Autumn 2020 From the Student Old — Inspire Principal Achievements Scholars Edition 102 Page 3 Page 8 Page 22 Pembroke News In this Edition Autumn 2020 03 From the Principal 16 National Reconciliation Week 2020 — Inspire 04 Head Girl and Head Boy 18 Boarding Community/Indigenous Education From the Principal 05 Admissions 06 Unreel Film Festival 20 Senior School 07 Chaplain 22 Sport 08 Student Achievements 24 Old Scholars 10 Junior School 34 Archives 14 Middle School 36 Births, Deaths and Marriages 39 Calendar ‘Inspiration’ has become a glib noun. It has been hijacked by marketers, soothsayers and self-help books, so that now we aspire to be inspired and feel unfulfilled if we aren’t. Inspiration From the Editor has become synonymous with performance—beyond us, to be reached—rather than, in its rightful form, part of us all A Co-educational, Non-Denominational One Year 12 student mentioned to me Perhaps the highlight of the week was Uncle to be explored. Day and Boarding School from Early recently that in the short space of a week Mickey O’Brien’s Smoking Ceremony in the Learning Centre to Year 12. or so her year was turned upside down Chapel. when Head of the River, the School Formal, Pembroke School is an International the Melbourne Art Trip and the Geography The achievements of old scholars Nick Hasn’t COVID-19 shifted our thinking dramatically? Those that we have Baccalaureate (IB) World School Trip to Iceland were all cancelled due to Duddy (2012), Heather Croall (1983) and been encouraged to look to for inspiration were absent, uninspiring or offering the IB Diploma & Primary Years the Coronavirus pandemic. This edition of Jamie McClurg (1989) are showcased just human, like us. Instead, it is the doctors, nurses, teachers, volunteers, Programme (PYP). Pembroke News had to be totally rethought in feature articles. The 100-year, four- health experts, parents and people with big hearts who offered us too as event after event was cancelled. generation legacy of the Claridge-Ward glimpses of commitment that inspire action. Collective national Cover Image family’s association with Girton and handclapping and acknowledgments beamed over international media Angelina Zhou (Yr 1) dressed up for As well as covering some of the few School Pembroke is celebrated and presented have demonstrated how moved we are by one another. Harmony Day in the Junior School. events that had occurred before lockdown, in fascinating detail. Another old scholar we decided to take the opportunity to from Pembroke’s inaugural year, Richard We are moved by people who find a place in themselves to help present some articles that reflect how Meadows (1974), has established the others—singing on balconies, offering thanks, encouraging a our community and individuals in it can be Margaret Meadows Award for exceptional commitment to our collective efforts to stave off a serious pandemic, inspirational. You will find here some insightful component design, technology and feeling connected to a bigger purpose. We seem inspired by that, reflections on our currently chaotic world. innovation in honour of his mother Margaret. inspired to think more deeply and see more clearly. He shares his thoughts and reflections on his Principal Luke Thomson shares his views life at Pembroke. Inspiration is part of us all. It may be so automatic to us that it takes on who it is we look to for inspiration in others to point it out. That has been a feature of the past 3 months— times such as these, and challenges us to You will notice the effect of current bothering to point it out. What folly for our society to forget to tell one inspire ourselves. Chaplain Reverend Rob social restrictions on our School by what is another that what they do matters? What a relief that we started doing MacPherson explores how a community missing from this edition of Pembroke News. it again. such as Pembroke School can remain united For example, the summer Sport report is when we are regulated to stay apart. Head understandably less detailed than usual, Let’s bother, Pembroke; let’s bother to help people be an inspiration to Girl Imogen Ingham and Head Boy Darcy and the Student Achievements pages carry themselves by pointing it out. Davitt give us insight to the realities of life far fewer recognitions of the co-curricular in a pandemic through the eyes of youth. successes of our students. Let’s hope we Luke Thomson Pembroke Technology students have even have a lot more to report on in these areas in → Year 11 Drama students engaging with a fellow student in Hong Kong Principal been assisting in the COVID-19 crisis through our Spring edition. via Zoom being involved in making personal protective equipment for Australian hospitals with 3D I would like to conclude by saying that it has printers. been fascinating these past few months to be among Pembroke colleagues. The various Indigenous artist Cedric Varcoe conducted ways in which individuals have responded a wonderful art workshop over the holidays under the duress of a myriad of challenges which was a wonderful opportunity for some have been an inspiring revelation. of our “locked down” students. We were able to celebrate Reconciliation Week, albeit a Tim O’Loughlin much scaled down version of its normal self. Editor pembroke.sa.edu.au Pembroke News — Autumn 2020 — Inspire Edition 02 — 03 Head Girl and Rising to the Head Boy Challenge → Imogen Ingham and Darcy Davitt (both Yr 12) practicing social distancing Life without busy cities, travel and sport is a life that everyone A socially distanced life has proved itself to be eye-openingly across the globe has recently experienced. These demanding times demanding for many of us. Searching for a silver lining in the with social – distancing and extensive restrictions highlighted the rather comfortless corona cloud can sometimes seem difficult. importance and appreciation of human interaction. Life’s simple It’s like trying to sneeze with your eyes open; or standing in a → Raymond Fok conducting a Year 12 Chemistry lesson via Zoom pleasures, such as watching the footy on a Friday night and going supermarket checkout without looking at what the person in shopping with friends, were no longer taken for granted and as front has in their trolley; or trying to find toilet paper in said normal life is currently returning to normal, it is important to supermarket – it’s easier said than done! appreciate the freedom and luxuries we have. If we look in the right places, our empathy and compassion can be Who would have envisaged at the start of the 2020 As a parent the transition to home schooling last term Across Australia, many schools, including Pembroke, transitioned to seen now more than ever. But maybe it’s not just a question of what we school year that the devastating bushfires would fade was a challenge that I was ill-prepared for. I certainly an online learning format across the end of term 1 and into the beginning look at, but rather what we choose to see. As Plato put it some 2,400 into the background of what was to come? COVID-19, commenced day one full of confidence and bravado— of term 2. Both teaching and non-teaching staff here at Pembroke years ago, “reality is created by the mind; we can change our reality by social distancing, unprecedented, self-isolation and how hard could it be? After one day I developed a deep School dedicated hours of work to allow this change to happen in an changing our mind.” remote learning have become the buzzwords of 2020. and sincere appreciation for the incredible work that our extremely short timeframe. The ability to adapt to change is valuable teachers do each and every day. and was been exemplified by the 1600 students, countless staff and, of Solitude presented a unique opportunity to introspect, to explore While our teaching and support staff didn’t commence course, the parents of Pembroke’s community during this transition. the often-forgotten frontiers of our inner experience, the places the year expecting to teach students online, they rose to The resilience, expertise, care and agility of the Throughout, the staff’s commitment to student wellbeing and to suppressed amid the competing clamour of our daily lives. To echo the challenge and developed and delivered the Pembroke community resonates now more than ever. delivering high quality education never wavered; we thank them for this. Henry David Thoreau, we learnt to “live deliberately, to front only the Pembroke E-Program for 12 days. The program was It’s a welcome sight to see the School yards bustling with essential facts of life.” centred around the students and ensured engagement, boisterous and energetic laughter and fun again. Personally, the independence I developed during E-learning was and the health and wellbeing of students was of pivotal regarding the time management required to complete In the absence of noisy, passive diversions, amusements and paramount concern throughout. Team Pembroke came Leah Blyth assessments while also keeping mentally and physically healthy; a pre-packaged life goals and lifestyles and expectations, we were together in a way that can only be described as Director of Admissions balance that becomes essential at the pinnacle of our secondary relearning our capacity for fruitful monotony. incredible, with the single goal being that students education. From online tutorial pet competitions to crazy geography hat experienced as little disruption as possible to their challenges to many class Kahoots, the online learning culture that In life’s cacophony, sometimes we can get lost in its melodies, educational experience.