Scotch College

Myers' philanthropy inspires

To mark the centenary of Sidney Myer's arrival in Australia, the Myer family has announced donations totalling more than $16 million to community projects over the next four years.

Among the recipients are arts bodies, the CSIRO, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, the rural community, the Melbourne Zoo and Asialink. There are also plans for a circus arts academy (to be based at Swinburne), a residence for homelesss youth, and two creative city play spaces for children; and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl will also be refurbished.

These outstanding examples of philanthropy can be partly credited to Sidney's grandsons Michael ('68), Martyn ('74), Andrew ('79) and Philip ('72). Addressing a Philanthropy Australia conference in April, Michael said, 'You might be born with a silver spoon in your mouth but not the knowledge of how to use it wisely. Philanthropy needs to be made a fundamental, intrinsic part of the Australian way of life. You can't just make money. You have to put some back in'.

Scotch is already a beneficiary of the Myers' generosity (particularly through the Language and Culture Centre). In this landmark year, we salute all members of the family for their monumental contribution to the cultural and community life of Melbourne and Australia.

The arts and sport are not always the most comfortable of bedfellows, but Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe ('50) revels in both. A leading poet and professor of English at the University of Melbourne, Chris chairs The Meanjin Company and The Australian Book Review as well as playing tennis and being an avid sports spectator. He recalls, "I was a word child at school, I suppose, but I was also always on the sports field. It's just one of my great loves. ... I'm the son of a journalist, so I seem to be multi-disciplinary. I can be watching the footy, then doing some house cleaning, or going for a walk, preparing a paper or whatever, but inside my head ideas are floating around, waiting, I suppose, to be written". The father of Toby and Joshua ('95), Chris was a featured guest at the Melbourne Festival of Poetry in September.

Talking of artistic good sports, school 1st XV rugby player John Wregg ('62) has carved out a varied and vibrant career in the arts world. Formerly artistic director of the Bondi Pavilion Theatre, Australian Theatre for Young People, St Martin's Mobile Theatre and the Sydney Metropolitan Opera, John won Bayreuth & Wagner Society Scholarships in 1986. He has recently helped to establish a new performing arts school in New Zealand, was director of this year's Lygon Street Festa, and will direct next year's Volterra music festival in Tuscany. And they said art was all about suffering!

Campbell McComas