RockThe magazine of the RathkealeRunner Old Boys’ Association Volume 20 December 2015 Editorial Rathkeale Old Boys’ Association GRANT HARPER (1967-71) ANDY SUTHERLAND (1969-71) - Outgoing President Recently I visited Huanui It has been a quiet year for the We had an Old Boys function at the St John’s Bar in Wellington College in Northland, a school Old Boys after a hectic Jubilee which was organised by Edward Cox on 22 September. We also established as an independent Year in 2014. held another function at the Royal Yacht Club in Auckland on 14 College five years ago in a rural October which was organised by Terry Brailsford. Thank you to paddock featuring old stone The Old Boys’ database exists as Ed and Terry for the work that went into organising these events. walls and giant totara and puriri the association’s most valuable Looking ahead, we would like to co-host these functions with the trees. I was impressed by what I asset and one that deserves St Matthew’s Old Girls and now that the database issues have saw and I instantly found myself constant attention and updating. been sorted out, we hope to have more attend these events in the focussing on the similarities We are grateful to all who have future. It was great to have Willy Kersten, Andy Pottinger and and contrasts between it and worked on it and to all those who Grant Harper in attendance at these functions. Rathkeale. Both enjoyed similar conscientiously keep their details localities, similar beginnings and up-to-date. To ensure that you Former Rathkeale Head Prefect, Robert Blackett has recently been even shared a common interest and your fellow Old Boys are on appointed CEO of the Trinity Schools Trust Board and is doing a in rocks – yes Huanui students the database and that you receive great job along with Old Boy Andy Pottinger who is Chair of the carry rocks! As I viewed all that invitations to College activities Rathkeale School Board. has been achieved at a youthful and Association events, please complete the enclosed form and Upon reading our local newspapers, it is pleasing to see Rathkeale Huanui, I became aware of just Herein lies a dual role for the Association: to foster links with, and return it to the Rathkeale College performing well in many spheres on the sports field, culturally how much has been achieved and memories of, the past but also to encourage Old Boys to identify Old Boys’ Assn c/- the College (or and academically. It is also pleasing to hear positive comments created at Rathkeale over the past with, and celebrate, the vitality and success of the College going [email protected] ). about the school in general. five decades. By comparison with forward. Huanui, Rathkeale is established, This year we have hosted I have enjoyed my role as President of your organisation and This edition of the Rock Runner will seek to do just that. Memories well known and increasingly supporters’ functions after sports thank those who have assisted with its organisation. and images of early tramping trips into the Tararua Ranges and to confident. Our boys enjoy a range fixtures with Christ’s College, the summit of Rangitumau link seamlessly with the experiences of of high quality educational, Lindisfarne and Wanganui boys at Rathkeale in 2015. The Odyssey reassures Old Boys that it is Andy Sutherland cultural and sporting facilities Collegiate. These functions are still possible to be physically challenged and utterly exhausted. The President all in a stunning environment. greatly appreciated by visitors continuation of such traditions and activities ensures that a strong Inherent in this is the debt from other schools and by those sense of Rathkeale identity will continue well into the future. we owe to all who have gone supporting the College teams. before: governors, trustees, staff, Stories of successful Old Boys who have made their mark in diverse There are always a few Old Boys students and friends. ways reaffirm the value of education within our gates. in evidence but we do encourage many more to come along. It Certainly as Old Boys, it’s good However, these pages also reveal that the College is a dynamic place to look back to “our day” and would be excellent to see you! where high achievement is to the fore in many fields and where, ROBA have also donated funds to reminisce about what we did, under visionary governance and leadership, positive pathways lead what we achieved and what we towards shelving in the new off into the future. They will also suggest that Rathkeale College is a Archives Room. This facility is got away with! By definition, the place of which to feel very proud. tapestry of school life is colourful being made very good use of and and varied. Rathkeale life over Librarian Linda Wells continues the years has been no exception. Grant Harper to make excellent inroads to However, as Old Boys, it can also Editor the categorising and filing of be interesting, and hopefully thousands of items relevant to reassuring, to reconnect with the College’s history. the College of the present and with its vision for the future. Rathkeale BoT Principal’s Report ANDY POTTINGER (1968-72) - Chairman WILLY KERSTEN Greetings to you all from the Rathkeale College Greetings from Rathkeale College, a community that is Board of Trustees. very much alive and well. As the 2015 school year comes to a close there is much we can look back on and celebrate. You only have to drive through the front gates of While the positive reputation the College enjoys can, in Rathkeale College to feel and see the positive vibes part, be attributed to the achievements of individuals, which abound on campus! In short, Rathkeale is teams and groups, it is the relationships between the boys a great place to be part of and in which to reside, that create the strong and affirming vibe we all enjoy. either as a day boy or boarder, a staff member or a Rathkeale feels great and having been here for eight years, friend, a parent or board member, or just simply as By the time this edition goes to print, occasionally I have to remind myself that it really is a a visitor driving in for the first time. One instantly there will be a change of ROBA committee privilege to be leading this school. gets the feeling of excitement, of splendour, and is personnel. Andy Sutherland signalled his overwhelmed by the sheer ambiance of the setting. It is very pleasing to report that the roll continues to grow intention to resign some time ago and it is We are certainly all very proud of our school! and that in 2016 the demand for day boy places exceeds the wonderful that Grant Harper has accepted number available. With an imminent roll of over 300 New nomination for this position. Andy is As predicted last year, our roll has come under Zealand students and a healthy number of International to be thanked for his work in steadying extreme pressure for dayboy places at Rathkeale Students we can be pleased, but not satisfied. To reach our the ship and keeping it afloat. By his for 2016. Initially it appeared that we were going capacity we still need to attract more boarding students own admission, he now looks forward to have to turn away 14 boys who had applied to to having someone with more time and attend Rathkeale in Year 9 as dayboys for 2016. and in today’s economic and social environments this is not easy. While our parents readily promote the positive expertise take up the challenge to ensure However, with a number being encouraged to attend further progress can be made. Hopefully as boarders, we finally only had to turn away 8. This ethos and echo our view that we are a caring school, more needs to be done to ensure that this defining message is a recent school initiative to develop a was hard to do as these boys, and their parents, had student mentoring programme will give Rathkeale College gardens resplendent in summer heard more loudly by potential boarding families. made the choice of a Rathkeale education over other some impetus to creating a more tangible schools in the Wairarapa. Recent ROBA gatherings in Auckland and Wellington, and relationship between the school and the We had discussions with the Ministry of Education life and education at Rathkeale College. those held at Rathkeale during the year, have been most Old Boys, of different generations. in regard to adjusting our ratio of dayboys to enjoyable and worthwhile occasions. It is always pleasant We continue to get increasing numbers of Old Boys to make contact with Old Boys I have not previously met A number of critical staff changes have boarders from 50% (155 dayboys maximum) to a choosing Rathkeale for their son’s education. This is, come about at the end of this year. higher rate but were advised that there would be and to reacquaint with the regular attendees. Hardly any I believe, an endorsement of what Rathkeale stands occasion passes by without someone present catching We hope the new appointment to the minimal chance of this being approved as there for in Boys’ Education…keep this support up! Agriculture teaching position will enable are in excess of ten empty classrooms in the three up with former classmates for the first time since they the College to gain some traction in Wairarapa state schools. While one can understand left school.