AUSTRALIAN COMBINED SCHOOLS MUSIC FESTIVAL HSC ART EXHIBITION WEIGALL SPORTSGROUND A NEW PLAYGROUND AT ST IVES ISSUE 10 SGS

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 1 SYDNEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL MAGAZINE ISSUE 10, SUMMER 2019

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Every effort has been made to acknowledge the source of images used within this publication.

3 Jottings 32 Classics Tour to Sicily and Southern Italy 10 A brilliant career From the Archives: 12 Australian Combined Schools 35 Weigall Sportsground Music Festival 14 Year Six takes on Dr Seuss! 38 From the Headmaster 16 Musical Notes 41 A tribute to Murray Guest 18 HSC Art Exhibition makes 42 Old Sydneians in the an impression Second World War 21 Print collection celebrates 44 A new natural playground new acquisitions at St Ives ADMINISTRATION: Dimetra Skondras-Silva 22 Japan Rugby World Cup Tour 46 Grammar Generations PROOF READERS: UK Cricket Tour Dr Richard Malpass 24 Hansel and Gretel 49 Sharon Ditmarsch 26 Winter Sport Round up 50 Business Society EDITING, DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: Harvest Partners 29 Edgecliff Library: A new chapter 51 Postcards 30 HSC Major Design Projects 54 The Ties That Bind 2 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 JOTTINGS

The rubbish audit in action Grammar Goes Green

On Thursday 5 September, 15 boys from Kindergarten to Year Six at Edgecliff participated in a rubbish audit. These boys have volunteered to be part of a sustainability club called Grammar Goes Green. Through this club the boys have had the opportunity to raise concerns that they have in regard to the school’s rubbish. Our first priority was to ensure that all boys, and masters, were correctly using the blue paper recycling bins that we currently have on site. To do this, each day Grammar Goes Green members from each class would empty the classroom paper bins into larger bins located around the School, ensuring that only paper and cardboard are present in those bins. The boys, however, wanted to make bigger changes. The major question raised by each boy in the club was why do we not recycle everything that is recyclable, such as hard plastic? This prompted the need to do a rubbish audit. The boys wanted to investigate the volume of recycled items that were actually ending up in our landfill bins. The boys were shocked and surprised with the volume of rubbish that could actually be recycled. They are now very keen to make further steps towards changing our blue paper bins to yellow mixed recycling bins, in order to limit Edgecliff’s landfill waste.

Apology by Sydney Grammar School to one of its former students

Sydney Grammar School wishes to apologise to one forward. It remains truly grateful that he found the of its former students who was the victim of serious strength, in impossible circumstances, to ensure that sexual abuse by a teacher at the School. other students were kept safe from Williams and On 9 May 2017, a former teacher of the School, that she was brought to justice for her misconduct. Ms Bronwen Williams, pleaded guilty to offences The School is proud of the brave example he set in of serious sexual abuse in 2016 against a student reporting the sexual abuse, preventing there being attending the School. By law, his name cannot be further victims, and it encourages all victims of abuse published. The District Court of NSW convicted to report it. The abuse of male students by female Williams in early 2018 of a number of offences, and teachers is just as serious, and damaging, as the sentenced her to a full-time prison term, which she abuse of female students by male teachers, and it is has now served. regrettable that this was not acknowledged in some of The abuse took place during 2016 after an the reporting of this case. extended period of inappropriate conduct towards Williams’ offending has caused the School to the student by Ms Williams. This had, and continues review its policies and procedures, which did not to have, a profoundly harmful impact on the student. prevent or detect the abuse against its former student. Williams’ conduct was reported by the student at For that, and for what occurred, the School is deeply the end of 2016. The School acknowledges that this sorry, and apologises unreservedly to its former took enormous bravery on his part, and respectfully student and his family. records its admiration of his courage in coming

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 3 JOTTINGS

Edgecliff Artists in Residence Book Week at College Kerrie Poliness was Edgecliff’s Artist in Residence during Term II. She worked with each grade Street to create large geometric chalk drawings on the playground. The making of these drawings, using large pieces of chalk attached to sticks, was captured on camera using time-lapse From the 19 – 23 August Sydney Grammar photography and on video by Mr McPhee’s drone and shown on Open Day. celebrated Book Week 2019 with literary In Term III, Edgecliff’s Artists in Residence were Philjames and Jordan Richarson. Just in time flair! The boys arrived on Monday to for Fathers’ Day, Philjames helped the boys transform photographs of their fathers into super an array of Flash Fiction all around the heroes and villains. With artist Jordan Richardson, each boy painted a portrait of his teacher school – short stories that can be read using red and green oil paints. in mere minutes – and were quickly CAUGHT READING right out in the open. The library hosted some casual book club events where masters shared their favourite books and own journey to reading. We heard from Ms Johnson in Maths, Mr Campbell from PE and Mr Johnston from History, and the horror from most boys that their masters read for pleasure was palpable! Boys were encouraged to find their true literary love with Blind Date with a Book or take advantage of the staff and pupil recommendations all around the School. Form I had a Mindful Moment with their wide reading book of choice and participated in a competition designing a poster for their favourite book. The consensus from all at College Street is that Book Week was a hit: it sure got everyone talking about reading and, hopefully, inspired to pick up something new. After all, Harry’s life would have been very different if Hermione didn’t read.

Above: Geometric chalk drawings on the playground Right: Jordan Richardson supervises portrait painting

English Master Ms Robinson’s classroom door, covered in her favourite books

4 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 National Science Week Ben Sweeney (II) with Topology

On 15 August, Science Beyond the Curriculum was privileged to host a lecture by Associate Professor Tri Phan as part of National Science Week. Professor Phan is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Garvan Institute and Conjoint Associate Professor at UNSW. During his lecture in Big School, Professor Phan set his audience the challenge of coming up with an idea for the creation of a universal influenza vaccine. This has eluded some of the brightest minds in science due to the speed at which the influenza virus mutates. Professor Phan was able to simplify the essence of this extraordinarily complex field of research for his audience in less than an hour, all while educating us on his work using two-photon microscopy to examine the immune systems of living organisms. As such, all who were in attendance were lucky enough to enjoy an intellectually stimulating evening that shone a light on one of the greatest medical challenges our society faces. James Boyd-Clark (V)

Right: Bob Wagner with Ransford Elsley

James Brew (I) winner of Artology fanfare competion Musicians making a mark

Grammar musicians past and present In Vain which was performed and recorded. continue to distinguish themselves in the He was subsequently asked to write another wider world. piece for Topology which will be used in the James Brew (I) is the latest (and youngest) Musica Viva’s 2020 program. winner of Artology’s fanfare competition. Grammar’s Keyboard Fellow, Anthony Chen Mentored by Dr Nicholas Vines, James’ competed in the prestigious Lev Vlassenko composition Jubilation was recorded by the Piano Competition in Brisbane in July. He was Australian Youth Orchestra and will be played awarded 3rd place in the competition and was at major concert venues around the country. also awarded People’s Choice, the Queensland 2019 Music Captain Jared Adams (VI) Symphony Orchestra vote for best Concerto, participated in the Young Mannheim and best performance of an Australian work. Symphonists Winter School presented by the Congratulations Anthony! Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra The end of an era! Although Ransford in July. Jared performed as concertmaster Elsley retired from the full-time Music staff and spoke during the final concert at which some years ago, he has continued to teach a Haydn’s London Symphony was performed. small studio of fortunate pianists since then. Ben Sweeney (II) is an annual participant He gave his last piano lesson at Grammar on in an intensive 4-day program called “Top- 27 August, concluding a distinguished career Professor Tri Phan speaking at Big School Up Creative Boot Camp” with contemporary of 39 years. He is pictured with colleague music ensemble Topology in Brisbane. At (and former pupil) Bob Wagner. We wish him last year’s event, Ben wrote a chamber piece the very best for his retirement.

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 5 JOTTINGS

Athletics news from Edgecliff

Athletics at Edgecliff Preparatory has enjoyed several changes this year. Firstly, the Athletics Club was established where boys met with coaches each week to go develop skills in sprints, middle distance running and field events. This optional club was very well represented with over 50 boys participating. Our Primary Athletics carnival was held at ES Marks, Kensington, for the first time. Many boys relished the opportunity to compete on tartan and in field event finals. From this carnival a School representative team was selected, for the IPSHA Athletics carnival. From this event, there were seven boys selected to represent the IPSHA Athletics team at the CIS Athletics Carnival. Raphael Gibson, Alexander Jang, Michael Klein & Adrian Luong were all selected for the Junior 4 x 100m relay. Alexander was also selected for the Under 10 100m, long jump and discus. Liam Dimmock and Marcus Levison were selected for shot put and finally, Piers Galvin ran in the 800m and 1500m events. Geography Excursions Most pleasing was the number of boys who achieved personal bests and we are very much The Form II Elective Geographers have been looking forward to further developments in getting out to see for themselves what they are the athletics programme in 2020. learning about in class. In Term III as part of their unit on Tropical Rainforests, they spent the day at the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre in Budderoo National Park. Under the direction of a National Park Ranger, boys learnt about the physical and human factors affecting the rainforest, and they also had the opportunity to collect primary data using various specialised instruments. The highlight for most was the walk through the rainforest up to the Minnamurra Falls. More recently the boys have spent time Geography helps make sense of the world and around the Royal Botanic Gardens and bringing classroom theory to life is an enjoyable Woolloomooloo studying weathering processes. experience for both boys and masters.

Environment Club making a difference

The boys from the Environment Club are helping to assist underprivileged children by taking part in the Smith Family Lunchbox Appeal. Unclaimed lunchboxes are sent on to The Smith Family, where they are distributed by the charity to the those who need them.

The first shipment of unclaimed lunchboxes 6 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Sholto Douglas

In early July, Sholto (OS 2013) was a member of the Uniroos competing for Australia in the Men’s Foil Team event at the 2019 World University Games held in Naples. The Men’s Foil Team reached the semi-finals, the best result ever achieved by Australian fencers at the World University Games. In mid-July, Sholto then competed for Australia in the Men’s Foil Individual event at the 2019 World Fencing Championships held in Budapest, coming 26th out of a field of 190 fencers, narrowly losing 14/15 to a Korean fencer in the top 32. Sholto who started fencing while at Grammar under coach Hugh Cotman and ended up as Captain of Swords was just awarded a Tokyo 2020 IOC Olympic Solidarity Scholarship. The scholarship runs for 3 years and is to support athletes in their attempt to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. Jacob Thai (VI) second from left Sholto is a 4th year Mechatronic (Space) Engineering / eCommerce student at the Geography success University of Sydney and was recently awarded a 2017 New Colombo Plan Jacob Thai in Form VI Scholarship to China. This is only the 2nd represented Australia at the year of the scholarship programme, which 2019 Geography Olympiad in is awarded by Department of Foreign Affairs Hong Kong from 30 July to and Trade. Sholto has just started a semester 5 August. The Olympiad at Tsinghua University in Beijing, which is the involved 166 students from 43 alma mater of the current Chinese President, countries. Jacob won Australia’s Xi Jinping. only Gold medal. Earlier this year all boys studying Geography participated in the 2019 Australian Geography Competition. The competition involved over 73,500 students from 792 schools across Australia. Michael Hue (I) and Noah Gong (V) finished Equal First in Australia in their respective years. Noah has been selected to represent NSW at a training camp on Kangaroo Island in December this year where the Australian team is selected for next year’s Geography Olympiad in Istanbul.

Helpmann Award nomination

Professional opera singer, Simon Lobelson (OS 1995), was recently nominated for a 2019 Helpmann Award in the category Best Male Performance in a Lead Operatic Role. This exceptional honour was granted for his work with Opera Australia on Metamorphosis. Sholto standing in front of the Old Gate, a symbol of Tsinghua University.

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 7 JOTTINGS

Lord of the Flies Peter Taurian (VI) making his point James Monaghan (OS2011), first speaker for Theatre Review the Government

Earlier this year, Form III witnessed a performance of Lord of the Flies. Thomas Henderson (III) reports his thoughts on the production: One of the values of a great story is that its ideas are just as resonant and powerful no matter the context in which they are presented. This was masterfully displayed in the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Lord of the Flies, as the idyllic island was replaced with an urban stage, a simplistic black and metallic scaffolding set and prep school uniforms with adidas tracksuits. Vibrant fluorescent lights, stage-smoke and the soundtrack helped convey the often-violent atmosphere. The true power of Lord of the Flies is its examination of humankind’s inherently flawed disposition, and the cast communicated this enthusiastically. Ralph, as daring and virtuous The Great Debate as in the novel, was on the whole a strong character. Ralph’s dark reflection, Jack, was On Friday 26 July at the Alastair Mackerras The First’s debaters countered that any another powerful player, and his descent into Theatre the current senior debaters in the school restrictions on free speech would lead savagery was portrayed by vicious bouts of took on a team of Old Sydneians in an event certain opinions to fester until they outed anger, with slight insecurity as he clung onto that provided a valuable exchange of views, as in detrimental ways. It was clear that the his philosophy forged in lies. well as an equal measure of entertainment for team had well-researched their opponents, Despite the chillingly effective presentation participants and audience alike. bringing up the embarrassing recent or of Golding’s main message, the two-hour The topic, “that the right to free speech distant pasts of the Old Sydneians to great production did not seem enough time to should be tempered for our times”, Provided effect and successfully wedging the Old Boys convey the gradual descent into evil, which some lively and earnest exchanges. The into sounding like totalitarians. the book did much more convincingly. The Old Sydneians established a clear and The event was kept very civil by the passage of time on the whole was confused, careful philosophical foundation argument, presiding Speaker, Nick Cowdery, QC. In the and thus the snap to evil seemed too sudden. supported by a focus on the way social end, Walter MacCullum, current President of Form III was very grateful to witness this media is designed to foster antagonism and the OSU, politely declared a tie, (although stunning performance and the viewing was examples of offence-giving speech that would judging by audience acclamation, the current discussed heartily in the playground. demonstrate the need for tempering. First’s carried the day)! Thomas Henderson (III) Professor Cameron Tonkinwise

Politics Club

Politics Club meets on Monday at lunchtime and has been well frequented from the beginning by a group of highly-intelligent and well-informed boys, conveniently dividing into left and right, with a few centrists, anarchists and general sceptics. While subjects are sometimes set for discussion, the boys often suggest their own topics that they are interested in exploring. In a world increasingly shut down by bureaucratic censorship and political orthodoxies, there are no questions that cannot be asked and almost no views that cannot be debated.

8 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Annual Tri-Grammar Debate Volleyball success Annual Lunch for past staff

The Economics Debating Team reformed to The Annual Australian Junior Volleyball On Friday 11 October, past staff came participate in the Annual Tri-Grammar Series, Championships were held in Canberra in together for an annual lunch, held at Weigall. which was held at Shore in June. This year it early October. Seven Grammar boys were Norm Windred, powering through his was our turn to debate against the hosts on selected to represent NSW and achieved very nineties and newly minted retiree Mark Ward, the topic of Macroeconomic Policy, with the good results: joined 40 staff for an enjoyable catch up. The girls of SCEGGS Darlinghurst adjudicating. U14s - Jeremy Cheung (I), Ethan Ong (I) and Grammar community was saddened to hear We negated the case that ‘Conventional Sam Garvin (II) won Bronze. that Felicity Crouch who was a master from macroeconomic policy remains effective in U15s - Kieran Webb (III) won Gold. 1987 to 1996 passed away in October. achieving Australia’s major internal economic U19s - Mikey Grogan (VI) and Peter Taurian objectives’. The team of Max Davis (VI), John (VI) were awarded Silver. Wang (VI), Alex Gates (VI) and Hugh Ashley Grammar were also well represented in the (VI) articulated our case extremely well in coaching ranks. William Ji (OS 2017) served as front of an intimidating crowd of over 100 assistant coach for the NSW U15s team who people and were victorious, thus becoming won gold and Christopher Todd (OS 2002) the first school to win the trophy (the ‘John coached the winning U19 QLD girls’ team. Maynard Cane’) ‘away’ from home. A fantastic effort, indeed! Back row: Christopher Todd (OS 2002), Mikey Grogan (VI), Peter Taurian (VI), Kieran Webb (III), William Ji (OS L-R: Hugh Ashley, Alex Gates, John Wang, Max Davis 2017) Front row: Ethan Ong (I), Jeremy Cheung (I), L-R: Harvey Hamilton, Rob Farrugia, Rod Coady, (All VI) Sam Garvin (II) Laurie Fahey

TEDx Youth Event

On Wednesday 29 May, Sydney Boys High School held their own TEDx Youth Event on the topic of “Redefining”. Jonathan Brener, Oliver Williams and Lachlan Macfarlan (all Form V) were lucky enough to hear a number of interesting speakers discussing how they believe the boundaries are being redefined in their areas of interest. Subjects included the transplantation of different species of coral in a specific marine environment to the creation of highly realistic artificial humans. One discussion of particular relevance to pupils was about the importance of reading the privacy policies of our favourite social media platforms that we so often hurriedly click through. Overall, the TEDx talks were a fantastic opportunity, providing the boys with some stimulating points of discussion about issues that will affect us in every aspect of life. Dr Hughes

L-R: Lachlan Macfarlan, Oliver Williams, Jonathan Brener

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 9 A brilliant career Bernadette Mansfield, Andrew Haines and Johnathan Redenbach reflect on the distinguished careers of some of the long-standing masters who are retiring this year.

Mark Wilde encountered difficulty understanding specific When Mark Wilde arrived in the areas of art historical study. Her patience Art Department of College Street as and time with pupils outside of classroom an exchange teacher from Oundle, lessons was instrumental in encouraging and there was no inkling he would still cajoling them to enlightenment! During her be here over two decades later. years teaching at College Street, Donna has Football was key to him earned herself a small legion of fans who establishing a sense of community have benefited from her ‘above-and-beyond’ in his adopted home and once Mark approach – whether dragging in various was appointed Master-in-Charge of salvaged pieces to sculpt with, or lending her his beloved sport Sydney Grammar grandfather’s antique fishing reel to draw – Football Club enjoyed a golden age, nothing was ever too much trouble. featuring many successful national Mark Wilde and Donna McConville leave and international tours. With the behind them a successful Art Department that inimitable Charlie Davidson at his will continue their legacy, built on the two side, Mark was expert at nurturing vital tenets of Drawing and Art History. For the potential of young footballers this, they must be sincerely congratulated. of College Street and steadfastly Bernadette Mansfield upheld the core principle of gentlemanly behaviour at all times. Mark Wilde’s impact on the Art Department has been equally significant and for the past decade under his leadership, it too has enjoyed a golden age. His talents as a drawer, painter and printmaker assisted hundreds of boys in their quest to make work of the highest calibre. Mark’s infectious enthusiasm for his subject inspires his pupils to eagerly absorb the expertise he generously shares. The Art Department has grown to include regular Master Classes from visiting eminent artists, life drawing classes from some of the best practitioners in the field, and a thriving artist-in- residency program. He has also Above: Mark in the classroom been instrumental in improving the printmaking and sculpture programs Right: Donna at work and establishing a welding studio so pupils may work with artist David Horton from the National Art School. Donna McConville Donna McConville has been absolutely critical in the role of implementing these positive changes in the Art Department. Preceding Mark in her tenure, together they have been an unstoppable force – equally passionate about classroom teaching and supporting their pupils to make the best work possible. This was exemplified in Donna’s tireless work with pupils who sometimes struggled. Teaching in the senior Art History Program with Dr Christopher Allen, Donna has made an enormous contribution to the lives of many boys, especially when they

10 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Dr Mark Ward and his tutees

Mark Ward Michael Curran Mark Ward retired from Grammar at the end Michael Curran will retire from College Street of Term III 2019 after 37 years. At the time at the end of this year after ten years in the of his retirement, he was Grammar’s longest role of Sportsmaster. Michael came to the serving master, having taught under four School in 2010 from St Joseph’s College, Headmasters and six Directors of Science. where he had worked for eighteen years. At Mark taught Junior Science, Chemistry St Joseph’s, he taught Mathematics and also and Four Unit Science, but was primarily a served at various times as a careers advisor, Physics teacher. To his pupils he was a safe the MIC of cross country, and as the coach pair of hands, preparing them thoroughly for of the cricket First XI. Earlier in his career, anything the exams could throw their way. Michael worked at Tempe High School, He was Head of Physics from 1990-2000, and Tumbarumba High School and Maitland Boys’ for the last thirteen years, he was Assistant High School. Director of Science, bringing his legendary A tutor in TCW House during his first organisational skills and attention to detail to five years at College Street, as Sportsmaster both positions. Michael has presided over an increase in the Over the years, Mark turned his hand number of boys playing sport in Form VI; an to a wide variety of co-curricular activities, increase in the number of masters involved including football, cricket, cross country, in sport at the School; improvements in tennis and chess. For many years, he was training, medical services and rehabilitation invaluable in his role as coordinator of programmes; and the recent introduction of examinations across the school. He has been strength and conditioning training. an essential source of wisdom and experience Michael has made a significant within the Science Department, and as he contribution to AAGPS sport as AAGPS looks forward to spending quality time in Cricket Convenor from 2004-2013, AAGPS retirement with his wife Tania, we shall miss Cross Country Convenor from 2008 to 2009, him, and wish him every happiness. AAGPS Treasurer in 2014, and AAGPS Andrew Haines Chairman from 2015 to 2017. The job of Sportsmaster at College Street means long Saturdays and a mobile phone that never stops ringing. Michael’s looking forward in retirement to sleeping in on Saturdays, lots of fishing and turning off his mobile phone. Michael Curran Johnathan Redenbach

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 11 Australian Combined Schools Music Festival Grammar had the honour of playing host to a joyous gathering of singers and musicians for this annual event, as Greg Platt recounts.

In late June this year, over 300 boys and Daniel Carter conducting the Festival Orchestra girls from around Australia descended on Sydney Grammar School for the 21st Australian Combined Schools Music Festival. They came from almost every state and territory, representing 13 different schools, to play or sing together for four days, as part of the orchestra, concert band or choir. The ensembles were conducted by three internationally renowned, specialist conductors: John Lynch (concert band) Reka Csernyik (choir) and Old Sydneian Daniel Carter (orchestra). This biennial festival, which is hosted by a different school each time, began in 1981 and was created with the intention of bringing together Australia’s top young musicians to play challenging repertoire that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to perform within their own schools. The festival also provides a unique social experience for the pupils involved and a chance for music teachers from around the country to exchange ideas and discuss different approaches to music education. In each festival, the musicians are billeted with local families, which is an important part of the whole festival concept. This year was no exception, with many Grammar families 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky generously opening their homes to host the visitors. The three groups rehearsed intensively for three days, both as full ensembles and in smaller tutorial sessions, working with a variety of music staff from the different schools. On the evening before the final day, the participants enjoyed a special social night, cruising on a boat around Sydney Harbour before disembarking at Luna Park for dinner and rides - a unique Sydney experience! The festival culminated in an impressive final Festival Concert in the John Vallance Hall. The participants performed to a large and enthusiastic audience that contained many interstate visitors.

“The festival also provides a unique social experience for the pupils involved and a chance for music teachers from around the country to exchange ideas and discuss different approaches to music education.”

12 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 The Festival choir, conducted by Réka Csernyik

Fanfare

The concert began with an original fanfare composition written by one of the participants, before moving to a new work by James Madsen, commissioned specially for the festival and performed by the Grammar Preparatory Schools Choir. Performances by the three large ensembles then followed, featuring works by Gould, Grieg, Kodaly, Copland and R. Vaughan Williams. This was capped off by a thrilling finale - the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky – which included the choir and band members singing the rousing choral hymn at the end of the work, accompanied by the orchestra in full flight. There was a fitting celebratory feel to this spine-tingling performance that filled the auditorium. This year’s festival was a huge success, The Preparatory School Choir, with the standard of performance being conducted by Jacqueline Fane higher than ever. Over the course of four days, wonderful music was played, friendships were made and a lot of fun was had by all involved. We now look forward to the 22nd ACSMF, to be held in 2021.

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 13 Year Six takes on Dr Seuss! Director, Ian McPhee and Musical Director, Robin Carter, report on an outstanding production that involved the entire Year 6 at Edgecliff.

As a master, one of the joys of casting a school musical occurs when totally “An unusual story will be unfurled” unexpected stars emerge from the audition process. The Year 6 Edgecliff boys who were keen to have major roles, came to an audition to sing and act for the staff, and this is where we discovered the boys who had always wanted to ‘shine’ on the stage but had not had the opportunity. As they took on the well-known Dr Seuss characters, they grew as singers and actors, and learnt how wonderful it is to be a team player, cooperating as part of a large cast, telling a story to responsive audiences. The boys’ performances were extraordinary, and those that saw the show were charmed by the way that the whole year group were engaged in each of the four performances.

“If I stand on my own, so be it”

“Oh the thinks you will think!”

14 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 The Cast of Seussical JR. 2019

“Who knew so much “It’s possible? Anything’s possible!” work was required?”

When we were first asked to stage a amazing piece of theatre. We are production for all of Year 6, we scratched sad that the show is over but are our heads and wondered how we would fit very happy to see how much the all 72 boys on the stage! We had decided audience (and particularly the boys on Seussical JR. as the major production performing) enjoyed the show. We for 2019 (which was perfect for our large are very proud of every performer cast of eager young actors). We then started in our show and would like to thank rehearsals in earnest singing and dancing for the staff and parents of Edgecliff for weeks on end. As the weeks progressed, we all their hard work and dedication. saw the boys grow as the show took shape Thank you! and with what seemed like a metric tonne of cardboard, feathers and cable ties, Seussical JR. was finally ready for our audience. “The Year 6 Edgecliff boys who were keen to have A theatrical production is a lot like an iceberg. What the audience see on the major roles, came to an audition to sing and act surface is only a small proportion of what for the staff, and this is where we discovered the went on behind the scenes. The tip of the berg is the show itself but underneath is boys who had always wanted to ‘shine’ on the hundreds of hours of work from dedicated stage but had not had the opportunity. people working together to create an

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 15 MUSICAL NOTES Acting Director of Music Mr Robert Wagner keeps us up to date with Grammar’s music news.

South Coast Tour Band Combined Bands’ Concert

Term III started with the Combined Bands’ concert, where the four College Street concert bands were joined by their younger counterparts from St Ives and Edgecliff in the John Vallance Hall.

Combined concert band south coast tour

After the magnificence of the Australian Combined Schools’ Festival at the end of Term II, it was busy-ness as usual for the Music Department. Straight after the Festival, a combined concert band (led by Dr Robert Busan and Mr Iain Scotland) spent the start of the mid-year holidays on tour to the south coast of NSW, where the boys performed at several primary schools as well as teaching the children there.

Form V Music Competition finalists

Above: Stevens Wind Ensemble Below: Ventus Concert Band

Form V Music Competition

A large field of thirty boys competed in the 2019 Form V Music Competition, comprising Jazz, Vocal and Instrumental sections. The finals were held on August 15, at which acclaimed musicians Kathryn Selby (Vocal and Instrumental) and John Morrison (Jazz) were the adjudicators. Ishaan Vellani (saxophone) won the Jazz section, Harrison Molloy the Vocal section and Edward Zhang (violin) was awarded first prize in the Instrumental section. Ishaan Vellani (clarinet) was awarded second place and third place went to Áedán MacNamara (xylophone).

16 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Aguado

Annual Music Dinner

The Sixth Form’s musical achievements were celebrated on August 31 at the annual Music Dinner in Big School, which had been transformed into a beautiful dining hall by the Music Association. In addition to much reminiscing and laughter, the guests were entertained by the dulcet tones of the Music staff voices as well as the sixteen hands of the Music Committee performing on two pianos! Guitar Concert

Fifteen guitarists presented a concert in the improved acoustical environment of the Alastair Mackerras Theatre on August 22. All five guitar ensembles also performed.

School Choir

Right: AMCO playing Vivaldi

Term III Concert

At the Term III concert, it was time for the final performances of our Sixth Form musicians. Those who played in School Orchestra (under the direction of Ms Rita Fin) will not forget their finale quickly: Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity, from The Planets by Gustav Holst. The main theme from this piece is much better known in Grammar circles as ‘Hymn 13’! Other highlights included violinist Jared Adams who was the featured soloist in ‘Spring’ from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi performed by AMCO (directed by Mr Rob Nijs), and a rare performance of an excerpt from Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, by the School Choir (conducted by Mr Greg Platt) accompanied by two pianos and harmonium.

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 17 HSC Art Exhibition makes an impression Dr Christopher Allen, Senior Master in Academic Extension, reports on the 2019 HSC Art Class - sixteen of which have now been nominated for Artexpress.

This year’s exhibition of work by our Form VI art pupils was, as always, impressive both in the quality of the individual works and in the variety of media employed, reflecting the range of teaching across the Art Department’s different specialist studios: drawing, painting in various media, prints again in a variety of media, sculpture in the form of welding, carving and for the first time, bronze casting, as well as photographic and digital work, film and ceramics. What is really remarkable is that these things have been made by quite young men who have never before produced anything as substantial as this, and indeed have never devoted so much time to a single art project. How they have found that time, in a school where all of us operate under constant pressure, is almost a mystery: but many hours of patient work in the studio have led not only to technical mastery but to the depth of thought and feeling that is manifest in so many of these pieces. This is also what makes the College Street exhibition so different from the general run of HSC work, which mostly looks like Bill Goh HSC work and not much else. Pupils in many other schools are taken to see Artexpress, then they go back to the studio and recycle a variety of formal gimmicks, tired adolescent themes, and predictable political concerns. Some of our boys are regularly included in Artexpress, but we never take them to see the exhibition, because we don’t want to encourage that sterile process of imitation. Nor do we tell boys to think about ‘themes’ and ‘issues’, which have never been the starting-point of any good art. We help them to explore the practice of a particular artform, for it is out of the Above: Joshua Khoury engagement with materials and processes that Right: Bob Sheng true aesthetic thinking arises.

18 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Still more fundamental are the twin pillars of drawing and art history in the College Street curriculum. History gives the boys a sense of direction and meaning as well as benchmarks of quality against which to measure themselves. Drawing gives them the most fundamental tool with which the human mind approaches and attempts to understand the visible world. It is the central place of drawing in our teaching from Form I that typically produces, by Form IV, young draughtsmen more proficient than the majority of tertiary art school students. And it is this level of skill and visual intelligence that allows them, by Form VI, to achieve works of the quality seen in the recent exhibition. And here I must pay tribute to the achievement of Mark Wilde, who has been at College Street for over two decades, worked closely with me when I became Head of Art in 2009, and then in turn succeeded to the position when I moved into a new role at the end of 2011. As Head of Department, but also in the many years before that, Mark has constantly upheld the central place of drawing in our practical curriculum, resisting the perennial drag of fashion. It is no exaggeration to say that the main reason for the outstanding results achieved by the boys at College Street has been the Department’s emphasis on drawing, and this is something that must be sustained now that Mark has announced that he will be retiring at the end of this year. It will be hard to replace either his sense of integrity in the practice of art, or the outstanding level of dedication which has encouraged so many boys to make the extra effort and find the extra energy and will to complete their ambitious HSC projects.

Above: Isaac Walker; John Wang Right: Xavier Hodge Below: Benjamin Ainsworth

Coco Luo

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 19 HSC Art Exhibition makes an impression

We must also pay tribute to Donna McConville, who had already announced her intention to retire a few months ago. Donna has also worked tirelessly to help boys, and Left: Eli Narev often those who were struggling the most, to Below: Theodore Potts get over the line. She likes to think that she projects a tough and even sometimes ruthless image, but the boys can recognise real dedication when they see it. Donna has run the Printmaking Studio which, like the Ceramics Studio, has enjoyed a renaissance in the last few years. She has engaged closely with the visiting artists we have brought in and today that studio produces some of the finest work in the School. She has also run the Sculpture Studio, working in the senior years with our long- term Art Fellow Dave Horton to train a series of very talented young sculptors. Like Bernadette Mansfield, Donna has also worked closely with me in the senior Art History programme in Forms V and VI, which is now possibly the most ambitious in the country, as well as in the gradual reshaping of Art History in Forms II, III and IV to provide a solid foundation for those senior years. It is neither exaggerated nor sentimental to say that Mark and Donna will be greatly missed at College Street. Their simultaneous departure is going to leave a huge gap in our teaching capacity, and in the most central areas of all, drawing, painting and printmaking. But the appointment of Bernadette Mansfield as the new Head of Art from the beginning of 2020 is excellent news and will ensure the preservation and development of the unique model of art education that we have been able to set up at Sydney Grammar School.

“Drawing gives them the most fundamental tool with which Above: Marcus King the human mind approaches Right: Oliver Pitman Below: Adam Gottschalk and attempts to understand the visible world.”

20 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Print collection celebrates new acquisitions A recently established teaching collection is a welcome new development supporting the strong tradition of printmaking at College Street.

Printmaking has been one of the most with the result, but it also revealed successful specialist studios in the Art the gaps in our coverage of the Department over the last decade, developed various techniques of printmaking. through investment in new equipment, A month or so later we acquired including a professional etching press, but a beautiful Japanese ukiyoe print, just as importantly through the knowledge, and now we have obtained four experience and inspiration that staff and new pieces: a 17th-century etching boys alike have drawn from a succession of by Salvator Rosa; an early 19th- resident and guest artists, including Marco century mezzotint of a page from Luccio (2010), Alexi Keywan (2014) and Claude Lorrain’s Liber veritatis, Bruce Latimer (2018). and an early 20th-century etching Top left: Utagawa Kunisada, Chiyu, from Fifty-three The School has acquired significant works of Sydney Harbour by Sydney Ure Smith; stations of the Tokaido, c. 1830 by each of these artists, and it was in fact the fourth work was generously donated Woodblock print, 26 x 18.5 cm Bruce Latimer’s generous gift of a colour by Sydney’s best-known print dealer, Josef etching earlier this year that prompted us to Lebovic, and adds a new medium to our Top: Claude Lorrain (after), Landscape with the ruins of gather some of these prints into a teaching collection, with a fine engraved portrait of the a temple, c. 1810/19 collection on Level 6. The first version of artist Theodore van Loon after Sir Anthony Etching and mezzotint, 18 x 23.4 cm this miniature museum was opened without van Dyck. Above: Salvator Rosa, Glaucus and Scylla, c. 1661 fanfare a few months ago; we were delighted Dr Christopher Allen Etching and drypoint, 34.5 x 23.5 cm

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 21 Japan Rugby World Cup Tour 2019 The land of the rising sun is now the land of rising rugby stocks, as our touring party discovered during their recent tour.

During the September school holiday’s 42 Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine boys, six staff and Albi the Alligator (mascot) travelled to Japan to coincide with the Rugby World Cup. The tour was packed with rugby fixtures for the boys, cultural exchanges and watching three World Cup matches. The boys were a mix of Form III, Form IV and Form V which meant we fielded a U15/U16 composite team and an U17 team. Grammar played three fixtures on the tour, “Experiencing local culture and cuisine two against local high schools and one against a local representative high school was another highlight the boys enjoyed.” team. The tour also had exchange elements with the two high schools during which the boys were treated to demonstrations of school activities ranging from origami, kendo and traditional tea ceremonies. Trips to a one thousand year old Shinto shrine and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum were also very interesting and moving parts of the tour. Experiencing local culture and cuisine was another highlight the boys enjoyed most days as well as seeing the beautiful Japanese countryside as we travelled from Tokyo south via Hiroshima, Oita and onto Fukuoka. The rugby fixtures proved that rugby at the grassroots level in Japan is growing with

U17 Team, post match photo with opposition: Oita Selection XV.

22 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 U17 Team - Tour Game vs Kawage Higashi High School

Shizuoka Stadium (Rugby World Cup)

Tour mascot, Albi the Alligator, takes the field

every fixture a good contest and valuable learning experience for the Grammar players to play against different styles of play. The World Cup match, Japan v Ireland highlighted the elite game in Japan is also on the rise and was seen as a highlight off the field for the boys and staff alike. Sydney Grammar U17 v Kawage Higashi HS – Win 31-0 Sydney Grammar U15/U16 v Kawage Higashi HS – Loss 12-31 Sydney Grammar U17 v Kansai University Daiichi HS – Win 21-0 Sydney Grammar U15/U16 v Kansai University Daiichi HS – Win 21-14 Sydney Grammar U15/U16 v Amagasaki HS – Win 21-10 Sydney Grammar U17 v Oita Selection U17 – Win 50-7 Second Cultural Exchange at Amagaski High Sydney Grammar U15/U16 v Oita Selection School. Had three performances by local pupils: Oregami, Kando and Japanese Dance U16 – Win 59-12 Strong performances from the Form V team bodes well for the 2020 season and the U15/U16 team grew in confidence from an early lose to put a very impressive last performance on the field against a strong local select team. Overall it was a great opportunity for boys to engage in the huge benefits of a rugby tour from the on-field learnings to the Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony. Performed by specially trained girls cultural experiences and shared comradery of from Amagaski High School. travelling together. SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 23 Hansel and Gretel Melanie Wheatley from St Ives reports on a magical new production based on the famous fairy tale.

During August, St Ives Preparatory School Lachlan Lai (Gretel), Mikey Dummer brought to life a reimagined production of (Woodcutter) and Ian Bierer (Hansel) the classic, Hansel and Gretel, written and directed by Tonya Grelis. In true Grammar style this production reinvented the tale with an innovative set, lighting and costume design. This amazing production was performed over two nights – Friday 16 and Saturday 17 August. 24 boys were involved in the show, including cast, backstage and technical crew. Rehearsals progressed during Terms II and III, with many weeks staging the acting scenes and practising movement around the set. All boys involved were fantastic, performing with confidence, energy and professionalism and the result was spectacular! The boys didn’t miss a beat, and judging by the audience’s response, they provided a great night’s entertainment for young and old. The costumes, set, make-up and lighting were superb, outshone only by the brilliant acting of the boys on stage.

Cast and Crew

24 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Archer McBurney (Wife) and Mikey Dummer (Woodcutter)

“In true Grammar style this production reinvented the tale with an innovative set, lighting and costume design.”

Support cast, crew and Fritz and Helmut Groober

Billy Sammut (Dr. Abraham Van Helsing)

I will always remember this show and all of the boys who dedicated their time, energy and talent to making it so special. My thanks also goes to Tonya Grelis without whom this production would have been possible. Special thanks also to the production team and to all of the parents, teachers and staff who donated their time and expertise to the production. It was a very rewarding journey.

Above: Backstage crew - Harry Thomson, Richie Bassin, Aidan Chapman and Thomas Birch Left: Jack Deschamps - The Witch Vampire Queen Justin Tran and Bodhi Patradoon - Narrators

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 25 WINTER SPORT ROUND-UP Sportsmaster Michael Curran keeps us updated with all the winter sport action.

Athletics hurdled and Rory Wylie finished with two The 2019 Athletics Season saw an extended second places in the under 16s 800m and program, with one extra invitational carnival 1500m. Noah Blumberg once again smashed and encouragement from the Headmaster for the School Record for U14 Shot on his an increased period for pre-season training. way to first place. Charlie Veeneklas got a Several new high-calibre, internationally remarkable 9cm personal best in the U16s experienced coaches were employed to High Jump leaping over 191cm to win the enhance the reputation of Athletics within the event. Across 83 individual performances School and for Athletics to provide support there were 30 personal bests on the day. and training for boys to improve their abilities Cross Country across sports. The 2019 season was overall another Throughout the full season more than 130 successful one for the Cross Country club. boys attended athletics with some notable Eighteen boys were selected to run at the achievements in the invitational carnivals. CIS carnival at Eastern Creek with Thomas Tom Davies ran under 4mins for 1500. Milo Davies (VI) and Oliver Freeman (III) Abrahams (II) broke the School record for progressing through to run at the National U14s 100m with a time of 11.47s and came Cross Country Championships in August. close to breaking the Long Jump record too. Within the GPS season the U14s and U16s Noah Blumberg (II) broke the School Record team put in a consistently steady performance in U14s Shot, throwing 13.08m. James Woo to place 6th and 5th respectively. With a unofficially ran faster than the School record number of intermediate runners running in U13s 100m. Both Bradley Chan and Marcus up in the Opens this year, our Open team Shaw came close to School records in the dominated the season, placing first for a 800m and 200m respectively. second consecutive year. The Opens team There was much uncertainty regarding the consisted of Louis Bartos (V), Bradley Chan weather prior to the GPS Athletics Carnival, (III), Hayden Chan (V), Thomas Davies (VI), but the sun came out and the School Oliver Freeman (III), Luc Jeffriess (IV), Sean student body represented itself with passion, Merriman (V), Hugo Sinden (V) and Liam Van whilst supporting their athletes. Standout Es-Dickman (IV). performances included Tom Davies’ placing first in the Opens 1500m and second in the 3000m, Andrew Guests’ second in Divisional Hurdles was at a height he had never before 2019 GPS Open Champion-Thomas Davies

Proud crowd support

Jack Davis (III) Rory Wylie (IV)

26 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 The Cross Country Open team

2nds this year, this is a pleasing indication for the years to come. Even against the GPS football powerhouses of Newington and Riverview, over half of the football teams were undefeated. Without a doubt, the highlight of the season was the victory over Newington to win the Plate Cup. It was a home game, but not a House Day, yet we had great crowd support. The 3-2 victory may have been achieved in the final minutes of the game, but it was a true team effort. Rifles The SGS Rifle Club started positively and all shooters worked hard to establish training structures during term time and through the July holiday shooting camp. At the GPS Shoot at Hornsby on 23 and 24 July, the Firsts made their best efforts at 300, 500 and 600m but some sound outcomes were offset by other inconsistent results. Corey Blyth (VI) and Marcus King (VI) both placed well, with Finlay Clarke (VI) and Patrick Harris (IV) close behind. The team fell short of the more consistent efforts from High, Newington and Shore who took the top places in that order. In the Seconds Premiership Match at 300 and 500m, the boys shot well but could not produce the same accuracy as the top teams from High, Shore and Newington.

First, Seconds and Thirds at National Championships 2019 Left: 2019 National Senior Individual Foil Champion-Christopher Dandolo (IV)

Right: The Rifles Squad at the Presentation

Fencing Football We had an impressive 70 fencers competing Planning for the 2019 football season began this season and it was wonderful to see the before last year’s season was barely halfway, commitment from the boys. Across the squad when a squad was selected to tour Spain we had 31 podium finishes, including 9 gold in April this year. 32 boys made up a First medals, and we have retained the AJ Rae and Second squad. They honed their skills Shield for the ninth year in a row. and bonded with each other and returned After a strong season fencing in the hungry for the approaching season. The 1st NSWFA Schoolboys Foil competition, we XI faced Kings, Scots and Riverview in the had 20 boys qualify for the National Fencing pre-season games and boasted an undefeated Championships, at which our Firsts won gold record in both domestic and international and our Seconds and Thirds tied for third games. This sent a clear message to the GPS place. Christopher Dandolo (IV) won gold in that Grammar were going to be a force to be the Senior Individual competition, defeating reckoned with in 2019. an Australian Youth Olympian in an exciting Across all age groups the Football Club final. The Junior A team also won gold, and fielded 32 teams this year, playing 345 games our Junior B team took bronze. Ryan Lo and scoring 755 goals resulting in wins or (I) won gold in the Intermediate Individual draws in 75% of their games. Throughout competition, Kaya-Gabriel Koksel (I) silver the GPS season, the strongest rounds across and Thomas Tan (I) bronze. the entire Football Club were against High, Director of Football, Mr Arthur Lambos with CIS representative Raff McGuinness (IV) and Kings and Scots. Given that Scots have GSP representative Stephen Marinos (VI). finished in the top 2 in both the 1sts and SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 27 WINTER SPORT ROUND-UP

Rugby Andrew Guest (V) and Stirling Smith The Grammar Rugby program continues to (VI) were selected to represent the 3rd XV grow on and off the field. Over 220 boys in and 2nd XV GPS sides respectively. Both 12 teams competed in a pre-season program boys had strong performances during the and the GPS competition, with one national representative week at the end of June. tour and one international tour. Taekwondo Results were up across the age groups The Taekwondo squad travelled to St with the U13A and U14A teams having Aloysius’ College in September hoping to undefeated GPS seasons and many other retain the All Schools’ trophy for the fifth teams with a high win percentage. The consecutive year. Unfortunately, they met Opens managed to field three teams and all fierce resistance from both Shore and the three had significant success, especially in hosts and ended up in 3rd spot. There were Term III fixtures. many notable performances on the day, The consistency of boys and coaches however, with gold medals won by Matthew returning to the club every year allows real Britton (IV), Liam Coy (V) and Isaac May (V). development and attracts growth in the Grammar were also awarded 8 silver and 6 following years. This creates an environment bronze medals. This was the culmination of for accurate planning of the program, another great season, which also saw the especially around player welfare, athletic squad lift the inaugural First V trophy over development and development tours and 3 intense weeks, beating Shore 162 points camps. The program has created closer links to 139. with both prep schools and this will benefit the College Street program in years to come. Volleyball This year saw the School’s Volleyball program yield the finest results to date with Grammar boys making a dramatic impact in the GPS season as well as at representative, State and National levels. The Firsts finished in second place to Sydney Boys High while the Seconds placed third in their respective GPS competitions. Thirds, 15A and 15B teams had a near perfect record losing only one match each the entire season, whilst The Fourths remained undefeated throughout. Jared Adams (VI) was awarded the Senior Clubman trophy while Mikey Grogan (VI) was the most valuable player amongst the senior teams. Grammar had six boys selected for the GPS team in the inaugural Combined GPS v CAS fixture: Sam Cleary, Mikey Grogan, Rex Merewether, Peter Taurian, Joshua Tran and Justin Tran (all Form VI). We also had four NSWCIS representatives and an unprecedented seven selected NSW representatives - U14s Sam Garvin, Jeremy Cheung and Ethan Cho, U15s Kieran Webb and Finlay McDonald, U19s Mikey Grogan and Peter Taurian. The State players then went on to compete in the Australian Junior Volleyball Championships where the U15s won Gold, U19s Silver and U14s Bronze. Further to this, Mikey Grogan won Bronze and Gold medallions for competing in the All Schools tournament Sydney Volleyball League representing UTS in both the Men’s Division 1 and Honours teams Top left: Director of Rugby-Mr Mark Philp respectively. He was also awarded the All Star with GPS Representatives Stirling Smith (VI) Division 1 plaque. and Andrew Guest (V) Above: The Opens Rugby Squad during the Canberra Tour. Volleyball: Front Row: Ethan Ong (I), Jeremy Cheung (I), Samuel Garvin (II) Back Row: Kieran Webb (III), Peter Taurian (VI), Mikey Grogan (VI) Right: Members of the Taekwondo Junior and Senior squads 28 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Edgecliff Library: A new chapter Morag Tunks reports on some dynamic developments in the Edgecliff Library.

Mr Bayliss reads while some helpers act out the story

Taking a shelfie

The School Library of today is a multifaceted boys were encouraged to share their favourite space that not only underpins the reading stories through book reviews which are now culture of a school; it is a flexible learning displayed on the shelves. Often these choices hub, offering a range of services for were picks from the Premier’s Reading students and teachers. The Edgecliff Library Challenge, which all boys again completed programme includes curriculum resource this year. The whole School participated support as well as provisions for the in three age-appropriate ‘Battle of the development of information literacy and Books’. It was fabulous to see so many boys research skills. passionately championing their preferred This year the Edgecliff Library has seen a book. number of new inclusive practices that focus Book Week was once again a wonderful on pupil involvement. As an introductory event, with ‘Reading is my Secret Power’ the activity, all boys were encouraged to take a theme for this year. Visits from authors The ‘shelfie’ with their favourite book. Pop-up Surfing Scientist (Ruben Meerman) and Martin displays then appeared around the School Chatterton entertained and inspired the promoting a sense of community. This sense boys, but the Dress-up Assembly and Infants of community was further enhanced by the Extravaganza were definitely highlights of the Library acting as an exhibition centre for week. This year also saw the introduction of boys’ art and models, as well as hosting the Book Drive and the Book Fair. Over 500 interest groups, study sessions and a space books will now be making their way to the for parents to help their sons with homework. ‘Build a School in Nepal’ organisation, run by Boys looking for a new reading challenge Gavin McCormack. The Book Fair proved to were encouraged to ‘spin the wheel’ and take be a success, with many boys purchasing a up the book recommended. Furthermore, book for themselves or the Library.

“This year the Edgecliff Library has seen a number of new inclusive practices that focus on Middle: Martin Chatterton shares insights into his pupil involvement.” humorous illustrations Below: Spin the wheel for a reading challenge

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 29 HSC Major Design Projects HSC Design and Technology teacher, Mr Honeywill, provides an insight into some inventive creations from this year’s HSC Major Projects.

The 2019 HSC Design and Technology class undertook to meet a wide range of needs in designing their Major Projects. They incorporated wide-ranging research techniques, including model-making, experimentation, surveys, interviews and literature review in programming, materials and gear design. The boys developed strong new skills in coding, electronics, computer drawing (CAD), computer controlled (CNC) Christian machining and workshop techniques. Each Fane pupil prepared a detailed design folio for marking also that explained the processes undertaken throughout Form VI to finalise their work. A short profile on each project is shown below. My thanks go to Mr Jeff Atkinson who provided invaluable support in the workshops. Christian Fane Christian designed and developed a neat, cube-shaped light made from plywood that functions both as a desk lamp and as an information system. He used a Raspberry Pi and coded a program using Python to draw data from a weather website to produce varying lighting patterns. Henry Hong Henry designed and developed an aesthetically pleasing solar-powered garden lamp. He explored the use of optical fibres to channel light to a solar cell within a cool Henry enclosed concrete body to charge batteries Hong throughout the day and light up at night. Thomas Jackson Thomas used the eye of Horus as inspiration in designing a reversible console table. It is an interesting take on furniture and how the aesthetic can drastically change while maintaining the same function. His use of CAD and model making to fine-tune the final design was key to his success. Utilising the overhead CNC router ensured manufacturing processes all came together accurately. Thomas Jackson

30 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Leon Ortega

Leon Ortega Leon produced a modular storage unit and demonstrated that his locking system design can be used to arrange the unit in multiple forms, all without glue or screws. His use of colour in the later stages engages a new audience and helps his work to stand out from the norm. Oscar Volfneuk Oscar’s Major Design Project used Japanese Katakana elements in the design of a table. The cantilevered working surface is supported by a clear acrylic vertical plane that seems to vanish from some angles and makes the casual observer take a second look. Max Woollard Max created a height-adjustable study table that doubles as a drinks trolley. The height adjustment feature of the table provides a fun approach to mechanisms and engages the user with an experience not generally seen in products of this type. The noise of the over- sized wooden involute spur gears creates a sense of amusement with this form and Oscar function for both the designer and the user. Volfneuk

Max Woollard

“The boys developed strong new skills in coding, electronics, computer drawing (CAD), computer controlled (CNC) machining and workshop techniques.”

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 31 Classics Tour to Sicily and Southern Italy Two weeks journeying through the ancient wonders of Sicily and Southern Italy were an unforgettable and inspiring cultural experience.

The inaugural Classics Tour, initially for Form were met at the airport by our charming V boys, was held in the June-July holidays in guide Sara Pennisi, with a mass of tawny 2017, with a week in Greece followed by a hair, and our driver Angelo, with an equally week in Sicily. It was such a success that we impressive mane of black hair. So much on have decided to run one every second year, a tour depends on the guide and the autista, and to open it to both Forms IV and V, so and Sara and Angelo were great companions that every boy will have the opportunity to for the next week. participate. From the airport we drove south across For the 2019 tour, we traced the Greek the island to Agrigento, ancient Akragas, presence in eastern and southern Sicily arriving in time for a very welcome swim and all the way up the coast of Calabria in the enormous pool and several hours of and Campania to Naples, travelling through lounging in the afternoon sun. The following lands that became The Kingdom of the Two day we drove west to one of the largest and Sicilies. The Greeks began settling these most beautiful archaeological sites in the lands in the time of Homer, and much of world, that of ancient Selinus, which was the Odyssey is set in the vicinity of Sicily. In destroyed and its citizens massacred in a later centuries Pythagoras, Parmenides and savage attack (409 BC) by the Carthaginians, Archimedes lived in Magna Graecia; Greek just across the sea in North Africa. “We traced the Greek cities flourished in the south when Rome was After visiting the temples and the remains still a village. of the city, we drove to a nearby beach for presence in eastern and Nathan Bottomley (Head of Classics) and a swim in the Mediterranean and then a southern Sicily and all I led the tour, this time taking 16 boys. After picnic on the shady terrace of an hospitable three flights – via Abu Dhabi and Rome – we seaside bar. Then we continued north to see the way up the coast of arrived at Palermo, the capital of Sicily, and the remains of Segesta, the neighbour and Calabria and Campania to Naples.”

Mr Bottomley and Dr Allen

32 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 The group at 3000m on Mt Etna with Mr Bottomley, Sara Pennisi, Dr Allen and Angelo

“The Greeks began settling these lands in the time of Homer, and much of the Odyssey is set in the vicinity of Sicily.”

arch-enemy of Selinus, with its beautiful and the Sicilian expedition. From the city one the magnificent Riace Warriors. mysterious temple set among hills above looks down over the Great Harbour, where Driving on in the afternoon, we came to a ravine; this was also the city that initially desperate naval clashes took place between Tropaea, a delightful spot on the Calabrian drew Athens into a disastrous attempt to the Athenian and Syracusan navies two and coast, where we spent the afternoon conquer Syracuse in 415-13 BC. a half millennia ago. But if the past seems luxuriating in and around the resort-like The following day we saw the poignantly distant here, it is tangible in the swimming pool. Getting up early the next extraordinary set of temples at Agrigento, city’s elegant elliptical square, where you day, we had a longer drive further north including the so-called Temple of Concord pass through the grand baroque façade of the to Paestum, after which we spent another which is almost completely intact. Here as in cathedral to find yourself in a reconfigured relaxing afternoon at the seaside and by Selinus, we followed the visit with a swim and Doric temple. the pool. Finally, the next morning, we met a picnic, then continued our drive across the The next day we went up Mount Etna, Alessandro who was to be our guide for the island to Catania, the second city of the island taking our bus to the main visitor centre at last four days of the tour – a tall, handsome after Palermo. Situated on the coast at the 2000m, then a cable-car to 3500m and a 4x4 man, if rather stout, with classical features, a foot of Mount Etna, it has been periodically troop carrier to 3000m. Then we followed an short but Zeus-like beard and clear blue eyes. destroyed by lava flows over the centuries. alpine guide on a walk around the craters for We visited Paestum, with another We were based in Catania for three nights, an hour or so. Visibility on Mt Etna can be remarkable set of Greek temples which were and from there drove south to spend a day extremely variable, but were lucky to have built in the 5th century BC and still stand as in Syracuse, the greatest city in the island clear and bright conditions. they were, in spite of wars and earthquakes, in antiquity; it was rebuilt in the late 17th On our last day in Sicily we drove north to then drove on to Naples. Our hotel was and early 18th centuries after being almost see the spectacular city of Taormina, with its close to the historic centre, whose street completely destroyed in the earthquake of famous Greco-Roman theatre, then continued plan preserves that of the ancient Greek city. 1693 and today is one of the most pleasant on to Messina, whose museum holds one of Naples, indeed, remained Greek even after cities in Italy. the best of Caravaggio’s late paintings. The it became a part of the Roman territory; all The archaeological remains of Syracuse following morning we crossed the Straits the wealthy Romans had seaside villas in the are impressive, including a theatre and the of Messina to Reggio di Calabria. There our vicinity and Virgil himself lived on the hill at now beautiful but once terrible quarries new guide was a sad contrast to Sara, but Posillipo, looking down on the famous bay. where Athenian prisoners of war languished fortunately she was only with us for a few The next morning we got up early to drive in unimaginable squalor after the failure of hours and could not entirely spoil our visit to to Pompeii, where one of the most moving

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 33 Classics Tour to Sicily and Southern Italy

“The archaeological remains of Syracuse are impressive, including a theatre and the now beautiful but once terrible quarries.”

The group in front of the Elephant The group with Sara at the Nymphaeum in Syracuse Fountain in Catania.

sites was the vast mass of Vesuvius Piazzetta, we climbed up to Villa Jovis, the looming over the main square of the palace high above the sea from which the city; in the afternoon we returned to Emperor Tiberius ruled the empire. Naples and visited the Archaeological In the afternoon, we drove through Museum, whose vast holdings include the Phlegraean Fields, past Lake Avernus, the old Farnese collection of antiquities reputedly a way to the underworld, to as well as the discoveries from Pompeii Cumae, the first Greek colony on the and Herculaneum. mainland, the spot where Daedalus landed Our penultimate day in Naples on his flight from Crete, and the home of the was spent visiting the Capodimonte Sibyl consulted by Aeneas in Book VI of the Museum and then on a walking tour of Aeneid. And then we drove back to Naples the city itself, including several great for some free time before a very cordial churches, the 18th-century Cappella farewell dinner at a well-known pizzeria. Sansevero, with its enigmatic allegorical The third Classics Tour will be to Greece statues conceived by Prince Raimondo and Crete, in June-July 2021. di Sangro – reputed by the common Dr Christopher Allen people to be a fearsome wizard – and the Pio Monte della Misericordia, with another great painting by Caravaggio, The Seven Acts of Mercy. Finally, on our last day, we caught an early ferry across to the island of Capri. Leaving the tourists behind in the

34 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 From the Archives: Weigall Sportsground Grammar’s sportsground started off as a much needed open field, partly submerged under water in 1908, and now is a multi-functional site with a world-class playing field used by professional sports team training, when not in use for School sport. Co-written by Mr Steven Gonski and Ms Bridget Minatel.

Weigall Sportsground, named after Grammar’s In the early 1870s, the grounds behind the Market Garden, looking south-west from longest serving and most influential School’s College Street façade were rugged Rushcutters Bay to Paddington c1890-1900 Headmaster, Albert Bythesea Weigall (1867– and sloping in contour and inadequate in size, 1911) lies on land reclaimed from Sydney’s and Weigall often sought both to improve it Rushcutters Bay, which was once a source and procure additional sportsground space of roofing thatch for the fledgling colony of for the School. Both the boys and their New South Wales. The marshy land of the parents complained about the condition of bay was partly reclaimed and used for market the playground, with a boys regularly getting gardens supplying Sydney city with fresh injured during lunchtime play. vegetables, originally belonging to the Booth Weigall persistently strived to obtain a Estate. The construction of a simple bridge in suitable sportsground elsewhere, particularly the 1820s allowed for the formation of New for cricket. Urged by the Headmaster, the South Head Road. Trustees first sought government approval

Rugby, YMCA vs Syd Uni at Weigall, 1928 Below left: Weigall letter from archive collection

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 35 From the Archives: Weigall Sportsground

Creek, looking south-west from Rushcutters Bay to Paddington c1870

to use a portion of Hyde Park in front of the School for cricket matches. Then again in 1877 and 1879 they unsuccessfully sought different sections of land in the Domain. In 1882, Weigall with the strong support of parents, recommended that the Trustees seek a piece of ground in Moore Park from the City Council, which they allowed the School to use for playing cricket matches, adjacent to the Agricultural Society’s grounds. However, these arrangements were soon to prove far from satisfactory, prompting the Old Boy’s Union to arrange a collection of funds to “purchase suitable land for sports and recreational purposes, in order to mark the Jubilee of the School”, and by January 1907 negotiations were underway to purchase a large block of land at Rushcutters Bay. By February 1907 the Trustees of the School had received approval to mortgage the School property in College Street in order to borrow £3,000 to secure land totalling seven and a half acres. Weigall ground levelling 2014 Flooding problems that were apparent when the land was first bought were largely fixed by raising the level of the ground and installing elaborate drainage works in the late 1920s. Boys at the School assisted in spreading the large quantities of sand filling required. Finally, after using 1 million tonnes of sand, the grounds were reopened for use. To the north of the canal facing New South Head Road was the famous Sydney Stadium built in 1908 and demolished in 1970 for the construction of the Eastern Suburbs train line. The Stadium hosted all types of entertainment, including wrestling and boxing matches, as well as concerts, featuring stars

Burns v Johnson Boxing at Sydney Stadium 26 December 1908

36 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Weigall 4 Grounds opening 2008 Athletics Carnival at Weigall Mr C Davidson and Mr F Lowry with Sydney Stadium in cutting ribbon background 1959 such as Johnny O’Keefe and the Beatles. One the façade of the Weigall of the most famous events was the World Pavilion. Heavyweight Boxing Championship fight As the number of football between Tommy Burns and the challenger (soccer) players increased, Jack Johnson on Boxing Day 1908. The fight there was a push to attracted masses of people and it changed the construct a field specifically history of boxing with Johnson crowned the assigned for this sport, first Heavyweight World Champion. and on 14 June 2008 the Major sports played on the grounds were Weigall 4 football ground cricket and rugby but athletics events and was officially opened by Physical Education classes also took place. Mr Frank Lowy AC, the In addition, after 1966, the land was used as Chairman of Trustees the Edgecliff Preparatory School’s lunchtime David Gonski AC and playground and sports field. the Headmaster Dr John In 1975, a new Weigall Pavilion was Vallance. The first soccer opened to replace the previous one that match to be played there had stood for just over 50 years. Many Old was against Sydney High, Sydneians supported the project through which the First XI won 3-2. generous donations and the overall cost Soon afterwards in 2014, the was just over $300,000. In the same year, main part of Weigall received an the legendary groundsman Albert A Chislett overhaul. The ground was levelled, (Jnr) retired. Alby had actually been born a new drainage system inserted in a cottage on Weigall in 1910, becoming and the number one cricket pitch groundsman in 1950, succeeding his father-in- was relocated to its original north/ law, Les Lane. south orientation. To complement In 1996 the Wilson Memorial Gates this change, a new scoreboard was were erected at the entrance to Weigall opened in 2017 by Mrs Catherine Sportsground from Neild Avenue. A generous Vallance. Discussions about further bequest had been made from the estate of additions to the Weigall Grounds the late Annie Wilson in memory of her precinct are currently underway. brother Norman Arthur (1913-1992), who was a boy at the school between 1926 and 1931 and frequently visited Weigall. Two years later, the OSU Stand was erected on the northern end to replace the old spectator stands that were built in 1924, and in 1999 Right: Booth Estate an electronic scoreboard was installed on Auction Poster

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 37 From the Headmaster “The assurance – the confidence – to walk the path [of] our mind, our educated mind”: the philosophy of Grammar’s approach to education in times of change.

“The qualities of the educational experience at Grammar are built on a rich and varied set of foundations.”

Preparing for public examinations (photo by Mark Tedeschi)

For our Form VI boys of 2019, the conclusion concern, pointing to “[n]ew proposals [which] of furthering a pupil’s development, or is of their HSC examinations will have been aim to solve these problems by broadening it ‘summative’ as a method of establishing experienced with various versions of the university admissions criteria to include the success or failure of the individual and, satisfaction, a sense of achievement and some extra-curricular activities such as sport and perhaps, the process. relief that the process is now over and their music, work experience and evidence of a There is a standard phrase which one often next chapters will soon be upon them. student’s values to create a ‘learner profile’ for hears when educationalists debate the value Still, the general positivity with which our each student.” The writer continues: “[t]here of examinations and assessments, a phrase boys almost invariably moved through this final are good intentions behind these proposals, which blithely asserts that “you don’t fatten the phase of their school life was rarely the focus but they are ignoring the evidence: other pig by weighing it”. Whilst this pithy phrase of press commentary in the weeks leading countries have tried this, and it usually makes misses the importance of various assessment up to the examinations. By contrast, various the problems worse – increasing anxiety for approaches to the progress of meaningful voices announced that the HSC was not fit for families, putting more pressure on schools and learning, it does nonetheless remind us purpose, that the ATAR was not serving pupils reducing equity of access to university.”2 that the purpose of a good education is to well and that it needs to be scrapped. Certainly, it would be an admirable ideal achieve so much more than what can ever be The line of argument typically runs that to devise an assessment system which most measured by assessment systems. the HSC doesn’t fully recognise the qualities, completely recognises a young person’s Indeed, as I will argue later, that which skills and achievements of pupils, but rather unique constellation of achievements, but is immeasurable is of just as much intrinsic is a system which focuses too narrowly such a system would not only most likely importance to the development of a Grammar on certain areas of knowledge and skill favour more advantaged pupils, it would boy as the more immediately apparent, acquisition. One opinion piece commented also be extraordinarily and problematically measureable ‘outcomes’. that “[t]he HSC does not recognise the complex in its attempts to fairly and This pre-occupation with measurement brightest young minds of NSW. Not because objectively measure each pupil’s unique and assessment has also been in evidence it forgets to measure intelligence, but because set of “physical, emotional, interpersonal, in recent commentary on the future of the it forgets what intelligence is…we are creative” achievements. oft-besieged NAPLAN. One critic urges: confronted by our privileging of academics Still, this brings us back to an evergreen “We need to get new metrics of curiosity, over all other aptitudes – physical, emotional, concern in education: namely, how is collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. interpersonal, creative.”1 ‘assessment’ best used in advancing the cause These are the new 4Cs that enhance the 3Rs Another opinion piece approached this of learning. Is it to be ‘formative’ in the sense (reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic).”3

38 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Why, I wonder, do we need ‘metrics’ of investigative tasks and even modular rather how to contort education to achieve ‘curiosity, collaboration, creativity and critical examinations. After those twenty years they supposedly desired measurable outcomes. It thinking’ and (in any case) how would we have now returned to summary end-of-course is about what we should measure and how get them? examinations as the most meaningful and we can measure it, not about the richness of With words vaguely reminiscent of Aldous equitable way pupils from all different walks the human experience of education. Huxley’s dystopian vision in his 1931 novel of life can be judged on their mastery of The qualities of the educational experience Brave New World, the same critic continues: (essentially) the same body of knowledge. at Grammar are built on a rich and varied “Technology can help us interpret what Just last month we received the publication set of foundations, where boys engage with students are thinking as well as what they of the ‘Interim Report’ from this wholescale a sophisticated academic curriculum in the know and what they can do. In collaboration, NSW review. The ‘executive summary’ of the context of a challenging sporting and co- we need to be able to determine the report contends that “[b]roader changes in curricular programme, simultaneously enhanced intellectual capital of a group as well as the society, and particularly increasing globalisation by a conservatorium-style musical programme. contribution of the individuals.” and advances in technologies, have changed A liberal education for a Grammar boy This risks taking the bureaucratic appetite forever the world in which students live”. The involves a deeply respectful dedication to for assessment and measurement to a summary goes on to recommend a “reduction humanity’s simply awe-inspiring intellectual worrying extreme, perhaps playfully defining in syllabus content” which “should begin heritage. But that education has never been a child as achieving Band 5 for curiosity, with the identification of what is essential to solely an academic one in isolation. Band 4 for Collaboration, Band 3 for Critical a subject…the ‘big ideas’ around which less Through his sporting adventures a Grammar Thinking but a damning Band 1 for Creativity. central detail can be organised”4. boy can have fun and keep physically You will probably be aware of NESA’s Surely this is a fundamentally worrying healthy, whilst undergoing the challenges plans to review and potentially overhaul approach. For a start, as we embrace the of competition, the joys of success and the the curriculum of NSW. Last year it was changes ahead, how can a reduction in sobering resilience emerging from defeat (and announced that there would be a reassessment knowledge and a simplification to ‘big ideas’ here I am mindful of Kipling’s words in his of the priorities of our curriculum and be a clever approach? But further, who is infamous poem ‘If’ which urge the reader to assessment. The (then) NSW Education best placed to reliably assert what these ‘big ‘meet with Triumph and Disaster / And treat Minister Rob Stokes said at the time that ‘this ideas’ should be? What are they to be, say, those two impostors just the same’). is a once in a generation chance to examine, in Modern History? In 1989, the esteemed Through his exposure to music, a Grammar declutter, and improve the NSW curriculum to historian Francis Fukuyama outlined in his boy absorbs on a regular basis the aestheticism make it simpler to understand and to teach.’ now (personally) debunked work The End of so key to the joy of the human experience, as The HSC, ATAR and NAPLAN have inevitably History and the Last Man that the inevitable well as the immeasurable qualities of playing been under focus in this review. conclusion of the historical process was or just appreciating that art form, with all its Every education system has its ‘re- the establishment of Western Democracy. beautifully subtle rewards. invent the wheel’ moment, and it is entirely Curriculum designers need to be careful. The Ultimately, it is the aim of a Grammar understandable that periods of change notion of privileging the generalised dogma education to offer every boy an occasion calls for curriculum and assessment of those ‘big ideas’ over the mastery of details ‘immeasurably’ rich education which will adjustment. It is worth noting that over twenty seems a poor move. reach far beyond the limitations of curricula years ago the U.K. started down the journey of Frustratingly, this is not about the rich and assessment regimes, to prepare our boys in-school assessment (known as ‘coursework’), substance of a meaningful education, but for the world ahead.

Term IV Concert - School Choir, Cantorum and Cambiata and School Orchestra

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 39 From the Headmaster

Grammar Rugby Not so long ago Barak Obama asserted that “[i]n a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity – it is a pre-requisite.”5 Obama was offering his thoughts about education in the context of a world undergoing significant globalised political and technological change, but he certainly wasn’t the first to address the place of education in such a context. Here are the thoughts of LC Robson, retiring Headmaster of Shore School, delivered to the Scot’s College Speech Day in 1958. LC Robson attended Grammar from 1907 to 1912, receiving the Junior and Senior Knox Prizes. He was a Rhodes Scholar in 1916 and was Shore’s Headmaster from 1922 to 1958. Towards the conclusion of his speech he offered the following: “So much for the past and the present. What of the future? We cannot guess what sort of world will confront the boys of today when they reach the age of some of us. But consider some of the stupendous changes since I was at Grammar. Aeroplanes and wireless were in their infancy. Look at them In the laboratory now! Two catastrophic wars. We should never have believed it! Russia was a backward monarchy. She is still ruled as ruthlessly. But think what advances the Sputniks symbolize. We cannot predict the future. But we can be sure that it will be as exciting and miraculous as the last half century has been. What then, should our schools be striving for? What qualities will the next generation need? First we need a high sense of quality…we must strive for self-respect and the respect of others, both of which can only come from the highest standards of intellect, technique, sensibility and human values…” At Grammar, the dedicated linguist and the passionate physicist both have grown through the camaraderie, competitiveness and resilience of sporting experiences in parallel with the musical and artistic life of a school which continually and subtly reminds them that the life of the mind is a powerfully complex pursuit of beauty and joy through hard graft and determined effort. The 20th century novelist Iris Murdoch offered the following words which seem remarkably relevant at a time when educated mind, offers.” 1 John Bivell, ‘HSC failing NSW’s brightest students’, SMH October 27, 2019 — 1.27pm, https://www.smh.com.au/ educational ‘influencers’ are keenly trying Systems and authorities will variously education/hsc-failing-nsw-s-brightest-students-20191025- to make the educational offerings to future choose (or need) to assess, measure and rank p5347x.html pupils more manageable, measurable and our boys over time, and our boys will always 2 Katie Roberts-Hull, ‘Dumping ATAR would create a new set (indeed) functionally ‘relevant’: perform pretty well. But their rich education of problems for school leavers’, SMH November 10, 2019 — 12.16pm, https://www.smh.com.au/education/dumping- “Education doesn’t make you happy. Nor is quite another matter. atar-would-create-a-new-set-of-problems-for-school-leavers- does freedom. We don’t become happy just Be he an actor or an author, a 20191106-p537x5.html because we’re free – if we are. Or because mathematician or a mock trial expert, a rower 3 Professor Patrick Griffin, “Redesigning NAPLAN for the nation’s future needs”, SMH October 27, 2019 — 2.52pm, we’ve been educated – if we have. But or an avid reader, a ceramicist or a chemist, https://www.smh.com.au/education/redesigning-naplan-for- because education may be the means by an historian or an eccentric Hellenist, a the-nation-s-future-needs-20190924-p52uaj.html which we realize we are happy. It opens our fanatical basketballer or a flawless bassoonist, 4 https://nswcurriculumreview.nesa.nsw.edu.au/pdfs/ interimreport/chapters/NSW-Curriculum-Review-Interim- eyes, our ears, tells us where delights are a Grammar boy’s education is intended Report.pdf, pp. x-xii lurking, convinces us that there is only one to offer him (to borrow Iris Murdoch’s 5 Remarks of President Barack Obama – As Prepared for freedom of any importance whatsoever, that words once more) the “the assurance – the Delivery Address to Joint Session of Congress Tuesday, of the mind, and gives us the assurance – the confidence – to walk the path our mind, our February 24th, 2009 confidence – to walk the path our mind, our educated mind”.

40 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 A tribute to Murray Guest 1959-2019 Murray Guest (OS 1977) was appointed Headmaster of The Armidale School in 1998. The Grammar community was saddened to hear he recently lost his life in a car accident. The Deputy Headmaster, Mr Watkins, delivered the following address to the Assembly on 8 November 2019.

On a sad note, many of you will have heard the news that the Headmaster of The Armidale School Mr Murray Guest lost his life in a car accident last week. Dr Malpass is at the Armidale School this morning, representing us all at the School’s memorial service. Mr Guest was an Old Sydneian, attending Sydney Grammar School between 1972 and 1977 and prior to that St Ives Preparatory School from 1968 to 1971. He was the Headmaster of The Armidale School for 21 years. This morning we take a moment to pay our respects. We have a long-standing connection with the Armidale School, and many of you have played sport, especially rugby, against TAS over the years. At this time our thoughts are with the boys, girls and staff of The Armidale School, the broader TAS community and of course, Mr Guest’s family. You may notice that we are flying our national flag (at the front of the School) at half-mast today in his memory. He was SGS Cricket 2nd XI 1977 Premiers a man who dedicated his working life to the education of others and I can only reflect on the positive influence that he has had on so many students who received their secondary education under his leadership. Mr Guest always wanted his students to make the most of their schooling opportunities. Here is a short quote from one of his addresses to The Armidale School: “For TAS, the challenge for our future is in responding to our changing landscape with our feet firmly planted in our home ground; where the development of independence, strong personal values and character – essentially, growing to be a good man – takes priority over the fickle demands that come with short political cycles and shallow social focus on the issues of the day.” School Chairman Sebastian Hempel described Mr Guest, 60, as “an outstanding leader, educator and friend. Murray was appointed as the School’s thirteenth Headmaster in 1998 and set it on the SGS Rugby 2nd XV 1977 course of a new direction with vision, energy and purpose.”

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 41 Sydney Grammar School and the Second World War

The Headmaster Dr Malpass has lent his support to a School history project initiated by History Master Dr Glozier. The project aims to tell the story of Old Sydneians who participated in the Second World War. Ultimately, this will take the form of a historical narrative in book form. To achieve that outcome, Dr Glozier’s initial aim is to research and record a definitive list of all OS participants. The names of 162 OS who lost their lives are recorded on the WWII Honour Board in Big School. That memorial was erected originally in June 1953, at which time it included 149 names. It was soon after updated to the present number. The following nominal roll represents the fourth instalment of research into OS participants based on (a) The Sydneian list (No. 317, May 1946); (b) the School’s Liber Nominum; (c) Australian military sources (including the Australian War Memorial and websites hosted by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs).

A group portrait of five recent RAAF graduates of an Empire Air Training Scheme Air Observer’s School, Saskatchewan, Canada. Norman Falkner Dwyer, who died in service, is far right. D, E and F Surnames The information contained in the following list includes: Surname / Service Number / Rank / Forename(s) / Armed Service / OS dates. + died in service / * served in WWI (1914-18) / # served in the Boer War (1899-1902)

DAKIN, 261274 SQNLDR William Arthur RAAF (1935-40) DAW, NX155797 SIG Harold Wentworth RAAF (1927-32) John RAAF (1933) Peter Harvey RAAF (1929-32) DAVIES, NGX166 PTE Edward Stanley Clifford ARMY (1933-4) DECK, NX123165 SPR Henry DERWENT, A2551 WOFF Frank DALE, NX171398 GNR Maxwell Lonsdale ARMY (1924) DAWBORN, N/A LCDR Royston Maxwell Baring ARMY (1930-3) Edwin RAAF (1938-40) Leslie ARMY (1938-40) DAVIES, 261505 SQNLDR Geoffrey Miller RAN (1937-8) DECK, 262569 SQNLDR Roger DE SAXE, NX93815 LSGT Colin DALLY, NX157324 CPL Ian Arthur Wyndham RAAF (1922-30) DAWES, NX106000 SGT Arthur Ferris RAAF (1925-30) Franklin ARMY (1936) ARMY (1929) DAVIES, 15194 SGT George Manly ARMY (1934-5) DELARUE, 443876 LAC Alan Foster DE SAXE, N217920 PTE Kenneth DALRYMPLE-HAY, NX12578 CAPT Frederick RAAF (1921) *DAWKINS, NX53220 GNR RAAF (1937-43) Hyom (Nyam) ARMY (1934-5) Houston Stewart ARMY (1926-7) DAVIES, NX156553 SGT John Malcolm Reginald ARMY (1913-16) +DELARUE, 402322 FLGOFF Jack DE SAXE, N218156 PTE Michael DA LY, N324160 LCPL Grattan Foster ARMY (1922) DAWSON, NX128576 S/SGT John Edmond RAAF (1928-31) Stanley ARMY (1935-8) Charles C. ARMY (1933) DAVIES, NX3064 LT Lewis Foster Francis ARMY (1939) DE LAUNAY, N79213 SIG / NX65624 DE TORES, 21954 FLGOFF Jeffrey DALYELL, NX173651 LT William ARMY (1926-9) DAY, VX20878 TRP Clarence PTE Pierre Pichoir ARMY (1930-3) Harold RAAF (1930-3) Anstruther ARMY (1932-7) DAVIES, NX5759 S/SGT Nigel Francis Waldron ARMY (1914-15) DELMAR, Edwin Chisholm MN DETTMANN, NX70909 CAPT John DALZIELL, NX101407 TPR David Edward ARMY (1931-2) * DAY, N468423 SGT Douglas (1922-3) David Hardings ARMY (1928-35) Lennox ARMY (1937-8) DAVIS, 133700 LAC Arnold Asher ARMY (1913-15) DELOHERY, 411216 FLTLT Alfred DETTMANN, NX79062 BDR John DANAHAY, V14457 WO1 William Coleman RAAF (1935-8) DAY, 34778 FLGOFF Wilfred Eric William, DFC RAAF (1929-31) Frederick ARMY (1931-6) John ARMY (1917) DAVIS, NX243 MAJ Eric Lewis RAAF (1926-30) DELOHERY, NX108721 LT Robert DE VERE STEVENS, NX82516 WO2 DANCASTER, NX167764 CPL ARMY (1928-32) DEAN, 72439 AC Bruce RAAF Arthur “Bob” ARMY (1934-9) William Fairland ARMY (1918-22) William Jack ARMY (1937-40) DAVIS, N393400 CAPT Gerald de (1937-40) DENNETT, 423669 FLTLT Alan DE VOS, NX143801 LT Hermann DANIEL, 31013 LT Walter John Vahl ARMY (1910-14) DEAN, NX116761 LSGT Colin Hart Hepworth RAAF (1937-40) Leslie ARMY (1929-31) NZEF (1923-8) DAVIS, NX82657 CPL Jack (Jacob) ARMY (1935-7) DENNETT, NX13910 WO2 Raymond DEZARNAULDS, NX15349 CPL DARTON, NX150209 PTE Ronald ARMY (1913-14) DEAN, NX44112 GNR Jack Alfred Alexander ARMY (1928-30) Numa Frederick ARMY (1930-4) James ARMY (1939-40) DAVIS, NX16394 S/SGT Joseph ARMY (1934-6) DENNETT, NX68673 SGT William DIAMOND, N457459 PTE Herbert DATSON, NX32952 SGT Henry Henry ARMY (1928-9) DEAN, N383195 PTE Stanley Donald ARMY (1928-30) (Hyman/Hymie) Maurice ARMY Houghton “Harry” ARMY (1917-21) DAVIS, NX203551 CAPT Harold James Arthur ARMY (1923-5) DENNISTON, NX208078 LTCOL (1918-20) DAVENPORT, NX147512 CAPT Lewis ARMY (1932-7) DEAN, NX44108 GNR William James Alastair Yates “Chip”, DSO DIAMOND, LS Hyman R. RNVR Lindsay ARMY (1919-22) DAVIS, 162479 Malcolm John Donald Johnston ARMY (1933-6) ARMY (1923-9) (1914-19) DAVIDSON, 137413 LAC Alan RAAF (1937-8) De BURGH, NX34864 MAJ Hugo DENSON, NX112494 SGT Alfred DIAMOND, NX131825 S/SGT Horace RAAF (1938-40) DAVIS, NX700261 LTCOL Neville Macartney ARMY (1909-12) ARMY (1933) Richard (Rudolf) Isidore ARMY DAVIDSON, 261283 FLTLT Charles Coleman ARMY (1935-9) DECK, 264105 FLTLT Edward DENT, 134793 LAC Norman (1920-3) Geoffrey RAAF (1926-32) DAVIS, 126659 AC Robert Humfrey Rayment RAAF (1929-36) Thomas RAAF (1925-6) +DIBBS, 403562 FLGOFF George DAVIDSON, 63056 FLGOFF James Desmond RAAF (193?-40) DECK, 411755 LTLT Ernest Brian DERRETT, 133528 LAC William Robert RAAF (1930-7)

42 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 DIBBS, N448597 LCPL Thomas DOWLING, QX7248 SPR John Steel ARMY (1938-41) FLGOFF James Hayes ARMY / FORD, NX85766 SPR Cecil Morgan Alexander ARMY (1927-30) ARMY (1916) EDMONDS, NX56288 LSGT RAAF (1923-5) John ARMY (1923-7) DICK, NX174912 CAPT John DOWNES, S/9212 AB Neville Vere Norman Douglas ARMY (1938-41) FARRAR, NX206853 CAPT James FORREST, QX4328 LSGT George Chesterton ARMY (1924-9) RAN (1938-43) EDWARDS, S/V515 LS Alexander Martindale ARMY (1932-7) William ARMY (1918) DICK, NX24864 CPL Robert DOYLE, CHAP Clive (Claude) James RAN (1935-9) FAWCETT, N233649 PTE Ernest +FORREST, 421587 FLGOFF Russell Meiklejohn ARMY (1915-17) James ARMY (1924-8) EDWARDS, 151810 LAC Colin Harold ARMY (1933-4) Richard Napier RAAF (1940) DICKINSON, NX54122 LT Edward DOYLE, P226 LT Cyril Williamson Frederick Williamson RAAF (1925-7) FAY, 167393 LAC Robert Austin FORREST, NX38036 GNR Sydney Moseley ARMY (1929) Richard ARMY (1915) EDWARDS, NX70968 MAJ Frank RAAF (1939-44) Robert ARMY (1918) DICKSON, NX115444 LSGT *DRAKE, N237489 PTE John ARMY (1930-1) FAYLE, NX57587 SGT Hedley FORRESTER, N211008 WO2 Clive /436187 LAC Alan Gordon ARMY McCay ARMY (1912-17) +EDWARDS, 403043 SGT James Robert ARMY (1939-44) Dargin ARMY (1920-22) / RAAF (1927-30) DRAPER, NX140261 BDR Keith George RAAF (1938-41) FEARN, NX20522 DVR Henry FORSTER, NX67829 S/SGT John DICKSON, 424993 FLTLT Ian William ARMY (1936-40) EDWARDS, NX53312 PTE Keith William ARMY (1924-5) Herbert Charles ARMY (1919) Douglas RAAF (1929-34) DREDGE, NX190528 SGT Gordon Paul ARMY (1915-18) FEARN, 17176 PO Leonard Charles FORSTER, NX150783 SGT Frank DICKSON, 266031 FLGOFF Leslie Havelock ARMY (1936-40) EDWARDS, 70439 LAC Kenneth RAN (1924-5) ARMY (1932-3) Harold RAAF (1911-17) DREW, COL Dr William Robert Rey RAAF (1939-40) #*FETHERSTONHAUGH, N353347 FORSTER, NX150181 SGT Graham DICKINSON, NX54122 LT Edward MacFarlane “Bob” BRITISH ARMY EDYE, 266715 FLTLT John Andrew LTCOL Hugh Cuthbert Murchison ARMY (1932-3) Mosely ARMY (1929) (1917-24) RAAF (1935-6) ARMY (1891-93) FORSYTH, NX156239 DVR DIGHT, NX146701 CAPT Charles DRUCE, S/7540 3 MATE Brian EDYE, 71849 LAC Robert McLean FEGENT, NX373 MAJ Brian Gray Norman John ARMY (1937-40) Hilton ARMY (1925-7) Reginald RAN (1936-40) RAAF (1935-6) George ARMY (1928-32) FORSYTHE, 402158 WOFF Peter DIGHT, NX116399 S/SGT Fraser DRUCE, S/7540 AB Derek EGAN, NX119492 LT Barrie FELL, 261831 SQNLDR Ian Buckle Gordon RAAF (1929-30) James ARMY (1918-20) Bloomfield RAN (1938) Edmund ARMY (1936-9) RAAF (1918-20) FORTEY, 24915 CDR Errol Gordon DIGHT, 73548 LAC Geoffrey DRUMMOND, N85383 GNR John ELDRIDGE, NX3127 LSGT John FELSTEAD, N468639 PTE Theo Clifford RAN (1927-8) Beresford RAAF (1924-5) Gavin Rutherford ARMY (1923-4) Cecil ARMY (1916) Heywood ARMY (1918-23) FORTEY, N318362 PTE Geoffrey DILL-MACKY, 27044 CODER John DRURY, NX92237 LT John ELLIOTT, NX101983 WO2 Jack FENTON, 265212 FLGOFF Alan Comber ARMY (1918) Richard RAN (1939-43) Wigmore Heath ARMY (1916-18) McGowan ARMY (1928-9) Lumsden RAAF (1914-17) FOSS, N256999 SIG / 428681 DILL-MACKY, NX166018 LT DRURY, 411299 FLTLT George ELKINGTON, NX177517 S/SGT FENTON, 265459 FLTLT Hector FLGOFF Maxwell Frederick ARMY William Morgan ARMY (1935-7) Kenneth RAAF (1926-7) Warren Lindsay ARMY (1935-42) Lumsden RAAF (1919-20) / RAAF (1937-41) DILLON, N/A LCDR Clive Barker DUCKER, NX10071 CPL Laurence ELPHINSTONE, N152119 PTE / FENWICK, S9675 MID John RAN FOSTER, QX38732 LT Maxwell RAN (1928-30) Arthur ARMY (1916-20) 429149 WOFF William Robert (1943-4) Frederick ARMY (1930-33) DILLON, N/A LEUT Edgar Ernest DUDGEON, NX21941 GNR Alick ARMY / RAAF (1937-8) FERGUSON, NX202239 CAPT FOUNTAIN, 37049 SGT Clive Charles RAN (1930-2) Boyd ARMY (1930-1) ELWORTHY, 413361 FLGOFF David Alexander ARMY (1933-6) Lewis RAAF (1929-34) DIMOND, 26058 CODER Ray RAN DUDLEY, N449655 PTE Julian Richard Francis RAAF (1925-7) FERGUSON, 432334 FSGT Edward FOUNTAIN, NX168270 CPL (1939-41) Thomas ARMY (1923-5) EMERSON, S/8957 STO Bruce Stephen Perry RAAF (1937-41) George Stewart ARMY (1926-30) DIND, NX104272 LT David Saville DUDLEY, NX5173 PTE Norman Neilson RAN (1939-42) FERGUSON, NX142936 MAJ FOWLES, 73868 FLGOFF Kenneth ARMY (1929-32) Tom ARMY (1919-21) EMMERSON, 432775 WOFF Bruce Eustace William ARMY (1927-9) Alexander RAAF (1926-9) DIVE, 265000 FLTLT James DUDLEY, N266789 PTE Wilfred Raymond McKevitt RAAF (1940-1) FERGUSSON, 167262 AC Russell FOX, S/9336 AB George Fletcher Clouston RAAF (1924-8) Noel ARMY (1926-8) EPSTEIN, NX190808 CPL Stanley Grant RAAF (1940-2) RAN (1940-1) DIXON, N241910 GNR Norman DUFF, O21953 SQNLDR Hugh Leopold (Leo) ARMY (1931-4) FERRIER, N29679 LT Harold Grant FOX, 411889 FLTLT John Toplis Parrant ARMY (1925) Boscawen RAAF (1920-4) +ESTELL, 423087 PLTOFF John ARMY (1919-22) Cockburn RAAF (1929) DOBBIE, S/7391 AB John Couper DUFFEY, 412337 FLTLT Robert Edward RAAF (1938-42) FESQ, S/V58 LEUT William FOX, N273255 PTE Louis ARMY RAN (1930-41) Maxwell RAAF (1929-32) EVANS, NX148696 LT Alan Bartle Leverrier, DSC RANVR (1930-33) (1924) *DOBBIN, NX109265 MAJ John DUMBRELL, NX79438 SIG John Malcolm ARMY (1934-7) FFRENCH, 439580 LAC John FOX, NX80186 TPR William Henry Vernon ARMY (1910-14) Graham ARMY (1936-9) MacPherson RAAF (1930-40) ARMY (1938-40) DOBBS, NX118559 LT Eric Key EVANS, 267638 FLTLT Harry Bruce DUNBAR, 162661 LAC Eric Carvel RAAF (1924-6) FIELD, 421260 FLGOFF Wilfred FRANCE, S/6843 AB Donald RAN ARMY (1918) Gordon RAAF (1934) Robert RAAF (1934-7) (1938-40) DOBBS, 445503 LAC Kenneth +EVANS, NX57402 LCPL Harold +DUNBAR, N275739 GNR / Samuel ARMY (1935) FIGTREE, NX127534 MAJ Arthur FRANCIS, NX35056 MAJ Ernest Kelso RAAF (1940-2) 424391 FSGT Geoffrey James +EVANS, NX53002 PTE Lloyd Richardson ARMY (1924-5) Dudley ARMY (1923) DOCKER, NX80153 CPL ARMY / RAAF (1939) Carvel ARMY (1928-33) FINLAY, Q30674 LT / 109332 FRANCIS, S/10135 AB Ian Wilfred Barrington Thomas ARMY (1937) +DUNBAR, NX7405 CPL Lindsay EVANS, 403571 FLTLT Murray FLGOFF Arthur Noel “Huck”, MC RAN (1939-44) DOCKER, NX168753 LSGT Wallace Noel ARMY (1932-3) RAAF (1929-32) ARMY / RAFVR (1919-23) FRANCIS, NX98723 PTE Norman Arnold Rowden ARMY (1937-8) DUNBAR, NX10042 BDR Norman EVANS, FINLAY, N/A LEUT Donald Murray Clive ARMY (1919-20) DODDS, NX105688 SIG Kenneth Selwyn ARMY (1932-3) NX78301 S/SGT Wilfred Ronald ARMY (1928-30) Logier RAN (1928-33) FRANCIS, 262189 SQNLDR Charles Stanley ARMY (1936-9) DUNCAN, N294021 CPL Douglas FINLAY, NX43047 SGT Lloyd Rainsford Burlington RAAF (1915-20) DODWELL, NX99998 PTE John Robert ARMY (1932-6) EVANS, VX138519 CAPT William Johnson ARMY (1921-2) Hubert ARMY (19??-39) FRAZER, 403327 SGT Alan Richard Henry ARMY (1940-1) +DUNCAN, N303203 SIG John FINLAY, 440067 FLGOFF Mervyn RAAF (1935-6) DOLMAN, NX102765 SGT Leonard Maxwell ARMY (1925-31) EVERETT, 422153 FSGT John Raymond RAAF (1937-8) David RAAF (1936-43) FRAZER, NX160624 PTE Herbert Walker (Walter) ARMY (1932-4) DUNKERLEY, N468412 PTE Arthur FIRTH, Q221517 PTE Charles Douglas ARMY (1927-9) +DONALD, NX133428 GNR John ARMY (1919-20) EVERETT, NX88818 PTE Rodney Adams ARMY (1938-9) Hilton ARMY (1911-14) FRECKER, 402653 FLTLT Mason Alexander ARMY (1938-40) DUNN, NX203625 PTE Francis *FIRTH, N106087 LSGT Russell Day RAAF (1934) DONALD, NX105945 CAPT Robert Frederick ARMY (1936-7) EVERINGHAM, NX24479 PTE Francis John ARMY (1930) Arthur ARMY (1911-14) FRECKER, NX133485 LT Winston Alexander ARMY (1930-3) DUNNINGHAM, NX92108 GNR FISHER, 266052 FLGOFF Henry EVESSON, N218622 PTE Ralph Norman ARMY (1938) DONALDSON, N319607 PTE Leslie Stephen John ARMY (1939-40) Bernard RAAF (1911-14) Leonard I. ARMY (1938-9) FREEMAN, NX165920 SGT Arthur Wallace ARMY (1918-21) DUNSHEA, NX169768 CFN Colin +FISHER, NX27288 GNR Henry Tarlton ARMY (1915-16) EYLES, 15850 WOFF Reginald *DONKIN, NX139539 MAJ Graham ARMY (1938-40) Maxwell Money ARMY (1925-9) Milton RAAF (1927-8) FREEMAN, 77110 CPL John Alfred Douglas Stanley ARMY (1913-17) DUNSTAN, N186428 PTE Eric FISHER, NX1940 GNR Norman RAAF (1928-32) EYRE, N444630 CPL Harry Giles DONNAN, N468489 SPR Reginald Bryant ARMY (1917-18) Dudley ARMY (1925-8) ARMY (1923-4) +FREETH, 411768 FSGT John Carson ARMY (1930-5) DURANCE, VX14401 BDR Frank FITCHER, V24959 TPR Donald Samuel RAAF (1932-5) EYRES, DONNAN, 432333 FLGOFF Victor Ewart ARMY (1929-30) N225596 PTE Keith William Henry ARMY (1930-2) William ARMY (1923-4) FRENCH, 432376 FLGOFF William Tennyson RAAF (1940-2) DURCHER, P191 PTE Rudolph FITZHARDINGE, NX206865 CAPT Gordon RAAF (1926-9) DONNISON, N83422 CPL / 439542 Edward ARMY (1914-21) *EYRES, 119518 LAC Eyre de Grantley William ARMY (1925-30) Meric RAAF (1913-16) FREUDENSTEIN, NX69947 GNR FLGOFF Bruce Herbert ARMY / +DWYER, 402648 FLGOFF Norman FLACK, NX201895 GNR Arthur Oscar Vincent ARMY (1921) RAAF (1928-33) William Falkner RAAF (1925-32) FADER, 262045 FLTLT Norman George ARMY (1941-2) FRIEND, NX96987 LT Donald DONOVAN, 75058 SQNLDR Kevin *DYER, NX85080 CFN Frederick FLATT, NX12574 LT Eric Neeve Stuart Leslie ARMY (1930-1) Cormac, MC RAFVR (1919-26) David, AFC RAAF (1925-9) Arthur ARMY (1914-16) FAILES, 264156 SQNLDR Laurence ARMY (1918) FRIZELL, N103314 CPL Eric Everett DONOVAN, NX92874 GNR DYSON-SMITH, N170455 PTE FLANDERS, NX124939 GNR Keith ARMY (1917-20) William Kenneth ARMY (1936-9) John RAAF (1911-15) Howard ARMY (1925-6) FALKINDER, TX2264 CAPT Ralph Herbert ARMY (1937-8) FROLICK, 22147 AB David DORAN, S/9791 AB Frederick DYSON-SMITH, NX127794 PTE FLECK, S/9142 AB Bruce Cropton Charles RAN (1917-20) John RAN (1940-2) Golland ARMY (1926) Joseph Dudley ARMY (1923-5) RAN (1941-2) *FROST, QX14529 S/SGT Bertram DORNAN, *FALLON, 7332 PLTOFF Harrison QX13844 LT Hugh DYSON-SMITH, NX104337 S/SGT FLEMING, N389301 PTE Alan Joseph ARMY (1913) Alexander MacKay ARMY (1930) Goodenough RAAF (1916-17) Maurice Edward ARMY (1922-4) Ernest ARMY (1928-9) FROST, NX102521 CAPT William DOUGLASS, N273263 S/SGT Alan FALSTEIN, 423690 FLGOFF FLEMING, 48013 CAPT Talbot Bertram ARMY (1925-6) Gordon ARMY (1917-25) EARLAM, N280417 SGT Harold Sydney Max RAAF (1928-30) Owen ARMY (1928-9) FULLER, NX3230 GNR Colin Albert DOUGLASS, 424023 FLTLT Bruce Norman S. ARMY (1915-21) FARLEIGH, NX149534 LT Keith FLOHM, NX151763 PTE Harry ARMY (1935-6) RAAF (1928-32) EARLAM, NX166331 LTCOL Manicom ARMY (1934-8) Abraham Lewis ARMY (1928-9) FULLER, DOUGLASS, NX133726 LCPL Colin Malcolm Sidney Stewart (MID) FARNHILL, NX77317 CAPT 133051 LAC Jacques Allen FLOYD, George ARMY (1922-5) ARMY (1911-18) Edward Seymour ARMY (1922-4) N235460 PTE Leslie RAAF (1924-6) Howard ARMY (1928-9) DOUGLASS, N42089 GNR / EAST, NX122932 LT Robert Arthur +FARNSWORTH, 35439 AC Roy FULLER, 402052 FLGOFF Leonard PA3329 SBLT Elwin (Eluria) ARMY (1933-4) Eric RAAF (1935-8) FORBES, NX122199 SGT Colin Graham “Len” RAAF (1934) Clifford ARMY / RAN (1935) EASTMAN, 139833 FLGOFF FARNSWORTH, S/10180 AB Prestige ARMY (1938) FURBER, NX207260 CAPT John DOUGLASS, NX202554 LCPL William Hadley RAAF (1930-2) William Rodney RAN (1938-44) FORBES, 444505 FSGT Graham Frederick Maynard ARMY (1932-8) William Sholto ARMY (1936-9) EDGINGTON, 265393 WOFF FARR, NX13460 PTE Ian Aubrey Prestige RAAF (1939-40) FURBER, NX207261 CAPT Thomas DOVEY, N/A LEUT William Griffith Frederick McClure RAAF (1929-35) ARMY (1930) FORBES-YOUNG, TX12443 S/SGT Rupert Maynard ARMY (1933-8) “Bill” RAN (1936-42) EDGLEY, NX700345 CAPT Robert FARRAR, N173527 ?? / 139815 Julian ARMY (1926-30) SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 43 A new natural playground at St Ives Outdoor play at St Ives has taken a creative new direction with the development of an impressive natural playground.

“Problem solving is fostered, as new ideas and collaboration are stimulated.”

The ‘rock crushing group’ in action

A new natural play space at St Ives has been • Positive impacts on children’s social completed. The core aim was to enable a behaviour such as facilitating more group more balanced approach to whole child play (Cosco et al, 2014) development that counters the pervasive The playground replaces the traditional allure of technology and complements coloured plastic and metal structures and academic pursuits. incorporates quiet, open and active play Natural, irregular and challenging areas, challenging play spaces, sustainable playgrounds that are well designed can natural materials and areas for outdoor offer a wide range of benefits for child teaching and learning. development including: Staff worked with a landscape architect • More diverse play opportunities (Sarigisson to combine function, play and educational & McLean, 2012) requirements and a multi-stage conceptual • Measured risk to develop problem solving, master plan was developed. persistence and creative thinking. Opening in July 2019, stage one includes • Psychological benefits including fatigue a water play area with water pump and restoration, building confidence and trough, dry creek bed, log and rock competence (Bagot, Allen & Toukhasati, scramble, lookout and tunnel and a log 2015) and rock climb. Future stages may include • Increased physical activity (Coe, Flynn, embankment slides, a quiet sensory garden, Frank Chen (Preschool) manning the Water Pump Wolff, & Durham, 2014) a balance bridge and historical orchard. The

44 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 maintenance staff, led by Darren Palmer, Further down the riverbed, another group were instrumental in the coordination and of boys create a path for the water to flow. planning of the playground construction and Their initial idea of a rock island to split the their efforts are very much appreciated by stream was quickly deemed unsuitable as staff and boys. they discovered it slowed down the flow of The benefits of our new play area were their hard-earned trickle of water. instantly evident as we observed active The emergence of the ‘rock’ group, child-directed play, boys connecting with who love to crush and grind rocks, was the natural world and complex imaginative unexpected. The rock crushing has been play. As the boys climb unfamiliar natural highly experimental as the boys work out structures and calculate risk, they are building which types of rock are easier to break up, resilience. Even the bumps and scrapes what colour they will make, which ones turn that come with active play have provided to sand and what they can use it for. This meaningful feedback on judgements and group also likes to stack, rearrange and create give the boys’ opportunities to manage their with the smaller rocks. feelings safely. The sounds of creative play are a joy to After the initial flurry of excitement, listen to. One day the log scramble may be dedicated groups of boys are emerging their space base or refuge from dinosaurs involved in a range of creative and social or provide a careful track to follow in order activities. The ‘water trough’ boys have been to get through the bark lava. Each group particularly industrious this term. They have is fluid and can often be made up of boys been systematically creating a dam at the from different year levels. Problem solving is bottom of the outlet and coordinating efforts fostered, as new ideas and collaboration are to create a river through the rock bed. Cries stimulated. of, “release, release”, “hold the flow”, “time to Perhaps the most rewarding outcome pump” and “we need to fix this” can be heard of our new playground is the social and as the boys work together to manage the flow emotional development. Masters on morning of water. Spades in particular have become tea and lunch duty have reported a reduction a hot commodity for this group of boys and in conflicts and the boys’ engagement the sharing of these highly prized items is demonstrates how our natural playground providing boys with everyday opportunities to kindles wonder, curiosity and joy. practice empathy and resilience.

Top: Collaboration and problem solving are fostered Above: Navigating the Log Scramble Right: The playground utilises sustainable natural materials and stimulates challenging play “Perhaps the most rewarding outcome of our new playground is the social and emotional development.”

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 45 Brennan Keats reflects Attending Grammar from 1952 to 1957, Brennan Keats recounts the many life lessons he gleaned from his time at Grammar and shares fond memories of some of the characters he encountered.

The six years that I spent at Sydney Grammar My sadness at leaving the school was School were the happiest of all my school that had I remained I knew that I would years. I departed, with some sadness for become Drum Major of the School Cadet reasons below, having been a ‘very average Band, I would have rowed in a Regatta Crew student’, sporting a “Gentleman’s Pass” in and I had been told that I would be a sub my Leaving Certificate yet carrying many prefect. I had aspired to all of these and memories and life skills that I have lived by my ever-generous mother offered me the and am happy to say, I have passed onto extra year, but I decided against her offer. our two children and to my wife’s and my Once a broadcaster and recitalist she had mutual delight, they and their children have been forced, upon the premature death of so followed. Not the least of these memories my father, to take boarders into our home was The Chief’s (CO Healey) frequent saying; so that I might attend Grammar. A seventh “Always aspire to be both Athenian and year at school would produce nothing really Spartan”. worthwhile except a boost to my ego. Whilst at school I attempted football Another life skill offered by The Chief always playing in the lower grades, but included: “A gentleman always pays his somehow I managed to have a Rugby photo debts”. At that time little did I know that I for every year there. I also became a rower, was destined to become a FCPA, and towards but failed to make a GPS Regatta Crew, yet the present moment of my life operate a picked up sufficient skills to coach rowing music publishing business specialising in (2nd IV 1987) at our son’s school. I might add Australian ‘classical’ music. The margins that our boy rowed in the 1st VIII (1987) one are low as is the demand for this material, of the best that Scots produced. so when my wife and I commenced Brennan Keats

SGS Cadet Corps Band 1957

46 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 operations we knew that managed cash flow was imperative. We are now past the early stages of this enterprise but we apply Healy’s ‘debt concept’ and it stands us in good stead. Finally, Healy made the point, that we should always treat those who may not have been as fortunate with respect; an excellent concept that should become a normal part of all that we do. A message that is now very much in evidence in the Sydney Grammar of today. There were three men who taught when I was at Grammar that I hold in the highest respect, both whilst at the school and after. At the Memorial Day for The Chief in Big School some years ago all four of us were together and the three, then retired teachers, expressed surprise when advised that I became a qualified accountant. Harry McDonald was my Second Form Master. He was teaching 2C, where many of the not as bright were included. I might add that over the years I did work up to 6A lower. Harry was a young man at the time, just out of university; he was quiet but firm, yet in a gentle way. I also found myself in one of David Lloyd’s English classes. Beneath what could be construed as a gruff exterior laid a proverbial ‘heart of gold’. I really appreciated his wry sense of humour and frequently laughed at his commentary. He was able to make points about our language, using a slight twist that I for one always remembered. Major Hill, a returned serviceman, who had fought in Africa (WWII), made a great impression upon me. He considered The Band the showpiece of the Cadet Corps because on many occasions it represented the School to the public at large, particularly in our participation in the ANZAC March. There was somewhat of reluctance by many Above: SGS Cadet Corps Band 1956 of joining the band, so during the opening Back: Cdts Jennings, Gourlay, Mulford, Thompson, Middleton, MacQueen, Dowling parade on the second year of my cadet Middle: Cdts Armitage, Dezarnaulds, Magee, Brett, Warburton, Glasson, Larcombe, Falconer experience Major Hill sought volunteers from Seated: LCpl Garland, Cpl Cominos, Sgt Tovey, Drum Major Grey, Cpl Keats, Cpl Phillips, Cdt Cox the up and coming platoons. I must have caught his eye so in I went. It was really the Below: SGS Cadets WOs and Sergeants 1957 best move for me. Back: JG Alcock, IDS Watson, RJ Vincent, RR Hogarth, CHR Dent, RW Sloan It was at the ANZAC March that we Middle: Sgts PH Walker, JG Gerrand, ERE Russell, CAP Munro Drum Maj JR Phillips, Sgts JB Keats, AC Cominos really were on show. Firstly, we would Seated:WOs HJL Hennessy, TB Marriage, WO I GC Eggleton, Maj AJ Hill, WOs II KJ Holder, CJ Prince, HWG Cavill lead Returned Men in the main march, then parade back to Macquarie Street and pick up the 39ers and take them to the top of Martin Place. Below us were the massed pipe

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 47 Brennan Keats reflects bands at the Cenotaph. They would strike in Big School, and as we sang the well-known have a profession. Thus, I was thrust into the up the famous Highland Lament ‘Flowers of Parry hymn ‘Jerusalem’ I found myself crying Accounting Certificate Course run by what the Forest’. The sound would bounce off the and just stood there unable to sing a piece were then called Technical Colleges. walls and wash up over us as we waited in of music that I loved and knew so well. In After completion, believe it or not I ended the centre of the road looking down. It was conclusion, how many of us today utter those up in what we now know as TAFE, teaching just thrilling. Whilst at Grammar I participated well-worn phrases: “I see” and “Jolly good”? accountancy. I must say that it is amazing what in four ANZAC Marches and always waited My sporting career was far from glorious. you learn when you have to teach a subject for this momentous event. Every year the After a start in the Under 14D’s at Rugby, it was and, until we founded our company, those man fondly known, as “The Baron” would soon realised by all, that any gifts I may have teaching days were amongst the happiest say, as we approached the gates below the had did not include chasing a football around of my life. Much of my attitude towards my Sergeant’s lodge, “The best Bands come a field. My one moment of glory in Rugby was students saw me subconsciously modelling my back home with their heads up no matter during 1957 when I was part of Grammar’s presentations with the ‘pastoral skills’ of my how long the march”. I hope that we did not “secret weapon”, operating under the guise of three memorable Grammar teachers. disappoint. the under 16E’s. This team was made up of I taught many career-driven women and It would seem that the 39ers would pay boys whose potential rated a position in any men, including the then managing director Major Hill for our work, and he passed this one of the top three in the school. This meant of Harper and Row who suggested that, if I on to us by taking the Band NCO’s to Repin’s that genuine E grade teams crumbled in our was prepared to write a book on Real Estate for “waffles” which amused our young minds presence and we ended the year unbeaten. No Accounting, he would ensure its publication. because he frequently used that term in other cups, colours and pennants for any of us, but During 1987 I took this offer up, little knowing contexts - “Keats, WHAT ARE you ‘waffling’ on tremendous satisfaction. that it would lead to the formation of our about?” comes to mind. Another term that has So, after school I marched out into the music publishing company “Wirripang”. inspired me was his advice, “A good officer world, and like so many did not have a clue During the mid-1990’s I realised that in finds trouble before it finds him”. I frequently as to what I would do; clerical accounting August 1995 there would be two significant use this in my daily business operations. work seemed to be my lot, somewhat taking anniversaries for my father Horace Keats, In the years to come I would frequently after my stepfather. who was a prominent composer and attend concerts given by the then ABC I had only been in an office one week musician. One for his birth in 1895 and Orchestra and I would run into him. By now when I decided that this was not for me. one for his death during 1945. This led to I had left school but such was my respect for During this time my mother decided that I publishing my father’s music with a view him I always addressed him as “Sir”. Some should become an accountant; after all she to bringing it before the public gaze again. years ago I attended a memorial Service for him had made sufficient sacrifices to expect me to To our delight the music was well received by singers of note and the ABC indicated preparedness to produce a CD exclusively of his songs. Both performers became editors for us, and remain a mainstay to our business. We were asked about publishing other Australian composers but each time we refused. Finally we succumbed and registered the name australiancomposers.com. au. We would operate under our existing partnership name Publications by Wirripang and with three composers to start. To ensure a high standard of publishing we sought and received the support of twelve musical academics and performers. This became known as the Artists’ Advisory Panel. And so six decades later I sit at the local pool overlooking the Tasman Sea. As I contemplate what I will do today, I think of The Chief and his concept of Athenian and Spartan. I have just been listening to a number of swimmers who on occasions chat to me, and I find myself answering, “I see”. Later I chuckle and say to myself, “Jolly good”… SGS Rugby U13Ds 1952

48 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 UK Cricket Tour Director of Cricket, Alan Campbell, gives us his account of a spirited tour of the UK, which coincided with this year’s ICC World Cup.

Ready to take on Dauntsey’s School A visit to the Roman Baths in Bath

Our commitment to a dynamic cricket on the players, as recounted by some of the programme was greatly enriched by a tour boys themselves: to the UK, where we were able to ride the Milan Swaraj: “The tour was a once in coattails of excitement surrounding the ICC a lifetime experience. While it allowed us World Cup being held there this year. to hone our skills in challenging English The 16 boys taking part played 7 games conditions against strong, older teams, it also over 8 days against some of the most built a strong team bond and chemistry going prestigious schools in the UK, including into the 2019/2020 GPS cricket competition” Tonbridge School, Marlborough College, King Saahil Nanda: “We were lucky to be Edwards School, Dauntsey’s School and St welcomed so kindly by every school. This Peters School. was the highlight of my tour, as seeing The boys also attended two World Cup other schools’ cultures and facilities was matches. The first was Australia’s last match an amazing experience for me. I made against South Africa and the second was the lifelong friends from this opportunity and Semi-Final between India and New Zealand. it is something I will cherish. I have learnt Both games were played in Manchester. so much both on and off the field and have “I have learnt so much Additionally, the schedule included a tour memories which won’t ever be forgotten”. of London visiting such historical sites as Henry Pike: “I had never visited the UK so both on and off the field Buckingham Palace, The Tower of London, St to travel there and play cricket and see many and have memories which Pauls and Westminster Abbey. We also of the sites it has to offer was brilliant. We saw “The play that goes wrong” in the played some of the most historical sporting won’t ever be forgotten.” West End. Other major attractions included and cricketing schools in the country and the Windsor Castle, the Roman Baths and the old scenic nature of some of the grounds was Saahil Nanda city of York. unforgettable, such as Tonbridge. Overall this The tour left some lasting impressions was a once in a lifetime experience”

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 49 Business Society This vibrant group has enjoyed an industrious year of growth with some valuable new ventures. Henry Xu (VI) reports.

2019 was an exciting and momentous year for Sydney Grammar School’s Business Society. We led the way in forming a partnership with nine other schools, hosted nationally and internationally by renowned guest speakers, and expanded the opportunities for our members to gain industry experience. Early in the year, we reached out to other schools in Sydney to encourage the formation of more business societies, and established partnerships with the following: Ascham School, Cranbrook School, Pymble Ladies’ College, Reddam House, Rose Bay Secondary College, The Scots College, Sydney Boys High School, Sydney Girls High School and Sydney Technical High School. As part of this, Grammar hosted the inaugural inter-school Sydney stock pitch competition. Teams from participating schools pitched an investment idea to a panel of experienced judges from the banking and wealth management industries. Tristan Johnson (VI) and Oscar Mason (V) Robyn Denholm from Grammar were awarded the win for their short recommendation on Netflix, whilst Oscar Business Society Stock Pitch Eichmann (V) and Ethan Proutt (VI) from Grammar were the runners up for their short The stock pitch winners at recommendation on Suncorp. Macquarie Bank BSoc continues to host a variety of events and opportunities for interested boys. We continued to attract a diverse array of guest speakers. For example, Robyn Denholm, Chair of Tesla, Inc. gave advice on effective financial management. Roger Eaton, former global CEO of KFC, explained the brand’s approach to reaching global markets. We are incredibly grateful to all our guest speakers for their time and insights. We would also like to thank the Grammar parents who have supported and given advice to BSoc: Geoff Carrick, Peter Eichmann, Peeyush Gupta, Chris Last, Matt Loxton, Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, Menno Veeneklaas and Shemara Wikramanayake. Many of our own boys also gave talks on Incoming chairman Ethan Wong (V) and outgoing founder Henry Xu (VI) running Q and a wide range of subjects: Stephen Elliott (VI) A with Julian Segal, (retiring) CEO Caltex articulated the implications of the Hayne Royal Commission, Andrew Koh (V) delved into Porter’s Five Forces and Oscar Mason (V) gave an insight into Human Resource management. The ASX sharemarket game organised by BSoc received over 80 registrations. Boys were given $50,000 in virtual money to manage a portfolio of stocks on the ASX 200. Grant Dong (V) and Simon Tan (IV) were ultimately the best performers, both eclipsing the return on the benchmark index. As we head into 2020, with BSoc under the promising new leadership of Ethan Wong (V) and Owen Zhou (V), there is no doubt that there will be plenty of exciting developments ahead.

50 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 POSTCARDS We hear from five Old Sydneians making their mark at home and abroad. Compiled by Bridget Minatel.

Aaron Birkby (OS 1995)

Entrepreneur and innovation strategist Brisbane, Queensland

From a young age I had always been Ken Yie (R) with Prince Albert of Monaco entrepreneurial. During my last two years at Grammar I had been converting my maths and Ken Xie (OS 2004) physics notes into interactive software and selling it to students and teachers at other schools which I later used to fund my flying lessons. Second Secretary and Deputy Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Post school, I did a Science degree in Paris, France physics with dreams of being an astronaut, before pursuing a more grounded Law degree. After short stints at PwC and After finishing my HSC, like many of my Again the tides shifted and I was selected Freehills, I came to a realisation that neither contemporaries who had done well but for an overseas posting to our Embassy in the corporate world nor the concept of being weren’t sure what we wanted to do, I Paris. My position has coverage of a broad a normal employee was for me. enrolled in a combined law degree. By my range of issues on French domestic and My career then took a random path, taking third year, I had decided to major in French international policy, as well as relations a role in intelligence, first managing a team and study in France to build up my fluency. with Monaco and representing Australia at intercepting telephone calls, before becoming At some point during my semester on UNESCO. It’s a lot of hard work but every the Manager of Intelligence Systems at exchange at Sciences Po in Paris, I figured now and then an amazing opportunity comes Customs in Canberra. I didn’t really want to become a lawyer so up, such as accompanying the Ambassador Changing tack again, I moved to I resolved to go back to France and pursue when presenting his credentials to HSH Queensland and opened a restaurant with my a Masters degree. It was a big step into the Prince Albert II of Monaco (pictured). family, before finally backing myself to build unknown, but one I have never looked back It’s an exciting time to be involved in a software company over a nine-year period from. advancing the bilateral relationship with that culminated in six million users annually The other thing that led me to where I France, which arguably has never been over eight countries. After exiting that business am today is my passion for environmental stronger. France and Australia are global in 2012, I applied the experience I had gained issues and climate change in particular. It partners in the Indo-Pacific, working together to set up a startup hub to support other was the focus of my Masters, and I was on a range of foreign policy, security and early-stage technology companies. This led to fortunate to have one of my professors take development challenges. But in diplomacy, as meeting Steve Baxter, (of Shark Tank fame), me under his wing and introduce me to the elsewhere, time never stays still and there is and joining River City Labs and Startup Catalyst, world of UN climate change negotiations. A always more to be done! as well as various board and advisory roles few years later, I found myself working for with corporates that are trying to innovate. the Australian Government, negotiating what The career advice I would give to any came to be the landmark Paris Agreement. young Grammar boy today is that academics That was a career highlight that will take are far less important that the soft skills. some topping! Invest heavily in your emotional development and leadership. Be prepared to back yourself and focus on ‘doing more and thinking less’.

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 51 POSTCARDS

Phillip Parr (OS 1979)

Artistic director of theatre opera and festivals Tbilisi, Georgia

Eric Knight (OS 2001) I think they call it a portmanteau career. I certainly seem to spend a lot of time travelling, directing productions and running Associate Professor and Pro-Vice Chancellor festivals. I’m currently at the international (Research - Enterprise and Engagement) at Sydney University theatre festival in Tbilisi, Georgia but will Sydney, New South Wales soon be working in Ostrava in Czechia (Czech Republic) and Reykjavik in Iceland, as well as rehearsing in places across the UK. I joined Grammar in Year 9 and It was a thrill For a few years after my PhD I worked It’s exciting and constantly creative, providing bumping up against brilliant minds and the in industry which was fun but helped me opportunities to work in extraordinary places cut and thrust of debate in the classroom. to realise academia was my true calling. with amazing people. I took extension units in Maths, English, Since joining the University of Sydney I From tiny rural communities to major History and Latin and was awarded a 100 have risen to the professoriate and am Pro- international festivals, I work with people UAI along with four of my peers: it was a Vice-Chancellor (Research – Enterprise & within their own localities using creativity to wonderful cohort. Engagement). Perhaps I have been called to help them engage with and celebrate the places Undergraduate studies were harder: less university leadership early because the nature where they live and the stories they want to structured, more disparate, and harder to find of academia is changing. Scientific discovery tell. I’ve made work about miners in Yorkshire the close-handed intellectual contests that is key; but the greater prize is to also make and female pirates in Essex. Carried Juliet’s had characterised my school years. Early on I a worldly difference. Since academia is a body through the streets of a Romanian city, set myself a different challenge – to educate global endeavour, Australian academics are and burnt a Viking longboat on a village beach. myself socially. I put myself in uncomfortable part of a global conversation – constructing Reworked Hamlet in Seoul, and celebrated the environments: work in developing countries new forms of quantum computing, motivating 1000th anniversary of the only Abbey Henry with a foreign language, indigenous sensing technologies to empower artificial VIII didn’t destroy! communities on the edge of the Tanami Desert intelligence, and building robotics that are Thirty years ago I was lucky enough to wrestling over land rights, and deal-making in transforming modern farming, and beyond. be working and studying in Germany as the the CBD. These experiences led me to sharpen Shortly I head to Stanford University Berlin Wall came down. Today in Tbilisi, our my sense of professional identity. on a Fulbright fellowship with my partner Georgian hosts remind audiences before each This spirit sent me to Oxford University as and two daughters where I will observe performance that 20 percent of Georgia is a Rhodes Scholar. this phenomenon at close hand, whilst occupied territory. Oxford was one of the most formative progressing my own research in the field I was recently in Ireland, directing a periods of my life besides Grammar. Now I of economics. What intrigues me about production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s could engage academically with the best in Stanford is its rise to prominence from a Tale, which took performers and audiences the world … I even married one of them! regional university in the 1950s. Perhaps this on a ferry across Lough Foyle between the In scholarship, I began to write papers that owes partly to Professor Fred Terman, an Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, would get reviewed alongside professors. engineering dean and provost, who realised using Shakespeare’s theme of two countries Academia, in a way, is a kind of pure that universities in the end are about one to explore questions about Brexit and the meritocracy: each idea weighed judiciously, thing: their people. They must attract the invisible border that runs through the island. and every paper blind reviewed without world’s best faculty and, by doing so, help It’s part of a Creative Europe project, Shaking regard for age or institution. the world’s brightest students find a way to the Walls www.shakingthewalls.eu. realise their true potential. And the adventures continue. 52 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 Phil Jameson (OS 2011) Frederick Wilkin (OS 1988)

Management Consultant and Aged Care Volunteer, Educator Board member for the ARCO and Administrator Sydney, New South Wales Perth, Western Australia

During the latter years of my time at My time at Grammar instilled in me a strong Grammar, I became motivated to seek a sense of community, especially through position at a US university as a means of sport, and normalised what real life is like gaining exposure to the world’s biggest by being exposed to different faiths, beliefs artistic market. Having studied music at and cultural backgrounds. Being given this Grammar, I wanted to take steps towards perspective and a sense of community has becoming a professional, full-time musician. been invaluable in my adult years. So, in Year 11, I began the long process of For the last 24 years I have been research, applications and interviews, and volunteering in different capacities at shortly after the HSC, I accepted a place at Youth With A Mission in Perth. I have Yale University. been amongst the young and old, rich and When I arrived at Yale, however, I poor, in gardens and in offices, overseas discovered some surprising new interests and throughout Australia. At present you outside the musical world. As part of the will find me for most of the week teaching university’s liberal arts curriculum, all Yale primary school aged children in our home students must take a wide variety of classes Andrew Yip (OS 1999) school cooperative, utilising skills I learnt at outside their major. For me, this included the UTS (1989-1991) and James Cook University history of philosophy, linguistics, bioethics, (1992) where I gained a BEd. When not and more. As my studying went on, these Post doctorate research fellow at the teaching, I am managing our offices that “extra” classes captured more and more of UNSW iCinema Centre for Interactive serve 700 staff and students on our campus. imagination; by my final (fourth) year, I was Cinema Research For the last seven years, I have spending most of my time studying economics, volunteered at the James Watson centre in while writing my music thesis on the side. Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia St Bartholomew’s House aged care facility, My time at Yale and new interest in providing social and chaplaincy support to economics profoundly affected my career At Grammar I was always fascinated by art clients. Through my work there I won the decisions. I now work as a management history, but I followed the great tradition of Western Australia volunteer category at the consulting at The Boston Consulting Group, allowing myself to be bullied into studying National Aged and Community Services where I’ve helped develop strategy in commerce law. Four miserable years and no Australia Awards held at the Melbourne transport, energy distribution and government degree later, I fled law school for the arts, Convention and Exhibition Centre this year. service delivery. To maintain a balance which led to a career in museums and then Showing commitment and dedication to between business and the Arts, I serve as a in experimental visualisation. clients contributes to their successful positive Board member for the Australian Romantic At UNSW I’m a research fellow and 3D socialisation, and provides emotional support and Classical Orchestra (ARCO), which plays artist at the iCinema Centre for Interactive to those who are estranged from their historical music on period instruments. Cinema Research. We engineer 3D theatres families or have no other social support. For those students considering a US that allow people to become immersed The YWAM volunteer group I co-lead has university, it’s important to start thinking in virtual worlds. The applications for this enabled residents to come together and through the issues in Forms IV and V, due range anywhere from industrial simulation socialise, fostering a sense of community to the rigorous application process, which to medical visualisation. My specialisation amongst them. includes sitting the SAT, writing personal is digital cultural heritage and I build virtual It is a pleasure to serve our communities essays, doing one-on-one interviews. reality exhibitions for museums. My research and to find the treasures hidden within. has taken me to the middle of the Pilbara, inside particle accelerators, and to First World War battlefields. I’m writing this Postcard from Serbia, where along with Grammar History master Dr Alan Dearn, I’m working on an archaeological mission to dig a late Roman palace. My role is to visualise the site as we dig, which involves flying drones for aerial imaging and 3D scanning artefacts. I’m working on a 1:1 virtual reality reconstruction of the site for exhibition. This work not only helps us understand the site, but preserves our discoveries and democratises access to an important historical site. My hope is that more Grammar boys will seek the path less trodden. For me it began with a single, liberating step: realising that the world already has enough accountants and corporate lawyers but there is always one more line to be written about the world.

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 53 THE TIES THAT BIND Old Sydneians reunite and rekindle their friendships, forged during their school years at Grammar. Compiled by Wendy Scotter.

Melbourne Old Boys’ Lunch Thursday 22 August

Old Sydneians from Melbourne enjoyed another lunch at “Noir” Restaurant in Richmond, convened by Mr Tony Johnston (OS 1955).

Singapore Old Boys’ Dinner Friday 4 October

1958 and 1959 60-year Reunion

Over 70 Old Sydneians from the years of 1958 and 1959 shared an enjoyable lunch to celebrate their 60-year Reunion at The Oaks Hotel Garden Pavilion on Thursday 3 October, 2019. The convenors were Ian Abbott, Bob Grant AM, John Dezarnaulds and Ross Maybury. Senior Headmaster, Dr Richard Malpass, joined Prefects: Geoff Spring (’58) and Hugh Munro (’59) were also present at the lunch and shared convenor, Ragavan Thuraisingam (OS ’95) their memories of College Street. and old boys from Singapore for dinner at The Singapore Cricket Club.

54 SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 1955 and 1956 Reunion Lunch

The 2019 annual lunch for the years of 1955 and 1956 was held at Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli on Wednesday 9 October. The convenors were Ross Blackmore (pictured with John Vicars, Senior Prefect 1955), Brian Folbigg and Philip West.

London Old Boys’ Drinks Friday 5 July

Dr Richard Malpass (Headmaster) joined Old Sydneians based in London for drinks at The Royal Air Force Club, Mayfair. The convenor was James Aitken (OS ’88) and the host was Squadron Leader Ben Goodwin (OS ’97).

1964 55-year Reunion

A 55-year Reunion Lunch for the year of 1964 was held at “One Penny Red” restaurant at Summer Hill on Friday 30 August. The convenors were Mark Fesq and Peter Gibby.

GPS Bowls – Old Sydneian Players

The GPS Bowls Competition has been played round-robin style between all GPS Schools since 1954. Games are played at Mosman Bowling For more news on Old Sydneian events, or to Club on Sunday afternoons monthly from May to November. SGS Old sign up to the Old Sydneians’ e-Newsletter, Sydneian bowlers pictured left to right are: The Hon. Prof. Peter Baume emailed every term, please contact the AC (OS ’51), Grahame Goldberg (OS ’56-’57), Peter Marsh (OS ’67), School’s Alumni Officer Wendy Scotter on Robert Balfas (OS ’80), Godfrey Gay (OS ’59) and Chris Wood (OS ’63). (02) 9332 5843 or [email protected]

SGS MAGAZINE No. 10 55 FRONT COVER IMAGE: GSP House working hard at Weigall BACK COVER IMAGE: Australian Combined Schools Music Festival

Sydney Grammar School College Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010 +61 2 9332 5800 [email protected]