Scotch College

The Scotch Spirit soldiers on

John Craven

Old Scotch was thrilled to sponsor the inaugural Year 12 Valedictory Dinner last month. And what a wonderful expression of the ‘Scotch spirit’ it was. The opportunity to welcome over 200 new Old Boys to the worldwide fraternity that now numbers over 17,000 and to honour their teachers and families was very exciting.

The Year of 2004 faces a challenging and exciting future. Old Scotch is confident that as they go through life facing those inevitable career and personal challenges they will be able to rely on the camaraderie and support of all of those 17,000 Old Boys. While the ‘old school tie’ may be less prominent physically as you walk along Collins Street today, the spirit certainly lives on in more contemporary media like OSCAnet, our ‘virtual’ old school tie.

Today Old Scotch Clubs are stronger than ever. New and reborn Clubs emerge to broaden the range of interests, while the traditional favourites like Football, Cricket, Skiing and Tennis go from strength to strength. It is impossible to pick favourites but the recent Old Scotch Wine and Food Club’s 10th Anniversary Dinner held at Florentino Restaurant said it all. Hamish Long, the Club President, rewrote the College Song which culminated with this chorus:

Great start Scotch the club is singing
Hear them cheering as we grow
There is so much that we can do
Wearing cardinal, gold and blue
Fizz makes grinners, pop a cork and let it flow.

Old Scotch offers a wide range of ways for Old Boys and their families to enjoy the camaraderie of old friends and to contribute to the community. On behalf of the Old Scotch Collegians’ Association Council let me wish you a very happy festive season and we look forward to seeing you at an Old Scotch event in 2005.

John Craven
President