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The Otago Boys' High School Foundation
PO Box 11,
Dunedin, New Zealand
Tel +64 3 477 2546
Fax +64 3 477 5468
As we charge headlong towards another Christmas, it’s a time to reflect – on friendships, fellowship and family.
If we managed to get those components in order more often than not, life would be less stressful, much happier and infinitely safer.
To you and yours, enjoy the break.
The Foundation’s simple mission is to protect the magnificent history of Otago Boys’ High School by smoothing the pathway into the future.
We face serious challenges in 2007 and beyond, but with the wise counsel, vision and generosity of our Old Boys, the Foundation will be the guiding light through the decades and generations ahead.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
Foundation members
Since the November newsletter, the following Old Boys and connections with the school have made pledges or donations and have been registered as Members of the Foundation –
Clarke Craw Ltd – Fellow (in the form of a scholarship)
Tom Aitken (1941-45) – Friend
Graham Carrington (1940-42) – Friend
Murray McClean (1962-66) – Fellow
Robert Smellie (1945-48) – Associate Fellow
Fred Henderson (1944-47) – Old Boys’
Maurice Howley (1948-52) – Associate Fellow
Hugh McAllum (1955-59) – Fellow
1953 V A Class Reunion – Friend
John Mitchell (1900-01, deceased) – Friend (donation from his daughter, Mrs Shona Wright)
Duncan Boswell (1959-63) – Old Boys’
Ken Muir (1956-59) – Friend
Ian Faulks (1952-53) – Old Boys’
Maurice Matthews (1960-65) – Associate Fellow
1958 Upper 6th Reunion – Friend
Jack Thomson (1939-41) – Friend
School news
* The seniors have long gone, their examinations completed for the year while the junior school disbands at the end of this week.
Please note that the year’s prize lists are available for viewing on the website. The senior academic list is already there along with the 2006 sports, drama and music awards, and the junior academic awards will be added at the end of the week.
The 2007 year begins on Wednesday, 7th February.
* David Thompson’s fine sporting year continued at the national Secondary School track and field championships at QE II Park in Christchurch over the weekend.
David took the gold medal in each of the three events he entered – winning the senior boys’ high jump with a leap of 2 metres (6 centimetres better than second place); the senior boys’ triple jump in a distance of 13.37 metres; and the senior boys’ javelin with a throw of 60.43 metres (4.01 metres ahead of second place).
The scary thing for David’s competitors is he has just finished Year 12 (6th form) and has another year at school.
Tom Parsons finished third in the final of the senior boys’ 110 metre hurdles in a time of 14.80 seconds, and Williams Scorgie finished third in the Year 9 (3rd form) boys’ 3 kilometre race, running the distance in 9 minutes 39.75 seconds.
Old Boys’ Society
From the President, Jonathan Usher –
In my most recent letter to Old Boys’ regarding membership of the Old Boys’ Society, I mentioned the fact that we are seeking to become more active within the school by way of lending life skills, assistance with scholarships and in the establishment of a museum to complement the magnificent archives held in storage.
The first objective, where we assist the school by seeking Old Boys or others to speak to certain year groups or classes about particular vocations and working options, is where we need your help at this point.
Listed below are the vocations of Old Boys we are very keen to bring on board in the first year or two of lending experience and expertise to the school. If you believe you match one of these descriptions, or if you know someone who does, please contact me.
This plan has been developed in conjunction with the school’s senior management.
It’s with great please we announce the establishment of the Central Otago Lakes branch of the Old Boys’ Society, based in Wanaka. Your contacts are Don McKinlay (027 4595799) and Mat Andrews (027 4836261).
Paul Dryden and an enthusiastic group of Old Boys in the Queen City are working on the revitalisation of the Auckland branch of the Old Boys’ Society. Paul’s ‘phone number is 021 439924.
And there is added zest and drive within the South Canterbury branch. Steve Little was elected President at last week’s Annual Meeting, he has a terrific band of experience and youth in behind him and he’s also mein host at the Royal Hotel in Cains Terrace, Timaru – a place worth visiting. Steve’s ‘phone number is 027 4111123.
Jonathan Usher
021 462442
Where are they now?
* Trevor Scott (1954-58) and John Gilks (1955-59) have been made Distinguished Fellows of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.
Distinguished Fellow awards are given annually to members who have sustained a prominent and distinguished career as a director, or who have given outstanding participation and services to the institute, the community or business. Messrs Scott and Gilks were among 11 businessmen who have been honoured.
Mr Scott is a professional company director and founder of Dunedin accountancy firm T.D. Scott & Co. He has served on numerous boards since 1986 involving the publishing, manufacturing and hospitality industries. He has been chairman of Blis Technologies, the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science Ltd and Steele Bros, and has been a director of Countrywide Banking Corp Ltd, Donaghys, Radioworks, Dunedin International Airport, Shotover Jets and Scenic Circle. He has also been a financial adviser to NZPA and number of regional newspapers. He is currently chairman of Arthur Barnett Ltd, Harraway and Sons, Mercy Hospital Dunedin, Pacific Edge Biotechnology and Tamahine Holdings, and is a director of Argent Group, Hirequip ING Property Trust Management, Neuren Pharmaceuticals, New Zealand Seed Fund, Scott Technology, Tasman Farms and Whitestone Cheese.
Mr Gilks is a professional director whose earlier life was spent as a public chartered accountant in Dunedin. He founded Motor Trade Finances Ltd and was its managing director for 22 years. He has also been president of the Otago Chamber of Commerce and the Dunedin Rhododendron Trust. He has been a director of Arthur Barnett Ltd, the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand and the National Bank of New Zealand. He is currently chairman of Port Otago Ltd and Receivables Management (NZ) Ltd, and deputy chairman of Fisher & Paykel Appliances Holdings Ltd. He is a director of Fisher & Paykel Finance Ltd, Dunedin City Holdings Ltd, and its subsidiaries, Business Mentors Ltd, Botry-Zen Ltd and a number of other smaller companies.
* As widely anticipated, Richie McCaw (1994-98)- Head Boy and Proxime Accessit in 1998 - was this week named the International Rugby Board Player of the Year.
McCaw, who led the All Blacks to 11 wins from 12 tests this year, and was inspirational in each of his performances, headed a New Zealand trifecta at the awards dinner in Glasgow.
The All Blacks were pronounced Team of the Year for the second consecutive year and coach Graham Henry took the Coach of the Year award.
* John Macdonald (1967-68), District Court Judge in Dunedin for the last 15 years, is entering a new phase of his career.
Judge Macdonald has recently been appointed as an acting warranted District Court judge. After retiring from his present position in mid-January, he will take up the new posting, which will see him sit, when required, at other district courts around New Zealand.
His legal career began in 1973 when he was admitted to the Bar. After working as a lawyer in New Plymouth for 16 years, he moved to Auckland after being appointed a district court judge when he was just 39 years old. With two years experience in Auckland under his gavel, he moved back to Dunedin in 2001.
Judge Macdonald may also become involved with more Parole Board work, having been a member of the board since its inception in 2002.
As a basketballer, John Macdonald is regarded by many in the game as the best player this country has produced, representing the New Zealand side from 1970 to 1981 and being the captain from 1974 to ’81. The Outstanding Kiwi Guard Trophy, awarded annually in New Zealand basketball, is named in his honour.
* Robin Charteris (1957-60), the editor of New Zealand’s oldest and major independent newspaper, the Otago Daily Times, will retire in April next year.
Mr Charteris has been with the newspaper for 41 years and has served as editor since 1997.
His retirement was announced late last month.
Mr Charteris joined the Evening Star in 1964 before moving to the Otago Daily Times as the Central Otago reporter, based in Alexandra, in 1966.
After serving as Chief Reporter and Features Editor in Dunedin and then a secondment to the New Zealand Associated Press for two separate terms as London correspondent in the 1970s and ’80s, he returned as Deputy Editor in 1988.
Mr Charteris has won numerous national journalism and travel writing awards, and in 2005, the Otago Daily Times under his editorship was named Qantas New Zealand Newspaper of the Year.
Vince Ashworth (1948-50) proudly sports a CV which reads like of Who’s Who of global contact in the agricultural sector.
Vince, now a retired agricultural and rural development consultant living in Morrinsville, has expertise in agricultural extension, livestock, development and production, small holder farm system analysis, and institutional development and agricultural reform. He also has significant experience in team management, agricultural and rural investment analysis, project preparation, appraisal, supervision and evaluation, rural land valuation, and land tenure and reform issues.
His travels, since graduating from the Canterbury Agricultural College (Lincoln) in 1955 with a Diploma in Valuation and Farm Management, took him throughout Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific, where he worked with scores of governments and major international banks. His services and experience saw him traveling across the globe for 50 years and his firm Ashworth and Clark was the first farm management consultation firm established in New Zealand.
* Arch Jelley (1936-40) was last week inducted into the New Zealand Athletic Coaches’ Hall of Fame.
Arch, the senior gymnastic champion and feather weight boxing champion in 1939, is best known as the coach of one of the world’s greatest middle distance runners, John Walker, whom he mentored to the world mile record in 1975 (becoming the first man to run the distance in under 3 minutes 50 seconds) and the Olympic 1,500 metre gold medal in Montreal a year later. Walker was also the first man to run 100 sub-four minute miles (he eventually ran the distance 135 times in under four minutes), set a world 2,000 metre record which lasted a decade, won three Commonwealth Games’ medals, was twice named the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year and was voted the New Zealand Sportsman of the 1970s.
Now living in retirement in Titirangi, Auckland, Arch is a retired Normal school principal and graduated with a BA (Hons) Degree in 1971 from the Victoria University of Wellington. Nearing his mid-80s, he still coaches a few athletes, but he has taken up lawn bowls with some success. He is also a keen bridge player and has taught bridge at the local club for more than a decade. He is also interested in genealogy – being a recorder for the McColl clan and the Jelley family.
Arch served in the Second World War, first in New Zealand in the Scottish Regiment and then in the navy when he was posted to England for his preliminary naval training. After being on Arctic convoy duty he was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant RNZNVR and was posted as a Gunnery Officer on coastal submarines. His final naval posting was as 3rd Hand and Navigator on HM Submarine “Vagabond”.
He was a keen runner himself – in both cross country events and the track, where he won a number of three and six mile races at centre level and over country where his best performance was in finishing 4th in the New Zealand Cross Country Championships. As well as coaching Walker to international success, Arch was coach of the New Zealand track team to two World Championships, two Olympic Games and one Commonwealth Games. He was also Coach or Chief Coach to three Oceania Teams competing in the World Cup and was appointed Manager of the New Zealand Athletic team to the 1980 Moscow Olympics, this team then withdrawn on political grounds.
Arch held manyadministrative positions in track and field at provincial and national level with these including a New Zealand cross country selector (1975-93), the national middle & long distance event Coach (1978-83), New Zealand national middle and long distance advisory coach (1983-87), President of Athletics New Zealand (1996-97) and Ombudsman for Athletics New Zealand (1997-2006). He was awarded the OBE for Services to Sport in 1981.
His fellow inaugural inductees were Arthur Lydiard, coach of champion middle distance athletes Peter Snell and Murray Halberg; Arthur Eustace, a 1950 Empire Games representative and long-standing advisory coach, lecturer and director of the National Coaches School; and fellow Dunedin man Jim Bellwood, who coached Yvette Williams to the 1952 Olympic Games women’s long jump goal medal, a world long jump record in 1954 and a host of Commonwealth Games’ successes.
Annual Foundation Golf Tournament
Interest in the second Annual Foundation Golf Tournament, is growing quickly.
To be staged in association with Colin Strang Financial Services, the tournament will be played on the St Clair course on Friday, 2nd March 2007. More than half of the holes have already been sponsored and it seems certain the tournament will again host a full field.
We are now taking bookings, from players and sponsors alike. If you wish to be involved, please contact the Foundation office - ‘phone: 03/4778977, mobile: 027/4370335, email: info@obhsfoundation.co.nz
Year Group Captains
If anyone is prepared to work alongside the Foundation in tracking Old Boys from their era, please contact the Foundation office (03/4778977; info@obhsfoundation.co.nz).
We’re looking to develop a group of leaders who are prepared to track alumni from their time at Otago Boys’. With the 150th celebrations looming ever closer and the need to get the Foundation’s newsletter to as many of the Old Boys as possible, this task assumes high priority.
Please also remember that Year Lists are available for viewing on the Foundation’s website. In recent weeks, scores of emails, letters and ‘phone calls have been received with contact details about Old Boys and we are grateful for that assistance.
Please check your year and others. The majority of Old Boys still remain unaccounted for and your assistance with the tracking process would be gratefully appreciated.
Reunions
The Foundation intends to stage a series of ‘five year’ reunions from next year.
In 2007 these will comprise informal gatherings for Old Boys who finished in 2002 (five years since leaving), 1997 (10 years), 1992 (15 years), 1987 (20 years), 1982 (25 years), 1977 (30 years), 1967 (40 years) and 1957 and beyond (50 years–plus since leaving school). Each subsequent year will take on its own flavour.
These reunions won’t cross over any already scheduled and will be designed to assist those already planning reunions of their class or year groups. They will take the form of a lunch and an afternoon together, and will open the way for larger and more formal reunions to be organised by those Old Boys keen to take up the cudgels.
Class of 1962 “45 Years On”
This Reunion is scheduled for Dunedin over the weekend of 13th, 14th & 15th April 2007 (this is the weekend immediately following the Easter break).
Already more than 50 registrations have been received with the proposed programme taking the following form:
Friday evening Registration and converse
Saturday morningVisit the school and museum
Saturday afternoon Sporting event(s)
Saturday evening Dinner Function.
Those wishing to register their interest in attending should contact David McNab (mcnabdw@xtra.co.nz) or by sending a $100 registration fee to ‘Otago Boys’ High School Old Boys’ Reunion’, P.O.Box 13645, Christchurch.
A number of the 1962 intake are yet to be traced with others starting at Otago Boys’ that year doing so in other than the third form. Boys yet to be found are (with those starting at fourth form level or above marked with an asterisk):
Baird, Allan Malcolm
Campbell, William Alexander
Carlaw, Kevin Allan
* Dodds, William John Edward
Doig, Anthony Martin
Ferguson, Brian Alexander
* Findlay, Graeme Leslie
Gilchrist, Iain William
* Hawes, Eugene I
Holt, Lindsay Murray
Keach, Malcolm Warren
Keen, Anthony Ian
* Lunn, Stuart S
* Miller, Ronald George
Palmer, John Richard
* Paterson, Gerald Raymond
Pay, David J
Ryder, Malcolm Joseph
* Smith, Edward Leicester
* Thompson, David William
Williams, Edward John Lloyd
Wills, Peter John
If you know where any of these Old Boys are, please contact either David McNab or the Foundation office (info@obhsfoundation.co.nz)
Recent deaths
Terrence Jeffrey Madigan (1952-53), died in Dunedin on 9th November 2006, aged 69.
Murray (Albert Murray) Griffin (1947-50), died in Milton on 11th November 2006, aged 73.
Nick Lindsay Smith (2003-06), died in Dunedin on 12th November 2006, aged 16.
Garth (Hunter Garth) Lonsdale (1946), died in Canberra on 20th November 2006, aged 74. Garth was the New Zealand ski champion for three successive years - 1947 to 1949 - having been the South Island champion in 1947. He was also a long-time member of national skiing teams.
Stewart John Mackay (1940-43), died at Karitane on 26th November 2006, aged 80. Stewart was a retired secondary school teacher.
Tony (Antony Forrest) Lampen (1932-34), died at the Montecillo War Veterans' Home in Dunedin on 28th November 2006.
Ian Robert Pairman (1940-44), died in Dunedin on 2nd December 2006, aged 79. Ian is the father of Terry Pairman (1973-76).
Edward Barry Keen (1961-62), died in Brisbane on 30th November, 2006. Edward is the father of Shane Keen (1983-84).
Alexander Gaskell Pickard (1926-27), died in Hamilton on 30th November 2006, aged 93.
Alan Lees Hunter (1927-29), died at Ross Home in Dunedin on 6th December 2006, aged 97.
Our sympathy is also extended to Nigel McNeill (1961-63) and Clive McNeill (1962-65), whose mother Elise died in Dunedin on 28th November 2006.
And to Garth Utteridge (1974-78) and Vaughan Utteridge (1981-85), whose father Barrie died in Christchurch on 29th November 2006.
Steve Davie
Chief Executive
