Strathallian ■RvJ - “I've told you before, my dad says you’re not to wear these on the grass." Contents The Strathallian 2011-12 Front Art & Design + Technology Activities Captains of School 2 Art 42 CCF - Army 82 Headmaster’s Report 4 Design + Technology 47 CCF - Marines 83 Salvete 6 Debating 84 Speech Day 8 Sport Duke of Edinburgh 85 Cricket 52 Five days in Antibes 86 Houses Rugby 55 Ski trip to Morzine 87 Riley 10 Football 58 Young enterprise 87 Freeland 12 Hockey - boys 60 A2 Biology Fieldwork 88 Nicol 14 Hockey - girls 62 Ruthven 16 Cross country & athletics 64 Strathallians Simpson 18 Netball 66 Olympic Experiences 89 Thornbank 20 Badminton 67 Strathallian Updates 92 Woodlands 22 Table tennis 67 Glenbrae 24 Equestrianism 68 Back Golf 70 History Dept. 96 The Chaplain 26 Canoe club 71 Obituaries 98 Lectures 26 Ski racing 72 History 100 Speech and Drama 27 Cycling 74 Burns Supper 104 Summer Headmaster’s Music 28 Tennis - boys 75 Prizewinners 105 Senior Music 29 Tennis - girls 76 Charities 106 House Music 30 Orienteering 77 Staff Valete 108 Pipe band 32 Clays 78 Valete n o Musical Showcase 34 Triathlon 79 The Ball 112 Riley Music 35 Swim Team 80 Drama The Strathallian 2011-2012 Photography: Alaisdair Smith for Art and Design & Technology. Main Riley: Jungle Book 36 Volume XX No 12 photography by staff and pupils - Editor: EG Kennedy Senior: Cinderella 38 thank you to all who contributed. Design: Douglas Colquhoun Musical: Chess 40 0141 418 0483 The Strathallian 2011-2012 1 Captains of School y time at Strathallan started pretty badly, not because of the people, they were lovely, just although I may not have Min how I represented myself... On my first day always appreciated it I introduced myself as “Wood. Alasdair Wood” James Bond-style to a huge number of sniggers from the year at the time, thank you group. Shortly afterwards I went swimming at the Hermitage at Dunkeld whilst on Ruthven retreat in just for pushing me in the a pair of white y-fronts, which earned me the not-too- classroom, on the pitch flattering nick-name “Tighty Whitey” from Niv and Charmin’, my then Upper VI, for the first two weeks. and in the gym... When I think back on my first year it was a miracle that I managed to fit in and was accepted by everyone, and I think that in itself says a lot about the school. The five years I spent at Strathallan are collection of memories that I will take with me wherever I go. The time flew by, although I didn’t always know it at the time, it was a lot of fun. Sometimes life was hectic; always something to do, people to version of Sweet Caroline-, Kettles’ look of disgust and screech talk to, something to organise, dealing with your own stress of horror when he pulled his sock off at Pre-Season Rugby and that of those around you, and other times it seemed like training and saw that the slimy thing that had just touched his I had all the time in the world, chatting with the lads in House, foot was in fact a frog... whoever that mastermind was, I salute going and seeing friends about the school or even just passing you; lastly, one trip I made to the Bio department doors on a a rugby ball about. sunny afternoon in May will always be burnt into my memory. All these feelings, emotions, memories are streamed into one I could go on and on about the times I had at Strathallan; it’s the surreal torrent that comprises some of the most important fact that I have so many good memories from the school that years of my life, 3rd Form seems to have stretched an age, yet astounds me. Upper 6th was gone in a flash. I went to Strathallan at 13,1 left To all those still at the school. I hope that Mhairi and I managed at 18, a completely different individual. I can safely say that had to get across in our speech how important it is to use the I not gone to Strathallan I would, in no way, be the person I am time you spend at Strathallan. Involve yourself in as much as today. Strathallan can't make you do things; an institution itself you can, it’s much easier to do less as you get older, but much can’t force you to change as a person, but it can provide the harder to start to do more! opportunity and the means to do so. I feel comfortable looking back over my time at Strathallan and thinking that there are To James Spalding and Millie Galashan, good luck, enjoy it, but few opportunities I didn’t take. Through trying as many different above all make sure your academics come first. things as possible I was able to find things that I was good at, “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, and things that I was not so good at, but above all the most others make it happen." Michael Jordan important thing I learnt at Strathallan was not to be afraid to try things. M i Wood UVI Ruthven I’m sure Mhairi and all the other Heads of Houses from this year are feeling the same, it is so hard to get everything down on paper. Having spent so much time at one place, it seems a huge injustice to try and distil all that information but what I would like to say is thank you to all the people who supported me during my time at Strathallan. To those in Ruthven House, the tutors, but especially Mr and Mrs Watt, thank you both for being the best House Parents I could have asked for. Outside of that, thanks to all my teachers, both sporting and academic, without you I wouldn't be sitting here typing this in Germany, member of a Bundesliga Hockey Club with a unconditional to Edinburgh next year, so although I may not have always appreciated it at the time, thank you for pushing me in the classroom, on the pitch and in the gym. I want to mention a few of my favourite memories from the five exceptional years I had at Strathallan; the feel of camaraderie standing on stage with more than sixty of the lads from House in the Perth Concert Hall before breaking into our 2 The Strathallian 2011-2012 Captains of School Ali Wood UVI Ruthven Mhairi Bannerman UVI Glenbrae must have been a bit of a strange child. At the age of Fleming's ‘great’jokes and stories of how he now has half a eleven, fuelled by having read all the Harry Potter pinky, and Mrs Fleming's hilarious laughter. I mustn’t forget I was novels, I was looking up boarding schools on the to mention Miss Wilkinson who was the in-house tutor at the I time, and with whom we spent many a Saturday night playing actually internet and asking my parents if I could go. This was board games. because we were moving from Paris to Burma, where going to there was no British school. However, my dad visited the However, all good things must come to an end, but the International School of Yangon (ISY) and deemed that decision, for me, to move to the new girls’ house, Glenbrae, boarding it was perfectly suitable for both my brother and me to was a very tricky one. All the girls were given a form to fill school! I was attend - and so my attempts to go to boarding school were out: ‘stay’, 'don’t mind’, or ‘move’. All three boxes had been ticked numerous times before I decided to bite the bullet temporarily thwarted. so excited at and go for it. I ticked ‘move’ and handed it in before I could But a year later we were on the move again, and although change my mind again. Despite my love of Thornbank at the the prospect I very much enjoyed Burma and ISY, I still wanted to go to time, moving to Glenbrae was a good decision. Starting off boarding school. This time our destination was Pau, a small with a crisp, fresh, new building, over the last three years, of it... town in the south west of France. Having already attended the house has become more and more homely and full of French school a number of years back, my brother and I character, with the addition of photos on the walls, and, weren’t keen to repeat the experience, as 'redoublement' needless to say, the occasional marks on the walls as well. would have been very likely since our level of French had In-House tutors Mrs Duncan and Miss Robertson have proved decreased dramatically. to be a great asset, especially for those struggling with Maths. Mr and Mrs MacBain have done a great job in starting And so, finally, my wish was granted, and my dad was the legacy of Glenbrae House. 1st trophy won: Inter House worried I would be let down and that it wouldn’t quite be Debating. Most famous win: Inter-House Music, featuring like Hogwarts, as I had imagined. But he was absolutely Barbie Girl. I’m sure Glenbrae will continue to thrive and wrong. Strathallan lived up to all my expectations - even prosper under the reign of... Nell. exceeded them. It is not without regret that I leave Strathallan behind, but I was warmly welcomed into 2nd Form in Riley House by Mr rather than dwell on the past, I look forward to the future, and Mrs Bush and immediately became part of the school, and consider myself lucky to have participated in all that participating in many of the activities on offer, including my Strathallan has to offer.