THE HUTCHESONIAN 2016 TEAM OF 2016 Editor Emily Lobb EDITORIAL 2 FROM THE STAFF NOTES 6 Global Citizenship RECTOR: 4 Craig McCorquodale Community Olivia Cowle Drama/Kingarth Street Rose Aitchison Art/Writing Sarah McCrorie Music GLOBAL COMMUNITY 26 DRAMA 34 Rachel McKenzie CITIZENSHIP 18 Clubs, Trips and Societies Rachael-Ann Clark Talking Points Colette Watt S6 Niharika Madhukar Sport Calum Macleod ART 40 MUSIC 43 WRITING 46 Harris Mahmood Overview of Magazine Laura Beedham Jane Ritchie Photography Sports Team Photography Company (www.schoolphotographs.co.uk) CLUBS, SOCIETIES TALKING POINTS S6 55 AND TRIPS 49 53 KINGARTH SPORT 75 PRIZE LIST 106 STREET 60 1 EDITORIAL ome revel in the idea of outer space. The human utilise other resources. Humanity. Community. ability to break from our small planet, to map Compassion. We all have far more to give than we realise; galaxies and unveil the mystery of faraway yes, our money, but also our time, talents, and friendship. darkness, enthrals them. I have never felt this To cull creativity and endeavour, the arts and, I concede, pull of the blackness; the image of the the wonders of scientific exploration, is not the answer. Sspaceship, uncountably tiny in the void, is to me one of Rather we must better use and distribute what we have; pity. Recently when a friend told me, excitedly, about a set our sights on the common goal of a fairer world. new design of self-landing satellites, my question was “Why?” Why the desire to quantify the infinite, to expand It occurs to me that there are parallels within from our atmosphere and fill the cosmos? The insatiable Hutchesons’. As, arguably, the best school in Scotland, our human quest for knowledge: is it worth it? We want to teachers and pupils put enormous effort into achieving the know merely for the sake of knowing, and in doing so we A grades and the university places. There are times for us risk ourselves. The billions spent on space travel; are there all when school is a slog, revision a nightmare and not better uses for this money? The poverty in Glasgow; textbooks thankless companions. But Hutchesons’ the disease worldwide; the global refugee crisis that Grammar doesn’t allow its pupils to drown in a sea of stretches on even though our news has grown bored of it. exams, essays and assignments; beside the hard graft of The photo, stamped behind all our eyes, of the tiny body school day to day there is the colour, excitement and lying on the beach; and still we build countless satellites passion that makes us who we are. Our academic results to explore the galaxies. may be a triumph, but equally what makes Hutchesons’ great is all that goes on besides. This is my default position, but when I probed further I realised my argument’s flaw. I am an artist, not a scientist, Art, music, drama, sport, the plethora of clubs, the lists of and therefore biased, but if I cannot condone money wonderful trips; these things do not fall beneath the spent on space travel, how can I support the cost of the desire for academic prowess. They pull together to form a arts? Libraries, theatres, the restoration of paintings and school with a real joie de vivre, of which pupils, staff and artefacts: these things are expensive, but I would never parents can be proud. Every taste can be met, every suggest their funding be cut. talent fostered, and, most importantly, the sharing of passions – be it on the rugby pitch, in the Physics lab or in This is the dilemma, therefore: we all agree that more the Art studio – forms friendships that will last beyond our money is needed for medicine, welfare, peace, but schooldays. In my time at Hutchesons’ I have found, from neither art nor science want to give up any of their share. teachers and pupils, genuine compassion, and – it’s not We reach a deadlock. But perhaps this way of thinking is very British to admit it – genuine love. At a time of global too mercenary; perhaps rather than scrabbling through catastrophe, this is the spirit the world needs. budget reviews and government spending, we should Emily Lobb, Editor 2 THIS IS THE DILEMMA, THEREFORE: WE ALL AGREE THAT MORE MONEY IS NEEDED FOR MEDICINE, WELFARE, PEACE, BUT NEITHER ART NOR SCIENCE WANT TO GIVE UP ANY OF THEIR SHARE. WE REACH A DEADLOCK. BUT PERHAPS THIS WAY OF THINKING IS TOO MERCENARY; PERHAPS RATHER THAN SCRABBLING THROUGH BUDGET REVIEWS AND GOVERNMENT “SPENDING, WE SHOULD UTILISE OTHER RESOURCES. HUMANITY. COMMUNITY. 3 FROM THE RECTOR: IN PRAISE OF KINGARTH STREET ’m conscious that over the years I glass wall, covered with quotations have used this space in our from children’s literature, is quite official school magazine in an superb. Inside, its size and the sheer atypical way. Most Rectors/Heads number of books is staggering; it tend to write an overview of the must be one of the most impressive Isession, highlighting the many pupil primary school libraries in the UK. and staff successes and doing a The range of other specialist facilities round-up of notable events and staff in the building is equally impressive, changes as a way of placing such with areas for music, art, learning things on record. support, languages, ICT, PE and of course … school lunches! The However, after my first attempt in creation of a specialist science lab the 2006 magazine, which was a this summer will be another rather general musing at the end of significant addition. my first year in post, and which was a bit short (although to be fair there But of course any school is not just was also a lengthy interview with me about the quality of the facilities, it is conducted by two senior pupils), I people that give it a unique ethos decided to take one particular aspect and atmosphere. There have been of the school each year and focus three Heads at Kingarth Street in my entirely on that. So the nine time at Hutchie, Lorna McKie, subsequent editions have covered Christine Haughney and Fiona topics as follows: academic Macphail. All three deserve great excellence (twice), university praise for their leadership and vision the primary school has, and how destinations, sport, music, drama, IT, in making the school the success it is strongly the pupils identify with their English and mathematics. I know this today. They have created very strong time there. doesn’t cover all subject areas in the and effective teams of teachers and secondary school but the list does support staff and in their different What is it about Kingarth Street that give a flavour of some of my ways all contributed hugely to the gives those pupils such a strong priorities over the years. What stands development of the primary sense of belonging? This term in the out is that I haven’t written about a experience. I’m sure all three would Governors’ education committee large and really significant part of the agree that the starting point for annual meeting at the primary the school – our primary at Kingarth purposeful and successful primary current House captains were asked Street – and so I would like to put education is that the pupils are to pick out what they thought was that right now. happy. That is something no visitor to special about their school. Their Kingarth Street could ever doubt; the answers are revealing: The Library, We often forget that the idea of joyous, colourful displays, the smiling the range of books available, and attending one school from P1 right faces in and out of the classroom having a Librarian. (The pupils through to S6 is considered and the friendly welcome are all praised Librarian Elaine Peebles in outlandish by many people, and testament to a school at ease with particular for her help with book perhaps it is, because it only itself and very much getting on with choices and for making good happens in a handful of schools. You the fun of learning. suggestions of books for them to only need to talk to some S6 pupils try.) The school has a friendly who have done the full shift to know Two aspects of what our pupils atmosphere. The teachers, especially how much it means to them, and experience in those vital early years the Infant teachers. Art, ICT and how strong their bond with the stand out for me. The first is the other subjects with specialist school is; I can relate to that as I did accelerated rate of progress they teachers. Pupils receive a good the same thing myself at Heriot’s in make, right from P1. On Open education at Kingarth Street. Having the 60s and 70s. However many mornings it is not unusual to see PE at Beaton Road with the hockey other pupils join us later in the visiting parents looking at our pupils’ pitch and running track. primary and, of course, there is work on display with a puzzled another large intake when the year expression and then asking to have it I hope I’m not alone in the wider group moves up from P7 to S1 at confirmed that an essay was in fact school community in saying that I Beaton Road. But the end of session written by a 6 year old. The P7 pupils think the Library is indeed the heart Prize Giving at Kingarth Street is also come in for much praise for the of Kingarth Street. Placed so always very moving, in particular for confident and engaging way they centrally it is virtually the first thing a the P7 pupils, and their emotion at speak to visitors as they conduct visitor sees as they arrive, and the ‘leaving’ shows just how much unity them on a tour round the buildings, 4 and their relative maturity is sense that such things are important remarked upon, plus of course their and worth doing well.