Scotch College

From the Principal

The best of both worlds

John Carleton, a former Headmaster of the Westminster School in London, wrote: 'It is boys, after all, that make a school, not famous Old Boys and, less still, old buildings...It is strange that schools should pride themselves on their antiquity when they can pride themselves on their perpetual youth.'

At Scotch we have the best of both worlds. We celebrate a long and distinguished tradition and we delight in the present generation who face the uncertainties and challenges of their futures with enthusiasm, endeavour and achievement. We are constantly challenged to look forward, endeavouring to provide for current students an educational experience that will help prepare them for their futures.

The College's doors first opened on 6 October 1851, making Scotch Victoria's oldest school. The year 2001 marks our sesqui-centenary and planning is underway to celebrate 150 years of past and present, of outstanding educational provision and development.

Dr Jim Mitchell continues his work leading to the publication in 2001 of a History of Scotch College. There has been a most encouraging response to the request for recollections of former students and staff of the College. New material relating to Scotch's earliest days has also been discovered, promising that the new volume will add to the two previous histories as well as bringing them up to date.

The 2001 school year will see a number of special events and many of the usual activities during the year will take on a celebratory dimension. It is obviously important that the year be well planned, so that events will be appropriate and avoid overlap. The Scotch College Council has appointed a special 'Committee 150', chaired by former Chairman of Council, Mr Bruce Lithgow, to oversee the year's activities. Committee 150 draws representatives from all elements of the Scotch Family and has already demonstrated an encouraging eagerness for its task.

It is anticipated that a 'Club 150' comprising 2001 members, will be created to provide funds to allow the year to proceed without impact on the school's budget.

A competition to create a special logo for the year, to be used on school stationery and promotional material, is announced elsewhere in Great Scot.

There is little doubt that a memorable year is in store for Scotch in 2001. The whole community can expect to be involved, not only as we celebrate, but also as we ensure that it is 'business as usual' for the students attending the school at the time. A larger than usual support group will be needed, and the enthusiastic reactions of the Scotch Family Association, the Old Scotch Collegians and the Scotch Foundation bode well for a successful year.

While we are preparing to celebrate our history, much is still being done to meet the needs of the present students of Scotch. A student forum is being established to allow issues of concern to students to be discussed and brought forward for attention by the school. Student opinion on matters raised by the school can also be sought through the forum.

The forum will centre around the tutor group, the basic unit of our pastoral care system. Representatives of each group will contribute to a year-level forum, chaired by a trained senior student, and the school forum will draw from these discussions.

As well as allowing ideas and concerns to be thoughtfully developed, the forum will provide additional opportunities for leadership for older students, who will assist in the running of the discussions. Experience in public speaking, clear thinking and advocacy should also emerge for boys at all levels in the Senior School.

This forum should add another element to the range of opportunities for boys at Scotch to develop skills that will be of value to them throughout their lives. That has been, and remains, the task of Scotch throughout its history.

Dr F G Donaldson