From the Deputy Head
Year 4 Bike Education
Book Fair Query
Writers Festival
Peoplescape Project
Ski team hat trick
Soccer Day
Reading material
'A Deepening Roar'

JSPA
Forthcoming events

7 September 2001 No. 26

From Head of the Junior School

As the lights dimmed over the Rod Laver Arena, the hush of the audience reflected the deep anticipation of what was to come and no one was to be disappointed. The stirring rendition of the National Anthem (did you spot the similarity to the opening of the Olympic Games?) set the tone of the night and enabled the various orchestras, ensembles, bands and choirs to also present performances at the highest level possible.

I was so proud of the Junior School boys who sang so sweetly. Their rendition of 'Little People' from Les Miserable was very well received and whilst I am biased, it was for me a real highlight. The Junior School Choir were also brilliant and special mention must be made of Andrew Yuen, Luke Dawson and Charles Gamboni who each performed solos with such confidence, in front of a crowd in excess of 6500!

The finale of the 1812 Overture, presented by the orchestra and by the school in song, concluded with a brilliant array of sound and fireworks - a fitting finale, received with an unprecedented standing ovation, which was the only way in which to appropriately acknowledge the standard of the evening's entertainment.

Special congratulations are extended to Mr John Ferguson, the Director of Music, with a special mention and thanks to Jenni Allen and Julia Piggin, our most capable music staff, who do so much for our boys. What a night, and I have no doubt that all in attendance will remember it forever!

Just when you think it is as good as it can be, we congratulate our Ski team who, for the third year in a row, successfully retained the trophy for the champion boys' primary school at Mt Buller last week. A full account can be found elsewhere in this Newsletter, but I extend hearty congratulations to every team member who skied, earning points towards the end result. Thanks are also extended to Ms Pride, Miss Carney and Mr Crawford for their efforts with the team during the week.

On Monday, I was pleased to present badges of office to our new SRC representatives. Congratulations boys.

Attached to this Newsletter is a letter from Dr Robin Stewardson, a member of the College Council and who has been instrumental in the development of the new history of the school to be released next term. Titled, 'A Deepening Roar', the book is a 'warts and all history of Scotch from 1851 to 2001' and would make a great Christmas present for current students or gift for any member of the College community. An order form is attached, outlining the opportunity to purchase at a special 'pre-release' price.

I commend this publication to you and look forward to its launch in October.

I remind parents that Term Three concludes at normal finishing times next Thursday. After School Care will operate normally on Thursday, but will not be available on Friday.

In our Assembly on Monday we celebrated the centenary of the Australian Flag, which was first raised at the Exhibition Buildings at 2.30pm on 3 September 1901. Outlining how the current flag came into being, the Australian Flag was raised in our Assembly and then flown for the rest of the day, as it usually is, from the flagpole outside the Harbig Library. This special event coincided nicely with our own 150^th celebrations.

In reflecting on the wonderful concert last week, I leave you with the following as my thought for the week…

The trouble with doing something right the first time
is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was!

Guy B Mason

From the Deputy Head

It's hard to believe that the term is nearly over. It seems like only a few days ago that I walked through the doors of Scotch College for the first time. It has been a very busy term for the boys and a very fulling and enjoyable one for the staff.

Our choir visited St Catherine's on Thursday for a combined workshop and performance for the parents, which was enjoyed by all who were able to attend.

Week Nine includes the final of the Year Three - Six House Public Speaking, a competition that is of a very high standard indeed. The week will conclude with our Year Two classes visiting Korowa on the last day of term.

Korowa girls visited our Year Two boys on Monday of this week and shared in German and Art classes and enjoyed a hot dog for lunch with our boys.

I wish you well for the weekend and let us hope that the Tigers can repeat their performance of last week against Essendon!

Rodney McKinlay

Year Four Bike Education - Parental Help

During Weeks Two, Three and Four of Term Four, the Year Four Classes will be completing a Bike Education Unit.

Year 4M Week 2 15-18 October

Year 4K Week 3 22-25 October

Year 4I Week 4 29 October - 1 November

If there are any parents who are either trained or untrained in Bike Education and would be available to assist at sometime during this period (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (11.00 am until 12.30 pm each day), could you please contact Gary Irvine.

Parents who would like to be trained in Bike Education for the future, when their son is in Year Four, can also contact me so that the appropriate training can be organised.

Gary Irvine - Year Four Co-ordinator

Book Fair Query

Could the relatives of a Jenny Chan Heung Man who made a Visa purchase at the Book Fair please contact the Resource Centre.

Thankyou

Alison Hindson - Resource Centre

Writer's Festival 2001

On 29 August, 10 Year Six boys, Ms Hindson and Mrs Taylor went to the Melbourne Writers' Festival in Southbank. There were a lot of schools there. When we got there, we went to the auditorium and two volunteers from each school participated in the 'Instant Library Quiz'. They were asked questions about books and a video. After that the three authors David McRobbie, Gillian Rubinstein and Garth Nix had a panel show about 'Shifting Realities'. We then had an opportunity to get books signed by David McRobbie, Garth Nix or Gillian Rubinstein.

We could also do some buying. After recess, we had a session with Bill Condon. He talked about a bit of his life, a bit about his books and where he gets his ideas. We found his session interesting. After that, Gillian Rubinstein came and talked about her life, her books, and her ideas. She wrote her first novel 'Space Demons' in 1985. Her newest book is 'Terra-Firma', the sequel to 'Galax-Arena'. We were allowed to ask some questions. After Gillian's session, we left to go back to school. We learnt about the three authors' style of writing and how they get their ideas. Overall, everyone enjoyed it and we'd like to thank Ms Hindson and Mrs Taylor for taking us.

William Kyrou - 6P

PeopleScape Project

'Peoplescape' will be the final event for the year long celebrations of the Centenary of Federation. 'Peoplescape' is one of the largest community art installations undertaken in this country. There will be 5000 figures brought together in Canberra to form 'Peoplescape'. Thousands of 'people' will be installed in rows from Old Parliament House, up the lawns of Federation Mall onto the grassy banks of Parliament House.

'Peoplescape' will represent and applaud the diversity and individual contribution of ordinary Australians. The installation will be opened on 25 November and broadcast live from Parliament House on national television. The display will run for two weeks.

Scotch College Junior School has nominated Professor Hugh Taylor and the Federation committee has accepted his nomination. Professor Taylor attended the Junior School from Year Two and completed his education at Scotch, where he was involved in rowing and scouts.

Professor Hugh Taylor is an ophthalmologist, who worked with legendary Fred Hollows on eye diseases. His study in the field of trachoma showed the mechanisms that lead to blindness, and his field studies confirmed simple ways to prevent such blindness. Hugh's work has been particularly directed to the public health system and community eye health. He has worked in developing countries in Africa and Asia, as well as Australia. In 1994, Professor Taylor (53-64) was awarded with The Perelberg Award from Scotch College. He is a wonderful man and an inspiration to the boys.

Year Five boys are painting the Peoplescape shape of Professor Taylor. Boys will be involved in the planning of the design and in executing a final design with bold simple shapes. Boys are painting two designs, one to be sent to Canberra and the other to remain in the Junior School as a reminder of this special project. It is exciting for the Junior School to be part of such an exciting project.

Susan Ferres - Head of Art

Ski Team Takes a Hat Trick

For the third year in a row the Scotch College Junior School Ski Team brought home the Victorian Interschools' Skiing Championship Boys' Division Primary Trophy. Perfect weather conditions and a fast course enabled our team to produce many personal best times. Teamwork was the key to our success and it was wonderful to see and hear all the boys cheering one another on. Our success proves the old saying, "A champion team is better than a team of champions!"

Competition in the Interschools is particularly tough as the numbers for this event increase every year, making it the largest ski event in the Southern Hemisphere. In Division 4 (Year 5 and 6) alone there were 260 competitors this year and the standard of skiing was particularly high. Our Division 4 Alpine A team, consisting of Davis Yu (11^th), Andrew Earle (19^th), Peter Cooper (22^nd) and Peter Earle (51^st), all skied brilliantly to gain 4^th place overall and have now been invited to ski in the Australian Interschools Championships at Mt Hotham on September 14^th - 16^th. All the boys tried very hard in the Division 5 (Years 3 and 4) Alpine event and the boys were happy with their results. Tom Browne was placed 9^th in the event, which is an amazing feat.

In the Moguls events we managed to have another team invited to the Australian Interschools at Mt Hotham. The Division 5 A Team, consisting of Tom Browne, Angus Carmichael and Jonathan O'Brien put on a wonderful display of skiing the bumps to gain a 4^th overall placing. In the Division 4 Moguls event Andrew Earle gained an 8^th placing with a brilliant aerial lift off early on in the course.

A special mention needs to go to the group of nine boys who have represented Scotch in all three winning teams: 1999, 2000 and now 2001. The following boys have greatly improved their skiing skills and been dedicated team members who have always encouraged and supported the younger members of the team. The nine 'hat trickers'are: Mark Gronow, Andrew Earle, Peter Earle, Davis Yu, Stuart George, David Derham, Sam Johns, Will Stansen and Albert Suttor.

To celebrate our win, the boys have been invited to a special 'ski team' party next Monday, 10 September at lunchtime in Ms Pride's classroom.

Skiing is a big family commitment and thank you to all the parents for supporting their sons during the competition. A special thank you needs to be extended to Felicity Browne, Jane Stott, Andrew Williamson and Bruce Suttor who acted as officials.

Jocelyn Pride - Ski Team Coordinator

Soccer Day

Congratulations to all boys who took part in our first Prep-Year Three Soccer Day last Friday. Magnificent weather, a big turn out of supporters and some fantastic soccer from the young players made this a memorable and enjoyable day for all.

Hopefully we can make this an annual event, to rival our well established Footy Day in Term Two and Family Day in Term Four. Special thanks must go to Mr Robertson for organising the event, as well as refereeing, and to Mr Walker and Mrs Cowley plus parents, Mrs Hurley, Mrs Jarman, Mr Erskine, Mr MacLean and Mr Mason for their outstanding refereeing.

Reading Material

As the end of term draws near, we ask that parents and boys please have a thorough search at home for any classroom 'take home' books that belong to the school. It is very disturbing and disappointing to note that hundreds of books, many of them new purchases this year, have not been returned to school after being taken home to share throughout the term. Our ability to conduct planned reading programs is affected by missing titles, 'class sets' are broken and the cost of replacing lost books is enormous. In having to spend funds on restocking missing titles to recomplete sets, we are unable to purchase new and exciting titles for the boys to read.

Please check for books before the end of term and return them to school immediately. We would really appreciate your support on this matter.

Thank you

Chris Robertson -Director of Junior Primary

'A Deepening Roar': the new history of Scotch

'A Deepening Roar', the words taken from the school's boating song, is the title of the new history of Scotch. Commissioned for the school's sesquicentenary and written by Dr Jim Mitchell, it will be available in October.

Jim has produced, as we asked, a very good work of history, a 'warts and all' history that looks objectively at both the triumphs and the stumbles of the school over its 150 years, and an arrestingly well written story. For example, who could resist the following description:

"The longest swearword Lewis Campbell (1907) ever heard was uttered at the long jump. It 'started as the contestant missed the take off board and finished at the far end of the sand pit, just one word. 'Jonah' Whyte [1880, staff 1890-1927] turned his back and walked away, I suspect to hide his grin'.

One of Jim's themes throughout the book is that Scotch has thrived by constantly changing. For example, contrast the present system of discussing your son's progress with the following excerpt from the book on reports 80 years ago:

"The Preparatory School Headmaster [1905-22], 'Jimmy' Jamieson …[was] often inclined to lengthy homilies. Thus of Norman Heron (1918) he wrote: 'Norman has done a good term's work and taken a good position in the form. He needs to make the most of life and not fritter away his time with things that after all are only of secondary importance.' Norman was aged nine.

Of ten-year-old Alec Buchanan (1919), Jamieson wrote: 'Alec has done very well, but is still, in many respects, very careless. He has a tendency to hurry through his work - speed without accuracy is useless, in fact, positively harmful. In this world it's often better not to be too quick. He is inclined to neglect 'trifles': he must not. 'Trifles make perfection', and perfection is no trifle.'"

For parents this book is a superb insight into the school you've chosen for your boy. Though your Junior School sons may not be ready to read a school history just yet, it's the sort of book they will want to dip into from time to time for the rest of their lives and, when they are older, they will thank you for having secured a copy for them while it is in print. You can take advantage now of the 10% saving by ordering at the special pre-publication price of $60 plus postage. Use the order form attached to this edition of the newsletter.

Robin Stewardson, Chairman -School History Committee

JSPA

The Fathers' Day Breakfast mornings went very well last week with happy smiles on the faces of happy boys, dads and special visitors. As Mr Rodney McKinlay mentioned in last week's newsletter, the 'Look-Alike' competition each day was lots of fun with tough contenders for the prize. Thank you to all who attended and to all who helped the boys, dads and special visitors enjoy a great breakfast together.

The Foundation Day Concert at the Rod Laver Arena last Friday certainly celebrated the 150 anniversary of the foundation of Scotch College in style and grandeur! Boys parents, family and friends were indeed privileged to perform in /attend a brilliant Scotch musical extravaganza. Congratulations to both staff and boys for putting together the magnificent performance!

The JSPA Spring Fashion Luncheon is open to Scotch parents, as well as friends and family of the Scotch community. The invitation went out with last Friday's newsletter in order to allow you more time to organise tables of your choice should you like to do so. There is no requirement to be on a pre-arranged table and, as always, the JSPA committee will try to seat you with your year level if a preferred table is not indicated.

As part of the 150 anniversary celebrations, this year the Senior and Junior Schools are having a combined Family Day (Sports Day) on Saturday 13 October 2001. As usual, the JSPA will be running food, drink and cake stalls. We require volunteer helpers for the stalls.

As Family Day is on the first Saturday of Week One in Term Four, I am seeking your attention and response early to assist us in the roster of the duties. Please ring Gladys Yu on 9818 7375 if you are able to help. The time slots are:

8.45 am - 10.00 am 10.00 am - 11.15 am

11.15 am - 12.30 pm 12.30 pm - 1.30 pm

The Prep - 2 sports activities are on from 10.45 am - 12.00 pm

Last of all, I look forward to seeing those of you who have registered for the 'Hands On The Internet' Workshop on Monday, 10 September evening at the Junior School Resource Centre Harbig Library.

Alice Chan - President, JSPA

Forthcoming Events