounts Clerk Mrs Sheena White, Debtors Clerk Mrs Pushpa Govender, Photocopier / Clerk Mrs Lile Khuluse, Accounts Clerk (left 31/03/12) Mrs Poobie Govender, Creditors Controller CONFERENCE AND FACILITIES CO-ORDINATOR Ms Mandy Rouillard, Conference and Facilities Co-Ordinator DATA CONTROLLER Mrs Dorathea van Rooyen, Data Controller ESTATE / MAINTENANCE Mr Ernest Barkhuizen, Operations Manager (left 30/04/12) Mr Miles Alexander, Operations Manager (wef 01/05/12) Mr Danie Griessel, Workshop and Maintenance Manager Mr Gunther Heynecke, Grounds Manager Mr Russell Stickley, Maintenance Assistant Manager HOUSEKEEPING Ms Kelly Royden-Turner, Housekeeping Manageress and Safety Officer HUMAN RESOURCES Mrs Nancy Rouillard, Human Resources Manager Mrs Cindy Freese, Human Resources Secretary KITCHEN Mrs Carol Holyoak, Project Manager Mrs Juliette Brickell, Catering Manager Mr Jonathan Kalika, Catering Manager Mr Simon Xulu. Storeman LAUNDRY Mr Neil Akal, Laundry Manager MARKETING Mrs Melanie Wester, Director of Marketing Mr Murray Witherspoon, Marketing Officer Mrs Sian McDowell, Admissions Officer Mrs Caryl Balance, Marketing Secretary (left 30/06/12) Mrs Joanna Hume, Marketing Secretary (wef 01/07/12) MANAGEMENT SECRETARIES Mrs Sally Berriman, Personal Assistant to the Rector Mrs Kathy Butcher, Secretary to the Rector and Board of Governors Mrs Katriona Russell, Secretary to the Deputy Rector (Pupils) and Senior Masters Mrs Cillia van Wyk, Secretary to the Deputy Rector (Academic) Mrs Michelle Calway, Secretary to the Chaplain and Counsellor MEDIA CENTRE Mrs Lynn van der Vegte, Librarian Mrs Colleen Cook, Assistant Librarian Ms Zanele Mchunu, Library Assistant Mr Phlorian Mnikathi, Media Centre Mr Simon Zondi, Media Centre MUSIC SCHOOL Mrs Leigh Kotze, Secretary / Theatre Clerk OLD BOYS’ CLUB AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Canon Fred Pitout, Old Boys’Club Secretary, Community Partnerships Manager Mrs Michelle Huntley, Personal Assistant to Canon Fred Pitout Pastor Sipho Zuma, Community Partnerships TELEPHONISTS Mrs Shakila Moola, Senior Telephonist Mrs Rose Mlotshwa, Telephonist TRADE-INN Mrs Trish Akal, Manageress Mrs Mareé Pearson, Assistant Mrs Ronel van der Berg, Assistant TUCKSHOP Mrs Champie Narassa, Tuckshop Manageress Mrs Varsha Pillay, Assistant Manageress Ms Thokoza Msimanga, file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Assistant Ms Rachel Maharaj, Assistant TRANSPORT Mr Kees Grinwis, Transport Manager Mr Robert Duma, Driver Mr Denver Kalika, Driver Mr Eric Ngcobo, Driver Mr Albert Moletsane, Driver Mr Thula Sikakane, Driver Mr Cornelius Sithole, Driver Leadership H MICHAELHOUSE SCHOOL PREFECTS 2012 SCHOOL PREFECTS: Back Row: Kalelelya Mbizule, Mitchell Green, Alexander Pienaar, Tim Everett, David Watson Front Row: Olwethu Mhaga, Mr Allan Laing, Christopher Brits, Mr Guy Pearson, Robert Anderson, Rev Canon Alan Smedley, Zipho Mhlongo LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME Leadership training forms an integral part of the education programme offered at Michaelhouse. With a view to encouraging growth and individual leadership skills, all boys are regularly involved in developmentally appropriate tasks and experiences. Extended hikes and dynamic adventure challenges are designed to encourage teamwork and cooperation and to foster self-discovery and esteem. They focus on building confidence in each boy so that he is able to assume a leadership role with confidence. Numerous leadership roles are created through formalised School Prefect, House Prefect and Student Leadership systems. Specific programmes are run for those involved in leadership positions in the School. Together they form a fundamental part of the programme designed to nurture the leaders of tomorrow, and to build an environment where junior boys are inspired through the example of their seniors. East Prefects Tom Burne and Max Sullivan give E Blocker Khulu Mjwara a hand with his trunk on New Boys' Day 07 H Staff News STAFF LEAVING During 2012, we said farewell to the following members of the Staff who had worked at Michaelhouse for less than ten years: Mrs Mareé Pearson, Mrs Lile Khuluse, Mrs Caryl Balance, Mr Simon Crane (English), Mr Samukele Mofokeng (English and isiZulu), Ms Isabelle Schweyer (French), Mrs Lizel Ferreira (Afrikaans), Mrs Michelle Calway (Secretary to the Chaplain and Counsellor) and Mr Ashley Dixon (Intern Staff). We also said goodbye to Mzwandile Kwela of the Support Staff. OVER TEN YEARS Rector Guy Pearson Written by Senior Prefect, Christopher Brits The Michaelhouse Community bade farewell to Rector Guy Pearson, aka - ‘Reeky P’ or, quite simply, one of the greatest enrichers of Michaelhouse in its history. Together with his gracoius wife Mareé, they formed a strong team. Mrs Pearson gave selflessly in so many different ways; and her deep love of the School, and her unstinting involvement, will be reflected in the lasting legacy which she has left behind. During his 11 years here, Michaelhouse has reached new heights, in all aspects of the School; and through him, the boys have always had an example of a man of ‘thought, understanding and culture’; a true Man of Michaelhouse to look up to. It seems that wherever Mr Pearson has been, a trail of success and reputation lies in his wake. He grew up on a farm in the Eastern Cape and attended Queens College where he was appointed Head Boy in his final year, with his identical twin brother as Deputy Head Boy (I feel sorry for the New Boys who had to learn all the Prefects’ names!). At Michaelhouse he has been one of the strongest and most valuable pillars, his support and commitment were unfailing and were always expressed in his friendly and approachable nature. Although we will NEVER remember as many names and faces as he could, we will always remember his ability to relate to people on a personal level. We will always remember his wise and relevant words delivered in assemblies and on Speech Days and we will always remember his calm and composed nature in all his dealings with boys and Staff. Anyone who has been involved with a great school with an established heritage and tradition will be very aware of some of the demands and challenges that regularly face the Headmaster, or in our case, the Rector. If anything, we might have sometimes taken Mr Pearson’s leadership for granted. He always seemed to be enjoying himself while at work, in whatever form, and it’s easy to forget the immense responsibility he always carried, quite casually, and so incredibly well. It was part of a daily routine to see Mr Pearson in the quads, talking to every boy he saw, and in the afternoons walking the School grounds, leaning into that familiar striding lope, walking stick in hand and Benji his dog playing file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] nearby. It’s every bit as much the small details, along with the great things that Michaelhouse will remember Mr Pearson for. With him leaving for the Cape, we only know that a new trail of success and reputation is beginning, and as he takes over the reins at Bishops we wish him and his lovely wife, Mareé, all the best in their future endeavours together. Rector Guy Pearson and his wife Mareé Pearson Bryan Tarr Written by Mr Nic Cahill Bryan re-started his Michaelhouse teaching career in 1990, having taught Afrikaans for two years before leaving to spend some time in the corporate world. He then became disillusioned by the pursuit of money, having experienced first hand the risks that are so often a part of the financial world. It had always been on the cards that Bryan would return to being a Housemaster (he had completed a short stint as Housemaster of West prior to leaving) and he succeeded Stuart Winckworth as the man in charge of Baines. Under Bryan’s care, the boys flourished and he always had time to listen to issues that were important to them. He was a fine counsellor. There were never conditions or hidden agendas and the boys benefitted enormously from this personal level of care and guidance. As a Housemaster, Bryan had a huge amount to offer; he understood boys and their needs so well. Bryan loved this role and the impact that he had on the lives of so many boys is still evident, even today when Baines Old Boys meet with him. There is a warmth that is a clear indication of the mutual regard and respect. 08 Staff News H Mr Bryan Tarr Bryan’s methods were often unconventional; and invariably it would be in defence of a troubled boy that he would most commonly take an unusual stand. He struck that rare balance between concern for the individual as well as the ongoing health and effective functioning of the group. There was therefore always a healthy atmosphere of fun and mutual respect amongst boys in Baines. I was also able to benefit from Bryan’s wisdom in interacting with boys and their families during my early years as a Housemaster. 2012 will see the end of a long and happy road that has seen Bryan significantly influence many boys in so many areas of their lives at Michaelhouse. We are grateful for Bryan’s time at Michaelhouse and wish both him and Sue well as they move into their already much loved home in Hilton. Susan Tarr Written by Mr William le Cordeur When a maestro drama teacher who has influenced so many young men puts down her chalk, stacks away her dance mats and hangs up her clown hats, a short article is not enough to reflect upon the significant influence a person of Mrs Tarr’s stature has had. I was taught by Mrs Tarr back in the 90s. I will never forget her classes. We could speak about any subject, and dramatic writing covers quite a large and sometimes risky subject area, so conversations in her classes were welcomed. Indeed, she would encourage discussion covering the most challenging topics, and she would listen openly, affirm free thinkers, and keep the trouble cases quiet. She had fire, I remember, a spark that fuelled urgency amongst my peers to create good theatre, to attempt the most daring physical feats through Mrs Susan Tarr movement and to always enter the stage for a reason, a passionate cause. I was 16 when I wrote and directed an adaptation of Oedipus Rex, my first directorial effort. It changed the direction of my life. In this her final year at Michaelhouse, I have directed the full version of Oedipus Rex. A fitting farewell, I hope, to an inspiring teacher. What makes Mrs Tarr unique as a teacher is her ability to connect openly and honestly with her students, to draw from their true experience and to listen openly to their opinion. This attribute has been echoed many times, most recently by Shaheed Roberts, a Matric leaver this year, who thanked her after the final practical exams. Mrs Tarr gave everything to her Matrics during practical exam preparations. Her input can be compared to directing up to six plays simultaneously, with extensive physical, vocal and character work with each performer, within each group. The time it takes for this process is extensive. She did this every year, but not mechanically, rather through insightful, sensitive, caring and wise constructivism. Mrs Tarr encouraged open thinking and confident discussion in class, and this often resulted in drama students producing practical work way beyond their years. Mrs Tarr’s movement technique (had we been learning anywhere else it may have been referred to as dance) is also file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] her own. Having vast experience as a gymnastics coach, her movement classes are as physical as a rugby practice, if not more so. The result of the work was exhilarating though, changing the mind-sets of boys who thought of dance as feminine, and creating a challenge for the most committed rugby player to extend his reach, examine his strength and push his fitness to the very limits. The daring acrobatic and physical nature of her movement routines will be remembered, and hopefully future lessons will be continued to her very high standard. 09 H Staff News Mrs Tarr is her own person, with her own very strong opinions of theatre and people, a pairing which cannot be separated. Her fun and energetic approach to life outside the classroom means that spending time with her is never dull. To learn of all her philanthropic work was no surprise, as she is a person with huge integrity, practicing the humanity she teaches in class in her own private life, much to the delight of the school children of Lidgetton Township. Mrs Tarr will be sorely missed by her colleagues. Goodbye Mrs Tarr. SANDILE KHULUSE Written by Sibusiso Ncamane Sandile arrived at Michaelhouse in 1996 to take up a position as the Head of the isZulu Department. That same year, he married Lile and they were soon blessed with two boys, Vuyo and Andile who were both born at Balgowan. Sandile was a professional who taught with passion and enthusiasm and during his tenure as HOD, the subject became a popular choice for boys. He created a lively and welcoming classroom environment which was enjoyed by his students. He was highly regarded by his colleagues for his professional conduct which led to him being appointed as a national IEB examiner. During his time at Michaelhouse Sandile did not only excel in the classroom; he embraced the true spirit of the Michaelhouse teacher, immersing himself in a variety of activities such as coaching basketball, canoeing, and rugby. However it was on the soccer field where his passions found their greatest outlet. He revived the School’s soccer programme, and elevated interest in the game to new levels during his time here. He was both the Master in Charge for soccer and the first team coach for many years. Sandile put Michaelhouse on the soccer map when he pioneered a successful football tournament that was rated highly, attracting top soccer playing schools from around the country. Sandile played a key role in pastoral care as a tutor in various Houses. He often referred to his students as ‘my boy’, this best illustrating the father figure role he played in enthusiastically carrying out his pastoral care responsibilities. He also played a pivotal role in community development by being involved in various events that were hosted by the community such as weddings and funerals. He was a role model and an inspiration to the community and he was frequently invited to motivate young people in the area. SIPHO ZUMA Written by Canon Fred Pitout Sipho Zuma took up the post of Community Pastor in January 2002. He quickly settled into his new ministry role in Zenzane Village, Asithuthuke Combined School and, indeed, in the wider Balgowan community. In his time here he completed an ICDL course and a Diploma in Theology through ESS A. Sipho’s kind and generous disposition enamored him to all those he met. Living in Zenzane Village he came alongside any who were troubled or ill. He pioneered ministry to those suffering with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS. Working with the Balgowan Clinic, 12 people were trained as Home-Based Carers. With the Balgowan Health and Social Development Committee the new St Raphael’s Hospice was planned and, at time of writing, was three-quarters complete. Sipho formed a vibrant and happy partnership with Father Fred Pitout and Mrs Michelle Huntley, overseeing more than 20 local projects in recent years, including the transfer in 2005 of original homes in Zenzane Village, to Michaelhouse Staff. Having built a house in Lidgetton, Sipho leaves Michaelhouse to establish a new Anglican congregation and new community projects in the Lidgetton Village. We pray God’s blessing on Sipho and Bongi and their six children. They shall be missed by many. Inkosi inibusise ngekusasa lenu. Staff News H Intern, Mr Mzwandile Khwela with E Block boys Wenzile Ngcobo, Christopher Lotze and Thomas Scott-Berning NEW STAFF INTERNS During 2012 we welcomed the following new Staff to Michaelhouse: Mr Bailey Coxon (HOD Mathematics), file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Mr Deon Royappen (Mathematics), Mr Richard Snowden (English), Mr Miles Alexander (Operations Manager), Mr Sizo Chalufu (HOD isiZulu) Mrs Sue Walker (Bursary), Mrs Joanna Hume (Marketing) Mrs Caroline Higginson (Security Analyst), Mrs Noelene Burton (Sanatorium), Mr Nhlanka Nzimande (Intern), Mr Craig Pieterse (Intern), Mr Justin Randall (Intern), Mr Michael Stead (Intern), Mr Halalisani Xulu (Intern), Mr Rodney Zondi (Intern) and Mr Karl Swartz (Intern). M' aster in Charge: Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield The Intern Programme has had a very successful year and continues to grow excellent teachers for South Africa. The new Interns joining us this year were Mr Mzwadile Khwela, Mr Rodney Zondi, Mr Justin Randall, Mr Karl Swartz, Mr Nhlaka Nzimande, Mr Michael Stead, Mr Hala Xulu and Mr Craig Pieterse. The Intern teachers are affiliated to an Academic Department and attend or team-teach in various academic classes. They are also responsible for the E Block Integrated Studies Programme and made a huge success of this in 2012. The Interns also continued to assist in the successful running of the Community Partnership projects this year under the guidance of Canon Fred Pitout. Mr Bongumusa Cele continues to give generously of his time to Mathematics and Science education in schools that are in need in our community. Mr Mzwandile Khwela will graduate from the programme at the end of this year when he completes his honours degree. We have had 14 Intern teachers in 2012 and anticipate expanding this number to 16 in 2013. The Intern teachers of 2012 have been excellent and have made very valuable contributions to the academic, sporting, pastoral and cultural life of the School. 6 6 A teacher affects eternity: he can never tell where his influence stops. Henry Adams I Annual Reports THE MICHAELHOUSE TRUST Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31 December 2011 Investment markets Global investment markets were extremely volatile in 2011. Markets were affected by a number of major events including the massive earthquake in Japan, the uprisings which swept across North Africa and the Middle East and the political stalemate in the US with regards to the lifting of the debt ceiling as well as the downgrading of US Sovereign debt by the rating agencies. However, the year was really dominated by events in Europe. Eurozone countries, bound by a single currency but characterised by very different economies and some critical fiscal deficit positions, found themselves lurching from crisis to crisis. The problem really centred on the unsustainable levels of debt incurred by certain countries, namely Greece, Portugal, Italy and Spain and the knock-on effects felt by European banks which had lent to these countries. The share prices of Eurozone banks fell in aggregate by 36% in 2011, following a fall of 26% recorded in 2010. The Core Eurozone countries (Germany, France and the Netherlands) and the European Central Bank were slow to react to the crisis with the result that European stock markets sold off sharply before recovering somewhat towards the end of the year. Events in Europe tended to mask a real, if uneven, recovery in the US and continued reasonable growth in emerging markets and the Far East. Nevertheless, world stock markets in general tended to perform poorly over the year. Market index 2011 % Move ($) MSCI World -5.0 MSCI US +2.1 MSCI UK -1.8 MSCI Europe -10.5 MSCI Japan -18.6 MSCI Emerging -18.2 Salomon World Bond +7.5 The JSE All Share Index delivered a positive return of 2.6% over the year. The Index was pulled down by a weak mining and resources sector (-6.7%) whereas financials and industrials managed to deliver a reasonable performance (+8.3%). Stock picking skills were therefore an important factor in generating performance in 2011. The Rand depreciated materially during the course of 2011 from R 6.62 to the Dollar at 31 December 2010 to R 8.07 to the Dollar at 31 December 2011. Accordingly, world stock markets rose in Rand terms (MSCI World + 15.9%) whereas the JSE declined materially in Dollar terms (JSE All Share Index -15.8%). Investment performance file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] During the year the Trustees interviewed several potential new Fund Managers for the Trust and took the decision to appoint Melville Douglas (a member of the Standard Bank Group), in place of Foord Asset Management, with effect from 1 June 2011. The combined return achieved by Foord/Melville Douglas for the year amounted to 7.8% as against the benchmark return set by the Trustees of 9.3% and the median performance of South African Large Fund managers of 7.3% as recorded in the Alexander Forbes Large Fund Manager Watch Survey. Distributions to the College A joint decision by Trustees and the Michaelhouse Board of Governors saw the budgeted income distribution of R2 587 099 reduced to R1 617 099 for 2011. The key reasons for this decision were: (i) Michaelhouse’s continued excellent financial results, (ii) a conservative approach adopted by the Board in respect of capital expenditure, and (iii) the modest investment returns achieved by the Trust over the last three years In November 2011, the Board of Governors decided to invest the School’s contingency reserve (R3 099 831 set aside for short and medium term capital expenditure, financial assistance and extraordinary expenditure) with the Trust. The Trust’s year end investment and cash portfolio, including the significant investment made by Michaelhouse, rose by 8.57% over 2010 (11.54% 2010 over 2009). The estimated income distribution to Michaelhouse for 2013, using the Trustees’ new calculation method but subject to confirmation and approval by Trustees, will be R2 677 633 (R2 571 483 in 2012). The net income, distributions to Michaelhouse and realised capital surpluses utilised over the last three years were as follows: Annual Reports H 2011 2010 2009 R R R Net income for the year before distribution 1290 726 1 291 271 1 541 679 Distribution to Michaelhouse (1 617 099) (970 000) (3 845 867) Retained eamings/(excess distribution) for the year (326 373) 321 271 (2 304 188) Realised capital surpluses distributed 5 102 2 302 945 Retained earnings at beginning of year 321 271 1 243 Retained earnings at the end of year 321 271 Net income for the year before distribution was much the same as in 2010. Points of interest include the following: - Dividend income increased marginally as a result of the prevailing economic climate. Interest income increased by 7.6% primarily due to a greater portion of the portfolio being held in interest bearing investments during the handover period between fund managers and due to the significant cash injection provided by the investment of Michaelhouse’s contingency reserve towards the end of the year. - Expenditure increased by R56 659 or 22.9% over 2010. The key contributors to the increase in expenses were: Management fees increased by R43 693 with portfolio realignment by the new Fund Manager being a key contributor, and investment income allocated to the Michaelhouse contingency reserve investment amounted to R19 465. The increased expenditure was partially offset by a negotiated decrease in the audit fee. College utilisation of distributions received Income distributed by the Trust to the College has been utilised as follows: 2011 2010 2009 R R R Unexpended income - beginning of the year 970 000 1 021 033 Income from The Michaelhouse Trust 1 617 099 970 000 3 845 867 2 587 099 1 991 033 3 845 867 Capital expenditure and work in progress (2 587 099) (1 021 033) (2 824 834) Unexpended income - end of the year 970 000 1 021 033 Trust income distributed to the College for capital expenditure has been applied to the following projects: 2011 2010 2009 R R R Accommodation in Houses 2 587 099 Multi-purpose indoor centre (cricket facility) 920 282 Staff accommodation 1 021 033 1 904 552 2 587 099 1 021 033 2 824 834 H Annual Reports New Dam's wall exposed after the dam was drained to repair a leak file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS Written by Mr Charlie Burton Building upgrades and development continued throughout 2012 and Michaelhouse’s 2013 capital expenditure budget will ensure that we face another busy year of building. Below is a summary of the key projects completed this year. The Farfield and West House ablutions were upgraded in the same style/finishes as already achieved in East House. Work commenced on Tatham House’s ablutions in December 2012. The IT Department (moved to the old English Block), Afrikaans Department (moved to the converted VIth Form building) and the extension of West House into the space previously occupied by IT, were all part of the Accommodation in Houses Project reported on in last year’s Chronicle, and were successfully completed during the course of the year. The main objective was to ensure that all Michaelhouse boys would again be resident in their respective Houses. This objective was achieved with the bonus of having three Academic Departments extremely happy in their modern new teaching venues. As agreed by Management, an annual allocation is made from the capital expenditure budget for energy saving/environmental issues and classroom upgrades. The heat exchange units installed in the Houses were tested during the year and have been altered to maximise electricity savings without negatively impacting on the availability of hot water for the boys. Ten staff residences were fitted with appropriately sized heat exchange units and the overall electricity savings being achieved with this equipment has been significant. Mrs Amanda Jarvis, our resident Gardens Manager and Interior Decorator, has been kept busy with the on-going programme of classroom and House upgrades. Houses are having carpets removed from public spaces and replaced with FloorWorx signature luxury vinyl planks (mahogany). The new flooring has been tested in East House with the proven benefits being: cost savings on carpet cleaning and carpet replacement; and a diminished threat of house dust mite and other allergic reaction precipitators. Weather permitting, we are hopeful that the new seating and shade project for the swimming pool will be completed before the boys return in 2013. A leak discovered in New Dam provided us with a very interesting and unbudgeted for repair job to carry out. Delving into the history of the dam, it would appear that the height of the dam wall was increased just before the major floods of 1987. Unfortunately the material used did not blend well with that of the existing dam wall and over the years a leak had developed along the joint between new and old material. With the expert advice and guidance of Richard Robertson (OM) and Duncan Houston (Michaelhouse parent) the leak has been repaired and 14 Annual Reports H Repairs to the Chapel’s roof being carried out the area around New Dam is in the process of being made a little more attractive. Importantly, the improvements made will enable us to detect any possible future leaks in the dam far sooner. Staff housing has again received significant financial attention with upgrades to electrical reticulation, roofs, gutters, bathrooms and kitchen replacements being the main focus. The 2013 capital expenditure budget has the completion of the House ablution upgrades (Baines, Founders, Tatham, Mackenzie and Pascoe) as its primary focus but Management has adopted a conservative and well balanced approach (Academic vs Support Department needs, building upgrades vs new equipment needs) to their prioritisation exercise. We extend our thanks to the outgoing Operations Manager, Mr Ernest Barkhuizen, for the good work done by him at Michaelhouse and we record a warm welcome to his replacement, Mr Miles Alexander. We, the resident Michaelhouse Staff, have the enviable privilege of living in the idyllic surroundings of Balgowan, and particularly of Michaelhouse, all year round (even when covered in a foot of snow). This year we also record our sincere thanks to Mr Chris Brown who retires from the Board of Governors at the end of 2012, and who has quietly, confidently and efficiently chaired the Buildings, Grounds and Environmental Committee for a number of years. To maintain our beautiful estate takes a significant team effort and thanks must be extended to everyone involved in this effort. 15 H Events Deputy Rector, Mr Paul Fleischack with Senior Prefect, Christopher Brits, Gues Pearson in the Pennington Quad after the Prize Giving Ceremony PRIZE GIVING 16 FEBRUARY 2012 Address by the Rector, Mr Guy Pearson Mrs Brits, Members of Staff, Ladies and Gentlemen and young Men of Michaelhouse. I am pleased to announce the winners of the John W Hamilton Internal Scholarships for 2012; awarded to the top boy file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] in each Block in 2011 who does not currently hold an academic scholarship: B Block: Wulf Mosburger C Block: Dominic Pretorius D Block: James Quin E Block: Nicholas van Niekerk The winners of the Sir Henry Strakosch Scholarships, for best marks achieved in Maths and Science for 2011; two boys in each Block: B Block: Michael Harrison, Sean Markham C Block: Steven Clowes, Dominic Pretorius D Block: Gianluca Truda, Angelos Geranmayeh E Block: Ben Adey, Christian Botha These scholarships are valid for one year. Congratulations to you all. The Matric class of 2011 produced sound results, the highlights were: Of the 111 boys who wrote the exams, all passed; 104 achieved Degree Entry Certificates if Honour, Mrs Liesel Brits, Second Prefect, Robert Anderson and Rector Guy Six boys achieved Diploma Entry Certificates. One boy achieved a Higher Certificate Entry pass Nicolas Wiehe-Lagesse and Paul Hewat were the joint Dux for the year. Nicolas, Paul and David Brill also achieved Commendable Achievement awards for being placed in the top 5% in the country in five or more subjects. Only 14 candidates in KwaZulu-Natal achieved this. The following boys were placed in the top 1 % in the country in the following subjects: Paul Hewat: English, History, Life Orientation, Mathematics David Brill: Accounting, Life Science, Science Nicolas Wiehe-Lagesse: French Jeremy Bradford: Geography Jon-Paul Akal: CAT, Maths Literacy Kopano Maroga, Andrew Houston and Dale Atkinson: Maths Literacy 22% of all subject symbols were A (1,65 per candidate) 46% of all subject symbols were A and B Top number of distinctions were earned by the following pupils: Nine Subjects: Nicolas Wiehe-Lagesse Eight Subjects: David Brill, Paul Hewat, Chester Holliday, Richter Landman Seven Subjects: Andrew Stephens Six Subjects: Reece Chittenden, Kopano Maroga, Jonathan Needham There has been much debate in the press, in schools and amongst parents about the 2011 national results; particularly the inflation of Events H Prize winners Tom Burne, Wuf Mosburger and Hanko von Schlichting results in the state sector. The question being asked is ‘Are pupils writing the IEB exams disadvantaged at admission to university because of the inflation of results in the state sector?’ I would like you to ponder the words of Professor Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, in his Opinion Analysis. ‘If I had to make the choice with my own children today, I would seriously consider not sending my child to school in South Africa, for one simple reason: I do not trust a system that makes it possible for a child to pass Grade 12 with 30% in some subjects and 40% in other subjects. I would be filled with fear when I discover that you can get 32% in Mathematics and 27% in Physical Science and still get an official document that says you can continue to study towards a Bachelor’s degree at university. I would worry myself senseless when I enrol my child in Grade 1 knowing that she could be among the more than half a million children who would not make it through to Grade 12.1 would be horrified at the possibility that the Principal might force her to do Mathematical Literacy because someone decided she could not do pure Mathematics, because it would make the school’s pass averages look bad. And I would be angry when I find that she is guaranteed to be among the 96% pass rate for Life Orientation when all the other subjects in the National Senior Certificate have pass rates way below this number. It is extremely difficult to fail Grade 12 in South Africa today. You have to put in a special effort, miss your classes, deliberately provide wrong answers to questions, and hand in your paper early during an exam session and maybe, just maybe you will fail. But you would not sense this crisis in the Grade 12 examinations because the major newspapers with one or two exceptions have swallowed the lies from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) that more than 70% of our children “passed” this national examination. Never before have there been so many distinctions, we are told more children are qualifying to study at university, we are informed. Education is getting better and better every year, we should all be happy. There is nothing to be happy about. How do I know this? First of all, a large percentage of the students who “passed” file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Grade 12 will struggle to pass in the first years of university, not only in fields that require Mathematics and Science. University lecturers will tell you that in their experience, students over the years have gotten weaker even as the matriculation results on the outside get stronger.’ Professor Jansen says it all; he is referring to the inflated results achieved in the state sector. This, together with the research that indicates that IEB students make up only one in eight of first year admissions to UCT and yet constitute one in four of the graduating class, is proof that many students who write the National Senior Certificate are not coping at university. We also know that more and more universities are using the National Benchmarking Tests in conjunction with Trials and Matric Finals results for admission. We are confident that the IEB is an examination that has integrity, is internationally benchmarked and prepares students well for university. What does this mean for our young men here at Michaelhouse? It is simple really, we need to work harder. This means optimum use of class time and prep time. We are concerned that boys are distracted during prep time, in particular, by cell phones and computers and we are looking at ways to control this. Already we have implemented an open door policy for B and C Block boys during class time and prep time. We are also concerned that our boys are not getting enough sleep at night. H Events Prize Giving award winner, Steven Clowes In a Wellness Survey conducted by Discovery Sharksmart at the end of last year, 35% of the boys indicated that they felt tired during the school day while 17% indicated that they had six or less hours of sleep per night. We know that in order to function effectively adolescents require between eight and nine hours of sleep a night. We know that most of the sleep deprivation is caused by the use of technology when the boys should be sleeping. Gentlemen, you must aim higher, work harder and sleep better. Do not be satisfied with a university exemption pass or the sub-minimum number of points needed for acceptance into various faculties; you need more! We need to begin now and look forward, not to sound results as we had last year, but outstanding results. Good luck. SUBJECT PRIZES E BLOCK GABRIELLE MASSEY PRIZES Joshua Cullinan, Ngcebo Maseko, Matthew Menear, James Smith and Nicholas van Niekerk AFRIKAANS First in Subject: Zander Prinsloo Diligence: Duncan Boyes, Geoffrey Brink, Mark Hadley-Grave, Ross Laing and James Newton ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCE First in Subject: Charles Houston Diligence: Daryn Flanegan, Ngcebo Maseko, Trafford Melville, Thandokuhle Mnguni, Bruce Rouillard, James Smith and Jordan van Rees ENGLISH First in Subject: Nicholas Harrison and Nicholas van Niekerk Diligence: Wesley Biggs, Thomas Greig, Mark Hadley- Grave Andrew Christodoulou with the Ralfe Trophy for Academic Effort, won by Tatham House and Jordan van Rees FRENCH First in Subject: Ibukunoluwa Shonibare Diligence: Devan Cowley HUMAN SOCIAL SCIENCES First in Subject: Nicholas van Niekerk Diligence: Mark Hadley-Grave, Stewart Grant, Frank Goble, Nicholas Harrison and Shingi Vambe ISIZULU First in Subject: Thandokuhle Mnguni Diligence: Michael McCarthy MATHEMATICS First in Subject: Ben Adey Diligence: Rory Allan, Wesley Biggs, Devan Cowley, Daryn Flanegan, Shingi Vambe and Murray Williamson NATURAL SCIENCE First in Subject: Nicholas Harrison Diligence: Duncan Boyes, Daryn Flanegan, Ross Laing, Trafford Melville, Shingi Vambe and Robert Wood MERIT CERTIFICATES (Aggregate over 80%) Ben Adey, Nicholas Anderson, Ryan Anderson, Richard Beckett, Wesley Biggs, Geoffrey Blore, Christian Botha, file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Duncan Boyes, Dante Ceronio, Joshua Cullinan, Daryn Flanegan, Frank Goble, Nicholas Harrison, Charles Houston, Brandon Macleod, Ngcebo Maseko, Michael McCarthy, Thandokuhle Mnguni, Ryan Price, Zander Prinsloo, Blake Springate and Nicholas van Niekerk Third in Block: Nicholas Harrison Second in Block: Daryn Flanegan First in Block: Christian Botha 18 Events H D BLOCK GABRIELLE MASSEY PRIZES Matthew Chetty, Jonathan Doyle, James Hallier, William Lotter and Gianluca Truda AFRIKAANS First in Subject: Robert Perrott and Jacques Swarts Diligence: Alasdair Bruce, James de Chastelain, Jason Schwegmann, Gianluca Truda and Gregory Vogel ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCE First in Subject: Angelos Geranmayeh Diligence: James de Chastelain, Nicholas Egberink, Thomas Fleming, Chad Fourie, Helger Pretorius and Aidan Versfeld ENGLISH First in Subject: Gianluca Truda Diligence: Kyle Baird, James de Chastelain, William Lotter, Ross Purbrick, Jonathan Smith and William Winship FRENCH First in Subject: Bryan Hall Diligence: Amman Yusuf HUMAN AND SOCIAL SCIENCES First in Subject: Robert Perrott Diligence: Tsakani Baloyi, James de Chastelain, Chad Fourie, Brent Johnston and James Quin ISIZULU First in Subject: Mayibongwe Mkhize Diligence: Jonathan Doyle MATHEMATICS First in Subject: Gianluca Truda Diligence: Jonathan Doyle, David Jones, Reinhardt Pienaar, Dale Tratschler and Angus Usher NATURAL SCIENCE First in Subject: Angelos Geranmayeh, Robert Perrott and James Quin Diligence: Nicholas Egberink, Thomas Fleming, Jonathan Smith and Gianluca Truda MERIT CERTIFICATES (Aggregate over 80%) Luke Baber, Shawn Bailes, Cameron Chaplin, Simon Cheshire, Jonathan Doyle, Aidan Friend, Angelos Geranmayeh, Campbell Green, Cameron Hampson, Steven Harris, Luvuyo Khuzwayo, Robert Lee, Robbie Lynn, Bradley Mallett, Mayibongwe Mkhize, Fundile Nkuta, Robert Perrott, Ross Purbrick, James Quin, Nicholas Richardson, Michael Schram, Jacques Swarts, Michael Tatham, Gianluca Truda and Gregory Vogel Most Improved Aggregate: Louis Albertse Third in Block: Angelos Geranmayeh Second in Block: Robert Perrott First in Block: Gianluca Truda C BLOCK GABRIELLE MASSEY PRIZES Tyrone Arnold, Seth Banda, Matthew Potter, Nicholas van der Bos and Dylan Zoutendyk ACCOUNTANCY First in Subject: Mitchell Bird Diligence: Kura Maswera and Phila Mtshali AFRIKAANS First in Subject: Joshua Geldenhuys Diligence: Cameron Bird, Michael Bouwer, Luke Dixie, Daniel Kramer, Luke Stevens and Daniel van der Leeuw COMPUTER APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY First in Subject: Michael McDonald Diligence: Daniel Kramer DRAMATIC ARTS First in Subject: Kyle Pyne-James Diligence: Joshua Geldenhuys ECONOMICS First in Subject: Jonathan Goschen Diligence: Christopher Brownlee, Sebastian Holzbach and Joseph Johnson file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] ENGINEERING GRAPHICS AND DESIGN First in Subject: Stuart Riddell Diligence: Phila Mtshali ENGLISH First in Subject: Matthew Potter Diligence: Mitchell Bird, I\imi Mahlare, Kyle Pyne-James and Luke Stevens FRENCH First in Subject: Coulsey Savory Diligence: Cian Grendon and Jan-Frederick Krumhoff GEOGRAPHY First in Subject: Dominic Pretorius Diligence: Justin Clarke, Jan-Frederick Krumhoff and Nicholas van der Bos HISTORY First in Subject: Matthew Jennings Diligence: Joshua Geldenhuys INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY First in Subject: Nicholas Schram Diligence: Branagth Cooper-Botha Reid ISIZULU First in Subject: Phila Mtshali Diligence: Joy Mhlanga LIFE ORIENTATION First in Subject: Neo Ngcobo LIFE SCIENCE First in Subject: Matthew Potter Diligence: Jabulani Magubane, Michael McDonald and Robin Tatham ADVANCED PROGRAMME MATHMATICS First in Subject: Batebang Mapetla MATHEMATICS First in Subject: Steven Clowes ■ Events Diligence: Tyrone Arnold, Kingsley Hartmannsgruber, Oliver Howard, Nicholas Schram and Drew Shiel MATHEMATICAL LITERACY First in Subject: William Lin Diligence: Luke Macnab MUSIC First in Subject: Darren de Beer Diligence: Joy Mhlanga PHYSICAL SCIENCE First in Subject: Steven Clowes Diligence: Dominic Ferreira, Jonathan Goschen and Stuart Riddell VISUAL ARTS First in Subject: Dominic Ferreira Diligence: Michael Burn MERIT CERTIFICATES (Aggregate over 80%) Mitchell Bird, Stephan Bosch, Michael Burn, Justin Clarke, Steven Clowes, Darren de Beer, Jonathan Goschen, Sebastian Holzbach, Matthew Joubert, Khwezi Majola, Batebang Mapetla, Michael McDonald, Lonwabo Mgoduso, Matthew Potter, Dominic Pretorius, Nicholas Schram, Joe Sutton, Ryan Thompson, Adrian Wolfson and Dylan Zoutendyk Most Most Improved Aggregate: Luke Macnab Third in Block: Lonwabo Mgoduso Second in Block: Matthew Potter First in Block: Steven Clowes B BLOCK GABRIELLE MASSEY PRIZES Kyle Dreyer, Michael Greig, Olwethu Mhaga, Matthew Molyneux and James Quick ACCOUNTANCY First in Subject: James Quick Diligence: Wulf-Carl Mosburger and Luke Strachan AFRIKAANS First in Subject: Darren Goosen, Carel Swarts Diligence: Tom Burne, Andrew Christodoulou, Ian McKenzie and Shaheed Roberts COMPUTER APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY First in Subject: Tyrin de Gidts Diligence: Jonathan Dean DRAMATIC ARTS file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] First in Subject: Hanko von Schlichting Diligence: Kyle Harrison ECONOMICS First in Subject: Tom Burne Diligence: Nicholas Baber, Simon Blackie, Nicholas Murphy and Carel Swarts ENGINEERING GRAPHICS AND DESIGN First in Subject: Thomas Coyne Diligence: Jason Venter FRENCH First in Subject: Wulf-Carl Mosburger Diligence: Digby Douglas-Dufresne GEOGRAPHY First in Subject: Tom Burne Diligence: Robert Anderson, Russell Anderson, Timothy Everett and Matthew Heenan HISTORY First in Subject: Blake Botha Diligence: Piers Rosholt INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY First in Subject: Mitchell Green Diligence: Thomas Coyne ISIZULU First in Subject: Zipho Mhlongo Diligence: Olwethu Mhaga LIFE ORIENTATION First in Subject: Tom Burne LIFE SCIENCE First in Subject: Wulf-Carl Mosburger Diligence: Timothy Everett and Olwethu Mhaga ADVANCED PROGRAMME MATHMATICS First in Subject: James Quick Diligence: Kyle Flanegan MATHEMATICS First in Subject: Matthew van Koevering Diligence: Nicholas Last, Wulf-Carl Mosburger, Yash Naik and Hanko von Schlichting MATHEMATICAL LITERACY First in Subject: Digby Douglas-Dufresne Diligence: Joshua Moon PHYSICAL SCIENCE First in Subject: Tom Burne Diligence: Thomas Coyne, Andrew Christodoulou, Olwethu Songca and Hanko von Schlichting VISUAL ARTS First in Subject: Russel Anderson and Jake Dovey Diligence: Christopher Taylor MERIT CERTIFICATES (Aggregate over 80%) Robert Anderson, Tom Burne, Timothy Everett, Kyle Flanegan, Darren Goosen, William Grant, Mitchell Green, Michael Harrison, Cole Hunt, Sean Markham, Wulf-Carl Mosburger, James Quick, Carel Swarts, Christopher Taylor, Matthew van Koevering and Hanko von Schlichting Most Improved Aggregate: Matthew Molyneux First in Block: Tom Burne, Wulf-Carl Mosburger and Hanko von Schlichting HOUSE ACADEMIC AWARDS Academic Achievement (Fleischer Shield): Tatham Academic Effort Trophy (Ralfe Cup): Tatham ENGLISH First in Subject: Mitchell Green Diligence: Luke Bolton, Andrew Christodoulou, Tyrin de Gidts and Justin Moberly Packages To Suit Your Every Need Ranging from Midweek 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Call us today H Speech Day Senior Prefect, Christopher Brits, Rector Guy Pearson, Chairman of the Board, Mr Gary Ralfe, Guest of Honour, Justice Arthur Chaskalson and Second Prefect, Robert Anderson on Speech Day SPEECH DAY 23 AUGUST 2012 Address by the Chairman of the Board, Mr Gary Ralfe file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Bishop Rubin Phillip, Guests of Honour Justices Arthur Chaskalson, and Pius Langa in absentia, Rector Guy Pearson, Ladies and Gentlemen, Men of Michaelhouse. We stand today on the cusp of two Rectorships. And today we salute Guy Pearson on his valedictory Speech Day. If we consider what the Rector of Michaelhouse must embody, nothing can be as important as Values. The Values Statement of Michaelhouse enjoins us: ‘To live our lives according to the Christian values of integrity, humility, compassion and courage in service to our community and country.’ The Rector of Michaelhouse should be the role- model of these values. We recognise that Rector Pearson embodies these values and lives his life in accordance and in harmony with them. Before Greg Theron submitted his application for the Michaelhouse Rectorship, he spent a couple of hours with me in order to form his own assessment of what Michaelhouse was all about and whether it would be the right school for him in addition to him being the right man for the School. His experience, his reputation and his manner made him the first choice in a strong field for all seven of us who were on the selection panel. I believe that it was the judgment from either side that Greg Theron’s values accorded with Michaelhouse’s. Our view of Greg Theron as being the right man to lead this great School of Michaelhouse was given the blessing of Bishop Rubin. The Mission Statement of Michaelhouse is: ‘To provide a dynamic and progressive education for boys that respects individual needs and embraces diversity and change in pursuit of academic, sporting and cultural excellence, while developing social and leadership skills and nurturing spiritual growth.’ It is a mouthful; and as a wide-ranging mission, it needs a person of outstanding ability and character to drive it as Rector. If he is to lead Michaelhouse to fulfill its mission he has to have wide and all-round competencies. He must have the basic school mastering ability and experience of teaching and educating boys. He must lead a dynamic and progressive institution; he must embrace Vision 2015 and its aspirations of diversity and change to be relevant to the new South Africa. He must make sure that his Staff are pursuing academic, sporting and cultural excellence. And at the same time he heads an Anglican foundation where spiritual growth is important and where for so many of the Michaelhouse Community the Chapel is regarded as the central point. And with the young men of Michaelhouse progressing through puberty, the Rector is ultimately responsible for the development of their social and civic skills before they leave this sheltered institution and go on to the wide world of university and beyond. To run a school like Michaelhouse one needs organisational skill, as well as some financial acumen to peer intelligently over the Bursar’s shoulder. Public relations and marketing skills, ambassadorial charm, and a real passion for the job. Guy Pearson has demonstrated that he is blessed with all of those abilities. We believe that Greg Theron will also give ample testimony in due course of his own set of skills. 22 Speech Day H Within the Michaelhouse Mission Statement lie the words ‘respects individual needs.’ It is a differentiating factor of Michaelhouse that the individual boy lies at the heart of our aspirations. That each boy should be given the individual care and attention to be happy here at Michaelhouse. To thrive at what he does best and to be given the opportunity to develop his own abilities be they wide or be they focussed. Guy Pearson has the reputation not only of knowing every boy by name, his parents as well, but also each boy’s involvement, his achievements and his disappointments. His legendary ability to remember names is not a party trick; it is the manifestation of the very real interest that Guy Pearson has in each boy. What we look for in a Rector, in addition to the values that are the core of this School, are leadership and moral courage. In parenthesis, leadership and moral courage are what are also required by the Chief Justices of South Africa to defend our Constitution and the Rule of Law, whatever the political pressures. Here at Michaelhouse the Rector exercises leadership to command the respect not just of the 555 boys, of the Academic Staff, of the Support Staff but also of the wider Michaelhouse Community, of parents, of Old Boys, of other schools, and indeed of the local community. We need the Rector to have the moral courage to face up to the difficult situations, like alas, bullying, which from time to time occur in a complex place like Michaelhouse; and without fear or favour to take the action which he deems to be just and correct in the situation. I know from my five years as Chairman of the Board that Guy Pearson, for all his pleasant demeanour, his gentleness, is not afraid of confronting difficult situations and making decisions which he knows to be right but which might not be popular. His recent action and leadership in respect of the Black and Red party is a manifestation of his moral courage. We believe that Greg Theron is endowed with the same moral courage. Guy Pearson will, at eleven years, be the second longest serving Rector of Michaelhouse, after Fred Snell 1939-1952. If Guy Pearson had not been regarded as a resounding success he would not have had his contract extended by the Board on two occasions. We applaud two ex-Chairmen present today, Anthony Evans whose Board elected Guy file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Pearson, and Jamie Inglis who inducted him to Michaelhouse. With all those with whom I engage, notably his own Management Team who know him best, the consensus is that Guy Pearson has brought Michaelhouse into a very strong position. It is difficult to measure that strength. It would be trite to say that Michaelhouse has never had as good a rugby season as this last one, or that after a century-old drought it should produce not just one Springbok but two. Probably the best yardstick by which to measure Guy Pearson’s success is in applications for places at Michaelhouse. When Guy Pearson arrived here eleven years ago there were 530 boys of whom twelve were in the VIth Form. Next year we will be bursting at the seams with over 560 boys and with no VIth Form. More significantly the applications have grown in an exponential fashion so that over the last three or four years there have been two and more serious applications for each place available. So the judgement of the education marketplace is that Michaelhouse is a desirable school. It is trite but true that behind every successful man there stands a strong woman. I know that from my own career and I am sure that Guy Pearson is equally well aware of that and of the great companionship and support that he has had from his wife Mareé. She has been to him a rock, the centre of his own well-adjusted Family and Home, and an unwavering support. She has also been in her own right an emblem for Michaelhouse of caring, of compassion, of gentleness and of welcome. Mareé is a professional primary school teacher. Nobody would have disputed it if she had decided to continue her own career in a primary school in the vicinity. Instead she chose to be the Rector’s Wife first and foremost, the gracious First Lady of the campus. Chairman of the Board of Governors, Mr Gary Ralfe, addressing the audience on Speech Day Just as Guy came from a school not widely known to the Michaelhouse community, so does Greg Theron. For the last twelve years he has been Headmaster of Penryn School in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. He is the second Headmaster of a school that is now celebrating its first twenty-five years. Penryn started as an outreach project of St Stithian’s School in Johannesburg, well known to all of you. And it was at St Stithian’s that Greg Theron earned his spurs as a teacher, and was promoted to be the Director of Academic Studies in the VIlh Form. Greg Theron was born in the southern suburbs of Johannesburg. He was educated at Mondeor High School and then went on to WITS University where he gained more than one academic degree: BA. (Hons), a Higher Diploma in Education, and finally an MSc. Greg Theron’s academic discipline is Geography; he even lectured at WITS University while he was studying for his Masters. And from the base of Geography he has become a keen environmentalist. His dissertation for his Honours and his thesis for his Masters were all about the highly topical issues of air pollution and climate change. In the interviewing process we learnt that Greg Theron insists on having a class to teach at least once a week, so as to maintain his own direct involvement with the classroom. Penryn, which I have never visited, has many characteristics which distinguish it from Michaelhouse. It embraces both primary and secondary education. It is co-ed, it has nearly 1200 pupils, it has both boarding and day school; and in its racial demographics it is much more transformed than Michaelhouse. It has a teaching Staff of 190 compared with Michaelhouse’s 60 odd. But behind all the differences it has the same aim and that is to nurture and develop boys and girls through to maturity. We are confident that in our somewhat different environment Greg Theron will display the same values and the same leadership that he has demonstrated at Penryn. Like Guy Pearson, Greg Theron has built up a great reputation in educational circles and in the local community. Like Guy Pearson he is known for his engagement with the children under his care. He also has the reputation of being somewhat of a disciplinarian, which in this day and age is not a bad thing. When Deputy Chairman Nigel Tatham and I came to Michaelhouse school assembly to announce the new Rector I remember saying to your sons that Greg Theron has the build and the bearing of someone who will not pass unnoticed when he goes through the Quadrangles of Michaelhouse. That did not seem to go down as well as I thought it might. But the boys brightened up considerably when I said that in addition to two sons, already through school and both at Rhodes University, Greg Theron 23 ■ Speech Day has a daughter aged 13 and called Kessia. She will be moving next year to our sister school St Anne’s. Greg’s wife is called Angela. Like him she is from Johannesburg, co-incidentally born and raised only a street or two away from where my wife and I live in Saxonwold. Like Mareé Pearson, Angela Theron is a trained teacher but intends putting teaching aside when she comes to Michaelhouse and turning to community work, as well as being the Rector’s wife. In three weeks’ time the Board of Governors will be meeting in a day and a half long Bosberaad in order to define the objectives for the new Rector. The following week I shall be visiting Greg Theron at Penryn to moderate these objectives. And then a few days later he will join us at the meeting of the Board of Governors. Ladies and Gentlemen, of our many distinguished Guests today it is appropriate that I should single out Simon Weaver, Headmaster of Cordwalles. Simon is an Old Boy of Michaelhouse. Cordwalles is a preparatory school in file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Pietermaritzburg of which he is the Headmaster, and is this year celebrating its Centenary. Cordwalles was founded in 1912 by Bishop Samuel Baines, Bishop of Natal. The purpose of the foundation was to provide a feeder school for Michaelhouse which was not then twenty years old. To this day Cordwalles remains an important feeder school for Michaelhouse and I am proud myself to have been at Cordwalles before Michaelhouse, as indeed my old Father was before me. Cordwalles has also become an important feeder school for Hilton College and, as always, we welcome Yann LeClezio, Chairman of the Hilton Board and Gavin Thomson, the Headmaster. 1 also applaud Hilton College for educating a Chief Justice of South Africa, one of our two distinguished Guests of Honour, Arthur Chaskalson. I turn to the financials of Michaelhouse. In front of this great gathering I commend the Bursar for his immaculate stewardship of the finances of Michaelhouse. We also acknowledge with gratitude the tireless work of Jamie Inglis and the other Trustees of the Michaelhouse Trusts. In this past year there have been some extraordinary benefactions into the Michaelhouse Trusts via the Chairman’s Club. I single out one substantial donation which comes from a very Old Boy in the twilight of his life. He has been living in Australia for the last forty years and yet he has seen fit to remember the School that nurtured him in another country so long ago. The Board is conscious that Michaelhouse is one of the most expensive schools in South Africa. It is concerned that over the last ten years the increase in school fees has well outpaced the Consumer Price Index of South Africa. It is concerned about the affordability of Michaelhouse and is determined to try and hold future increases of fees to no more than the CPI. Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for your attention. Address by the Rector, Mr Guy Pearson Bishop Rubin, Mr Chairman and Mrs Ralfe, Guests of Honour; the Honourable Justices Langa and Chaskalson; Ladies and Gentleman, Staff and Men of Michaelhouse. Thank you Chairman for those extremely kind and humbling words. Before I get too swollen headed I am reminded of the story of a Headmaster who consulted his Head Boy: ‘Do you think that it would be a good idea to build a statue of myself?’ To which the boy replied: ‘Yes Sir, it would provide shade from the sun, shelter from the wind and the pigeons a chance to speak for all of us.’ (I notice that the bust of James Cameron Todd, at the front of School, has a few droppings on it!). I remember very clearly my first Speech Day at Michaelhouse in August 2002 in the Amphitheatre; I was very nervous and faced with a sea of unfamiliar faces. Today I am just as nervous but the sea of faces is much more familiar and I dare say friendly. I thank all of you for being here today for this special and significant day. I especially welcome Justices Langa and Chaskalson; their presence at the School both yesterday and today has added huge significance to this occasion. I thank Bishop Rubin for his presence and support of Michaelhouse and for me personally, it is sincerely appreciated. A special word of welcome to my colleagues; Heads of other KwaZulu-Natal schools; their support, friendship and encouragement over the past 11 years has been sincerely appreciated and I thank them for that. As is custom I will not dwell on the School’s and the boys’ individual and collective achievements; these have been well communicated to you during the year and are recorded in the programme; suffice to say that it has been an exceptional year for Michaelhouse. In June we completed the Independent Quality Assurance Agency process and the Mentor’s report concludes as follows: ‘This is an extremely busy school and one senses a firm sense of purpose. The boys and Staff have a strong loyalty to their school and this is seen in the work ethic of the Staff and the commitment of the boys to their studies and extra- mural activities. The teachers interviewed were passionate about their subjects and the School .The boys were well turned out and I found them to be open, friendly and their pride in their School is palpable. I have never seen the Quality Targets better handled than they were here. Michaelhouse is a School with a strong culture of self-evaluation and its planning for the future is on-going. The Chapel Service was reverent and took place in what must be one of the finest chapels in the country. The School is set in one of the most beautiful parts of the country and the grounds and buildings are exceptionally well maintained. The School deservedly has the reputation of being one of the best in the country.’ My sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed towards our success this year. I have said before that Michaelhouse is a complex environment with many different constituents; I am pleased that during this year all our constituents have, by and large, had a common vision for our School. We are indebted to the support we receive from so many; the Board under the leadership of Gary Ralfe have given generously and substantially of their time and expertise. This year in particular they have been extremely diligent in the recruitment, appointment and preparation for the new Rector. I personally believe they have made an excellent choice in Greg Theron and know that this community will give him their full support. I have been privileged to work with three Chairmen, Jamie Inglis, Bruce Dunlop and Gary Ralfe, not only have I survived them but with all three I file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] have enjoyed a wonderful relationship and received fantastic support. I thank them and all Governors for their exceptional contribution to Michaelhouse. The Trustees, lead by the amazing Jamie Inglis, have ensured that Michaelhouse is one of the best endowed schools in South Africa. This has ensured continued improvement in facilities, but more importantly the provision of bursaries for boys who would not otherwise be able to attend Michaelhouse. The Old Boys have provided enthusiastic and loyal support with the annual Gaudies very well represented. Thanks must go to President Owen Skae for his wise counsel and sensible leadership of this most important constituent. Speech Day H And what of the parents? I know I speak for your sons when I thank you for your support of their and our endeavours. We know that times are tough and that a Michaelhouse education comes at a cost, and in many instances at great sacrifice. Thank you to each of you for your support for me during my tenure as Rector. Living and working at Michaelhouse is a way of life; it has enormous advantages but on the other hand requires huge commitment from the Staff, both academic and support. This is a 24/7 environment and requires a ‘Mr Chips’ commitment from all those involved. I thank all the Staff and the Management Team for their contribution to a wonderful year. As always, Speech Day marks the end of the career of special and significant Staff; this year is no different. At the end of the year we bid farewell to Bryan and Sue Tarr who have a combined service of 50 years at Michaelhouse. They are perfect examples of all that is good about Michaelhouse teachers. Over so many years Bryan has committed himself completely to all aspects of life at this School. As Housemaster of Baines, he established a rapport with his boys that was typical of Bryan’s whole philosophy: he believed in talking to people. In everything he did, he showed interest, eloquence and a delightful sense of humour. Sport has always featured significantly in Bryan’s life and he has shown his considerable skills in cricket and hockey. He enjoyed his years in charge of the U14A cricket squad, and succeeded in inspiring and instructing these young men. Bryan also knows all there is to know about hockey, and over the years he has played a key role in all aspects of the game at Michaelhouse, Master-in-Charge, First Team coach and guide to an array of lesser teams. He still talks about his Dream Team of the 90s, and he has left his mark on the Michaelhouse Hockey Vocabulary. No boy Bryan has ever coached will ever call their daughter Gladys, and his famous cries of ‘Go left! Left! No, the other left!’ or ‘We’re the ones wearing the white shirts!’ will stay with us for ever. In the classroom too, Bryan demonstrated his enthusiasm, eloquence and versatility. He taught Afrikaans, History and, most recently, English. Bryan may well not have made full use of data projectors and PowerPoint, but he always succeeded in showing his love for the subject, and his knowledge of it, through the power of the spoken word. Sue has also made an exceptional contribution to Michaelhouse as Head of Drama. Sue has been a veritable fire-brand and boys will know that she is not someone to cross! They also know that she has a heart of gold and will do anything for her boys to ensure that they are properly prepared for those daunting Drama practical exams. The Drama results over the years have been excellent and this is due in no small measure to Sue. Her colleagues have high praise for her invaluable teaching methods with the boys. They describe her as an enthusiastic and empathetic teacher who cares enormously about the boys as people, who laughs a lot with her students and at her students; she gets how they think. Sue is passionate about her subject and inspires much in her students and expects them to give of their best. When one student was asked about how he felt that she was now retiring, he said: ‘I’m sad she’s leaving, she’s very stylish and retro!’ The Tarr’s have contributed significantly to this community and we thank and salute them. Exactly 61 years ago, at Speech Day in 1951, Rector Snell announced his resignation from Michaelhouse; he had this to say: ‘I have to tell you that I have resigned from the Rectorship of Michaelhouse as from the end of 1952.1 have taken this step for two reasons - the first was already in my mind when in 1944, having spoken of the advantages of a limited tenure of Housemasterships, I remarked that I believed that similar principles applied to Headmasterships. I have always dreaded the possibility that by staying too long the day might come when I might do Michaelhouse more harm than good, and yet have no longer the youthful resilience required to dig up roots which have gone very deep, to adventure out in something new. I am vain enough to think that neither of these has yet come to pass, but not so vain as to fail to recognise that they could before I reached any customary age of retirement. The second reason is that I am file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] profoundly convinced of the urgent need for an independent senior school in Southern Rhodesia, and equally that it is of vital importance that it should be a Church school.’ Today Peterhouse, the school founded by Rector Snell in Zimbabwe, is a thriving and successful school and in 2005 we celebrated not only their 50th anniversary but also the link between the schools with the building of the Snell Bell at the front of School. In many ways my situation is similar as I leave for a new challenge; although I sincerely hope that Bishops does not require the monumental energy which was required of Snell in founding a new school! So, as I look back over 11 years, how do I describe Michaelhouse, what do I believe we should be trying to achieve and the challenges which lie ahead? I want to quote from a letter I received from a parent in 2009 whose son had left Michaelhouse and his reflection on his son’s experiences: ‘When I think of the many things you have got so right, I am continually drawn to the analogy of the scales in the School crest because so much of life is a question of balance. I feel that you have got the balance between discipline and “fun” almost perfect. I have never encountered a School which so many boys enjoy so much. And as for discipline, it is quite remarkable how deep the boys’ good manners go - far beyond the “Good Morning Sir/Madam” stuff, their genuine sense of respect for other people is very impressive. Then there is the balance of boys, the variety of boys’ abilities and personalities. All boys are different of course but I think that the one thing I have always admired most about Michaelhouse is the way you seem to make room for all sorts and in so doing achieve a real mix of boys, which is, of course, the best way to prepare each and all of them for the real world. Some schools have no room for arty types, some place too great an emphasis on sports, some will not take boys who are not likely to achieve the highest academic standards, but Michaelhouse seems to make room for a wide multiplicity of boys and I think that is a wonderful strength and goes a very long way towards explaining the truly unique sense of brotherhood that is so evident between Michaelhouse boys. There is also of course the issue of racial mix. There is no doubt that you are all to be congratulated for the School’s success in promoting tolerance. There is a naturalness to the boys’ inter-racial friendships, which is real and transcends political correctness. Then there is the balance between religion and secularism and again I think you probably have got this spot on. Then there is the balance between academics and sport. I also think you have got that right too. Let me say that I think Michaelhouse’s success in growing men of integrity and ability to add value is quite unparalleled and we feel very proud to have been some small part of the Michaelhouse Community.’ ■ Speech Day Senior Prefect Christopher Brits and Second Prefect, Robert Anderson enjoy a light-hearted moment on Speech Day Well, I think that parent has got it almost right. In many ways it has always been the School’s philosophy to strive for a balanced, allround approach in all that we do. The ideal of education should be to produce the Gentleman, Scholar, Athlete in that order. We need to beware lest the demands for specialisation undermine this ethos. This is a challenge we face as the pressure to employ professional coaches in sport for example, seems to be on the increase. I do not need to tell you parents about the shenanigans which have gone on in the arena of schoolboy sport this year, in particular in KwaZulu-Natal. As a colleague of mine so aptly exclaimed recently: ‘we have lost the plot.’ I believe that if the view, as it should be, is that sport is part of the education process, then we need educators to be our coaches. Let us never forget the scales of justice on our badge which remind us to keep the balance and to do what is right and not expedient. Michaelhouse, in the words of previous Chairman of the Board, Jamie Inglis, has always catered for ‘the Lameys and the Famies; the Bofs and the Dofs.’ So, to you boys, it has been a privilege to be part of your growth from boyhood to manhood. We have had a wonderful year and I salute you for that. You and I know that we have had a number of challenging issues to deal with; these are not necessarily bad for us as they lead to self-examination and reflection; as long as we learn from them and emerge stronger and wiser. We have been fortunate to have in our Senior and Second Prefects, Chris Brits and Robbie Anderson, two young men who by their example and leadership best illustrate the values of Michaelhouse. In the world and the South Africa that we live in today we need to produce men of principle and courage. To the A Block, leaving Michaelhouse should be something you are sad about, but also something which you are looking forward to. You will be sad to be leaving good friends in a place in which you have been very happy, but you should also be itching to go. We pray that during your time here that in addition to the head knowledge you gained you will have acquired a knowledge which in the long run will be far more enduring. You will recognise it in your ability to appreciate the beautiful and the true. You will value it in every act of kindness or compassion that you have been file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] shown or shown to others. You will rejoice in it when you see courage or valour. To whom much is given, much is expected. We have tried to nurture in you a spirit of service rather than entitlement. We hope that you will be asking not what others can do for you but what you can do for them. You will understand that there are many ways to Quit you like Men, to be strong, but also know that the strongest men are secure enough to be gentle. You will face the inevitable disappointments and discouragements that life brings with grit and determination, just as you have learnt to face them here. You have the foundation to be leaders for life, go and be just that! I would like to pay a special tribute to the four women in my life. My superb secretaries, Wendy Crampton and Kathy Butcher and my personal assistant Sally Berriman have been an absolute pleasure to work with and have made sure that most of the time my diary is well organised! Sally has ensured that I have been protected from those over zealous parents from time to time. When the recipe was made for the ideal Rector’s wife I am sure the model which was used was my own Mareé! She has been the perfect First Lady of Michaelhouse. Not only has she worked in the Trade Inn in order to get to know the boys and Parents, she has hosted over 1200 new boys in our home for dinner, in addition to being the hostess at so many official functions and events. I have travelled extensively on School business without Mareé, often during holiday time, with never a complaint from her. I thank her sincerely for her love, encouragement and support. It has been an honour and a privilege to be the fourteenth Rector of Michaelhouse, I thank each and every one of you for the support you have given me in making this journey such a rich and blessed experience. Quis ut Deus. Thank you. Address by the Senior Prefect, Christopher Brits Good morning Mr and Mrs Pearson, Chairman and Members of the Board, distinguished guests, Staff, family and friends, and fellow Men of Michaelhouse. When we arrived as new boys in 2008, our Prefects told us two things; well they told us a lot of things really, about how things worked at Michaelhouse and the many duties we were required to do; but they made two main points to us. Firstly, they said it was one of the highest privileges to be at Michaelhouse, and second; that our time here would go by so fast. I think at the time we were a bit pre-occupied with all our duties and not getting lost among the many quadrangles to really take note of what they were saying, and with the prospect of spending five years here, we certainly didn’t believe our time would go by so quickly... yet here we are, at this indeed special occasion; and I would just like to add what a privilege and honour it is for me to address you all this morning. I can now safely say that a journey through Michaelhouse is without doubt, just as our Prefects suggested, a great privilege. I‘m sure I speak on behalf of all Michaelhouse boys when I say the journey really begins when you sing the School song, Stars of the Morning, for the first time with the whole School in the Chapel. It’s at that point that you feel the passion and pride that exists amongst the boys and begin to comprehend the term brothers in arms. And what better way to be integrated into such a magnificent School than through the Cop-Cack system? I have here a letter written to me by my Cop, David Zwemke, at the end of my E Block year. For me, it marked a significant point in my own journey through Michaelhouse and I would like to share just some of it with you. With this letter he gave me a few other very special gifts, one of which is this very tie I’m wearing today. 26 Speech Day H ‘Dear Chris, Wow!! What an amazing year. Chris we’ve had a special type of relationship, one that I respect and value. I thank you for this and I know our friendship will continue into the future. At the beginning of this year I set myself the goal that I would treat you with respect and hopefully by doing this I would earn yours. This was the case and I think this is why our friendship has been so open. I thank you for giving me your respect and taking mine without abusing it. You came into this School as a boy, but you will leave a man, a Man of Michaelhouse, and hopefully I have contributed in some way in this process. We’ve shared many conversations that will stick with me for as long as I live, you’ve been like a little brother to me and I have always been able to tell you absolutely anything and everything. We have a lot in common, I think that’s the reason we get on so well. Lastly, I want to say this is by no means the end, we will be friends for a long time to come and this is only the beginning of a great friendship. Enjoy this place Chris, time goes by so fast. Thank you for the best year of my life my friend. Your Cop, Dave.’ file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Along any journey through Michaelhouse you do not only learn the importance of the social values of respect and integrity; you learn how to accompany humility with success, grace with defeat and more importantly, compassion with a community; and for me there was no better example than my Cop, Dave. The part that makes all of this even more special though, is the place in which we learn it and the people we get to learn it with. It’s easy to forget that we don’t often come across the chance to spend five years with a group and forge bonds as strong as you can here, because after all the experiences you have with your Block, your peers really become more like a group of brothers than friends. This also goes to say that the journey is not always easy, we all go through good times and bad times and our endeavours don’t always turn out the way we wish them to, but with the unfailing support of the people around you here, Michaelhouse is nothing less than a haven, which is indeed a privilege to attend. We must not forget though, that with privilege comes a reciprocal balance of responsibility. Through Michaelhouse we learn and experience so much; we live at the receiving end of opportunity and occasion, and must therefore be ever- mindful of the fact that we fall into one of the smallest yet most fortunate minorities of the South African youth. Our country in its adolescent years of democracy is still in dire need of significant young men, people who make a positive difference to the lives and well-being of others. Our turn will come to give back, and I hope that with the foundation provided by Michaelhouse, we will do so by living lives of compassion and courage in service to our community and country. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank certain people that are here today, not only for all they have done for me in my journey through Michaelhouse, but for everything they do for others, everyday. To the School Prefects, thank you for your advice and leadership throughout the year. To Rob in particular, thank you for your support and sound guidance, whether it be for School matters, or on the cricket or rugby field, and congratulations on a fine all round year, and I might add, thanks for getting that kick over against Kearsney! To the Staff, your expertise and wisdom form one of the greatest assets of this School, and in particular I mention Mr Cahill, Mr Laing, Mr Whitaker and Alan Smedley; I would like to thank you all for your passion and commitment to the boys of this School. Special mention must then of course go to Mr Pearson. Sir, for the past 11 years you have stood as one of the strongest and most valuable pillars in this School. Your unfailing support and commitment, and seemingly unlimited memory for names and faces, is testament to the great Rector you have been. As you leave for the Cape at the end of the year, I have no doubt that you will go down as one of the greatest enrichers in the history of Michaehouse, and form yet another significant part of the tapestry which it is. For all your endeavours that will make up a new and exciting chapter in your life, we wish you well and rest assured in the knowledge that you will keep riding the crest of the wave, but today on this morning, Michaelhouse is thanking you. For your 11 years as Rector and for the heights to which you have taken this prestigious School, on behalf of all the boys, a sincere thank you. To my parents: Mom, Dad, for everything you have taught me, for all the opportunities you have afforded me, and for the unconditional love you have always given me, I don’t know how to thank you enough. If there’s any way I can pay you back one day, I will, I promise. To the Men of Michaelhouse who stay behind after the class of 2012 has gone, there is nothing more valuable that can be left to you than time at this amazing place, and believe me it goes by fast. I would however like to leave you the well known words of Rudyard Kipling, who in his poem If reminds us that: If you can dream and not make dreams your master; If you can think and not make thoughts your aim, If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools. Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build them up with worn-out tools. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much: If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run. Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And which is more you’ll be a Man, my son! Lastly, to my fellow A Blockers: Guys, for everything that has made up the past five years, I just can’t express my gratitude sufficiently. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] For the good times and the bad times, for all the experiences we’ve been through together and for the friendships that have made the many memories that I know we’ll keep forever. Whenever I hear the song Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits, I’ll think of you guys. Now our time here is coming to a close, the journey ends for us and begins for a new generation, but before we leave I encourage you to reminisce about your road through Michaelhouse, where it began, and where it has taken you; through magnificent Warriors Walk lined with the giant pin oaks, onto beautiful Meadows where thundering war cries echo, through open fields covered in autumn leaves and late afternoon shadows, through proud red-brick buildings and age-old corridors, through dormitories and classrooms ever-filled with friends and laughter, through a reserve of grasslands, forests and small streams to a point high in the hills of Balgowan where, as the sun sets, we can look back over this beautiful valley, the grandeur of God displayed, our School forever. Thank you for the privilege, Michaelhouse. fl Speech Day Address by the Guest of Honour, Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson Thank you for the warm welcome you have given to my wife and me, and to Chief Justice Langa since we came to Michaelhouse yesterday. And thank you for honouring Chief Justice Langa and me as you have done, first during the Ad Portas ceremony yesterday, and then by inviting us to be your Guests of Honour at today’s Speech Day. In many ways the backgrounds of Chief Justice Langa and myself have been very different, particularly in our younger years, when I, being white, was privileged, and he, being black, had to bear the brunt of apartheid. You could not have missed that yesterday at the reading of the citations when we were welcomed Ad Portas. Our paths crossed during the 1980s when we were both at the Bar, came closer together early in 1990 with the transition to democracy, and ultimately linked in 1994 when we were both appointed as Judges of South Africa’s first Constitutional Court. A linkage you recognise by honouring us together, as former heads of the Constitutional Court. In doing so, you recognise the Court, and its role as guardian of our Constitution. That was also implicit in the Constitutional Forum and Discussion held at the School yesterday. Our discussion then focused on the role of the Constitutional Court as guardian of our Constitution. Today I want to talk about living in our Constitutional State. I speak to all of you here today, but in particular to the Matric class who are approaching their last year as schoolboys. The Interim Constitution which introduced the new constitutional order, and made provision for a Constitutional Court, came into force in 1994, the year in which many of you now in your Matric year were born. It contained a resolution on national unity and reconciliation which declared that: ‘This constitution provides a historic bridge between the past of a deeply divided society characterised by strife, conflict, untold suffering, and injustice and a future founded on the recognition of human rights, democracy and peaceful co-existence and development opportunities for all South Africans, irrespective of colour, race, class, belief or sex.’ It ended with these words: ‘The adoption of this Constitution lays the secure foundation for the people of South Africa to transcend the divisions and strife of the past, which generated gross violations of human rights, the transgression of humanitarian principles in violent conflicts and a legacy of hatred, fear, guilt and revenge.’ These can now be addressed on the basis that there is a need for understanding but not for vengeance, a need for reparation but not for retaliation, a need for ubuntu but not for victimisation.’ It was in that spirit that we South Africans began the hard and difficult task of building a democracy out of the ashes of apartheid. I will come back to this resolution later in what I have to say. One of the first steps we took was to re-affirm and entrench the commitment to reconciliation and social justice. We did so in the Constitution adopted by the elected Constitutional Assembly in 1996. We should remind ourselves of what is said in the preamble to that Constitution, which sets out our aspirations for the future. It is to: ‘Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights; lay the foundations of a democratic and open society in which Guest of Honour, Justice Arthur Chaskalson impressed the audience as he niarried his wry sense of humour with the weightier aspects of his address. government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is protected by the law; Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person; and build a united and democratic South Africa to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.’ We were euphoric then and everything seemed possible. It has proved to be harder than we thought, but we have made considerable progress, and the country is now a far better place than it was under apartheid. Our Constitution is the supreme law. It does entrench democratic values and fundamental human rights, and it does lay file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] the foundations for an open and democratic society. There is, however, much that remains to be done. There is still widespread poverty, landlessness and unemployment, and great disparities between rich and poor, most often, though not entirely, determined by colour, which is a legacy of apartheid. These are fault lines within our society which our Constitution requires us to address. It is in the interests of all of us in South Africa that this be done; otherwise the fault lines will grow deeper and the aspirations we set for ourselves when we adopted our constitution, will become an illusion rather than reality. Those of you who Matriculate this year have a special place in our history. You will be the first cohort of South Africans to have been born into and lived your whole life in an open and democratic South Africa. None of us have previously had that advantage; not those of us who lived through apartheid, nor previous generations who lived before apartheid was institutionalised, for then the law also privileged 28 Speech Day H whites and discriminated against blacks. This advantage is one upon which you can draw as you make your way in the life that lies ahead of you. You have neither the guilt of being white, nor the pain of being black. The widespread poverty and disparities in our country are, however, constant reminders of the inequalities in our society. According to the recently published National Development Plan of the National Planning Commission almost 40% of our people live in extreme poverty, below the shockingly low poverty base line taken by the Commission to be less than R420 per person per month;1 think about that - less than R420 per person per month. We are one of the most unequal societies in the world. You need only contrast Michaelhouse with some schools in the Eastern Cape where the class rooms are made of mud, where there are no facilities for sports or other extramural activities, or those schools in Limpopo, without text books for scholars meant to write their Matric at the end of this year, or with most schools in the public school system of South Africa. Though different to what it used to be under apartheid, the accident of birth, as it does in all societies, still plays a role in what life offers us. One of the founding values of our Constitution is the achievement of equality. Inequality exists and influences the lives of people in all societies. Inequality of income, inequality of capacity due to poor education, poor health care, and poor living conditions; inequality due to social exclusion because of stereotypical attitudes or prejudices; inequality because of benefits accorded to others on account of patronage, favouritism or corruption. There is no end to the possible examples. The Constitution cannot and does not promise that we will all be the same. What it demands is not that we should all be the same, but that ours should be a society in which everyone has equal worth and is entitled to be treated with equal dignity. That is a goal which we can achieve if we live our lives according to the values of the Constitution. You have had the advantage of being at Michaelhouse, one of the great schools of our country; that is something in which you can take pride, and on which you can build. What is important is not simply that you have had this advantage, but how you build upon it. At today’s ceremony honours and prizes will be awarded to some of you who have excelled in particular fields; those are substantial achievements, in which you can take pleasure, and of which you can be rightly proud. Prizes and honours are important. They contribute to a sense of self-worth, but they are not ends in themselves. I am not unmindful, nor unappreciative of the fact that Chief Justice Langa and I are among those being honoured. Our stories as I have said earlier are different. But there is one thing in our early life that we had in common. Neither of us graduated from High School with honours. You heard yesterday how Chief Justice Langa struggled even to get schooling; he started his career working in a shirt factory, then as a messenger, and qualified to become an advocate through distance learning. My story is different. Though some of you may consider it to have been a disadvantage, I had a head start, through being at school at Hilton. But I won no honours there. I was not a member of the First XV, or the First XI. I was not a Prefect and got no distinctions in Matric. We have been honoured, rightly or wrongly, because you see value in the way we have led our lives. The opportunity to lead a valuable life is one open to all of you, an opportunity that you can seize. The challenge now facing us as a nation is to create a truly just society. That is a task for all of us, but in particular for you young people and those of your generation, who must complete what has been started by previous generations, and see to it that the hopes and aspirations we set for ourselves when we embraced our new constitutional order some eighteen years ago are achieved. You may think that this is an ideal too difficult to achieve. After all, our newspapers and other media are full of stories about violence, corruption, and other disasters. The fragility of our society was demonstrated last week by the dreadful killings at the Marikana mine to which Chief Justice Langa drew attention yesterday. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Violence is often related to the anger and frustration which comes from the extreme poverty and dreadful living and working conditions that so many endure. Corruption stems from a crass pursuit of materialism. It depends on the complicity of those involved in the corrupt acts or practices, and an environment in which this is tolerated. These are conditions that can be changed. The response called for is not to remain passive and accept the benefits that may come your way, nor to emigrate to greener pastures. It is to confront the fault lines that exist, in particular, in the poverty and disparities which I have mentioned, and to contribute to the building of a just society. That may seem a difficult task, but it is less daunting than was the struggle against apartheid. It is a goal within our reach, and if there is a commitment on the part of your generation to doing so, it is a goal which we will achieve. Leaders will have a crucial role in guiding us to the achievement of that goal, and there are many among you who are likely to be leaders in the future. But it is not only leadership that is important. Progress is made, and society changes not as a result of the actions of a few individuals, but as a result of a myriad of actions by a multiplicity of people. What each one of us does, the way we relate to one another, and the way we lead our lives, is relevant. Each one of us, therefore, no matter how small it may seem, has an important role to play in securing the just society to which we aspire. Michaelhouse’s Vision 2015 dealing with the future, affirms the School’s Christian values of humility, compassion and courage in service to the community, emphasizing the need to use them in a way that is relevant to a changing South Africa. The Bill of Rights in our Constitution offers a guide to the demands of a changing South Africa. It enshrines the rights of the people of our country, and ‘affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom.’2 In doing so it provides a framework for us to make the transition from apartheid to democracy. What is needed to enable us to move forward is a commitment from all South Africans, to the values of our Constitution, and the will to uphold them when they are flouted. We need to beware of the siren calls sometimes heard, blaming our Constitution for ills of our society. President Mandela, in a prescient comment made when he inaugurated the Constitutional Court before its first sitting, warned against this, saying. 111 Speech by Minister Trevor Manuel on 15 August 2012 on the occasion of the launch of the National Development Plan. The National Development Plan is available at www.npconline.co.za |2| Section 7 (I) of the Constitution ■ Speech Day ‘We expect you to stand on guard not only against direct assault on the principles of the constitution, but against insidious corrosion. Attacks on the basic rights of the people are invariably couched in innocent language.’ We have rights under the Constitution. But we also have duties. One of those duties is to confront, and not to remain silent, when we witness injustice. That is what an open and democratic society requires of its citizens. It is a requirement easy to articulate, but not always easy to fulfil. It is, however, one that we should take seriously. In Michaelhouse’s Vision 2015, one of the needs identified is for the School to create responsible South African leaders imbued with the spirit of Ubuntu. Earlier, I referred to the Resolution on National Unity and Reconciliation in the Interim Constitution. It concludes with a reference to Ubuntu. In the judgment he wrote in the first case heard by the Constitutional Court, Chief Justice Langa referred to this saying, that Ubuntu ‘recognises a person’s status as a human being, entitled to unconditional respect, dignity, value and acceptance from the members of the community such person happens to be part of. It also entails the converse, however. The person has a corresponding duty to give the same respect, dignity, value and acceptance to each member of that community. More importantly, it regulates the exercise of rights by the emphasis it lays on sharing and co-responsibility and the mutual enjoyment of rights by all.’ This is inherent in our Constitution and what it expects of all of us. It is a crucial building block for our future. One within the capacity of every one of us. We live in a beautiful and vibrant country. The future is yours. With courage and commitment you can help us to achieve the goals we set for ourselves in our Constitution. I encourage you to do so, and wish you well in the lives that lie ahead of you. Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson passed away on 1 December 2012. We are truly honoured to have received his address. Our condolences are extended to his family. Please could I have some more? Yum! Congratulations Michaelhouse. 201 2 was another file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] year that will be fondly remembered! QUALITY COMMITMENT EXCELLENCE Capitol CATERERS Head Office: Tel: 033 - 394 0310 Fax: 033 ■ 394 3580 121 Jabu Ndlovu Street, Pietermaritzburg 3201 PO Box 3572, Pietermaritzburg 3200 Email: [email protected] www.capitolcaterers.co.za £ £ Believe with all of your heart that you will do what you were made to do. Speech Day H SUBJECT PRIZES AND AWARDS ABLOCK GABRIELLE MASSEY PRIZES (Awarded for oral work in English) Martin Blades, Sean Donaldson, Kyle Dreyer, Olwethu Mhaga and Justin Rodger ACCOUNTING First in Subject: James Quick Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): William Smale Diligence: Wulf-Carl Mosburger and Luke Strachan AFRIKAANS First in Subject: Hanko von Schlichting Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): William Smale Diligence: Andrew Christodoulou, James Creasy, Tyrin de Gidts, James Quick and Shaheed Roberts COMPUTER APPLICATIONS TECHNOLOGY First in Subject: Tyrin de Gidts Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Luke Strachan Diligence: Mark Brown DRAMATIC ARTS First in Subject: Hanko von Schlichting Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Adrian Krige Diligence: Kyle Harrison ECONOMICS First in Subject: Tom Burne Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Nicolas Hellens and Clive Legoale-Phillips Diligence: Andrew Christodoulou, Tyrin de Gidts, Simphiwe Msibi and Luke Strachan ENGINEERING, GRAPHICS AND DESIGN First in Subject: Thomas Coyne Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): David Geerdts Diligence: Jason Venter ENGLISH First in Subject: Mitchell Green Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Matthew Heenan Diligence: Luke Bolton, Christopher Brits, Mark Brown, Matthew Heenan and Simphiwe Msibi FRENCH First in Subject: Wulf-Carl Mosburger Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Lee Savory Diligence: William Grant GEOGRAPHY First in Subject: Tom Burne Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Jonathan Davies Diligence: Jonathan Davies, Timothy Everett, Matthew file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Heenan and Olwethu Mhaga HISTORY First in Subject: Piers Rosholt Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Zawadi Dlamini Diligence: Luke Strachan INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY First in Subject: Mitchell Green and Michael Harrison Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): James Quick Diligence: Thomas Coyne ISIZULU First in Subject: Sinenhlanhla Shelembe Diligence: Olwethu Mhaga LIFE ORIENTATION First in Subject: Michael Harrison Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Simphiwe Msibi LIFE SCIENCE First in Subject: Cole Hunt Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Simphiwe Msibi Diligence: Matthew Heenan and Anthony Miller ADVANCED PROGRAMME MATHEMATICS First in Subject: Sean Markham Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Sean Markham Diligence: James Quick MATHEMATICS First in Subject: Sean Markham Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Shaheed Roberts Diligence: Tom Burne, Ian McKenzie, Wulf-Carl Mosburger and Simphiwe Msibi MATHEMATICS LITERACY First in Subject: Jake Dovey Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Joshua Moon Diligence: James Creasy PHYSICAL SCIENCE First in Subject: Mitchell Green Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): William Smale Diligence: Mark Brown, Andrew Christodoulou, William Smale and Hanko von Schlichting VISUAL ART First in Subject: Russell Anderson and Christopher Taylor Most Improved Mark (Nov 11 - Jun 12): Matthew Molyneux Diligence: Matthew van Koevering MERIT CERTIFICATES Tom Burne, Andrew Christodoulou, James Foster, William Grant, Mitchell Green, Darren Goosen, Michael Harrison, Timothy Lee, Sean Markham, Wulf-Carl Mosburger, James Quick, Lee Savory, Carel Swarts, Christopher Taylor and Hanko von Schlichting AGGREGATE PRIZES Most improved Aggregate: Nicholas Last Third in Block: Christopher Taylor Second in Block: Tom Burne First in Block: Mitchell Green 31 ■ Speech Day SPECIAL PRIZES Old Boys’ Essay Prize (English): Matthew Potter (St Peter’s Boys Prep School) J L Sisson Prize (English): Gianluca Truda (St David’s Mari st Inanda) Stubbings-Dyson Prize (Mathematics): Gianluca Truda (St David’s Marist Inanda) Bishop Baines Memorial Essay: James Quick (Highbury) Michael Barry English Prize: Mitchell Green (Highbury) Proctor Science Award (Physical and Life Sciences): Cole Hunt (Clifton Prep Durban) isiZulu Progress Prize: Senior: Matthew Heenan (Clifton Prep Nottingham Road) Junior: Michael Buchholz (St Stithians College) and Shingirai Vambe (Crawford College) Hindson History Essay: Joshua Moon (Highbury) file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Peter Bell Memorial English Literature Prize: Christopher Taylor (Trinity House Prep School) W R Hindson Prize (English Literature): Tom Burne (Cowan House) Nedbank Life Science Prize: Timothy Everett (Lynford) Rector’s Afrikaans Essay: Hanko von Schlichting (Clifton Prep Nottingham Road) P D Barnard Memorial Afrikaans Prize: Senior: William Smale (Pridwin) Junior: Dominic Pickard (The Ridge) Tatham Memorial Essay (Best Life Science Essay): Anthony Miller (Highbury) and Wulf-Carl Mosburger (Vienna Christian School) John Allen Memorial Art Prize (Drawing): Matthew van Koevering (Cowan House) Kevin Graham Memorial Prize (Geography): Tom Burne (Cowan House) Godfrey Immelman (Mathematics): Dominic Pretorius (Howick Junior School) Hutchinson Memorial (Mathematics Prizes): Senior: Sean Markham (Dainfern College) Junior: Ben Adey (Cordwalles) Music Prize: Senior: Darren De Beer (WHPS) Junior: Dillan van der Westhuizen (Drakensberg Boys Choir) Collins Prize for Music (All Round Musicianship): Hanko von Schlichting (Clifton Prep Nottingham Road) Peter Beard Memorial Music Prize: Joy Mhlanga (Pridwin) Chick Henderson Award: Joseph Coyne (Clifton Prep Nottingham Road) Smithies Shield for Vocal Arts: Hanko von Schlichting (Clifton Prep Nottingham Road) J L Robinson Award (Physical Science): Timothy Lee (Clifton Prep Nottingham Road) and Carel Swarts (Clifton Prep Nottingham Road) Kevin King Memorial Award (Science Project): Carel Swarts (Clifton Prep Nottingham Road) Biffs-Smith Family Award (Sodalis Digmus) For a non-School Prefect who best demonstrates qualities of Care, Compassion, Concern and Communication: Nicholas Baber (Pridwin) Andrew Henderson Prize (Agriculture): Daniel Nuttall-Smith (Arbor Primary) Des Sacco Award for best all round A Block sportsman as voted by his peers: Richard Ashforth (Highbury) Andrew Crutchley Memorial Award (Leadership on the C Block Journey): Cameron Holenstein (WHPS) Michaelhouse IT Award: Mitchell Green (Highbury) Peter Brown Service Award: Jasper Epsom (The Banda School) and Michael McDonald (Ruzawi) In what must surely be an unprecedented situation, not even four decimal points could separate the School's top two academic achievers of 2011. Paul Hewat and Nicolas Wiehe-Lagesse, both currently studying at the University of Cape Town, were present at Speech Day to jointly receive the Anthony Evans Trophy for their achievement. Tim Patrick Memorial Prize (Contribution to Societies): Mark Wood (Musikili School) Richard Hedden Memorial Award (Community Service): Hanko von Schlichting (Clifton Prep Nottingham Road) Herbert Fisher Award (Best aggregate in the June exams): Mitchell Green (Highbury) Anthony Evans Trophy (Dux 2011): Paul Hewat (Pridwin) and Nicolas Wiehe-Lagesse (International Mauritius) 32 Receptio Ad Portas | RECEPTIO AD PORTAS 22 AUGUST 2012 The Honourable Justices Mr Arthur Chaskalson and Mr Pius Langa were received Ad Portas at Michaelhouse on Wednesday 22 August. This is an honour bestowed on significant South Africans who have made a noteworthy contribution to our society. In 1928 Rector Bushell introduced the ceremony Receptio Ad Portas and the Right Rev. Bishop Baines was the very first recipient of this prestigious award in that year. It is the first time in 84 years that two recipients have been honoured simultaneously. Some of the other distinguished recipients include Field Marshal Jan Smuts, Colonel Sir Laurens van der Post, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and most recently, Dr Ian Player. The award, which is equivalent to having the Freedom of a City bestowed on its recipient, was made in the School’s Main Quad before the assembled guests. Staff and boys. Justices Chaskalson and Langa were met at the gate to the School by the Rector, Mr Guy Pearson. From there they were lead to the accompaniment of a carillon of the School file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Bells to the Main Quad. Senior Prefect, Christopher Brits and Second Prefect Robert Anderson delivered a citation and presented an illuminated scroll to the honourable recipients. Justice Langa responded with a deeply sincere and moving reply. The Main Quad echoed to the traditional six cheers in acknowledgement of this dignified and momentous occasion. Address by Justice Pius Langa It is a great honour and privilege for us, former Chief Justices of South Africa Arthur Chaskalson and myself, to have been selected for this award. This is particularly so for someone, like myself, who has never had any connection or relationship with Michaelhouse; but who has always had the greatest admiration for the institution and those who populate it. I return later to speak about this admiration which borders on reverence. I have been informed that the history of this School dates back to 1896; that is a hundred and sixteen years ago. When it was established it was exclusively for senior boys. In the nature of South Africa’s history it has for many decades catered exclusively for white senior boys and, by all accounts, acquired for itself a proud and distinguished record. In those past years, only the brightest and most talented had access to the institution. In that way the learners were being prepared and equipped to make a valuable contribution to the development of the country. Many young men who have passed through the gates of this institution have indeed gone on to make great contributions not only in South Africa and the African continent, but also abroad. It is now your turn. It is a great privilege for you to be part of the institution. I do not doubt that you know that and that you will approach this time with a sense of eagerness, humility and responsibility. That is so because you cannot have achieved this on your own, others are responsible for having put you here. I have no doubt that you will make those others, and our entire country, immensely proud of you. We live in a time when great events are taking place all around us. Just over two weeks ago, we were celebrating feats of excellence by young people who were taking part in the Olympic Games. Chad, Justice Pius Langa adresses the School Cameron, Castor, Oscar, Matthew, Sizwe, John and James, all South Africans, became outstanding national heroes. Others, like Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, conquered barriers that no-one had achieved before. They broke not just their own boundaries of achievement, but world records. There were others, some in other sports, who exerted themselves on the national and international stage and excelled. And so it continues, challenging us to revise the limits we have imposed on ourselves. At the same time, we are told that mankind have landed a gadget on the planet Mars, a contraption that is, even as I speak, sending information about that planet back to earth, increasing our knowledge and proving to us that the age of astounding discoveries is not over. In a sense all these invoke the spirit that drove the Edmund Hillarys, the Einsteins, the Newtons, the Marie Curies and others to achieve in the face of adversity. They tell us that there is still scope for us to make our contribution, not just for ourselves, but to humankind. Notwithstanding all the achievements we, as human beings, are capable of, we still find ourselves, tragically, being incapable of stopping wars and man-made calamities that occur from time to time. As we were celebrating the conclusion of an exciting Olympic Games, we, in South Africa, were brought down to earth by the killings of 44 men in Marikana. Right here in South Africa. ‘How come?’ we ask. ‘How come were we not able to prevent this calamity? ’ As I address you today, I earnestly hope that we have the capacity to find solutions. I mentioned our admiration for this institution. It is because of a realisation that you are here to receive and be equipped with the greatest, the richest heritage that can be given to you. Education. That is where our abilities to create and to reach for the stars come from. Indeed, we do aspire to reach for the stars. Education enables us to arm ourselves with the ability to govern and to pursue the ideals proclaimed by our Constitution. Education arms us with the ability to progress as a people and to develop. It is in education that we acquire the means to be the best that we can ever be and therefore to be useful agents for the improvement of the lives of other people. You should know that education, at its best, has not always been available equally to all the people of this country. The majority in ■ Receptio Ad Portas this country were deliberately hamstrung; they were deprived of the opportunity and the means to acquire the kind of education that would equip them to be the best that they could be and to live up to their full potential and to contribute positively to the development of this country. Lack of proper education brings about hunger, homelessness and poverty. It has been said, and it is true, that the freedom guaranteed to us by the Constitution means nothing to those among our people who will die of hunger. And it is happening in this country. To those dying or about to die, to those who stagnate in famine, sickness, and ignorance,1 the rights many of us take for granted have no meaning at all. Elsewhere, we are told that about 50% of the population in sub Saharan Africa lives on less than $ 1.00 per day. Much file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] of this is related to lack of education. Because of that lack, some hundreds of thousands of children, through no fault of their own, are destined to languish in long queues of the homeless, landless and the unemployed. That is why the Constitution places so much emphasis on human dignity and equality, to social justice and to improving the quality of life of every citizen and to freeing the potential of each person. Making no exceptions and making no exemptions. The preamble of the Constitution stops short, as you will have noticed, at designating explicitly, who should bring about the desired changes, the improvements. It leaves this to us, the generation that has seen the worst of life under apartheid, and to you, the generation that is now enjoying life under one of the best Constitutions on the planet. We are being challenged to transform this country into the best that it can be. It is for us all to guarantee that this transformation becomes a reality to all. The first step is for you, who are here, to be the best that you can be as learners, and in your later life. I thank you. [ 11AB Duke, Rhetoric and Rage, 16 Wis. Int’l L.J. 353,379-86 (Summer. 1998), quoting Keba M’Baye, Le droit au developpement comme un droit de I'homme. 5 REVUE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME 505 (1972). Senior Prefect, Christopher Brits, Rector Guy Pearson, the School Visitor, Bishop Rubin Phillip, Guests of Honour, Justices Arthur Chaskalsom and Pius Langa, Chairman of the Board, Mr Gary Ralfe and Second Prefect, Robert Anderson A loving heart is the truest wisdom. Charles Dickens Academic Reports H ACADEMIC REPORT Michaelhouse is proud of the outstanding results achieved by our class of 2012. A 100% pass rate was achieved from the 99 boys who sat the examinations, with 94% achieving University Entrance Passes. Fourteen boys achieved averages above 80% and 42 achieved averages between 70% and 80%. A total of 218 subject distinctions were achieved, resulting in an average of 2,2 A symbols per boy. 29% of all subject symbols were A (22% in 2011) 57% of all subject symbols were A and B (46% in 2011) 82% of all subject symbols were A, B and C (77% in 2011) Tom Burne achieved a Commendable Achievement award, being placed in the top 5% of candidates in the country in five subjects. Tom Burne is Dux of School for 2012 and Wulf-Carl Mosburger is Proxime Accessit. The following boys were placed in the top 1% in the country for the following subjects: Carel Swarts Afrikaans Andrew Christodoulou Computer Appl ications Technology Luke Strachan Computer Applications Technology Tom Burne Economics and Geography Christopher Brits Geography The top achievers earned the following distinctions: 8 Subjects Tom Burne Wulf-Carl Mosburger Christopher Taylor Hanko von Schlichting 7 Subjects Michael Harrison 6 Subjects Andrew Christodoulou Olwethu Mhaga Carel Swarts 5 Subjects Robert Anderson Tim Everett James Foster Darren Goosen Mitchell Green 4 Subjects Simon Blackie Luke Bolton Christopher Brits Kyle Flanegan William Grant Byron Grealy 4 Subjects Michael Greig Kyle Harrison Cole Hunt Sean Markham Simphiwe Msibi James Quick Lee Savoury 3 Subjects Russel Anderson Jonathan Davies Tyrin de Gidts Timothy Lee Anthony Miller Nicholas Murphy Alexander Pienaar Luke Strachan Scott Wadeson MICHAELHOUSE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS Michaelhouse provides a range of merit based Scholarships for students of outstanding academic, musical and sporting ability. Awards are made to boys entering Michaelhouse in E Block and are valid for the five year duration of their file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] career at Michaelhouse. The Academic Scholarship examination is written by invitation, at Michaelhouse, and awards are based upon the candidates’ performances in the Scholarship examination. Sports Scholarship awards are based upon the submission of a curriculum vitae and personal sport assessment conducted at the School. The Music Scholarship awards are based upon the submission of a satisfactory curriculum vitae and an audition with an external adjudicator. Michaelhouse takes great pleasure in announcing the following Scholarship Awards for 2012: Major Open: Armin Prinsloo (Clifton Prep, Nottingham Road) Minor Open: Christopher Broadley (Clifton Prep, Nottingham Road) Open Exhibition: William Lyle (Highbury Preparatory School) Open Exhibition: Freddie Conradie (Cowan House Preparatory School) Major Trust: Scott Norris-Jones (Umhlali Preparatory School) Minor Trust: Callum Deeble (DPHS) Music: Dillan Van der Westhuizen (Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School) Closed - Cowan House: Nicholas Forshaw (Cowan House Preparatory School) Closed - St Peter’s Prep: Keagan Chasenski (St Peter’s Preparatory School) Exhibition: Thomas Edley (Clifton Prep, Durban) Exhibition: Johann Vincent Van der Westhuizen (WHPS) Exhibition: Nicholas Herbert (Clifton Prep, Durban) Exhibition: Rowan Mockler (St David’s Marist Inanda) Sports: Jaryd Kleynhans (Pelham Primary School) Sports: Matthew Watson (Highbury Preparatory School) Sports Exhibition: Michael Greer (Pelham Primary School) Sports Exhibition: Kyle Thompson (Chelsea Preparatory School) Sports Exhibition: James McCormack (The Ridge School) Allan Gray Orbis Foundation - Michaelhouse Scholarship: Luvuyo Magwaza (Bisley Park Primary School) Allan Gray Orbis Foundation - Michaelhouse Scholarship: Aphiwe Mthalane (Cordwalles Preparatory School) A) ^acefood "I watch what fuel I use. Clean and wholesome without compromising on flavour. Eat the best to expect the best!" GREG MINNAAR - Downhill World Cup Champion Free from: Caffeine, Pairij, Colourants, Preservatives t Gluten. 5.5% Protein from Almonds t Egg whites Designed by Athletes flood Fats from Almonds V 35The Wykeham Collegiate, was opened on the evening of 16 August. Special guests were the new Headmistress of The Wykeham Collegiate, Ms Sue Tasker, Mrs Aileen Metherell (TWC Vice Head), Ms Claire Geber (HOD Art) and Mrs Sharon Bishop (teacher of Photography). As is the norm, the speeches were made by pupils from each school and this year Matthew Molyneux from Michaelhouse shared his ideas on the importance of art in our lives and Hayley Keyser from TWC gave a very sincere speech on how valuable it has been for her to have studied Visual Arts over the past three years. In the Third and Fourth Quarters, the C Block students made ceramic pieces, and before getting started they visited two local ceramic studios in the area. They first visited Astrid Dahl’s studio in Nottingham Road, where they saw her extraordinary organic creations, which were later exhibited at the Everard Read Gallery in Johannesburg. Following this, the boys went to the famous Ardmore Studio where they met Mrs Fee Halsted who gave them a tour of the studios. They also met the artists and watched them at work. Following this visit file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] each boy created his own container, emulating the Ardmore style. Mr Sibiya has introduced a new program in D Block Arts and Culture where the boys experienced working in new media and with new techniques. They have created portraits in both drawing and painting which have been exhibited in the Schlesinger Theatre gallery. The Final A Block Art Exhibition was opened on the night of 19 October by Dr Jonathan Cook. The majority of us are familiar with Dr Cook in his role as the School doctor, however few people may be aware that before he became a doctor he first obtained his Masters Degree in Fine Arts from Rhodes University before going on to become the Art teacher at Hilton College. Dr Cook began his speech by commending the Rector and Board of Michaelhouse for recognising the value and function of the arts in our lives and went on to say: ‘One of the key functions of art is to meet our human need to communicate and connect with our fellow man.’ He praised the artists, saying ‘Art requires courage, time, focus and energy, elements which are in short supply during the Michaelhouse A Block year. But you boys have managed to finish, frame and exhibit your portfolios of work, which speaks of your commitment to the subject and also of your courage.’ The art by these young men was both honest and real. It reflected their life experiences which have moulded each to be the men they are today, and it revealed to the public, both the heart and spirit of each young artist. ■ Academic Reports A Block Drama students: Kyle Harrison, Adrian Krige, Blake Botha, Byron Grealy DRAMATIC ARTS H ead of Department: Mrs Sue Tarr Staff: Mrs Carlien Walters Awards Honours: Blake Botha, Martin Blades, Michael Fenn, Shaheed Roberts, Byron Grealy and Hanko von Schlichting Colours: Dylan Rice and Batebang Mapetla Half Colours: Kyle Pyne-James, James Smith, Marc Wood, Connor Grealy, Dominic Pretorius, Constantin von Stackelberg, Angelos Geranmayeh, James Hallier, Matthew Davies, James Hadley-Grave, Luke Barrell and Ngcebo Maseko FS Bishop Trophy for Best Actor: Martin Blades and Blake Botha Van Velden Trophy for Contribution to School Drama: Hanko von Schlichting WA van der Walt Dramatic Prize for Best Novice: Dylan Rice Spud Award for Dramatic Writing: Kyle Pyne-James D Redfern Trophy for Most Promising Junior Performer: James Smith and Ngcebo Maseko ‘How time flies when one is having fun’- or so Samuel Beckett would have us believe in his play, Waiting for Godot - and this is exactly what has happened to this year. Fun is exactly what drama is about. The boys experience it and so do I. The more lateral they are and the more they tap into their innate creativity, the better the final product. This was clearly obvious in the recent practical examinations that were performed by the Matric students. The standard was very high from all candidates and the night literally sizzled. I personally could not single out any one performer for top place as throughout the year many candidates have vied for this position. This is why an impartial examiner who has standardised at many schools is essential for the final examination. Other than extremely high praise for all the students, she was at a loss for words. The top practical performer, who literally nosed ahead, was Martin Blades, followed closely by Joshua Moon. The pieces were diverse and moved from comedy to tragedy. Adrian Krige and Blake Botha’s Scene from Rowan Atkinson’s Pink Tights was hilarious. It was obvious that they gained as much pleasure performing as the audience did watching. Xolani Shezi’s Prudence was a joy and his movement item with Cheyne Halliday was creative and fun. Kyle Harrison and Shaheed Roberts held the audience spellbound capturing the menace of their characters. In contrast we loved the innocence of Nicholas Wichura’s The Little Red Head and Josh Moon’s portrayal of the character Lennie from Of Mice and Men. Kyle Dreyer’s Condom extract brought the house down at the annual Stars production. Jonathan Davies, Zawadi Dlamini and Matthew Argo were able to capture the poignancy of their pieces and really became one with their characters. Hanko Von Schlichting and Martin Blades played two very different characters in the scene from Orphans and both were outstanding in their monologues and movement pieces. Olwethu Songca peaked on the night file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] with the cynicism and anger of his role, it was the best performance I have ever seen him enact. Byron Grealy is a strong all rounder but like Bryce Nicholson Deh, is really fluid in physical theatre - being able to move with strength combined with sensitivity. Finally I must make mention of that crazy, brave Michael Fenn who has a face like elastic and whose very difficult Drumming item, one which many students would balk at, was truly incredible. I would like to personally thank all the Drama classes of 2012 for giving me the best final year any teacher could wish to have. They have been a spirited, noisy, crazy and very funny bunch of mad-caps who have exasperated me at times but who have made me laugh at their antics and who have kept me spellbound by the sheer beauty of their stagecraft. All of them should go far if they continue to tap into their creative side. I will miss them all but will depart with the best memories of times had in the Theatre and Movement Room. The B Block was privileged to have attended The Jongosi Schools Drama Festival held at Hilton College where they watched three excellent professional productions. We also invited The Wykeham Collegiate up for a supper theatre evening where everyone had great fun. The boys have been treated to several workshops in the course of the year - Ashley Dowds on character preparation and Nicole Schaffer on drama as a career, focusing particularly in film making. Miss Schaffer has just won an award for her footage about an orphanage in Malawi and her presentation was inspirational for the students. The whole Dramatic Arts Department has been refurbished and looks like something out of a magazine. The clever colour scheme was chosen under the creative eye of Mrs Amanda Jarvis, with Mr Charlie Burton giving his artistic and financial nod of approval. My sincere thank you to them and to Mr Danie Griessel and his team, for the end product that has made us so proud to be working in such an inspirational venue. There is so much talent in this School, in every sphere, and I feel very privileged to have been a small part of nurturing it. Academic Reports H a s er f * ”, » ï iS F : * • (’ • i I if.”2 • •# . w ■ '* '-m, y W- * J ^ t • f : f V f \ n % "t .4f ï ^ ■§ wit"* I V, T / I Y, J, fs. I* r f t i,f .1. ý I i I. I i ’■ V "( ’«r -«"r tf. «r * w r I. v w8 s j i! 'a * • í ê •*# < j ^ ^ ^ rifim^irirri CHAPEL CHOIR 2012 w | CHAPEL CHOIR: Back Row: Carlisle Hartman, Mulalo Sadiki, Luke Crouch, Edgar Lubinga, Ngcebo Maseko, Luc Maitre, Aidan Schwartz, Victor von Rosty-Forgach, Kyle van Greunen, Jeremy Tratschler, Liam Furniss Fourth Row Tsakani Baloyi, Otlotleng Mokgatle, Nzuzo Dlamini, Dillan van der Westhuizen, Joe Sutton, Hayden Weaver, Kura Maswera, Batebang Mapetla, Shawn Bailes, Lonwabo .Mgoduso, Gerhard Serton, Jabu Magubane Third Row: Callum Deeble, Tshiamo Lesela, Trafford Melville, Richard Johnsen, Jonathan Maitre, Joy Mhlanga, Kurt Martin, Constantin von Stackelberg, Nicholas Forshaw, Joshua Geldenhuys Second Row: Luke McDonald, Bryan Hall, James Smith, Greg Reynolds, Mthobisi Cele, Mike Macleod, Alex Sickmueller•, Stuart Ferguson, Vuyo Mkhize, Graham Davies Front Row: Neo Ngcobo, Sbu Mavuso, Clive Legoale-Phillips, Mr William Silk, Olwethu Mhaga, Mr Abri Venter, Hanko von Schlichting, Sbusiso Dlamini, Nicholas Wichura PERFORMING ARTS Head of Department: Mr Abri Venter Permanent Staff: Mr William Silk and Mr Hannes Ebersohn Secretary: Mrs Leigh Kotze Part-time Staff: Mr Nigel Fish (Cello), Mr Bernard Kisbey-Green (Saxophone, Clarinet, Drumkit), Mr Leandros Stavrou (Guitar) and Mr Ian Turnbull (Bagpipes) Awards Honours: Music: Joshua Geldenhuys Colours: Music: Joy Mhlanga, Batebang Mapetla and Leonard von Stackelberg Colours: (Midlands Youth Choir) Neo Ngcobo, Sbu Mavuso, Constantin von Stackelberg, Dillan van der Westhuizen, Bryan Hall, Shawn Bailes, Otlotleng Mokgatle, Jabulani Magubane, Lonwabo Mgoduso and Edgar Lubinga Colours: Appointed as Leader/Deputy Leader of an official Music Group file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Chapel Choir Head Chorister: Olwethu Mhaga Deputy Head Chorister: Hanko von Schlichting Jazz Band Leader: Thomas Watt-Pringle Deputy Leader: Hanko von Schlichting Senior Marimba Band Leader: Clive Legoale-Phillips Deputy Leader: Xolani Shezi C Block Marimba Band Leader: Tsakani Baloyi Junior Marimba Band Leader: Lesedi Mokoena Half Colours: Two Years in the Chapel Choir, Marimba Band or Jazz Band Chad Fourie, Joseph Coyne, Luke Barrell, Robert Lee, Gianluca Truda, Jonty Doyle, Jonathan Smith, Seth Banda, Nicholas Wichura, Mattew Chetty, Fergus Magor, Luvuyo Khuzwayo, Jason Marshall, Ayanda Ngcobo, Zibonela Nkala, Kurt Martin, Jordan Sesink-Clee, Liam Furniss, Mpumi Shezi, Sduduzo Buthelezi, Lesedi Mokoena, Daniel Roberts, Qhayiya Lujiva, Mulalo Sadiki, Stuart Ferguson, Luc Maitre, Trafford Melville, James Smith, Jeremy Tratschler, Richard Johnsen, Ngcebo Maseko and Luke Crouch The following boys were members of the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Youth Choir for 2012 headed by Mr William Silk: Richard Johnsen, Constantin von Stackelberg, Bryan Hall, Luke Crouch, Joshua Geldenhuys, Ngcebo Maseko, Batebang Mapetla, Neo Ngcobo, Shawn Bailes, Edgar Lubinga, Sbu Mavuso, Otlotleng Mokgatle, Jabulani Magubane and Lonwabo Mgoduso Introduction The Music School started off the year with approximately 110 boys signing up for practical lessons. We were privileged to have seven pupils taking Music as a Matric subject this year. Cordwalles Centenary Bishop Baines Walk: 7 February 2012 Reverend Canon Alan Smedley, Mrs Melanie Wester (Director of Marketing), Senior Prefect Christopher Brits, 55 Michaelhouse boys (who were Cordwalles Old Boys), the Rector and our Marimba Band took part in the Cordwalles Centenary Celebrations. This was a very special day, which began with a service in the Anglican Cathedral led by Bishop Rubin, followed by the Baines Walk from the Cathedral to Cordwalles. Our Marimba Band played fantastically, in sweltering heat on the back of a flat-bed truck. 39 9 Academic Reports JAZZ BAND: Back Row: Constantin von Stackelberg, Robert Perrott, John Robins, Chad Fourie, Zibonele Nkala Front Row: William Lyle, Kurt Martin, Hanko von Schlichting, Mr Hannes Ebersohn, Joy Mhlanga, Nicholas Harrison, Alex Sickmueller @Bandroom.Live: 2 March 2012 The Music Department showcased their considerable talent in the first of our @Bandroom.live concerts for the year. The Band Room was packed for this concert and the audience was treated to music of the highest standard. The Marimba Bands, Jazz Band, Chapel Choir, ensembles and solo musicians produced an evening of great entertainment. Michaelhouse Choir Festival: 29 April 2012 Michaelhouse hosted a Choir Festival in the Chapel featuring Clifton Prep Senior Choir, Harmonia Girls’ Choir from Gauteng and the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Youth Choir. The concert was very well attended and the choirs performed fantastically. ATKV Applous Competition First Round: 16 May 2012 The Chapel Choir participated in the first round of the ATKV Applous Competition which was held at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theater at the UKZN campus in Durban. The choir performed well and were the only choir on the night to receive a Gold Certificate. This Gold Certificate earned them a place in the final round which was held in Stellenbosch during the July holidays. The Michaelhouse National Choir Competition: 2 June 2012 The Michaelhouse National Choir Competition was held in the Schlesinger Theatre and was a great success. There were six choirs in the finals including the Chamber Choir from Bloemfontein Oranje Meisieskool, along with choirs from Hilton College, Epworth and Lebone High School who travelled all the way from Rustenburg. The Vryheid Landbou Mixed Choir and The Wykeham Collegiate competed for the Equal and Mixed Voice Trophies. The standard of competition was extremely high with Oranje Meisieskool winning the Chamber Choir section and TWC winning the Equal Voice section. The Michaelhouse Chamber and Chapel Choirs provided excellent entertainment with a variety of music while the judges conferred. Music Supper Theatre: 9 June 2012 For a touch of variety, the Music School staged a Music Supper Concert in the Band Room, instead of the usual file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] @bandroom.live. A very varied programme was compiled and the educational value of this concert was appreciated by adults and scholars alike. It was a compulsory event for Music subject pupils as it formed part of their IEB Curriculum. The audience was entertained by some excellent ensemble items from the Michaelhouse boys and the Jazz Band was outstanding with their rendition of three Beatles songs. Our guest artists were Liza Joubert and Khaya Mkhize (both staff members of the Drakensberg Boys Choir School), the School Choir, Glee Group, Senior Vocal Ensemble and Instrumental Group from St Mary’s Kloof. The quality of the items was exceptional and we can proudly remember another very successful evening of music. Tea@Michaelhouse: 10 June 2012 Mr Hannes Ebersohn (Organist) performed works by J.S. Bach, F. Peeters, L. Vieme and M.Dupre in the Michaelhouse Chapel. Despite the freezing weather, 50 guests enjoyed the high tea along with the recital. ATKV Choir Tour: 27 - 29 July 2012 Our Chapel Choir travelled to Cape Town in the July holidays to compete in the finals of the ATKV Applous Choir Competition. This is the biggest choir competition in South Africa. The choir sang on Saturday at Bloemhof Meisieskool against Pretoria Boys’ High. The choir received 82% as well as a standing ovation. The Sunday concert at Muratie Wine Estate was well supported by Michaelhouse Old Boys, parents and visitors who all enjoyed a wonderful sunny day of music under the oaks. Academic Reports H ft, iifc # ‘ J, wwt .« A fe 'I I f ' p w. > V * „ * ■« 11 " i ; i ,l V j i ' j!'* ^ 'l| (j % 1 V v íkíljI rird • P r MICHAELHOUSE MICHAELHOUSE MARIMBAS 2012 MARIMBA BAND: Back Row: Luke BarrelI, Khulekani Zungu, Nicholas Anderson, Batebang Mapetla, Liam Furniss, Edgar Lubinga, Jordan Sesink Clee, Mulalo Sadiki, Dillan van der Westhuizen, Ryan Anderson, Neo Molope, Fundile Nkuta Middle Row: Mpumelelo Shezi, Vincent van der Westhuizen, Daniel Roberts, Qhayiya Lujiva, Tsakani Baloyi, Constantin von Stackelberg, Sduduzo Buthelezi, Shingi Vambe, Lesedi Mokoena, Bryan Hall Front Row: Sbu Mavuso, Olwethu Mhaga, Wandile Mzuku, Clive Legoale-Phillips, Mr Abri Venter, Xolani Shezi, Zipho Mhlongo, Jabu Magubane, Lonwabo Mgoduso. Marimbas to the Max: 10 August 2012 For four consecutive years the Michaelhouse Marimba Bands have taken part in the Marimba’s to the Max concert at Epworth. This year, the Junior, C Block and Senior Marimba Bands performed along with those of Epworth, Alexandra High School and Hilton College. Music @ Michaelhouse Concert: 12 August 2012 The Michaelhouse Chapel Choir performed to a packed audience in the Chapel. The concert featured the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Youth and Howick Preparatory School Choirs along with Cathy-Jane Mintoor, a guest soprano from the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School assisted by a few members of the DBCS Choir. Apart from a lovely morning of choral music, the guests were also treated to a delicious tea that was enjoyed in the Main Quad beforehand. The highlight of the morning was the beautiful Plea for Africa song that was performed as a mass item by all the participants. Cordwalles Soiree: 14 September 2012 The Michaelhouse Acapella group: Acafellas, had their debut performance at the Cordwalles Soiree. They performed all genres of music from religious music through to Billy Joel, Michael Jackson and even Aloe Blacc’s I need a Dollar. @Bandroom.Live: 21 September 2012 The final @Bandroom.live for 2012 was a great success and thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. We were privileged to have the choir from Laerskool Eikestad in Stellenbosch entertain us with a lovely array of songs in various languages. It was a moving performance by pupils, some of whom were only 10 years old and away from home for the first time. With the senior Michaelhouse Music pupils away on various trips, the evening’s entertainment was provided mostly by D and E Block boys, who gave an excellent account of themselves in vocals and instrumentals. Richard Johnsen (D Block) delivered expert vocals, enthusiastically accompanied by the choir girls! It was lovely to experience the confidence with which our junior pupils performed on file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] all levels. Nottingham Road Women’s Institute Concert: 16 October 2012 For the third year in a row, the Nottingham Road Woman’s Institute hosted their last meeting of the year in the Band Room of the Music School where they were entertained by a variety of items performed by our boys. Jazz Band The Jazz Band consisted of 14 very enthusiastic musicians who grew in confidence with some fantastic performances throughout the year. Their first performance was held on 2 March during @Bandroom. Live. Recently they performed at the Sunday at Michaelhouse concert as well as at the Speech Day Concert. Thomas Watt-Pringle was the Leader and Hanko von Schlichting was the Deputy Leader. Marimba Band This year we had, a Junior Band for E and D Block boys, a C Block Band, and a Senior Band. The Junior and Senior Marimba Bands are in great demand to perform all over the Midlands. Highlights this year included the Cordwalles Centenary Walk and the Marimbas to the Max performance at Epworth College. Chapel Choir The Chapel Choir started the year off with a choir camp where the 64 eager choristers worked on the competition pieces and vocal techniques as well as introducing the new E Block to the Chapel Choir. The Chamber Choir leader was Olwethu Mhaga and the Deputy Choir leader was Hanko von Schlichting. 9 Academic Reports Fourteen Michaelhouse boys were accepted into the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Youth Choir for 2012 and represented KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa at a concert for Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee at Westminster Hall, as well as participating The following results were obtained this year: THE ASSOCIATED BOARD OF THE ROYAL SCHOOLS OF MUSIC Practical Results NAME GRADE INSTRUMENT PASS Vincent van der Westhuizen 1 Guitar Distinction Richard Johnsen 5 Piano Pass Richard Johnsen 5 Violin Pass Lonwabo Mgoduso 5 Singing Merit Bryan Hall 5 Singing Merit Dillan van der Westhuizen 5 Singing Merit Tumi Mahlare 6 Cello Pass Batebang Mapetla 6 Singing Pass Darren de Beer 6 Cello Pass Hanko von Schlichting 8 Singing Pass Theory Results NAME GRADE THEORY PASS Darren de Beer 5 Theory Awaiting Results Batebang Mapetla 5 Theory Awaiting Results Tumelo Mahlare 6 Theory Awaiting Results Joy Mhlanga 5 Theory Awaiting Results TRINITY GUILDHALL Practical Results NAME GRADE INSTRUMENT PASS William Lyle 3 Saxophone Distinction Nicholas van Niekerk 4 Saxophone Merit Kurt Martin 4 Saxophone Merit Chad Fourie 6 Saxophone Pass TRINITY ROCK AND POP SCHOOL Practical Results file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] NAME GRADE INSTRUMENT PASS Matthew Lewis 2 Drums Pass Kurt Martin 2 Vocals Merit Anele Songca 2 Drums Merit Kyle van Greunen 4 Vocals Pass in the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales during the July holidays. In the category for Show Choirs they were placed third and in the category for Youth Choirs they were placed second, behind the choir of the University of Singapore. ROCK SCHOOL Practical Results NAME GRADE INSTRUMENT PASS John Robins 5 Drums Merit Liam Furniss 5 Drums Distinction Ben Adey 6 Guitar Merit Joshua Cullinan 4 Guitar Merit Joy Mhlanga 4 Bass Guitar Distinction Neo Ngcobo 6 Vocals Merit Robert Perrot 6 Guitar Distinction University of South Africa NAME GRADE INSTRUMENT PASS Vincent van der Westhuizen 3 Piano Pass Mr Abri Venter and Luke Crouch Academic Reports HI Nzuzo Dlamini on Accounting Tour ACCOUNTING Head of Department: Mr Richard McMichael Staff: Mr Dean Forword and Mr Msizi Mchunu The accounting class of 2011 did well in the final exam. Out of the group of 29 candidates, 11 boys achieved an A symbol (38%), 7 a B symbol (24%) and 4 a C symbol (14%). There were no failures. At the start of 2012 Mr Dean Forword joined the department on a full time basis from the Intern Programme. B Block Accounting Tour to Johannesburg Report written by Nicholas Schram (Farfield) The Michaelhouse Accounting Tour of 2012 will be remembered for being well organised and fluid. The businesses, factories and companies we visited made for an unparalleled learning opportunity outside of the classroom environment. On Monday 27 September the Durban contingent of our group arrived in Johannesburg and met up with our Johannesburg hosts for the week. The next day we woke up to the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg life, evident in the seething traffic as we made our way to the economic hub of South Africa - Sandton. Our first stop was Nedbank, possibly the biggest office in the whole of South Africa. Our session in the shopping mall-sized building began with a tour of the premises. We visited all the sectors of the bank and paid particular attention to the Treasury Department. Thereafter we were given an informative speech from various leaders of their respective departments and given an overview of how the bank works and runs, and what role it plays in the economy. We learnt that each sector, over the years, has been adjusted to the specific needs of the bank and without all of them working in unison, the bank would not function. Our next stop that day was the JSE. Here we learnt a lot more about the stock exchange than we would have otherwise known. Despite being one of the smaller stock exchanges in the global economy, we are one of the most technologically advanced with everything being electronic and servers being based in the JSE building. We discovered how share prices are determined and how shares are sold in the different markets as well as the stock market’s position as a vital key in unlocking South Africa’s economic potential. On Wednesday, we ventured against the incoming traffic up to Rosslyn, Pretoria, our next scheduled visit being the BMW factory. The factory itself is a bubble, being highly advanced and well run, compared to the rest of the Rosslyn Industrial Park. This factory produces all the four door 3series BMW cars in the world and is the ninth biggest BMW factory in the world. It was almost surreal watching the production line develop from sheets of metal, to a body, to a painted body, to a connected body and chassis, to the finished product that will be shipped off. The economic file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] undertaking behind the process is huge and we were able to compare our manufacturing accounting knowledge to the real world situation, on a much larger scale. The succeeding event was a visit to the South African Bank Notes Company (SABN). This is the company that prints bank notes all over the world on behalf of their respective Reserve Banks. The facility lies in the most inconspicuous of places, which made us question our whereabouts on arrival. Soon afterwards we entered the highly guarded facility and were given a tour of the plant. At the time they were in the process of printing the new RIO note. They treat all the money they produce as stock, a hard concept to grasp for us at first. 43 M Academic Reports If a man empties his purse into his head no one can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest. J J Benjamin Franklin The following morning we had a meeting with Price Waterhouse Coopers. They gave us a comprehensive understanding of their profession and why they exist in the economy. We were shown around by two CAs-to-be in order to better understand what it is like to choose accounting as a profession, and what one does in that career. It was an informative morning learning how much more they do other than just auditing; at the same time answering a lot of our questions regarding future careers. That afternoon was the traditional trip to Gold Reef City. On our final day we had one more company to visit, Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS). They are based at OR Tambo International Airport and they gave us first hand insight into the complex air traffic system and how these highly skilled controllers run the skies by providing designated flight plans and vital information to airlines. It was a fantastic and interesting way to end off what had been a spectacular Accounting tour. We all learnt a lot about accounting and the economy beyond our textbooks. The tour would not have been possible without the help of the Johannesburg parents who hosted us,Thula, our driver, and the Accounting teachers, Mr Forword and Mr McMichael. Overall the tour of 2012 can be regarded as a resounding success and a tour that will hopefully be very beneficial for the future generations of Michaelhouse B Block accountants. COMPUTER STUDIES Head of Department: Mrs Julie Flanegan Staff: Mr Dominic Gruijters Intern: Mr Ian Crawford We were very excited to finally move into our newly revamped 21s1 century classrooms at the beginning of the year. The final product included three air conditioned IT labs (25 workstations each) and two offices, all equipped with wireless access. Where space allowed, we incorporated desks and chairs that support collaboration between boys working together on projects and problem-solving tasks. Ample electrical outlets were integrated into the worktops to allow boys to charge and connect their multimedia devices. The teachers have access to technology with interactive whiteboards and devices as well as media walls which provide a much larger viewing area, a dynamic media instruction which brings the world into the classroom. Controlled lighting was achieved by ensuring that the front of the classroom lighting could be adjusted so that students can see the whiteboard clearly. Downlighters were added in IT1 in the collaborative work area to ensure a relaxed working environment. Our physical space goes beyond the single classroom with the addition of a concertina door which can create either two separate venues or one large venue for bigger groups. We were pleased that 30% of our 2012 Matric IT boys achieved A symbols and 100% achieved a C symbol or above. Eighteen percent of the CAT boys achieved an A aggregate and 91% achieved a C symbol or above. We were delighted to learn that Jon Paul Akal was placed in the top one percent in the country for CAT which was a great achievement. In the First Quarter, we attended both the IT and CAT IEB conferences in Johannesburg. Mr Dominic Gruijters, in his role as IEB Portfolio Moderator, presented both at the IEB IT Conference and the IT Scratch Workshop and he has also fulfilled a role as one of the IEB Regional Moderators for IT in KwaZulu-Natal. In March, 99 boys from E to A Block wrote the Talent Search paper which is the first round of the South African Computer Olympiad. We had 35 boys participating in the Computer Applications first round this year and were delighted that Michael Harrison was invited as one of the ten finalists to participate in the final round in Cape Town in June. Michael was awarded a Silver Medal in the final round, a fantastic achievement considering there were initially 13 000 national candidates. After intensive training and a number of boys returning to School early from their holidays, we had 21 candidates participating in the programming round of the Olympiad. To add to our delight, Sean Markham was selected as one of 13 participants nationally to participate in the final round of the Programming Olympiad at the University of Cape Town during September. Sean was the runner-up in the final round and he earned file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] himself an additional certificate for being placed third in KwaZulu-Natal. Michael Harrison and Mitchell Green (second and third at Michaelhouse) were placed in the top 40 candidates nationally. Considering that the Olympiad attracts over 13 000 participants in the first round this is quite an achievement for both Michael and Sean as well as Michaelhouse as this is the first time that we have had two finalists in any one year. Academic Reports H E Block Computer Studies Our department attended the Adobe course training that was held in the Third Quarter and together with Ian Crawford we have presented the E-Learner computer course for the Community Partnership Programme. In keeping with our vision to equip boys with the necessary 21s1 century skills for the changing world, we covered a variety of activities in our E and D Block classes. Visual literacy: boys learnt necessary research skills to find relevant data and used skills learnt in spreadsheets to analyse the data collected. Some of the E Block boys designed their own story books and created electronic books using Adobe InDesign in collaboration with the English Department. Design Technology: using Google Sketchup, the boys designed their own 3D buildings from scratch and imported ready-made components to enhance their designs. Multimedia: Boys took their own photos and created Stop Motion animation; they were taught video and audio editing skills and created their own videos and designed and recorded their own radio advert using an audio editing program. The Internet and Social Networking was discussed in depth. This included the good, the bad and the ugly of social networking, blogging skills, the concept and calculation of a digital footprint and editing their own privacy settings in Facebook for security purposes. Games and Robotics: using Lego Mindstorms, boys built and programmed their robots to complete various tricks. They also designed and created their own animations and games using Scratch. In keeping with our vision to develop responsible digital citizens, we will continue with our mission, which is ‘to provide dynamic and progressive IT education by engaging and inspiring the boys, integrating the latest technologies and encouraging teamwork and collaboration, ensuring that the boys acquire the necessary 21st century skills for the changing world.’ Man is still the most extraordinary computer of all. y y John F. Kennedy 45 M Academic Reports COUNSELLING men in society. One of the key shifts has been that men are no longer simply breadwinners and their role has evolved into also playing a greater role in the care of children. JJead of Department: Mr Tim Jarvis Earlier this year I had the opportunity of attending the Maritzburg College IBSC Conference. At this conference English teacher Mr Simon Crane and I had the opportunity to present a paper on Masculinity and Visual Literacy. This gave us the chance to crystalise some of our thinking and work on how concepts of masculinity are informed by various media in an increasingly visual world. The word cloud below gives an indication of what our C Block boys believe a man should be. The size of each word is determined by the number of times boys used that word to describe what they believe are characteristics of the ideal man. In the presentation we were able to outline the work we did with our C Block boys and to explain how we challenged them to think about where those thoughts and ideas they have on the nature of men, come from. We were also able to show how a lot of what we believe about being a man is influenced by the media, before going on to highlight the importance of being visually literate in order to be more critical around the messages we receive about masculinity. Our young men today receive many conflicting messages about what it means to be a man. With rapidly changing and continually evolving technology, the landscape of communication and media is unrecognisable to what it was even ten years ago. With instant access to the internet, wherever and whenever, all of us are saturated and bombarded with messages all the time. It is hoped that by helping our boys become more visually literate and aware, they are better equipped to be more discerning about the messages they internalise, particularly around what it means to be a man. Courage to Connect It is not just young men for whom things are changing. For older men too attitudes and expectations have changed regarding the role of John Badalament in his book, The Modern Dad’s Dilemma, says that ‘changing economic conditions due to globalisation forcing both parents to work (and) the massive influx of women into all sectors of the workforce... have file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] influenced the increasingly significant caretaking role that men are beginning to play in children’s lives.’ He goes on to say that it is his wish that in the future ‘men and women will think of themselves not as breadwinners or caretakers but as full providers.’ Over the last six years or so Michaelhouse has been running a Father and Sons weekend as recognition of the key role that fathers play in their children’s lives and particularly in the lives of their teenage boys. We call this weekend ‘Courage to Connect - A Father and Sons Experience.’ It is interesting that John Badalament lists three attributes necessary for the modern Dad: self-knowledge, courage and adaptability. All of these are key components of the Courage to Connect weekend. This year the weekend was run for the seventh time. On this occasion it took place on the banks of the Tugela River at Em’seni campsite. Over the two days, fathers and sons from Michaelhouse shared a time of interaction, discussion, information, debate, activities and ultimately of affirmation of each other and their relationships. The content of the course included: • The Father and Son Bond • Identity Development • Relationships and Sexuality • Dealing with Male Emotions • Male Spiritualty »courageoups« fearleSS^Uresponsibie ra* teaitty e women compassionate leader l/inrlmusciilar well 1 -ir'nnnnnntfii "“i"1 P» loving confident friendly ma)llPll smart pome leadership tough funny ^ jmto r-jengëdr- ' manners ■ “W*"1"» cannghumble Academic Reports H Part of the weekend involved the Drakensburg Canopy Tour. This allowed fathers and sons to enjoy time together around an activity and also provided appropriate levels of adrenaline and excitement. Over the weekend a wide variety of instructional methods were used. Presentations included plenty of visual material including DVD clips and a large part of the sessions involved conversation around various issues between fathers and sons as they worked through dialoguing worksheets. There was also a great deal of discussion and activity, including both art and drama, in order to keep each session as interactive as possible. The weekend closed with a very meaningful public session of blessing and affirmation of each boy by his father with a chance afterwards for each boy to respond. I have copied feedback received from some of the twenty two participants this year below. ‘I have to say that the weekend surpassed all my expectations and was without doubt one was the most important and meaningful weekends that I have spent with my son.’ ‘I will recommend it to all Michaelhouse fathers and have done so to a father already.’ ‘I am certain that few fathers would ever get the chance to engage with their sons and peer group in the way we managed to over this weekend.’ ‘The whole course, weekend and experience far exceeded my expectations. 1 also cannot remember when last 1 spent such good quality time with my son, discussing such important issues in our lives.’ Not forgetting the Mums... This year we were once again able to run our Strong Mothers-Strong Sons, facilitated by Cape Town psychologist Megan de Beyer. We have run this course with great success for several years. In March this year we had thirty-two Michaelhouse mums of boys from a variety of different Blocks. Megan is always updating and refreshing her course and it is highly recommended for all mothers of teenage boys. This year’s feedback was extremely positive with mothers reporting that they learned as much about themselves as their boys. Counselling and Support file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] As always the Counselling Department provides one-on-one support for our boys as and when the need arises. A large part of the Counsellor’s job involves proactively interacting with boys through hiking, sports coaching, school camps and in fact any opportunity to connect with boys. Programmes and Courses Throughout the year there are a number of programmes run to deal proactively with issues faced by teenage boys. A few are mentioned here. D Block Sexuality Course This gave the D Block boys a very thorough grounding on the subject and focused on equipping them with skills to make informed decisions in this area. The boys were encouraged to work through a decision making process, so that they are prepared for what lies ahead. Sister Ruth Loubser, a qualified Sexual Health Educator led this course in her typically frank and direct way. Self-Directed Search This year the whole of B Block did an assessment called Self Directed Search. The SDS is the ideal assessment to help clarify each boy’s interests and to spark ideas for them in terms of possible careers that might appeal to them. Accompanying websites allow the boys the opportunity to do some further research around careers that interest them. Work Exposure This takes place at the end of the Third Quarter each year for B Block boys. The aim is to expose boys to the world of work as part of continued careers guidance. D Block Subject Choice Making decisions about subjects and eventually a future career path is not a once-off event. It is a process that is being constantly influenced by each boy’s own personal growth and maturity in step with the ever-changing world of work. All D Block boys get a full morning’s guidance on this issue as well as the chance to complete the Ideas: Interest Determination, Exploration and Assessment System. This assessment includes an interest questionnaire and a workbook which is filled in and enables the boys to narrow their search to their top three interests in order to find related jobs to match these interests. This can help them with their subject choices. Academic Support With the demands of high school education there are many boys who need some additional support. Mrs Janet Emanuel, our Academic Support teacher is available to the boys at the School three days a week. This has been Janet’s second year and she has quickly established herself as a vital part of the School’s support system. The department also works with a group of boys in awarding a number of internal exam concessions to assist them in reaching their full potential in test situations. In their B Block year, application is then made to the IEB so that the boys can continue to benefit from these concessions in their Matric year and ultimately their finals. ^ ^ Life is like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you represents determinism; the way you play it is free will. J J Jawaharal Nehru H Academic Reports The School's fully equipped gym allows Mr Righardt Kotze to focus on the physical well-being of the boys as part of the Life Orientation curriculum LIFE ORIENTATION Head of Department: Mr George Ferreira Staff: Mr Righardt Kotze and Mr Tim Jarvis Intern: Mr Halalisani Xulu Life Orientation as a subject provides opportunities to formally teach life skills to the boys and to assess their mastering of the various learning outcomes. In our department we employ team teaching and the boys are exposed to all three teachers who each focus on their respective areas of expertise. Mr Tim Jarvis, the School Counsellor, prepares the boys for future studies and careers and deals with aspects of personal development. Our Sports Scientist, Mr Righardt Kotze focuses on physical well- being and recreation. The learning areas of responsible citizenship and social development are covered by myself. Mr Halalisani Xulu, an Intern, assists with our D and E Block classes. We strive to apply all the learning outcomes to practical situations which the boys will encounter during their time at Michaelhouse and when they enter the world beyond the School’s gates. No examination takes place since all assessment is based on tasks which are completed throughout the year. During 2012, Michaelhouse was one of the pilot schools which introduced a research task into the Matric syllabus. Twenty two boys did their research task in Life Orientation. Enrichment Speakers The Life Orientation Department is responsible for arranging the Enrichment Speakers. The aim of these Enrichment Speakers is to supplement our Life Orientation Programme at Michaelhouse. Life Orientation guides and prepares file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] learners for life, and for its responsibilities and possibilities. This subject addresses knowledge, values, attitudes and skills about the self, the environment, responsible citizenship, a healthy and productive life, social engagement, recreation and physical activity, and career choices. It equips students to solve problems, to make informed decisions and choices, and to take appropriate actions to enable them to live meaningfully and successfully in a rapidly-changing society. Bismarck du Plessis, Marks Maponyane and Craig Elstob Bismarck du Plessis, Springbok rugby player and Marks Maponyane, former Bafana Bafana soccer player talked to the boys about their lives and sporting experiences during their respective visits and Mr Craig Elstob informed the boys about fracking in the Karoo. TruLife The boys thoroughly enjoyed a production by TruLife, a non-profit organisation that serves to challenge and inspire young people, giving them a platform to be the change. Their stage production dealt with the issue of justice and how the boys can make a change. Craig N Blewett Craig N Blewett is a Senior Lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in Information Technology. Craig has been involved in Higher Education for the past 20 years and has a keen interest in the convergence of educational theory and technological platforms. He is one of the founders of the NextEd Programme, which is a worldwide project exploring the use of technology for learning. Craig is currently 48 Academic Reports H researching the use of Facebook as a learning space, for his PhD. He informed the boys about internet dangers and made them aware of the risks in a fun but informative way. Wanda and Gavin Cocks Wanda and Gavin Cocks have spent the past four years researching the consequences and effects of the choking game. The reason for them doing this is that they lost their son Edwin at the age of 16 to the practice. They now see the need to share their knowledge, not only with children but also with parents and educators. Worldwide, people do not know the dangers of playing what they believe to be a harmless game. Mr Cocks informed the boys about the dangers of this game as well as other harmful games which are commonly played by school children. SAARKIE SAARKIE is the only all-girl-rock band in South Africa. The band members have taken responsibility for every aspect of their music and the band’s performance. With their unique style and vibe when it comes to Alternative Pop Rock - their music is a combination of talent and passionate energy which is delivered with flair, synergy and skill. This energetic band entertained the boys and Staff just before the school closed for the Christmas Quarter long weekend. STARS Web Page Mr Righardt Kotze is responsible for the STARS web page which is the intranet newspaper of the LEAP program where the boys can find information which assists them with maintaining their personal wellbeing. HUMAN KINETICS J^Jaster in Charge: Mr Righardt Kotzee The Michaelhouse Human Kinetics (HK) Programme is unique in South Africa. The Michaelhouse years offer vital opportunities to shape the attitudes and behaviours of our young men. The programme encourages healthy physical training and activity. Pupils need information about fitness and they need to develop an understanding of health- related fitness concepts. The boys also need to participate in developmentally appropriate fitness learning experiences. Not all scholars have the resources or the opportunity to participate in the type of community sport, gymnastic, dance and recreational activities that are available at Michaelhouse. Physical Education (HK) is an essential school subject that helps students value themselves and become successful at health-enhancing physical activity. Fitness testing, learner participation and movement performance are assessed and reported on each quarter. After participating in the HK fitness tests, the students are encouraged to set personal goals based on interests and fitness needs. The students are allocated time during the set HK lessons to work toward these goals through calisthenics and appropriate weight training circuit sessions. For the programme to be of optimum value, the boys must then be regularly active in their own time. Aims and Objectives Our aim is to help young men acquire the skills, knowledge and attitudes that lead to a lifetime of physical activity. Positive fitness behaviours can: • Counteract major risk factors of heart disease (obesity and high blood pressure) • Improve muscular strength, flexibility and aerobic endurance file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] • Improve self confidence, self esteem and self control • Help regulate weight control and improve body composition • Help improve cognitive functioning • Help students establish and strive for achievable personal fitness goals • Help students make appropriate decisions about their behaviour and fitness • Help students to follow rules and established safe procedures • Develop movement skills • Increase bone density • Help release tension and anxiety • Strengthen peer relationships • Reduce risk of depression • Promote a positive, lifelong attitude toward health-enhancing physical activity • Make the heart a stronger and more efficient pump • Help lower blood pressure and resting and working heart rates • Provide more energy for daily activities The following are some of the Human Kinetics Department’s objectives. E Block • Perform and practice procedures for warming up (dynamic stretching) and cooling down (static stretching) • Participate in a complete physical fitness assessment each quarter (muscular strength, muscular endurance, explosive strength, flexibility and cardio-vascular endurance) • Introduction to the importance of calisthenics (body weight exercises) and performing of calisthenics in areas that are freely available (gym floor, dorm rooms, boarding houses, family/holiday house, etc), as well as during holidays when a gym facility is not available • Introduction to gym etiquette and usage of training equipment • Identifying and demonstrating machine equipment exercises • Using gym equipment to perform different exercise routines (aerobic circuit, toning circuit, explosive strength training circuit) D Block • Update and re-emphasise performing proper warming up (dynamic stretching) and cooling down (static stretching) • Participate in a complete physical fitness assessment each quarter (muscular strength, muscular endurance, explosive strength, flexibility and cardio-vascular endurance) • Emphasise the importance of calisthenics • Re-introduction to gym etiquette • Identify and demonstrate free weight equipment exercises • Using gym equipment to perform different exercise routines HK complimenting Life Orientation (LO) and vice versa These concepts are of crucial importance to the LO curriculum. Due to time constraints and lesson allocations, HK forms part of the LO Programme at Michaelhouse, thus giving the boys more time and exposure to HK concepts as well as LO outcomes. fl Academic Reports EXTENDED ACADEMIC PROGRAMME ECONOMICS Staff Members in Charge: Mr Dominic Gruijters, Mr Hannes Ebersohn and Mr Matthew Higginson The Extended Academic Programme (EAPS) at Michaelhouse is intended to further extend learners who are already excelling academically in order to broaden their minds and fine-tune their thinking skills. In 2012 this was achieved by introducing individual research projects that extended learners by virtue of their motivation and curiosity while adding all round value to students who require extra enrichment. The entry criteria of being in the top five students in the Block was done away with and the programme was opened to any capable student. Boys were required to propose a research project of their choosing in order to gain entry into the programme. Projects were then supervised outside academic hours and carried out by the boys. A variety of topics were chosen by boys this year. Ryan Thompson, Steven Clowes, Michael McDonald, Dominic Pretorius, Lonwabo Mgoduso and Matthew Potter embarked on a research project to assess the viability of running the Science Department at Michaelhouse using renewable energy sources. They measured the energy needs of the Science Department and recorded power usage on a daily basis. Renewable energy sources such as solar power, wind turbines file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] and biogas were then assessed for viability. Other topics included music production, politics and psychology. Gianluca Truda proposed a project to discover how different types of music affect concentration and academic performance while Bradley Mallet embarked on a project to assess snap judgements based on work by Dan Ariely. Frederick Biggs and Robert Wood chose a project that looked at how to programme a computer to generate perfect numbers (a perfect number is a number whose factors add up to the number itself). The results and findings of these projects will be presented in 2013 at the EAPS annual awards dinner where the best research project will be selected. Head of Department: Mrs Win de Wet Staff: Mr Andrew Brown, Mr Linda Linda and Mr Msizi Mchunu Interns: Mr Karl Swartz, Mr Hala Xulu, Mr Justin Randall and Mr Nhlaka Nzimande Economics continues to be a popular subject. We are delighted that 77 C Blockers opted to study Economics this year which is our biggest group ever. The interesting topics that we cover and the relevance of the syllabus certainly helps attract boys to the subject. I was slightly disappointed with our Matric results at the end of 2011. We achieved 20% A symbols which is still higher than the IEB average of 17% A symbols; but we were hoping for 26%. The percentage of A, B and C symbols was 72%. Once again all the C Block Economics pupils participated in the JSE/ Liberty Investment Challenge. The competition starts in March and runs through till September. We believe that investing on the Stock Exchange, tracking shares and researching how various businesses are doing, are life skills. Not only are we encouraging the boys to track their shares on a daily basis but many of our assessment tasks are based on the JSE and what the boys are learning through buying and selling shares. The Economics and EMS Department currently has four Interns who are sitting in on lessons and who are also teaching some lessons. My vision for this programme is to develop teachers who are well qualified and who, by the time they leave Michaelhouse, are capable of teaching Economics to Matric level. Members of the Economics Department continue to be involved in the IEB Economics examining and marking process. I am currently the IEB Economics Examiner and Mr Linda Linda is a Sub Examiner and has been on the marking panel for five years. Three of the four members of the department attended the National IEB Economics User Group Conference which is an excellent professional development opportunity. Both Mr Andrew Brown and Mr Linda Linda recently attended a seminar in Pietermaritzburg. The guest speaker was Mr Alec Hogg who spoke about investment opportunities in Africa. I attended the International Boys’ School Coalition Conference hosted by Maritzburg College. The South African economy is facing many challenges - high fuel prices, an inflation rate that is creeping up to the upper limits of the SARB’s inflation targeting objective, labour strikes and unrest, lower than expected growth rates, a 40% drop in foreign direct investment (FDI), a decrease in credit ratings and the on-going threat emanating from the Eurozone crisis; all of which certainly makes for very interesting Economics lessons. Men do not understand how great a revenue is economy. ^ ^ Cicero 50 Academic Reports H The C Block EGD class with their steam driven cars ENGINEERING GRAPHICS AND DESIGN Head of Department: Mr Elmar de Klerk Staff: Mr Graeme Calway Intern: Mr Craig Pieterse At the beginning of 2012 Mr Graeme Calway and I attended a three day Engineering Graphics Essentials Course to keep abreast of the latest trends and methods of drawing with the help of a computer. We are currently running the 2012 version of Autocad on 24 work stations in the classroom. The boys really enjoy using the Autocad for their drawings but many drawings and teaching methods, nevertheless, still need to be relayed via the drawing board. The A Block Portfolio project required the boys to design a river cottage next to the Vaal River according to certain specifications. The boys had to do the necessary research, produce a design and create the appropriate computer drawings to complete the project. I was very pleased with some of the projects which were handed in this year. The B Block class tackled a crane project in which they did research, completed a design and built a model of their crane. The boys produced outstanding designs and I was most impressed with their final computer aided drawings as well as their models. The C Block boys were involved in the building of micro steam cars. Pupils first learnt about burners, combustion and file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] steam pressure. They mastered the skills of soldering, cutting metal and balancing a turbine wheel. They were also given the opportunity to assemble a model technology car kit and then draw the car using a computer programme. The hand that follows intellect can achieve. ^ ^ Michelangelo 51 I Academic Reports Mr John Crawford discussing fluvial aspects of the Bog Stream with his E Block class GEOGRAPHY Head of Department: Mr John Alexander Staff: Mr Mike Bownes, Mr Bernard Whitaker, Mr John Crawford and Mr Sibususo Ncamani During the course of 2012 the Geography Department has endeavoured to build on its reputation of excellence and to increase the uniqueness of the department as a Geographical Centre of Enquiry. To support our strengths, Staff have been encouraged to attend national conferences and to visit other schools. Additional resources have been purchased. These have included working models of solar systems and landforms. In addition, boys have been building tactile models for Geography which allow them to experiment with scale models and observe variations of effects. Gradually these self-built working experiments have been added to the collection within the department. There are now working models of drainage systems and fluvial effects to show evolution of rivers and the effects of different materials. An interesting addition has been a wind tunnel which is used to show the effect of wind on different structures whether they be buildings, water or vegetation types. There is also a groundwater infiltration model, which shows how different soil layers affect infiltration rates. Still in its planning phase is a shaker table, which will assist in understanding earthquakes. To support the theoretical aspects of the subject, Staff and boys have been exposed to a range of practical excursions. E Block has had to study the fluvial aspects of the Bog Stream. Boys have been measuring flow rates and depths and relating this to location within the stream. They have also constructed amazing models of the solar system. The B Block boys have been to visit the Spring Grove Dam at Rosetta. The boys had the unique experience of observing and studying hydrology and the broad scope of environmental impacts of dam construction. The D Block boys have participated in a settlement and apartheid excursion to Pietermaritzburg and the recently unveiled Mandela Capture site. The A Block group have completed their major IEB One Research Task for the first time. This type of learning experience will prepare them well for tertiary education and beyond. The 2012 dissertations which have just been internally moderated, have shown that the vast majority of boys have invested a great deal of time and thought and the high standard of work is indicative of their interest and engagement with Geography. Geography Laboratory In the Geography Department library, the old shelving has been removed and a new work surface has been installed. This will allow for a new teaching space as well as allowing boys to construct models and other projects in a dedicated space. The laboratory will also store and display all the working models to encourage interactive experiences. Cutting Edge Teaching Boys have also been exposed to Augmented Reality as a teaching tool. This approach and other visually appealing and interactive approaches are being applied as appropriate. As a result of this exciting and engaging methodology, the number of boys selecting Geography as the preferred subject of choice is on the increase. HISTORY Academic Reports H AFRIKAANS JJead of Department: Mr Mike Thomson The year started on a positive note as the A Block of 2011 achieved an excellent set of results with some 30% of the class recording an A aggregate in the finals. There were also great challenges as the A Block of 2012 embarked on a new form of research project, as we had signed on as a One Research Project School. The A Block has worked hard at their research projects and some excellent assignments were produced, with topics as varied as ‘Was the Propaganda War the one that Hitler won?’; ‘Who drew the Nazca Lines?’ and ‘Was John Lennon a threat to the USA?’ being researched. The B Block class completed some interesting work on the USA and Russia in the first half of the year and commenced their Matric syllabus in July of this year. To date they have grappled with the issues of the Cold War, studying topics such as the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Wall and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Three boys opted to take History as a seventh subject in B Block and these three young men meet after hours either at my home or in the file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] classroom to do their study of the Cold War. A small C Block class has worked steadily, looking firstly at the world in 1450, comparing similar civilizations. They then worked towards answering the question of why world power shifted to Europe. The Third Quarter saw a study of the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879. This included a field trip to Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. C Block has been an interesting class as its size has enabled me to attempt teaching in various different ways in order to experiment with different modes of delivery. We have tried using digital magazines and social networking amongst others. D and E Block have revisited most of the History sections of the Human and Social Studies syllabus and while they have enjoyed the work on the French Revolution, rock music, World War Two and Apartheid, it has of late been felt that some sections of the syllabus need reviewing. Throughout 20121 have examined delivery style and the use of technology in order to try and upgrade and change old methods. With the use of a recently acquired iPad, I have been able to gain greater access to the Internet offerings of the Khan Academy and YouTube. Boys are now able to email work to me, which can be marked in its digital format and emailed straight back without delay. I have also investigated the syllabi and will be introducing some new concepts in C Block next year. I have signed on to be a Project School, looking at a syllabus called Big History. It is an Australian originated, computer-based. Bill Gates supported syllabus which looks at history from 13.6 million years ago. It aims to develop the boys’ ability to critically analyse sources and see their connections. We have also reviewed the HSS syllabus and new themes will be introduced in both E and D Block next year. Head of Department: Mrs Louise Erwee Staff: Mrs Helene du Toit, Mr Johan van Rooyen, Mr Chris van der Berg, Mr Ryno Combrinck, Mrs Carlien Walters and Mrs Lizel Ferreira 2012 has been an exciting year for the Afrikaans Department as our three new classrooms and other facilities were completed and we were able to move in. All our classrooms are now fitted with the necessary IT equipment in order to make our lessons more enjoyable and effective. In February Mrs Heléne du Toit and Mrs Louise Erwee delivered a successful presentation at the regional IEB Conference held in Durban. The subject was the use of electronic media by pupils in the classroom. During March Mrs Carlien Walters and I were fortunate to be able to attend the TEACH Conference in Grahamstown, where we were exposed to presentations by Dr Jonathan Moch, Prof. Leonhard Praeg, Dr Dudley Forde, Keith Coates and Arthur Preston. It was an uplifting and beneficial experience. In June our A Block boys attended an excellent drama production by Pitt Productions held at Hilton College, during which the prescribed novel and poetry components were dramatised. It was enjoyed by all and the visual stimulation is always a great help to the boys when writing examinations. In the E Block Integrated Studies Programme, Intern, Mr Ian Crawford this year included an Afrikaans section and the D Block boys were again expected to participate in the Afrikaans project, culminating in well-planned and interesting IT presentations. This year the boys of Michaelhouse were also exposed to wonderful music and stage productions featuring Afrikaans musicians and actors brought to the school by Mr William le Cordeur. The Third Quarter ended with a much- appreciated and applauded performance by the Afrikaans girl rock band, SAARKIE. Mr Johan van Rooyen attended the premiere in Cape Town of a number of Afrikaans films due for release soon. He had the opportunity to meet with and listen to authors, script writers, producers and others involved with the projects. It is our aim to introduce film appreciation to all blocks in 2013. Everyone has naturally the power of Proverb 53 africENS in africa for africa law | tax | forensics | IP | africa Johannesburg +2711 269 7600 cape town +2721 410 2500 durban +2731 301 9340 stellenbosch +2721 808 6620 edward nathan sonnenbergs ENS | africa’s largest law firm ens.co.za ■£ Academic Reports H ENGLISH file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Head of Department: Mrs Mary McMichael Staff: Mrs Colleen Cook, Mr Simon Crane, Mr Peter Huntley, Mr Sam Mofokeng, Mr Richard Snowdon and Mr Bryan Tarr We were very pleased to welcome an Old Boy, Mr Richard Snowdon to our department at the start of the year and he has proved to be a most dedicated and innovative teacher. I am especially grateful to him for taking over Peter Dennyson’s role as my watch dog and his gentle reminders of due dates for tests, and polite queries about half-formed thoughts from our weekly meetings have kept my ever sieve-like mind in some semblance of cognitive order. Early in the quarter Mr Simon Crane, Mrs Colleen Cook and I attended the IEB National Conference at Birchwood where Simon ably presented a lecture on using PowerPoint and film in the classroom. Our staff has also had the opportunity of attending the English Teachers’ Conference at Hilton College. In March, 27 Michaelhouse pupils entered this year’s Olympiad. The theme was Small Town Big Voice, a broadly themed rural versus urban anthology of various works by three well known South African poets. The results came back with excellent news for our young C Block star, GianlucaTruda, who was placed fiftieth in the country out of over 7 300 candidates. He receives free tuition at Rhodes University for a year should he wish to take up that offer after school. We look forward to further successes from him in the next two years. Other results included gold for Nicholas Stephenson, seven silver and 11 bronze awards. Pupils have been encouraged to write creatively for various competitions and entry into school publications such as English Alive and the Douglas Livingston Poetry Competition, but sadly I have found that, unless they are made to write (usually for Quarter Order marks), the boys are not inclined to write on their own. With this in mind, I suspended the syllabus for a week and forced my B1 class to just write! The group produced excellent creative writing and was then suddenly rather keen to have their poems entered into the Whispers Poetry Competition. I finally sent in 17 beautifully crafted poems. Matthew Potter did outstandingly to achieve second place in the poetry section. Nicholas Stephenson and Adrian Wolfson were tied for fourth in the same section. And in the Short Story Category, Sebastian Holzbach and Michael Burn were also tied for fourth. I also used the creative mood at the time to get some of the boys to enter the Natal Witness True Stories of KZN competition. Of the entrants Matthew Potter and Joshua Geldenhuys were selected as finalists and have had their stories published. We were also very proud to see that two of our Staff members, Mr Simon Crane and Mrs Nancy Rouillard, were finalists in the adult section of the competition. Juniors in EO and DL wrote letters to their favourite sports heroes in connection with the Olympic Games and a lucrative competition run by the SA Post Office. Although none were selected as winners, Toby Francombe, David Karam and Alex Hayman were specially acknowledged for their promising work. Unfortunately very few entries arrived on my desk for the Rector’s Verse or the Old Boys’ Essay competitions and I will need to re-think the whole process. I believe that the First Quarter will be a better time for this as there are no exams or winter sports pressures then. This year’s winner, however, was Matthew Potter. In 2013 Mr Bryan Tarr will be enjoying his retirement in Hilton while I have the challenging prospect of reforming the English Department. We will miss Bryan’s sharp sense of humour and his hugely entertaining stories of the boys’ antics. Already feeling a little like a doomed sea captain, I then learned that Mr Simon Crane too will be abandoning this ship; he heads to the windy city, to take up a well-deserved promotion at Woodridge. babies are free to fail Dominic Pretorius (B Block) babies are free to fail You witness this in boxed bewilderment. red star doesn’t fit into blue circle Surely it must. That is precisely what the toy is made for. To educate undeveloped minds that everything fits. They must learn this full well, without fail, in time. a giggle grabs you the pieces loosely scatter e d a grin graces your face No. The task must be complete. You guide a minute hand, so tiny that you could just... to organise the blank wedges. Stiff irritation. Smiles are only allowed once successful. You wonder at bliss enjoyment of the child, drawn to the oblivious delight drawn to non-tampered being drawn to true file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] self the red star hurled yellow square tasted blue circle lost a triumphant smile, indifferent to result 44 Never neglect an opportunity for improvement. ^ ^ Sir William Jones 55 H Academic Reports Snapshot Joshua Geldenhuys (B Block) As I stood there with my best friend on my right, I felt my muscles twitching in anticipation. Everything was ready. The hall setup, blazers dry-cleaned, teeth flossed, and hair perfectly sculpted. All that remained was the arrival of our dates. I had waited for this moment for the past three years: when my date’s car would glide up the road to the front of School. How the car door would open, and a foot would be placed on the ground, revealing her dancing shoe of choice, and how the rest of her body would follow to reveal her entire ensemble. How, when she looked my way her face would light up, as would mine. It would be the perfect moment, filled with butterflies, goosebumps and happiness. Yes. This was what I had waited for for three years now. As I stood there with the rose I stole from the Headmaster’s garden in my right hand, my thoughts turned towards the friendship that I’ve formed with the girl I would now present to my School as my Grade Eleven dance date. She’s everything I’ve always wanted. She was an out-of-the-box kind of girl - she’s her own kind of beauty. A beauty that all could aspire to — naturally so, on her own terms. As the clock hands fell onto the six thirty mark, headlights started to sweep over the School’s driveway - chariots that made our hearts leap. Girlish laughter started filling the air, like the closing scene of a war movie, when the train comes to a stop, and all the war time sweethearts would have to sift through the chaos to find the one that belonged to them. We were the long suffering wives, while the girls took the role of war veterans, enduring pain of manicures, talkative hairstylists, dress hunting, make-up artists and the occasional spray tan. I had to restrain myself from folding into the crowd and searching for my date like everyone around me, but my feet were like lead, kept in place by a lethal mix of anticipation and anxiety. All around me were the white camera flashes and proud fathers exclaiming the famous, ‘that’s my boy.’ Mothers gazed upon the scene with teary eyes and broad smiles, pointing out to all who would listen how beautiful their coupled up sons were. Being punctual was never Kate’s strong suit -1 found myself repeating this over and over to myself like a mantra, trying to calm myself down and not delving into the overwhelming crowd to try find her. I was that scared wife from the end of the war film - the wife who didn’t know if her husband was coming back; so just stood there in the hope that he would find her. The anxiety I created in myself overcame my resolve to remain in one place, and so I soldiered forth into the crowd, entering the ocean of hardworking Nikons and Canons, dodging trains -1 looked up, and before me was the rock in my life. My Mother. I quickly shuffled to her, embraced her and before a greeting was exchanged the words, ‘Where’s Kate?’ were flung from my mouth. She pointed out a direction into a crowd, and while her mouth was still opening to begin a sentence I disappeared into the crowd to find her. I paced myself, looking at every long done up head of hair I could see in front of me, searching for a brunette one, until the shifting of my eyes to her face made the connection. I stopped dead in my Number Ones. In front of me was a tanned, short brunette, standing with her open backed dress towards me. I knew immediately that I had found her. It was Kate. Her voice and laugh pierced through all the other sound around me. She was cracking a joke to a crowd of boys who had already left their dates to speak to the girl who could entertain a crowd with a mere sentence. I bellowed her name, and she whirled around in the deep blue evening dress she had decided to astonish me in. A sunny smile filled her face, and she flung her arms into the air, forcing everyone around her to duck down to the ground. She hopped two steps in her high heeled shoes, and tugged at my neck as we hugged each other. Relief to have found her gave way to the warm glow of affection and excitement at knowing that it was going to be a wonderful night. New Boys Day Kyle Pyne-James (B Block) Breathe in. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] I am up. Not awake because waking up implies you have slept the night before. With tangling thoughts filling my mind and the terrifying anticipation for the next day, sleep had not been an option. My pristine school shirt drapes loosely over my under developed body. My toes curl as they interact with the soft new socks buried in my freshly polished shoes. The beings around me are crawling out of their beds. They rub their eyes, coming to terms with the new day which I had already met an hour earlier. The smell that clings to adolescent boys invades my nostrils. The dark room is conquered by the sudden rays of light that fill the room as a boy draws back the curtains. The butterfly farm occupying my stomach comes to life. I can hear the movement of boys outside our dorm. They are more accustomed to the morning routine. In the room the tension is high and increases with every piercing glance shot across the room, everyone waiting anxiously to see who will make the first move. These boys are current strangers to me with their homesick eyes and baby cheeks. Soon we will become close and tight knit just as the older Blocks have done before us. Once the hormones start to kick in and we grow together we will become as close as brothers. But for now, we are still little seeds in this dim lit room. I listen for my mother’s soothing voice announcing that breakfast is ready, but it doesn’t come. I can hear the shrill blast of our Housemaster’s whistle calling the boys to stand outside and be counted like chickens in a pen. One by one, each boy leaves the room. I don’t know if it is the fear or nerves of my first day but my legs won’t move. Stuck. So many thoughts are rushing through my mind. What will my teachers be like? Will the work be hard? Who do I sit next to in class? I don’t know anyone! The nerves control me and my mind. A mix of emotions fills my body. I don’t know whether to cry or smile. I miss my house, my bed, my family. I should just pick up the phone and call my Dad. Ask him to come pick me up. Then this nightmare will be over. But I have to stay positive. I should at least give it a try. Just one day, maybe a week, see how it goes. I lock my cupboard and slip the bright blue Michaelhouse lanyard over my head and turn to the door. Breathe out. Academic Reports H Contrast Nicholas Schram (B Block) Tiredness, emptiness The sky drones on. Streams of electronic banter Disturb the green and blue. Nature is empty, polluted, gasping for attention. Motors shout, birds cry for hope amid this hollow land A brat alongside has surrendered his concentration. Sharp crack, muffled thud, gentle crunch. The brown length of brittle carbon suffers. Our world lacks love. A subtle change, man rushes for shelter. The wind, a pill. Air hums, birds sing, Trees sway, the stream glides. Baritone, Soprano. Percussion, Strings. Perfect choir, perfect orchestra. Creation loves to perform, Yet rarely gets seen. Our world lacks love. Snapshot Matthew Potter (B Block) A tiny glass angel clenched in my clammy hands, tears trickling down my sleepy face, in the darkness, where no one could see. Thick mist shrouded around us and the only thing visible was the black road ahead where the car lights shone. Confused and anxious, not knowing what lay ahead, I watched my mother drive. Not a word was uttered, only mumbled prayers and a few ‘Hail Mary’s’ could be heard from time to time. The journey from Johannesburg to Pietermaritzburg was a long and tiresome one, and at the time, it seemed as though we would never reach Mediclinic. My mother had tom me from my bed with red swollen eyes and had delivered some startling news to my brother and me. Our grandfather, a pack-a-day man since his teens, a war veteran who had survived and escaped a war-camp, file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] raced motor bikes and was an Olympic standard swimmer. This invincible eighty-one year old was suddenly fighting for his life. Something finally had to give. It seemed so ironic that what was going to get him was an allergic reaction that he had to dried fruit...that led to a heart attack. He was admitted to ICU while we trudged through the night to be at his side. It was a Tuesday evening. My homework had been finished earlier that night and was now neatly stowed into my bag with my packed lunch which had been so meticulously prepared by my mother. I hastily threw a few things into a bag making doubly sure not to forget my favourite blue teddy bear, Mr Yum Yums. Dad was away overseas so the three of us clambered into the car leaving the house profoundly abandoned and my pristine uniform still hanging on the coat hanger in my room. I found myself sitting in the passenger seat of the car with my brother sleeping on the backseat. Now and then I would glance over at my mother in the driving seat as the dwindling city lights flickered across her face. She had always been the strongest person I knew, never wavering in her confidence or letting her resilient spirits be diminished but for the first time I could truly see it in her eyes: worry. I suddenly felt like a toddler again, wondering the aisles of a supermarket in search of my mother; completely and utterly lost. Loss was something alien to me. Up until now, the only loss which I had really experienced was perhaps in the death of a pet hamster or goldfish. The prospect invaded my mind and tormented me. My uncle and his family joined us along the N3, and still clutching my glass angel, I gazed out of the window as dawn broke over the dusty Highveld. Slowly but surely I watched as the landscape transformed itself into the lush KwaZulu- Natal Midlands that I have come to know so well, while the early morning sun peaked its head over the horizon and shone gleams of light through the trees. The waiting room smelt of a pungent disinfectant and freshly washed floors but to me it reeked of death; one could tell that by the forlorn and despondent faces of the nurses that passed by. We all said our uneasy and mumbled ‘hellos’ before taking our seats. My grandfather’s three children were the first to go in. I watched as my mother’s entire body tensed up while her eyes gave away her obvious anxiety, as if she was unable to pass through those swinging doors; afraid of what she might see. My brother looked up at the pale, gloomy faces around the room all with frightened eyes staring blankly at the grey floor below. He corralled all of the cousins and siblings onto one couch and lay a blanket over us all. He proceeded to do his best impersonation of our grandfather telling one of his famous stories in his rich Italian accent which, without fail, always started with: ‘You know, in my city...’ I couldn’t help but let the smallest smile stretch across my face. He was always good at that. When my mother returned we were all in hysterics as we reminisced about times spent in his presence but as we glanced over at my mother’s teary face, my stomach began to knot up once more. The curtain was drawn back and behind it lay a man that I couldn’t quite recognize at first; his body riddled with pipes and tubes. But as I looked into those deep fluid green eyes, I saw the strong, patient and peaceful grandfather of mine and true to character, he was not going to let us down, ‘Why are you all here...am I about to die?’ He asked with a slight smirk behind his oxygen mask. He then began to address each one of us, individually, in his normal jovial way, with the most pertinent and profound observations that left us quite stunned and paralyzed in that moment. He was as lucid and astute as always with that mischievous twinkle in his eye that was him! He died that night. In the midst of one of the darkest nights for our family, we found a shimmering beacon in my grandfather’s ever-present love and composure. It was ‘the best of times and the worst of times’ and in the midst of it all, we all grew ever closer, comforting each other and holding it all together through smiles, laughter and many tears until we all felt strong enough to go our separate ways and face the world without the physical presence of that big personality we had always leaned on and that had bound us so tightly for all those years. £ £ Poetry is the universal language which the heart holds with nature and itself ’ ^ ^ William Hazlitt H Academic Reports Ms Martine de Maroussem with C Block French students FRENCH Head of Department: Ms Martine De Maroussem Staff: Mrs Isabelle Schweyer Awards DELF (Diplóme Elémentaire de Langue Fran?aise) Exam 2012 A2 Digby Douglas-Dufresne, William Grant, Matthew Lovett, Kalelelya Mbizule, Lonwabo Mgoduso, Wulf Mosburger, Justin Rodger, Lee Savory, Ryan Van Greunen file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] B1 William Grant, Wulf Mosburger, Kalelelya Mbizule, Lee Savory The B Block boys participated in the annual General Knowledge Quiz that takes place in French at Hilton College during the Second Quarter. Teams are made up of individuals from all participating schools in an effort to replace the element of competition with a spirit of revelling in French language and culture, at the same time as developing a culture of cooperation in learning. Three rounds of multiple choice questions precede the final round where all competitors stand a chance of cashing in on a wide range of small prizes. C Block put together a pocket film for the FIPF Conference (Fédération Internationale des Professeurs de Fran£ais) that was held in July 2012. They also enjoyed a lunch break at Crusty Corner just before the start of the November exam. D Block enjoyed an afternoon of fun activities at St Anne’s College, after the address by Mrs Dawn Lefort on the advantages of studying French in today’s economy. The E Block class enjoyed a lunch break at Crusty Comer in Howick on Friday 7 September 2012. The direction in which education starts a man will determine his future in life, y y Unknown 58 Academic Reports H Matthew Davies and Tsakani Baloyi immerse themselves in Zulu Culture on a C Block isiZulu trip to Shakaland ISIZULU Head of Department: Mr Sizo Chalufu Staff: Mr Samukele Mofokeng Intern: Mr Rodney Zondi Taking over the reins of the isiZulu Department half way through the year was not an easy task especially since my predecessor had left at the end of the First Quarter. However, Mrs Nancy Rouillard and Mr Rodney Zondi deserve special mention for stepping in and making sure that the department ran smoothly before my arrival. Upon my arrival I soon found myself having to address various issues resulting from the disrupted academic year; but by the end of the Third Quarter the isiZulu pupils knew exactly what my expectations were. Our department strongly believes in and promotes realisation of potential and positive work ethic for all our pupils. The boys in A Block were the first to embrace this approach. In terms of outings, the C Block attended the isiZulu cultural evening hosted by The Wykeham Collegiate. This is an annual event where most Independent Schools in KwaZulu-Natal come together to showcase certain aspects of isiZulu language and culture. This is also aimed at cultivating a passion for the isiZulu language. In this event, our boys performed a gumboot dance which was combined with a short lesson on its history. The C Blockers visited Shakaland in Eshowe where they had a full experience of the Zulu culture which included amongst other things stick fighting, spear making, courtship and a visit to a local sangoma. All the aspects covered in this trip are quite significant as they form an integral part of their literature and poetry. IsiZulu is one of the smaller departments at the School and my vision is to see it becoming an attractive language option for most nonmother tongue speakers as well as growing to two classes in each Block. The realisation of this dream will require a lot of work as well as continued support from all stakeholders. I believe that isiZulu has an important role to play in our School and in the future lives of many of our pupils. ^ ^ Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. ^ ^ Nelson Mandela 59 M Academic Reports B Block boys (Dylan Rice, Cameron Holenstein, Jonathan Laing, Kethin Nair, Patrick Hughes) enjoying an outdoor Life Sa lesson LIFE SCIENCES Head of Department: Mr Paul Snyman Staff: Mr Iain Guthrie, Mr Paul Fleischack, Mr Nic Cahill and Mr Righardt Kotze Intern: Mr Michael Stead Laboratory Assistant: Mr Sipho Zikhali (Laboratory Manager) and Mrs Zanele Ndlovu The number of boys in A to C Block who have elected to take Life Science has grown this year; there have been four C Block classes, three B Block classes and two A Block classes. As a result of this expansion we’ve been fortunate enough to welcome into the department Mr Righardt Kotze as a C and E Block teacher. His experience as a bio- kinetist has certainly benefitted the boys he has taught this year. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Due to our expansion we have created a new teaching venue; the old Bio Computer Room has been converted into a Life Sciences lecture room. The new projector, ebeam, surround sound, blinds and notice-boards have allowed for effective teaching to take place in this venue. Mr Kotze, an avid fly-fisherman, has made his trout fish tank a focal point in the room and the boys have enjoyed monitoring the development of the fry. Mr Micheál Stead, an Intern Student, also joined the department this year. He has a Master’s Degree in microbiology and for the past five years he has worked in a research laboratory developing vaccines for tuberculosis patients. He has enriched the learning experience of boys. The B Block greatly benefitted from his informative lecture on AIDS and TB. This year Michaelhouse has joined a group of IEB schools involved in a pilot study which aims to improve the current school based assessment (SBA) for Grade 12 pupils. The new system requires all Grade 12s to complete an extended research project in History, Geography, Life Orientation or Life Sciences. Sixteen boys elected to do a Life Sciences research project and some interesting primary research took place. We strongly believe that emphasising the research process encourages independent and critical thinking; it also better prepares boys for the rigors of tertiary education. The IEB hope to implement this change across the board in the next few years and we continue to support the pilot study. Last year’s A Block final results were satisfactory. While we cannot simply judge our overall progress on the percentage of A symbols achieved in comparison to the IEB norms, it is our goal to keep the Life Sciences results above these norms. Thus, we have impressed upon the present A Block boys the need for consistency. The outcome of this is that the portfolio results achieved this year along with Trials results have, in general, been pleasing. The Natural Science curriculum in D Block has been redesigned to enable boys to make informed subject choices for C Block by exposing them to a comprehensive range of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Academic Reports H Rector Guy Pearson congratulates Michael Harrison on his outstanding Maths Olympiad achievement The C Block boys got the opportunity to visit to the Nottingham Road Brewing Company and Indezi Cheese Factory as extensions to the recent topic taught on respiration and micro-organisms. The excursion proved to be a successful way of seeing how bio-technology is being applied in our local area. Staff members in the department have benefitted from the Staff Development Programme. Some Staff members within the department have presented valuable lectures on important aspects of teaching like keeping boys engaged during lessons and getting the most out of pupils. Besides the achievements of the boys we teach, one of the main objectives of the department is to foster an interest and appreciation for the natural environment. We are fortunate to have Staff members that are passionate about this cause and we believe we are moving in the right direction. MATHEMATICS Head of Department: Mr Bailey Coxon Staff: Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield, Mr James Bullough, Miss Lisa Hardie, Mr Allan Laing, Mr Sihle Mtshali, Mr Deon Royappen, Mr Peter Stevens and Mr Andre van Wyk Intern: Mr Bongumusa Cele As the new HOD for Mathematics, I have been most impressed with the calibre of Staff in the Department. Their positive and energetic approach to teaching and their passion for this subject have made the transition for me extremely easy. Their support and encouragement have been much appreciated. Mr Deon Royappen joined the department this year, and it is encouraging seeing how well he has fitted into the culture and ethos of the School in such a short space of time. Mr Sihle Mtshali left Michaelhouse at the end of the Third Quarter to take up the position of HOD at Masibambane School in Gauteng. The following results were obtained in the 2011 NSC Examination: Core Mathematics: 30% (24 boys) distinctions, IEB average 23% Mathematical Literacy: 67% (30 boys) distinctions, IEB average 42% Paper 3: 32% (12 boys) distinctions, IEB average 26% APM: 31% (4 boys) distinctions The broader aims of the Mathematics Department for 2012, for both Staff and boys, include the following: • Ensuring a safe environment: physically, emotionally and psychologically • Challenging, stimulating and inspiring • Promoting independence and confidence • Having fun 6 6 Practice yourself in little things, and thence proceed to greater. Epictetus file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] 61 H Academic Reports One hundred and twenty Michaelhouse boys sat the second round of the National Maths Olympiad. Mr Bailey Coxon is pictured invigilating the exam It is pleasing to see the positive way in which the Mathematics Staff have embraced the initiatives set by Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield in the area of Staff development. We have had numerous in-house training sessions on the use of technology in the teaching of Mathematics and the majority of the department have attended the enrichment talks given over lunch. Even more pleasing is that a number of Staff have shown an interest in the free online courses offered by Cousera, and that a number of Staff have also signed up for the Calculus Single Variable Course which is due to start in January 2013. Events and Competitions: The annual Hilton/Michaelhouse evening was held at Michaelhouse this year on 23 February. Mr Alan Adlington- Corfield was the Quiz Master and he put us through our paces. We had to identify famous mathematicians, types of calculators and various mathematical artefacts, together with some rather tough logical problem solving questions. After a most enjoyable evening, the Hilton Staff came out victorious. Harmony Gold Mathematics Olympiad Round 1: 19 March 2012 - 214 participants, of which 120 made it into the second round Second round: 23 May 2012. The following boys came in the top 98 in the Province: Juniors: Ben Adey, Nicholas Anderson, Christopher Broadly, Callum Deeble, Daryn Flanegan, Frank Goble, Charles Houston and Robert Wood. There were a total of 970 junior Kwazulu-Natal participants in this round. Seniors: Michael Harrison and Matthew van Koevering. There were 1409 senior KwaZulu-Natal participants in this round. Round 3: 6 September 2012 - Michael Harrison was selected to take part in this round. HIP2B2 iThink Challenge 2012 HIP2B2, together with SAATA and the Department of Science and Technology, held the regional round of the annual iThink Challenge at Epworth School for Girls on 31 July 2012. Michaelhouse entered three teams each comprising of two boys from B to E Blocks. Teams had to crack riddles, develop a new cereal flavour, complete interesting tasks and solve problems. One of our teams made it through to the finals, but their air propelled plastic bottle didn’t make it to the finish line in the time allocated. Hilton College Mathematical Experience The Hilton Mathematical Experience was held on 15 August and was an evening of mathematical presentations, quizzes and prizes. Michaelhouse took 13 senior boys and four Staff members to the evening which proved most interesting. The presentations, given by both staff and pupils, were certainly thought provoking. The Wykeham Collegiate Grade 8 MATHS FEST Ten E Blockers were invited to The Wykeham Collegiate for an evening of friendly competition on 16 August 2012. More than ten schools participated in this event. All pupils were randomly mixed and placed in teams of three; each team had four rounds of questions to complete. Most of the boys who attended the evening found it to be challenging and fun. 62 Academic Reports H A targe group ofE Block boys had their reading achievements recognised in 2012 MEDIA CENTRE Head of Department: Mrs Lynn van der Vegte Staff: Mrs Colleen Cook, Ms Zanele Mchunu and Mr Simon Zondi A Changing World The interface of libraries is changing. According to Seth Godin, the American author and entrepreneur, the library of the future should offer the vibe of a coffee shop and provide a team of workers who facilitate access to and the creative use of information. We are extremely aware of the changing role of the library and are striving to meet the challenges which the rapid developments in the digital world are imposing on the way libraries function. A library can no longer be viewed as a warehouse for old books, but must be regarded as a portal to information in various formats which can be integrated to solve problems creatively. This requires a shift in mindset on our part with regards to the type of service we offer - a change which is both challenging and exciting. Change is also occurring in the area of leisure reading with the advantages and disadvantages of e-books dominating the debate. Perhaps this debate is somewhat misdirected as the inclusion of the e-book in the range of resources which a library offers, or not, is far less important than encouraging the lifelong skill and love of reading. As Godin says: file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] ‘When kids go to the mall instead of the library, it’s not that the mall won, it’s that the library lost.’ Change is a process, not an overnight transformation and as we sift through the opportunities which change offers, we intend to stay relevant and not lose out to the mall. Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favour... The Hunger Games took the reading world by storm this year. Even the reluctant readers suddenly became quite easy to convince that reading was exciting - the odds were certainly in our favour. The hype created by a smash hit movie such as The Hunger Games is incredibly helpful in promoting reading. Other books such as War Horse, We Bought a Zoo, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and the Tintin books all experienced a revival following the distribution of their respective movies. The release of the final Spud book - Spud: Exit - Pursued by a Bear - was another of the year’s bookish highlights. The books were under a strict embargo to only be released on the morning of 9 June. Orders were taken months in advance, a special delivery of the books was made to Michaelhouse that Saturday and those who couldn’t wait until the Monday met at the Media Centre to get their hands on the long- awaited final escapades of Spud Milton. By all accounts, it’s a great read and a fitting end to the series. Thankfully the eclectic range of the boys’ reading preferences and interests ensures that, in addition to the popular fiction books, the shelves can also be stocked with books which range from current affairs and social forecasting to sports biographies and wildlife adventures. The Best Books of the Week - four of the most recently published books which are displayed at the Issue Desk each week -provide a glimpse into what’s currently available in most bookshops. These books ensure that the boys are introduced to new authors, the latest books written by established authors and current topics of general interest. ‘They have to have an image, a picture...in their heads’ Heeding Richard Harris’s words in the above quote, we have continued to ascribe to the use of digital displays to add interest and 63 9 Academic Reports The Media Centre, equipped with both online and more traditional reference sources, creates an ideal environment to extend academic interest in the School's boys relevance to the Media Centre. ‘If your words or images are not on point, making them dance in colour won’t make them relevant’. This quote from Yale Professor Edward Tufte, however, about the dangers of PowerPoint presentations certainly does not seem to hold true in our experience. The inclusion of images and more recently, appropriate video clips, in the digital displays has proved very successful, adding colour and relevance to the topic under discussion. The use of a digital photo frame at the Issue Desk on which we run photos of the boys taking part in various activities in the School, has also proved to be very popular. This photo frame offers the opportunity for the Media Centre to provide a direct link with the boys and their everyday lives. The events of 2012 once again made it relatively easy to link with the boys via displays. The interest in the London Olympic Games was phenomenal and the two Guests of Honour at this year’s Speech Day and Receptio Ad Portas Ceremonies - Judges Arthur Chaskalson and Pius Langa - created a wonderful opportunity for us to explore the history of the South African Constitution and the Constitutional Court. In particular, the display about the Constitutional Court also provided a cross-curricular link with art, as many of South Africa’s finest artworks decorate the building in which the Constitutional Court is housed. Two thought-provoking productions which were staged by Michaelhouse - Waiting for Godot and Oedipus Rex - provided an excellent link between drama, theatre and literature which were drawn together in very successful displays. Linked-in In an effort to remain relevant we continue to connect with both the boys and the Staff via a weekly e-mail - the Media Centre News. This e-mail keeps the Staff and boys informed of what’s happening in the Media Centre, providing information about new books, new DVDs, new displays, useful websites and a calendar of events for the week. The Media Centre News focuses on a different theme each week and often provides a common thread for talks in assembly and chapel services. Audio/Visual Department The Audio/Visual Department was also subjected to the end of a very successful era of its own when all of the videos were taken off the shelves and packed away. This decision was taken not because the content of all of the videos was no longer relevant but because the technology was no longer supported - a sad upshot of where the digital world has taken us. The five old box-like television sets and huge earphones used by the boys to watch DVDs in the afternoons were also put out to pasture and replaced by flat screens and more trendy earphones. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] As more and more of the projects which the boys tackle are requiring the use of some form of digital media, the use of the cameras and facilities offered by the Audio/Visual Department has increased and there is a possibility that this department might well need to be expanded in the future. My sincere thanks go to Mr Simon Zondi who runs the department extremely efficiently and continues to offer a professional audio/visual service to both the Staff and the boys. Conclusion Each of the Media Centre team qualified for an Olympic Gold this year. My sincere thanks go to each member of the team for their contribution in adapting the Olympic motto of faster, higher, stronger to one more applicable to the Media Centre - relevant, vibrant, efficient. Academic Reports H A B Block group being pul through their paces at the Em 'seni Leadership Camp OUTDOOR EDUCATION JJead of Department: Mr Paul Fleischack This year the E Block again camped in the Oribi Reserve under the leadership of Mr Elmar de Klerk and the Staff team. They learned basic outdoor skills including rope-work, building shelters, cooking on a fire, orienteering, raft building, environmental studies and teamwork. For the first time this year they also experienced a short period of solitude, which they reported to be both enjoyable and valuable. This year the group was blessed with lovely weather and they were able to complete all aspects of the camp. D Block hiked on a circuitous route from School to Glamoor, in Fort Nottingham to Connemara Farm. The aim was to prepare the boys for their C Block Journey next year. To become familiar with a heavy rucksack, learn to pitch a tent, and to gain a feel for different terrains and distances. Mr Richard Butcher and Mr Barry Hulley kindly allowed the boys to camp on their farms. C Block boys embarked on the second C Block Journey, an expedition over 12 days on a route between Michaelhouse and Bezuidenhout’s Pass, north of Bergville. The B Blockers travelled to Em’seni, where they participated in leadership training. B BLOCK LEADERSHIP CAMP AT EM’SENI 23 - 26 September Written by Tumi Mahlare (Mackenzie) and Matthew Potter (Mackenzie) It was nothing short of a treat to have had the opportunity to spend a few days away from School at beautiful Em’seni, to debate and prepare ourselves for the exciting prospect of the leadership roles which would await us in the coming year. Michaelhouse has built its reputation on sound Christian morals and values, longstanding traditions and an unparalleled love and passion for the School itself. The puzzle pieces which make up our great School are essentially held together by the high standard of leadership which is maintained by the Matrics of the School of each passing year. The idea of becoming part of this next year was both thrilling and harrowing at the same time. Having spent almost four very interesting years with the Class of 2013, it was quite clear that with the array of talents and strengths which each boy has to offer, we would all have a pivotal role to play if we were to make a resounding success of leadership in 2013. The camp aided in bringing us all together as a Block and, through a series of challenging activities and lectures, prepared us to lead in all directions as true servant leaders, no matter what role we may be placed in. Over the few days, we were able to dedicate time not just to learning and working as an entire Block but also to spend dedicated time with our House groups and our Housemasters, with whom we would 65 H Academic Reports Group Two braving icy conditions on the C Block journey be working most closely on the issues of leadership. After navigating our way through a series of perplexing and challenging mental tasks and traversing through the low ropes course, we found ourselves energised by newly learned leadership techniques and buzzing with strategies and ideas for next year. Even during free time, while lounging in the sun or splashing about in the river, I still heard excited discussions about changes which boys wanted to make to better the School or ideas which they had; no doubt a positive sign for 2013.1 have the utmost faith that Michaelhouse is in very capable hands for 2013 and with the aid of the leadership camp, boys will be well equipped with the skills and knowledge to strive for greater heights. C BLOCK JOURNEY 16 -27 September Written by Mr Paul Fleischack Team Leaders: Mr Paul Fleischack, Revd Canon Alan Smedley, Mr John Alexander and Mr Peter Stevens file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Cycle Team: Mr Andrew Brown, Sr Joanne McMillan, Mr Paul Snyman and Mr Sipho Zikhali Staff: Mr James Bullough, Mr Sam Mofokeng, Mr David Smedley, Mr Tim Jarvis, Mr William Silk, Mr Bailey Coxon, Mr Michael Stead, Mr Rodney Zondi, Mr Nhlaka Nzimande and Mr Carl Swartz This year saw the second C Block Journey being undertaken. Boys travelled again by foot, bicycle and inflatable rafts on a route which extended between Michaelhouse and the Spioenkop area, north of Winterton. The Journey entailed climbing to the summit of the Drakensberg, cycling approximately 150km, hiking a distance of about 90km and paddling on the Thukela River. This year the rest day comprised a forty hour perod of solitude. The Block was divided into four groups, each completing their own separate Journey, but all facing the same significant challenges, including climbing Langalibalele Pass to the top of the Drakensberg. All also covered the same distances and spent a night with a Zulu family near Spioenkop, which was just one of the many unique experiences offered on this Journey. This year we were fortunate to have our own bicycles and more fortunate to have the services of Mr Sipho Zikhali, as the dedicated and highly competent bicycle mechanic. Mr Andrew Brown and Mr Paul Snyman shared the duty of Cycle Master to reduce the time each spent away from School. Sr McMillan cycled in excess of 200km when not providing medical care and ambulance back-up for the boys. We again enjoyed the support and warm hospitality of families on the route. The presence of many Old Boys, parents and farmers who encourage this type of programme is reassuring and provides invaluable support to the boys and the School. The Journey proved to be a great success. Parents who responded to a survey indicated that many of their boys showed greater concern for others and appreciation for their families and homes on their return from the Journey. The period of solitude was a significant time for most boys. Reading letters from parents and family, reflecting on their lives and writing letters provided an opportunity to reflect on their own lives and relationships with others. Academic Reports B The Boys’ Perspective of the C Block Journey Written by James Quin (Founders), Nick Richardson (Mackenzie) and Shawn Bailes (Founders) Solitude Step by step I inched my way closer to my square of land, to be all alone with an open mind. I felt all alone alongside the river with no purpose. Nightfall arrived hastily as I prepared for the challenge ahead. At the beginning, the silence of solitude seemed to slowly sip away my happiness as I lay there all alone with nothing to do, no-one to impress and nowhere to be. The wind was blowing gently as my eyes started to close. It was probably only six o’clock but the state my body was in, told me that the more rest I could get, the better. I woke up the next morning with a feeling of relief hanging over me. Today was going to be great. I had all the freedom I wanted, except that is for my set perimeter of course. I slipped out of bed, if I can call it that, and emerged from my tent. The sun was out and the green grasses of the meadows nearby were gently waving in the soft breeze. My day was spent carving a bald eagle out of wood for my dad, doing laundry and rationing myself with my food. Food was not something to joke about: ten ProVitas, a slice of cheese, four dog biscuits and an apple, for 40 HOURS! It ended up being quite fun rationing myself. One might say that they have tasted an apple, but I say, unless you have gone on solitude and then eaten an apple, you have NOT ‘tasted’ an apple! It was AMAZING, the succulent juices so sweet and the smell so refreshing. The dog biscuits turned into Romany Creams and the ProVitas turned from cardboard into actual food! Solitude ended up being one of the most spiritual and self-discovering experiences of my life. I learnt so much about myself and who I want to be. With that much time on my hands I was able to get in touch with God and improve my relationship with Him. Solitude was great! Cycling From the treacherous uphill slopes with the hot sun on my back to the adrenalin filled down-hills with the cool air rushing into my face, cycling was truly an up and down experience in more ways than one. Cycling was definitely the hardest stage for me mentally and physically and most of my group also seemed to feel this way. The 150 km route over three days from Michaelhouse to the base of Giant’s Castle was a brutal experience. Although tough, much enjoyment came along with it. The second morning brought unexpected surprises. The first five kilometers brought excruciating pain as our already bruised backsides took to the saddles once again. After a breakfast of future-life and oats we hoped we would have enough energy for the tough day of cycling ahead. When all was packed up we got on the bicycles and set off back in file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] the direction we had come from the previous day, much to the delight of all the group members. Going down the same stretch of road that we had travelled the previous day made it even harder. The day was long and painful with some steep hills which some of us pushed our bikes up; to have just a few moments of fast relief and true enjoyment racing down the steep mountain in our very own Tour de France style. After many near death experiences, the cries of cramp during the nights and experiences we would never forget, we gladly handed the bicycles over to Group Two and looked forward to the easier task of hiking. Hiking Seeing as hiking made up about 65% of the Journey, it played quite a big role in the overall experience. The group dynamics differed completely to our previous hikes as this was the first time we were put into groups with people from different Houses. It was interesting to see how different people coped with the long, strenuous walks. The actual hikes were long and tiring but it made them almost bearable knowing that we were actually working towards a final destination (my group ended the Journey at the top of the Drakensburg, which was a nice achievement to end with). Each day consisted of about four to six hours of walking, travelling an average of about 13km per day. It was endless hours of putting one foot in front of the other with one break for lunch which consisted of a tiny bit of peanut butter on three slices of bread and more hypertonic powdered drink. Walking that far with a pack on your back is hard work, but over the course of the Journey you got extremely fit so it became easier. The places we went to and the routes we walked were a pleasant change to just walking around the Oribi Reserve and the area around Michaelhouse during our E and D Block camps. Spending time with my group, I got to know the guys a lot better. Usually during the hikes and camps you were confined to your own House group, while on this one we spent 12 long days with boys from every House. Working closely as a group, we soon formed a tight, hard-working team and easily got through all the challenges laid out before us. A definite highlight was walking along the foot paths through the Drakensburg. The extensive views were breathtaking and the feeling of being isolated at the top of a mountain was eye-opening. I haven’t had the opportunity of doing something like that before and it is truly a memory I will never forget. An unforgettable experience throughout, but I can’t describe the feeling of walking down from the Drakensburg and seeing the bus waiting to take us home! Tom Fleming and Wilton Clark cooking breakfast at Bheki's kraal H Academic Reports Farfield Boys, James Strachan, John Haines and Geoffrey Blore ford a stream on the D Block hike D BLOCK HIKE 24 - 26 September J^Jaster in Charge: Mr Righardt Kotze One of the many aims of the D Block hike was to prepare boys for the C Block Journey. To allow them to experience the weight of a fully-packed rucksack, to feel the discomfort of inappropriate gear if they failed to heed advice, to select and pack relevant items and to work as a team in traversing countryside on foot. This year the D Block was split into two groups each comprising four Houses. Each group hiked the same route, but in opposite directions. The hikes took boys across grassland, through farmlands and through magnificent indigenous forest. Each group was led by a Staff member who was responsible for the boys’ wellbeing and, in most cases for navigating from one overnight campsite to the next. Departing from School, boys had to make their way through the Sarsden plantation forests to the Lidgetton Valley where they entered the extensive indigenous forests on Blesberg farm. Once through the forests they made their way to a campsite on Mr Barry Hulley’s farm, Connemara. Day two saw groups navigating across Midlands mistbelt grasslands and through established farms to their second campsite on the Butcher family farm, Glamoor. On the final day they hiked back across Shawlands, Mr Iain Hulley’s land and back through Sarsden to School. A BOY’S PERCEPTION OF THE D BLOCK HIKE Written by Michael McCarthy The D Block hike was fantastic and well worth doing. I thoroughly enjoyed it because while pushing us to our limits, it also brought us closer together as a House. For example on the first day during orienteering, I was put in a group with someone with a leg injury. This didn’t help at all because we had about an hour to run all over the Oribi Reserve. We divided our group down further to cater for the injured and then the fit half ran all over Oribi in search of the beacons. After this we were tired from running but still struggled through the eight kilometre hike that followed. The hike itself was hard and tedious because of the extremely heavy but very necessary bags containing all the stuff we needed to survive, like tents and cookers. I’ll never forget the halfway stop on the first day. It was a hot day and all of us were hungry and foot sore from the file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] walking when we were told we were nearly half way. This stop was the thing that everyone needed... an hour or so by a river, a chance to eat and a chance to rest our sore feet in a freezing, crystal clear river. A major attraction of the hike is that you are walking in such beautiful surroundings that you forget about the bag on your back that is dragging you down and you start to enjoy the walk. The campsites were really brilliant because they were set in soft green pastures with a water source nearby like the reservoir at the first campsite and the dam at the second. As well as being physically demanding, the hike manages to teach you things as well, such as responsibility for your possessions, your friends, your equipment and so on. I think that the D Block hike was a great team building exercise and was well worth it. 68 Academic Reports H E BLOCK SURVIVOR CAMP 24 - 26 September J^Jaster in Charge: Mr Elmar de Klerk The E Block Survivor Camp took place in the Oribi Reserve. We were very blessed with wonderful weather which ensured that all of the planned activities could be completed. The camping area had been levelled this year making it easier for the boys to erect their tents and arrange their camp-out areas. Some of the activities completed included orienteering in the Reserve, raft building, swimming in the dam, a time of solitude, preparing a potjie, puzzle building, designing a flag and hiking back to School. I am sure that the boys enjoyed the three days of being in a different environment and that they learned valuable life lessons and team building skills. The feedback I have received from the boys was positive and their questionaires suggested that it had been a great experience for them. THE BOYS’ PERCEPTION OF THE E BLOCK HIKE Written by Rowan Mockler (Mackenzie) and Mkuzo Kuwani (Baines) I honestly think that the E Block camping trip was well above expectations, well for Baines anyway. I thought the camp and activities on a whole were well co-ordinated and also well planned. Out of all the activities, the rafting was the best because whether you had the best raft or not, it all depended on how well you worked as a team because your chemistry as a group got you the furthest in most, if not all, the activities. I was very impressed by the way the three days were planned with activities that no individual could conquer alone; and if one did try and do it alone, you would be bound to fail. On top of that, the tasks required the groups to settle their differences and to work together and that was a very critical part of the whole camp. To be honest, from the moment we peered over the hill and saw where we would be living for the next three days, I knew that this camp would be an occasion that would take us all out of our comfort zones and test how well our House, as a New Boy group, would perform as a team. There were a lot of aspects that I enjoyed about this camp and a few that I didn’t find fun. The making of our shelter, I thought really got the group to work together as a team from the start, which was a good sign. I also enjoyed the orienteering for the same reason. Things like the making of the potjie, building the raft and the hour of solitude on the hills were activities that I also enjoyed. My least favourite aspect about the camp was the sleeping, or rather, trying to sleep, as it was very cold and extremely uncomfortable. The only other activity that I didn’t really enjoy was the carrying of the equipment that made our rafts down to New Dam as it was the most physically challenging task on the camp. On the whole, I really enjoyed the camp and feel that it helped a lot with our Cack groups’ relationships. Cfif8RATING 100 YEA*5 — Cordwalles PREPARATORY SCHOOL FOR BOYS Your Son's Foundation For Life. ‘Your Son’s Foundation for Life’ begins here at Cordwalles Preparatory School where boys from Preprimary to Grade 7 are introduced to real, exciting and relevant learning opportunities. Each boy is encouraged to develop personal excellence, respect and empathy for others and a belief in himself. Cordwalles offers spacious sporting facilities, a boarding house for boys from Grade 4 -7 and an excellent academic, cultural and music environment. Before your son enters high school why not consider giving him ‘his best foundation for life’7. Telephone 033 342 3077 101 Howick Road Pietermaritzburg Email: [email protected] www.cordwalles.co.za Building Your Son’s Foundation for Life file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Luke Bayett and Junior Bulhelezi enjoy an outdoor Physical Science lesson SCIENCE ead of Department: Mr Matthew Higginson Staff: Mr Gavin Ross, Mr Jaap van der Vegte and Mr Michael Schwartz Laboratory Assistants: Mr Raymond Duma and Mrs Zanele Ndlovu The Science Department continues to be an exciting place to learn and grow, both for the boys and the Staff. Our teaching Staff started the year by attending the annual IEB Conference in Durban. We were introduced to the new syllabus which rolled out this year in C Block. The Matrics of 2014 will be the first group of students writing the new syllabus. First impressions are that it is an improved syllabus with more time given to do more practical work. This year we took our C Block and B Block top sets on Science outings. The C Block went on a tour of the ENGEN refinery in Durban and our B Block boys went to the Sci Centre at Gateway. The purpose of these tours is to show the boys why they take Science as a subject and hopefully get them excited about pursuing a career in the various fields of Science; hopefully these tours extended the top sets’ thinking beyond the classroom. Once again there were a number of Grade 6 and Grade 7 visits from Prep schools from Pietermaritzburg and during the Orientation Weekend. We always enjoy entertaining the young boys with a few of the more fun experiments that are not always taken from the curriculum. The boys love the explosions of balloons and eruptions of volcanoes; they also enjoy learning about ice, dry ice and liquid nitrogen. As a department we are excited about the number of boys that have elected to take Physical Science as a subject. Our intake for next year is up to 72 boys which is quite a bit higher than the last couple of years. I Academic Reports ^ ^ Everyone has a fair turn to be as great as he pleases. ^ ^ Jeremy Collier 70 Spiritual H Revel Canon Alan Smedley engages with an E Block Divinity class SPIRITUAL Written by Revd Canon Alan Smedley One of the books I have re-read this year is Philip Yancey’s classic, What is so Amazing about Grace. It is an extraordinary book and I would urge you to read it. In it he refers to a conference in England that took place on comparative religions. During the proceedings, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith. Yancey writes that they began eliminating possibilities. Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of returning from the dead. The debate went on for some time until CS Lewis, the great Oxford Don and writer, wandered into the room. ‘What’s the rumpus about?’ he asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity’s unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, ‘Oh that’s easy. It’s Grace.’ Apparently, after some discussion the conference had to agree. What is Grace? It is the idea that God loves us free of charge. He fully accepts us, fully approves of us, values us, and is able to forgive us, and all this without us having to do anything, except put out our hands, believe it and receive it. Yancey elaborates on this and he tries to give us a definition. He says: ‘Grace means that there is nothing that we can do to make God love us more. Grace means that God already loves us, as much as an infinite God can possibly love, and nothing will change that.’ Yancey writes: ‘It is only Christianity that dares to make God’s love unconditional, and it is truly amazing!’ During the past year I have once again been so conscious of God’s Grace at work at Michaelhouse. It has only been by his Grace, and not human effort, that we have achieved what we have in the spiritual life of the School. And for that I am immensely grateful. My hope and prayer is that the boys will reach out their hands and hearts and minds and receive for themselves this incredible gift that God offers to them, and indeed to every human being, and that they will allow Him to change them into the likeness of Christ. It is with this hope and prayer in mind that the following spiritual activities have taken place in the life of the School this year. Confirmation Camp On Monday 27 August, at the end of the half term weekend, 109 C Blockers travelled to Em’seni near Winterton for the annual Confirmation Camp. It was wonderful to have six of our Michaelhouse Interns with us for the week. These were Mr Michael Stead, Mr Rodney Zondi, Mr Craig Pieterse, Mr Hayden Henderson-Everill, Mr Ian Crawford and Mr Hala Xulu. They all volunteered to come along and be leaders of the small groups. In addition, Mr Mike Bownes, file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Mr Mike Schwartz, Mr André van Wyk, Mr John Crawford, Mr Iain Guthrie and the Rector came out to be with us. I greatly appreciate their support and contribution. As has happened in recent years the staff of Scripture Union in Independent Schools (SUIS) facilitated the programme. Their team was led by Mr Ross Ducasse (the Natal Field Worker) and he was assisted by Mr Matt Lewis (the Gauteng Field Worker) and four of their Summit Team members (Gap year students). It was a special joy to have two OMs involved who are members of the Summit Team Programme this year - Mr Rati Mashego and Mr Magashe Ngoepe. ■ Spiritual The programme followed a similar format to last year. We divided the boys into 12 groups for the small group discussion workshops. Whilst there were teaching sessions when all 109 boys were together, as often as possible they met in these smaller groups. This made discussion and learning much more effective. The leaders were well prepared having been given teaching material and leaders’ notes prior to the camp. Towards the end of the week the boys also met in their House groups. This was to encourage them to consider having a weekly meeting in their Houses when they returned to School. In the various sessions we looked at a number of Biblical characters and drew lessons from their lives. During the week, Mr Matt Lewis, who is a very talented musician, also very gently introduced the boys to the value and meaning of worship through singing. It provided a beautiful dimension to the boys’ experience of the camp and the Christian way of life. On the Wednesday and Thursday evenings we gave the boys the opportunity to make a personal commitment to following Christ and to ask the Holy Spirit to come into their lives. About 55 boys responded. The leaders also made themselves available to pray for boys individually. As I witnessed the week unfold I became very aware of what an incredibly important time this was for our C Block boys and indeed for Michaelhouse. It is an extremely rare thing fora School to allow a whole year group to attend a Christian camp of this nature where they are given the opportunity to hear the Christian Gospel explained, where they can ask all the questions they have ever had about Christian faith, and where they can make this discovery of personal faith for themselves. Once again, to God be all the praise and the glory for His grace, His mercy and His love bestowed upon our School through this experience. Confirmation Service This took place on Friday 14 September at 5.30pm. As we had done last year, the Confirmation took place within the context of the Eucharist, and so the boys were also able to receive Communion. Ninety-one boys were confirmed and of these twenty were baptised. The Chapel was packed to capacity with family and friends. Bishop Rubin and Bishop Chad Gandiya, the Bishop of Harare, presided. Bishop Chad was visiting the Diocese at the time and Bishop Rubin invited him to join us. As is his custom. Bishop Rubin took time to pray with each boy in an unhurried way and to make him feel special. It was a deeply meaningful and memorable occasion. I am most grateful to the Bishop for his sensitive and caring ministry to us all. At the end of the Eucharist, Bishop Rubin made reference to the Rector leaving Michaelhouse at the end of the year. He then said he had a surprise for him. Mr Guy Pearson was then awarded the Order of the Holy Nativity. This is a rare honour bestowed upon a lay person in the Diocese of Natal, for outstanding service to the Diocese. It was a wonderful way of honouring the Rector for his outstanding contribution to this Diocesan School. Christian Fellowship The Chairman of the CF Committee this year was James Quick, the Deputy, Tom Stapylton-Smith and the other members were Zipho Mhlongo, Anthony Miller, Hanko von Schlichting, Sinenhlanhla Shelembe, Clive Legoale- Phillips, Zawadi Dlamini, Ryan Van Greunen, Steven Clowes, Devon Bownes, Jabu Magubane, Batebang Mapetla, Thomas Robertson and Hayden Weaver. It has been another great year with about 80 to 100 boys going down to the Crypt Chapel at 8.30pm each Wednesday. The CF Band has led the worship in a meaningful and inspiring way under the leadership of Zawadi Dlamini. Christian Representative Council The Chairman this year has been Zipho Mhlongo and the Deputy was Michael Harrison. The other members were Christopher Brits, Robert Anderson, Clive Legoale-Phillips, Anthony Miller, Olwethu Mhaga, Ash Wednesday Full School Eucharist On Wednesday 22 February at 7.30am we held a Full School Eucharist. Deputy Rector Paul Fleischack was the preacher and he gave a very good talk about the significance of Ash Wednesday as well as a synopsis of the relevance of Lent, Holy Week and Easter. It was both educational and inspirational. The whole service was a fitting start to the season of Lent. Informal Worship These services take place twice a term and the boys preside, with the Christian Fellowship Gospel Band leading the file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] singing. Although the boys tend to be a little more rowdy at these services due to their informal nature, most of them prefer this style to our more traditional ones. I believe it is important that we provide a variety of different expressions of worship so that they are educated to recognise that there is not just one way to worship God. Of course as an Anglican Church School, virtually every Sunday there is a traditional Anglican liturgical Eucharist which boys can choose to attend. This year we have had some wonderful talks by senior boys. At the first Informal Service of the year James Quick, the Chairman of CF for 2012, gave the talk. James spoke with eloquence, was theologically sound and kept the attention of his audience. One can always tell from the amount of coughing and shuffling that takes place whether a preacher is being heard or not. On this occasion the School was clearly listening. Wednesday Chapel At our Wednesday services different members of Staff as well as the boys themselves design the format and give a talk. On 15 February, Mr Linda Linda, a member of the Economics Department, took the service. He is a charismatic preacher and consequently comes across powerfully and holds the boys attention. Linda gave a good talk as always, but what I found especially interesting was to watch a number of boys come up to him after the service, pat him on the back, and say, ‘Well done. Sir!’ I subsequently remarked to one of our other preachers that that doesn’t seem to happen to the rest of us! The annual Induction Ceremony is a meaningful step in the boys' careers at Michaelhouse. The Farfield E Block boys are seen here with their Prefects after the service. James Quick, Hanko von Schlichting, Tom Stapylton-Smith and Luke Strachan. The role of the CRC is to take responsibility for the overall spiritual life of the School from a school boy perspective. They meet twice a term and oversee the cell groups, choosing the hymns for Chapel services, prayer groups, Chapel Servers, the Christian Fellowship, the Informal Chapel services, and advising the Chaplain on how to make Chapel as meaningful as possible. It is such a joy and pleasure for me to meet regularly with such a gifted and inspiring group of young men and to be able to pray together and talk about the spiritual life of our School. 72 Spiritual H outward response individuals may receive, we are extremely blessed to have so many members of Staff who ask to be given the opportunity to speak in Chapel. This year there were 17 of them. We are incredibly blessed and enriched by the wide variety of people and talks that we hear. Ascension Day Service On Thursday morning 17 May at 7.30am we had a Full School Eucharist to celebrate Ascension Day. Deputy Rector Allan Laing preached the sermon. He gave a very informative talk on the significance of Christ’s Ascension and why it is that this is one of the great festivals in the Church’s calendar. The Choir sang beautifully and it was a wonderful celebration. Staff Course on Prayer During the Second Quarter I ran a six week course on Prayer, created by Philip Yancey. Nine members of Staff attended. We met in the Old Boys’ Club from 7.30pm until 9.00pm on a Tuesday evening. The format consisted of short video clips by Philip Yancey, and then we worked through a participant’s guide consisting of reflective questions and bible study. It is a most worthwhile course and we all found it extremely thought provoking and helpful. Lady Preachers On 17 June at the evening service, the Revd Dr Susan van Niekerk who is the Chaplain at St Anne’s school, was our preacher. Then on 21 October, Ms Alice Fabian, who is a Masters Student in Theology at the University of KwaZulu- Natal and who is also preparing for ordination, spoke at the Informal Service. It was wonderful to have these two ladies here at Michaelhouse and they both gave relevant and challenging messages to the boys. I am grateful to both of them for being willing to come and preach in a very different environment to what they are accustomed to. National Independent Schools’ Chaplains’ Conference On Saturday 28 August ten of us from KwaZulu-Natal set off for Mpumalanga, where most of our meetings were held around the campfire. Thirty two delegates from all over the country attended. The discussion topics included environmental issues, poverty and our response to it, the role of a chaplain, the use of social media and the internet, and teenage culture today. Mr Greg Theron, the Headmaster of Penryn, visited us on the Thursday afternoon and gave a talk entitled The Environment of Independent School Headmasters in a Changing World. On the Monday we had our traditional silent retreat day. What a pleasure it was to be able to sit and meditate on the banks of the Sabie River whilst watching hippos and elephants in the water. As I have reflected on this year’s gathering I think it was the most helpful and worthwhile Chaplain’s Conference I file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] have attended over the past 20 years. It would be difficult to find a better place than the Kruger Park in which to retreat from the hectic world of a school, and also to be able to engage in deep discussions with fellow Chaplains about all kinds of issues. As experienced in the past, the most valuable aspect of the conference was the informal interaction and fellowship I was able to enjoy with people who are doing the same work that I do. Unlike other Academic Staff in most schools, a Chaplain is not part of an Academic Department where colleagues are able to meet regularly, discuss issues, share ideas and receive encouragement from one another. Consequently, the life of a Chaplain can be relatively lonely. The conference this year gave ample opportunity for this kind of fellowship and I am most grateful for being given the opportunity to attend. Unity Camp Over the half term weekend of the Fourth Quarter, the newly elected Christian Fellowship Committee and the CF Gospel Band, headed for the annual Unity Camp which was held at a conference centre near the Champagne Castle Hotel in the Drakensberg. The Unity Camp is run by Scripture Union in Independent Schools and is for CF Committees from Independent Schools in KwaZulu-Natal. It is a training camp designed to equip the boys and girls to fulfil their responsibilities for the following year. The boys loved it, and found it most worthwhile. They were able to pray, plan and prepare well for 2013. 1952 Leavers’ Service On the morning of Saturday 12 May, 24 OMs who were attending their sixtieth Gaudy reunion attended a short Chapel service. Canon Fred Pitout preached a short sermon and I led the service. At the start, I showed them a power point presentation, which was put together by Mrs Lynn Van der Vegte a few years ago, of the history of the Chapel. There were photographs of the demolition of the centre section of the old Chapel which took place in 1950 and one of the completed building in 1952. The consecration of the new Chapel took place on 21 May 1952. This was of course particularly memorable for the OMs present as this had taken place during their last year at the School. Remembrance Day Service This took place on Sunday 11 November. Wreaths were placed against the altar by the following: On behalf of the School - The Rector Mr Guy Pearson and Senior Prefect for 2013, Ryan Thompson. On behalf of the Navy - Mr Iain Guthrie; the Air Force - Honorary Colonel Grant Murray - 15 Squadron SAAF; the Army - Hon Colonel Don Guthrie - Natal Field Artillery and Mr Roy Gathome; Prisoners of War - Hon Colonel Basil Hersov - 21 Squadron SAAF; and the Durban Light Infantry - Hon Colonel Errol Richardson. This year we repeated what we had done for the first time last year, and did not have a Eucharist as part of the service. With the reading of the Roll of Honour and the other special commemorations, we had found that the service went on for too long. Consequently, the boys lost concentration and it detracted from the value of the service. Instead, the eight Heads of Houses each read the story of an OM who had died in one of the two world wars. Once they had completed their reading, they then lit a candle and placed it on the altar. After this the Roll of Honour was read. Conclusion As always, I would like to conclude this report by thanking all those who have given so much to the spiritual life of the School during 2012. Each person has contributed in a particular way and has played a valuable role in our lives. The Layministers: Messrs Guy Pearson, Paul Fleischack, John Crawford, Allan Laing, Tim Jarvis, Alan Adlington- Corfield and Iain Guthrie. As he is leaving the School at the end of this year, a very special thanks to the Rector for all the support he has given, and the contribution he has made, to our spiritual life. He has given some wonderful talks in Chapel on numerous occasions and has led many services as a Layminister. It has been absolutely fantastic and greatly appreciated. May God strengthen, equip and bless him with an abundance of his Grace as he takes up his new position at Bishops. Mrs Kate Smedley, who once again, has continued to ensure that there are flowers in the Chapel each week and who has faithfully taught Divinity to all the boys in E and D Blocks. As I have mentioned in the past, Kate’s creativity and application of the Biblical stories to real life issues, has made Divinity classes meaningful and enjoyable for the boys. Pastor Sipho Zuma who has continued to minister to the isiZulu employees of the School and to the members of Zenzani Village. Sipho also leaves us at the end of the year and I would like to express our sincere thanks to him for his ministry to our community and wish him well as he starts a new chapter in his life. Mr William Silk and Mr Abri Venter as the Choir Master and Chapel Organist respectively. The Chapel Servers, School Prefects and the bell ringers. ■ Spiritual Rector Guy Pearson with Honorary Colonel Basil Hersov, Honorary Colonel Errol Richardson, Mr Roy Gathorne. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Honorary Colonel Don Guthrie, Mr lain Guthrie, Honorary Colonel Grant Murray and the School’s Chaplain, Canon Alan Smedley on Remembrance Day Visiting Preachers The following people were our preachers this year. All of them, except three, are members of the Michaelhouse Staff. Mr Guy Pearson Mr Tim Jarvis Mr Michael Bownes Mr Xavier Moran Mr Michael Schwartz Ms Joy Preiss Mr Linda Linda Revd Canon Fred Pitout Mr Simon Crane Mr Paul Fleischack Mr Iain Guthrie Mr George Ferreira Ms Alice Fabian Mr Dominic Gruijters Mr Paul Snyman Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield Mr Allan Laing Mr John Crawford Mr Sam Mofokeng Revd Dr Susan van Niekerk Weddings of Michaelhouse Staff and Old Boys Date Groom Bride Details 18/02/2012 Michael Reynolds Megan Pearson Old Boy 2003 31/03/2012 Dave Alcock Cathy Koch Old Boy 1993 09/04/2012 Richard Snowden Natalie Woods MHS Staff 14/04/2012 Steve Cook Lisa Bantich Old Boy 2000 21/04/2012 Murray Smythe Sarah Bulcock Old Boy 2001 12/05/2012 James Flint Cristen McLintock Old Boy 2000 19/05/2012 Andrew Neal Frances Waterworth Old Boy 2002 26/05/2012 Johan van Schalkwyk Liliane Hoffman Old Boy 1993 02/06/2012 Paul Smedley Courtney Brunton Old Boy 2006 21/07/2012 Alastair Coldwell Penelope-Anne Fitchet Old Boy 2001 08/09/2012 Christopher Quayle Robyn Wentzel Old Boy 1998 22/09/2012 Erhard Breet Marezelda Mostert Old Boy 2006 08/12/2012 Luke Thomlinson Annie Greene Old Boy 2004 12/12/2012 Andrew Arnesen Catja Schonlau Old Boy 1982 16/12/2012 Ross Dunlop Kim Wingfield Old Boy 2002 THINKERS WANTED" ‘NOT FOR EVERYONE APPLY HERE { CERTIFICATES } m «9 your ability to loam by 25%. loll-oroployed- j *HEQC accredited, DHET registered, SAQA registration pending ave you given Johannesburg toil 521-4600 PO Box 2369, Randburg, 2125 444 Jan Smuts Avenue, Bordeaux jhb®vegaschool.com 1031 569-1415 PO Box 1669, Westville, 36 16 imvubu Park Place, Riverhorse Valley [email protected] 1021 4a-8089 PO Box 430, Green Point, 8051 3rd Floor, 11 Adderley St, Cape Town PO Box 12361, Hatfield, 0028 5th Floor, 501 Jorissen Street, Sunnyside East [email protected] Bedfordview (Satellite Training Centre) toil 455-1225 72 Concorde East Road, Mediterranean Conference Centre, Bedfordview » the INDEPENDENT .INSTITUTES; I EDUCATION file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] think about it ©eij SCHOOL OF BRAND LEADERSHIF a ■ Cultural • Clubs and Societies Stalwarts of the Agricultural Society, Brent Johnston and Daniel Nuttall-Smith manning the crush AFRICAN AFFAIRS SOCIETY Master in Charge: Mr Msizi Mchunu Chairman: Olwethu Mhaga Secretary: Olwethu Songca The African Affairs Society meets at least twice a term. Only senior boys are invited to join the society. Various topics affecting the African continent are discussed at length with attending members giving their opinions and views. Robust debates ensue in the spirit of sharing knowledge and encouraging participation. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY Master in Charge: Mr Iain Guthrie Chairman: Daniel Nuttall-Smith The primary function of the society this year has been to help with the management of the Nguni herd in the Oribi Reserve. Boys have learnt how to herd and separate cattle. The acquisition of this skill has been particularly enjoyed, resulting in both weaners and bulls being separated from the herd when required. The pregnancy testing proved to be of considerable interest to the boys as were vaccinations, weaning, dipping and various other aspects of herd control. These hands-on activities give real experiences to the boys and develop the boys’ interest in agriculture. During the year Dr Peter Ardington presented his Grass talk to a select group of boys. This generated considerable discussion and the boys found the content very thought provoking. Dr Ardington also provided a practical element and spent considerable time with Wesley Biggs explaining the merits of good grass management. Well done to Daniel Nuttall-Smith who won the Andrew Henderson Prize for Agriculture for his contribution to the society. He has been an enthusiastic and committed member of the group and readily helps the functioning of the society. We are sometimes as different from ourselves as we are from others. Francois de La Rochefoucauld 76 Cultural • Clubs and Societies H SPORTS ARCHIVES SOCIETY Staff Members in Charge: Mr Ian Crawford and Mr Dean For word Chairman: Steven Harris The Archives Society was renamed the Sports Archives Society for two reasons. Firstly to try and get more boys to join the society and secondly to provide an opportunity to look into the rich and fascinating history of sport at Michaelhouse. This year the society had eight new members and we are hoping that the numbers will continue to grow next year. Mr Peter Stevens, Michaelhouse Old Boy and current Maths teacher, was our guest speaker at our first meeting of the year. He spoke about the traditions of Michaelhouse sport. It was interesting to see how the sports and especially dress code had changed over the years. He also spoke about his time in Farfield. The boys were fascinated when he told them that the Housemaster had a pet otter and the boys regularly walked it to the dam for a swim. Our second outing of the year was a very interesting trip to Pietermaritzburg to visit Africa Media Online, which is currently digitizing all of the Michaelhouse Chronicles. The boys were given a guided tour of Africa Media Online which they all thoroughly enjoyed. One of our projects this year was to refurbish the Cricket Pavilion with new cricket memrobilia. The walls of the pavilion were painted and the boys chose and placed new memorabilia in the display cabinets. ART SOCIETY rjleacher in Charge: Ms Joy Preiss Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris and London: What more could any boy ask for, than to travel with his friends across Europe, seeing famous landmarks and cultural sights, and tasting the excitement of travelling through new and ancient countries? Twenty four very lucky boys accompanied by Ms Preiss and Mr Ebersohn, left on Sunday 25 March 2012 on the School’s first overseas tour, for some time. Landing in Rome the group spent three days touring the oldest and most famous Italian attractions starting with the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel and St Peters; going on to the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps where the boys became lost in wonder at the sites. We toured the inside of the Colosseum, walked up to St Peter in Chains to see Michelangelo’s Moses and then were taken to the Pantheon and the magnificent Piazza Navona. The following day the bus took an already very tired and weary group on to Florence via Pisa, where we stayed close file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] to the central hub of the old city. Every day our tour guide met us and showed us the famous sights starting with a viewing of Michelangelo’s David in the Academia, the Duomo and the famous Bronze Doors and the magnificent Uffizi Gallery. We spent the afternoons exploring the city and doing laundry! And then on to Venice, the extraordinary city of canals, waterways, glass and vaporettos. Our Venetian guide showed us through the Doge’s Palace, which included a thought provoking walk over the Bridge of Sighs. The rest of the day was for sightseeing, exploring the islands, and shopping. The next day we were again on the move and off to see a glass blowing demonstration and a visit to the famous Peggy Guggenheim Museum which houses some of the world’s greatest art works. That night another adventure began, and that was our overnight train trip to Paris. A bit of a squeeze, and not exactly five-star. We eventually arrived at Gare de Lyon Station in Paris where our guide and tour bus whisked us off on a city tour. This included visits to the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Montmartre area where we climbed up to Sacre Coeur. One of the highlights which the boys will never forget was seeing a young busker perform the most amazing tricks with a soccer ball. 6 6 Man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people. i Will Rogers 77 H Cultural • Clubs and Societies Michaelhouse Art Society Members pictured in front of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome Day two in Paris was taken up with visits to museums, the long awaited viewing of the Mona Lisa inside the Louvre and also the tour of the Musee d’Orsay; and then more, much more importantly, free time to shop on the Champs Élysées. The following morning we left Paris on the Eurostar for London where we were met by the local guide who gave us a great tour of London’s main sights before finally dropping us off at our Hilton Hotel in Islington. Everyone was exhausted from being on the go non-stop. However that night we were booked into the West End production of War Horse and so early evening found us back on the move, taking the London Underground to Covent Garden. What an awesome experience; we were amazed by the incredible talent and creativity as seen in the life size horse puppets which were brilliantly manipulated by the artists and actors; and by the tragic and moving portrayal set during the First World War. Our very own South African artists based in Cape Town, The Handstring Puppet Company had constructed these life-like creatures, and we were all very proud of them. The next three days came and went like a blur: everyone needed some time out and besides attending a tour of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and Madame Tussaud’s, the tour party was able to enjoy a little leisure time. Some boys managed to visit the famous soccer stadiums, some visited family members who lived in London or nearby, and some just slept! And so on Easter Sunday afternoon when the bus arrived to transfer us to Heathrow Terminal three, most of the boys had exceptionally heavy luggage, some even had to buy more bags. Arriving back in South Africa, our 24 Michaelhouse boys and two teachers were different people: changed by the experiences of absorbing new and ancient cultures, of meeting interesting people who spoke strange and foreign languages; of using new currencies, eating different foods and seeing art works, architecture, shows, and landscapes which thousands of people travel thousands of miles from every corner of the globe, every day, to visit and experience. For two weeks we were part of this mass exodus of cultural travellers and we would never be the same again. 78 Cultural • Clubs and Societies H Birding enthusiasts Marcel van Niekerk-Edwards, Warwick Albertyn, David Long, Graham Davies, Fergus Hathorn and James Tucker BIRDS 4 AFRICA CLUB gjtaff Member in Charge: Mrs Kate Smedley Once again our member numbers are down slightly from previous years but those who have joined the club are keen and eager twitchers. These boys are either D or E Block boys - the older boys seem to be attracted to those clubs offering more of an adrenalin rush. Sadly the unusually inclement weather has put paid to many of our outings this year, with snow in the Second Quarter and incessant rain and mizzle in the third. However we did manage yet another trip to the ever popular Bird of Prey Centre in Ashburton where once more we were dazzled by the raptors in flight and fascinated by the variety of birds on view at the centre. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] We also managed to find a dry day to visit the Karkloof Conservation Centre and enjoyed a couple of hours in a hide observing a variety of water birds as well as sighting both Blue and Wattled Cranes. We felt privileged indeed in having a Spotted Eagle Owl take up residence in a large Plain tree outside Baines House, which was also spotted in the vicinity of the squash courts during the day. The boys are keen to put up an owl nesting box, something we hope to achieve in 2013. The variety of birds seen on campus is wonderful and there is always a bird to observe somewhere; from the busy Wagtails, Olive Thrush, Robin-Chats, a multitude of Weavers and Waxbills, and the ever present Fiscal Shrike and Drongo, to the more exotic Hoopoe, Kingfisher, African Harrier Hawk and Longcrested Eagle. With all the rain and the sports fields resembling a boggy wetland, we now have a resident pair of Egyptian Geese strutting about Meadows and beyond. As this quarter draws to end, the boys are reminded that exams loom with the rarely seen but familiar and oft heard call of the Piet-My-Vrou. And of course, the raucous Hadeda Ibis, heralding the dawn and dusk as only it is able to. All in all, the club has a happy group of boys, some of whom know their birds very well. It is my hope that they will remain as members of the club to share their interest and knowledge of birds with other boys during their time at Michaelhouse. BOXING CLUB Coach: Mr Phlorian Mnikathi Captain: Merrick Pringle Although the number of boxers is not always steady due to the boys having varying other commitments, the club is flourishing. The members are very enthusiastic which is encouraging. Early in the year we were fortunate to visit the Ladysmith Boxing Club where the boys met a number of professional boxers, including Samuel Malinga, the KwaZulu-Natal Junior Welter Weight Champion. The boys were truly inspired and had a renewed enthusiasm for the sport. We have a number of talented boxers in the School and the sport definitely helps with the conditioning of these athletes, which in turn helps in all their physical activities. Endeavours are being made to acquire a permanent venue for training. 79 H Cultural • Clubs and Societies Keen debaters, Nicholas Harrison, Zander Prinsloo and Nicholas van Niekerk prepare their argument BUSINESS SOCIETY Master in Charge: Mr Richard McMichael Chairman: Andrew Christodoulou The initial meeting at the start of the year felt that the JSE was likely to move in a sideways direction throughout the coming year. This view was fairly accurate and whilst the JSE Top 40 index did make new highs towards end of the year, it appears that this is not sustainable. As the market seemed to be directionless, the society adopted an approach of ‘wait and see.’ At the end of last year each unit was worth R1.32. On 31 October 2012 each unit was worth R1.42. Currently the society has an investment in the following list shares: Anglo American Pic 150 Impala Platinum Ltd 50 Grindrod Ltd 1 000 Super Group Ltd 700 Woolworths Holdings Ltd 200 NedBank Group Ltd 50 DEBATING SOCIETY Teacher in Charge: Mrs Louise Erwee Chairman: Piers Rosholt Michaelhouse forms part of the Midlands League of the KwaZulu-Natal Debating League which is contested over six rounds. The Junior and Senior teams won three debates and lost one. Best speakers were Gianluca Truda (twice) and Dalingcebo Maseko (once), and Neo Ngcobo and Sean Donaldson (once each). During September, Michaelhouse was represented at the National Individual Debating and Public Speaking Competition, held at Clifton College in Durban by Steven Clowes, Nicholas Stephenson, Neo Ngcobo, Dalingcebo Maseko, Christian Botha and Nicholas van Niekerk. During the event, held over a period of four days, participants took part in four categories: Debating, Interpretive Reading, Impromptu Speaking and After Dinner or Persuasive Speeches. Competition from 79 public speakers from across the country was fierce. Final positions over all four categories were: file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Nicholas Stephenson 52nd Nicholas van Niekerk 54th Dalingcebo Maseko 57Ih Neo Ngcobo 58Ih Christian Botha 70th Steven Clowes 73rd Best performances by Michaelhouse pupils: Nicholas van Niekerk, with 87% in the Persuasive Speech, which placed him twenty first in the category and Dalingcebo Maseko, with 85% in the Prepared Reading, also placing him at the top end. Prizes awarded: Debating Society Prize for Dedication and Commitment: Hanko von Schlichting and Michael Harrison The Coyle Prize for Outstanding Dedication and Commitment: Piers Rosholt Cultural • Clubs and Societies G FILM APPRECIATION SOCIETY J^Jaster in Charge: Mr Simon Crane The Film Appreciation Society is now in its sixth year at Michaelhouse. We’re known as FilmSoc now which derives from the society that I ran at Rhodes many years ago, also appropriately called FilmSoc. It just makes sense. Our numbers have grown astronomically this year. We can now boast that one in every five boys at Michaelhouse is in FilmSoc, which is tremendous. When I started this society in 2007 I recall not one single boy showing up to the first screening. In fact I sat all by myself in a very chilly MLT and watched the movie I had chosen. And so to find the society now in such good health and with numbers bursting out of my classroom is awesome. We’ve been busy this year although we have had some difficulty finding nights when everyone is free at the same time. The one evening that is always a big success is the meeting after the School Gala in March and this year was no exception. Our numbers on this night peaked at 105 and we had to relocate to the Theatre in order to accommodate everyone. So, what have we been doing? We’ve made use of Mel Gibson’s Ransom this year; it was the film that Mel followed his directorial triumph of Braveheart with and it brought Ron Howard, straight from Apollo 13 in as Director. What a great combination and the boys loved the movie. Interestingly, both Gibson and Howard had their movies in competition for Best Picture earlier that year and so to find both committed to one project makes Ransom irresistible. We also had a look at an old Sidney Poitier movie from 1988 called Deadly Pursuit. This movie is also known as Shoot to Kill in some countries and features Tom Berenger as a mountain guide leading Poitier’s FBI agent on a manhunt across the Alaskan wilderness to find Kirstie Alley. This was certainly a success. I think any chase movie with snowy mountain scenery works well; think of The Edge or The Grey, but the casting of this movie elevated it to a superior status. We returned, towards the end of the year, to an old Schwarzenegger favourite; The Terminator. This movie gives me a great opportunity to speak to the boys about how much more important story is than special effects. The visuals in this 1984 classic are average by today’s standard, but the movie never fails to work as the story is innovative and intelligent. Just as Avatar was an expensive episode of The A-Team that couldn’t be redeemed by glossy effects alone, so conversely James Cameron with The Terminator managed to create a timeless classic that is rooted in a good story. We completed the year with Brian de Palma’s The Untouchables. For me this was the perfect blend of style and good story-telling, coupled with de Niro, Connery, Garcia and Costner. And it was a privilege to get the boys to see this top-quality, 1987, Chicago-set movie. I think the Chicago Station sequence foreshadowed similar sequences for de Palma in Mission: Impossible and showcased the prowess of an intelligent action director at his academic best. I leave Michaelhouse at the end of 2012 for the Cape and therefore leave FilmSoc too. The society is alive and well and will continue to flourish in the years to come under the careful watch of my good friend Mr Chris van der Berg; a movie aficionado of note and one of the best raconteurs in the business. Mark Wood attends to Nicholas Murphy FIRST AID Master in Charge: Mr Michael Stead Chairperson: Mark Wood Deputy Chairperson: Phila Mtshali Secretary: PG Buys This year the running of First Aid activities, for the first time at Michaelhouse, was handed over to a trained Intern, Mr file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Michael Stead. We had 12 newly trained First Aiders join the ranks, mostly E and D Block boys, at Level One. In addition we had two Intern Staff members, Mr Justin Randall and Mr Craig Pieterse, also trained at Level One. This has ensured a much needed boost in adult presence on the fields at home games, at the same time as providing the necessary support, particularly to our younger and less experienced First Aiders. Several concussions and suspected head and neck traumas have highlighted the importance of adequate and trained basic First Aid at all matches, and thankfully very few serious injuries occurred this year. The Sanatorium Sisters continue to monitor and follow up players with concussions through the inhouse IMPACT programme. Also the few mouth injuries that occurred this year have highlighted the immense importance of gum guards in the protection of player’s teeth. Other common injuries observed this year included impacts to the groin and the ever-familiar knocks to fingers, knees and ankles during hockey matches. As always ice and rest has mended most of these quite effectively. H Cultural • Clubs and Societies Murray Church and Max Sullivan taking advantage of the lanes and single tracks available on the Michaelhouse estate In addition to the increase in Academic Staff involvement at home games, we are grateful to the many support staff that have also helped out this year, particularly Nellie Mdlalose (from Zenzani Village), Sr Avis Coxon and also Elias Bhengu who escorts the player from the fields to the First Aid room as do the many drivers who have driven our support vehicle at home games. At away matches two San Sisters travelled with the boys and one remained behind at the School. This allowed for more control at away games with one Sister overseeing any necessary hospital visits, while the second Sister stayed at the School to assess injured boys and to help with strapping. MOUNTAIN BIKING CLUB Staff Members in Charge: Mr Elmar de Klerk and Ms Lisa Hardie Chairman: Max Sullivan Awards Colours: Max Sullivan Provincial Representation: KwaZulu-Natal: Max Sullivan At the beginning of the year, 14 boys registered at the Society Fair for the MTB Club. Our aim for the year was to participate in two races a term as most of our events take place on a Sunday. We participated in the following races this season: Howick Highlander, Fairfield Howick, Illovo, Karkloof, Cedara, Cowan House, Husquvarna and the Cascades Classic. Most of the boys entered the Classic 45 kilometer event and the less experienced riders opted for the 25 kilometer intermediate races. We are very fortunate to have a new bike trailer which can carry up to ten bicycles at a time. I would like to congratulate Max Sullivan on an outstanding cycling year. Max has been awarded his KwaZulu-Natal colours for MTB Cycling. He participated in 29 races this season and achieved some outstanding overall positions in his age categories and overall placings. It is wonderful to spot our boys at all the events when they are wearing the Michaelhouse cycling shirt. We are also looking forward to having a bicycle shed where the boys will be able to lock up their expensive bikes, ready by next year. Most of the boys train on their own during their free afternoons and make use of both single track in the NCT forest and the dirt roads around the School Estate. The boys are to be complimented on their behaviour and impeccable manners and sportsmanship at all the events. It is great to see some of our parents at the events supporting their sons. 82 COWAN HOUSE Co-educational Preparatory School www.cowanhouse.co.za • Boarding Grade 3 to Grade 7 H Cultural • Clubs and Societies . •• A. • * •.'•‘V James Newton, Bradley Young and Marc Conlon (front) test their accuracy at the shooting range behind Michael’s Mount PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY Master in Charge: Mr Graeme Calway Chairman: Joshua Cullinan The Photographic Society this year has a very young membership. The juniors are learning, and have started entering photographs in the Pietermaritzburg Camera Club competitions with reasonable success and I look forward to more of file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] the boys entering next year as they become more confident in their skills. Because of the boys’ eagerness to develop their abilities, we are hoping to do a few more field trips next year. We have new photographic magazines in the Media Centre now and this will help with ideas and inspiration for the boys. AIRGUN CLUB J^Jaster in Charge: Mr John Alexander The Airgun Club has grown exponentially with over a dozen boys now shooting regularly. Generally the shoot happens on a Friday afternoon and takes place at the flat grassy range behind St Michael’s Mount. Drop down targets, spinning targets, paper targets and good old tin cans serve as targets. These are blasted away as the boys enthusiastically get their eye in. The target distances range from 10m up to an unbelievable 100m, allowing for all levels of proficiency to be tested and developed. ^ ^ Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence. George F. Will Cultural • Clubs and Societies H Nick Richardson scaling a rock face in the Umgeni Valley ROCK CLIMBING J^Jaster in Charge: Mr John Alexander The Rock Climbing Club has grown from strength to strength, both in numbers of boys participating and in the variety of opportunities available. There are now 16 boys who regularly take part in the climbing sessions on Friday afternoons. When we cannot take part on the Friday sessions due to Captain’s practices, we also have day excursions to Umgeni on Sundays. The climbing wall itself has been increased in size and has over a dozen routes which are routinely refreshed to offer new challenges. At Umgeni Valley, new routes have been opened on rock, specifically for Michaelhouse boys. The grade is moderate in difficulty and the bolting has been done, to allow for beginners to lead climb the routes. Training has also been increased to cover not only belay methods but also abseiling and lead climbing. SCUBA DIVING CLUB Master in Charge: Mr Michael Schwartz Staff: Mr Righardt Kotze and Mrs Leigh Kotze Chairman: Sean Markham The demand for scuba diving trips is on the increase again. During the First Quarter, an Open Water 1 course was offered. It was led by Mr and Mrs Kotze and saw 16 boys signing up. By the end of the Second Quarter, most boys had qualified. The boys had to complete a pool session for about five hours before doing a navigation session in the Durban Quarry, followed by two sea dives. For a number of the boys, the boat trip out at Aliwal Shoal is still a challenge, but the dives are worth the wait. On Sunday 2 June the second social diving trip took place. Some of the social divers piggy-backed on the Open Water group who were completing their course. This dive took place as the Raggie sharks made their return to Aliwal Shoal. On the dive we spotted four sharks and although one is prepared for the experience, it is always a little unnerving swimming close to them. What should have been an amazing weekend turned to disappointment for all concerned on both Saturday and Sunday of the Advanced Course in September. Seven Trainee-Advanced divers, one Trainee OW1 and myself arrived on schedule at Aliwal Shoal at 6.00am on 8 September. The weather on arrival was fantastic, the sea was flat and H Cultural • Clubs and Societies Members of the Michaelhouse Scuba Diving Club Devon Bownes and Mitchell Bird our spirits were high. These were soon dampened, as we waited for the go-ahead to launch our boat into the Umkomaas River, reports started coming in of extreme currents and limited visibility. Saturday’s dives were cancelled. We had breakfast and reluctantly adopted plan B - going to Shire’s Quarry for the navigation exercise. On Sunday we awoke to great conditions, but as it turned out, only above the surface. We kitted up ready to do our deep dive, when the Skipper informed us that the conditions underwater were worse than on Saturday. The boat which was launched from another club to go and check out the conditions, relayed the bad news that once again no diving would be possible. The result: only the navigation section of the course was completed. A new year awaits. • • All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. 55 Ralph Waldo Emerson file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] THEATRE SOCIETY Cultural • Clubs and Societies H TOASTMASTERS J^Jaster in Charge: Mr William Le Cordeur Awards Honours (Theatre Tech): Duncan Alexander, William Smale and Nicholas Wichura With the busy year in the Theatre, we once again need to acknowledge the people who make it all possible, the theatre technicians. In 2012, we gained two bright young stars, who will hopefully stay with us for the next few years and learn some vital skills and gain experience at the same time. Of our outgoing young men, Duncan Alexander showed exceptional skill and commitment as the head lighting techie. Duncan spent many hours in the theatre, making the space his second home, and really showed what a committed technician can achieve with years of hard work. William Smale, our sound wizard, was not called upon as often as Duncan, but when his skills were being put to use his work was outstanding. William had spent three years learning the sound system, and his knowledge will be sorely missed. Nicholas Wichura showed excellent leadership as the Stage Manager. Nicholas managed professional actors, ‘called’ nearly all of the shows held in the theatre during the year and really accomplished work fit for the professional industry. It was a great pleasure to work with these three young men. Their hours of theatrical service will not be forgotten. The two new members of the team include Jaryd Kleynhans, who is learning lights and sound, and Tristan Hughes who is learning the art of stage management. Jaryd in particular has arrived at the theatre with immense energy and passion for his work. I have no doubt that he will create a legacy for the new era of theatre technicians, as we work towards professionalism, efficiency and quality service, through skills development and plain old technical fun. I must also make special note of Mr Sipho Zikhali, the Theatre Technician. Mr Zikhali is the driving force behind the work that goes on backstage, teaching the young technicians more than skills, but leading through example, calmly and diligently. Staff Members in Charge: Mr Dominic Gruijters and Mrs Mary McMichael Intern: Mr Michael Stead Chairman: Olwethu Mhaga Deputy Chairman: Michael Harrison Secretary: Mitchell Green Awards Dudley Ford Trophy - Promotion of Excellence: Piers Rosholt John Pluke Trophy - Most Improved Speaker: Justin Rodger Jack Crutchley Trophy - Excellence in Public Speaking: Mitchell Green Of the 55 applicants who applied at the end of 2011 we were only able to select a group of 27 new members to add to the existing members of the society. Each term the society hosted two meetings. Formal in nature, each meeting saw both prepared and impromptu speeches being delivered with an evaluation of each speaker provided by the boys. At the conclusion of each evening a Best Prepared Speaker, Best Impromptu Speech and Best Evaluator were recognised. Each meeting had a unique theme which guided the boys in preparing and delivering their speeches. This year saw a variety of topics chosen by Staff and boys and included: Most Wanted; Behold the Tortoise: he only makes progress when he sticks his neck out; Have You No Shame? and quotes from Braveheart and Guns ‘n Roses. Boys are encouraged to think creatively and focus on the content, structure and delivery of their speeches. As in previous years members took their assigned roles at each meeting seriously and carried them out with due diligence, an indication of the level of loyalty members have to this society. Examples include brilliant impromptus delivered by Carel Swarts, Blake Botha and Sean Donaldson and excellent prepared speeches by Alex Pienaar, Piers Rosholt, Justin Rodger and Mitchell Green. New members, Nicholas Schram and Matthew Potter also entertained us with some excellent ice-breakers. The highlight of the year was undoubtedly the Parents and Sons’ Evening held on 14 September. This saw the A Block members showcasing their oratory skills to their parents in a packed Centenary Centre. The theme of the evening was When I was Your Age... The speeches varied from humorous and flippant to serious and poignant. Sean Donaldson delivered the Best Impromptu of the evening, Christopher Brits the Best Prepared and Robert Anderson gave an excellent evaluation of Alexander Pienaar, earning his award for Best Evaluation. All parents and Staff in attendance were astounded at the maturity of the content and at the speaking skill of all who delivered addresses on the evening. ^ ^ Whatever is at the center of our life will be the source of our security, guidance, wisdom, and power. J J Stephen Covey 87 H Cultural • Clubs and Societies file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Members of the Michaelhouse Trout Club Mr Malcolm Green, Joshua Adlington-Corfield, Mr Alan Adlington- Corfield, Mr Murray Cathcart, Greg Reynolds, Patrick Bechard, Benjamin Strachan, Kelvin Green, Mr Iain Guthrie and Samuel Jarvis (front) TROUT CLUB MUSIC APPRECIATION SOCIETY Master in Charge: Mr Righardt Kotze and Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield The Club had a good year managing a number of outings. There is a strong junior membership in the club, but a number of senior boys also went on the outings this year. The boys who came on the trips were able to experience some excellent fishing in the Kamberg, Loteni, Dargle, Mount West and East Griqualand. A particularly successful and enjoyable outing was one to the Melouney’s farm, Castle Howard, where a total of 22 trout were caught including the year’s best fish of 9lA lbs, caught by Stephan Bosch. A special thanks to Messrs Brett Moller, Chris Melouney and Owen Edwardes whose waters we fished on more than one occasion this year. We continued with our long-standing tradition of the East Griqualand camp, generously hosted by the Cathcart family. Mr Iain Guthrie, Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield, four dads and six boys attended the camp. The trip took place in September this year and the weather was unfortunately rather unsettled which led to few fish being caught, although our hosts Mr Murray Cathcart and Mr Paul Inman each managed to catch very fine fish on our final day. Next year we will return to our usual Easter holiday slot in an attempt to secure more stable weather and more successful fishing. We remain indebted to the friends and Old Boys of Michaelhouse who make the club outings possible by hosting us on their fine waters. J^Jaster in Charge: Mr Chris van der Berg The Music Appreciation Society met three times during the year. The first meeting was used to discuss exactly how the society would function. Every meeting had a theme (a popular song or a song in a foreign language) and each boy brought his own choice to the meeting to play to the group and then discuss. I then provided literature on an album of my choice, played one or two teasers from the album and made the album available to the boys so that they could have a proper listen to it. That album would then consequently be discussed at the following meeting. We dealt with Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden and Jack White’s Blunderbuss. We managed to meet once in the Third Quarter. The theme was Something Different and I introduced the boys to the music of the Icelandic group, Sigur Ros, who have actually created their own language to use with their music, allowing listeners to ascribe their own meaning to the lyrics. We will hopefully continue to go from strength-to-strength next year and I plan on investing in better sound equipment for my classroom which will make the meetings valuable and enjoyable. 88 Cultural • Clubs and Societies H Stuart Riddle and Nicholas Schram became accredited rugby referees in 2012 AERO CLUB J^Jaster in Charge: Mr William Silk The Flying Club has been quite active with boys reaching solo hours and starting to prepare for flying exams which are done on line at Light Flight. We meet weekly on a Wednesday evening to go through the Ground School course material, learning about the laws of flight, flying rules and at times flying with flight simulators to practice the important calls. We have been approached by a number of Old Boys who are in the flying game with SAA and various other airlines, who will be getting involved with the boys and presenting lectures about flying. We have around 20 boys in the club with around half being active flyers. PRESIDENT’S AWARD SOCIETY Master in Charge: Mr Paul Fleischack Chairman: Mark Wood Secretary: Cameron Holenstein Awards Bronze: Mark Wood, Daniel Kramer, Luke Strachan, Luke Baber, Steven Harris, Thomas Coyne, Jasper Epsom, Gareth van Wyk and Matthew Whelan Silver: Hanko von Schlichting, Craig Smorfitt and Mark Wood The President’s Award Society offers its members the opportunity of using all the activities offered at School to qualify for the three levels of award: Bronze, Silver or Gold. Each level requires greater commitment and higher levels of participation. Each level requires that boys participate in a sport, a recreation activity (usually a School club or society), complete an expedition and complete community service. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] The outdoor education programmes in D and C Blocks meet the expedition requirements for Silver and Bronze levels respectively and shorter ‘Berg Hikes are offered for those boys wishing to complete the Bronze Award before they embark on the D Block Hike. This year the Berg hike took a small group of boys to Injasuti where we hiked the contour path and spent a night in a cave. This is one of the most beautiful areas in the Berg with deep gorges and wonderful indigenous forests. A group of boys is also showing an interest in joining a Wilderness Leadership Experience in the Umfolozi Game Reserve at the start of the December holiday. This will count towards their Silver or Gold awards. RUGBY CLUB Master in Charge: Mr Ryno Combrinck Chairman: Justin Rodger This club generates a platform where boys who don’t actively participate in rugby can contribute to the ethos, enthusiasm and enjoyment of rugby at Michaelhouse. Justin Rodger and his committee did a remarkable job this season in providing each individual boy with opportunities to practice and develop leadership skills. Congratulations to Stuart Riddle and Nicholas Schram for becoming the first accredited referees while being school boys at Michaelhouse. H Environment & Community ORIBI NATURE RESERVE J^Jasters in Charge: Mr Paul Fleischack and Mr Iain Guthrie This has been another eventful year in the Reserve. The progress made in the process of proclamation of the Reserve has been frustratingly slow, but this has now reached the stage of public participation and advertising of the intended proclamation. Once more we hope to see significant progress by the end of 2012. The proclamation process has seen a few bureaucratic setbacks with the replacement of the MEC, but we believe that a successful conclusion is imminent. The annual management plans have been drawn up and the first annual biodiversity assessment has been carried out. A Development Plan which includes the construction of a comfortable, but rustic boma and camping area has been drawn up for consideration. Sadly the Reserve again suffered a runaway fire which burned approximately one third of the grass cover, causing another set-back to the grassland rehabilitation programme. On the positive side, the unburned areas are beginning to show clear signs of revival of decreaser species, namely Themeda Triandra, which is the objective of our Grassland Management Programme. The numbers of Blesbuck and Reedbuck are increasing with lambs of both species being seen regularly. The Oribi numbers are increasing from a small base. Decisions about the procurement of more Oribi will be made in consultation with the Ezemvelo staff who form part of the Reserve Management Team. Sadly the annual mountain bike race, which raised approximately R40 000 annually for the Reserve in previous years, has been discontinued due to the over-saturation of similar events. Eradication of alien plants has continued. The Working for Water programme has provided herbicides which are being used to control bramble encroachment as well as wattle and gum re-emergence subsequent to the fires. The Reserve continues to be the venue for the E Block camp-out, which is reported on elsewhere in the Chronicle. It is always good to see boys walking and jogging in the reserve on free afternoons. This is a most valuable open space from so many perspectives. family first Exceptional value and generous hospitality from R 4195 per room per night UMHLANGA ROCKS • KWAZULU-NATAL • SOUTH AFRICA Families are welcome at our 'home-away-from-home'. From checkin, to child-friendly meals, to our Holiday Club and special children's turndown. Children 12 years and under receive a backpack filled with holiday goodies, a wrist-band which entitles them to a host of complimentary treats during their stay and special screenings in the in-house cinema. Family Fun in paradise! The Family First package includes 1 night's accommodation in a Classic Garden Room or Family Room, full English breakfast, access to the Holiday Club, children's activities, kiddies turndown, child friendly menus, transfers to the Gateway Theatre of Shopping with car seats, complimentary popcorn, sweets and soft drinks and use of the family DVD library for in-room viewing. Rates are from R 4195 per room per night (1 child under 16 stays free) in a Classic Garden Room R 8340 per room per night (2 children under 16 stay free) in a Family Room. Terms & conditions apply • Subject to availability To book, quote: MICHAELHOUSE ft Tel:+27 (0) 31 514 5000 hotels [email protected] www.oysterboxhotel.com "No request is too large, no detail too file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] small" www.redcarnationhotels.com PART OF THE FAMILY RUN RED CARNATION HOTEL COLLECTION SOUTH AFRICA Environment & Community H Miss Patience Ngubo and Rector Guy Pearson with her Certificate of Education in Work Places from UKZN MICHAELHOUSE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Written by Revd Canon Fred Pitout OUR GOAL: To ensure that Michaelhouse develops a lifelong service ethos in its boys and facilitates meaningful economic, social and environmental contributions to the development of the local community (Vision 2015). 2012 has certainly seen the Michaelhouse Community participating in many ways in our various projects. Hlanganani Primary School Mr Henry Ngcobo, the Principal, has suffered ill health for the past two years. Mr Milton Ncolosi has replaced him. After three years of motivation we have at last, in this school, a group of parents who are willing to work in and for the school. We also have boys from Pascoe who have painted the inside of classrooms every Tuesday afternoon. The parents have undertaken painting the exterior of the school buildings. Pastor Sipho Zuma is overseeing the work making sure paint and materials are supplied timeously. Old Boy, Mr Jon Bates agreed to oversee the plans to obliterate the dreadful old pit toilets and to build a block of toilets with waterborne sewerage as well as large septic tanks. This major project has been completed and the school has been very appreciative of all the work that has been done. Further to this we were able to provide the school with a gas stove which they use on a daily basis to provide a hot meal for the children. Nottingham Road Fuel and Gas have sponsored LPG for cooking for the year. Thanks must go to various donors for their ongoing support. Choir and Art Competition Mr Paul Barnett (Michaelhouse, 1947 - 1950) has been our major benefactor over many years. He continued to support this event again this year. Despite initial problems regarding outings and transport from the DOE, we eventually held the competition early in the Fourth Quarter. The Midlands Rural Schools’ Choir Competition attracted ten schools. They had to compete in three different categories. The standard was superb this year, much improved, and was won by Dabulamansi Combined School from the Kamberg area, followed closely by Asithuthuke Combined School conducted by Mr Petrus ‘Fish’ Ndlovu, a member of the Michaelhouse Grounds Staff. There were an amazing 1 500 entries, from 12 local schools, for the Art Competition. The theme this year was Endangered Species. Each school was given paper, pastels and paints to the value of R1 200. The winning entries made a spectacular display in the Schlesinger Theatre Foyer and the standard of work received has improved immensely. A major contributing factor to the raised standard of art was due to the contribution of the Nina Campbell Quine Trust. Ms Joy Preiss, HOD for Art, working in collaboration with the Caversham Art Centre, provided 12 weekly seminars for teachers in five rural schools. This programme is due to run for another two years, with input from Mrs Faith Bam, former Michaelhouse Governor. Three hundred and fifty children were transported to and from the Art and Choir Competitions by local taxi owners. 91 Environment & Community Michael Bouwer, Daniel Kramer and Farai Mudariki with children from the Smile project Mobile Library The old 1990 model Speedliner bus which was converted last year into our Mobile Library has made its mark in the community making weekly visits to Jabula Combined School, Indezi Primary School, Curry’s Post Primary School, Crystal Springs Primary School and Asithuthuke Combined School. Pastor Sipho Zuma and Mr Nkosi Mhlaba go weekly to All Saints Church in Nottingham Road with Nottingham Road Primary and Nottingham Road Combined School children also visiting the library. This English reading uplift programme reaches more than 1 500 children weekly. Nkosi has become known as ‘Baba Books’ and he organised a reading competition in all the schools. Our thanks to N3 Tolcon for their ongoing support of this programme, together with the Gauteng Branch of the Old Boys, through their annual Golf Day, who have paid for our driver and travel costs. Smile The SMILE project continued in excellent vein. The recipe of three good teachers of English (Mrs Kate Smedley, Mrs Charlie Ross and Mrs Helen Bownes), assisted each week by 12 B Block boys, a sound curriculum with teaching materials; all combined with huge benefit to the 72 Grade four and five pupils from Crystal Springs Primary School in Lidgetton. ABET file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] We have seen a steady increase in numbers since the new Media Works Software has been installed. Students are enjoying the Tuesday computer lessons (which are done coupled with a handbook relative to the level they are on) as well as the Thursday conversational classes. A total of 56 students attend these classes regularly. Our thanks go to Mrs Marianne Crane who has spearheaded this project over the past two years - we wish her well as she moves with her husband and two children to the Eastern Cape. Thanks must also go to Mrs Robyn Gruijters and Miss Patience Ngubo who give relentlessly of their time to assist the Support Staff. E-Learner Mrs Julie Flanegan and Intern Mr Ian Crawford have worked with a group of 18 enthusiastic Support Staff. The course was run on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons for approximately one and a half hours. The participants have written the relevant exams over the year and we have 14 who will qualify at the end of the year. A great achievement. Thanks must also be extended to Thomas Greig (D Block) who has voluntarily assisted with this programme. Sizanani Widows Support Group Gogo Olga Mashego (whose grandmother worked in the 1960s in the Rectory in the Norwood’s time) heads up the Sizanani Widows’ Support Group in Mpophomeni outside Howick. Four aged women cook a daily hot meal for 120 orphaned school-going children. Donations received were most welcome and well done to Mrs Olga Mashego who continued with second-hand clothing sales to supplement costs of the meals throughout the year. St Raphael’s Hospice - Zenzane Village After years of dreaming and planning, the building has commenced. Foundations were thrown on 30 August 2012 in the presence of the Balgowan Health and Social Development Committee. The wet work is now complete and the builders are busy with the plumbing. Thanks be to God for the generosity of Mr Peter Thorrington-Smith. The overall project will be completed early in 2013. The Aubrey & Friends Benefit Concert raised a significant amount of funds for the Hospice. Soccer Tournament Thirteen primary schools gathered at King’s School in Nottingham Road. We supplied taxi fares for each of the schools. A fun afternoon was had by all with Nottingham Road Combined School coming out as the winners. 92 Environment & Community H Asithuthukc Combined School Asithuthuke Combined School is also moving ahead with a new Principal, Mr Ndawonde. The Computer Lab has been further upgraded with all computers cleaned and Open Office installed. This is in preparation for Computer Application Technology being incorporated into the syllabus next year. We have appointed a part-time librarian in a young man, Mr ‘Thorn’ Mthalane. The library has been totally re-organised and tidied. During the December holidays we will repaint the room. Thom is also helping in the Computer Lab. Michaelhouse Community Partnership provides further funding each month through the Nottingham Road Farmers’ Association. Health Day The Balgowan Clinic, situated alongside one of the old Railway Station houses, held a Community Open Day, on 18 April 2012. With 1 400 outpatients monthly, ARVs have been dispensed since September 2011. There are now 218 outpatients who collect their medicines monthly. Ongoing medical testing has revealed that drug resistant TB is increasing alarmingly (17 confirmed cases thus far this year). Pastor Sipho Zuma and Sisters Makhatini, Ngcobo, Mhlongo and Dlamini appealed to all to take advantage of free TB testing. Four hundred and sixteen people were tested. Jungle Gyms Our thanks to donor, Mr Paul Barnett, for his foresight during his visit to Michaelhouse in 2011. He donated money so that jungle gyms could be safely and properly installed at Asithuthuke Combined School in Balgowan, Crystal Springs Primary and Jabula Combined School, both in Lidgetton. The schools are so thrilled that they have already made plans to paint the equipment in bright colours, further enhancing the life of the jungle gyms. Service Projects Michaelhouse boys are importantly involved in Community Partnership Projects. Each House has at least one weekly project with student leaders and Tutors supporting the process. Overall we are taking a review of all service projects involving Michaelhouse boys, recognising some important principles. Projects that are structured and managed in detail by Staff or Interns work best, the SMILE programme with a set curriculum and detailed plan for each week’s activities is a good example. House projects are as follows: file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Founders: Asithuthuke Computer Lab East: Asithuthuke Library (Homework and Sport) West: English Reading Project and ‘Free Me’ Farfield: Crystal Springs School Music Project Tatham: Nottingham Road Primary (Sport) Pascoe: Hlanganani Primary School (Computers/Reading) Baines: Sunfield Mentally Handicapped Home Mackenzie: Khazimula Aids Orphanage D Block Integrated Studies Programme In the week after mid-year exams, as part of the programme, each set of D Block boys attended a whole day of school at Nottingham Road Combined School. Such educational and social experience is unique to Michaelhouse. Peter Brown Award Michael McDonald and Jasper Epsom have worked hard with their project at Asithuthuke Computer Lab. They have installed a server including networking the computers and WiFi Internet. Lighthouse Property Group HOLIDAY LETTING DIVISION www.lighthouse.co.za SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION UMHLANGA Shop 81 Protea Mall, Ridge Road, Umhlanga Tel: 031 561 5838 email: [email protected] SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION BALLITO Suite 1, First Floor, The Circle Douglas Crowe Drive, Ballito Tel: 032 586 0154 email: [email protected] ... Guiding you all the way!!! 93 H Sport SWIMMING: Back Row: Cameron Hampson, Tyran Faber, Joshua Cullinan, Michael Hanbury, Matthew Davies, Brandon Landsberg Third Row: Luke Browett, Christopher Dowsley, Jonathan Smith, Thomas Walker, Jordan van Rees Second Row: William Lyle, Keagan Chasenski, Tristan Hughes, James McCormack, Callum Deeble, Blake Springate Front Row: Mitchell Bird, Darren de Beer, Scott Wadeson, Mr John Alexander, Jonathan Davies, Christopher Whiting, Cameron Bird AQUATICS M; aster .Capta i Charge: Mr John Alexander n: Lee Savory Awards Colours: Gareth Jooste Inter-House Gala Junior Individual Medley: Geoffrey Blore Senior Individual Medley: Lee Savory Junior Victor Ludorum: Michael Greer U17 Victor Ludorum: Darren De Beer Senior Victor Ludorum: Lee Savory 21 Man Trophy: East Open Freestyle Trophy: Farfield Relay Trophy: East Winning House: East School Records Broken U16 50m Freestyle: Tyran Faber U14 50m Backstroke: Jaryd Kleynhans U16 50m Butterfly: Tyran Faber U16 4x50m Freestyle Relay: Pascoe While inter-schools galas have been characterised by flashes of individual brilliance and a positive team attitude, a lack of depth prevented our achieving excellent results consistently. Michaelhouse attended the Midlands Swimming Trials where the swimming Captain Lee Savory and newcomer Michael Greer managed to achieve excellent times, qualifying them both for Midlands Colours. At the Co-Educational Invitation Gala at St John’s, Michaelhouse was paired with St Anne’s. In this relay gala we managed to achieve fourth place out of the nine schools. The new swimmers in E Block were outstanding. At the Independent Quadrangular Gala at St Anne’s, Michaelhouse only managed to achieve fourth place out of the five boys’ schools. It was at this gala that our lack of depth became very evident. At the Howick High School Gala, Michaelhouse achieved second place out of the five schools. This was a pleasing file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] result and the team gained a significant amount of confidence from this positive experience. The swimming team will, with time, be in a position to be competitive against schools which have swimming as a major sport. Time in the pool, speed work, turns and starts will be a priority next season, to ensure that times are lowered. Sport M if I *f| U W* V Tl - !U T * t. ^ I «* f * .* "* •§• *8 >f I | r » t c n * t. . l W ft fl * ^ Jft L^iliA / I & tj II "/'Í7I i|. I I I 1 MICHAELHOUSE | «*■ F | F Team Water Polo 2012 1st TEAM WATERPOLO: Back Row: Cameron Bird, Darren de Beer, Neil Varly, Mitchell Bird, Christopher Whiting, Matthew Potter Middle Row: Jason Schwegmann, Tyran Faber, Craig Lea, Shehan Randeria Front Row: Merrick Pringle, Scott Wadeson, Mr Matthew Higginson, Jonathan Davies, Cole Hunt AQUATICS WATER POLO Master in Charge: Mr Bernard Whitaker Coaches: First Team: Mr Bernard Whitaker (First Quarter) and Mr Matthew Higginson (Fourth Quarter) Second Team: Mr Murray Daniel Third Team: Mr André Van Wyk U16A: Mr Justin Randall U15A: Mr Peter Stevens and Mr Justin Randall U15B: Mr Bernard Whitaker U14A: Mr Matthew Higginson (First Quarter) and Mr Ashley Dixon (Fourth Quarter) U14B: Mr Bailey Coxon Professional Coach First Quarter: Mr Jean Le Roux First Team Captain: Scott Wadeson Awards Colours: Shehan Randeria Half Colours: Mitchell Bird, Darren de Beer, Tyran Faber, Jason Schwegmann and Neil Varty Provincial Representation: U19B: Merrick Pringle and Shehan Randeria U16A: Tyran Faber and Jason Schwegmann U15A: Joshua Cullinan U14A: James McCormack KwaZulu-Natal Midlands U18A: Jonathan Davies, Shehan Randeria, Cameron Bird and Christopher Whiting Michaelhouse was very fortunate to have Mr Jean Le Roux helping with the coaching of all boys in the First Quarter. His knowledge of water polo is immense and all players and coaches learned valuable skills. We have eight teams playing water polo and all these teams are competing with the top schools in the province. We have access to dedicated coaches who put in many valuable hours with the boys. Our junior teams have been competitive, with both the U14A and under U15A teams finishing sixth at Top Ten Tournaments. The U16A team had a very impressive unbeaten season, and with this young talent progressing through the ranks, Michaelhouse can look forward to exciting years ahead in the sport. We are well represented in provincial circles and the experience gained by these boys will help our water polo grow in future seasons. 95 B Sport WATER POLO 2012 Date MHS Opponent Is' 2nd 3rd 4th U16A U15A U15B U15C U14A U14B 21/1/12 Kearsney College L3-11 L2-5 W 6-3 W 7-3 W 4-3 21/1/12 Hilton College W 5-4 L3-8 file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] 28/1/12 Clifton College L7-9 W 9-6 W 7-3 L2-11 L4-5 L 1-11 L4-7 04/2/12 Maritzburg College L9-10 I) 4-4 W 14-6 D 7-7 W 12-1 W 13-0 LO-2 09/2/12 St Charles L6-7 L5-7 W 14-1 Wll-1 L 1-3 11/2/12 Northwood W 14-2 W 5-1 D 3-3 D 4-4 W 13-1 L 1-6 17-19/2 PBH Festival: Affies L7-8 KES L9-12 PBHS L7-12 St Johns L 2-9 St Stithians D 7-7 25/2/12 Hilton College L6-18 W 6-5 L3-5 W 7-6 W 6-3 W 7-3 W 8-3 W 4-3 03/3/12 St Charles L4-6 L8-10 W 14-0 W 8-3 L4-5 03/3/12 St Anne’s W 13-0 D 4-4 03/3/12 Treverton Girls 1st W 7-2 22/9/12 Northwood AbandonedW 12-10 L3-7 W 10-4 W 18-4 L 1-12 Sep/Oct SACS 1st Tour: L0-7 Northwood W 6-2 Wynberg L4-7 Glenwood D 2-2 Maritzburg College L 2-4 Grey College W 6-2 St Johns L3-5 St Stithians L3-4 DHS W 6-2 Sep/Oct Selborne U15A/B Tour Selborne L 1-4 Alexander Road W 5-1 Dale College L2-5 Glenwood W 5-2 Grey PE L2-14 L2-8 Jeppe L 1-5 Pearson L4-8 Port Rex W 8-2 Queens College W 5-1 Selborne B W 5-1 St Andrews L3-8 St Charles W 5-2 Stirling W 6-2 Wynberg L3-8 20/10/12 Maritzburg College L 11-13 W 14-2 W 9-4 W 10-2 W 2-8 L3-5 26-28/10 St Stithians Invitationa St Benedicts L4-7 Crawford Lonehill W 7-4 Crawford Lonehill D 4 - 4 St Johns L4-14 Pretoria Boys’ High L4-5 Parktown Boys’ High L4-7 Kloof High W 9-3 02/11/12 Co-Ed Tour: Hilton W 4-3 St Johns W 7-1 The Wykeham Collegiate - W 9-2 W 5-6 Epworth W 5-1 Treverton Boys W 7-2 03/11/12 Kearsney College AbandonedW 16-6 D 7-7 L5-6 L 10-12 07/11/12 Clifton College L1-23 L5-16 L3-10 I) 4-4 L3-13 L2-13 10/11/12 Hilton College L7-11 W 69-7 L3-8 L 1-17 L4-9 L2-5 W 11-7 W 7-3 file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] 96 ATHLETICS: Back Row: PG Buys, Charles Houston, Kingsley Hartmannsgruber, Victor Monkoe, Amman Yusuf, Stuart Riddell, Dylan Rice, Nicholas Wichura, Devon Bownes, Daniel van der Leeuw Third Row: Nicholas Harrison, Dale Tratschler, Bradley Mallett, Jeremy Butler, Brent Johnston, Daniel Nuttall-Smith, Douglas Byrne, Damon Hinchley Second Row: Thabang Dloti, Tristan Hughes, Phila Mtshali, Luke Browett, Callum Deeble, Mark Wood, Vincent van der Westhuizen, Alex Sickmueller Front Row: Kura Maswera, Mr Righardt Kotze, Zaahir Hurribunce, Mr Elmar de Klerk, Wulf Mosburger, Mr George Ferreira, Michael Harrison, Mr Karl Swarts, Cameron Holenstein ATHLETICS Charles Houston 4,h U17 1500m Michael Bouwer 4th U17 200m Master in Charge: Mr George Ferreira Coaches: Sprints: Mr Peter Stevens and Mr Karl Swartz Middle Distances: Mr George Ferreira Throws: Mr Righardt Kotze Long Jump: Mr Elmar de Klerk High Jump: Mr Richard McMichael Team Captain: Wulf Mosburger Awards Half Colours: Michael Hinchley, Cameron Holenstein, Charles Houston and Nicholas Harrison Pietermaritzburg and Districts Invitation Team U17: Wulf Mosburger and Cameron Holenstein U15: Charles Houston and Nicholas Harrison U14: Michael Greer KwaZulu-Natal Athletics League Meeting: 4 February The following athletes achieved top four positions: Dylan Rice Cameron Holenstein Christopher Kelland Bruce Arnott Michael Bouwer Michael Hinchley Devon Bownes Damon Hinchley 1st U17 Shot Put and 2nd U17 Discus 1st U17 Discus and 2nd U17 Shot Put 3rd U17 Shot Put 2nd U17 100m 3rd U17 100m 4th U19 100m 1st U17 Javelin 4th U17 200m Menlopark Invitation Meeting: 4 February Wulf Mosburger, Charles Houston and Michael Greer competed against very strong athletes from schools from Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Northwest Province as representatives of the Pietermaritzburg and Districts Invitation Team. Inter-House Age Group Champions and Trophy Winners Due to bad weather, Sports Day was cancelled in 2012. KwaZulu-Natal Athletics League Meeting: 25 January The following athletes achieved top four positions: Wulf finished fifth in the U17 1500m, Charles came second in the U15 1500m, Michael finished fifth in the U14 100m and second in the long jump. His distance of 5,76m earned him more than 950 out of a possible 1200 points on the ABSA tables. For this excellent achievement he was awarded a Gold Medal. Amman Yusuf Cameron Holenstein Daniel van der Leeuw Kalelelya Mbizule Wulf Mosburger 1st U17 High Jump 3rd U17 Shot Put 3rd U19 Shot Put 3rd U19 Long Jump 2nd U17 1500m KwaZulu-Natal Athletics League Meeting: 25 February Michael Hinchley Wulf Mosburger Devon Bownes 2nd U19 100m and 200m 2nd U17 1500m 5th U17 Javelin B Sport Merrick Pringle prepares to throw the discus St Charles College Meeting: 4 August Michaelhouse competed at St Charles College against Hilton College, St Charles College, Westville Boys’ High School and DHS. The following athletes achieved top three positions: Wulf Mosburger Gareth Jooste Zaahir Hurribunce Matthew Jennings Daniel Nuttal-Smith Callum Deeble Michael Greer 1st Open 800m 2nd Open 800m and 1500m 3rd Open Shot Put 3rd Open 400m 2nd U16 Shot Put 1st U14 800m and 2nd 1500m file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] 1st U14 Long Jump and 2nd 100m Hilton College Meeting: 11 August Michaelhouse competed at Hilton College against Hilton College, St Charles College, Westville Boys’ High School and DHS. The following athletes achieved top two positions: Callum Deeble Charles Houston Daniel Nuttal-Smith Zaahir Hurribunce Wulf Mosburger 1st U14 1500m and 2nd 800m 1st U15 1500m 2nd U16 Shot Put 2nd Open Shot Put 2nd Open 800m Second Annual Michaelhouse Invitation Meeting: 18 August Michaelhouse hosted the following schools: Epworth, St Annes Diocesan College,The Wykeham Collegiate, St Mary’s DSG, Durban Girls’ College, Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School,Treverton College, Kingsway High School, Estcourt High School, Hilton College, DHS, Westville Boys’ High School, St Charles College and Northwood High School. Zaahir Hurribunce Kura Maswera Luke Browett Michael Harrison Nicholas Harrison Cameron Holenstein Michael Greer Daniel Nuttal-Smith Gareth Jooste Charles Houston Callum Deeble 3rd U19 Shot Put 3rd U17 Discus 3rd U14 High Jump 2nd U19 400m 2nd U15 400m 2nd U17 Discus and Shot Put 1st U14 Long Jump and 3rd U14 100m 1st U16 Shot Put 1st U17 800m and 1500m (both new records) 1st U15 800m and 1500m (both new records) 1st U14 800m and 1500m (both new records) Darren Goosen 3rd U19 High Jump Callum Deeble also received the medal for the best middle distance performance of the day. DHS Meeting: 8 September Michaelhouse athletes competed at Kings Park at a meeting which was hosted by DHS. They faced good opposition from the following schools: DHS, Glenwood Boys’ High School, Maritzburg College, Northwood High School, Hilton College, St Charles College and Clifton College. The following boys achieved top three positions: Luke Browett 3rd U15 High Jump Kura Maswera 3rd U17 Discus Zaahir Hurribunce 3rd U19 Shot Put Dylan Rice 3rd U19 Discus Michael Hinchley 3rd U19 Long jump and 100m 98 Sport M Callum Deeble and David Karam make a slick transition during the Inter-House relay competition Michael Greer 2nd U15 200m and Long jump Callum Deeble 1st U15 3000m Charles Houston 1st U15 800m and 1500m Nicholas Harrison 1st U15 400m Pietermaritzburg and Districts Trials Meeting: 1 September The following athletes achieved top two positions at the Pietermaritzburg and Districts Trials Meeting which was held at Treverton College: Cameron Holenstein 1st U17 Discus Charles Houston 1st U15 1500m Callum Deeble 1st U14 800m and 1500m Nicholas Harrison 2nd U15 400m Luke Browett 2nd U14 High Jump Clover Grey College and Oranje Meisies Invitation Meeting: 12 October Cameron Holenstein, Charles Houston and Nicholas Harrison competed against athletes from schools in the Free State, Gauteng, file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] SWD, Western Province, Boland and Gauteng where athletics is taken as a major sports option. They competed as representatives of the Pietermaritzburg and Districts Invitation team. Michael Greer unfortunately had to withdraw due to bad health. The Michaelhouse boys achieved the following results: Cameron Holenstein 4th U17 Discus Nicholas Harrison 8th U15 400m Charles Houston 9th U15 1500m KwaZulu-Natal Sub Youth Championships: 27 October Michael Greer 5th U15 Long Jump Despite the poor weather in the latter half of the year, the School’s „ , . ,, ... , , ■ Damon Hmchley and Nicholas van der Bos jockey for position during Inter- athletes enjoyed a busy and productive 2012. House relays 99 B Sport Is TEAM BASKETBALL: Back Row: Thomas Robertson, Wandile Mzuku, Clive Legoale-Phillips, Neil Guiney Middle Row: Jonathan Laing, William Smale, Alexander Pienaar, Timothy Dommett Front Row: Bryce Nicholson- Deh, Cheyne Halliday, Mr Allan Laing, Nicholas Baber, Adrian Krige BASKETBALL Master in Charge: Mr Msizi Mchunu Coaches: First Team: Mr Allan Laing Second Team: Mr Tathenda Chidzawo Third Team: Mr Sandile Khuluse and Mr Sizo Chalufu Fourth Team: Mr Bongumusa Cele U16A: Mr Selby Sibiya U16B: Mr Linda Linda U16C: Mr Sihle Mtshali and Mr Mzwandile Khwela U15A: Mr Msizi Mchunu and Mr Selby Sibiya U15B: Mr Sibusiso Ncamane U15C: Mr Halalisani Xulu U14A: Mr Elmar de Klerk U14B: Mr Johan van Rooyen First Team Captain: Cheyne Halliday First Team Vice Captain: Nicholas Baber First Team: Cheyne Halliday, Nicholas Baber, Clive Legoale- Phillips, Jonathan Laing, Alexander Pienaar, William Smale, Bryce Nicholson-Deh, Wandile Mzuku, Adrian Krige, Thomas Robertson, Neil Guiney and Timothy Dommett Awards Honours: Cheyne Halliday and Nicholas Baber Colours: Jonathan Laing Half Colours: Alexander Pienaar, Timothy Dommett, Clive Legoale-Phillips, Neil Guiney, Wandile Mzuku and Thomas Robertson National Representation: South Africa U18A: Nicholas Baber As the season progressed the School’s teams gained confidence and started to improve and better results followed. A number of senior boys joined basketball for the first time increasing our numbers and enabling us to have a Fourth Team. The U15 and U16 age groups under the guidance of Mr Sibiya have continued to produce amazing results against tough opposition. They have shown character and determination in beating top schools in the province. Each of these age groups has three teams. Our youngsters at the U14 level are continuing to learn basics and we look forward to their growth as they are the future of the sport at Michaelhouse. 100 Sport ■ Neil Guiney in action against Northwood 1st Team Basketball 2012 file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Date Opponent/ Event Result For Against 22/01 Kearsney lost 39 55 28/01 Glenwood won 65 35 04/02 Maritzburg College no result 10/02 American International School (JHB) won 60 28 11/02 Northwood won 65 21 23-26/02 St John’s Invitational Tournament 03/03 St Charles College won 52 48 22/09 Northwood won 77 14 13/10 Westville Boys’ High lost 48 67 19/10 St John’s College won 47 30 20/10 College won 61 49 03/11 Kearsney won 68 38 10/11 Hilton College won 67 31 17/11 St Charle’s College lost 45 46 Results: Played: 13 Won: 9 Lost: 3 No Result: 1 Points For: 694 Points Against: 462 101 Fordoun is proud of its association with Michaelhouse 102 Sport H CANOEING Masters in Charge: Mr Iain Guthrie, Mr Paul Snyman and Mr Richard Snowden Coach: Mr Shaun Griffin Captain: Matthew Heenan Vice Captain: Jonathan Dean Secretary: Timothy Lee Awards Honours: Matthew Heenan Colours: Bruce Arnott, Jonathan Dean, Mark Brown Half Colours: Juan-Luc Clackworthy, Tim Everett, Alan Houston, Brandon Macleod and Guy Schiever Provincial Representation: Junior: Matthew Heenan U14: Alan Houston and Brandon Macleod Canoe Polo: Jasper Epsom, Mark Brown and Matthew Heenan In 2012 the Michaelhouse Canoe Club has enjoyed a full, varied and exciting canoeing season. While river canoeing remains the main focus of the club, boys have also been involved in sprints, slalom, canoe polo, surf-ski, white-water rafting, river tripping and the regular Dice at Camps Drift. Canoeing Masters participate in the sport and facilitate boys getting their river proficiencies as soon as possible. By being on the water with the boys as sweeps and participants, the Staff can assist in coaching, helping, and in cases rescuing boys on rivers. Messrs Iain Guthrie, Paul Snyman and Richard Snowden have facilitated the functioning of the club this year with the able assistance of the Club Committee. The Drak Challenge The first race of the year is perhaps one of the most scenic as our members took on the waters of the Umzimkulu near Underberg. Day one of the race had low water levels and the river was described as being ‘too boney’, but fortunately good rains during the night filled the river and day two saw water levels rise to give an exciting finish to the race. The boys camped at Glenhaven Camp and were able to trip Glenhaven Rapid after day one. The results were pleasing. Bruce Arnott was the eleventh U18 finisher, Juan-Luc Clackworthy, Patrick Dillon and Brandon Macleod were placed third, eighth and ninth in the U16 group respectively and Craig Heenan was second in U14. Crash and Dash 28 January saw the boys take to the waters of the Msunduzi in the first of many races to prepare the club for the premier race: the DUSI. In the K1 race Murray McDonald was seventh in U18, Patrick Dillon and Juan-Luc Clackworthy were fourth and fifth respectively in U16 and Graham Davies and Craig Heenan were the first and third U14 finishers. The K2 race which followed, saw Jonathan Dean and partner file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] CANOE CLUB: Back Row: Bruce Arnott, Patrick Dillon, Murray McDonald, Wilton Clark, Ross Firth, Tyrone Arnold, Juan-Luc Clackworthy, Justin Miller, Patrick Bechard Fourth Row: Declan Clackworthy, Michael Tatham, Michael Hanhury, Brandon Macleod, Charles Houston, Michael Mandy, Robin Tatham, Benjamin Strachan Third Row: Kelvin Green, James Pearson, Helger Pretorius, David Jones, Guy Schiever, Angelos Geranmayeh, Alan Houston, Blake Springate Second Row: Graham Davies, Warwick Albertyn, William Lyle, William Winship, Thomas Erskine, Craig Heenan, Stuart Beach, Jason Boulle Front Row: Craig Smorfitt, Timothy Lee, Mr Richard Snowden, Matthew Heenan, Mr Iain Guthrie, Jonathan Dean, Mr Paul Snyman, Mark Brown, Mitchell Green 103 B Sport Angelos Geranmayeh, Guy Schiever, Michael Mandy and Gary Porter participated in the SA K4 Championships at Shongweni Dam finish sixth in U23 K2, Robin Tatham and Murray McDonald fourth in the U18 group, Patrick Dillon and Helger Pretorius second in U16, Angelos Geranmayeh and Guy Schiever finished third in U16 and Alan Houston and Brandon Macleod were placed fourth in U16. Campbell’s to Dusi Bridge The following day our U16 boys performed well in the Campbell’s to Dusi Bridge race where Juan-Luc Clackworthy was placed third K1, Patrick Dillon and Helger Pretorius first K2 and Alan Houston and Brandon Macleod were placed fourth K2. Inanda Dam to Durban The next race in preparation for the Dusi was the Inanda Dam to Blue Lagoon race. This event is the same as the third day of the Dusi and the cool clean water below Inanda Dam makes for an exhilarating start. Craig Heenan impressed the club with his first place in U14, Helger Pretorius and Patrick Dillon were the first U16 K2 finishers, Angelos Geranmayeh and Guy Shiever were placed third in the same category; Robin Tatham and Murray McDonald were fifth in the U18 K2 category and Jonathan Dean and partner were fourth in the U23 K2 event. Inter-Schools’ Sprints: Camps Drift The Inter-Schools’ Sprints this year took place on Camps Drift. In the K1 events Bruce Arnott was first in the U18B race, Michael Tatham first U16B, Helger Pretorius second U16B and Guy Shiever came third in the U16B event. Jason Boulle and Graham Davies were placed second and third respectively in the U14A race and Craig Heenan came first in U14B race. The Unlimited Dusi Canoe Marathon This year’s Dusi coincided with the Lent Quarter mid-term break and saw 20 of our boys, three staff and one coach participate. The full results are listed below. Overall Position Age Group 26 (U23)4 Matthew Dean 83 (U23)14 Jonathan Dean 87 (U18)10 Murray McDonald, Robin Tatham 95 (U 18)11 Tim Lee, Tim Everett 134 69 Doug Tatham, Michael Tatham 181 (U16)l Patrick Dillon, Helger Pretorius 284 132 Matthew Heenan 367 160 Richard Snowden 421 (U 18)21 Mark Brown, Campbell Green 492 (SV)82 Mr Paul Snyman, Mr Iain Guthrie 534 (U23)39 Craig Smorfitt 566 241 Juan-Luc Clackworthy 588 (U 18)25 Mitchell Green 622 (U16)4 William Winship 633 (U 18)27 Tyrone Arnold 705 (U 18)33 Nicholas Last 846 (U16)5 Guy Schiever, Angelos Geranmayeh 858 (U16)6 Gary Porter, Michael Mandy 104 Sport H Following the race Mr Paul Hay, in a letter to the Rector, had this to say about the race: file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] ‘Too often people are not given credit for gallant achievements mainly because they were not on the winners’ podium. It is also very easy to give up when things are not going one’s way. I would just like to bring your attention to the courage shown by two of your scholars during the Dusi Canoe Marathon. I have not met the boys but heard of their epic struggle to complete day two of the race. Guy Schiever and Angelos Geranmayeh broke their boat on the notorious rapids of day two. Most people would have given up knowing the distance to the finish, but not these two! They soldiered on to finish the day and ultimately the race itself; a fine achievement under the circumstances. I am a veteran of 27 Dusis and know what it takes to finish this great race. In my books, the guts shown by these two U16s rates up there with the Birkett victory! We need more MEN like these! Please send them my congratulations.’ Gary Porter and Michael Mandy had a similar story to tell and must also be congratulated on their perseverance in the face of extreme adversity and their willingness to struggle on right to the end and finish well. Inter-Schools’ Mooi River Race With the Dusi out of the way the club could concentrate on the interschools’ races. The first took place on the Mooi River and 32 boys took to the water in their Kls to represent the club. Matthew Heenan made fifth place in the open age category, Patrick Dillon third U16, Michael Tatham fourth and Juan-Luc Clackworthy fifth in the U16 group. Graham Davies, Craig Heenan and Jason Boulle made a first, second, third sweep of the U14 age group. No 7 to Whiskey Canyon Race The following day Matthew Heenan and Craig Smorfitt took on the challenges of the Umkomaas in the No 7 to Whiskey Canyon Race. In the U23 age group they were placed first K2 while Juan-Luc Clackworthy and Angelos Geranmayeh were placed third in the U16 K2 event. The annual Canoeing Dinner and the Hilton Michaelhouse Canoeing Weekend The annual Canoeing Dinner took place at Rawdons the night before the Hilton/Michaelhouse Canoeing Weekend. Matthew Heenan was the senior Canoeing Champion for 2012 and Patrick Dillon was the junior Canoeing Champion for the year. The Hilton Kayak Club and their parents hosted the annual Hilton/ Michaelhouse Canoeing Weekend. It was a fine event and boys and parents enjoyed the occasion. Our Rector wrote the following about the weekend: ‘One of the events I always enjoy attending is the annual Michaelhouse/Hilton Canoe Race down the Umzimkulu River near Underberg. On Sunday I witnessed an excellent finish to the race with Jonathan Dean pipping the Hilton canoeist, who had beaten him the day before, thus sharing the first place trophy. Well done to Graham Davies (E Block) who won the Best Novice Trophy. Matthew Heenan and his team dominated the team event with 16 Michaelhouse paddlers in the Top 20 to clinch another win for Michaelhouse.’ Inter-Schools SA Sprint Championships At the Inter Schools SA Sprint Championships our two U14 boys Jason Boulle and Craig Heenan achieved good results. Jason was placed fifth in the K2 1 000m A final, sixth in the K2 500m A final, sixth in the K2 200m A final and seventh in the K1 200m A final. Craig Heenan was placed sixth in the K2 5 000m final and sixth in the K1 500m B final. SA K4 Champs - Shongweni Dam Boys taking part in the SA K4 championships camped at Shongweni Dam for the weekend. Two of our teams did well. The U16s, Juan-Luc Clackworthy, Patrick Dillon, Helger Pretorius and Guy Shiever took gold medals and the U14 team of Jason Boulle, Thomas Erskine, Craig Heenan and Greg Reynolds took the silver medals. Tugela 20 Following the good snowfalls in August, the boys took on the icy waters of the Tugela. This two day event near Winterton and Bergville afforded some of the most spectacularly scenic paddling as the winding Tugela allowed us magnificent views of a snow covered Berg. Strong winds prevented the day two start on Spioenkop Dam and forced officials to start the race below the dam wall. This did not dampen the spirits of the boys and some of the results were: Patrick Dillon and Helger Pretorius second U16 K2, first Craig Heenan and Jason Boulle U14 K2, Kelvin Green and Thomas Erskine third U14 K2 and Graham Davies first U14 K1. Alex Caruth, Lance Park, Ngwenya Challenge and Jock Claasens Our paddlers took part in many of the KNCU Sunday races and in the Alex Caruth Upper Umgeni Race. Juan-Luc Clackworthy came fourth in the U16 K1 race, Alan Houston was fifth in U16, Craig Heenan was first in U14, Jason Boulle was placed third and Declan Clackworthy was fourth in the U14 event. Brandon Macleod and Alan Houston came fourth in the U16 K2 Lance Park Memorial Race. In the Ngwenya Challenge Patrick Dillon was placed fourth U16 Kl, Jason Boulle was second U14 Kl and Craig Heenan came sixth in the U14 Kl. In the Jock Klaasens Alan Houston was the eleventh U16 Kl finisher, Brandon Macleod came tenth in the U16 Kl. Craig Heenan was placed file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] second and Kelvin Green fifth in the U14 Kl event. Canoe Polo The Varsity Pool in Pietermaritzburg was the venue for the Inter-Schools’ canoe polo games. This popular dimension of canoeing saw our junior team beat Maritzburg College 4-1 in the finals with the seniors losing to College 4-5. SA K2 River Championships on the Breede Michaelhouse paddlers Brandon Macleod and Alan Houston competed in the SA K2 River Marathon championships held at the two day 72km Breede River Canoe Marathon from Robertson to Swellendam in the Western Cape on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 September. The river was full and posed numerous challenges that the boys were not familiar with; namely trees in the river and strong swirling current eddies. They were also up against a strong field of local crews who were familiar with the route and the obstacles and were generally quite a bit older than our boys. The boys battled with some cramping issues on the 37km first stage and finished in 2hr 38, four minutes off the U16 race leaders and about a minute clear of a pack of quality U16 boats. Their second day was much better and they closed in slightly on the U16 leaders, finishing second in their age group in a total time of 4 hours 58 minutes, and making it into the top 100 overall - moving to eighty ninth overall from their overnight position of one hundred and thirteenth. They were handed their Canoeing South Africa silver medals at the prizegiving after the race. Inter-Schools Shongweni A miserable wet day at Shongweni greeted the paddlers but did not dampen their enthusiasm for the Inter-Schools where Matthew Heenan came first U23 Kl, Patrick Dillon eighth and Brandon Macleod tenth U16 Kl. Craig Heenan finished third, Kelvin Green came fifth and Graham Davies finished ninth in the U14 Kl race. 105 B Sport The Hansa Fish Canoe Marathon Our canoeing parents took a large contingent of boys to the annual Fish River Canoe Marathon which this year fell in the Michaelmas Holidays. This popular event saw 14 of our boys compete in the K1 section and seven in the K2s. It was pleasing to see how many fathers and sons paddled together and there was one mother and son team. The results are given below: K1 Results Position Age Placing Name 165 (U23)44 Jonathan Dean 178 (U23)46 Matthew Heenan 180 (U16)8 Alan Houston 186 (U 18)30 Timothy Lee 191 (U 18)32 Murray McDonald 207 (U16)9 Patrick Dillon 271 (U16) 14 Brandon Macleod 288 (U18)40 Robin Tatham 408 (U16)16 Juan-Luc Clackworthy 501 (U 16)20 Helger Pretorius 559 (U 14)1 Craig Heenan 674 (U14)2 Jason Boulle 737 (U 16)25 James Pearson 769 (U 16)27 Wilton Clark K2 Results Position Age Placing Name 195 (U 18)33 Bruce Arnott 267 80 Michael Tatham 427 140 Dave Jones 498 (U16)19 Ross Firth 556 (U 16)21 Guy Schiever, Michael Mandy 672 240 Declan Clackworthy Inter-Schools’ Umgeni and Bushman's Races and the Enduro at Shongweni Dam The Inter-Schools’ League has been hotly contested between Michaelhouse and Maritzburg College. On the Upper Umngeni Jonathan Dean was first in the U23 K1 race. Bruce Arnott finished tenth in the U18 K1 race, Alan Houston came second in the U16 K1, Helger Pretorius finished third with Brandon Macleod coming sixth in the U16 K1 event. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] The Inter-Schools’ Bushman’s River Race was hosted by the Michaelhouse Canoe Club. The race, new to the Inter- School calendar, started on Wagon Drift Dam and finished at the Sports Club in Estcourt. Here Bruce Arnott was fourth and Murray McDonald fifth in the U18 K1 race. Alan Houston finished third and Brandon Macleod fourth in the U16 K1 events. Craig Heenan was placed first, Graham Davies second, Jason Boulle third and Declan Clackworthy fourth in the U14 K1 race. Mr Richard Snowden was the driving force behind this event and he must be congratulated on his fine co-ordination of Michaelhouse Staff, parents and boys to make the inaugural event the great success that it was. The Inter-Schools’ Enduro at Shongweni Dam was the final part of the schools’ league calendar. Here teams raced for honours and in the U18 K1-relay, Bruce Arnott, Murray McDonald, Matthew Heenan and Robin Tatham were placed third, Patrick Dillon, Allan Houston, Brandon MacLeod and Helger Pretorius were second in the U16 K1 relay; Jason Boulle, Warwick Albertyn, Declan Clackworthy and Kelvin Green were second in the U14 K1 relay and Craig Heenan,Thomas Erskine, Richard Friend and Graham Davies were third in the U14 K1 relay. On this occasion the final Inter-Schools’ results were announced. Michaelhouse was narrowly beaten by Maritzburg College to take second place in the league but many of the boys did well in the Victrix Ludorii result. Our U 14s took all three places. These are tabled below: Inter-Schools’ Victrix Ludorii U14 1st Graham Davies 2nd Craig Heenan 3rd Jason Boulle U16 3rd Alan Houston Slalom U14 1st Graham Davies 2nd Jason Boulle 3rd Craig Heenan U18 3rd Jonathan Dean Mooi River Race, Camps Drift to Bishopstow and the Ozzi Gladwin At the Mooi River race, Patrick Dillon took first place, Brandon Macleod second and Alan Houston third in their Kls in the U18 section. For the Camps Drift to Bishopstowe Race Patrick Dillon was third and Helger Pretorius eighth in the U16 K1 event. Wilton Clark finished ninth U16 K1, and Craig Heenan and Kelvin Green won the U14 K2 race. John Oliver once again accomodated our paddlers after the Rememberance Sunday Service so that they could compete in the Ozzi Gladwin Race by batching our boys together for a 10:30 am start. Alan Houston was placed third and Patrick Dillon fourth in the U16 race. Kelvin Green won the U14 event with Jason Boulle fourth and Craig Heenan fifth. River tripping, Vuvubats, Surf-Skis and White-water rafting. The club revels in tripping rivers whenever possible. Earlier in the year the tripping of the Bushman’s on a Saturday without a fixture proved to be useful when it came to hosting the Bushman’s Race later in the year. Another memorable tripping evening occurred just after the snow in August. Instead of doing the regular Thursday Dice at Camps Drift, the club followed the Crash and Dash course, shot Emie Pearce and ended up at low level bridge in the twighlight, cold, tired and thrilled by the experience. Our canoe polo boats, the vuvubats, made the journey to Durban for the boys to try them out in the sea. Eskimo rolls in the waves and canoe surfing were the order of the day. With the prospect of surf skiing making its way into the annual canoeing calendar, boys were treated to coaching from Mr Barry Lewin at Addington Beach. Many of our paddlers had not been on a surf ski before and the event was memorable, enjoyable and instructive. Towards the end of the Fourth Quarter, once school racing ended, members of the club ventured down into the beautiful Umkomaas Valley to raft a stretch of river which none of the group had seen before. The river was running at a decent level making for safe navigation of the famous rapids one, two and three, which form part of the Umko Canoe race. Many of the boys aspire to doing this race. Held annually, it is widely regarded as the most challenging big water event in South Africa. Experiencing firsthand the correct lines under expert guidance was a most valuable experience. Not even the persistent rain which fell during the second half of the trip dampened the group’s enthusiasm. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] The slippery 4x4 trip back to the base camp at Hella Hella was a fitting end to an adrenaline filled day on the river. Another eventful canoeing year drew to an end. The club has been exposed to a number of different events and varying types of paddling which gave the boys a full range of the options related to paddling. The club continues to prosper and flourish. We were proud to see that Old Boy, Stephen Bird and ex Michaelhouse Canoe Club member represented Australia in the London Olympics. Sport H MICHAELHOUSE 1st TEAM CRICKET: Back Row: Luke Stevens, Barrie Forrester-Smith, Nicholas Glassock, Gregory Oldfield, Tyrone Thomas Middle Row: Michael Mvelase, Kyle Pyne-James, Dean Stephen, Nicolas Hellens, Michael Greig, David Watson Front Row: Mr Graeme Calway, Robert Anderson, Mr Dean Forword, Christopher Brits, Mr John Crawford CRICKET REPORT Written by Mr Nic Cahill Masters in Charge: Mr Graeme Calway and Mr Nic Cahill Coaches: First XI: Mr Dean Forword and Mr John Crawford Second XI: Mr Mike Bownes Third XI: Mr Richard McMichael Fourth XI: Mr Nic Cahill and Mr Gavin Ross U16A: Mr James Bullough U16B: Mr Chris van der Berg U16C: Mr Michael Schwartz U15A: Mr Sam Mofokeng U15B: Mr Ian Crawford U15C: Mr Andrew Brown U15D: Mr Deon Royappen U14A: Mr Shaun Thompson U14B: Mr Hayden Henderson-Everill U14C: Mr Simon Crane U14D: Mr Craig Pieterse U14E: Mr Nhlanka Nzimande While the fixtures during the First Quarter were largely unaffected by rain, the weather played havoc with matches since the start of summer. Practices too have been limited resulting in the dampening of enthusiasm, particularly in the lower and younger teams. Our Grounds Staff continue to be involved and are most competent, and we are fortunate to enjoy the wonderful facilities which we have access to. The indoor nets certainly have proved invaluable during the recent wet period. We are still hoping to lay a turf wicket on Willows and we are in consultation with experts. I am sure that we will need to examine the drainage system on the Oval as there are areas in the outfield that just will not dry out. Our coaching Staff continue to make a fine contribution and I thank them for the hours of dedicated input under the guidance of Mr Graeme Calway, whose guidance and advice on the technical elements of the game of cricket are invaluable in developing top class criketers. I also hope that there is a possibility of an overseas tour in the near future. I thank Rector Guy Pearson for his enthusiasm and involvement in cricket over the years and we wish him well in his efforts as a weather prophet in the Cape. Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is. ^ ^ Vince Lombardi 107 9 Sport FIRST XI CRICKET REPORT Written by Mr John Crawford Coaches: Mr Dean Forword, Mr John Crawford and Mr Graeme Calway First team Captain: Robert Anderson First team: Robert Anderson, Christopher Brits, Dean Stephen, Gregory Oldfield, Kyle Pyne-James, Michael Greig, Michael Mvelase, Nicolas Hellens, Barrie Forrester-Smith, Luke Stevens, David Watson, Tyrone Thomas, Sean Donaldson, Nic Elliot, Nicholas Glassock, Jason Marshall, Brandon Tattam, Julian Liebenberg, Jonathan Thurling, Ross Purbrick, James de Chastelain, Bradley Roberts, Justin Morkel and Gregory Waterman file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Awards Honours: Robert Anderson, Gregory Oldfield and Kyle Pyne-James Colours: Luke Stevens and Barrie Forrester-Smith Half Colours: Nicolas Hellens, Michael Greig, David Watson and Michael Mvelase National Representation South Africa U19: Gregory Oldfield Provincial Representation KwaZulu-Natal Inland U18: Robert Anderson, Gregory Oldfield and Kyle Pyne-James Results Played: 23 Won: 7 Lost: 6 Abandoned 8 The cricket season got off to an early start with teams from Zimbabwe and Australia arriving early at the School for practice matches before the Independent Schools Festival hosted by Kearsney College. The First Team played Churchies from Brisbane, Australia before heading off to Kearsney College. The team was below par for much of the festival and particularly during the first match of the term against the hosts Kearsney College. The trip to Botha’s Hill on the first Saturday of term was one of numerous away matches that the team played during the season. The boys were regularly in the bus either travelling away on Saturdays or for T20 matches or for Day-Night fixtures in the local Sunfoil Series with a trip to Pretoria for the St Alban’s Festival thrown into the mix. It would have been easy for the boys to become dismayed but the opposite happened (the First Team played only two matches on the Gathorne Oval). They formed a great team spirit and a determination to achieve, whatever the circumstances. The victory against Glenwood on a very suspect pitch paved the way for a successful and productive first part of the year. The weather too played its part and very little cricket was lost to the elements. How that was all to change in the second half of the year. A very young side travelled to Zimbabwe in September to play in the St John’s T20 Festival and two 50-over matches. While it was a great pity that a more experienced team didn’t represent the School it did give a number of younger players an opportunity to learn for the future. In the Fourth Quarter the sight of the sun was a rare occurrence. The School’s Roy Gathorne Oval and most other fields were sodden vleis. There is no doubt that a great deal of the success that the team enjoyed was due to the leadership of Robert Anderson. He instilled a happy, positive ethos amongst the players. His captaincy too was shrewd and his batting a joy to watch when he got going. His century against Hilton College in Pretoria was a top class performance. Robbie thoroughly deserved his selection for the KwaZulu-Natal Inland Coke Week Team. Christopher Brits was a great support to Robbie for he nurtured an ethos based on mutual respect and ethical principles. Chris’s presence in the team would have been invaluable even if he had never bowled a ball nor batted. Dean Stephen again played some great innings although he would have been frustrated by a lack of consistency. Michael Mvelase was definitely the most improved player in the team. His bowling was a revelation and his team nickname of Dr Death was earned after superb spells of death bowling. Michael also enjoyed the new ball and learned to control it so much better. Michael Greig started to become so much more assured at the crease. It was a great pity that the Fourth Quarter was ruined by the weather as I am sure that he would have scored a number of exciting runs if he had had the opportunity. Mike’s fielding was however excellent, he was a truly fine cover point. We were sad to lose the services of Nicolas Hellens due to illness. Not only was Nic a source of much laughter but he brought a passion to the team that was hard to replace. Even when he was injured he was determined to play! It was disappointing that David Watson and Tyrone Thomas could not play in the second part of the year. Both were proven all rounders and added great depth to the side. Gregory Oldfield again proved to be a top class all rounder. He is a fine talent and someone who will go very, very far in the game. Humble yet determined, Greg reeled off many fine innings and great spells of off spin bowling. His place in the KwaZulu-Natal Inland Coke Week side was a formality. I wonder whether anyone in the school’s illustrious cricketing history has scored over 1000 runs at an average of 55? This of course includes all forms of the game which makes it even more remarkable. Kyle Pyne-James also deserved his place in the KwaZulu-Natal Inland Coke Week Team. He set himself high standards behind the stumps and once he felt relaxed at the crease, played some fine innings. Four of the team members were selected for the KwaZulu-Natal Inland U17 Team. Luke Stevens with his left arm spinners had a fantastic First Quarter. He exploited the wickets to perfection. His spell of 6/23 against Glenwood will remain one of the great spells of bowling by a Michaelhouse First Team cricketer. Barrie Forrester-Smith can become file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] a fine all rounder. He played a couple of crucial innings in Pretoria when the team really needed them and once he can master greater consistency with the ball, he will be a formidable player. Nic Elliot with his exciting left arm seamers and Jason Marshall with his elegant batting were the other two to make the U17 side. A number of other players represented the First XI on occasions. In fact twenty-four boys represented the side. Although this is a very large number it does indicate that the School had access to great depth and this augurs well for the future too, as many are returning in 2013. A huge vote of thanks must go to Mr Gareth Pyne-James for his scoring. So many people were able to follow the progress of the School around the country and the world via the web cricket that he operated for us. Not only did Gareth score, but he resurrected the scoreboard too through sweat, persistence and ingenuity. Branagth Cooper-Botha also gave many hours to scoring in the First Quarter and our thanks go to him too. Tour to Zimbabwe It was a young and inexperienced team that boarded the flight at OR Tambo International Airport bound for Harare, with only two A Block boys in the squad. The First XI participated in the St John’s College Bon Marche/Health International 20/20 Tournament. It is a tournament which takes place over a weekend and comprises six Zimbabwean and two South African schools. 108 Sport Bradley Roberts enjoyed a fine vein of batting form during the First XI tc Date Opponent Results 12/01 21/01 22/01 24/01 28/01 29/01 1/02 2/02 4/02 11/02 14/02 16/02 26/02 3/03 22/09 31/10 3/11 10/11 Churchie Invitation XI Kearsney President’s XI Maritzburg College Glenwood St Charles (20/20) Maritzburg College (20/20) Hilton College (Night Game) Maritzburg College Northwood St Charles (Night Game) St Andrew’s Grahamstown (2 day) Hilton College St Alban’s St Charles College Northwood Ferrum High 20/20 Kearsney Hilton College MHS 189/6 (D Stephen 71) MHS 171 all out President’s XI 83 all out College 184/8 in 40 overs Glenwood 154 all out (L Stephens 6/23) MHS 121/7 MHS 134/5 (R Anderson 60) Hilton 133 all out MHS 228/9 (G Oldfield 71) MHS 111 all out St Charles 147/9 (40 overs) MHS 215 (B Forrester-Smith 53) MHS 251/5 decl (R Anderson 117*,K Pyne-James 51) MHS 206 all out (G Oldfield 112) MHS 216/5 decl (G Oldfield 100*) Northwood 182/5 MHS 244/7 (G Oldfield 89) file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Churchie 190/9 Kearsney 200/9 MHS 10/2 MHS 173/9 MHS 155 for 5 (G Oldfield 69*) Lost by 1 wicket Lost by 29 runs Rain - no result Lost by 11 runs Won by 5 wickets St Charles 109/9 Won by 12 runs College 140/6 Lost by 4 wickets MHS 135/6 in 36.1 overs (G Oldfield 53*) Won by 4 wickets College 17/4 Rain - no result Northwood 92 all out Won by 19 runs MHS 147/9 Match Tied St Andrew’s 186/5 declared Hilton 33/2 St Alban’s 209/6 St Charles 115/7 MHS 12/0 Rain - no result Lost by 4 wickets Match drawn Rain - no result Won by 10 wickets Rain - no result Rain - no result 109 H Sport We adjusted well to the conditions and the foreign opposition by winning our first two games and gaining a place in the semi-finals. Unfortunately, we lost in the semis. Gregory Oldfield scored 227 runs in the tournament and was named Batsman of the Tournament. Robert Anderson also enjoyed a rich vein of form by scoring 165 runs. The boys enjoyed their carbo loading as a free pizza was issued for every six that was hit. The event was a fantastic experience for us and it was a privilege to receive the incredibly warm hospitality from the St John’s College community and the Harare-based Michaelhouse parents. We spent Monday at Imire Game Park Sanctuary. Black rhino, elephant, buffalo, crocodile and various species of antelope are some of the animals which are rehabilitated here and they were fed in front of us, which gave us a very close view of the animals. We enjoyed a good win against Peterhouse in a 50-over match but more importantly, the relationship between the two schools has been strengthened immensely. It is a very special relationship we share. Our last port of call before heading home was a 50-over match against St John’s College on their brilliant cricket wicket. We were beaten by an experienced and confident side, fresh from their victory in the 20/20 tournament. It was a fantastic trip to Zimbabwe and playing in different conditions, against foreign opposition and meeting different people will add value to the boys’ all-round education. Gregory Oldfield, Kyle Pyne-James and Robert Anderson after being capped for the KwaZulu-Natual Inland Coke Week Team Sport H CROSS COUNTRY: Back Row: Lethu Mthembu, Nicholas Harrison, Luke Browett, Callum Deeble Middle Row: Murray Church, Barry Sturgeon Front Row: William Grant, Wulf Mosburger, Mr Iain Guthrie, Ryan van Greunen, Michael Harrison CROSS COUNTRY Master in Charge: Mr Iain Guthrie Captain: Wulf Mosburger Teams: Senior: Ryan van Greunen, Thomas Watt-Pringle, William Grant, Wulf Mosburger, Michael Harrison, Barry Sturgeon and Murray Church Junior: Lethu Mthembu, Michael Bucholz and Callum Deeble Inter-Schools Cross Country The Midlands Inter-Schools cross country season took place in April and May. Our boys participated in six events at the following venues: Collegians, Michaelhouse, Treverton, Grace College, Epworth and St Anne’s Diocesan College. Our senior and junior teams were not placed in the top three schools but two junior boys, Lethu Mthembu and Michael Buchholz were placed fifth and ninth respectively in the Junior League for the season. Other notable achievements during the season included: Tim Everett’s fifth position at the Michaelhouse event in the senior race. Callum Deeble’s second place in the Collegians race and third place in the Treverton race in the junior section; as well as Luke Browett’s sixth place at Collegians and Nicholas Harrison’s third place at the Michaelhouse race. The race hosted by Michaelhouse saw more than 600 runners compete from more than 30 boys’ and girls’ schools. The runners were able to enjoy views in the Michaelhouse Nature Reserve during their races. Inter-House Cross Country In the Inter-House cross country race that was run on 24 October, 352 boys competed in the event and the following file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] results were obtained: Individual Juniors House Juniors Charles Houston (West) Callum Deeble (Pascoe) Alan Houston (Tatham) 1st Gareth Jooste (East) 2nd Patrick Dillon (Mackenzie) 3rd Murray McDonald (Farfield) Tatham (1149 points) East (876 points) Pascoe (862 points) 1st Pascoe (1015 points) 2nd Tatham (925 points) 3rd Baines (687 points) III ■ Sport 1st TEAM GOLF: Back Row: George Rowles, Jacques Swarts, Matt Saulez Middle Row: Sean Rice, Louis Albertse Front Row: Kyle Flanegan, Mr Brad Flanegan, Michael Greig, Mr Jaap van der Vegte, Patrick Critchley GOLF Master in Charge: Mr Brad Flanegan First Team Coach: Mr Brad Flanegan Second Team Coach: Mr Jaap van der Vegte Captain: Michael Greig Vice Captain: Kyle Flanegan First Team: Michael Greig, Kyle Flanegan, Patrick Critchley, Brendan Bergs, Jacques Swarts, Sean Rice, Louis Albertse, George Rowles and Matt Saulez Awards Honours: Brendan Bergs and Patrick Critchley Colours: Jacques Swarts Half Colours: Kyle Flanegan, Sean Rice, Matt Saulez, Michael Greig, George Rowles and Louis Albertse National Representation: South African Schools U19: Brendan Bergs Provincial Representation: KwaZulu-Natal U17: Brendan Bergs, Matt Saulez and Jacques Swarts KwaZulu-Natal Schools U19B: Brendan Bergs and Jacques Swarts KwaZulu-Natal U19: Matt Saulez School Champion: Rory Allen Inter-House Winners: Tatham The list of provincial representatives above may need some clarification. There are two bodies governing junior golf in KwaZulu-Natal, namely KwaZulu-Natal Schools and the KwaZulu-Natal Foundation. KwaZulu-Natal Schools’ Colours are only awarded to bona-fide full time scholars and are selected solely on the results of the eight qualifying tournaments. The schools’ IPT is held in September and not all provinces take part. South African Schools’ Colours are awarded based on the results of the IPT. KwaZulu-Natal Foundation Colours are awarded at various different age groups and have a different set of qualifying criteria. The U19 IPT is held in December of each year and all provinces are represented. Due to private schools starting a week later than public schools, we were no sooner back at School when we were immediately thrust into action. The First Quarter results went much as they always do, we lost games we should have won and vice versa. The net result is that both the First and Second Teams lost one match each. The First Team redeemed their loss by winning both the stroke-play events in the Summer League. We once again enjoyed a very successful trip to Pretoria and ended up coming second out of 12 schools in the AHS Easter Festival. The boys were fortunate to play on four of Pretoria’s finest golf courses including The Els Club and Pecanwood. Brendon Bergs, Matt Saulez and Kyle Flanegan played particularly well during the week. The weather also played its part and we had four spectacular autumn days in which to enjoy the unrivalled hospitality of AHS and the superb quality of all the courses. 112 Sport H Kyle Flanegan, George Rowles, Sean Rice, Matt Saulez, Brendan Bergs and Gregg Gilson at the Ajfies Golf Tournament After the winter recess it was once again off to Sun City for the annual St John’s College Tournament. After a very slow start we managed to come tenth which was our best result since winning the inaugural tournament in 2004; the file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] team of Jacques Swarts, Brendan Bergs, Matt Saulez and Louis Albertse flew the Michaelhouse flag with distinction. During the winter months we also fitted in the KwaZulu-Natal Stroke-Play Championships and the KwaZulu-Natal School Teams Tournament. We were disappointing in the former finishing eighth, but performed much better in the latter finishing fourth, only points adrift of second place. Once again the year climaxed with the Douglas Cup and although we halved the betterball matches three all, we took total control in the foursomes and nearly made a clean sweep, eventually dominating the foursomes by 5'A matches to 'Á a match. This left us needing to win only four singles matches to clinch the trophy for the fourth year in a row. Despite some early scares, we eventually won by the largest ever margin of sixteen matches to eight, which capped off a memorable day and a fitting farewell for the four Matric boys in the team. Gregg Gilson, Sean Rice, Chad Fourie, Kyle Flanegan and Matt Saulez all went through the day unbeaten. Individually we had probably the highest number of provincial representatives ever. We had three out of a six man KwaZulu-Natal U17 team, two KwaZulu-Natal Schools U19 players, one South African Schools player and one KwaZulu-Natal U19 representative. I am expecting great things for the team next year as most of the team are young and still around for the next two years. Festivals and Tournaments Natal Champs: (18 Holes, four man team), 22 Teams Michaelhouse A: 9th Michaelhouse B: 12,h AHS Festival: (72 Holes, six man team), 12 schools Michaelhouse: 2nd ------113 St John’s International Tournament: (72 Holes, four man team), 32 schools, Michaelhouse: 10th KwaZulu-Natal Schools: (36 Holes, six man team), 13 schools, Michaelhouse: 4lh Douglas Cup vs Hilton: Won by sixteen matches to eight Golf 2012 Date Opponent Team Result Score 20/01 Hilton College Is* lost 2.5 5.5 2nd lost 3 5 27/01 Maritzburg College Is1 Drew 4 4 2nd Won 8 0 03/02 St Charles l'1 Won 7.5 0.5 2nd Won 7 1 10/02 Quadrangular Tournament Michaelhouse 1st 97 Hilton College 2nd 94 Maritzburg College 3 rd 82 St Charles College 4th 52 24/02 Three Schools’ Tournament Michaelhouse 1st 97 Maritzburg College 90 St Charles College 3rd 72 H Sport HOCKEY REPORT Written by Mr Mike Thomson Master in Charge: Mr Mike Thomson Coaches: First XI: Mr Andrew Brown and Mr Paul Snyman Second XI: Mrs Win De Wet and Mr Craig Pieterse Third and Fourth XI: Mrs Mary McMichael, Miss Lisa Hardie and Mr Bryan Tarr U16A: Mr Mike Bownes and Mr Richard Snowden U16B: Mr Mike Thomson U16C: Mr Ian Crawford UI6D: Mr Bailey Coxon U16E: Mr Nhlaka Nzimande U14A: Mr James Bullough U14B: Mr Simon Crane file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] U14C: Mr Linda Linda Cameron Chaplin representing the U16A Team Awards Honours: Zipho Mhlongo, David Watson, Gregory Waterman, Richard Ashforth, Sean Donaldson and Scott Wadeson Colours: Timothy Lee, Henri Strydom, Guy Tatham, Nicolas Hellens, Luke Stevens and Tyrone Thomas Half Colours: Michael McDonald and Juan-Luc Clackworthy The 2012 season has been one which has been crammed with plenty of fixtures and festivals and some excellent results were achieved. The season was a positive one and much development of players and coaches occurred. In January, the two First XI coaches, Messrs Brown and Snyman attended a coaching course hosted by St David’s Marist Inanda in Johannesburg. The major presenter at this course was Mr John Bell, the England U21 Coach and this proved to be an excellent learning opportunity. The season commenced early in March with much enthusiasm as it appeared as though we would field a record number of teams, with four in the open division, five in the U16 division and three in the U14 division. Sadly, interest in other sport disciplines allowed us to only field three teams in the open division, while maintaining the other teams. The Easter holidays saw Michaelhouse host the U18 and U16 divisions of the Independent Schools’ Hockey Festivals. These festivals saw 26 teams, and some 425 hockey players, coaches and managers being hosted in our Houses, and hockey being played both on the Aitkens Astro and at Treverton College. An innovation for Michaelhouse was the hiring of temporary floodlights, which allowed us to play hockey here from 8.30am until 8pm. This created a wonderful atmosphere in the evenings and definitely contributed to the overall success of these festivals. The Second Quarter saw the season continue with most teams playing every Saturday. The First XI also played in the Peter King Nite League hosted by Kearsney College and while they acquitted themselves admirably in this league, the late hours proved disruptive and taxing on the individual players. Overall 2012 was a positive hockey season. We lost fewer games than in the previous season and scored 46 more goals and conceded some 33 less. We had a great level of provincial representation across the age groups and had Richard Ashforth selected for the South African U18 side. Further, Old Boys Giles Bonnet (South African Womens’ Coach) and Clinton Panther (South African Men) flew the Michaelhouse hockey flag at the Olympics in London and Michaelhouse recorded its best overall results in the last five years against both Hilton College and Kearsney College. There is a sad note to this season, however, as it has seen the last contributions to Michaelhouse hockey from Mr Bryan Tarr. Bryan has given more than 20 years’ service to hockey in the School. He has a wise head on his shoulders and has always striven to do what is best for the School and the boys. Thank you Mr Tarr. Despite the successes of the season, on reflection, my overwhelming response is ‘if only.’ More energy and focus needs to be placed on cultivating in our players the realisation as every successful team, in any sport in history has shown, that talented teams win games, but teams with positive teamwork, spirit and intelligence win championships. If only our players would not be afraid to dream like Cameron Van der Burgh who has had ‘2012’ on his cellphone since the age of 12. And if only our players could learn that it is acceptable to fail sometimes, as the great basketballer Michael Jordan has said ‘I’ve missed more than 900 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I have been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.’ If we can get the ‘if onlys’ right, then we can be a truly great hockey School. HOCKEY 2012 Michaelhouse Team Played Won Lost Drawn Goals For Goals Against 1st 21 12 7 2 48 28 2nd 14 8 4 2 30 28 3 rd 11 5 5 I 28 20 U16A 20 11 7 2 28 19 U16B 12 5 3 4 26 20 U16C 13 11 2 56 15 U16D 10 6 2 2 30 13 UI6E 8 2 6 5 24 U14A 13 7 6 35 25 U14B 13 8 4 1 45 18 file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] U14C 12 6 5 1 17 16 Total 146 80 48 18 348 216 114 Sport ■ Is* TEAM HOCKEY: Back Row: Juan-Luc Clackworthy, Nicolas Hellens, Richard Ashforth, Tyrone Thomas, Luke Stevens Middle Row: Scott Wadeson, Michael McDonald, Guy Tatham, Sean Donaldson Front Row: David Watson, Mr Andrew Brown, Zipho Mhlongo, Mr Paul Snyman, Timothy Lee FIRST XI HOCKEY REPORT Written by Mr Paul Snyman Coaches: Mr Andrew Brown and Mr Paul Snyman First Team Captain: Zipho Mhlongo First Team Vice Captain: David Watson First Team: Richard Ashforth, Juan-Luc Clackworthy, Sean Donaldson, Nicolas Hellens, Timothy Lee, Michael McDonald, Zipho Mhlongo, Luke Stevens, Henri Strydom, Guy Tatham, Tyrone Thomas, Scott Wadeson, Gregory Waterman and David Watson National Representation: South African Schools U18: Richard Ashforth Provincial Representation: KwaZulu-Natal Inland U18A: Richard Ashforth, Sean Donaldson, Zipho Mhlongo, Scott Wadeson, Greg Waterman and David Watson U18B: Tim Lee, Henri Strydom, Guy Tatham, Luke Stevens, Tyrone Thomas and Nicolas Hellens U16A: Joseph Coyne, Gareth Macaskill and Dominic Pretorius U16B: Cameron Chaplin, Dale Beckley, Juan-Luc Clackworthy and Justin Miller U14A: Joshua Buys, Matthew Watson, James Redfern and Luke McDonald U14B: Richard Friend, Richard Perkin, Luvuyo Kunene, Nicholas Herbert, Kelvin Green and Lethu Mthembu Coach Inland U18B: Mr Richard Snowden Manager Inland U18B: Mr Nhlaka Nzimande Annual Hockey Awards Scott Fraser Trophy for the Player of the Season: Richard Ashforth Dowie Family Trophy for Team Spirit and Sportsmanship: Zipho Mhlongo Butcher Stick for the Most Improved Player in his first season for the First XI: Henri Strydom Coaches’ Cup for the Season’s Most Successful Team: U16C (Mr Ian Crawford) In time to come, many will ask how successful the 2012 First XI was. Prospective parents, their sons and outside parties will gauge the team’s success simply by the results they achieved: Played 21 matches, won twelve, lost seven, drew two, 46 goals for, 24 goals against and a short comer conversion rate of 28%. Success cannot be measured on results alone; the comments column in this case is important. In taking an informed view on the season’s overall success, consideration of how it progressed is of importance, along with the manner in which challenges were dealt with by the team. With nine A Block players in this year’s team, all of whom played for the First XI last year, there was a wealth of experience; strikers with proven track records, an established midfield with a solid reputation and a good defensive unit, expectations were high. Indeed, with the 115 H Sport high calibre of players it was not surprising that 12 members of the squad gained selection to the Midlands U19A and B Teams. Unfortunately, a lack of execution in the first couple of pre-season games and too much focus on uncontrollable factors got our campaign off to a rocky start. Glenwood, a young but talented side got the better of us in a disappointing 2-0 defeat and shortly thereafter we had an uneventful draw against Westville in the first of our night league matches. Being dictated to by other teams exposed vulnerable aspects of our game plan. Attention to a thorough warm-up routine, when possible, was implemented and improvements were soon evident. One of the main highlights of the season followed; the U16 and U18 Independent Schools’ Hockey Festival which Michaelhouse hosted. For the first time the team played under lights on our Astroturf. The atmosphere created during the evening matches will certainly not be forgotten. Pleasingly, the First XI did themselves proud as hosts, playing a confident brand of flowing hockey. Victories over Uplands College, Peterhouse and St Andrew’s (Bloemfontein) got the momentum of the season moving in the right direction. A motivated Westville team, during the first Saturday of the new Quarter, exploited cracks in our temperament. We did file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] not capitalise on the few goal scoring opportunities offered and unfortunately lost 2-0. However, as was the trend after all defeats, the team bounced back in fine style a week later against St Charles; a team we’ve not always had the best success against in years gone by. It was in this game that we played some of our season’s best hockey, showing good patience on attack and in defence. The emotional rollercoaster continued for the remaining matches. Building momentum and consistency was challenging. The frustration experienced when losing narrowly could so easily have lead to a spiralling loss of form, but with regularity after each defeat the team showed their character and bounced back to form. A week after a particularly disappointing loss to Maritzburg College, a game which could so easily have gone our way, we won in fine style against our rivals from Johannesburg, St John’s College. Durban High School has caused upsets in the past so our two wins against them this season were welcome despite not playing our best hockey. The Northwood match towards the end of the Second Quarter was certainly another highlight. Playing away, on what was their Old Boys’ Day, the odds were firmly stacked against us, but a solid team performance produced a deserved victory against one of the top teams in the province. Everything considered, our win record this season was not what we had hoped it would be. However, I question whether this is the only criteria by which a successful season should be judged. Frank Dick, a successful former Great Britain athletics coach, gives a very particular definition of winning in his book by the same title. He says ‘winning is being better today than you were yesterday, every day. When you progress through school you’re persistently measured against other people, but, although a time may come when you want to compare yourself with others, it’s most important to compare yourself with your previous performance.’ It is in this sense that the 2012 First XI has learnt many valuable lessons both as individuals and as a team, their ability to bounce back after defeat showed the character of successful sportsmen. 1st XI 2012 Date Opponent Score Result 07/03 Westville (NL) 0-0 Draw 17/03 Glenwood (A) 2-0 Lost 13/04 York (F) 1-0 Won 13/04 Uplands College (F) 7-0 Won 14/04 Bishops (F) 3-1 Lost 14/04 Peterhouse (F) 5-0 Won 15/04 Woodridge (F) 3-1 Won 15/04 St Andrews (F) 4-0 Won 18/04 DHS (NL) 4-0 Won 21/04 Westville (H) 3-1 Lost 28/04 St Charles College (A) 3-0 Won 05/05 Hilton College (H) 1-0 Won 12/05 Maritzburg College (H) 4-2 Lost 19/05 St John’s College (H) 3-0 Won 20/05 St David’s (H) 3-2 Lost 21/05 Clifton (A) 3-0 Won 02/06 Northwood (A) 2-1 Won 09/06 DHS (A) 2-1 Won 10/06 Kearsney College (H) 2-2 Draw 12/06 Glenwood (NL) 3-1 Lost 23/06 Hilton College (A) 2-1 Lost 116 Sport H 1st TEAM RUGBY: Back Row: Gordon Loubser-Hattingh, Kyle Harrison, Cameron Holenstein, Alexander Pienaar, Zaahir Hurribunce, Michael Fenn, Christopher Whiting Middle Row: Christopher Brits, Ciaran Furniss, Bruce Arnott, Dean Stephen, Cian Grendon, Cameron Bird, Caret Swarts, Luke Strachan Front Row: Michael Mvelase, Robert Anderson, Mr Michael Schwartz, Justin Moberly, Mr André van Wyk, Joshua Moon, Stephan Hartman RUGBY REPORT Written by Mr Ryno Combrinck Director of Rugby: Mr Ryno Combrinck Coaches: First XV: Mr Michael Schwartz file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Second XV: Mr André van Wyk Third XV: Mr Matthew Higginson Fourth XV: Mr Elmar de Klerk Fifth XV: Mr Hayden Henderson-Everill Sixth XV: Mr Richard McMichael Seventh XV: Mr Chris van der Berg Eighth XV: Mr John Crawford and Mr Johan van Rooyen U 16A:Mr Peter Stevens and Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield U16B: Mr George Ferreira and Mr Ashley Dixon U16C: Mr Msizi Mchunu U16D: Mr Shaun Thompson U15A: Mr Brad Flanegan and Mr Murray Daniel U15B: Mr Gavin Ross U15C: Mr Jaap van der Vegte U15D: Mr Halalisani Xulu and Mr Rodney Zondi U14A: Mr Sam Mofokeng and Mr Dean Forword U14B: Mr Sibusiso Ncamane U14C: Mr Graeme Calway and Mr Ashley Dixon U14D: Mr Craig Pieterse and Mr Justin Randall Awards Honours: Justin Moberly, Robert Anderson, Bruce Arnott, Stephan Hartman, Joshua Moon, Michael Mvelase, Christopher Brits, Cian Grendon and Luke Strachan Colours: Alexander Pienaar, Kyle Harrison, Dean Stephen, Gordon Loubser-Hattingh and Michael Fenn Half Colours: Christopher Whiting, Piers Rosholt, Cameron Bird, Cameron Holenstein, Christopher Schoeman, Zaahir Hurribunce Ciaran Furniss and Carel Swarts Provincial Representation Craven Week: Justin Moberly (Captain), Robert Anderson, Bruce Arnott, Stephan Hartman, Joshua Moon and Michael Mvelase KZNRU 7s: Joshua Moon (Captain), Robert Anderson, Michael Mvelase, Bryce Nicholson-Deh and Christopher Schoeman Academy A: Cian Grendon KwaZulu-Natal U18 Sevens Coach Mr Ryno Combrinck U18 Country Districts Assistant coach Mr Sam Mofokeng U18 Country Districts Manager Mr Michael Schwartz 117 Sport H RUGBY REPORT The 2012 rugby season truly gave expression to the Michaelhouse rugby vision. The players were inspired, enthusiastic and proficient; they worked together and played an exciting, skilled and constructive style of rugby. It was a season to remember. The Rugby Game Plan yet again provided a solid framework for the coaches, providing a platform to realise the vision which in turn enabled the coaches to motivate, develop and inspire their teams. The coaches are all full time teachers, or Interns, who have committed a great deal of time and energy to achieving high levels of rugby coaching qualification. All of the School’s coaches are BokSmart-accredited. This SARU initiative is aimed at improving the safety in process and coaching skills. In order to support continuous improvement, Michaelhouse has invested in accrediting the Director of Rugby at a BokSmart Educator level, this to enable ongoing BokSmart training and accreditation to be carried out at the School. This also further ensures the effective transfer of knowledge, skill and safety guidelines. We are also enthusiastic accredited members of the Discovery SharkSmart School of Excellence Programme. This programme assists in further educating our boys with regards to nutrition and banned substances. Play Fair is the motto of the programme and we will continue to support this excellent programme. The 2012 Season The season started under challenging circumstances for two reasons: • Illegal over-age players There were a number of instances where over age players competed under conditions contrary to the KwaZulu-Natal Headmasters’ Agreement. This resulted in significant distraction for the players, coaches and school management file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] bodies in a number of schools. Fortunately however, this was resolved early in the season. • Season start time Michaelhouse has taken the strategic decision to start the rugby season later than most schools. This is in order to allow boys to participate in all sports in a balanced manner. This creates a lot of pressure on our boys early in the season. It also provides a tremendous opportunity for them to express our rugby values of: • training aggressively • being resolute in tough times and • believing and knowing we can achieve against all odds First XV The players took their rugby seriously and one could sense a great feeling of self belief during the preparation phase of the season. Their committed and disciplined approach was inspiring. Justin Moberly’s team never stopped playing and was steadfast in demonstrating good discipline. Their victories over Maritzburg College, Kearsney College and Westville Boys’ High prove this point. Their fourteen victories from sixteen matches ranks them with the best Michaelhouse First XVs ever. Scintillating skill was mixed with power and speed. Brute force is not a word usually associated with Michaelhouse rugby but it was most certainly a hallmark of the School’s 2012 brand of rugby. The perfect balance was found at many levels; senior and junior players, leadership in the team, unselfishness, hard work and very importantly, responding to the coaching team of Mr Michael Schwartz and Mr André van Wyk. This team produced six Craven Week players and a Craven Week Captain. The highlights are countless but the one which stands out is the narrow victory over our old and greatly respected adversaries. Ending victorious over Maritzburg College after a forty minute half-time, when the game could have been stopped due to the inclement weather demonstrated the players’ desire to play. Congratulations must go to Mr Craig Joubert, RWC 2011 Final referee for the way he managed this epic encounter. Open Rugby The Second XV will be disappointed with their missed opportunities. The third and seventh XVs are the only teams alongside the First XV that can feel satisfied with their season. Mr Chris van der Berg, coach of the seventh XV must be particularly proud as he must have come close to coaching half the open age group this year. Team lists changed frequently this season and for his team to have performed consistently is quite remarkable. U16 Time will tell if the players learnt from the lessons of 2012. Narrow losses were too often the order of the day as the A Team never really got going. Mention must be made of Louis Albertse. Louis is not the flashiest of tight head props but was Mr Reliable with his accurate place kicking. The age group did however show their amazing potential when the A Team were without seven of their regulars and still managed to outclass Hilton College. Mr Peter Stevens and Mr Alan Adlington-Corfield were able to keep this ‘new’ team focussed and the selected and motivated group duly rewarded them with a 39-0 scoreline. The Bs will also be disappointed with their season, although it should be remembered that they were plagued by injuries. The C Team is the only team that can hold their heads up high in this age group. They nearly produced the result of the season by narrowly going down to the Hilton College B Team. U15 The players and coaches, Mr Brad Flanagan and Mr Murray Daniel must be commended on their efforts as the hard work paid off. Some gutsy performances were on display by the A Team and the boys always played until the final whistle. They missed out on a potentially famous victory against Maritzburg College at U15 level but made up with two satisfying wins over Hilton College. Just one year before they had drawn both of these matches. As an age group, they did fabulously and Mr Gavin Ross and Mr Jaap van der Vegte must receive special recognition for their passion in coaching and the interest they continue to show in their players. Their B and C Teams respectively did splendidly. Their boys enjoyed their rugby and their supporters enjoyed watching them play. Mr Hala Xulu and Mr Rodney Zondi who started coaching at Michaelhouse this year, will also be happy with their D Team’s efforts. U14 Under the superb guidance of coaches Mr Sam Mofokeng and Mr Dean Forword, the U 14As improved each week. Arguably the highlight of the entire 2012 season was the A Team pack demolishing their Maritzburg College counterparts. The College pack was on the back foot from start to finish and I wonder if anybody has witnessed that before at this level. The result was a memorable 26-10 victory against the old adversaries. The challenge is to produce a similar result at the away fixture in 2013. The pick of the crop was the B Team with an amazing record this season. Mr Sibs Ncamane and his boys never stopped working and ended the season with a memorable 37-0 victory over file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Hilton College. Mr Greame Calway’s Cs played some 118 ic epiu: Take your business from Good to Epic! Is your strategy clear to everyone in your business? Do they buy-in? Is the daily activity aligned to your strategy? Do you hold each other accountable - all of the time? Can’t tick all the boxes? Call us! www.epiclT.biz Contact: Johnny Black (Director): [email protected] • +27 82 899 6929 H Sport Zaahir Hurribunce with Luke Strachan and Alexander Pienaar in close support, on the drive against Westville Boys'High entertaining rugby and their game was so often one of the matches one did not want to miss on a Saturday. Not far behind them were the Ds of Mr Craig Pieterse and Mr Justin Randall. Their best wins in my opinion were against powerful DHS teams (away); 14-10 and 15-10 respectively. The Ds might claim their 48-0 victory over Hilton College as their favourite, and who can blame them? younger players on this tour whilst leading from the front. The second and third XVs attended the Vryheid Tournament. The players responded fantastically well to the uphill battles they faced and managed to clinch some memorable victories against some more fancied teams. They returned with fond memories. We were pleased that we were able to add Glenwood High School to this year’s fixture list as both schools were not able to find a suitable date for the fixture in 2011. The combined fixture against George Campbell and Hillcrest High was not played this year. 2012 Tours Twelve coaches attended the various tours this season. Their hours of planning and organisation complemented by genuine enthusiasm paid off as Michaelhouse probably enjoyed their most successful touring seasons to date. A common challenge is that tours are no longer used as preparation, but are considered part of the season. The fact that some teams have played up to eight matches by the time we play them on tour has become a reality. This fact will continue to be a challenge for our touring sides as we will very rarely have played more than one match before our teams go on tour. The First XV returned unbeaten from the Grey PE Festival and it was encouraging to see the hard lessons of the year before being remembered. They also attended the biennial Independent Schools’ Rugby Festival held at Penryn College in the Lowveld later in the season. A number of players were not available due to provincial commitments and injuries, which fortuitously allowed a young and inexperienced team the opportunity to take on and beat St Stithians, St Davids and St Albans. They amassed 163 points with only 58 points scored against in three matches. It was a pleasure to watch them play as they thrilled the crowds. The senior players; Christopher Brits, Luke Strachan, Kyle Harrison, Carel Swarts and Gordon Loubcher-Hattigh must be commended on the way in which they supported the The U 16s found the Paarl Festival a huge challenge. They came up against physical teams and found it difficult to manage so early in the season. They did however play with huge courage and never gave up. 1 am certain that these players will learn from this tough experience. The U15 Independent Schools’ Rugby Festival was held at Hilton College this year and our boys returned unbeaten. The win over St Andrew’s (Grahamstown) in the final match was particularly pleasing as they lost against the same team at last year’s festival. Old Boys Michaelhouse achieved a ‘Pat-trick’ in 2012. It was an immense privilege to watch Patric Cilliers make his Springbok debut against Argentina at Newlands on a beautiful August day. Witnessing his capping later that evening was an honour and something I will never forget. What made it even more special was that Patrick Lambie was standing close by. Patric is our first Springbok forward and not many will know the challenging route (a number of injuries) this West boy had to take to represent his country at the highest level. Patric is proof that with a real desire and commitment one can achieve your dreams. We salute you! Another Patrick, this time Howard, also represented South Africa this year. Patrick survived a grueling year of camps file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] and trials before being selected for the Baby Boks to play in the U21 World Cup held in Stellenboch. It was a proud moment to see an OM receive his gold medal, for the first time, on completion of this tournament. The three Pats and our 7s Springbok, Mark Richards graced many rugby fields all over the world in 2012 and we are very proud of them. Louis Albertse became the first OM to play for the Bulls. Our Lions, 120 Sport H Michael Rhodes, Ross Cronjé, Guy Cronjé and Ruan Combrinck opposed Patrick Howard who represented Western Province in a Currie Cup match. It’s getting harder and harder to support one single province. Robert de Bruyn was yet again appointed Captain of a Lions team and this year it was the U21s. Ntsolo Setlaba captained the UCT Varsity Cup Team and played alongside James Tatham. Thys Alberste played for the Tuks First XV and Cameron Lindsay represented the Maties First XV. Nicholas Jackson represented the Cheetahs for 7s a few years ago and it remains the closest an OM has come to representing the Cheetahs in first class rugby. OMs have now played for all the major test unions except the Cheetahs. Austin Lockington represented the South African Elite Player Program (formerly the Emerging Boks) team that won the Kenyan 7s Tournament. Michaelhouse rugby bids farewell to Rector Guy Pearson. His influence on rugby at Michaelhouse was immense and cannot be underestimated. During his tenure, the First XVs have enjoyed a 65% winning record and the School has produced its first Springboks. Rugby 2012 AVG AVG Points Points Points Points Team For Against For Against Won Lost Draw Played % Coaches 1st 483 249 30 16 14 2 0 16 88 Michael Schwartz 2nd 172 131 13 10 5 8 0 13 38 André van Wyk 3rd 269 141 22 12 8 3 1 12 67 Matthew Higginson 4«h 65 169 8 21 1 7 0 8 13 Elmar de Klerk 5th 34 196 15 22 2 7 0 9 22 Hayden Henderson-Everill 6.h 167 202 21 25 1 7 0 8 13 Richard McMichael 7th 230 163 26 18 6 3 0 9 67 Chris van der berg 8th 30 88 10 29 0 3 0 3 0 John Crawford & Johan van Rooyen 1550 1339 17 19 37 40 1 78 47 U16A 301 169 23 13 6 6 1 13 46 Pete Stevens and Alan Adlington-Corfield U16B 148 142 15 14 4 5 0 10 40 George Ferreira and Ashley Dixon U16C 212 112 24 12 5 4 0 9 56 Msizi Mchunu U16D 29 44 10 15 1 2 0 3 33 Shaun Thompson 690 467 18 14 16 17 1 35 46 U15 A 248 133 19 10 9 4 0 13 69 Brad Flanegan and Murray Daniel U15B 187 137 19 14 6 3 1 10 60 Gavin Ross U15C 323 107 32 11 8 1 1 10 80 Jaap van der Vegte U15D 156 158 22 23 4 3 0 7 57 Hala Xulu and Rodney Zondi 914 535 23 15 27 11 2 40 68 U14 A 214 141 21 14 6 4 0 10 60 Sam Mofokeng and Dean Forword U14B 244 85 24 9 8 2 0 10 80 Sibusiso Ncamane U14C 238 153 26 17 6 3 0 9 67 Greame Calway and Ashley Dixon U14D 179 147 20 16 6 3 0 9 67 Craig Pieterse and Justin Randall 875 526 23 14 26 12 0 38 68 4029 2867 20 16 106 80 4 191 57 121 H Sport Centre Michael Mvelase cutting through the Hilton College defence FIRST XV RUGBY REPORT Written by Mr Michael Schwartz Coaches: Mr Michael Schwartz and Mr André van Wyk First Team Captain: Justin Moberly First Team Vice Captain: file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Robert Anderson First Team: Gordon Loubser-Hatting, Bruce Arnott, Michael Mvelase, Cameron Holenstein, Zaahir Hurribunce, Ciaran Furniss, Dean Stephen, Cameron Bird, Carel Swarts, Kyle Harrison, Robert Anderson, Christopher Brits, Josh Moon, Michael Fenn, Luke Strachan, Justin Moberly, Alexander Pienaar, Christopher Whiting, Stephan Hartman and Cian Grendon This year’s rugby season will be recorded in my journal as my most satisfying as a coach; not only because the team was very successful, winning almost all of their matches, but also because I was extremely blessed with a group of boys who were more concerned about the overall success of the team, rather than their own achievements. The season was an emotional rollercoaster; the exhilaration definitely made up for every ounce of stress. What I am really happy about is to have witnessed hard work being rewarded with success. The success of the 2012 season probably started in March of 2010 when the then U16A players committed themselves to hard work, aiming to do well when they were in A Block. This continued until the end of what must go down as one of the most successful seasons on record at Michaelhouse. A few weeks after the end of the 2011 rugby season, Mr André van Wyk and I had a meeting to reflect on 2011 and to put some thought into 2012.1 believe this was an important meeting as we needed to start putting systems in place in preparation for the next season. I had just returned from managing the KwaZulu-Natal Academy B Team and had learnt a lot from the coach of that team. The first building block would be for Mr Righardt Kotze and Mr Murray Daniel to prepare the conditioning of both the props and the speedsters. These were two areas we identified as possible problem areas for 2012. The second building block was when Mr André van Wyk and myself had the opportunity of attending the Advanced Rugby Course at the Investec Rugby Academy. Rubbing shoulders with some of the greats of South African rugby and some of the current top coaches, was a wonderful experience. With these major building blocks in place, the pre-season training for 2012 took on a slightly different form in that the boys were monitored more closely, their time was managed better and there was a lot more communication between the different sporting codes. The boys also worked on fitness tests during the term. When the weekend of trials arrived, the boys were in great shape, if not yet rugby fit. An initiative to take the boys away for the Saturday night and for training at the ABSA Stadium on the Sunday worked magnificently. By the end of the First Quarter, the team spirit was already good, from the U16 touring team to the First and Second Teams. On the Sunday of rugby trials, the A Blockers set a new benchmark for commitment to the team for the season. With all the Matrics on leave, they had made a sacrifice in order to make the Sunday training in Durban at 7am. These standards were the ones we were going to be measured by. The starting line up for the First XV to play against Glenwood was made up of fourteen A Blockers and one B Blocker. From that point, and before any training continued, we set goals and laid down parameters in which we would operate in terms of our behaviour and committed ourselves to Michaelhouse rugby. Two major goals emerged: ‘Pride in Michaelhouse rugby’ and ‘become known again’. The four principles for success were going to be: respect, commitment to the end, discipline and a positive attitude. With this final building block in place, the foundation for a successful season was set. Most did not give us a chance against the ‘Green Machine.’ Glenwood had already played seven matches. However, with a good foundation in place, we did very well. The team put up a 122 Sport ■ gutsy performance if ever there was one. The season had started, not exactly as we would have liked, but we were happy with the way we had performed. One match down, 15 to go. Following the one point loss to Glenwood, there was much cause for optimism ahead of the tour to Grey PE. We set ourselves the target of winning three from three. What followed was a 19-17 win over St Andrew’s, victory against Nico Malan, 28-23 and a solid win over Daniel Pienaar, 22-5. We had achieved our tour goal ahead of the Second Quarter. The aim of this report is not to give a blow by blow account of each match but to take the reader on a journey with the coach and team reflecting on one the most successful seasons in the School’s history. The first three weeks of the season were not plain sailing with Mike Mvelase’s outrageous chip against Westville, St Charles’ negative game plan and the close Hilton College result. An interesting fact: none of the front row that played against Hilton College in the first game played in the same position that they had played in 2011. Cian Grendon and Stephan Hartman were flanks and Chris Whiting had played at lock. On Saturday 12 May, the team was in confront and defeat mode. We took on Maritzburg College on Meadows, and what followed was the longest match I have ever been involved in. Two hours and 15 minutes from start to finish due file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] to a violent hail storm. The excitement of the boys was energising, all they wanted to do was play. Victory in the end was due credit to the most incredible team effort. Date Opponent Result Score 17/03 Glenwood Boys’ High Lost 13-14 24/03 St Andrew’s (Grahamstown) Won 19-17 26/03 Nico Malan Won 28-23 28/03 Daniel Pienaar Won 22-5 21/04 Westville Boys’ High Won 24-22 28/04 St Charles College Won 34-9 05/05 Hilton College Won 12-11 12/05 Maritzburg College Won 23-20 19/05 St John’s College (JHB) Won 36-10 02/06 Northwood Boys’ High Won 44-0 09/06 DHS Won 22-14 16/06 Kearsney College Won 21-20 23/06 Hilton College Lost 22-26 30/06 St Stithian’s (JHB) Won 56-13 01/07 St David’s Marist Inands (JHB) Won 62-26 03/07 St Alban’s (Pretotia) Won 45-19 Played: 16 Won: 14 Lost: 2 The next three weeks came and went, almost in a blur. There were a series of KwaZulu-Natal trials, exams and the feeling that the home season was almost over. We continued to work hard. During this time, the focus and work ethic of the boys was of the type that one would expect from a professional outfit. The build up to the Kearsney College game was a stressful time for everyone. We would be playing at home, in front of our Old Boys against a tough and motivated opponent. I could only open my eyes when the home crowd began to cheer following Robert Anderson’s match winning kick in injury time. Heyneke Meyer says ‘Victory always brings relief rather than elation for a coach’, and I tend to agree with him. Points for: 481 Points against: 252 Number of tries: 70 2012 Rugby Dinner Awards: The Kevin King Trophy for the most valuable U16 player: Thomas Walker The Davidson Trophy for the most improved player: This year we had two recipients. Stephan Hartman was a flank in the First XV and is now a Craven Week hooker. Cian Grendon was a lock/flank in the Third Team in 2011; this year he was selected for the Academy side as a loose head prop. What compensated for the return loss against Hilton College was the fact that we had six boys in the Craven Week Team with Justin Moberly as Captain and Cian Grendon in the Academy A Team. The home season was finally over. The Independent Schools’ Festival was our next challenge. With ten first choice players not available, I was slightly apprehensive. With a young team, we travelled to the Lowveld where the boys certainly did not play like youngsters. Before we left, the boys and I spoke about ensuring that the good name of Michaelhouse rugby was still intact after the festival and the team certainly did not disappoint. The type of rugby we played on tour can only be described as scintillating and physical; it was a try fest. The 2012 season can be summed up by the simple statement that: hard work definitely pays off. Good first phase possession; solid defence; creative offense and the players with that X factor were the major ingredients to a season that we can all remember with pride. The ‘Floyd’ Patterson Stripes Trophy for the player who has regularly represented the stripes over the past two seasons, also went to two players in 2012. Except for the Independent Schools’ Rugby Festival (for which they were not available due to Craven Week commitments), these two boys played every game for the First XV over the past two years - 26 caps each. Stephan Hartman and Josh Moon. The Jonathan Shedlock Trophy: He was seldom seen as the star of the team, yet he was always a vital cog in the machine. He was at all times consistent, and his courage, tenacity and enthusiasm were never questioned. The link man, the distributor, the solid defender, the forager, scorer of tries, certainly, yet he never retained the ball when it file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] appeared to him that the other man may have had a slightly better chance of scoring. In 2012, the award could have gone to the whole team. There was one player however who pushed this even further, and his team always came ahead of himself, Josh Moon. The Lambie Player’s Player of the Year: This is a new award in 2012. The recipient is voted for by the players and in its inaugural year was won by Justin Moberly. The Cilliers Trophy for the most valuable First XV player v\ shared, by Justin Moberly and Robert Anderson. 123 ■ Sport Is1 TEAM SOCCER: Back Row: Clive Legoale-Phillips, Byron Grealy, Barrie Forrester-Smith, Gordon Loubser- Hattingh, Dominic Ferreira, Sean Donaldson Middle Row: Xolani Shezi, James Quick, Michael Mvelase, Sinenhlanhla Shilembe, Christopher Taylor, Ntobeko Ntombela Front Row: Kyle Harrison, Zipho Mhlongo, Mr Linda Linda, Zawadi Dlamini, Wandile Mzuku SOCCER REPORT Written by Mr Chris van der Berg Master in Charge: Mr Chris van der Berg First XI Coach: Mr Linda Linda Awards Honours: Kyle Harrison Colours: Clive Legoale-Phillips, Gordon Loubser-Hattingh, Zipho Mhlongo, Michael Mvelase and Christopher Taylor Half Colours: Dominic Ferreira, Byron Grealy, Ntobeko Ntombela, James Quick, Sinenhlanhla Shelembe and Xolani Shezi Provincial Representation: KwaZulu-Natal U19A: Zawadi Dlamini KwaZulu-Natal U19B: Kyle Harrison KwaZulu-Natal U14A: Wenzile Ngcobo The 2012 soccer season started with a bang with our First XI attending a pre-season festival in Kloof. The team performed wonderfully and finished the tournament unbeaten (six wins and a draw) with Gordon Loubser-Hattingh being named Player of the Tournament. Soccer is in a strong position at Michaelhouse and we were able to field 25 teams for fixtures every weekend. Most other schools reported a definite drop in the number of players and teams. We were nevertheless able to secure a comprehensive set of fixtures for the boys. One hundred and fifty five matches were played throughout the season and we managed to hold our own against all opposition. We won 77 of our matches, 22 were drawn and 56 lost. We scored a total of 359 goals and conceded 247, a positive goal difference of 112. Nine boys were involved in the second round of KwaZulu-Natal Trials in different age groups and Zawadi Dlamini (U19) and Wenzile Ngcobo (U14) managed to gain entry into their respective age groups’ provincial teams that participated in a national tournament in Johannesburg over the Michaelmas holidays. Kyle Harrison was selected for the KwaZulu-Natal U19B team and Mylo Sadiki and Matthew Wiseman as reserves for the KwaZulu-Natal U15 side. The results achieved were due to both committed coaches and players. Soccer is definitely taken more seriously by the boys than in previous years. The challenge lies in obtaining more fixtures for our lower teams. Soccer 2012 Team Played Won Lost Drawn Goals Goals for against 1st 17 9 5 3 36 16 2nd 7 1 4 2 9 16 3rd 8 2 5 1 11 14 4th 6 0 4 2 9 16 5th 5 3 2 0 15 10 6th 5 2 3 0 12 10 7th 2 1 1 0 5 6 8th 1 0 1 0 0 3 U16A 7 2 4 1 8 15 U16B 6 1 5 0 7 12 U16C 6 4 2 0 7 5 U16D 5 1 4 0 3 8 124 file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] LJLiJ Lesedi Mokoena in action for the U15A Soccer 2012 Team Played Won Lost Drawn Goals for Goals against U16E 3 2 1 0 7 4 U15A 8 4 2 2 18 9 U15B 8 6 0 2 22 4 U15C 8 5 1 2 21 11 U15D 8 8 0 0 24 5 U15E 5 5 0 0 21 6 U15F 2 0 1 1 3 8 U14A 8 5 2 1 29 14 U14B 8 5 1 2 27 12 U14C 7 3 3 1 16 14 U14D 7 3 2 2 25 14 U14E 5 4 1 0 12 9 U14F 3 1 2 0 12 6 155 77 56 22 359 247 FIRST XI SOCCER REPORT Written by Mr Linda Linda Coach: Mr Linda Linda First Team Captain: Zipho Mhlongo First Team Vice Captain: Zawadi Dlamini First Team: Zawadi Dlamini, Kyle Harrison, Cheyne Halliday, Christopher Taylor, Ntobeko Ntombela, Xolani Shezi, Dominic Ferreira, Byron Grealy, Clive Legoale-Phillips, Wandile Mzuku, Barrie Forrester-Smith, Zipho Mhlongo, Michael Mvelase, Gordon Loubser-Hattingh and Fundile Nkuta Sports do not build character. They reveal it. ^ ^ Heywood Broun 9Ê Sport 1st XI 2012 Date MHS Opponent Result Score 20/07 Kearsney College Won 3-0 20/07 Maritzburg College Won 1-0 21/07 Eshowe Won 2-0 21/07 St Charles College Won 2-0 22/07 DHS Won 10-0 22/07 Alexandra High School Drew 0-0 28/07 Kearsney College Lost 0-3 01/08 Greytown High School Won 3-0 04/08 Westville Boys’ High Won 2-1 11/08 St Charles College Lost 0-1 15/08 Howick High Won 3-0 17/08 Peterhouse Won 2-0 22/08 Estcourt High Drew 2-2 29/08 Maritzburg College Lost 2-5 01/09 Hilton College Lost 1-2 04/09 St Charles College Lost 2-1 08/09 Glenwood Drew 2-2 Played: 17 Won: 9 Lost: 5 Drew: 3 It’s been another great and busy soccer season at Michaelhouse. The 2012 season commenced with the LEAP Tournament which was hosted by Kloof High School in June. We had one ambition going into this tournament and that was to be victorious in all our games. There was great camaraderie between players and a desire to succeed. We played against Kearsney College in our first game which we won 3-0. The following game was a tough encounter against Maritzburg College where we played a very defensive game because College were continuously on the offensive. The entire team is to be commended for being tactically disciplined throughout the match and ensuring that file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] we went on to win the game in style with a spectacular free kick from Kyle Harrison. Kyle’s goal was selected as a goal of the tournament. Both Kyle Harrison and Zawadi Dlamini were selected to be part of the Leap Tournament Team after they had impressed selectors. Our biggest victory at the tournament was against DHS with a winning margin of 10-0. Barrie Forester-Smith scored two beautiful goals in that match. We performed well throughout the tournament and we were unbeaten in all our games. We started our scheduled fixtures with a loss against Kearsney College and this was due to poor defending and over- confidence. Our next fixture was against Westville Boys’ High School who play an attractive brand of soccer. They started the game by scoring an early goal. We had to chase the game from that point in front of a partisan crowd, but our boys showed character by responding with two goals. We defended our lead as a unit throughout the game. We had two midweek games against Greytown High and Howick High which were both won convincingly. We lost our next two games against St Charles College and Hilton College and our next big task was to host Peterhouse from Zimbabwe, who were hungry for a victory having lost to us in 2010. The atmosphere during the game was great as we had the whole School supporting and cheering the team on. Our boys didn’t disappoint on the day as they played an attractive brand of football and passed the ball very well. Their impeccable performance led to a well deserved 2-0 victory. We are hoping to tour Zimbabwe in the near future for a return match against Peterhouse and to play against other teams in the region. We ended our season with an entertaining game against Glenwood Boys’ High which ended in a 2-2 draw. I am proud of the way the team played throughout the season. Congratulations to Kyle Harrison and Zawadi Dlamini on being selected for the KwaZulu-Natal U19 squad. Zawadi Dlamini has been invited to join the Stars of the Academy Development Squad and I wish him all success in his future endeavours and in his pursuit of securing a professional soccer contract. In conclusion, I would like to say that it has been a great honour coaching the 2012 team which had a lot of technically gifted players who were a marvel to watch and who could match any opposition on their day. Julian Liebenberg in action for the Second XI * * To win without risk is to triumph without glory. ^ ^ 126 Sport E MICHAELHOUSE 1st Team Squash 1st TEAM SQUASH: Back Row: James Laidlaw, Digby Douglas-Dtfresne, Kenyon Smith, Nicholas van der Bos Front Row: Luke Stevens, Christopher Brits, Mr Peter Huntley, Matthew Lovett, Kyle Flanegan SQUASH REPORT Master in Charge: Mr Peter Huntley Coaches: Mr Peter Huntley, Mr Mike Thomson, Mr Deon Royappen, Mr John Alexander and Mrs Mary McMichael Captain: Christopher Brits First Team: Christopher Brits, Luke Stevens, Matthew Lovett, Nicholas van der Bos, Digby Douglas-Dufresne and Kenyon Smith Awards Honours: Christopher Brits and Luke Stevens Colours: Matthew Lovett, Nicholas van der Bos, Kenyon Smith and Digby Douglas-Dufresne National Representation South African U16: Kenyon Smith Provincial Representation KwaZulu-Natal U19A: Christopher Brits and Luke Stevens KwaZulu-Natal U19B: Matthew Lovett KwaZulu-Natal U16A: Kenyon Smith KwaZulu-Natal U14B: Nicholas Herbert The First Quarter was another very busy one for the squash fraternity as we had the Super 8 School League, the KwaZulu-Natal Pre-Season Tournament and the St Andrew’s Festival - all of which the First Team attended. Our First Team’s goal was to emulate the performances of our successful 2011 season. There were a number of early highlights this year; beginning with the KwaZulu-Natal Pre-Season Tournament, where 16 of our boys participated. Of particular note were the performances of Christopher Brits and Luke Stevens in the U19 section. They were ranked third and fifth in the province respectively. Kenyon Smith performed well in the U16 file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] group and finished at number four in the province. The annual tour to Bloemfontein to participate in the prestigious St Andrew’s Festival is always special and this year proved to be no exception. It is worth noting that this is the premier schools’ squash festival in the country, with champion teams from every province participating. Our team performed credibly, considering that three of our six players were making their debut playing in the top flight. We were satisfied with our results, claiming two wins in five tough matches with three hard fought losses. The wins over Grey College Bloemfontein and then a demolition of St Stithian’s were very satisfying indeed. Our outstanding domestic results would also attest to the hard work the boys had put in whilst also managing their other sport commitments. The First Team recorded comprehensive victories over Hilton College 8-0, Maritzburg College 5-3 (with both the U16 and U14 teams also winning comfortably) and a tight 4-4 clash against Glenwood Boys’ High. An individual highlight was Kenyon Smith’s performance in the KwaZulu-Natal Classic, (a South African tournament which sees the top 16 in each age group from around the country competing against one another). Kenyon upset a number of seeded players to finish fourth overall as the top KwaZulu-Natal player, in the U16 group. 127 South Afican Top Schools’ Squash champions: Luke Stevens, Matthew Lovett, Rector Guy Pearson, Kenyon Smith, Christopher Brits, Nicholas van der Bos, Coach, Mr Peter Huntley and Digby Douglas Dufresne The focus in this first half of the year was almost entirely on the domestic front, with the ultimate goal for our leading players being a KwaZulu-Natal schools’ selection. Also of importance was our First Team contesting strongly in the KwaZulu-Natal Inter-Schools’ Tournament. The First Quarter ended on a positive note with our Super 8 (First Team) campaign again proving to be successful, with most sides succumbing to the by now traditional strenght in depth of our team. Westville Boys’ High had provided us with a very stern test and as a result we were ranked joint number one leading up to the all-important KwaZulu Natal Inter-Schools’ Tournament. The KwaZulu-Natal Inter-Schools’ Tournament saw our First Team desperate to defend the titles we had won in 2010 and 2011, thereby earning the right to become the most successful Michaelhouse team since the inception of the tournament in the 1980s. Once again our boys performed magnificently. We beat Kearsney College and Glenwood Boys’ High on our way to the final where we would meet our strongest opposition - Westville Boys’ High. The team played percentage, pressure squash and won the final 3-2. Captain Christopher Brits was inspirational and can be most proud of his team consisting of: Kenyon Smith, Luke Stevens, Matthew Lovett and Nicholas van der Bos. As KwaZulu-Natal champions, our First Team would again represent the province at the SATop Schools’ Tournament in August. The KwaZulu-Natal schools’ selections were finalised and we had five boys in the various age group teams, which was most satisfying indeed. The Boys’ Midlands Wednesday League campaign, which sees our Second and U16 teams competing against a number of Pietermaritzburg and local schools, was also successful and both these sides have unearthed some talented players along the way. It has been wonderful to see Mr John Alexander’s enthusiasm rubbing off on players who in the past would have only been social players at best. We welcomed Mr Deon Royappen to our coaching ranks this term and he made an impact with the U14 group. All of our First Team boys also played Midlands Mens’ League squash and performed well in First League. There is no doubt that this exposure has contributed greatly to our successes at school level. Squash has never been healthier than this year and whilst our juniors showed great promise under the guidance of Mr Deon Royappen, Mr Mike Thomson and Mrs Mary McMichael, the First Team has been the flag bearer. The South African Top Schools Boys’ Tournament saw the Michaelhouse First Team, representing the province for the third consecutive year. The local boys were seeded third, behind Paarl Boys’ High and Rondebosch Boys’ High, but with all eight teams being very strong, the competition was always going to be tough. The first three matches were played out in two pools, with the top two going through to contest the semi-finals. 128 Sport E Michaelhouse opened their campaign with a tight 2-3 loss to defending champions Selborne College, followed by a further 2-3 defeat to Rondebosch Boys’ High. The local boys had to beat Menlo Park High from Northern Gauteng by an overwhelming margin to progress further and this they did in convincing style. Michaelhouse were through to the top four play-offs, but with a mountain to climb against Eastern Cape champions - Grey College. Michaelhouse dug file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] deep to pull off a fine 3-2 win and set up a final clash with Rondebosch Boys’ High. The final was played out in front of a capacity crowd at the Epworth Squash Complex and, as befitting a final of this magnitude, it went down to the wire. Victory lay in the hands of the respective number three players, and Michaelhouse Captain, Christopher Brits showed great temperament to prevail 3-1; and in so doing win the boys’ trophy for a KwaZulu-Natal team for the first time in twenty years. This was also a first ever victory for Michaelhouse in this competition. The victorious Michaelhouse team was made up of: Christopher Brits (Captain), Kenyon Smith, Luke Stevens, Matthew Lovett, Nicholas van der Bos and Digby Douglas-Dufresne. The Fourth Quarter saw all high school squash played on a Stayers basis in KwaZulu-Natal. Our Open, U16 and U14 teams indicate that we have some good depth at our disposal over the next few years. The Stayers First Team, under the captaincy of Nicholas van der Bos recorded some pleasing performances at the Wynberg Stayers Festival, as well as on the domestic front, with a solid 4-1 win over Maritzburg College; Kearsney College being on the receiving end of a 5-0 beating, whilst Hilton College were also given a sound 4-1 beating. The U16A team beat Kearsney College, Maritzburg College and Hilton College U16A quite comfortably, whilst the U14A also secured good wins against these same opponents. It was another fantastic learning opportunity to be invited to the Wynberg Festival in October for the third year in a succession. This unique Stayers Festival sees all of the top schools in the country being invited and it was quite a shock for the youngsters to realise the level of play, especially with our national ranking promoting us as a target for all opponents. It does provide the ideal opportunity to begin some hard work with our new group for 2013 and this is already on track. We also held a successful School Squash Championship just prior to half-term, with our 16 top boys participating in the Senior Championship. Luke Stevens beat Kenyon Smith in the hard fought five set final to take the title for 2012 and win the Bradford Cup. A most enjoyable First Team squash dinner was held in the Old Boys’ Club on 12 October. Christopher Brits was awarded the Mike and Karen Short Trophy for Sportsmanship, whilst Luke Stevens won the Collen Family Trophy for the Most Improved Player. It was very special to have parents of every player in attendance at the dinner, especially given the outstanding achievements of the team during the year. All players who had regularly represented the First Team at either Super 8 or top six level were awarded a citation noting their contribution to the success of the team this year. wipip ______ttwrwr*#* „■ ■ ■ ■ NEWCASTLE: 034 3126281. ^ ® J B H H H LADYSMITH: 036 2886631 Authored xerox Parmer PIETERMARITZBURG: 033 3947474 MANAGEMENT & STAFF OF XTEC PMB (PTY)LTD Thank Michaelhouse for their support BRIGHTER XEROX COLOUR .... It's a bright idea 129 ■ Sport TENNIS Staff Member in Charge: Mrs Win de Wet Coaches: Mrs Win de Wet, Ms Lisa Hardie and Mr Michael Stead First Team Captain: Richard Ashforth First Team Vice Captain: Dean Stephen Awards Colours: Dean Stephen Half Colours: James Strachan and Daniel Roberts National Representation: South African Schools U19: Richard Ashforth Provincial Representation: KwaZulu-Natal Schools U19: Richard Ashforth KwaZulu-Natal Midlands U15: James Strachan KwaZulu-Natal Midlands U15: James Redfern (Reserve) School Championship Winner: Richard Ashforth We have had a good year on the tennis court and 1 am very excited about how many talented juniors we have playing the game. In the First Quarter we entered two open teams into the A section of the Denness League. The A Team came third and the B Team finished eighth. In the Third Quarter we entered two teams into the U15A League, one team in the U15B League and two teams into the U19A League. In both these leagues the B Teams held their own against many schools’ A Teams. The Michaelhouse U19ATeam was unbeaten but ended second and the U19B Team came seventh. Our U15A Team played file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] excellent tennis and won the league, the U15B team did very well to come fourth in the A league and the U15C enjoyed an excellent season, coming second in the B section of the U15 League. Unfortunately, not many matches were played in the Fourth Quarter due to all the rain we experienced. Our top eight players had a strong win over Kearsney College - the first in many years. The top ten Michaelhouse players competed against Hilton College for the John de Wet Trophy which Hilton College donated in honour of the late Mr John de Wet, one of its past pupils who earned his Oxford Blue for tennis, played in the Wimbledon qualifiers and was responsible for setting up the Natal Schools’ and the South African Schools’ tennis weeks. It was a great match, played in a very good spirit but unfortunately we lost 11-4. Richard Ashforth continued to play excellent tennis. He represented the KwaZulu-Natal Schools’ U19 team at the inter-provincials and went on to achieve his South African Schools’ Colours. Mr Gavin Crookes, President of KwaZulu-Natal Tennis and Vice-President of South African Tennis, attended an assembly to present Richard with his KwaZulu-Natal U19 blazer and tie. Is1 TEAM TENNIS: Back Row: Daniel Roberts, James Strachan Middle Row: George Rowles, James de Chastelain Front Row: Richard Ashforth, Mrs Win de Wet, Dean Stephen Richard Ashforth beat Dean Stephen 6-1,6-1 in a hard fought encounter in the School Championship final. At this stage it would be fitting to pay tribute to both Richard and Dean for their commitment and dedication to Michaelhouse tennis. They have both played First Team tennis since E Block. Once again, the Inter-House tennis event was keenly contested. Baines beat West in the senior final and Farfield beat Tatham in the junior final. Overall, I believe we have had an extremely successful and enjoyable year on the tennis courts. 1st Team Tennis 2012 Date League MHS Opponent Score 23/1 A St Charles College B 12-6 30/1 A Hilton College A 12-6 6/2 A Grace College 18-0 13/2 A TVeverton 11-7 15/2 A Michaelhouse 2 18-0 27/2 A Maritzburg College 15-3 5/3 A Wembley College 18-0 7/3 A Hilton College B 18-0 12/3 A St Charles College A 9-9 Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another. ^ ^ John Dewey 130 Christopher Lotze and Thiroshan Naidoo launching their Miracle on Midmar Dam SAILING Master in Charge: Mr Matthew Higginson Staff: Mr Richard Snowden and Mr Deon Royappen I am pleased to say that the Sailing Club is enjoying a solid building process and is looking toward the future. We have fourteen boys in the club with eleven of them in E and D Block. The club has a couple of working boats at this time; one Laser and one Miracle. We are looking to purchase new boats in the not too distant future. I am extremely lucky to have two Staff members who are keen and willing to help me run the club; they are Mr Richard Snowden and Mr Deon Royappen. In addition Mr Peter Forshaw, who is a current parent, gives generously of his time and knowledge to the boys. He is introducing the boys to all the equipment and teaching them the basics of the sport. He is an active member of Henley Midmar Yacht Club and is introducing the School to the important members at the club. One of our E Block boys, Nicholas Forshaw, was selected for the South African Junior Team and sailed in an international regatta in August. He sailed in Lombardy, Italy in the World Championships. Congratulations must go to him for flying the South African and Michaelhouse flags high. I am extremely excited about sailing at Michaelhouse. I am confident that with the support of boys, Staff, parents and the Board of Governors the Sailing Club will regain its substantial status in the School. H Sport 6 6 Ability is of little account without opportunity, y j Napoleon Bonaparte file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] 131 NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES: Back Row: Wenzile Ngcobo (KZN U14A Soccer), Nick Elliot (KZN Inland U17A Cricket, SA U16 Indoor Cricket), Guy Tatham (KZN Inland UI8B Hockey), Tyran Faber (KZN UI6A Water Polo), Jason Schwegmann (KZN UI6A Water Polo), Nicolas Hellens (KZN Inland UI8B Hockey), Luke Browett (KZN Inland UI4 Athletics), Joe Coyne (KZN Inland UI6A Hockey), Luvuyo Kunene (KZN Inland UI4B Hockey), Nicholas Herbert (KZN Squash, KZN Inland UI4B Hockey) Third Row: Jason Marshall (KZN Inland U17A Cricket), Joshua Cullinan (KZN U15A Water Polo), Marc Conlon (KZN Inland U15A Cricket), Cian Grendon (KZN U19B Rugby), Tyrone Thomas (KZN Inland U18B Hockey), Christopher Schoeman (KZN U19B Rugby), Gregory Oldfield (KZN Inland U19A Cricket, SA UI9A Cricket), Barrie Forrester-Smith (KZN Inland U17A Cricket), Brandon Macleod (KZN U15 Canoeing), David Geard (KZN Inland U15A Cricket), Kyle Pyne-James (KZN Inland U19A Cricket) Second Row: Matthew Watson (KZN Inland U14A Hockey), Alan Houston (KZN UI5 Canoeing), Shingi Vambe (KZN Inland U15A Cricket), Callum Deeble (KZN U14A Water Polo, KZN Surf Life Saving), James McCormack (KZN U14A Water Polo), James Redfern (KZN Inland U14A Hockey, KZN Midlands U15 Tennis), Gareth MacCaskill (KZN Inland U16A Hockey), Kelvin Green (KZN Inland U14B Hockey), Richard Friend (KZN Inland U14B Hockey) Front Row: David Watson (KZN Inland UI8A Hockey), Sean Donaldson (KZN Inland U18A Hockey), Robert Anderson (KZN Inland U19A Cricket - Captain, KZNRU 7s, KZN U19A Rugby), Justin Moberly (KZN U19A Rugby - Captain), Richard Ashforth (SA UI9 Tennis, SA & KZN Inland U18A Hockey), Josh Moon (KZN U19A Rugby), Zipho Mhlongo (KZN Inland U18A Hockey), Stephan Hartman (KZN U19A Rugby), Christopher Brits (KZN U18A Squash) NATIONAL & PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES In total Michaelhouse had over 90 Provincial and ten National selections in 2012; an absolutely brilliant result. Not appearing in the official photograph are: South African U16 Polo: Benjamin Crowe South African U18 Basketball: Nicholas Baber Zambian National Swimming: Lee Savory South African U16 Squash: Kenyon Smith South African Sailing: Nicholas Forshaw South African Junior Triathlon : Gareth Jooste South African Junior Polo Team: Benjamin Crowe KwaZulu-Natal U19A Rugby: Michael Mvelase and Bruce Arnott KwaZulu-Natal Inland U18A Hockey: Gregory Waterman and Scott Wadeson KwaZulu-Natal Inland U16A Hockey: Dominic Pretorius KwaZulu-Natal Inland U14A Hockey: Joshua Buys and Luke McDonald KwaZulu-Natal Junior Canoeing: Matthew Heenan KwaZulu-Natal Squash: Luke Stevens, Matthew Lovett and Kenyon Smith KwaZulu-Natal Judo: Jaryd Kleynhans and Michael Greer KwaZulu-Natal U19B Water Polo: Merrick Pringle KwaZulu-Natal U18 Water Polo: Cameron Bird, Jonathan Davies, Shehan Randeria and Christopher Whiting KwaZulu-Natal Golf: Matt Saulez, Jacques Swarts and Brendan Bergs KwaZulu-Natal Athletics: Michael Greer KwaZulu-Natal U14 Swimming: Michael Greer KwaZulu-Natal Midlands U15 Tennis: James Strachan KwaZulu-Natal Inland Cricket U17: Luke Stevens KwaZulu-Natal Mountain Biking: Max Sullivan KwaZulu-Natal Triathlon: Gareth Jooste and Luke Browett KwaZulu-Natal Junior Equestrian Team: Patrick Bechard Central Gauteng U18 Shooting: Jack Walters Gauteng North U16A Chess: Vincent van der Westhuizen WHERE FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEET ■ Student Life The Classical Greek Tragedy, Oedipus Rex was fittingly performed outdoors in the small amphitheatre. The location, gritty set, authentic costumes and the decision to make use of period instruments culminated in providing the backdrop against which the cast delivered this riveting drama SCHLESINGER THEATRE NOTES Director: Mr William le Cordeur Staff: Mr Sipho Zikhali It was yet another busy year for the Schlesinger Theatre, hosting fourteen large theatre events, almost four a term. We are certainly not immune to the challenges that exist in arts and culture in South Africa, and probably world over, as they are often felt first in the theatre. The challenges reflect a changing society, and are counted in audience numbers. I hope that the Schlesinger Theatre is able to keep up with these changes and keep programming work that stimulates file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] and educates our audience, through entertaining and quality work. 2012 Productions We opened the year on 3 February with a fantastic light musical revue about a fictitious evening with Noel Coward and Gertrude Lawrence called, Noel and Gertie, in Love Again. Paul Spence took us through the story with the clever wit and the camp mannerisms of Coward, while Cat Simone once again amazed the audience with her beautiful singing voice. The Matric Production, Waiting for Godot, followed from 13 to 15 February. Soon after this challenging production on 24 February, Nibs Van der Spuy and Guy Buttery, two of South Africa’s finest acoustic guitarists, visited us for a short run. They used the theatre and the concert as a venue for their music video, so hopefully some Michaelhouse boys will feature in their work. If there is ever a chance to hear either of these two maestros play, take it. We were then treated to an amazing run of Woza Albert on 1,2 and 3 March, starring the amazing Mncedisi Shabangu (Tshepang) and Hamilton Dlamini (Faith Like Potatoes). The privilege of hosting this Market Theatre production was realised by all who were able to see it. The story, although based in apartheid South Africa, drew on so many issues still prevalent today, mostly the deep divide between rich and poor. On a lighter note, Big Boys Don’t Dance, by the exciting Follow Spot Productions, played to a highly amused audience on 16 March. This fantastic dance comedy gave the audience a chance to see two exrugby playing jocks, who are now both professional dancers, tell their story of how they got into dance, and how challenging their work is. It was filled with humour and I hope that we can someday host them with another of their great shows. The famous Ian von Memerty showcased A Handful of Keys on 19 and 20 April. Although the show has played in the Schlesinger Theatre a number of times in the past, it is still an audience favourite. We then moved to the Centenary Centre for A Green Number by two local die hards. Doc Caldwell and Jeff Judge, for a highly entertaining dinner theatre experience on 11 May. From local to international, we then jumped across the Indian Ocean to Thailand, hosting Viva! Billed as a Thai Pop- Opera or Classical Crossover from Thailand, and running on 18 and 19 May, this was the production’s premiere in South Africa, and the audience were thrilled to hear the brilliant voices of these Thai super stars. To round off a term dominated by rugby, we hosted The Chilli Boy, as Matthew Ribnick returned with his famous South African comedy, the hilarious and moving story of a white gangster with an Indian spirit. 134 Student Life H Aubrey and Friends Aubrey and Friends, which played to a full house on 19 October, showcased some of the most talented Michaelhouse Old Boys. Hosted by and starring Aubrey Ngcungama, the concert was a tremendous success. In part, the celebration was a cultural farewell to Mr Pearson from a group of Old Boys who had been at the School during his term as Rector. It was a very fitting way to pay respect to a leader who has done so much for the cultural landscape of Michaelhouse. Young Men Who Marched Away The theatre has initiated another annual ritual, this time on the eve of the Rememberance Day Chapel service on 10 November, through a production called Young Men Who Marched Away. This year we invited boys to perform alongside ex-Royal Shakespeare Company performer Paul Spence, and singer Cat Simone. The boys added a powerful aspect to this variety of songs, poems, and scenes from the First World War era, in a narrative that remembers the Michaelhouse boys who fell in the Great War. Inter-House Cultural Week The Inter-House Cultural Week was another new venture, introducing all the cultural events contested at Inter-House level being played out over just two days, 21 and 22 March. The event was a huge success, although there is also lots of room for improvement. The aim is to create a week long festival of quality cultural events that are run by the boys. The winners from this year reflected the diverse nature of the performance side of the cultural activities in the school. The best overall movement and music award went to West House, although Pascoe took honours in the ensemble music and Mackenzie’s movement was rated the best. The best musicians were voted as Liam Fumiss and Bryan Hall. A special mention for movement was noted for the Baines’ programme by Dominic Pretorius, Mark Wood and Kura Maswera. Dom Pretorius’ movement was singled out as the most original. Shaheed Roberts from Founders won the Best Choreographer Award, with a showstopper moment coming from Ismael Goolam. Waiting for Godot - Matric Production Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett’s confusing master piece, was the newly introduced Matric production, running file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] from 13 to 15 February. The seven boys involved, Blake Botha, Martin Blades, Hanko von Schlichting, Byron Grealy, Michael Fenn, Shaheed Roberts and Xolani Shezi, held their own in a mature and quality production. Blake Botha and Martin Blades did particularly well, and should be singled out for their superb performances. The production is renowned as a terribly boring play, as nothing happens for over two hours. However, it is an important theatrical experience, and I hope that for those who were able to remain conscious through the entire production, the wait was worth the experience. Oedipus Rex - School Production Oedipus Rex, Sophocles’ famous Greek Tragedy, performed in the Old Amphitheatre, was the main School production for 2012. Running on 19,20,21 and 22 August, the performance opened a week after the epic snow, and a week before some serious rain. The weather was perfect and once again the boys produced magic performances for an awe inspired audience. With a ‘flu bug doing its rounds, we lost the very brave Luke Barrell and Constantin von Stackelberg after the first performance, as they were sent home by the San on strict medical orders. We survived the rest of the run only through the selfless courage of others affected, of whom Kyle Pyne-James deserves high praise as one of the heroes. Dylan Rice did a spectacular job playing Oedipus Rex, and I’m sure that his performance will be remembered for years to come. Supported well by Dominic Pretorius who played Creon, and young Ngcebo Maseko as Jocasta, Dylan’s great voice convinced the audience of Oedipus’ power. Batebang Mapetla as Terisius, the blind prophet, was also noteworthy. Matthew Davies’ monologue gave the audience spine chills, as other young performers like James Smith showed the talent creeping up the theatrical ranks. The music was directed by Mr Hannes Ebersohn, and costumes were designed and created by Mrs Carlien Walters. The work of both were profoundly creative and of a quality expected in the professional industry. STARS Stars, which was held as a once-off on 22 October, was a concert to remember. It might also have been called the Cheyne Halliday concert, with Cheyne appearing in no less than six of the items, opening and closing the event in his last Stars (Cheyne has performed in every Stars since E Block). The opening movement, also involving the talented and agile Xolani Shezi, was followed by a brilliant movement piece by Dominic Pretorius and Murray McDonald. Martin Blades gave a master class in acting with his monologue from Clockwork Orange with Adrian Krige and Blake Botha entertaining the crowd with the hilarious sketch Pink Tights and Plenty of Props by Rowan Atkinson. As a link to the music, Michael Fenn amazed the audience with his rubber face and mime skills on an invisible set of drums, with ‘Zuko’ and ‘Sacks’ (under cover classroom pencil tappers) illustrating great percussion skill that must have led to many a fiery teacher. Hanko von Schlichting dazzled the audience with his show song, with Richard Johnsen and Bryan Hall also adding to a quality vocal lineup. Cheyne finished the evening off with Justin Rodger with Nothing Else Matters by Mettallica with Jasper Epsom performing Fire Poi on stage. It was a truly memorable evening. Conclusion ‘Theatre and dramatic arts offer young people a creative, energetic and imaginative forum for success,’ says Professor Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector for the University of the Free State. The calibre of young men coming through the theatre affirms Prof Jansen’s point. The theatre is a space for achieving self-confidence, exposure to new ideas and expression of feeling and thought; all of which feed directly into creating young men of empathy and compassion. I hope that next year provides as many challenges, and that we manage to increase the number of audience members willing to expand their minds and enjoy the rich and wholesome entertainment of live theatre. Characters do not change. Opinions alter, but characters are only developed. ^ _ Benjamin Disraeli H Student Life STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMME here is no doubt that the Exchange Programme at Michaelhouse is extremely popular. This is determined by two factors. First, that each year at least three times more applications are received than places available within the School; and second, that each year I deal with at least six external applications to expand our existing programme to include more schools from other countries. The programme remains in a healthy position. On a primary level it has value in that it allows us to market and showcase our School on an international platform through the exchange of pupils. However on a deeper and more personal level, it is a hugely educational experience both for boys going out and coming in, as not only do they develop great independence and expand their world views, but they also get to experience different cultures from the inside, by living them, something no tourist can ever achieve. They learn great social skills too as the demands of fitting into their adopted system file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] challenges any complacency that may exist from living in a single, familiar environment. It is for all of these reasons that the programme will continue to run and remains a popular option for our boys. Exchanges 2012 Quarter Incoming Outgoing School First Quarter Otto Reygers Faulkner Hereford Jero Rovaletti Sebastian Holzbach Michael Burn Joe Sutton Jonathan Goschen Munich Gymnasium, Munich, Germany Woodberry Forest School, Carolina, USA The Chase Foundation, Argentina and Chile Second Quarter Taras Melsom Dylan Bogetti Bill Carroll Bill Lyons Ross Purbrick Robert Perrott Alasdair Bruce Gregory Vogel Jonathan Smith Michael Schram Christ Church Grammar, Perth, Australia Clongowes Wood, Dublin, Ireland Trinity College School, Port Hope, Canada Third Quarter Tom Cameron-Dunn Chris Habermann Vince Panvini Huntley Brewer Robert Lee Nicholas Glassock Wanganui Collegiate, Wanganui, New Zealand Christ’s College, Christchurch, New Zealand Montgomery Bell Academy, Nashville, USA Carolina, USA Fourth Quarter Moritz Tostmann Thomas Taylor Zac Hodge Nathan Ricardo Oliver Pether Lachlan Darrow Reinhardt Pienaar Luke Baber Tom Fleming Brendan Bergs Cameron Chaplin William Lotter Gianluca Truda Campbell Green Aloysiuskolleg, Bonn, Germany Woodberry Forest, Carolina, USA King’s School, Sydney, Australia Cranbrook School, Sydney, Australia Canberra Grammar, Canberra, Australia Montgomery Bell Academy, Nashville, USA 6 6 Wisdom is not wisdom when it is derived from books alone. ^ ^ 136 Student Life H Nicholas Baber, Cheyne Halliday, Matthew Heenan and Craig Smorfitt stepping out of the pages of a magazine into Paris Fashion Week MATRIC BALL Staff Members in Charge: Ms Joy Preiss and Mr Hannes Ebersohn Secretary: Mrs Robyn Gruijters Elegance, sophistication, glamour and style. These are the words which best describe the fabulous night of this year’s Matric Ball. Paris Fashion Week was the theme chosen by the committee, and the Inglis Indoor Centre was transformed into another world, a grand Parisian venue. As the young gentlemen and their beautiful partners arrived on the red carpet, they were ushered into what could only be described as an overwhelming entrance: the foyer had been transformed with heavy gold brocade draping, with mannequins dressed in elegant sparkling gowns and jewellery, ornate furniture, a grand chandelier, and an enormous mirror which reflected all this sumptuous glitz and glamour. To the left was a photographer’s studio filled with racks of funky clothing, which the couples could don, and then have their photos taken against a backdrop of all of the well known fashion labels. The couples then entered the ballroom by walking down the long modelling ramp to the dance floor from where they dispersed to their tables. This year the centre pieces consisted of black and white striped and polka dot boxes piled up in the middle of the table and tied with enormous pink and purple bows. At the end of the evening the guests opened the boxes to find slabs of Lindt chocolate to take home with them as mementos of a glamorous evening. Yash Naik and Nicholas Last oozing elegance and sophistication with their partners at the 2012 Matric Ball Olwethu Mhaga, was a most eloquent Master of Ceremonies who kept the show on the road. Our Senior Prefect, Christopher Britz made us proud by giving a wonderful speech and we all rose in unison for the Loyal Toast to Michaelhouse. A fabulous evening was had by all. MICHAELHOUS 137 I Student Life Daniel Kramer, Christopher Schoeman, Cameron Bird and Merrick Pringle with their partners in the Memorial Hall at the 2012 B Block Formal Dinner SOCIALS j^Jaster in Charge: Mr Nic Cahill We continued this year with our policy of attending as many junior socials as possible and were, to a large extent, successful in this endeavour. All D and E Block boys had numerous opportunities to be involved. One of the file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] challenges encountered was that the events arranged on Friday evenings frequently conflicted with School or House demands, leaving just Saturday evenings as the most viable options for socialising. The annual B Block formal dinner, held in the Memorial Hall was, as always, a successful formal occasion. The same group of boys attended the dance lessons requisite before enjoying the Chanel Ball at St Anne’s. Think Toyota. Think Halfway Toyota. Halfway Toyota Howick Tel: 033 330 2175 ) www.halfwaytoyota.com LEAD THE TOYOTA The family that is big enough to count, and small enough to care. The grand essentials of life are something to do, something to love, something to hope for. Thomas Chalmers 138 Student Life H Farfield celebrate the planting of a Yellowwood near New Dam ARBOUR DAY J^Jaster in Charge: Mr Paul Fleischack This year Arbour Day was celebrated on 11 October when the soil temperature had recovered somewhat after the very cold late winter in Balgowan. The ceremony was blessed with good gardening weather: drizzle. Yellowwoods (Podocarpus latifolius), White Stinkwoods (Celtis Africana) and a Weeping Boer Bean (Schotia brachypetala) were planted; one by each House and one by the Staff to commemorate the staff leaving Michaelhouse at the end of 2012. The trees were planted on the edge of the bank just to the south of the canoe shed. When mature, they will shade this site, which has a wonderful view of New Dam. Senior Prefect, Christopher Brits read an explanation of the significance of Arbour Day and Second Prefect, Robert Anderson said the Arbour Day Prayer once the hard work of planting was complete. Delville Wood Oaks Late in 2012, Rector Pearson planted two Oaks above Baileys. Although not indigenous, the trees had an interesting story to tell. The acorns of the trees were brought to South Africa from the site of the Battle of Delville Wood by Judge Hilary Squires. The Battle itself was part of the 1916 Battle of the Somme, an engagement where six Michaelhouse Old Boys lost their lives in the carnage. The trees will stand as a wonderful memorial to the fallen. 139 U Student Life SANATORIUM ister in Charge: Sr Joanne McMillan Staff: Sr Lauren Richmond and Sr Leisa Albertyn The San has enjoyed the quietest year I have known in my fifteen years at Michaelhouse. There have been no major outbreaks of illness. Apart from the usual attacks of mid-year gastric flu, the boys have been very healthy this year. The snow fall during August provided an interesting and challenging change of scenery. The Sanatorium is one of the few areas in the School that is not connected to a generator. And whilst the Maintenance Department were able to rig up the tractor as a generator for hot showers, it is at times like these when one realizes how reliant on technology we have become. Telephone communications were down and we returned to good old books for record keeping. Boys had to read instead of watching TV and everyone spoke to one another as their electrical gadgets could not be recharged. We have had a number of knee, shoulder, elbow and ankle injuries this year that have required surgery, many more than in previous years. Most of these injuries have a six to nine months recovery time. I again accompanied the boys on the C Block Journey. In 2011,1 drove the cycle leg of the route but was able to engage more directly with the boys this year as I rode 163km in ten days. I so enjoyed my time with the lads and look forward to joining next year’s group. Mrs Noelene Burton joined the Sanatorium team in February for three mornings a week and has taken over the San accounts. Sister Leisa Albertyn who joined the team at the end of last year attended an Advance Trauma update through Emergency Medical in Durban. Both Sr Albertyn and Sr Richmond attended strapping courses with Joyce Morton and Shark Smart. Other courses attended by the sisters during the year were through SASMA at the Sharks Supporters Club and included seminars on ACL knee injuries, pharmaceutical pain management in sport, and sudden death in athletes. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] At the quarterly KwaZulu-Natal San Sisters’ Meetings, Dr Tim Barry, a psychologist, discussed Type A Personalities and understanding them, and Sister Harry Baldeo spoke on medico legal hazards and the legislation that governs nurses in the school setting. In the Fourth Quarter Dr Bronwyn Schonveld, a plastic/reconstructive surgeon was our guest speaker. In 2012, the School Nurses Conference was held at Michaelhouse. We hosted thirty nine delegates from all over South Africa. Guest speakers included Mr Gavin Dunn, Ms Pippa Rowe of the Sharksmart Academy, Mr Mike Ivey, a Corporate Life Coach, Mr Tim Jarvis, our School counsellor and Mr Derek Redfern, a lawyer who works closely with Dr Glen Haggerman of the Sharks; who spoke to us about the legal side of steroid and drug testing. Sanatorium Staff are constantly working to keep abreast of developments in the industry and in 2012 Mr Elias Bhengu and Mrs Lindewe Nxumalo updated their First Aid Certificates. Your premier South African Country’ Estate Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands Weekend Country Retreats LIKE NO OTHER... Set on a 275 Acre estate only is minutes from Michaelhouse. you WILL FIND THE MAJESTIC LYTHWOOD LODGE. STEEPED IN HISTORY, OUR MAGNIFICENT OFFERINGS INCLUDE EXCLUSIVE TRUE OLD ENGLISH Manor style country retreats, with self catering and full BOARD OPTIONS AVAILABLE. ACTIVITIES FOR THE MORE ENERGETIC INCLUDE: WALKS AND HIKES IN THE INDIGENOUS FOREST, TROUT FISHING, MOUNTAIN BIKING, HORSE RIDING AND CROQUET ON OUR SWEEPING LAWN: OR PLAY A GAME OF CHESS IN FRONT OF A ROARING LOG FIRE AT THE END OF A LAZY DAY IN THE Midlands. Peace, Tranquility and Unsurpassed Personal Service. WE Welcome You. [email protected] / + 27 33 234 4666 / www.lythwoodlodge.co.za Student Life H Hanko van Schlichting receiving the James Cameron Todd Trophy from Rector Guy Pearson THE JAMES CAMERON TODD AWARD The James Cameron Todd Award is a premier award at Michaelhouse. It seeks to recognise outstanding achievements by a boy in a wide range of activities. The award is not necessarily made annually, it is reserved for a boy whose contribution is felt to be truly outstanding across a wide range of endeavours. The award was most recently made in 2006, and again in 2011. In 2012, another candidate has met all these criteria, congratulations to Hanko von Schlichting (A Block, Tatham). Achievements Academics: Honours First place in Matric Trials Poetry Competition: 3rd place in South Africa Music: Honours Grade 8 Voice ABRSM Exam Lead roles in District Six and Waiting for Godot Stars variety show: 2008 - 2012 Ipi Ntombi: 2009 Lord of the Flies: 2008 Clubs and Societies: Toastmasters Debating (Society Prize for Dedication and Commitment 2012) Extended Academic Programme: 2009 - 2012 The President’s Award: Silver Medal Leadership: House Prefect - Tatham Deputy Leader: Jazz Band and School Choir Christian Fellowship Committee Christian Representative Council Student Council Community Partnership: Half Colours - Service Grade 5 Trumpet ABRSM Exam School Choir and Jazz Band Drama: Honours Van Velden Trophy for Great Contribution to School Drama Life isn’t a matter of milestones, but of moments. 55 Rose Kennedy file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] 141 ■ Student Life Nicholas Baber, the 2012 winner of both the Nick Crowe and the Biffs Smith Good Fellowship Awards Michael Harrison, the first winner of the Harrison Family Trophy NICK CROWE GOOD FELLOWSHIP AWARD THE HARRISON FAMILY TROPHY This award is made each year to a Matric boy who the A Block body adjudges to have displayed the qualities and attributes of all-round good fellowship. The recipient is decided by a ballot taken by all Matric boys and may be awarded to any A Block boy who does not hold the office of School Prefect. The award is presented annually at the Leavers’ Dinner, and in 2012, Nicholas Baber, who is in Farfield, was a most popular and worthy recipient. Nicholas was also awarded the Biffs Smith Good Fellowship Award at Speech Day this year. This trophy was presented for the first time at the 2012 A Block Leavers’ Dinner. The award is given to the Matric boy who has achieved the highest points for academic attainment since E Block; and it was fitting that the first recipient of the trophy was Michael Harrison. £ £ Reputation is for time; character is for eternity. 59 J. B. Gough 142 Student Life H House representatives come under starter's orders for the annual Shrove Tuesday Inter-House Pancake Race INTER-HOUSE ACTIVITIES J^Jaster in Charge: Mr Allan Laing Each year, competition to clinch the coveted Big Three Inter-House activities is fierce, and in 2012 that determination was as evident as ever. Pride, bragging rights and ultimately a great deal of good clean schoolboy fun are the driving forces behind the Inter-House Pancake Race, Tug-o-War and the Push Car Race. Events on Tuesday night, 21 February illustrated yet again the passion and single-minded focus which grips participants in the annual Pancake Race showdown. Indeed, the House loyalty and determination to bring home the laurels of victory to the partisan supporters seems to ever more frequently result in the Rule Book being almost totally disregarded. Shrove Tuesday night’s Pancake Race in the Main Quad was no different. A carnival atmosphere, with boys outrageously sporting their House colours gripped the cloisters as the five athletes from each of the eight Houses came under the Starter’s orders. Following some objections being lodged by participants with regards to the consistency of the pancakes to be flipped, the historical race was under way. As is traditional, one boy from each Block represents his House in the relay format event. Character traits for selection range from pure pace, calm under fire, outstanding traction and a certain happy-go-lucky approach to high pressure competition. Boys race, in any order of age, once around the outside of the Main Quad before transferring the pan to another racer from their House. They are required to flip the pancake once between each corner bench and may never handle the crëpe unless salvaging it from the ground. The transfer area is of crucial importance, with the frequent handling errors drawing taunts and shouts of encouragement from the 555 boys crammed into the quad. The 2012 edition of the race bore witness to a flagrant disregard for every rule in the book; and to avoid a repeat of a No Result judgement, an unprecedented decision was taken to award the title to the winner of a sudden death single lap race around the quad. With the champion athlete of each House having been nominated, the decisive lap was under way without any further ado. Amidst frantic cheering, West and Baines very quickly made it a two horse race. But spectators who thought that they had already seen it all were in for a treat: at the final turn leading into the home straight, both athletes collided and were brought to ground, allowing Tatham to canter in as the eventual winners of what must assuredly be the most dramatic Inter-House Pancake Race for many, many years. Inclement weather in the latter half of 2012 put paid to many outdoor activities, not least of which was the annual Sports and Family Day, traditionally the scene of the finals of the Inter-House Tug of War. The cancellation of this year’s event meant that there was no Tug-o-War Champion in 2012. The third and final of the annual Inter-House activities was completed despite a looming electric storm. As the 19,h Inter-House Push Car Race came under the Starter’s orders, only the gently rustling leaves of Warriors’ file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Walk broke the expectant hush. 143 ■ Student Life Kalelelya Mbizule propels Blake Springate during 2012's thrilling installment of the Inter-House Pushcar Race The ultimate Inter-House event, drawing on a diverse range of skills, aptitudes, abilities and body shapes, the annual Push Car Race was, as always, anticipated with eagerness. For days before the event young engineers could be seen at top secret workshop locations around the School, tinkering and preparing the final race-winning touches to their machines. The race itself consists of six heart-stopping laps around Meadows, Far Meadows and Vlei, including a quad-burning climb up the road between the Gym and the Music School and a nerve-wracking descent back to the Old Boys’ Club. A different driver sits at the controls on each lap. There are five change over points per lap allowing exhausted pushers to be replaced by a set of fresh legs. Two pushers propel the vehicles up the Music School hill, where many a race has been decided by the more determined crew. Pascoe, Baines and East took the early initiative, but there was nothing in the race at the first driver change-over point as teams were wary of showing their hand too soon. Midway through the race, Mackenzie, inspired by their Inter- House water polo victory just days before, had worked their way into contention. It was only what must certainly be the most spectacular accident in the history of the race that prevented the Mackenzie boys from a podium finish. The damage to the front wheel of the machine was severe enough to stop Mackenzie from finishing at all! West, not to be outdone, was also involved in a less impressive accident as its cart veered off the road, gently tipping the driver onto the downy banks of the Bog Stream. Helger Pretorius and Fergus Magor applying finishing touches to the Baines machine A flurry of race regulations were then contravened as teams jockeyed for the prize; and in the end, it was East who prevailed, crossing the finish line first, bringing the race to a dramatic end as the lightning alarm sounded across the valley. 144 Student Life H INTER-HOUSE DEBATING g|taff Member in charge: Mrs Louise Erwee This year the Inter-House Debating Competition was part of the inaugural Cultural Week which ran during the last week of the First Quarter. Now in its fifth year, the debating competition proved to be a very worthwhile experience. The contest is run over three rounds, with all Houses expected to participate in both the junior and senior sections. Yet again, Farfield and East were dominant in both the junior and senior competitions, with Farfield taking the final honours. Round One Senior Topic: This House believes South Africa is going to the dogs. Pascoe vs Mackenzie Winner: Pascoe Best Speaker: Ciaran Furniss (Pascoe) Tatham vs East Winner: East Best Speaker: Steven Clowes (East) Founders vs Farfield Winner: Farfield Best Speaker: Seth Banda (Founders) West vs Baines Winner: West Best Speaker: Dylan Rice (West) Junior Topic: This House believes that sons and grandsons of Michaelhouse Old Boys should automatically be guaranteed a place in the School. Pascoe vs Mackenzie Winner: Pascoe Best Speaker: Blake Springate (Pascoe) Tatham vs East Winner: East Best Speaker: Simon Cheshire (East) Founders vs Farfield Winner: Farfield Best Speaker: James Hallier (Farfield) West vs Baines Winner: Baines Best Speaker: Nicholas Harrison (Baines) Round Two Senior Topic: This House believes that gender equality must be considered in the workplace. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Pascoe vs Farfield Winner: Farfield Best Speaker: Piers Rosholt (Farfield) West vs East Winner: East Best Speaker: Adrian Wolfson (West) Junior Topic: This House believes that teachers should not be allowed to strike. Pascoe vs Farfield Winner: Farfield Best Speaker: James Hallier (Farfield) Baines vs East Winner: East Best Speaker: Simon Cheshire (East) Debater Fundile Nkuta making his point Final Round Senior Topic: This House believes that pharmaceutical companies should provide free ARV drugs. Proposition: Farfield (Piers Rosholt, Clive Legoale-Phillips, Nicholas Schram) Opposition: East (Neo Ngcobo, Batebang Mapetla, Steven Clowes) Winner: Farfield Best Speaker: Piers Rosholt (Farfield) Junior Topic: This House would force elected politicians and their families to use only public health and education services. Proposition: Farfield (James Hallier, Jason Marshall, Steven Harris) Opposition: East (Simon Cheshire, Fundile Nkuta, Luvuyo Khuzwayo) Winner: Farfield Best Speaker: James Hallier (Farfield) Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live, as well as strong to think. ^ , Ralph Waldo Emerson H Student Life INTER-HOUSE PERFORMING ARTS gjtaff Member in Charge: Mr William le Cordeur The House Plays Competiton, a selection of South African ten minute plays, was won by East, with directors Blake Botha and Martin Blades providing a quality drama for the stage. Batebang Mapetla of East was voted Best Actor, with Martin Blades as Best Supporting Actor. Farfield and Adrian Krige were awarded the Best Comedy prize, with Dominic Pretorius from Baines winning the prize for Best Drama. It was clear that all the Houses offered something different to the event. Next year promises to be more competitive and will certainly build upon the already high quality. INTER-HOUSE PUBLIC SPEAKING Staff Members in Charge: Mr Dominic Gruijters and Mr Linda Linda The preliminary round of this competition was held on the evening of 14 March and saw a junior and senior boy from each House deliver an impromptu speech of two to three minutes. The speaking was of a high standard on the evening and the impromptus varied in nature from amusing and entertaining to serious and poignant. Ngcebo Maseko (Tatham), James Hallier (Farfield) and Gianluca Truda (MacKenzie) were the top three junior speakers who made it through to the final round. The senior finalists were Cole Hunt (Founders), Neo Ngcobo (East) and Kura Maswera (Baines). The finalists were required to deliver a prepared speech on a predefined topic. The topic selected for the juniors to grapple with was: Colour. The seniors’ imaginations were stretched with the topic, World War III. All the speeches were delivered with expert skill and style. After the prepared speeches each finalist was required to deliver an impromptu speech. Best Junior Speaker: Ngcebo Maseko (Tatham) Best Senior Speaker: Cole Hunt (Founders) Elizabeth Sneddon Trophy for Inter-House Public Speaking: Ngcebo Maseko (Tatham) Thanks to Mrs Catherine Lewis, Michael Harrison (Vice Chairperson of Toastmasters) and Lonwabo Mgoduso (Chairperson of Public Speaking Society) for their expert adjudication in the final round. INTER-HOUSE ART gjtaff Member in Charge: Ms Joy Preiss The Inter-House Art Competition this year was based on the now famous graffiti of the British artist, ‘Banksy’. He has used his graffiti to comment on social and political situations worldwide and his work appeals to both boys and adults alike. The task this year was to produce a visual image which was clearly anti-animal and bird abuse, and each House file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] had to elect four boys who would prepare their image in the form of a stencil in advance, and then create the artwork on the day. This exciting event took place in the Mackenzie Quad. Each House had a prepared half sheet of masonite, their stencils and spray paints; and the artists were dressed up in hoodies, sunglasses and masks. Loud music was played, lunch was served and crowds gathered around to watch the artists at work. Judges looked for the artwork which spoke the loudest and once the event was over all artworks were exhibited in the foyer of the Schlesinger Theatre. The Mackenzie graffiti artists, the Dovey brothers, were clear winners, with the Farfield team as close runners up. The success of this event ensured that it will become an annual happening in our calendar. • ^ One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation. Farfield artists, Matthew Lewis and Jonty Doyle pictured at the inaugural Inter-House Art Competition House Reports B FOUNDERS HOUSE: Back Row: Matthew Jennings, Shaheed Roberts, Kelby Green, Ryan Thompson, Hayden Canham, Gary Porter, Ben Clark, Adrian Salter, Greg Waterman, Cameron Holenstein, Stephan Bosch, Nicholas Stubbs, Cole Hunt, Patrick Botton Fourth Row: Joy Mhlanga, Nicholas Anderson, Ryan Anderson, Jacques Swarts, Seth Banda, Otlotleng Mokgatle, Otto Reygers (exchange student), Mark Brown, Leonard von Stackelberg, Christopher Brownlee, Faulkner Hereford (Exchange Student), Robert Lee, Tyrone Thompson, Shawn Bailes Third Row: Tlhalefang Mangena, James Quin, Dale Coughlan, James Newton, Shingi Vambe, Bradley Young, Constantin von Stackelberg, Joshua Geldenhuys, Thomas Brink, Basil Kearns, Luke BarrelI, Dominic Pickard, Tom Fleming, Matthew Whelan, Marc Conlon, Geoffrey Brink Second Row: Richard Johnsen, Thiroshan Naidoo, Kyle Thompson, Lethu Mthembu, Freddie Conradie, Vuyo Mkhize, Charlie Seabrook, Sam Timson, Sean Young, James Seabrook, Likhona Camane, Matthew Baynes, Keagan Chasenski, Eric Molobi, Nicholas Llewellen-Palmer, Cameron Chaplin Front Row: Mr Nhlanka Nzimande, Justin Rodger, Mr John Alexander, Caret Swarts, Mr Richard McMichael, Robert Anderson, Mr Mike Bownes, Russell Anderson, Mr Mike Thomson, Sinenhlanhla Shelembe, Mr Linda Linda, Ms Joy Preiss FOUNDERS Written by Robert Anderson Housemaster: Mr Michael Bownes Senior Tutor: Mr Richard McMichael House Tutors: Mr Mike Thomson, Mr Linda Linda and Mr John Alexander Intern: Mr Nhlanka Nzimande Head of House: Robert Anderson Prefects: Russell Anderson, Justin Moberly, Justin Rodger, Sinenhlanhla Shelembe and Carel Swarts When I reflect on my time in Founders House, I think of my second home - a place where I have spent a quarter of my life, forged lifelong friendships and gained invaluable life experiences. In 2012 Founders displayed a rich diversity of skills and talents, with boys representing the highest sport teams, through to boys coming in the top ten in their respective Blocks, as well as boys being very involved in the cultural life of the School. Community Service has also been a priority in the House as the boys strove to make a difference. Overall, 2012 will be remembered as a very successful year for Founders House. I will undoubtedly remember certain things about the boys within the House and therefore I wish to mention each Block briefly. This year we welcomed 12 New Boys into the House, all eagerly anticipating their first year at Michaehouse. They integrated well into the system and settled with ease. On the sports field, Keagan Chasenski, Nicholas Llewellen- Palmer and Kyle Thompson represented the successful U14A water polo side, with Keagan going on to make the Midlands U14A Team. Keagan also obtained top five academic positions in the Block each term. Kyle Thompson enjoyed a commendable season in the U14A rugby team, and I believe he has a very bright future as a rugby player in the School. Lethu Mthembu, a very talented young man indeed, played an integral role in the U14A hockey and U14A soccer teams, and he was selected for the KwaZulu-Natal Inland hockey team. Charlie Seabrook was also a member of the U14A soccer team. On the cultural side, Vuyo Mkhize represented the KwaZulu-Natal Youth Choir. I was also very pleased to see every one of the E Blockers complete the challenging walk to Inhlosane, which reflected the strength and character of this group of young men. The D Block has shown huge maturity and responsibility this year and I was able to put my full trust in them regarding their interaction with the New Boys. In the sporting arena, Ryan Anderson captained the U15A cricket side, which included Nicholas Anderson and Marc Conlon. Marc Conlon and Shingi Vambe were selected for the KwaZulu-Natal Inland U15 cricket team. Tyrone Thompson, and Nicholas and Ryan Anderson also represented the U15A rugby team, while Jack Walters earned himself a spot in the highly rated U16A rugby side. Shingi Vambe also file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] captained the U15A soccer team. On the cultural and academic front, Richard Johnsen, an extremely talented musician, achieved Grade 5 for both violin and piano. Ryan and Nicholas Anderson obtained top ten and top five academic positions in the Block respectively, and Thomas Brink obtained a perfect effort score of 3.00 for two consecutive terms. Matthew Whelan also achieved a Bronze President’s Award. D Block is an extremely challenging year, mostly due to the fact that the boys no longer have their Cops to guide them. However, I believe that this year the D Block showed some huge maturity and responsibility, and managed to forge some true friendships. ■ House Reports Matthew Whelan and Thomas Brink in high speed action The C Block is a very talented and well-rounded group of young men. On the sports field, Patrick Botton represented the First water polo team. Cameron Chaplin and Basil Kearns played U16A hockey, and Cameron earned himself selection into the KwaZulu-Natal Inland U16B hockey team. Robert Lee and Gary Porter enjoyed a very successful season in the U16A rugby side, and as a result, Robert was called up to represent the First XV in their end of season tour to the Independent Schools’ Rugby Festival in Nelspruit. Robert also went on exchange to Wanganui, New Zealand, the same school I went to on exchange, so I really enjoyed sharing memories with him. Tom Fleming and Cameron Chaplin also went on exchange to King’s School and Cranbrook School respectively, both in Sydney, Australia. Jacques Swarts, a First Team golfer, was one of the key members in the Douglas Cup victory over Hilton, and he also enjoyed a great season in the U16A rugby team. It is also worth mentioning that every one of the C Blockers completed the C Block Journey, which is evidence of their strong character as a group. The B Block enjoyed a great 2012. Cameron Holenstein secured a starting position in the successful First XV rugby side. On that note, I feel sorry for the opposition who have to play against him next year! Otlotleng Mokgatle represented the First soccer XI, the KwaZulu-Natal Youth Choir and the prestigious Toastmasters’ Society. In Joy Mhlanga and Leo Von Stackelberg we have the Head and Vice-Head of the Jazz Band for 2013. Leo Von Stackleberg and Joshua Geldenhuys were awarded Music Colours and Music Honours respectively. Joshua Geldenhuys also put on a great performance in the Stars variety show. Sebastian Holzbach enjoyed his time on exchange at the Munich Gymnasium in Germany. Congratulations must go to Ryan Thompson, who is the Senior Prefect of Michaelhouse for 2013. Well done to Stephan Bosch, my successor as Head of House, and his team of House Prefects for next year. To the B Blockers, you will be the leaders who will set the tone and boundaries within which the House can thrive. A Block is the most enjoyable year of your time here, but before you know it, it will all be over, so take all the opportunities on offer and create long lasting memories. You must never forget that those below you are constantly looking up to you and all that you do. Never underestimate your influence over others in the House. Your actions will define how the House will respond to you as leaders during your A Block year. Last, but definitely not least, the A Block, a diverse group with mixed abilities, talents and some interesting characters. The A Block set the tone for the year and led the House by example. This year, Justin Moberly led the First XV through a very successful season. Not only was he selected for the KwaZulu-Natal U18 Craven Week side, but he was named Captain too. Robert Anderson captained the cricket First XI and played First XV and First Team 7s. He was selected for the KwaZulu-Natal U18 Craven Week side, KwaZulu-Natal U18A 7s rugby team and the KwaZulu-Natal Inland U18 cricket side. Sine Shelembe played a pivotal role in the First XI soccer side and he was very involved culturally too, as a member of the Christian Fellowship Band and the very popular Marimba Band. Cole Hunt, doing what he does best, single handedly won the Inter-House Public Speaking competition and claimed the title of the Best Speaker at Michaelhouse. Mark Brown, who was very involved with canoeing this year, achieved his KwaZulu-Natal canoe polo colours. Adrian Salter represented his country for fly fishing. Russell Anderson was awarded Art Colours, and Shaheed Roberts earned Drama Honours. At the Leavers’ Toastmasters’ evening, Justin Rodger was awarded the John Pluke Award for the Most Improved Speaker. Carel Swarts maintained his high academic standard, coming top five in the Block each term. He was also a member of the First XV. Gregory Waterman enjoyed a very successful hockey season for the First XI, and was selected for the KwaZulu-Natal Inland U18 hockey team. As a result, he was awarded his hockey Honours. I will certainly miss the Founders A Block of 2012 very much. It has truly been a special five years together. I will always cherish the memories and forever hold the friendships close to my heart. Good luck, and I hope our paths cross again in the future. It has been a wonderful year for Founders House. Thank you to Mr and Mrs Bownes, the Tutors and, most importantly, the boys for making Founders such a special place. Thank you also to Michaelhouse, for affording me such life-changing opportunities. I urge all of the Founders boys to ensure that the Founders culture never dies, and continues to grow into one of the most desirable Houses in the School. For it is with great pride that Old Boys will file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] return in the future knowing that they belonged to a very special group of people that lived and experienced the Founders lifestyle. Salvete: Matthew Baines, Likhona Camane, Keagan Chasenski, Freddie Conradie, Nicholas Llewellen Palmer, Vuyo Mkhize, Lethu Mthembu, Charlie Seabrook, James Seabrook, Kyle Thompson, Sam Timson, and Sean Young Valete: Robert Anderson, Russell Anderson, Mark Brown, Cole Hunt, Justin Moberly, Shaheed Roberts, Justin Rodger, Adrian Salter, Sinenhlanhla Shelembe, Carel Swarts, Greg Waterman and Jacques Swarts (C Block) 148 House Reports B EAST HOUSE: Back Row: Craig Lea, Simon Cheshire, Blake Botha, David Broadley, Gareth Jooste, Martin Blades, Ian McKenzie, Wilton Clark, Steven Clowes, Darren Goosen, Merrick Pringle, Lorenzo Scribante, Gregory Jackson, John Robins, Daniel Nuttal-Smith Fourth Row: Sibusiso Mavuso, Brandon Landsberg, Batebang Mapetla, Victor von Rosty-Forgach, David Geerdts, Jordan van Rees, Simon Blackie, Connor McMillan, Yash Naik, Matthew Landsberg, Robin Jacobsz, Matthew Nuttal-Smith, Luke Macnab, Jeremy Tratschler, Barry Sturgeon Third Row: George Rowles, Neo Ngcobo, Julian Uebenberg, Fundile Nkuta, James Smith, Brad Fyvie, Siphe Magida, Gregg Gilson, David Armstrong, Stuart Ferguson, Siphesihle Luthuli, Luvuyo Khuzwayo, Billy Dean, Matt Saulez, Benjamin Crowe, Lee- Marvin Mazibuko, Cameron Judge Second Row: Christopher Dowsley, Vidura Rajpaul, David Pachonick, Matthew Armstrong, Michael Lavagna-Slater, Richard Perkin, Thomas Dean, Jason Boulle, Jay Naik, Khulu Mjwara, Patrick Garz, Cchristopher Broadley, James Rowles, Cuan Macnab-Holding, Sean Joubert Front Row: Mrs Louise Erwee, Mr Bongumusa Cele, Tom Burne, Mr Matthew Higginson, Shyam Naik, Mr André van Wyk, Zipho Mhlongo, Mr James Bullough, Kyle Harrison, Mr Bryan Tarr, Max Sullivan, Mr Shaun Thompson, Mathew van Koevering EAST Written by Zipho Mhlongo Housemaster: Mr André van Wyk Senior Tutor: Mr James Bullough House Tutors: Mr Matthew Higginson, Mr Bryan Tarr, Mr Bongumusa Cele and Mr Shaun Thompson Head of House: Zipho Mhlongo Prefects: Tom Burne, Kyle Harrison, Shyam Naik, Max Sullivan and Matthew van Koevering What a year it has been for East. As the Head of House, I am proud to be writing a report on what has been a fantastic year. The A Block group was met with the challenge of being the seniors and mentors to everyone else below us and with that I’d like to say thank you to the East A Block of 2012 for meeting that challenge successfully. I believe that a successful House has to have A Blockers who are solid role models and leaders. East House already had great spirit, and camaraderie is in abundance. So this year the mission was for each boy to display respect, honesty, unity and loyalty because from these foundations, we believed as a House, we could reach new levels. The Inter-House events were all great opportunities to demonstrate our spirit and unity because without these qualities we would never have won the Inter-House Gala, Inter-House Push Car race and the Inter-House Performing Arts Competitions. Victory in these contests is also an example of the balance and diversity of abilities in East. The hardest part of any year is integrating the new E Blockers. We have been so lucky in 2012 to welcome such a solid group of New Boys. They were a talented group that never disappointed the House and I’m sure their parents will be very proud of their achievements. In E Block we had many boys participating in sports at a high level. Thomas Dean and Christopher Dowsley represented the U14A water polo side and Chris Dowsley also swam for the U14A swimming team. We had Matthew Armstrong, Richard Perkin and David Pachonick representing the U14A cricket team; Matthew Armstrong was also the Captain of that side. Jason Boulle can be commended for coming seventh in South Africa for the 200m sprints in canoeing. Christopher Broadley had a very good year playing for the U14A basketball side. East was well represented in the U14A rugby side this year; Sean Joubert, Christopher Dowsley, Matthew Armstrong, Michael Slater and David Pachonick all featured prominently in the side’s very successful season. Richard Perkin kept the East flag flying on the hockey field with his selection for the U14A hockey side. Richard was also chosen to represent the U14 KwaZulu-Natal Inland hockey team. Thomas Dean, Christopher Dowsley and David Pachonick represented the U14A soccer team which enjoyed a great season. Thomas Dean made it to the last round of KwaZulu-Natal soccer trials, which was a great achievement. The D Blockers this year did exceptionally well on the sports fields. Matt Saulez had a standout year as he achieved Half Colours for golf and represented the provincial U19A golf team, a fantastic achievement for a boy still in D file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Block. He then represented the U15A cricket side and golf First Team. He also represented the U16A hockey team alongside David Armstrong. ■ House Reports The C Block boys came into 2012 with high expectations on the sporting front and after this year I can say that they acquitted themselves well. Luvuyo Khuzwayo and Fundile Nkuta played U16A basketball with David Broadley being the Captain of the side. Wilton Clark represented the U16A canoeing team whilst Lorenzo Scribante and Brandon Landsberg played in the U16A water polo side. Brandon Landsberg was also the U16A champion swimmer which is a huge achievement in view of the strength of swimmers in his grade. Brandon Landsberg was selected as the non- travelling reserve for the KwaZulu-Natal water polo side. George Rowles and Kenyon Smith represented the U16A side this year coached by Mr Bullough who is also a Tutor in the House. Greg Jackson along with David Broadley and Brandon Landsberg represented the U16A rugby side with Kenyon Smith also in the A Team squad. Gregg Gilson had a very good start to his hockey season and was selected to represent the U16A hockey side. Simon Cheshire had a strong season as the goalkeeper for the U16A soccer side and he was rewarded with a call up to the U17 Midlands soccer team. Fundile Nkuta had the privilege of representing the soccer First Team and was a member of the U16A soccer team. Kenyon Smith had a very busy but successful squash season as he represented the First Team, KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa U16 (ranked second). These are remarkable achievements for someone so young. We look forward to next year and hopefully he can capture the number one seed in South Africa. George Rowles and Gregg Gilson represented the First golf team and George then also went on to play First Team tennis. Ben Crowe was selected to represent the U16A South African polo team. B Block was also very busy this year on the sporting front as we had a number of boys participating at First Team level at their respective sports. Merrick Pringle and Craig Lea represented the First water polo team and Merrick was selected to represent the KwaZulu-Natal U19B side. A little known fact is that Merrick Pringle has also been the boxing Captain for three years now. He was also awarded the Lyle Family Trophy for the most valuable water polo player in 2012. Sibusiso Mavuso also made appearances for the First soccer team. Julian Liebenberg was selected to represent the First XI cricket team and can be very proud of his achievement. The A Block can also take pride in their sporting achievements as Kyle Harrison represented both the First rugby and soccer teams. He also made the U19 KwaZulu-Natal soccer squad. Kyle earned School Honours for soccer. Max Sullivan has gone from strength to strength with his cycling. Every assembly we would hear of Max’s great achievements and this year he finished the season as the number one junior MTB cyclist in the province. Max was also chosen to compete at the South African Mountain Biking junior champs and achieved a result of sixth overall. Max has the talent and determination to go as far as he wants. The House showed its diversity as we had a number of boys involved in the cultural life of the School. Christopher Dowsley and James Smith acted in the play. The Young Men Who Marched Away. Michael Slater played his guitar at bandroom live and Jason Boulle, Fundile Nkuta, Batebang Mapetla, Sibusiso Mavuso, Neo Ngcobo, and Luvuyo Khuzwayo were all members of various marimba bands. East were strongly represented in the choir by Batebang Mapetla, Neo Ngcobo, Jeremy Tratschler, Stuart Ferguson, Victor Von Rosty Forgash, James Smith and Sibusiso Mavuso. Daniel Nuttall-Smith was awarded the Andrew Henderson Award for agriculture, on Speech Day. Enterprising East D Block boys running their stall during the Integrated Studies Market Day Martin Blades and Blake Botha were the main actors in the A Block production of Waiting for Godot. Their performances in the play earned them School Honours for Drama. Martin Blades, Blake Botha, Batebang Mapetla and Sibusiso Mavuso were the performers in the Inter-House Performing Arts competition, which East won. James Smith also acted in Oedipus Rex, the main School production for 2012. On the academic front the House improved its overall effort symbol mark thus placing us in the top four. This was one of the goals for the House which we had set out to achieve. Tom Burne, Steven Clowes and Christopher Broadley were constantly placed in the top ten of their respective Blocks. Joe Sutton, Darren Goosen and Steven Clowes achieved Academic Colours. Christopher Broadley made it to the top 100 for the KwaZulu-Natal Maths Olympiad. Luvuyo Khuzwayo, Darren Goosen, Matthew Van Koevering and Simon Cheshire also made top ten rankings in their respective grades this year. East continues to gain positive momentum and has become a House that constantly sets goals that will challenge each boy to be as great as they can be. The best way to make sure that each boy achieves is to ensure that they are file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] comfortable and happy in the House environment. Occasions like House braais that we constantly enjoyed, contributed to a great social dynamic in the House. Robin Jacobsz bought the boys together this year by organising a braai every Saturday. Relationships were established and enhanced and this made East House the place to be every Saturday evening. We must not forget the Tutors in the House. I might sound biased here but I believe we had the best Tutors in the School and this is not because they enforced the rules but because they also subscribed to the idea of fostering interaction with the boys in the House. The line between authority and boys was never crossed but was cherished and respected. Lastly thank you to Mr van Wyk and his wife. Many people don’t see the selfless things Mr van Wyk does for the House. He is the driving force of East. I will forever be grateful for the way in which Mr and Mrs van Wyk welcomed us all into their home and this, in my eyes, is a crucial component to cherish in a House where everyone feels welcomed and included. Salvete: Matthew Armstrong, Jason Boulle, Christopher Broadley, Thomas Dean, Christopher Dowsley, Patrick Garz, Sean Joubert, Michael Lavagna-Slater, Cuan Macnab-Holding, Khulu Mjwara, Jay Naik, David Pachonick, Richard Perkin, Vidura Rajpaul and James Rowles Valete: Simon Blackie, Martin Blades, Blake Botha, Tom Burne, David Geerdts, Darren Goosen, Kyle Harrison, Robin Jacobsz, Ian McKenzie, Zipho Mhlongo, Shyam Naik, Yash Naik, Barry Sturgeon, Max Sullivan and Matthew van Koevering House Reports B TATHAM HOUSE: Back Row: Ngcebo Maseko, Robert Perrott, Farai Mudariki, Olwethu Songca, Jonathan Dean, Jasper Epsom, Christopher Kelland, Christopher Schoeman, Tim Dommett, Cian Grendon, Kyle Flanegan, Michael McDonald, Matthew Argo, Patrick Critchley, Joshua Cullinan Fourth Row: Aidan Friend, Guy Schiever, Richard Beckett, Oliver Howard, Daniel Kramer, Shehan Randeria, Michael Mandy, Brandon Macleod, Duncan Boyes, Michael Tatham, Kent Simmons, Robin Tatham, Michael Bouwer, Anele Songca, James de Chastelain, David Jones Third Row: Zibonele Nkala, Victor Foster, Frank Goble, Trafford Melville, Lorian Douglas-Dufresne, Baron Pearce, William Winship, Daryn Flanegan, Samuel Jarvis, Luke Dixie, Alan Houston, James Pearson, Bruce Rouillard, Campbell Green, Bradley Roberts, Murray Church Second Row: Andrew Edwardes, James Redfern, Patrick Bechard, Samuel Danton, Richard Friend, Thomas Edley, Luke McDonald, Graham Davies, Tshiamo Mogopudi, James Dixie, Scott Norris-Jones, Mike Macleod, Kelvin Green, Nick McMichael, Wensile Ngcobo, Thomas Scott-Berning Front Row: Mr Murray Daniel, Tyrone Thomas, Mr Hayden Henderson-Everill, Hanko von Schlichting, Mr Bernard Whitaker, Christopher Brits, Mr Nic Cahill, Mitchell Green, Mr Sandile Khuluse, Andrew Christodoulou, Mr Graeme Calway, James Quick, Mrs Helene du Toit, Digby Douglas-Dufresne TATHAM Written by Mitchell Green Housemaster: Mr Nic Cahill Senior Tutor: Mr Sandile Khuluse (First and Second Quarters) and Mr Sizo Chalufu (Third and Fourth Quarters) House Tutors: Mr Hayden Henderson-Everill and Mr Murray Daniel Senior Prefect: Christopher Brits Head of House: Mitchell Green Prefects: Andrew Christodoulou, Digby Douglas-Dufresne, James Quick, Tyrone Thomas and Hanko von Schlichting Tatham House has had yet another stellar year in terms of both general atmosphere and performance. The Tatham boys have garnered numerous individual and group achievements which are viable ways of judging the overall success of a House. However, I believe that the general atmosphere and vibe in the House are a considerably more accurate and important benchmark. I am thus immensely proud to say that the atmosphere in Tatham House this year could not be bettered by any other. That being said, the performance of the House should not be ignored: Tatham has had a fantastic year as far as achievements are concerned. Evidence of this lies in the fact that in 2011 we won both the Academic Effort and Performance Trophies. Whilst the results for 2012 are not finalised yet, what is known is that Tatham had the highest average effort score of all the Houses in each of the first three quarters of 2012. This is a massive achievement by anybody’s reckoning and speaks volumes for the quality of the House. Two events that will always be remembered are the Inter-House Pancake Race, which we won in an amazing turn of events, and the Inter-House Public Speaking Competition, in which Ngcebo Maseko brought down the house with a series of mind-bendingly brilliant speeches. These are a few examples of the excellent and charismatic performances of Tatham House during the year. Tatham is known for being different from all other Houses in terms of the boys’ behaviours and attitudes as well as file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] our approach to the hierarchy system. As my predecessor, Chester Holliday, stated in last year’s report, ‘Tatham promotes the individual’. Furthermore, Tatham is incredible in the way that it does this whilst sporting an impressively strong team spirit and sense of camaraderie. Evidence of this can be seen simply by looking at any one of the year groups: they are made up of distinct personalities that somehow fit together like pieces of an intricate puzzle. One of Tatham’s greatest strengths is thus that there is, quite simply, a place for everybody. Over the years we have had boys ranging from rugby players to dancers and all of them have been accepted and appreciated for who they are. 151 H House Reports This year’s E Block integrated perfectly into Tatham House. Their rapid grasp of the Tatham spirit and way of life was astounding and has been paralleled by few before them. The E Block group is an excellent example of the aforementioned individualistic-team approach. The group consists of numerous types of personalities with a diverse range of talents, thoughts and interests. Despite this, they have become a very tight knit group over the course of the year. This manifested itself in their sterling performance and attitude during the E Block Outdoor Experience in the Oribi Reserve. Nothing more remains to be said except that, when the boys arrived at the beginning of the year, they showed huge promise. Almost a year later, I am exceedingly proud to say that they lived up to expectations and, in fact, so much more. The D Block has continued to excel in all areas of life. What was already a very diverse and strong group has improved significantly over the course of the year. They have an energetic presence and zest for life that is seldom found in such great quantities and have served as a wonderful example to the E Block. They are also a very talented group and have celebrated many achievements, both individually and as a team throughout the year. All in all, the Tatham D Blockers have thrived this year and are to be commended on their splendid efforts in all areas of School life. The C Block had yet another spectacular year. They have, once again, proved themselves to be a very competent group of boys that never fail to have smiles on their faces. Their upbeat attitude is something to be admired. A highlight of their year was evidently the C Block Journey. Despite the literal and figurative mountains they had to climb, they attacked the challenge with energy and scarcely believable enthusiasm. Their positive attitude bore fruit as all reports on Tatham boys’ involvement in the Journey were superb to say the very least. The C Block thus continued to be a fantastic example of everything that Tatham House stands for. Well done on another great year and for doing the House proud. The B Block has always been a very interesting group filled with numerous big personalities. Contrary to what happens so often, these dominant individuals seem to empower and build on each other which has resulted in an exceedingly capable and strong team, the strength of which has grown considerably this year. Over the years they have enjoyed huge success in various disciplines and this year has been no different. Their presence in particular on the Michaelhouse rugby fields is noteworthy. However, what is most impressive is that, despite their passion for sports, they put in a strong showing in other areas of School life. For instance, their overall academic effort is well in excess of simply being satisfactory. The Tatham B Block has thus continued to thrive in their unique way. I am confident that they will lead the House well in 2013, in accordance with that which Tatham has become associated with. The Tatham A Block has always featured a wide variety of people; perhaps even the widest variety of all the Blocks. It is arguably this fact that makes us such a strong group. We have always revelled in our differing strengths, weaknesses, personalities, opinions and interests. When you arrive at Michaelhouse in E Block, you are told about how tight you will be as a group and how well you will know each other by the time you leave. The Tatham A Block of 2012 has fulfilled this prophecy. We have been through some amazing times together and have emerged immensely strong both as a group and as individuals. We all owe a great deal to each other for who we are and what our personal successes have been. We will look back on our time in Tatham with nothing but fondness. 2012 has been, to a large extent, the pinnacle of our spectacular years at Michaelhouse; we have excelled in many different fields and have enjoyed every minute of our final year. We thus leave with our heads held high and in the knowledge that we have done ourselves and Tatham House proud. 2012 has seen few significant changes in Tatham House, the most prominent being the departure of Mr Sandile Khuluse, who had Robert Perrott and Aidan Friend setting the pace been an integral part of the House for many years. During the year we welcomed his successor, Mr Sizo Chalufu, who has fitted in well and has already made a hearty contribution to the well-being and spirit of the House. Salvete: Patrick Bechard, Samuel Danton, Graham Davies, James Dixie, Thomas Edley, Andrew Edwardes, Richard Friend, Kelvin Green, Mike Macleod, Luke McDonald, Nick McMichael, Tshiamo Mogopudi, Wenzile Ngcobo, Scott Norris-Jones, file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] James Redfern and Thomas Scott-Berning Valete: Matthew Argo, Christopher Brits, Andrew Christodoulou, Patrick Critchley, Jonathan Dean, Digby Douglas- Dufresne, Kyle Flanegan, Mitchell Green, James Quick, Olwethu Songca, Tyrone Thomas and Hanko von Schlichting * Winners must have two things: definite goals and a burning desire to achieve them, y j Anonymous House Report H WEST HOUSE: Back Row: Michael Burn, Kingsley Hartmannsgruber, Cameron Bird, Josh Moon, Gregory Oldfield, Stuart Riddell, Duncan Alexander, Michael Fern, Richard Ashforth, Stephan Hartman, Christopher Whiting, Dylan Rice, Thomas Robertson, Aidan Quin Fourth Row: Matthew Potgieter, Cameron Oldfield, Adrian Wolfson, Mulalo Sadiki, Daniel Taylor, Bradley Mallet, Neo Molope, Geoffrey Buttle, Luke Crouch, Henri Strydom, Jeremy Butler, Sean Rice, Charles Houston, Thomas Watt-Pringle, Brent Johnston Third Row: Dale Tratschler, Gillespie Dougall, Luke Judge, Michael Riddell, Jack Hird, Khwezi Kgalema, Matthew Owen, James Tucker, Kurt Martin, Pranov Saluja, Shaun Tratschler, Thomas Fenn, Fergus Johnson, Bryan Hall, Khulekani Zungu Second Row: Tyron Kassner, Alexander Hayman, Carlisle Hartman, Connor Benn, Tristan Herwood, Matthew Ramsden, Joshua Winter, Danté Gutu, Luvuyo Magwaza, Matthew Watson, Alex Sickmueller, Luke Bayett, William Lyle, Salmon Janse van Rensburg, Tshiamo Lesela, Luvuyo Kunene Front Row: Mr Samukele Mofokeng, Mr Halalisani Xulu, Neil Varty, Mr Jaap van der Vegte, Christopher Taylor, Mr George Ferreira, David Watson, Mr Ryno Combrinck, Luke Bolton, Sean Donaldson, Mr Hannes Ebersohn, Wandile Mzuku WEST Written by David Watson Housemaster: Mr George Ferreira Senior Tutor: Mr Ryno Combrinck House Tutors: Mr Sam Mofokeng and Mr Jaap van der Vegte Interns: Mr Michael Stead and Mr Halalisani Xulu Head of House: David Watson Prefects: Luke Bolton, Sean Donaldson, Wandile Mzuku, Christopher Taylor and Neil Varty 2012 proved a very exciting year for West House; one that we can look back on and be proud of. Our New Boys, which included 15 E Blockers and Alex Hayman in D Block, contributed to another successful year in the House. I believe the best aspect of West is the fun that the boys seem to have and this is something that continued this year. The relationships that have been built will certainly not be forgotten. A prime example of this was on the walk to Inhlozane where we ended up getting lost due to some bad navigation. We walked from lam all the way through to 6.30pm, a 17 hour walk. At no stage did anyone’s head drop and we maintained a positive spirit throughout. We must thank Mr George Ferreira, our Housemaster, for coming to find us and guide us home. West represented the School in all areas, from having Dylan Rice leading the School play Oedipus Rex and Duncan Alexander running the lighting side of the School play, to having 15 boys representing the School in the various First Teams. West was well represented in the choir by Wandile Mzuku, Bryan Hall, Luke Crouch, Neo Molope, Khulekani Zungu, Kurt Martin and Carlisle Hartman. Wandile, Bryan, Luke and Carlisle all took their involvement further by representing the Midlands Youth Choir. A very special mention must be made of Bryan Hall for his absolutely breath taking performance in the Stars Variety Show. Duncan Alexander was actively involved in the lighting crew, assisting with all the School productions by taking care of the technical side of the performances, earning himself Honours for Theatre Tech. West House had a very successful 2012 on the sports field too with numerous boys playing for the School First Teams, A Teams and Provincial sides. In E Block, Joshua Winter played U14A cricket while Salmon Janse van Rensburg also played a few games for the U14A. Salmon took seven wickets in his match for the U14B team against Hilton College. Matthew Ramsden and William Lyle played U14A water polo, while William also achieved Grade three with distinction on the Saxophone. Luke Bayett completed his Open Water One Diving Course. Devon Sarkis played U15A 7s while Luvuyo Kunene made the Midlands U14B hockey team. Dante Gutu came third in the Block for Academics, while Tshiamo Lesela represented the A Team in every sport he played, these being rugby, soccer and basketball. Carlisle Hartman sang a solo in the @Bandroom.live performance, while Matthew Watson was Captain of the U14A hockey team, U14B soccer team and the Vice Captain of the U14A cricket team. He also made the Inland U14A hockey team. Alex Sickmueller scored a brace to win the game for his hockey team against Hilton College and also played the trumpet in the Jazz Band. H House Reports West boys showing support for their Inter-House Pushcar team In D Block, Kurt Martin featured prominently on the music front, earning Grade four merit for saxophone, Grade two file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] for voice and was awarded Half Colours for Music. Luke Crouch was awarded Half-Colours for his valuable contributions to the Choir; while he also represented U15A basketball alongside Khwezi Kgalema and Gillespie Dougall. Mylo Sadiki and Jack Hird played U15A soccer. Mylo Sadiki went on to represent the KwaZulu-Natal soccer team. Mylo also played a few games for the A Team rugby and achieved Half Colours for Music. Thomas Fenn and Jack Hird played in the U15A water polo team. Jack managed to finish fifth in the Junior Cross Country competition. Charles Houston was in the top five for academics in the Block and also achieved Half Colours for athletics for his long distance running ability. The C Block group was equally well-rounded with Henri Strydom playing First Team hockey and also making the Midlands U18B side, earning himself hockey Colours. Daniel Taylor played for the U16A soccer team. Neo Molope played for the U16A basketball team, while Jeremy Butler captained the B side. Sean Rice and Khulekani Zungu played B Team cricket and rugby, Sean Rice also played First Team golf and was unbeaten in the Hilton/ Michaelhouse derby to help Michaelhouse win the Douglas Cup. Bryan Hall achieved Grade five level for his singing, and sang various solos throughout the year in School events. He earned himself Music Colours. Cameron Oldfield played U16A cricket and had an outstanding year, while Matthew Potgieter was the Vice-Captain of the U16A rugby team leading the team in a brilliant season. Our B Blockers were well represented in various aspects of School life. Christopher Whiting and Cameron Bird both played both First Team rugby and water polo. Gregory Oldfield had another extremely successful year in the First cricket XI, scoring seven 50s and three 100s during the year. He made both the U19A KwaZulu-Natal Inland and the South African U19 sides. Dominic Ferreira played First Team soccer and Thomas Robertson has been elected Vice Captain of First Team basketball in 2013 after a very successful performance this year. Thomas Robertson is also a leader in the School’s Christian Fellowship Committee. Both he and Pranov Saluja achieved Half Colours for Community Service. Dylan Rice played the lead role in our School production of Oedipus Rex, and for his brilliant performance, he won the WA van der Walt Dramatic Prize for Best Novice and was also awarded Drama Honours. Michael Burn came fourth in the country for his brilliantly written short story, while Adrian Wolfson won an award for his written poetry piece. We were very well represented in first teams and provincial sides by this year’s group of A Blockers. Stephan Hartman, Michael Fenn and Joshua Moon all played First XV Rugby. Josh and Stephan also represented KwaZulu- Natal at the Craven Week Tournament as well as in the seven-a-side format of the game. Josh Moon captained the Natal U18A 7s rugby team. Neil Varty played First Team water polo and Luke Bolton was our much acclaimed School war cry leader. The war cries this year were exceptional. Christopher Taylor played First Team soccer as well as earning a few First XI hockey caps. Sean Donaldson represented the First soccer team playing alongside Wandile Mzuku. Sean Donaldson, Richard Ashforth and David Watson played First Team hockey and all represented the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands U18A side. David also played First Team cricket. I would like to make a special mention of the fact that Richard Ashforth represented South Africa at tennis playing in the U18A team, as well as the South African hockey U18A team, earning himself the Sportsman of the Year award for 2012. All in all it was another successful year for West House. We thank our Housemaster, Mnr Ferreira and the Tutors. We wish Mr Mofokeng well as he moves on to teach in Gauteng. To the House Prefects, thank you for your support. Despite the potential disruptions of moving into the new and improved A Block extension to the House, West remained on an even keel, and without your help this could not have been possible. Salvete: Alex Hayman, Luke Bayett, Connor Ben, Dante Gutu, Carlisle Hartman, Tristan Herwood, Salmon Janse van Rensburg, Tyron Kassner, Luvuyo Kunene, Tshiamo Lesela, William Lyle, Luvuyo Magwaza, Matthew Ramsden, Alex Sickmueller, Matthew Watson, Joshua Winter and Devon Sarkis Valete: Duncan Alexander, Richard Ashforth, Luke Bolton, Sean Donaldson, Michael Fenn, Stephan Hartman, Josh Moon, Wandile Mzuku, Christopher Taylor, Neil Varty, David Watson, Thomas Watt-Pringle and Devon Sarkis House Reports H FARFIELD HOUSE: Back Row: Jason Marshall, Matthew Heenan, Neil Guiney, Geoffrey Blore, James Strachan, John Haines, Hayden Weaver, Nicholas Stembridge, Michael Hanbury, Cheyne Halliday, Matthew Woodhouse, Steven Harris, Bruce Arnott, Anthony Miller Fourth Row: Thandokuhle Mnguni, Devon Bownes, Craig Smorfitt, Brandon Tattam, Rory Allan, James Hallier, Alasdair Bruce, Adrian Krige, Luke Baber, Nicolas Hellens, Luke Stevens, Edgar Lubinga, Luc Maitre, Murray McDonald, Nicholas Schram, Mitchell Bird Third Row: Michael Schram, Reinhardt Pienaar, Kethin Nair, Gareth Macaskill, Ishmael Goolam Jonathan Doyle, Sebastian Wadeson, Thomas Greig, Dasyan Nair, Michael McCarthy, Jack Arnold, Michael Menear, Daluxolo Ngcebetsha, Mark Venter, Kyle Dreyer, Bryce file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Nicholson-Deh Second Row: Matthew Kiln, Zwelakhe Tshabalala, Benjamin Strachan, Fergus Hathorn, Jake Zilesnick, Matthew Lewis, Busisa Mtimkulu, Craig Heenan, Aphiwe Mthalane, Nicholas Forshaw, Grant Haines, Michael Whitehouse, Gerhard Serton, Liam Bowmaker-Wood Front Row: Mr Ian Crawford, Clive Legoale-Phillips, Mr Sihle Mtshali, Nicholas Baber, Mrs Win de Wet, Piers Rosholt, Mr Michael Schwartz, Alexander Pienaar, Mr Righardt Kotze, Michael Greig, Mr Msizi Mchunu, Luke Strachan, Mr Richard Snowden, Scott Wadeson, Mr Justin Randall FARFIELD Written by Alexander Pienaar Housemaster: Mr Michael Schwartz Senior Tutor: Mr Righardt Kotze House Tutors: Mr Richard Snowden and Mr Msizi Mchunu Interns: Mr Justin Randall and Mr Sihle Mtshali Head of House: Alexander Pienaar Prefects: Nicholas Baber, Michael Greig, Clive Legoale-Phillips, Piers Rosholt, Luke Strachan and Scott Wadeson What a year it has been for Michaelhouse and indeed for Farfield House. I feel a great sense of pride when I associate myself with the boys of Farfield as it is without doubt the boys who make the House what it is and who create the jubilant atmosphere that we are so privileged to enjoy. People often approach me and ask what I will remember most about my time at Michaelhouse. It seems a rather difficult question to answer at first as there have been so many exciting experiences accompanying me during my time here; but with no hesitation I give the same answer to all those who ask: ‘It is the people who have made up my home- from-home in Farfield.’ The House wouldn’t be what it is today without its original and unique characters and I thank every boy for being his own person and adding to the unbelievable atmosphere of Farfield. An incredible aspect of this House is how talented the boys are and how every boy would go out of his way just to contribute that little bit, so that the rest of the House can benefit from and enjoy his efforts. The one facet that I hope never leaves Farfield is this culture of every boy looking to contribute in any way he can. ‘Use what talents you possess, the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.’ This year will hold a big place in my heart for what each Block has meant to me and what each boy has taught me during this time. The first night of every year will forever play back in my mind as frightened New Boys come into the Farfield family, D Blockers experience that awkward moment of reporting for a Cack, C Blockers share all their extravagant holiday stories, B Blockers realise what seemingly impossible tasks lie ahead for them and how the new A Block take their seat at the top of the House and start to realise just how quickly time has flown by to get to this point. They realise too that all they do this year will undoubtedly define their last four years spent at this great School and indeed in this great House. The start of 2012 saw 15 New Boys enter the House of which 12 were in E Block. My job was made incredibly easy when I came to know what the E Block of 2012 were capable of and how well they were able to integrate themselves into the House with their various duties as New Boys. I have no doubt that the current E Block will carry the Farfield flag high through the rest of their time at Michaelhouse. This group of young and energetic boys has provided me with an enriching experience that I will never forget. On the cricket field we were well represented in the First XI by Michael Greig, Nicolas Hellens and Luke Stevens with a remarkable achievement by Luke having taken 32 wickets during the first half of the cricket season. Jason Marshall and Brandon Tattam represented the H House Reports U16A cricket side whilst both were talented enough to be chosen as First XI representatives during the course of the year. Jason Marshall must be commended on his achievement of being selected for the KwaZulu-Natal U17 Inland cricket side. Rory Allan and Geoffrey Blore both represented the U15A side. Aphiwe Mthalane represented the U14A team. This year saw Farfield being well profiled in the pool with Scott Wadeson and Mitchell Bird representing their School at First Team level and Scott being chosen as water polo Captain for 2012. Jake Zilesnick (E Block), Sebastian Wadeson, Justin Miller and Michael Hanbury represented the U15A water polo side. On the basketball courts, Farfield enjoyed the honour of contributing seven of the 12 possible First Team players and providing both Captain, Cheyne Halliday and the Vice Captain, Nicholas Baber. The other five representatives included Clive Legoale-Phillips, Bryce Nicholson-Deh, Adrian Krige, Neil Guiney and Alexander Pienaar. Edgar Lubinga and Luke Baber both represented the U16A side, Thando Mnguni, Dasyan Nair and Daluxolo Ngcebetsha the U15A team with Daluxolo Ngcebetsha chosen as Captain and Thando, Vice Captain. Nicholas Baber must be commended on his remarkable achievements of representing both his province and his country for basketball. Nick was file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] selected as part of the KwaZulu-Natal U18, South African U18 and U20 basketball sides. Well done Nick. During 2012 we experienced numerous successes on the rugby field at both school and provincial levels. Bryce Nicholson-Deh, Piers Rosholt, Bruce Arnott, Luke Strachan and Alexander Pienaar were part of the Michaelhouse First XV and enjoyed a very successful season with Housemaster, Mr Michael Schwartz as the coach. Special mention must be made of both Bruce and Bryce who represented their provinces at the Craven Week and at the @tlantic 7s Tournament respectively. Brandon Tattam and Edgar Lubinga also represented a very successful U16A rugby side. Geoffrey Blore and Luc Maitre both played an integral role in the U15A side. Matthew Kiln, Liam Bowmaker-Wood and Aphiwe Mthalane represented the U14A team with Aphiwe , appointed Vice Captain of the side. Special mention must be made too of Nicholas Schram who has qualified as a rugby referee during the course of the 2012 winter sports season. Special thanks must be extended to the Farfield representatives on the War Cry Committee for 2012. Adrian Krige, Deputy War Cry Leader, and Michael Greig did a magnificent job in creating a phenomenal exhibition of School spirit through the famous 2012 ‘Spelling’. On the hockey field we were proud to have Scott Wadeson, Luke Stevens and Nicolas Hellens representing the First XI. Scott Wadeson was awarded the honor of representing the Inland U18A side at the Inter-Provincial Schools’Tournament. Nicolas Hellens and Luke Stevens represented the Inland U18B side at the same tournament. Steven Harris, Mark Venter, Sebastian Wadeson, Justin Miller and Jason Marshall represented the U16A hockey side with Steven Harris being chosen to represent the inland U16C side and Justin the Inland U16B outdoor side and U16A Inland indoor side. On the soccer front we had Clive Legoale-Phillips and Cheyne Halliday representing the First XI. Edgar Lubinga played a pivotal role in the U16A soccer side. Daluxolo Ngcebetsha did very well this soccer season, making the U15A team and also qualifying for KwaZulu-Natal soccer trials. Aphiwe Mthalane represented the U14A soccer side. Farfield has always had a large number of very successful canoeists and this year was no different with Matthew Heenen being awarded the canoeing captaincy for 2012. Craig Heenan did exceptionally well to win the U14 division of the South African Canoeing Championships this year. On the squash court Luke Stevens did both his School and House proud as he was part of the team that won the national Inter-Schools Squash Tournament. Michaelhouse is the first school from the province to win this tournament in 20 years. Luke then went on to be selected to represent his province as the third seed in the KwaZulu-Natal U19A Team. Out on the golf course, Farfield was proud to have another captain of sport associated with it as Michael Greig led from the front as Golf Captain for 2012, with Matthew Woodhouse also representing the First Team. Thomas Greig and Rory Allan both represented the Second Team during 2012. Rory was fantastic in the School champs and was the eventual winner, with our House golf team coming second in the Inter-House Competition. Unfortunately, the Inter-House athletics day was cancelled because of bad weather, which meant that Farfield was not able to defend its trophy. We were blessed with a number of talented athletes who were looking forward to the event. We were at least able to complete the Gala this year, finishing third overall. A special mention must be made of a New Boy, Nicholas Forshaw, for his outstanding achievement of being selected for the South African Sailing Team. Nicholas participated in the RS Tera World Championship in Iseo, Italy. He came thirteenth out of 40 boats with the South African Team coming second overall. Well done Nicholas on this incredible achievement. On the cultural front Farfield does have its fair share of exceptional public speakers with Piers Rosholt, Michael Greig, Adrian Krige, Nicolas Hellens, Clive Legoale-Phillips, Nicholas Schram and Alexander Pienaar being part of the Toastmasters Society. Special mention must be made of Piers Rosholt who was awarded the Dudley Forde Award for Promotion of Excellence in Public Speaking at the final Toastmasters’ meeting for 2012. To add to this, Farfield won both the junior and senior Inter-House Debating Competitions this year with our junior representatives being James Hallier, Michael Schram and Steven Harris, and our senior team of Piers Rosholt, Nicholas Schram and Clive Legoale- Phillips. At the debating dinner, Piers Rosholt was awarded the Coyle Prize for Outstanding Performance and Commitment to debating. The Michaelhouse Choir has performed admirably this year and I would like to congratulate all those Farfield boys on the amazing achievement of a gold medal in the ATKV Applous competition. Clive Legoale-Phillips, Bryce Nicholson-Deh, Hayden Weaver, Edgar Lubinga, Luc Maitre, Gerhard Serton and Nicholas Forshaw were all part of the choir this year. Special mention must go to Edgar Lubinga who was selected for the PietermaritzburgYouth Choir. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Farfield is blessed with a number of up-and-coming junior tennis players. They won the junior Inter-House event. Players were Gareth Macaskill, Tom Greig, Geoff Blore, James Strachan (Captain), Michael McCarthy and Matthew Kiln. Every year, two School fellowship awards are made and another awarded within Farfield. Nicholas Baber won both the Nick Crowe Fellowship Award and the Biffs-Smith Fellowship Award. The Farfield Fellowship Award went to Scott Wadeson. House Reports H Edgar Lubinga, Nicholas Schram, Neil Guiney, Luke Stevens, Matthew Kiln and Sasha Brook showing keen support for Farfield I would like to thank the Tutors of Farfield for all they do in the House and for looking after us. I would especially like to thank Mr Schwartz for what he does as the Housemaster. Besides the day to day chores, he is very involved in trying to promote unity in the House. One such event was the first Farfield supper. It was a fantastic evening and everyone enjoyed themselves. Other events he organised included taking boys to uShaka, to ABSA Kings Park and paintballing, the quarterly House braai and the now famous hotdog and coke nights in the House. I would like to thank the Prefects of 2012 for their support in running this House. Without their help, this would be a difficult task. They helped lead the House very well and set a high standard for others to follow in the future. My sincere thanks to each one of you. I would like to wish Murray McDonald and his team of Prefects the best of luck for the coming year as they take on the challenge of managing Farfield and instilling the Farfield spirit within each boy. It has been an honour and a privilege to have led Farfield House this year and I have no doubt that the high standards will continue into the future. Thank You, Farfield. Salvete: E Block: Liam Bowmaker-Wood, Nick Forshaw, Grant Haines, Fergus Hathorn, Craig Heenan, Matt Kiln, Aphiwe Mthalane, Busisa Mtimkulu, Gerhard Serton, Ben Strachan, Michael Whitehouse and Jake Zilesnick. D Block: Matthew Lewis C Block: Sasha Brook and Zwelakhe Tshabalala B Block: Nzuso Dlamini Valete: Nicholas Baber, Kyle Dreyer, Michael Greig, Cheyne Halliday, Matthew Heenan, Nicolas Hellens, Adrian Krige, Clive Legoale-Phillips, Anthony Miller, Bryce Nicholson-Deh, Alexander Pienaar, Piers Rosholt, Craig Smorfitt, Luke Strachan, Scott Wadeson and Michael Whitehouse (E Block) ^ ^ Take charge of your life! You are responsible to yourself - not to others. ^ ^ Jonathan Lockwood Huie 157 H House Reports PASCOE HOUSE: Back Row: Tyrin de Gits, Kyle Baird, Nicholas Stephenson, Nicholas Wichura, Matthew Joubert, William Lotter, William Smale, Jonathan Thurling, Barrie Forrester-Smith, Anthony Stroud, Nicholas Glassock, Matthew Davies, Kyle Pyne-James, Nicholas Egberink Fourth Row: David Geard, Thomas Walker, Guy Tatham, Cameron Hampson, Jason Schwegmann, Dale Beckley, James Creasy, Nicholas Last, Tyran Faber, Liam Furniss, Papa Sekyere, Jabulani Magubane, Tsakani Baloyi, Justin Clarke, Ciaran Furniss Third Row: Mogale Makgekgenene, Nick Elliot, Mayibongwe Mkhize, Nicholas van der Bos, Ntobeko Ntombela, Christian Botha, Blake Springate, David Maritz, Liam Flanagan, Mpumelelo Shezi, Todd Dinkelmann, David Karam, Jan-Frederick Krumhoff, Ayanda Ngcobo, Joshua Markides, Aidan Versfeld, Matt Wiseman, Xolani Shezi Second Row: James Overmars, Justin Seymour, James McCormack, Alessio de Luca, Vincent van der Westhuizen, Matthew Hoar, William Lister-James, Joshua Paynter, Luke Versfeld, Ross Egberink, Jordan Sacks, Callum Deeble, Luke Browett, Nicholas Herbert, Zuko Fukula, Pule Ngwenya Front Row: James Foster, Mr Peter Stevens, Zaahir Hurribunce, Ms Lisa Hardie, Nicholas Murphy, Mr Peter Huntley, Kalelelya Mbizule, Mr Gavin Ross, Matthew Molyneux, Mr Dominic Gruijters, Sean Markham, Mr Deon Royappen, Mr Rodney Zondi PASCOE Written by Kalelelya Mbizule Housemaster: Mr Peter Huntley Senior Tutor: Mr Gavin Ross House Tutors: Mr Peter Stevens and Mr Dominic Gruijters Interns: Mr Deon Royappen and Mr Rodney Zondi Head of House: Kalelelya Mbizule Prefects: James Foster, Zaahir Hurribunce, Sian Markham, Matthew Molyneux and Nicholas Murphy Another spectacular year has come and gone for Pascoe. 2012 has enjoyed a number of successes and provided a lot of memorable moments. The Pascoe boys displayed a well-rounded set of achievements and the year’s accomplishments are well worth recognition and accolade. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] 2012’s sporting achievements are particularly noteworthy with sportsmen such as Tyran Faber and Jason Schwegmann showing their aptitude in the water. Both represented KwaZulu-Natal for water polo yet again and paved a path for our junior boys including Callum Deeble and James McCormack who also made KwaZulu-Natal U14 water polo. Callum, James, Luke Browett and Matthew Hoar made the Midlands water polo team. It is no surprise then that Pascoe managed to win the junior Inter-House water polo cup and we were placed third in the Inter-House gala this year. Although Sports Day was cancelled this year, our E Blockers still managed to break the 4 x 100m relay record which was set in 1991. Callum Deeble’s incredible performances on the track are why it’s no mystery he ran for KwaZulu-Natal. Luke Browett has also showed great flair on the track representing the South African squad in triathlon competitions. We have had great success on the Astroturf this year with Dale Beckley making the U16B KwaZulu-Natal Inland hockey team and Nicholas Herbert making the KwaZulu-Natal U14B hockey team. Nicholas then went on to make the KwaZulu-Natal U14B team for squash. On the cultural front we have enjoyed a number of our boys on stage in magnificent plays that were funny, entertaining and emotional. Matthew Davies was a main character in the play Oedipus the King. Xolani Shezi was a mischief-maker on stage as much as in reality and Jordan Sacks and Zuko Fukula presented a new outlook on music in the Stars performance. Magnificent performances like these would never be possible without the people involved behind the scenes. 4 6 We must become the change we wish to see in the world, y y Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi House Reports H The D Block Pascoe boys prepare themselves for their Outdoor Education experience Our very own Nicholas Wichura (Head of Theatre Crew) and William Smale, his Deputy in 2012, were the driving forces behind many School productions. This year we have had three men of Pascoe leave on exchange: Nicholas Glassock, William Lotter and Cameron Hampson. They travelled to New Zealand and Australia where they had an awesome time with memories they will cherish for ever. In 2012, Pascoe boys excelled at sports that don’t generally enjoy popularity at Michaelhouse. Callum Deeble made KwaZulu-Natal lifesaving, Joshua Paynter was placed third in the enduro motorbikes competition and Vincent van der Westhuizen made Gauteng North U16A chess. To top these achievements off, Zaahir Hurribunce won the first ever Michaelhouse Bench Press Competition for his weight class. William Smale’s behind the scenes efforts were extended to his being head of the First Aid Society. This year has been a particularly good year academically with many boys being placed in the top half of the School in their respective Blocks. Special mention must be made of Christian Botha who was placed in the top ten of D Block, finishing second in his Block. Mayibongwe Mkhize also made the top ten for the first time in C Block and James Overmars also earned a top ten ranking in E Block. Although a number of boys in Pascoe received Academic Colours this year, one achievement stands out above the rest. Sean Markham has been an outstanding student in his final year. He made the final round of the IT programming Olympiad held in Cape Town and received Academic Honours. The House has maintained its warm and cheerful aura despite the ongoing rainy weather and the snow we experienced. We thank Mr Peter Huntley, our Housemaster, for making Pascoe a House worth calling home. Salvete: Luke Browett, Alessio de Luca, Callum Deeble, Ross Egberink, Zuko Fukula, Nicholas Herbert, Matthew Hoar, William Lister-James, James McCormack, James Overmars, Joshua Paynter, Jordan Sacks, Justin Seymour, Vincent van der Westhuizen and Luke Versfeld Valete: James Creasy, Tyrin de Gidts, James Foster, Zaahir Hurribunce, Nicholas Last, Sean Markham, Kalelelya Mbizule, Matthew Molyneux, Nicholas Murphy, Xolani Shezi, William Smale and Nicholas Wichura Education begins a gentleman, conversation completes him. < Dr. Thomas Fuller 159 Q| House Reports BAINES HOUSE: Back Row: Darren de Beer, William Grant, Matthew Lovett, Michael Hinchley, Ibukunoluwa Shonibare, Chad Fourie, Tyrone Arnold, Ross Firth, Thomas Coyne, Amman Yusuf, Patrick Hughes, Gareth van Wyk, Jason Venter, Kura Maswera, Lonwabo Mgoduso Fourth Row: Gordon Loubser-Hattingh, Daniel van der Leeuw, Jacques Badenhorst, Douglas Byrne, Mark Wood, Nicholas Harrison, William Lin, Phila Mtshali, Drew Shiel, Helger Pretorius, Louis Albertse, Damon Hinchley, Tony Berten, Simphiwe Msibi, Ross Purbrick Third Row: Juan-Luc file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Clackworthy, PG Buys, Qhayiya Lujiva, Joe Coyne, Ruger Lin, Charles Janse van Rensburg, Joshua Adlington- Corfield, Nicholas van Niekerk, Stuart Beach, Dante Ceronio, Philip Melouney, Zander Prinsloo, James Laidlaw, Angelos Geranmayeh, Devan Cowley, Sduduzo Buthelezi, Dominic Pretorius, Mathew Mundell Second Row: Fergus Magor, Jaryd Kleynhans, Marcel van Niekerk-Edwards, Tristan Hughes, Junior Buthelezi, Mzuko Kuwani, Armin Prinsloo, Warwick Albertyn, Thabang Dloti, André Reeves, David Long, Angelo Lissoni, Wandile Mpofu, Jonathan Maitre, Aidan Schwartz, Robbie Lynn Front Row: Mr Andrew Brown, Michael Harrison, Mr Craig Pieterse, Dean Stephen, Mr Chris van der Berg, Tim Everett, Mr Johan van Rooyen, Thomas Stapylton-Smith, Mr Sibusiso Ncamane, Michael Mvelase, Mr Bailey Coxon, Timothy Lee BAINES Written by Tim Everett Housemaster: Mr Johan van Rooyen Senior Tutor: Mr Sibusiso Ncamane House Tutors: Mr Chris van der Berg, Mr Andrew Brown and Mr Bailey Coxon Intern: Mr Craig Pieterse Head of House: Tim Everett Prefects: Michael Harrison, Timothy Lee, Michael Mvelase, Thomas Stapylton-Smith and Dean Stephen As I look back on my past five years, and in particular my last year in Baines, I am truly proud to have been a part of such a great House. It has been a great honour to have been part of the leadership group for Baines in 2012. Baines has had a wide range of personalities and this has allowed each boy to excel in all different areas of School life; from the stage to the sports fields and the classrooms. This year we welcomed two new Staff members, Mr Bailey Coxon, who became a House Tutor and Mr Craig Pieterse who came to Michaelhouse as an Intern. We also welcomed 14 New Boys at the beginning of the year. There were a few hiccups at the beginning of the year and I’m extremely grateful that eventually all settled in and began to flourish in the School environment. The E Blockers proved to be a strong and talented group across the board. We have been exceptionally proud of Armin Prinsloo who has come first in the Block each term this year. Angelo Lissoni and Mkuzo Kuwani have also shown hard work and dedication in making regular appearances in the top ten. On the sporting front we have seen Junior Buthelezi, Jaryd Kleynhans, Aidan Schwartz and Armin Prinsloo all represent the U14A rugby team. Aidan Schwartz was also named as Captain. Armin Prinsloo, Jaryd Klenyhans and Mkuzo Kuwani represented the I) 14A basketball team. Angelo Lissoni played his part in the U14A water polo team and Mkuzo Kuwani represented the U14A soccer team. Jaryd Kleynhans has had a tremendous year on the judo front as he was placed third in South Africa in his weight category. Declan Clackworthy and Warwick Albertyn have both enjoyed being a part of the canoeing club. D Blockers have built on their strong start last year. Nicholas Harrison, Dante Ceronio, Zander Prinsloo and Nicholas van Niekerk have all been very impressive on the academic front with all of them making regular appearances in the top ten. Ibukunoluwa Shonibare and Qhayiya Lujiva played U15A basketball. Zander Prinsloo and Sduduzo Buthelezi represented the U16A rugby team and U15A soccer teams respectively. Nicholas van Niekerk also did exceptionally well to get his Grade 4 piano and saxophone rating and he was chosen to represent Michaelhouse at the National Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships. House Reports H Aidan Schwartz, Junior Buthelezi, Armin Prinsloo and Angelo Lis Market Day The C Blockers showed that they are very capable of achieving great results. Academically Angelos Geranmayeh, Ross Purbrick and Robbie Lynn all featured in the top ten in the Block. James Laidlaw and Juan-Luc Clackworthy are both part of the Stayers’ squash team with Juan-Luc also representing the First hockey team. He finished a strong season by earning his place in the KwaZulu-Natal U16A hockey team. Joseph Coyne also represented the U16A Inland hockey team and capped off his all-round performance by winning the Chick Henderson Memorial Award. Louis Albertse carried on his golfing form and played for the First golf team. Chad Fourie and Louis Albertse were both part of the victorious Douglas Cup team. Amman Yusuf and Damon Hinchley were both important members of the athletics team. On the performance front we had Angelos Geranmayeh starring in the cast of Oedipus Rex. The B Blockers have had an outstanding year and are a very talented group. Darren de Beer played First Team water polo as well as Dominic Pretorius earning a few caps for the First hockey team. Darren did exceptionally well to win a Gold Medal in the Inter-House gala. Dom captained the U16A hockey team as well as representing the KwaZulu- Natal Midlands team. Dominic Pretorius, Darren De Beer and Lonwabo Ngoduso made regular appearances in the top ten in the Block. Lonwabo also represented the Natal Midlands Youth Choir. Half Colours certificates were awarded to Michael Hinchley for athletics, Kura Maswera for music, Darren de Beer for water polo, Dominic Pretorius and Lonwabo for Academics and Mark Wood, PG Buys, Phila Mtshali and Lonwabo Mgoduso for Service. Well done to file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Kura Maswera who was made Chairman of Toastmasters for 2013. Mark Wood and Dominic Pretorius were both apart of the School production of Oedipus Rex. The Baines A Block of 2012 were a very interesting and talented group. There were the academics of Michael Harrison and William Grant who both achieved places in the top ten of the Block. Dean Stephen, Timothy Lee and Matthew Lovett also performed very well academically. Timothy Lee and Tim Everett both earned Academic Half Colours. Mathew Mundell was awarded the John Richards Award. Dean Stephen and Michael Mvelase were both a part of the First cricket team. Gordon Loubser-Hattingh, Michael Mvelase and Dean Stephen all represented Baines in the First XV. Dean and Gordon both won Colours for rugby. Michael Mvelase also appeared in the First rugby 7s team and the First soccer team. He had a brilliant year in that he played for KwaZulu-Natal in both sevens and fifteen-man rugby. He was awarded Honours for both forms of rugby as well as Colours for soccer. Gordon also played his part in representing the First soccer team. Matthew Lovett and Timothy Lee were both part of the First squash and hockey teams respectively and were both awarded Colours for representing the KwaZulu-Natal B team in their specific sports. During the course of this year we managed to win the Inter-House squash and tennis titles. Well done to all of those boys who were involved. Thank you to the Baines Prefects of 2012 for always being behind me. My sincere thanks go to the whole A Block group who were always supportive. Dankie Meneer en Mevrou van Rooyen vir alles wat julle vir ons gedoen het. Thank you for making the Baines family what it is today. I am extremely grateful to the Tutors who always ensured that the House ran smoothly. I have no doubt that Kura Maswera will lead the House extremely well in 2013 with the support of his A Blockers. We wish them and Meneer all the best of luck for next year. Salvete: Warwick Albertyn, Junior Buthelezi, Declan Clackworthy, Thabang Dloti, Tristan Hughes, Jaryd Kleynhans, Mkuzo Kuwani, Angelo Lissoni, David Long, Jonathan Maitre, Armin Prinsloo, André Reeves, Aidan Schwartz and Marcel van Niekerk-Edwards Valete: Thomas Coyne, Tim Everett, William Grant, Michael Harrison, Timothy Lee, Gordon Loubser-Hattingh, Matthew Lovett, Simphiwe Msibi, Mathew Mundell, Michael Mvelase, Thomas Stapylton-Smith, Dean Stephen and Jason Venter 161 ■ House Reports MACKENZIE: Back Row: Coulsey Savory, Ryan Zoutendyk, Kingsley Corbett, Ross Pelser, Jake Dovey, Gianluca Truda, Stewart Grant, Jonathan Laing, Jordan Sesink-Clee, Matthew Potter, Connor Grealy, Tadiwanashe Musendo, Patrick Dillon, Wesely Biggs, Joseph Johnson Fourth Row: Sam Dovey, Angus Usher, Kyle van Greunen, Dylan Zoutendyk, Branagth Cooper-Botha -Reid, Jonathan Smith, James Hadley-Grave, Ross Laing Third Row: Luke Tomlinson, Kyle Dalton, Khwezi Majola, Murray Williamson, Matthew Chetty, Gregory Vogel, Lesedi Mokoena, Daniel Roberts, Ryan Price, Mark Hadley-Grave, Ben Adey, Nicholas Richardson, Brendan Bergs, Robert Wood, Tumi Mahlare, Jack Swynnerton, Ryan van Greunen, Scott Nijland Second Row: Dillan van der Westhuizen, Victor Monkoe, Michael Buchholz, Arturo Cuturi, Samkelo Mvune, Daniel Sesink-Clee, Ross Nalson, Joshua Buys, Greg Reynolds, Christopher Lotze, Cameron Rawlins, David Martin, Rowan Mockler, Tim Coxon, Thomas Erskine, Mthobisi Cele, Toby Francombe, Siyabonga Khoza, Jonathan Stephenson, Michael Greer, Senzo Tembe Front Row: Mr Dean Forword, Zawadi Dlamini, Mr Paul Snyman, Byron Grealy, Mrs Mary McMichael, Lee Savory, Mr Iain Guthrie, Olwethu Mhaga, Mr Simon Crane, Jonathan Davies, Mr Elmar de Klerk, Wulf Mosburger, Mr Ashley Dixon, Ms Fikile Msimango, Mr Mzwandile Kwela MACKENZIE Written by Olwethu Mhaga Housemaster: Mr Iain Guthrie Senior Tutor: Mr Simon Crane Tutors: Mrs Mary McMichael, Mr Dean Forword, Mr Ashley Dixon, Mr Elmar de Klerk, Mr Paul Snyman and Mr Mzwandile Khwela Head of House: Olwethu Mhaga Prefects: Byron Grealy, Jonathan Davies, Zawadi Dlamini, Lee Savory and Wulf Mosburger 2012 can certainly be remembered as a year of transition with the incoming leadership of Mr lain Guthrie and Rector Pearson’s leaving Michaelhouse. I am proud to have called Mackenzie my home away from home for five years and will leave with many wonderful memories. What has always made this House special has been the accepting and generally jovial nature of the boys; there is just something special about being a part of Mackenzie. The sense of belonging and cooperation reflected in the Code of file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Honour read earlier this year by Ross Pelser set the standard and foundation of the year. Mackenzie’s Academic and Cultural life has improved during 2012 with the record amount of green and orange cards in the House bearing testimony to the boys’ dedication and hard work. Wesley Biggs, Ben Adey, Kwezi Majola, Gianluca Truda, Rowan Mockler, Ross Nalson, Matthew Potter, Ryan Price, Nicholas Richardson and Wulf Mosburger have all come in the top ten of the Block this year showing the academic talent present which will hopefully lead to the Academic Shield in the future. Robert Wood came in the top 100 of the Mathematics Olympiad and Gianluca Truda came in the top 50 in the country for the English Olympiad; winning an automatic scholarship to Rhodes University even though he is only in C Block. Wulf Mosburger received Academic Honours and Kwezi Majola received Academic Half Colours. In terms of cultural life we have had many boys displaying their previously unknown talents and providing entertainment either on the stage or in musical performances. Dillan van der Westhuizen received Music Colours along with Tumi Mahlare. Kyle van Greunen and Dillan van der Westhuizen were selected for the award winning Midlands Youth Choir. James Hadley-Grave and Connor Grealy were outstanding in the School production this year. Oedipus Rex received critical acclaim and rapturous applause with Byron Grealy also performing outstandingly in one of the leading parts in the A Block production of Waiting for Godot. He received Colours for Drama for his fine performance. House Report H Mackenzie D Block boys preparing to do business Our Khazimula project has remained effective under the leadership of Jack Swynnerton and Mr Khwela, inspiring many in the House, especially the E Block, to join in and help those who are less privileged. The Khazimula project has always been an important part of Mackenzie life. Branagth Cooper-Botha and Connor Grealy along with Byron Grealy and Wulf Mosburger have received Half Colours for Service, with Jack Swynnerton receiving his Colours for Service. Four of our C Block boys have been on exchange this year. Gregory Vogel went to Ireland, Jonathan Smith went to Canada, Gianluca Truda went to the United States of America and Brendan Bergs went to Australia. Finally Zawadi Dlamini served as the leader of the Christian Fellowship Band and Stewart Grant later joined on the keyboard leading everyone on Wednesday evenings and at informal worship evenings. Mackenzie can also be proud of the achievements on the sporting field this year. A number of boys were both provincial and national representatives. Kyle Dalton played Second Team for both rugby and cricket; Victor Monkoe played Second Team basketball and Byron Grealy played for and captained the Second rugby XV. Connor Grealy, Jonathan Laing, Matthew Potter, Jonathan Davies, Zawadi Dlamini and Byron Grealy all played First Team for their respective sports; with Jonathan Davies serving as the Vice Captain of the First water polo team and Zawadi Dlamini as the Captain of the First soccer team. Lee Savory and Wulf Mosburger were Captains of swimming and athletics respectively. Zawadi Dlamini, Lee Savory, Michael Greer and Joshua Buys were all provincial representatives whilst Thomas Erskine represented South Africa at horse riding and Brendan Bergs for golf. It has been a privilege and an honour to have known all the boys in the House during 2012. The spirit shown by the boys when we won the Inter-House water polo and squash competitions was a hallmark of Mackenzie boys’ passion for the House. Jake Dovey’s Roles Reversed art piece won us the Inter-House Art Competition highlighting the allround abilities of the boys in the House during 2012. I would like to thank Mr Guthrie for always being accommodating and having the boys’ interests foremost in his heart. Mackenzie’s motto: We Will Shine not Burn remains central to the House’s personality and I hope it will continue to inspire future generations. Salvete: Michael Buccholz, Joshua Buys, Mthobisi Cele, Arturo Cuturi, Thomas Erskine, Toby Francombe, Michael Greer, Siyabonga Khoza, Christopher Lotze, David Martin, Rowan Mockler, Samkelo Mvune, Ross Nalson, Cameron Rawlins, Greg Reynolds, Daniel Sesink-Clee and Jonathan Stephenson Valete: Jonathan Davies, Zawadi Dlamini, Jake Dovey, Byron Grealy, Olwethu Mhaga, Wulf Mosburger, Ross Pelser, Lee Savory, Jack Swynnerton and Ryan van Greunen £ £ Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another. J J G. K. Chesterton 163 ■ Old Boys OFFICE BEARERS 2011 - 2012 Patron file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Rector of Michaelhouse, Guy Norman Pearson President Owen Skae President Elect John Cheshire Past President Kevin O’Brien Trustees Chris James and Charles Bennett PA to Old Boys’ Club Secretary Michelle Huntley Old Boys’ Club Secretary/Treasurer Rev Canon Fred Pitout Central Committee Members Richard Waller, Ian Lambie and Jesse Chellan Board Representative John Cheshire School Representative Iain Guthrie Ex-Officio Member Melanie Wester Branch Chairmen Cape Town: Charles Phillips Durban: Wayne Witherspoon East Griqualand: Roger Spencer Gauteng: Robert Brown Midlands: Chris Melouney Pietermaritzburg: Rob Mitchell Zululand: Andrew Morkel Overseas Representatives Eastern Australia: Derek McIntosh, Richard Gellie and Dai Williams Canada: Michael Brooke United Kingdom: Graham Rivers-Moore Western Australia: Jeremy Woods ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 16 JUNE 2012 Address by the Rector, Mr Guy Pearson It is a pleasure for me to present my eleventh and last report to the Old Boys’ AGM. Let me say at the outset what a privilege it has been to be Rector of Michaelhouse. I would like to thank the Old Boys’ Club for its fantastic support of me during my tenure. I am pleased to report that Michaelhouse is in good shape with our young men continuing to excel in a wide range of activities. We are committed to producing the ‘gentleman, scholar and athlete’ and I believe we remain true to this vision. The Class of 2011 produced excellent academic results; a 100% pass rate of which 94% were Bachelor Degree passes. Paul Hewat (eight distinctions) and Nicholas Wiehe-Lagesse (nine distinctions) were joint Dux, while David Brill (eight distinctions) was the Proximé Accessit. Nicholas, Paul and David attained ‘outstanding achievement’ in the final IEB examinations for being placed in the top five percent in the country in six or more subjects; only 14 candidates in KwaZulu-Natal achieved this. Our boys continue to perform superbly in Art, Drama and Music. The musical District Six in collaboration with Epworth was a great success while the Stars Variety Show provides the opportunity for boys to show their individual talents in acting, song and dance. Our Choir performed very well in the ATKV Applous Competition being awarded a gold certificate. The Jazz Band and the ever popular Marimba Bands provided excellent entertainment during the year. On the sports fields the School was again well represented in national and provincial sides. Our squash team was outstanding winning the KwaZulu-Natal Inter-Schools’ Competition for the second consecutive year. We were competitive in all fixtures and in all sports and at all times played with pride and passion. We are thrilled with the success of our Old Boys in achieving international success. Over the past year Patrick Lambie (Springbok rugby), Mark Richards (Springbok 7s rugby), Clinton Panther (SA Men’s Hockey), Stephen Bird (Australia K2 canoeing) and Patrick Howard (SA U20 rugby) have all brought great kudos to the school. We have several other Old Boys who are involved in provincial sports teams. The School provides many activities for each boy to grow and develop and find his niche. 1 am pleased that the spiritual life of the School remains vibrant and healthy with the Chapel playing a central and prominent role in the lives of boys and Staff. During 2011 and into 2012 we completed a substantial building programme. The Pennington Quad has been enclosed to provide a new English Block while the old English classrooms have been converted into a modern IT facility. East House has been extended and renovated, as has West House. The old VIth Form building has been converted into a new Afrikaans Department. We continue our programme of upgrading our ablutions. We can be very proud of our file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] facilities although the wish list is never-ending. Despite the tough economic climate the demand for places remains strong and we have a full School again this year and for 2013. We are indebted to the tremendous support we get from our generous benefactors and donors; the majority of whom are Old Boys. Our Bursary and Endowment Funds provide substantial financial assistance to boys who would not otherwise be able to attend Michaelhouse. Our Old Boys are well represented in the leadership of the greater Michaelhouse; the Chairman of the Board is Gary Ralfe and the Chairman of the Trusts is Jamie Inglis - their leadership is outstanding. To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe, y j Marilyn vos Savant Old Boys ■ In closing, I have met Old Boys throughout the length and breadth of South Africa and indeed in Canada, the USA, the UK and Australia. I have thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of my role as Rector. I have always been warmly received and encouraged by the Old Boys’ Club. My thanks to all of you; in particular the Presidents during my tenure: Callum Smythe, Mark Perry, Kevin O’Brien, Brett Davidson and Owen Skae. I wish the incoming President John Cheshire well. The club is indeed in good hands. I know that my successor, Greg Theron, will enjoy the same support that I have enjoyed. Thank you and Quis ut Deus! Old Boys Iain Guthrie and Peter Stevens who are both currently Staff members at Michaelhouse Report by the President of the Old Boys’ Club, Prof. Owen Skae Today is the occasion of our 100,h AGM, an important milestone in the history of our great club which was established in 1903, with the first President being our School’s founder, James Cameron Todd. Today, 109 years later, we wish to honour all committee men, both at a Central Committee and Branch level who have served this club with great distinction and selfless service in one form or another over the years. We also wish to thank all of our former Patrons (Rectors), Presidents and Secretaries who have led this club and have ensured that all Old Boys feel a special relationship with our magnificent School. It is difficult to put what this bond means into words, but it is something that I know all Old Boys feel whenever we visit Michaelhouse or come into contact with one another as we reminisce and reflect about our time here. Since I have assumed the mantle of President, I continue to be humbled by the many passionate and committed Old Boys whom I meet, all united around one common ideal, to honour what is carved in the stone above the door to the Memorial Hall, namely ‘Quit you like men’. I am also honoured and privileged to have served this club with a number of fine men who are present today. Since Old Boys’ Day last year, I have attended Old Boys gatherings in Cape Town (where I learnt that there are three different versions of the war cry, spanning about 50 years), Somerset West, Johannesburg, Durban and Sydney. I have seen young, middle-aged and dare I say elderly Old Boys who often have the thankless task of cajoling and encouraging our members to participate in functions. These Old Boys are the backbone of our club. I have also corresponded with a number of Old Boys over matters ranging from the School’s sports’ results, to suggestions on how to improve the running of the club, to appreciation of the efforts of the Rector and his team, our Secretariat and the many Old Boys who behind the scenes and under the radar support the School in many different ways, whether it be giving funds, their time or moral support. There are the positive messages about Old Boys who have achieved excellence in their chosen path, about which we celebrate, and also the sad messages about Old Boys who are with us no more. Our Branches continue to be vibrant, and being autonomous entities, I have to say that there is no one size fits all, with each having developed activities and strategies that work for them. Of course we look at the Midlands Branch and their Weaner Scheme with much envy; but we also know that this is an incredible success story. Nevertheless, arranging dinners, golf days, get-togethers, other fund raising activities, attending Old Boys’ Day and Gaudies all contribute to the rich tapestry and legacy of our club. I have also discovered that there are many young Old Boys who are involved in Branch structures and to them, I say thank you because you are the future. The Rector and our Club Secretary, have also visited a number of Branches in the past year and on behalf of all Old Boys, we thank you for the time you give to us in updating our members about the School and Old Boys. President elect, John Cheshire and I attend Board of Governors’ Meetings in our ex-officio capacity and I can confirm that we have a very constructive relationship with the Chairman, Mr Gary Ralfe, the Rector and all fellow Board Members. To them all, I say thank you for supporting the Old Boys in our various initiatives over the past year. To Jamie Inglis, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, my thanks also for your incredible support. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] At the leavers’ function last year, where I handed over the Old Boys’ ties to our newest members, I discovered the new tradition of the leavers making the walk along Warriors’ Walk as they bid farewell to the School. What struck me about this, was that new traditions evolve and emerge and hence it is important that we continue to ensure that institutional memory of our School is maintained. It is this that makes our time here even more rewarding as each era of boys builds on what came before. In short, I can report that your club is functioning well and its members connecting in all kinds of unanticipated ways. Our social media strategy is beginning to pay off. Those of you who follow our Facebook page, or the twitter feeds, especially the initiative of the Durban Old Boys will receive up to date news about the School. 165 fl Old Boys Whilst we have not quite succeeded in reaching the targets that we set, we are confident that that this medium will be more and more important, especially amongst our younger Old Boys. The Central Committee took the strategic decision to regard the gathering of our 100th AGM as a watershed year for the Old Boys’ Club as we try to preserve our heritage whilst embracing what new age technology can offer. Consequently a significant decision was taken to launch an official fundraising campaign, to support the digitisation of the School archives as well as the development of a Living Museum. It is therefore our appeal to each of our members to contribute as little or as much as you like in support of this endeavour. Our estimate is that the digitisation will cost in the region of R700 000 and the museum costing is still to be professionally assessed after architect’s concept drawings. We hope that our members will give generously to this initiative. Already I can report that over R200 000 has been pledged by some Old Boys, so we are well on our way. To date all Chronicles have been digitised, now affording all of us the opportunity to access our history from the comfort of our home PC. A sub-committee has been formed consisting of John Cheshire, Charlie Burton, Fred Pitout, Robyn Gruijters (the School Archivist) and Nick Grice (the School’s Architect) to manage the process of developing the plan and taking it to the School Management and Board for approval. Other specific activities that I would like to highlight are: 1. Modernising the wording of the Constitution Our Trustees, Chris James and Charles Bennett have assisted in the task of re-wording the Constitution. 2. Social Media and Archives The Secretariat and Robyn Gruijters continue to work hard to expand beyond ten Facebook pages/Linked In and Twitter feed. 3. Leavers’Functions 1952 Leavers’: The 2012 Gaudy took place on 12 May with a luncheon for 30 OMs and the opportunity of watching matches vs Maritzburg College. This group has one of the finest traditions of regular meetings in the history of the Old Boys’ Club. 1962 Leavers’: Held their reunion over the weekend of 4/5 May. 28 Leavers attended and a good time was had by all at the Roy Gathorne Pavilion. 4. Gaudies 2012 1972,1982,1987,1992 and 2002 Gaudies were held. My thanks to the champions of each year group for working so hard. The attendance at the Gaudies continues to be phenomenal. Also our gratitude to the School and the catering team for making it such a special evening for all who attended. 5. Club Finances Thanks to the Bursar for his continued support in assisting us with our budgets and financial reporting. 6. Future Priorities The main priority going forward is of course the fundraising for the digitisation and Living Museum as I mentioned earlier. We will also be discussing with Management the format of future Old Boys’ Days. We will also engage with the Old Boys of our great rival school, Hilton, to see how we can strengthen our special relationship. 7. Central Committee and Secretariat To my fellow Central Committee members, my thanks for getting behind our planned activities. To Fred Pitout and Michelle Huntley, who run the club, and Robyn Gruijters our Archivist my thanks for all your hard work. 8. Farewell to the Rector My final words are for Guy Pearson, whom the Old Boys will honour specifically today. He has been an incredible file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Patron of the Old Boys’ Club. We cannot thank you enough Guy, for what you have done to support this club and the open relationship that I and all my predecessors have enjoyed with you. On behalf of all Old Boys, we wish Mareé and you well as you move to Cape Town. To all Old Boys who have made the journey to Michaelhouse last night and today, enjoy your time here. Former Chaplain and Old Boys’ Club Secretary, Canon Fred Pitout at work on Old Boys' Day Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life. ^ , Immanuel Kant 166 Old Boys H Current fathers, Bruce Dixie and Grant Oldfield with 1983 leavers Warwick Elliott, Simon Armstrong and Stuart Brand at the Durban Old Boys’ golf day BRANCH REPORTS Durban Branch Chairman: Mr Wayne Witherspoon The Durban branch held its annual Golf Day at Durban Country Club, Beachwood on 31 May. The day was well attended with a field of some 104 golfers, including some envious Old Boys of a few of our age-old competitor schools. With the good turn-out and the stalwart and kind assistance of Grindrod Bank, the fund-raiser was a great success for the branch. The occasion was blessed with wonderful weather and was well used by all participants to enjoy the day. The Rector, Guy Pearson, both participated in the day of golf and kindly performed the duties at prize- giving, ably assisted as always by Canon Fred Pitout. The Rector was bade farewell in what will be another of numerous farewells during 2012, and the Durban Branch of the Old Boys expressed their appreciation to the Rector for his service to the School and his strong ties with and support of the various Old Boy branches. On 24 February the committee also hosted an evening at the cricket where a number of 20/20 supporters turned out to watch the opening home game of the T20 season between the Dolphins and the Titans. The evening was well attended by Old Boys and the bar was still patronised for some time after the end of the match. A Dolphins’ shirt signed by the players was auctioned on the evening and assisted in the fund raiser being a resounding success. In October the Durban Old Boys hosted a comedy evening with John Vlismas entertaining the gathering. It was decided to open the evening to old boys of the ‘traditional schools’ and we had a fair turn-out from some of our traditional rivals. The Committee will donate all proceeds raised this year by the Durban Branch of the Old Boys towards the funding for the electronic archiving and the establishment of a Living Museum. The Durban Old Boys’ Club wishes to once again thank the Rector and his wife Mareé, for their time in our community and the positive effect that they have had in touching the life of Michaelhouse. The true sign of leadership is in how a leader is remembered and the Rector will be fondly, proudly and respectfully remembered. We wish the Pearsons fair weather and mild winds in their move to the Cape. Eastern Australia Branch Chairmain: Mr Dai Williams The East Coast Australian Old Boys had a drinks gathering this year in mid-June which was a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and familiar faces. We are planning our first golf day next year. We also have a new contact email address - [email protected] If any old boys come Down Under please drop a line to that address -we would love to hear from you. East Griqualand Branch Chairman: Mr Roger Spencer Congratulations to the Michaelhouse Old Boys’ Club on achieving their 100,h AGM. A get-together for the greater Michaelhouse community in East Griqualand was held in Underberg early in September. Rector Guy Pearson, Marketing Director, Mrs Melanie Wester and OM Secretary, 167 H Old Boys Fred Pitout attended with 40 people comprising Old Boys, past parents, current parents and prospective parents. The Rector reported on life at Michaelhouse and gave a brief synopsis with regard to Academics and successes on the sports fields. I am also pleased to report that there has been a drive to try and revive the Weaner Scheme in the area and a few farmers have come on board and we are grateful for this. Gauteng Branch Chairman: Mr Robert Brown The Gauteng Branch undertook two events in 2012. The annual dinner at the Rand Club and the annual golf day at the file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] new Houghton Golf Club. The annual dinner was held at the Rand Club on 8 August 2012. A decision was made to invite Rector Guy Pearson as the guest speaker for a number of reasons. Firstly to update the Old Boys on the events at the School during the past year, but more importantly for Guy to share with us his experience during his entire tenure at the School and some of the memories that he has built up during this time. There were 112 attendees and Guy received a standing ovation for his speech and presentation. The final video of the war cry was especially memorable. The second event was the annual golf day, and this year it was decided that we should try a new venue, instead of the Wanderers Golf Club where the past three events have been held. After much research the Houghton Golf Club was selected and the date set for 26 October. Thanks to a great committee and the work of both Nqoba Koza and Thuba Ngcobo. The event hosted a record field of some 20 fourballs. Murray Witherspoon travelled to Johannesburg to represent Michaelhouse and the Old Boys’ Club. 1 am not sure how many of you have ever had to arrange a golf day, but I will say that it requires a significant amount of work, especially if you want it to be as great a success as ours was. The prizes were up there with the best, especially when it came to the raffle which helped us raise funds towards community projects and it was thanks to many Old Boys who donated so generously, along with the work of the committee, that this was achieved. My first year as Chairman has been quite a challenge as it has opened my eyes to the level of dedication that is required to make a branch function. That said, I must say that I believe that next year the Gauteng Committee is ready to try and add a few more events to the calendar and to increase the numbers at both the annual dinner and golf day. We would like to wish all the boys leaving the School in 2012 the best of luck in their future careers and would also like to encourage them to make use of the Old Boys’ events to keep in touch and to grow their network as many of us have done since we left this great School. Midlands Branch Chairman: Mr Chris Melouney The Midlands Branch hosted a cocktail evening at Rawdons Hotel in Nottingham Road in June. We had a really good turnout of Old Boys across all generations. The Rector gave a short address bringing us up to date with matters at the School. Mr Philip Stanistreet, the outgoing Chairman, gave a short thank you to all the members of the Weaner Scheme that have generously hosted cattle over the last 30 years. There are many who have never benefited from the scheme, but are simply giving back to the School, paving the way for others less fortunate. The Weaner Scheme continues to help fund farming Old Boys to send their children to Michaelhouse. In 2012 we have five farmers’ sons that are receiving assistance. The funds are generated by over 200 head of cattle placed on 15 farms in the Midlands. Our annual Golf Day held at Boschhoek in mid-winter was a great success with 20 Michaelhouse Old Boys pairing up against 20 Hilton Old Boys. Michaelhouse took the honours! The golf was followed by dinner and drinks. Our thanks go to Mr Richard Butcher for organising this event. Our outgoing Chairman, Mr Philip Stanistreet, is sincerely thanked, on behalf of all Midlands members, for the dedicated and selfless hard work he has put into the Weaner Scheme over the last eight years. On Friday 2 November 2012, a farewell dinner for the Rector was hosted by Mr Jon Bates at Fordoun. This was for the foundation members of the Weaner Scheme, including former Estate Manager, Mr John Morgan. Pietermaritzburg Branch Chairman: Mr Rob Mitchell The Branch AGM was held on 13 September 2012 and the elected Committee along with volunteer members consists of: Rob Mitchell (Chairman), Tony Tatham (Secretary), Mike Blore (Treasurer), Terrence Rockey, Mike Arnott, Mark Lynn, Colin Van Heerden, John Pluke and Fred Pitout, The 75th Hudson Bennett day was held at the Victoria Country Club on 15 June, the day before Old Boys’ Day. It was decided to move the date so that Old Boys who may be coming from afar, could play in the Michaelhouse Old Boys’ Golf Day, and contend for the Hudson Bennett Trophy. Ninety four OMs took part and once more it was a successful and enjoyable day. The winners of the Hudson Bennett Trophy were: Rob Mitchell, Pumpy Lambert, Marshall Me Carthy and Mike Harker. The Ken Drysdale Trophy was won by Pumpy Lambert and the Rhys Evans Trophy by Warwick Hulbert. The Khehla Trophy was won by Terrence Rockey. The Branch has established its presence on Facebook and all Old Boys are invited to join particularly if you are attending a function at the School and come from afar, there may just be a branch function for you to attend. The annual rugby dinner with Hilton College was held before the second match and was slightly better attended by some well-dressed fellows and their partners. The chairman gave a short speech about the dinner and its history. Much file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] interest was expressed by some at becoming involved in next year’s dinner and making it a bigger affair. The committee hopes to grow the numbers again to make this an annual event of note. Western Australia Branch Chairman: Mr Jeremy Wood I continue to act as a point of contact for new arrivals in Perth. Assisted greatly by my wife Jeanette, we maintain social contact with all OMs based in Western Australia (and coincidentally one in South Australia and two in Queensland). Our annual dinner was held a bit late this year, in June. It was attended by 15 members accompanied by wives, partners and girlfriends making us a party of 24 in total. Old Boys H We missed the attendance of Stephen Bird at the gathering but did extend our best wishes to him for his participation in the London Olympic Games, representing Australia in the sprint canoeing event. He and his paddling partner were thrilled to qualify for the final in which they finished seventh. Following the dinner and in response to an appeal from the OM Club Chairman, we managed to raise R7 000.00 as a contribution to the Old Boys Archive and Museum fund. Western Province Branch Chairman: Mr Charles Phillips 2012 was another splendid year for the Michaelhouse Old Boys’ Club in the fairest Cape, with drinks evenings held separately for the UCT and Stellenbosch students to welcome the first years to the OM Club, and to strengthen ties with older students. The highlight was our annual dinner in August when the Rector addressed almost 80 Cape OMs, for the last time as Rector. The roof of the Wild Fig restaurant was raised near midnight with a rather raucous rendition of the School Hymn followed by various versions of the First XV war cry. Fred Pitout also updated us on OM matters. The following day, a luncheon with wives was thoroughly enjoyed on John Hooper’s Mt Vernon Wine Estate on one of the Cape’s typical cold, wet and wintery days, with vast quantities of John’s specially bottled Michaelhouse Old Boys’ Club 100th AGM Centenary wines being consumed. The Michaelhouse flag continues to fly high in the Western Cape - and thank you to our Cape OMs for their loyal support. United Kingdom Branch Chairman: Mr Graham Rivers-Moore The annual Hilton/Michaelhouse Golf Day was held on 13 May 2012 at Silvermere Golf Course. Many thanks go to Dave James, Chairman of the Club, for hosting the event. The weather was unseasonably kind and the players enjoyed a cool well-earned beverage in the late afternoon sun overlooking the renowned and spectacular 18th hole semi-island green. The day was superbly organized by Nick Rogers and John Don-Wauchope (Hilton). Twenty four old boys in total attended - ten Hilton, 14 Michaelhouse. Following a tense battle the overall result came down to the final hole of the final fourball and Michaelhouse emerged as victors three to two. The individual and pairing results were as follows: First - Brendan Purbrick/Richard Gwilt (Hilton) 39 points Second - Robbie Burroughs/Charles Brinton (Michaelhouse) 38 points Third - Dave James/Chris Whitfield (Michaelhouse) 36 points (on countback) Longest Drive - Luke Parvin (Hilton) Closest to the Pin - Pete Holland (Michaelhouse) We look forward to another successful annual dinner at the RAF Club on Piccadilly, London on 7 December 2012 which is being arranged by Philip Sykes and hosted by Rick Peacock-Edwards. Chairman of the club. Further discussions have taken place to clarify the roles and activities of the UK Branch and the Michaelhouse UK Trust as well as the Michaelhouse Chairman’s Club in relation to fund raising efforts. The Chairman will provide an update to OMs at the annual dinner. The use of social media continues to gather momentum in the UK. I have experienced first-hand how this initiative is leading to greater international mentoring and support for younger OMs embarking on their careers and the response has been fabulous. The UK Branch was sad to see the departure of its Secretary, Nick Rogers, who returned to the Midlands in July with his recently extended family, having had twins! The committee are grateful to Nick for all his support as an office bearer and wish him happiness and success for the future. Rory McKenna has kindly assumed the Secretariat duties in the interim period pending confirmation of his appointment more permanently in December. We were equally sad to see the departure of Rector Guy Pearson at the end of 2012 and wish him the greatest success and happiness in his new post at Bishops Diocesan College. We look forward to welcoming Owen Skae, OM file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] President, in December and hearing more about this and the anticipated arrival in 2013 of incoming Rector, Mr Greg Theron. Lastly, our congratulations to the Michaelhouse Old Boys Club on celebrating its 100lh AGM on 16 June 2012. Zululand Branch Chairman: Mr Richard Chennells A successful Annual General Meeting of the Zululand Branch of the Old Boys’ Club was held at the Empangeni Country Club on 10 October 2012. Andrew Morkel was elected Chairman after Richard Chennells’ three enthusiastic years of leadership of the Branch. The Rector, Guy Pearson and his wife, Mareé, the Old Boys Secretary Fred Pitout, Board Representative John Cheshire together with Old Boys and wives totaling over 40, attended the fine dinner following the AGM. We were also delighted to have representation from Hilton College, Maritzburg College and Kearsney College as spirited guests. After being introduced by Dr Peter Ardington, the Rector gave a fine power point presentation on the School, which is clearly in great shape, and he was thereafter thanked in generous and entertaining terms by the inimitable Dr Donald Clark. The Rector and Mareé were presented with a Zulu basket woven by the acclaimed local artist Angeline Masuku and a rough-hewn umPhafa walking stick by Janie Chennells and Chris James respectively. The Rector and Mrs Pearson were universally thanked for their marvelous contribution to the School and their long standing and happy association with Zululanders. Real success is finding your lifework in the work that you love. ^ ^ David McCullough ■ Old Boys OLD BOYS’ NEWS Akal, Brandon (2001) Joined the Royal Yorkshire Regiment and served in Afghanistan throughout the summer of 2011 to date as a dismounted infantry soldier operating from the back of an armoured vehicle called a Mastiff. Bam, Duncan (2001) Adjutant of the 1STAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) Group. He attended the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and was subsequently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He has completed two tours of Afghanistan. Bird, Stephen (2006) Stephen Bird was selected for the Australian K2 Canoeing Team at the Olympic Games in London. Stephen was awarded his South African School Colours for Sprints while at Michaelhouse. Stephen’s results are listed below: Date Event Rank Mark 11 August 2012 Men’s Kayak Double 6 35.315 200m Final, Final A 10 August 2012 Men’s Kayak Double 200m 4 34.071 Semi-finals, Semi-final 2 10 August 2012 Men’s Kayak Double 4 34.120 200m Heats, Heat 2 Bromley, Sir Rupert (1952) Sir Rupert was recently admitted to the Order of St Simon of Cyrene. At any one time there are only 50 living members of the Order within the Anglican church of Southern Africa. Honoured members are those who have given outstanding service to the Church and its mission. Sir Rupert has been acknowledged for his work in three separate Dioceses and in the Ecclesiastical Law Society. Cassidy, Michael (1954) Michael is a current member of the Order of St Simon of Cyrene, as is Judge John Kumleben (1951). Coetsee, Ferdie (1947) I was at Michaelhouse during the war years and austerity times. We were given mielie pap for breakfast and for supper. In those days Pascoe was a new House, and we were split into dormitories in the Tower and on the southern side we had a cottage down near Balgowan station. We also had Free Bounds where we went out to wander the country side on Sundays and holidays. When I arrived at the School, my voice had not broken and I had been singing in church choirs, in Durban where I grew up. I joined the choir and sang in lots of religious works, Oh for the wings of a Dove, The Hallelujah Chorus etc. I had a friend, Peter Allen who had a very good voice and we sang many duets together. We participated in an Eisteddfod in Pietermaritzburg and won a gold medal. I always had an ambition to be a pilot and during my days as a young man I worked at it, and eventually I achieved file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] my SAAF wings as a pilot. I was trained as a fighter pilot at Langebaan and converted onto Vampire jet fighters and on qualifying, I was posted to Waterkloof in 2 Sqdn, the Flying Cheetahs, who flew the first Supersonic SAAF aircraft. I duly attacked the sound barrier and became one of the first 50 South Africans to break the sound barrier in South Africa. So I was a Mach Buster. I married a very nice girl from Vogels Gold Mine whose father was an engineer on the mine and was next door to Central Flying School, whom I met at our Wings dance. I later joined the SAAF and was posted to AFS Langebaan and then posted to Central Flying School to train as a flying instructor. On my return to the Air School six months later I wondered if the beautiful friendly girl I had met was still around, so I went to her house to see. When I knocked on the door and she saw me, she embraced me with enthusiasm. It wasn’t too long and we were going out, and after about four months I asked her to marry me. To my astonishment she said ‘yes’, without any hesitation. We have now been married for 56 years going on for 57 in November 2012. Jasmin is very talented and loves flowers and we have a peaceful beautiful garden on the farm where we have been living for 53 years. Cooke, Anthony John (1963) Retired in New Zealand. Time spent between Auckland and Dunedin. Would welcome any visiting OMs. Croswell, John (1992) In 2012 John was awarded one of the 40 Under 40 Business Leaders in Seattle, USA. In 2004 he founded a non-profit organization benefiting HIV Orphans in Africa. John lives with his wife and daughter in Seattle, USA. De St Croix, JP (1975) Known as Pierre at Michaelhouse, Now goes by initials JP. Living, surfing, camping and hiking out in San Diego, California since 1989. Doull, Adrian (1961) Returned to Paris after 10 years in Rome. Fourie, Adrian (1978) I attended Michaelhouse in the late 70s and like many youngsters was too immature to appreciate the hidden benefits of the School, for example, the benefits of being part of the Old Boys’ network. However, I did take something with me and that was some encouragement given to me by my English Teacher, Peter Dennyson. His direction and rich background in existentialism partly led to my own search for, and finding, some meaning in life. I would just like to reciprocate and give him something in return that I hope will at least enrich his own understanding of existence and in time might even give some clarity to his take on the works of Kierkegaard, Nietsche, Sartre, Dostoyevsky and his own gem, Camus. Hard to stomach, but in a nutshell, there is truly a grand design and meaning to life, it is not an exercise in absurdity and we can move on confidently from there. Greenwood, Robin (1969) Robin was admitted to the Order of Simon of Cyrene in 2011. He was acknowledged for lengthy and outstanding administrative service to the Church. He continues as a distinguished Diocesan Secretary in the Diocese of Natal. Hadfield, Richard (1999) Obtained his MBA at Oxford, UK in 2011. Harrison, Chris (1959) Now living in Myanmar. Harrison, Christopher (1969) It seems a long time ago that we had to leave the grounds on Sundays and make the long treks to a number of idyllic picnic sites! I remember well having to sing a treble solo in the Chapel, and voefie-sliding in the puddles on the sports grounds! Old Boys H Jay, Colin (1967) Having lived in Northern Rhodesia/Zambia and then Salisbury, Rhodesia, my wife (ex 2006) and I moved to Johannesburg, South Africa in 1979. Since 2005 I have been staying in Northern KwaZulu-Natal and met John Vynne through John Dahl; another Michaelhouse Old Boy. Kimble, Scott (1989) I moved across to New Zealand in 2005 and have not had the opportunity to come back to the School since leaving South Africa. I will be back in South Africa in 2012 on a family holiday and look forward to visiting the School again. file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Landmark, John (1978) Currently an Exploration Geologist working for Anglo American and managing programmes across Brazil. The effort involved in learning Portuguese at this stage in my career takes me back to E and D Block Latin classes a life-time ago and the challenges of understanding verb conjugations! Lumley, Sean (1995) After ten years in the British Army and five years in Corporate London, I have started a business in South West of England (Swindon) providing counter threat solutions; mainly for the UK Government in areas of forensics, intelligence and criminal justice. I do plenty of running and am arguably in the best shape of my life! I live in a little village on the edge of the Cotswolds called Stonehouse and have been married to Julie for nine years. We have a three year old boy, George, and another boy arriving in January. Fingers crossed that both will become the third generations of Lumleys to go to Michaelhouse. Martens, John (1958) Retired for the second time from Neiman Marcus, Beverly Hills in July 2011. Joined Ker & Downey, an award winning luxury travel company specialising in crafting individual custom journeys to worldwide destinations in November 2011. Brand Ambassador based in Los Angeles. Menningke, Francis (2007) Now living in Fort McMurray, Canada. He is involved in the local theatre community. Still relatively new to theatrical work, he realised his passion for the arts about five years ago and has already written and directed an award winning one act play. O’Connell, Mark (1982) Currently living in Shenzhen, China. General Manager of Xili Golf and Country Club. Pennington, Steuart (1968) Steuart was recently honoured by Rhodes University, being awarded the Distinguished Old Rhodian Award. Pennington has worked tirelessly over the past ten years to bring positive change to South Africa. As the Chairman of the Executive Office of the South; The Good News (Pty) Ltd and Africa - the Good News, his contribution to global and local perspectives has been significantly positive. His work has in many ways changed the South African narrative worldwide. His personal mantra: ‘We don’t describe the future we see, we see the future we describe,’ speaks volumes about his approach. Penreath, P F (1936) Bom in 1919 and living as a widower after 60 years of happy marriage. Served in the Western Desert and was eventually discharged as a Major-General in 1970. I was in West under KM Pennington who I thought was first class and greatly admired. Perry, Bruce (1999) I have recently re-located to London for a three year period. Purbrick, Arthur (2005) Attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2009 and joined the Queen’s Royal Lancers, a Brigade Recconaissance Regiment operating a combat vehicle called a Scimitar. Serving in Afghanistan as a troop leader for manned ground reconnoitre missions. Ralfe, Douglas (2005) Desert Hawk 3 Operator. Joined the Royal Artillery as a recruit in 2006 and served in Afghanistan flying an Unmanned Aerial Surveillance (UAS) craft called a Desert Hawk 3 to provide troops on the ground real time aerial footage to assist operations. Rautenbach, Clinton (2003) Currently lecturing and reading for a PhD in Critical Social Psychology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Reynolds, Dylan (2002) Since leaving Michaelhouse I have graduated as a Mechanical Engineer from the University of Cape Town. Whitehead, Rowland (1995) I am currently working as Sports Co-ordinator at Crawford North Coast near Ballito. I have a daughter who is eight. Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if you ’re not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were. ^ ^ David Rockefeller 171 file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] ■ Old Boys 1962 Leavers’ Gaudy in the Old Boys’Club GAUDIES Class of ‘52 Diamond Reunion Written by Stan Sharratt and Murray Armstrong On a wonderful Balgowan day on Saturday 12 May 2012,27 class mates who Matriculated in 1952 assembled at the School to celebrate 60 years since leaving. Some 12 wives accompanied their husbands to make sure they didn’t misbehave. This celebration had been planned starting a year before by Murray Armstrong, John Bisset and Stan Sharratt in Durban ably assisted by Fred Pitout and Michelle Huntley from the OM office. Our requirements to the School were that we wanted to hold the function in the Cricket Pavilion (Gathorne Pavillion), not on Old Boys’ Day, and in the Second Quarter so that we could watch a rugby match as a finalé to the day. Definite replies were received from 30 OMs and amazingly we had replies from Fran Howard in London and George Matsukis in Queensland and with the locals coming from Zambia, Peterhouse, Plettenberg Bay, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Cape Town, Vryheid, Pietermaritzburg, Howick, Rosetta, Canelands, South Coast, Ballito, Kloof and Durban. We were looking forward to a good day. The great day arrived and we started gathering on the steps in front of Screens - some of us had not seen each other for 60 years and we had changed a lot so there were some pauses and queries but once the recognition had been made it was as though it was only yesterday since the last parting. We had tea down at the Centenary Centre and then went back up to the Chapel service which was conducted by Father Fred Pitout and the School Chaplain, Canon Alan Smedley. It was a very enjoyable service and we all sang the School Hymn with great feeling. We were also shown a pictorial presentation of the building of the Chapel. A tour of the School followed with boys from each House taking us through our respective Houses. How things had changed in 60 years - no dormitories for each Block but neat bed sits and A Blockers in their own rooms. On the way to lunch we watched some hockey on the astro turf and arrived at the Pavillion where an attractive table setting had been made. We then discovered that the Chairman of the Board, Mr Gary Ralfe, wanted to address us, so we had to make a space for him to talk after Rector Guy Pearson. We particularly wanted Guy to talk to us, as ten years ago one of his initial functions had been to attend our 50th . He was then a Cack and like Cacks, an unknown entity. He was presented with a Speedo to let him understand that in our day we all, including the Rector, Fred Snell, swam around in the School pool in the ‘all together race.’ He commented that it was a bit small. We were also honoured that the Chairman found it important to talk to us and he told the gathering about the new Rector Greg Theron, who from all reports, is a very capable educator. John Bisset said Grace and the festivities started. Lunch was a very convivial affair and the speeches were very informative. During the excellent meal, between and during the various courses, participants got up, told stories, re-enacted scenes, took photos, chatted to old mates, drank wine and beer and generally had a good time. Erroll Tillett talked about the very strong ‘53 First XV following on from the not so strong team of ‘52; and he was reminded by Fran Howard that this was a ’52 function. Mike Lashbrooke told one of his involved and amusing stories and Murray gave Stan a pair of Second Team socks to remind him where he had started. Doug Starling’s claimed record of the most cuts in the first term ever received by a Cack still stands. We stood in honour of all those who had gone before us and Stan read messages from those who were unable to attend. Suddenly we realised that the rugby started at 3pm not at 3.30pm, so we moved over at great speed to Meadows, well as fast as we could, and watched Michaelhouse beating College. This was unheard of in our day so it was a great achievement even though it was only by three points in a very exciting match. An interesting occurrence took place at half time - a thunder storm, complete with lightning, hail and pouring rain came along and the game was held off for half an hour before being restarted. Maybe that’s what put the College boys off their stride. The time in the Old Boys’ Club after the game was spent catching up and looking forward. It was generally agreed the we must have a 65th, maybe a 70th is a bit optimistic to plan for at this stage! It is very interesting that a group of people who knew each other well many years ago and who have generally not had much contact can come together for a gathering and relate one to another without any effort. Is this the strength and spirit of Michaelhouse? We say yes! The following were present: Murray Armstrong, Derek Chapman, Jack Crutchley, Doug Moffatt, Chris Perry, Viv Biggs, Fran Howard, Mike file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Lashbrooke, Mike Longmore, Doug Starling, John Bisset, Peter Evennett, John Greenacre, Errol Tillett, Mike Beckett, Chris Burger, Rick Cottrell, Tony Houston, Des Quin, Dave Stainton, Randal Wells, Denzil Bradley, Justin van Maasdyk, Michael Meijer, George Matsukis, Stan Sharratt and Dave Truscott. ROLL OF HONOUR As ratified on Old Boys’ Day 2012 Akerman, P A 1948-2011 Atkinson, I) 1925-2012 Brown, C R W 1985-2011 Buckland, R 1933-2011 Butler, Mrs B 1928-2011 Button, T 1926-2012 Burrows, J 1935-2011 Campbell, I) 1938-2012 Clark, H Past Chaplain Colvin, M 1954-2012 Harris, S 1979-2006 Hawke, E J T 1940-2007 Lawton, P 1925 - 2012 Lissaman, P 1931 -2012 Macaulay, Hon J B QC 1906-2012 McDougall, G 1934-2012 Miles, R 1978-2012 Murray, J 1929-2012 Pickles, B 1918-2011 Poynton, A J 1921-2012 Tucker, D 1951 -2011 Smithyman, M J 1945-2011 Smyth, G F P 1935-2011 Spiller, J 1932-2012 Swart, G 1959-2012 Wilkinson, J 1934-2012 Vynne, J 1942 - 2012 Old Boys ■ OBITUARIES MARK COLVIN Born 1959, Died 2012 Michaelhouse 1972-1975 Written by his wife, Karen Colvin The sudden and unexpected death of my husband and friend Mark Colvin on 31 January 2012 at our home on the Bluff left an irreplaceable skills gap at Maromi Health Research (MHR). ‘People like Mark cannot be picked off a shelf,’ said his friend Cherie Cawood. As founder and director of MHR he was the energy and thinking behind valuable epidemiological research in Southern Africa and the rest of the continent. With the consent of Professor Salim S. Abdool Karim, Director: CAPRISA (Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa), and Professor Alan Whiteside, Director: HEARD (Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division), Mark’s research notes and papers will be archived by HEARD. Mark’s work at the Medical Research Council and elsewhere from Cape Town to Juba in South Sudan, brought him into contact with so many people, all of whom enriched his practice as he endeavour to curtail the scourge of contagious and fatal diseases. He has left behind me, my son Luke (18) who is studying mechanical engineering at UCT and my daughter Liana (14) who is in grade 9 at Thomas More College. He has two older sisters and an older brother (he was the youngest of four). MURRAY, JOHN Born 1929, Died 2012 Michaelhouse 1941-1946 Supplied by The Times (International Edition) John Murray had spent his life in South Africa, where he had made a long and successful career as a land surveyor. So nothing had prepared him for the sudden acquisition of a Highland title and a dukedom at the age of 67. But when it file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] fell to him, as a distant cousin, to take on the mantle as 11th Duke of Atholl, inheriting a string of Scottish earldoms into the bargain, and finding himself at the head of the only private army in Europe, he did not shirk it. Every year, he travelled from his home in South Africa’s Northern Province to don the kilt, bonnet and uniform of Colonel of the Atholl Highlanders, and take the salute at the annual parade of this army of part-time soldiers, whose role as ambassadors, tourist attraction, and military anomaly is as highly valued on tours abroad as it is in its native Perthshire. He made it clear that for all the romance and glamour associated with the title, he was at heart a South African and not a Scot. ‘I respect and honour Scotland as the land of my origins,’ he said, ‘but I would never want to live there. I am a South African and not a Scotsman. My heart and my mind are in this country.’ Nevertheless, he performed his Highland duties so well that local people called him ‘the Popular Duke’, while he insisted that everyone should refer to him simply as John. fl Old Boys John Murray was born in Johannesburg in 1929, the son of a Royal Artillery Officer, Major George Murray and his wife, Joan. He grew up in the mountains of The Downs, in the Wolkberg, where his parents encouraged in him a love of nature. He completed his high schooling at Michaelhouse where he was forced to do an extra year of school, as he was too young to be allowed to leave, although he had completed his exams at the age of 17. He was an accomplished cricketer and amateur poacher, being once beaten for being the gun bearer in a successful buck-hunting expedition in the School grounds. Going to the universities of the Witwatersrand and Rhodes, he read engineering and also met and married his wife, Peggy Leach, a reflexologist, in December 1956. Their marriage was a long and happy one. His chosen profession as land surveyor led him into remote areas of southern Africa where he left, unwittingly, countless modest monuments to himself in the form of the trig beacons which he built, as well as roads and dams. After retirement, he and Peggy lived quietly in the family home in the small village of Haenertsburg in the mountains of South Africa’s Northern Province. He leaves his wife, a daughter, and two sons. He is succeeded in title by his son Bruce, Marquis of Tullibardine. POYNTON, ARTHUR JOHN ‘JACK’ Bom 1921, Died 2012 Michaelhouse 1935- 1938 Jack Poynton died peacefully on 23 January, 2012 at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Canada. Jack was born on 3 May 1921 in Durban, to Thomas and Gladys Poynton. The family home was in Eshowe, where he grew up with his older brother Rex, and younger sister Eleanor. Both Rex and Jack attended and graduated from Michaelhouse and Jack continued his education at the University of Witwatersrand, where he graduated with a degree in chemistry. With the outbreak of World War II, he joined the SAAF and in June of 1943 received his pilots’ wings. It was while in England during the war, that he met his future wife, who was an ambulance driver with the Canadian Red Cross. They were married in Toronto, Canada on 3 May 1947. Jack continued with his education, and in 1952 graduated from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology with his doctorate in Chemical Engineering. He spent most of his business career of 28 years with Shell Canada. After his retirement from Shell, he started his next career of 30 years as a volunteer at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. His dedication, service, and achievement were recognised by the Ontario Provincial Government and a medal of recognition was presented to him by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Gardening was a life-long passion of his and he became something of a self taught carpenter, plumber and electrician. Jack and his wife also enjoyed travel, and together they visited over 50 countries The funeral service for Jack Poynton was held at the Veterans Chapel at Sunnybrook, because being a veteran of the SAAF had always been important to him. And for a hymn during the service, the pianist played the melody of Stars of the Morning, because that too had special meaning, a reminder of a school he had long ago been a part of. PICKLES, BERNARD DENNY Born 1918, Died 2011 Michaelhouse 1933-1935 Written by Michael Denny Bernard Pickles passed away peacefully on Wednesday, 30 November 2011, just four weeks after his 93rd birthday. 174 Old Boys H He was born in Germiston in 1918. His father was a Yorkshireman and his mother was born in Australia. A product of file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] P.T.S. and Michaelhouse, Bernard was studying Civil Engineering at Cambridge University when the Second World War broke out. He immediately returned to South Africa to do his bit. He enlisted in the Navy, and gained a commission with the rank of Sub-Lieutenant. He was drafted to HMSAS Southern Maid, a whaler converted to perform anti-submarine warfare. He was the anti- submarine officer in charge of search and destroy functions. Whilst on patrol in the Mediterranean in the company of another ship, the HMSAS Protea, an Italian submarine, the Ondina, unexpectedly surfaced quite close to them. The two ships engaged the submarine, first with depth charges, and then with gun fire, eventually destroying it. For his part in this action, Bernard received a Mention in Despatches. He returned to South Africa, where he gained promotion to Lieutenant, and was given command of ML 1203, which was engaged in a seaward defence role in Cape Town. On the cessation of hostilities, he returned to Cambridge, where he obtained a Blue for rowing, and his degree. His specialisation was Organisation and Methods, and it was in this capacity that he was engaged by London’s Guy’s Hospital. With that project completed he returned to South Africa, where he was employed by Eskom. He was involved in the construction of new power stations, two of which were at Colenso and Worcester. In his own words ‘he got tired of getting concrete on his shoes’ and decided to return to his specialisation - Organization and Methods. He was employed by Royal Dutch Shell in this capacity, and travelled extensively in Africa and overseas in the course of his duties. Towards the end of his time with Shell he headed their operations in the then South West Africa for a period of 18 months. On his retirement from Shell, he decided to put the experience gained during his travels to good use, and opened a travel agency: Rondebosch Travel. Soon more agencies followed, until there were six, the final one being Strand Travel. As the years passed he sold the agencies off, and settled down to enjoy his retirement. He had also been a member of the prestigious Kelvin Grove Club for almost sixty years. Bernard was never married, and was the sole surviving member of his immediate family. He is survived by his long- time friend and companion, Stephanie Largier. His remains were interred in the family burial plot at St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Lidgetton, near Howick. BLAIKIE, NEVILLE CHARLES Bom 1933, Died 2012 Michaelhouse 1945-1947 Written by his nephew, Sean Reynolds Neville was born on 15 October 1933. He attended Clifton in Durban from 1939 and was one of the first six boys to be transferred, age 9, to Clifton Nottingham Road when the school was founded in 1942. He subsequently attended Michaelhouse from 1945 to 1947. He passed away peacefully in September 2012 just over a month short of his 79th birthday, in Sweetwaters, Pietermaritzburg, where he was living. BURROWS, JOHN M Born 1935, Died 2011 Michaelhouse 1950-1952 Written by his brother, Paul (East 1950-1953) John was bom in York in the United Kingdom in 1935. He lived in Salisbury, Rhodesia and later Harare, Zimbabwe. He attended Michaelhouse from 1950 to 1952. John passed away at the age of 76 in Tomball.TX where he was an inspector for the FAA, after a long career in the aviation business. NOTT, CHARLES Born 1952, Died 2012 Michaelhouse 1967-1969 Written by Chris Taylor Charles died from a fall at home in Somerset West, November 2012, aged 60. Charlie to his contemporaries, he was all his life a man of God, strong in character and in his faith. After graduating with a BSc Agric from Pietermaritzburg, Charlie joined Bayer Agrochem in Johannesburg, and spent his corporate life there. With the children independent, Charlie came home to Sheila one day with a massive Harley-Davidson cruiser and announced his immediate retirement from the corporate world. They moved to Somerset West, where Charlie grew a huge beard, covered his arms with tattoos and settled into a new role as patriarch of his family and a prominent member of the Harley Davidson Club of Cape Town and the Desolation Riders, which he founded. Charles was held in high regard by all who knew him as a man of great integrity. His funeral was well attended, the Cape Town Harley Club gave Charlie a cavalcade, a good 100 bikes or more with a police escort, all the regalia, plus a growl you could hear from ten kilometres away. Wonder if they’ve got bikes in heaven? Charlie didn’t come across file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] as the harp-playing kind. There was a man. GUINESS, JEREMY Born 1931, Died 2012 Michaelhouse 1945-1948 Written by his son, Tim Though it seems like a small consolation, I would like to start my short summary of Dad’s life with something he mentioned to many of us here towards the end and I quote his exact words: ‘I have had a wonderful life.’ Dad was bom in Port Elizabeth on 8 May 1931. Dad’s family moved from South Africa to England shortly after he was bom and he went to school there until the outbreak of World War II. His father was sent back to South Africa with instructions to buy the entire South African wool clip for the British Government for the war effort. After the family moved back to South Africa, fl Old Boys Dad and his brother attended Western Province School, initially as day boys and for the last two years, as boarders. After preparatory school, Dad followed his brother Mike to boarding school in Natal, at Michaelhouse some 1 500 km from his home in Cape Town. The trip, though very long, was often a lot of fun with no parents or monitors present. The boys only went home twice a year as the journey to school took three days and two nights each way. He enjoyed his time at Michaelhouse and was a reasonably gifted student, a fine rugby player and sportsman. Only a few months ago he bequeathed a large sum of money to the School to establish a fund to enable poor but gifted students to attend Michaelhouse and receive the same standard of education that he had benefited from throughout his life. Dad was a firm believer that a great education had equipped him to make the most of the opportunities life had presented and wanted others to develop those skills through education. After Matriculating, Dad headed off to England and worked with one of his uncles at a Guinness Mahon Bank branch. After banking, he entered the wool trade and trained as a wool classer, working as a wool buyer for Dreyfus, the firm his father managed. Wool buying took him to England, Germany, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.While working in Australia, Dad met his first wife Heather. They were married in 1955 and I was born in Wellington, New Zealand a year later. Dad realised that the wool trade was in decline and had been for a number of years and he changed careers, joining a fledging firm of insurance brokers: Sedgwick Collins, an English firm that was setting up in Australia which was to thrive from the early 60s. Australia was alive with major construction projects at the time and Sedgwick’s specialised in arranging and underwriting insurance for large construction jobs. When Dad left Sedgwick’s in 1972, there were over 100 employees with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and New Zealand. As Managing Director, he spent a lot of time flying between offices and over to the UK, and less and less time at home. In 1972 he had bought a 40 foot motor sailer and just wanted to get away from it all. After leaving Sedgwick’s, Dad started to look around for something to do and after a visit to the west, it was decided to buy 12 acres of land running along the beach front at Eagle Bay, about 200 km south of Perth. Locals frequently assured Dad that he had made a big mistake buying Eagle Bay as the land was hopeless for grazing and no use for anything else. He also bought the Dunsborough Store, outside Eagle Bay at a time when the South West of Western Australia was an undiscovered paradise soon to blossom as a number one holiday destination. The Dunsborough Store sold everything, was a post office and Commonwealth Bank agency. When the tourists came down you had to queue up to get into the place! It was a gold mine and kept Dad busy until he sold it after two years to take some time out (the original reason he had moved out of Sydney). The above was interspersed with a piggery, a photo lab, overseas and interstate trips, and Dad also served two terms on the Busselton Shire Council as a councilor. After 24 years. Eagle Bay was a totally different place to the one Dad had moved to. It was the favorite weekender spot for Perth’s millionaires! And apart from Dad’s 12 acres and a beach front reserve, it now had a winery, store and houses built up all the hillsides. The worthless grazing property was sold and a new project started at Dunsborough. Dad was always trying to cross deserts in Mini-makes or some other unsuitable vehicle, so decided to design and build the ultimate 4x4 camper van based on a six tonne truck. He crossed Australia numerous times with his van and covered a lot of Australia before finding Magnetic Island after visiting his adopted daughter, Jill and her family at Mission Beach in Queensland. 176 Old Boys Ef file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] Dad eventually moved to Magnetic Island in North Queensland, about as far as you can get from Dunsborough and Western Australia. Three years on the island was about all he could stand of the heat and humidity in January, and he decided to move back to civilisation again, rediscovering Tea Gardens, where he was an active member of the community up until his first collapse in August 2011. With the help of friends and family, the staff at John Hunter Private Hospital, and sheer determination, he made an amazing recovery until he was diagnosed with myelo displastic syndrome earlier this year. Dad believed that the best way to meet people was to get involved, and he enjoyed croquet, helping with organising the art show, helping with school reading programmes and the friendship and community spirit of Rotary. He was never afraid to offer help and disliked petty officials. He was a great dog lover and many of the photos of him have his four legged friends in them. He delighted in taking dogs with him on his various expeditions across Australia and was constantly annoyed and amazed at the lengths different government agencies would go to make it hard to travel with a dog. Thanks, Dad, for making my life interesting and I mean that in a kind way. MACAULAY, JOHN BURMAN (THE HON.Q.C) Bom 1906, Died 2012 Michaelhouse 1923-1924 Written by his son, Alasdair John (Jock or Mac, to his friends), whose exceptionally long life and 105th birthday were honoured by congratulatory letters from the Rector and the Old Boys - and from Her Majesty, the Queen, died in Cambridge on 27 January. Surely one of the longest living OMs in the School’s history! Mentally alert and in reasonable health until the last eight months of his life, he attributed his longevity to a simple life-style, daily exercises and walks into advanced old age, and a somewhat frugal diet. Following his wife, Effie’s death 19 years earlier, he moved from the south coast of England to Cambridge to be near his second son, Ranald (Michaelhouse, 1950-54). Loved and admired by a host of friends and family, he had a constant stream of visitors, many of whom were present at the remarkable celebration of his 100th birthday in 2006. By 2008, walking had become difficult, but with typical resilience he drove himself around in an electric scooter accompanied by Ranald - a favourite destination being the River Cam nearby. There he would watch the college eights training for the May Bumps. Similarly, when his eyesight dimmed, he took to listening to audio - books of Trevelyan histories, novels by George Elliot and Walter Scott, and John Stott’s classic, Basic Christianity. And so, a 105 year life that had begun in Vryheid in the Colony of Natal during the reign of Edward VII, ended in the Jubilee year of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. By temperament, Jock was retiring and never one for self promotion. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, and friendships made were enduring. His and Effie’s homes were places of warm hospitality not only for their friends but also for those they met in need of encouragement and a helping hand in adversity. Leaving Michaelhouse with a first class Matric Certificate, Jock qualified BA LLB at Natal University with Academic Honours. He joined his father’s firm, Macaulay and Riddell in Ladysmith, but in 1934 switched to the Bar in Pietermaritzburg. Devoted to his chosen profession, the rigors of practice invariably involved long hours and limited holidays, a way of life gladly embraced. He served the profession as a member of the Bar Council of Natal and as a delegate at meetings of the Bar Council of South Africa. Following service in the South African Army in North Africa and Italy for the duration of the War, he resumed practice at the Bar and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1953. He held periodic appointments as Acting Judge of the Natal Provincial Division of the Supreme Court. A strong sense of justice and abhorrence for the National Party Government’s legislative and regulatory interference with the principles of the Rule of Law, led to active political opposition and involvement with the ex-servicemen’s Torch Commando and in the founding of the short lived Federal Party of Natal led by a fellow OM, the late Derek Heaton-Nichols (1932-1935). His co-authorship, with the late Dr. Edgar Brookes of Natal University, of the book Civil Liberties in South Africa, chronicling the panoply of laws that infringed the Rule of Law, widely acclaimed in South Africa and overseas, was to be his valediction to South Africa In 1957, aged 51, he emigrated to Southern Rhodesia with Effie and their seven year old son, John. Alasdair (1948-51) and Ranald were then at Cambridge University. It was a move that demanded much courage but it was amply rewarded. He commenced practice at the Bar in Salisbury (Harare) and was appointed Queen’s Counsel - and the next 26 years there proved to be the most fulfilling of his career. His experience and gifted legal mind were quickly file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] recognised with appointments as president of a large number of judicial and semijudicial tribunals such as the Fiscal Court, the Income Tax Court of Appeal and the Patents and Trade Marks Court. In 1968 he was elevated to the Bench of the High Court of Rhodesia and held office until 1976, when he retired. He was subsequently recalled to serve as Chairman of the Electoral Commission which determined that the election that ushered in the first black led Government of Bishop Abel Muzorewa, held under the internally negotiated constitutional settlement, was free and fair. Increasing signs of political interference with the independence of the Judiciary by Dr. Robert Mugabe’s Government after its 1980 accession to power following the Lancaster House constitutional agreement and elections, was a signal to Jock that there was worse to come. Accordingly, in 1983, at the age of 77, he and Effie left the country they had come to love, and settled in England, where two of their three sons live. There they spent ten very happy years in their home in the village of Milford-on-Sea facing the Isle of Wight, until her death. He is survived by Alasdair, Ranald, and John, who was at Peterhouse under Rector Fred Snell. MCDOUGALL, ROBERT GRAHAM Born 1934, Died 2012 Michaelhouse 1948-1951 It is my privilege to pay tribute to my father, Robert Graham McDougall - who has always been known by his second name, Graham. He was born in England to his British father and French mother in April 1934. In due course his father’s responsibilities as a younger son in a family business brought the family to Johannesburg. With the outbreak of World War II his father went north to fight Germans while his mother moved south to Underberg in KwaZulu-Natal with my father and his two younger brothers. From the tender age of six he was expected to assume responsibilities as the man of the house and to care for his brothers while his mother learnt to farm in that beautiful but unforgiving environment. From there he was sent into the then harsh Spartan world of boys’ boarding schools at first Cordwalles then Michaelhouse. From these ■ Old Boys experiences he learnt to become independent and self reliant, work hard, take responsibility, develop a stoical stiff upper lip and have great courage and determination. This was a world that taught him to mask an underlying deeply compassionate and sensitive nature with a tough steely exterior. These were all traits and habits that would play a significant role and define his character throughout his life literally to the very end. Although not a stellar scholar, his school results were good enough to secure him a place at Cambridge University. This was a time that opened up new opportunities for him. Firstly, a summer vacation spent driving and repairing combine harvesters ignited a passion that drove decisions he made 20 years later. Secondly, his outlook and horizons were broadened by a four hundred mile horseback trek over the Andes Mountains in Ecuador with a colleague Geoff Alderson. The trip received slightly more than passing coverage in the 1958 edition of The Horseman’s Yearbook. I quote: ‘the party always occasioned much interest from the Ecuadoreans: the primus stove and the size of McDougall ranking as prize exhibits.’ Elsewhere in the article they describe him as a 17 stone colossus. On completion of his studies he returned to the farm which he would develop and run for the next 40 years. He immediately proceeded to convert the farm from pigs, sheep and potatoes to dairy, pasture grasses and maize. He soon established himself in the community becoming an active member of the flying club and was well known though probably with some trepidation to the local pub landlords - his fire breathing skills were admired by many. For a man who regularly stated that ‘whenever I see a horse, I thank God for the internal combustion engine’, it is ironic that not only the greatest adventure of his life in Ecuador but also the most significant meeting of his life would be associated with horses - for at a horse gymkhana early in 1962, he met Alannah Briscoe the daughter of a local farmer and within six months they were married. They formed a marriage and partnership that has endured strongly for almost 50 years. It was a testament to his love for her that on Thursday he waited for her to come to visit him, greeted her, smiled tenderly at her then lay back and died peacefully knowing she was there and that he had seen her one more time. As a farmer he believed in putting more into the land than he took out and as a family man he was determined to provide his four children with the best possible education. To achieve these ends he stopped flying and fire breathing while expanding and innovating his farming activities. For almost 20 years he together with my mother worked tirelessly to generate sufficient cash flow to cover private school and university fees for their family - depriving themselves of luxuries such as electrical power in the home and holidays to achieve this. His interests and activities were not limited to farming. He played an active role in local farming and conservation bodies, was a sought after speaker at weddings and other occasions, was fascinated by all things mechanical especially steam engines, had a hunger for knowledge on a wide range of subjects and a passion for organ music -being an file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] accomplished organist himself. It was not unusual to see him rush into the house from a day of hard work on the farm covered in anything from oil and tractor grease to cow dung and blood to emerge 30 minutes later scrubbed and clean ready to race to the village to lead the choir practice. After choir practice anyone passing the church would be treated to an impromptu organ concert as he practiced hymns, and the works of the Baroque masters - especially Handel, Clarke and Bach. I remember also his steely glares from the organ stool at the preacher when the sermon was, in his view, too long or incoherent - conveying a silent but unambiguous message to get to the point and finish. Old Boys ■ As I said, he was a man of considerable independence, self reliance, courage and stoicism. These attributes helped him in many aspects of his life, but in one area contributed to his downfall. That being the management of his health. As a strong independent person who appeared almost impervious to physical pain and who despised weakness - particularly in himself - he rarely surrendered to ill health. Although this served him well in dealing with colds and ‘flu, it was no match for the ravages of diabetes. He would face each successive amputation with the courage and stiff upper lip that had been built into his character during his formative years and schooling. Through all this he never surrendered to self pity and only on the eve of his death did he concede that ‘he wasn’t very well.’ Tragically, as his illness attacked his body impacting amongst other things his mobility, sight and hearing, he withdrew from his community roles and social life becoming almost totally reclusive in recent years. It has been my privilege and pleasure to pay tribute to this complex, courageous man who now rests in peace free of the pain and disease that wracked his body while his mind remained sharp and alert until his final breath. MOYNIHAN, DAVID Born 1924, Died 2012 Michaelhouse 1938-1941 Written by his brother, Patrick (Michaelhouse 1943 - 1946) David arrived in South Africa with his parents and elder sister, Joy, and younger brother, Patrick on New Year’s Day 1930. The family soon settled on their new farm, Eastry, in the Eastern Free State. David grew up close to nature on the farm and this had a profound effect on his life and character. Whenever possible, throughout his career he would break away on some hiking trail with family and friends. David was sent to Michaelhouse (Founders) from Cordwalles in 1938 and matriculated in 1941. In early 1942 at the age of 18, he joined the South African Defence Force (SAPPERS). Before the end of 1942 he was sent up north to Italy, where he spent the rest of the war in the South African Division, repairing roads and bridges, as they advanced northwards. Returning from war, David worked in the irrigation engineering field with Stewards and Lloyds, and later as an independent contractor in the Nelspruit district. In 1953, he married Judy, who was his constant companion and support through a long and happy life. Together they developed holiday resorts near Nelspruit and in Graskop. As a result of his contraction of hepatitis, David became absorbed in the study of healthy living and affected many friends and acquaintances with his enthusiasm for health, through exercise and diet. Another passion was his hobby of restoring veteran cars - when he wasn’t digging in his organic vegetable garden, or hiking a challenging trail, he had his head under the bonnet of his ancient DKW. In their later years, David and Judy were strengthened in their faith through the rural lifestyle of a remarkable man - the evangelist, Angus Buchan. David died peacefully in his sleep on 8 August 2012, at 88 years of age. He leaves his devoted wife, Judy, son Chester, who lives in Sydney, his sister, Joy (90) brother, Patrick (84) and son Alvin, from a previous marriage. He is fondly loved and missed by all of us. 179 ■ Old Boys SAVILLE, ANTHONY ERIC STAFFORD Bom 1919, Died 2012 Michaelhouse 1934- 1936 Written by close friend, Dr Donald Clark Tony was bom in Amatikulu and attended Durban Preparatory School (DPHS). He moved to Zululand when he was four years old, where he enjoyed life on the family farms in Ntumeni. He went to Michaelhouse from 1934 until 1936 and was in Founders House. After school, he attended Cedara Agricultural College and when the war broke out he joined the Umvoti Mounted Rifles Regiment and was wounded and taken prisoner in Italy and spent three years in a German Prisoner of War Camp. His future wife, Mary, was in the British Army as a WAAF and was entertained by Tony’s mother in Ntumeni during file:///Volumes/...ichaelhouse%20Archives/Michaelhouse%20Chronicle/ITEM2012/Fully%20Processed%2018%20MB/TIFF/Text/ITEM2012.txt[7/3/14 2:16:17 PM] the war. Tony’s mother liked Mary and suggested that she and Tony should meet after the war in London, which they did at Fortnum and Mason. They married in Zimbabwe where Tony was running the Saville ranches and then they moved back to Ntumeni in Zululand where Tony ran the Ntumeni Mill farms and where their three daughters, Angela, Susan and Julia were born. Tony was a dear man with a quiet and reserved personality and was loved by all his friends and was generously anonymous to those in need. He led a full life fraught at times with traumatic experiences, but always came up smiling. He did not deserve such a tragic and horrifying end, having been robbed and shot in his home in Eshowe. ACUTT, TREVOR CHRISTOPHER Bom 1959, Died 2012 Michaelhouse 1973-1976 Written by Anthony Hewat Trevor tragically lost a four year battle with cancer in May 2012 at the relatively young age of 53 having spent the past 17 years in the United States. Trevor always valued his South African roots and fondly remembered his school days at Clifton (Durban), Michaelhouse and Durban University. In the midst of a momentously painful battle with cancer, he honoured a promise to his children to return to South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. I last saw him through binoculars across the Moses Mabhida stadium, in the shadow of the Durban Country Club where we had shared many battles of golf and repartee during our more carefree years. I had the honour of knowing Trevor first at Clifton and then later for four years of shared lives and dormitories at Michaelhouse and those epic golfing holiday battles. In all those years I cannot remember a harsh or harmful word. He was indeed a man without the need for long sentences, mean attitude or frills. He was what you saw - firm, strong, wiry, resolute and constant. He was fast and accurate as a slinging pace bowler, all knees and elbows and spirit flashing down the wing. That right hand crept into the occasional wild hook off the tee, enough to test but never overcome his admirable patience. However it was as a totally loyal and unshakeable friend that he earned the respect and admiration of his class mates across Natal. A fine gentleman indeed. He acquired expertise in SAP accounting systems and this is what induced Price Waterhouse to offer him a post in the USA in 1995, setting up home with his wife, Meryl and children Brendon and Jenna in Los Altos, some 80km south of San Francisco. Trevor faced his battle with cancer with a strength of character, a directness and fortitude that we should no doubt have expected. He stepped up contact with his old friends using social media, gathering up and nurturing old relationships on Facebook and email, including compiling a comprehensive email address database of his Clifton vintage with a view to arranging perhaps a final get together that never materialised. He corresponded with other sufferers as he analysed and researched his own condition and shared his fight and spirit with his friends as he did so. When he was forced to retire from IBM he stepped this up a level but kept his intent clear to beat the scourge by asking to stay on in the IBM Golf Club. Sadly it was not a fight even his spirit could sustain. We miss you Trevor and will always remember you. Class of 2012 ■ 181 ■ Class of 2012 Armour for life These are my number ones. The blazer and tie that I wear each day as a pupil at Michaelhouse. To you they might seem like simple clothing and adornment. But they are really much more than that. Though they are light, they carry weight. The weight of integrity. The weight of humility, compassion, courage and understanding. They are my identity and my armour. They clothe and protect me.They give me the courage to learn, to discover, to embrace the opportunities that life will present to me. And when I eventually leave my school I will continue to wear them inside of me. My number ones might appear as a simple blazer and tie - but they are the makings of man. Boys today. Men of principle tomorrow. Balgowan • KwaZulu-Natal • 3275 • South Africa Telephone +27 33 234 1153 • Facsimile +27 33 234 4611 [email protected] • www.michaelhouse.org

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