Old Boys' Club
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Old Boys’ Club Newsletter #8 033 234 1167 | [email protected] | facebook.com/MHSOldBoys/ OBNews#8 November 2020 Dear Old Boys, Normality of a sort has returned, at least for now, to who has been awarded the Order of Cyrene, the highest the Balgowan Valley. The last newsletter was penned honour bestowed on lay persons by the Anglican Church. from a silent campus devoid of the sounds of boys and the energy that comes with ten bustling houses. It is Once again our men have been active in improving wonderful to have the boys back, classes and exams the lives of others during the lockdown and pandemic. underway and summer sports on our fields, even if Funds continue to arrive for the Nottingham Road we are still playing against ourselves! There have Relief Fund. Sean Lumley (Baines, 1994) UKOM been a number of boy vs staff matches, the number President has joined forces with Hilton and Bishops of bicycles has mushroomed, skateboards abound and Old Boys to connect, through a LinkedIn group, with an encouraging number of boys have discovered the alumni from the three schools who may need support. pleasure of walking in the nature reserve. Ken Drysdale (West, 1957) and Gavin Steiner COVID protocols have forced a number of changes (Founders, 1990) are carrying the Michaelhouse flag on how we do things: A first virtual Speech Day, Old by making a difference to the earth as they work at Boys AGM and Central Committee meetings. The clean energy and alternatives to plastic packaging upside has been the number of overseas members who respectively. have been able to join these virtual gatherings. Andrew Jason Schwegmann (Pascoe, 2014) is creating Pennington (Auckland), Peter Campbell (New York) opportunities for Commerce graduates. and Richard Gellie (Melbourne) were welcome attendees at the last Central Committee meeting. Who would have thought that the C Block boys on their Journey would walk into the history of the school The C Block Journey, D Block Hike and E Block as they hike through the theatre of battles around Camp went ahead as planned at the end of last quarter, Spioenkop. bringing a welcome breath of routine to an otherwise very different term. The number of our published authors continues to grow and this month their work covers topics ranging The Senior Certificate Examinations have started from mentoring, to aviation, from history to geology and the last paper will be written on 27 November and policing to fiction. when the Club President will induct the next cohort of young men into the Old Boys’ Club. Guy Pearson (Rector 2002 – 2012) has finally hung up his gown and will soon be joined in retirement by Our featured Senior Prefect is Graham Herbert, Head Alan Smedley (Chaplain 1993 – 2020, Hilton Old Boy Boy in 1982. Graeme’s son, Michael followed in his and Honorary OM) and Peter Stevens (Farfield, 1972) footsteps, being Second Prefect in 2018. 2021 will again see the son of an Old Boy taking the helm of boy The WIOW (Wear it on Wednesdays) campaign is leadership. Congratulations to Deon Dhlomo (West, gathering momentum, as are the LinkedIn pages for 1989) on Kwande’s appointment as First Prefect. Old Boys and some brave staff and boys strutted their Jerusalema stuff on campus. Our Old Boys continue to make a difference to the world and their communities. On this occasion we pay special Take care out there and, whatever you do, make a tribute to Don MacRobert (St Michael Award 1996), difference wherever you are. Kind regards, 033 234 1167 | [email protected] | facebook.com/MHSOldBoys/ Head Boy 1982 – Graham Herbert I have been based in Johannesburg for the past 28 years, and for most of this time have been working in the mining industry. After leaving Michaelhouse in 1982, I studied a BSc and MBChB at UCT, graduating in 1985 and 1990 respectively. Over the next two years, I completed an internship at Ernest Oppenheimer Hospital in Welkom, and SADF conscription with SAMS in Pretoria. Without knowing that I would not return to clinical medicine, I applied for the Anglo American Management Trainee Programme that exposed me to finance and marketing in the gold, coal, and diamond divisions. Towards the end of this two year programme, I began working on health benefit options for the families of migrant mineworkers. In 1993 I married Sally Jackson who I had dated in A Block and VIth Form a decade before. Soon after our marriage, Sally and I committed our lives to Jesus Christ, and have followed Him since. Sally and I consider these two decisions to have been the most significant in our lives. We have three children: Georgina (24) who graduated last year from UCT (BSc Civil Engineering), currently working at Zutari in Cape Town, Michael (20, Founders 2014 to 2018) currently in second year BSc at UCT, and Katherine (17) currently in Grade 11 at St Anne’s. I was awarded a Pew Fellowship to Cambridge University for 1995 and 1996 to research health benefit options for migrant workers together with a group of Southern Africans researching similar population and migration topics. On returning to South Africa, I relocated to TEBA to conclude the research that culminated in a GPS distribution map and needs analysis of AngloGold’s migrant mineworkers. James Motlatsi, having retired from the National Union of Mineworkers after 17 years as President, was deployed to TEBA in 2000. James and I found alignment in a vision for TEBA, a company that was then 100 years old, and with its origins in the NRC (Native Recruiting Corporation) and WENELA. James’ relationship with Nelson Mandela helped us relaunch TEBA in the mining industry in 2003. After I returned from the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School in 2005, James and I affected a management buyout, converting TEBA from a cost centre of the Chamber of Mines to a profitable and broadly owned BEE services company for mineworkers and their families. TEBA’s services have evolved to include home based care and medical services to mineworkers, development projects in labour sending areas, and the payment of backlog monies owing from various mining industry funds. Like most Old Boys, my time at Michaelhouse was seminal. The abiding lesson that I was privileged to learn was that life is not about me, and that the most fulfilled humans live outward looking lives in service of others. My time at Michaelhouse was enriched by following my father Richard Herbert (East 1951 to 1953) and my uncle Basil Hersov (Pascoe 1940 to 1944), by overlapping with my brother Bruce Herbert (Founders 1982 to 1986) and my cousins Robert Hersov (Pascoe 1974 to 1978) and James Hersov (Pascoe 1978 to 1981), and by having a son Michael Herbert (Founders 2014 to 2018) and nephews Nicholas Herbert (Pascoe 2012 to 2016) and Richard Taylor (East 2015 to 2019) as fellow Old Boys. The cohort of Old Boys who left Michaelhouse with me in 1982 celebrate their 40th Gaudy in 2022. The WhatsApp group that has been formed in preparation has revealed how close our relationships are, even when some have been dormant for many years. I also qualify to attend the 1981 Gaudy next year and look forward to re-connecting on WhatsApp with my fellow matriculants! I am blessed to be a member of this brotherhood. 1 Graham with his family Head Boy 2021 Congratulations to Joy and Deon Dhlomo (West, 1989) on Kwande’s appointment as Head Boy and the simultaneous appointment of Ande, Kwande’s twin sister, as Deputy Head Girl at St Mary’s Waverley for 2021. We look forward to Kwande’s leadership next year and wish the Dhlomo family a wonderful and successful year. Deon and Kwande Old Boys Moving On… Guy Pearson: Rector 2002 - 2012 If Guy was your Rector, you will recall a wonderful man who knew you, your parents, and your siblings! A man of unshakable integrity who tackles tough issues with the tenacity of the proverbial dog with a bone. A people person with a great sense of humour, he greets everyone in a way that makes them feel important. A man of faith and humility, without any sense of entitlement. What you see is what you get; and it is all good. And this goes for Maree too. The Rector’s wife who chose to work in the Trade-Inn so that she could meet and know boys and parents, who warmly supported Guy through 24 years of Headmastering. Guy and Maree, we wish you both a wonderful retirement in St Francis. 2 Guy, as he was so often seen, chatting with boys Peter Stevens (Farfield, 1972): Ten years teaching Maths and Ten Great C Block Journeys Pete, outstanding Maths teacher and stalwart leader of C Block Journey Group 2, has not missed a Journey since the inaugural event in 2011. Pete always enhances the Journey experience for his group by adding lectures, illustrated on one of the cardboard rations boxes, of the significant historical events which occurred on their route. Staff leading Group 2 know that they will not escape presenting the story of one of the battles and so soon become familiar with the details of: Langalibalele, Vaalkrans, Colenso, Spioenkop, Ladysmith and the like. Not many boys or staff can keep pace with this tough, rugged 65-year-old group leader and accomplished bushman who is an inspiration for all. Thank you Pete. We salute you. Group 2 will be your legacy! Another ‘Green Number’ for Pete Stevens – Ten C Block Journeys done! 3 Alan Smedley: Honorary Old Boy and Chaplain 1993 – 2020 Alan hangs up his vestments at the end of the year after 28 years as Chaplain, a member of the Matric Dance organising committee, C Block Journey Group 4 leader and initiator of a new and modern Confirmation Camp.