Scotch College

New award honours Old Scotch Collegian

Robert Simpson

New award honours Old Scotch Collegian

Scotch has announced a new academic prize for year 12 students the R. L. Simpson Prize for Public Speaking. Named in honour of the late Robert Simpson this prize will be awarded on Presentation Night to the Year 12 boy who is considered to be the outstanding public speaker over the course of the year.

Robert Simpson was the elder brother of Bruce and James, as well as current School Councillor, John Simpson, and was uncle to three boys presently at the school. In 1969, Robert Simpson was a School Prefect at Scotch and achieved fine academic results, receiving a high distinction in Economics. He rowed in the 2nd VIII and was a member of the School Orchestra, where he played the double bass.

Robert had the unique distinction of leaving Scotch twice. At the end of 1969 after completing his HSC he entered Law at Melbourne. After one term he returned, with Colin Healey's blessing, in order to complete the necessary subjects to gain entry into Medicine at Melbourne University which he successfully did in 1971. This says a lot about Robert's determination and persistence. After leaving Scotch he completed a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Melbourne. His other university qualifications included a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters degree in Public Administration Harvard University.

At the time of his death, at age 42, he was the Chief Medical Officer for the Victorian Government, a senior lecturer and course co-ordinator at Monash University, and a member of no fewer than 14 national health advisory committees. Before that, he had been the General Surgical Registrar at Royal Melbourne Hospital.

He authored more than 20 professional papers and articles, and presented over 40 papers at conferences across Australia and around the world. In 1988 he was the medical director and fleet surgeon on the bicentennial First Fleet re-enactment voyage from England to Australia, and was at sea for a year.

Robert Simpson passionately loved public speaking, and he understood the power of persuasion and debate in striving for change. The study of medicine at the University of Melbourne, and his later study of public administration at Harvard, provided Robert with the environment in which to test and refine his persuasive capacities.

Always passionate on subjects from human rights to the prevention of war, Robert welcomed public opportunity to express his views forcefully and to influence others where possible. He held the floor against all comers, and impressed his admiring audience with facts and figures that assisted his position.This award commemorates an extraordinarily intelligent and gifted Old Scotch Collegian, and we are honoured that his family have asked he be remembered in this way.

To be eligible for this award, Year 12 students must demonstrate their public speaking abilities in a range of settings and competitions. The winner will be decided each year by the teachers in charge of public speaking and debating.

Sam A'Beckett