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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
Otago Boys’ High School Foundation
August 2011 - Newsletter
Greetings to all Old Boys
It’s been an interesting month weather-wise hasn’t it? We’ve had all extremes, that’s for sure! Unfortunately, the second ‘big snow’ for Dunedin this winter coincided with (and effectively cancelled) the 1951 Class Year reunion as you’ll read further on in this newsletter, so we learned that no matter how good your plans are, you cannot rely on the weather. (Even staff at Dunedin’s new roofed Stadium found that out the same week, with the first ITM Cup game having to be postponed….not because the ground was snowed under, but because the Manawatu team couldn’t fly south to play Otago) .
And it’s been an interesting month for me as I’ve got my head around the processes here at the Foundation. I’ve met some great people, some in person, but others by phone or by email and I’ve caught up with a number of old friends I haven’t spoken to for decades in some cases. I’ve been in contact with Old Boys in Australia, the US, the UK, and even Zambia in recent days – the reach of our old School is indeed immense. It would be an interesting exercise sometime to put pins in a world map representing all the places our Old Boys have settled in – we would need a lot of pins!
A lot of what I’ve been doing this month has centred around the Annual Appeal which went out to Old Boys at the end of July….in the first month, nearly 250 responses have been received, and the total raised for the three worthy causes which will directly and immediately benefit the School (IT Suite, Weight Training Equipment, Museum Restoration) is now nearly $27,000. If you’ve received the Appeal letter but haven’t actioned it yet, please do so as every dollar raised is a dollar the School will benefit from. If, on the other hand, you haven’t received the letter please let us know by phone (0-3-477 2546) or email (info@obhsfoundation.co.nz), and we’ll make sure you not only get a copy promptly but that we also update your contact details on our database at the same time!
In this month’s newsletter there is a chance to purchase an outstanding limited edition art work by Old Boy Geoff Williams. Have a look at the two prints on offer – there are only 60 of each and these are artworks which would be impressive on any wall. And in buying these works, you are directly benefitting the Foundation and therefore the School.
The other important notice I’d like to draw to your attention in the newsletter is the request from our Historian, Rory Sweetman, for information and anecdotes about your time at School – all this is vital to Rory’s task of writing the Sesquicentennial History book for the School’s 150th celebrations in 2013. Rory would love to hear from you!
And while we’re on the subject of the 150th, it’s less than 2 years away now, so make sure you click on the link in the newsletter and register your interest now, as nearly 500 others have already done…
Regards
Andrew Moffat
Acting CEO
Which Class Year Is Winning the Appeal Race to Have A
Scholarship Named In Their Honour?
The race is on…. since the appeal was launched in July we have received just under $27,000.00 in donations from nearly 250 Old Boys in Class Years ranging from 1928 to 2007.
Those leading the charge are as follows:
1st 1954 Class Year with 12 donations
2nd 1947 Class Year with 10 donations
3rd Equal 1950 & 1951 with 9 donations each
Here’s the deal though… Over 6,500 appeal letters were sent so come on, rally your Classmates in support and get behind supporting Otago Boys’ very first Annual Appeal
Let’s give the boys from 1954 a run for their money!
Imagine what can be achieved if just half of the 6,500 Old Boys contribute to the Appeal.
On Monday 22 August, the School hosted a flying visit (literally) by a “Seasprite” helicopter from the Royal New Zealand Navy. The helicopter, one of five attached to No 6 Squadron of the RNZAF was in Dunedin on fisheries patrol duties and time was taken for careers advice visits to a number of Dunedin high schools. All boys were able to have a close look at the helicopter which is based at Whenuapai in Auckland, but spends much of each year on missions around New Zealand and overseas. Whilst the Seasprites are Navy helicopters, maintenance is in the hands of the Air Force, and Aircraft Technician Cameron Hickley (2004-2006) (shown here with Careers Advisor Andrew Swan) enjoyed the chance to be on board when the helicopter visited his old School. Cameron is currently on a 3 year posting to No 6 Squadron
Help support your Foundation by investing in one of these outstanding Limited Edition prints, commissioned on your behalf from Old Boy Geoff Williams (1971-1973)
Kura at St Leonards
My little dinghy ‘Kura’ was named after a beautiful young dancer who used to help sell my work before she left to pursue her career dreams overseas. The Maori meaning of ‘Kura’ is ‘treasure, precious and sacred’.
Across the harbour is Hereweka/Harbour Cone, and nestled below is my very first home in Frances St, Broad Bay. Two miles further down the peninsula, my father’s home sits on the edge of Portobello Bay.
For generations our family has been inspired and captivated by the Otago Harbour and the coastal environs.
Limited to 60 prints
Cost $1250 plus P&P (framed)
Hornby Matchbox Rendezvous
My granddad was assistant manager at Hillside workshops in the days when they still made engines. My earliest ‘toy recollections’ were of playing with my uncle’s Hornby train set and collecting Matchbox cars.
Recently it has been a great joy to rediscover, with my grandson, the boyhood pleasures of imagination and possibility engendered by such toys.
Limited to 60 prints
Cost $1250 plus P&P (framed)
For ordering instructions or more information click here
An Appeal from the author of our Sesquicentennial History, Rory Sweetman…..
Please send in your memories of OBHS!!
As my profile in the Newsletter (December 2010) revealed, I am neither an OBHS Old Boy nor even a New Zealander-born. All the more reason then for readers of this appeal to communicate to me their memories of school days (highlights and lowlights, your Rector, teachers good and bad, Cadets, Flo’s tuckshop, and the like) which will help to breathe life into the rather dry records of High School Board minutes and newspaper cuttings.
To date I have recorded oral interviews with some fifty old boys, all of whom have provided both information and colour. Time will not allow much more of this work, however, hence my deep gratitude to those men who have kindly sent me their written reminiscences: Peter Fleischl (1939-42), John Sprott Ryan (1942-47), Wilfred Simenaeur (1943-47), Roger Paulin (1950-54), and Geoff Moss (1971-75). I will welcome any such material (including photos, memorabilia, etc), which will be copied or photographed and kept in the school’s archive for future historians to decipher.
My postal address is PO Box 5959, Moray Place Dunedin. Email can be sent to me at rsweet@ihug.co.nz. I live at 99 Eglinton Rd, Mornington, Dunedin (tel 03 453 4217). I also have an office on the ground floor of the Shand Building, where I welcome visitors – especially those with a story to tell. Remember that while I am writing the book, this is YOUR history. Please help me to get it right.
Dr Rory Sweetman
Since the July newsletter, the following Old Boys and connections with the school have made pledges or donations to the Foundation:
We are genuinely appreciative of their continued support and belief in the Foundation’s objectives. If you wish to find out more about how you can make a pledge or donation please contact the Foundation Office on 03 477 2546.
OLD BOY RELEASES BOOK ON JUDGE WARD
Geoff Adams (1947-1951) who is a prize-winning investigative journalist and former editor of the Otago Daily Times, recently self-published the book “Judge Ward”. The book, which he has been researching for many years, tells the remarkable true stories of Judge Dudley Ward, a colonist to New Zealand in the mid-19th century, his wife Anne and his mistress Thorpe Talbot who became his second wife late in life.
All three were celebrities of their day: the Judge who presided over or featured in a number of sensational court cases (as well as political intrigues), Anne who was first national president of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and a leading suffragist, and Talbot who was internationally famous as a novelist and journalist.
The ODT ran a large feature article on the book recently and Geoff has set up his own website (www.geoffadams.co.nz) mainly devoted to the book, with links to supplier Amazon Books. The 376-page triple biography was printed in the United States, and Geoff says his modern marketing ploy is reliant on search engines. He credits his old English master “Grub” Garden setting essays for first getting him really keen on writing — he has been writing or designing print ever since he left school.
Results of the interschool held on Wednesday 3rd August in Dunedin between Otago Boys High School and Waitaki Boys High School were:
Sport OBHS WBHS
Golf – Gross 2 0 OBHS
Golf – Net 0 2 WBHS
Trapshooting 278 279 WBHS
Junior Debating 246 240 OBHS
Senior Debating 245 238 OBHS
Chess 8 0 OBHS
Squash 4 0 OBHS
Junior Football 7 1 OBHS
1st XI Hockey 17 0 OBHS
1st Basketball 133 49 OBHS
U15 Rugby 58 0 OBHS
1st XV Rugby 29 8 OBHS
Overall result was a win to OBHS by 10-2
Dunedin choirs hit the right note and headed to Wellington to wow the crowds in August. TheOtago Girls' High School Southern Hesperides choir, the Otago Boys' High School choir and the Barock combined choir were among 18 groups selected to perform at the national Big Sing final in August. "[Their selection] was absolutely stunning. The kids have worked really hard and they are two really talented schools," Otago school choir director Karen Knudson said. Rob Duffy, HOD Music at OBHS puts the school’s participation in the Big Sing into perspective when he noted that “some 150 schools enter a total of 236 choirs, with over 8500 singers involved. Of these, just 18 choirs travelled to Wellington for the final”.
The competition is of an exceptionally high standard so to simply be selected to participate is a huge accolade for the choirs. This year, the OBHS Choir came home from the Big Sing with a Bronze Award so congratulations are very well deserved!!
An army of robots invaded Dunedin one weekend in July, but enslavement of the human race was terminated in favour of some dancing, football and following a wandering black line.
About 90 pupils from Dunedin schools were at Otago Museum's Hutton Theatre for the 2011 RoboCup Junior Otago Challenge on Saturday.
RoboCup organiser Donald Liddell said the dozens of Lego robots on display were assembled and programmed by the pupils to complete one of three tasks - dancing, performing a search and rescue operation or playing two-on-two robot football. The event - in its sixth year in Dunedin - aimed to encourage interest in robotics, the study of mechatronics and a career in high-tech industries, he said. Each robot was assembled from Lego kits, with programmable on-board computers and infrared sensors, allowing them to perform tasks such as following infrared "footballs" or tracing the path of a black line. "The robots are actually thinking their way through problems. They run several routines and they are all autonomous robots," Mr Liddell said.
Otago Boys' High School pupil Jason Crabbe (17) – at left in the photo – is in his sixth year of competing at the event and had been working all year to complete his pair of dancing robots. One was capable of playing the piano, while another displayed lights, to the tune of Billy Joel's Piano Man, he said.
OBHS pupil Max Clarke (14) – right – on the other hand, had designed a squat mechanical friend capable of finding its way to a tin can playing the part of a "victim" in a search and rescue simulation. Max's interest was in the coding behind the project, and he hoped to continue studying computer programming at university. Both boys said Saturday's competition was a chance to have fun.
"It's nice to be in a group of people who share interests with me, and have a competition about something I like," Max said.
“After reading the 2011 Class Act profiles, my only scary thought today is that if any of you decide to put your hands up to become prime minister this year, you will have a good chance of beating me and Phil Goff." Prime Minister John Key shared this observation with 58 outstanding pupils from 29 secondary schools – including Benjamin Watts and Michael Collins of OBHS – during the 2011 Otago Daily Times Class Act awards at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery on 5 August, and asked them not to be in any hurry to forge a career in politics.
Mr Key said it had been a busy day - officially opening the Forsyth Barr Stadium and the refurbished Bill Robertson Library.
"But we've saved the best for last - that is, Class Act 2011." He congratulated the pupils for making the most of opportunities and excelling in academic, cultural and sporting fields, and reminded them that the single biggest determinant of success was not ability. Rather, it was attitude. "If you believe in yourself, if you are prepared to back yourself and you're not scared to give it a go, success will follow."
Mr Key also acknowledged the love, guidance and support of the Class Act pupils' families, friends, mentors, and particularly their parents, because he believed that was what had given them the inspiration they needed to become Class Act award winners.
Otago Daily Times editor Murray Kirkness also praised the recipients of the 12th Class Act awards, and encouraged them to continue to aim high. "You are - excuse the cliche - the leaders of tomorrow."
The pupils were nominated by their schools on the basis of their achievements to date and their potential for success in the future. The only criterion the newspaper gave the schools was excellence. Academic, sporting, social, artistic or cultural excellence, leadership qualities, or a combination of those was the standard by which pupils were nominated, Mr Kirkness said.
Where are they now? At the time of the 2011 Class Act awards, ODT reporter Kim Dungey tacked down the Award recipients from 2004 including two from OBHS:
• Konrad Hanson (24) has a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Music (Hons) and lives in Dunedin. He plans to train as a secondary school music and English teacher.
• Iain Notman (25) is a front-line police constable working out of the Mount Wellington Police Station in the Auckland City east area and is studying criminology and management through Victoria University.
St Peter's College (Cambridge) won the national intercollegiate title by five shots from St Bede's College (Christchurch) in Tauranga recently. The team, coached by former Balmacewen professional Simon Thomas, led by a single shot at the halfway stage with Troy Scott (68) and Agni Bhokar (69) leading the way. Scoring deteriorated in the afternoon but counting scores of 70, 71 and 74 ensured the Cambridge golfers took the title.
Westlake Boys' came from behind to win the bronze medals, while Otago Boys' High School tied with Whangarei Boys' on 446.
The Dunedin team of Thomas Facer, Kayne Wardell, Ryan Littlejohn and Thomas Griffin came fourth of the 14 teams on the countback of the last score. Luke Brown (Whangarei Boys') won the individual title, finishing four under par with two rounds of 68.
Results of the intercollegiate final
423 - St Peter's College
428 - St Bede's College
439 - Westlake Boys' High School
446 - Otago Boys' High School 221, 225 (148, Thomas Facer 72, 76; 149, Kayne Wardell 75, 74; 151, Ryan Littlejohn 74, 77; 156, Thomas Griffin 81, 75)
446 - Whangarei Boys' High School
447 - Pakuranga College
452 - Tauranga Boys' College
461 - Tu Toa College
464 - Ashburton College
Otago Boys' High School rattled the cage but failed to prise open the door. St Bede's College won the South Island secondary schools final for the fourth year in a row when it beat Otago Boys' 32-17 in front of a crowd of 2000 at Tahuna Park on 20 August.
The Christchurch school will represent the South Island in the top four competition in Rotorua next week. "We knew it would be a tough game and they made us work hard," St Bede's captain Shayne Anderson said. "They were a completely different team to what we are used to in Canterbury."
Otago Boys' started aggressively. It dominated the lineout, had a solid scrum and was aggressive at the breakdown. But dropped passes, wrong options and strong tackling by St Bede's kept the line intact. The turning point in the game came after 26 minutes, when St Bede's winger Moses Faletolu intercepted at halfway and dashed 50m to score the first try. That sparked the St Bede's team into action and four minutes later its pack put five phases together inside the 22m before prop Jack Best crashed over.
The best player on the paddock was St Bede's fullback Yoshikazu Fujita (17), from Japan. He was dangerous on the counterattack and was prepared to initiate attacks from any part of the paddock. He followed up a clearing kick just before the break, grabbed the ball and sprinted 50m for the try. His clever running from inside his own 22m led to his side's fourth try, when lock Misimoa Lamositele crashed over.
Tries to hooker Junior Pole and captain Michael Collins brought Otago Boys' back into contention. St Bede's led 20-17 with 12 minutes left, but lifted its game to a higher level to score two late tries and win the game. Otago Boys' hooker Junior Pole and Lachlan Landels were strong in the front row. No 8 Brodie Hume and lock Mike McKee tackled their hearts out and made strong runs with the ball in hand. Josh Dickson won clean lineout ball when he came on in the second spell.
The scores
St Bede's 32 (Yoshikazu Fujita, Moses Faletolu, Jesse Bryant, Misimoa Lamositele, Jack Best tries; Hagen Schulte 2 con, drop goal0; Otago Boys' 17 (Michael Collins, Junior Pole tries; Sam Ellis 2 con, pen) Halftime: 17-3.
STOP PRESS!! [from the ODT 29/8/11] – “OBHS midfield back Michael Collins has been named in the NZ Secondary Schools Squad to play Australian Schools in October in Sydney. He’ll be the only South Island player in a team dominated by North Island schools. The team assembles in Hamilton on 24 September”.
Class of 1951: 14-16 August ~ unfortunately this event was severely impacted by the second dumping of snow on Dunedin this winter, and some attendees were unable to make it to the city due to travel conditions. In the end, half a dozen brave souls made it to School on the Tuesday where they enjoyed a couple of hours of camaraderie and reminiscing over a nice warm lunch as the heaters in The Shand struggled to stay ahead of the freezing conditions. They also enjoyed the showing of a 30 minute film of School life in 1954 made by Sinclair Jones (1950-1954), which brought back many memories and murmurs of “…I remember that….” from time to time, before taking a brief tour of the almost deserted school. It was a shame that the snow had officially closed the School for the day so there were no pupils to be seen, but under the circumstances, the day went reasonably well.
Class of 1971: 9-11 September ~ sadly the extremely low number of registrations meant that this event has had to be cancelled although there will be a lower key event on the Friday night at School for those who are able to make it. With RWC2011 starting the same weekend and accommodation somewhat difficult to come by, there just wasn’t enough interest in a full set of Reunion activities.
Class of 1961: 30 September – 2 October ~ fingers crossed for fine weather and a good attendance!
1961 was the year which saw the baby boom peak with 65,000 babies being born in New Zealand. It was also the last year of capital punishment in New Zealand although the cane was still being flung by Rector Edward (Teddy) Aim, and we also saw the first Golden Kiwi Ticket sold. But it was the year those in the Class Year of 1961 started at OB’s and it is time to bring you all back.
Bear in mind that it will still be Rugby World Cup time so get in early to ensure flights and accommodation at the best rates.
CLICK HERE to let the Foundation Office know you are able to attend or CLICK HERE to locate the registration pack.
Thank you to John Pascoe (1961-65) who has done a fantastic job of touching base with many 1961 Old Boys, but there are still some we can’t track down…..please contact the Foundation if you can assist with finding any of these people. Last known details of missing Old Boys from the 1961 Class Year we are still trying to find can be found by CLICKING HERE.
TOTAL REGISTRATIONS TO DATE 478
MAKE SURE YOU ARE PART OF THIS
HISTORICAL EVENT BY REGISTERING NOW!
Contact the Foundation CLICKING HERE or call +64 3 477 2546, and leave a message. Include your full name and years of attendance.
As Fuel Prices Continue To Soar Out Of Control The OBHS Foundation Has An Exclusive Fuel Card Offer Available To All Old Boys, Past Staff And Their Immediate Family Members.
All Foundation card holders receive 5 cents per litre discount to the national pump price for petrol and diesel. Discounted petrol and diesel can be purchased at all BP, RD Petroleum and most Gasoline Alley retail sites along with Truck Stops.
HOW IT WORKS:
If today the national price for a litre of 91 octane is $2.159 cents, the cost to you would be $2.109 cents. If on the West Coast 91 is priced at $2.389 cents per litre - those with Foundation fuel cards will still pay only$2.109 cents per litre. That’s a 28 cpl saving!
This offer is open to all Otago Boys' High School - Old Boys', staff, parents of a student and their immediate family members so please pass this on to a New Zealand based family member you think may well benefit from joining the program.
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE AND START SAVING ON ALL YOUR FUEL PURCHASES!
Individual Application – Click here
Limited Companies Application – Click here
We extend our condolences to the families of the following Old Boys:
Ray Bransgrove (1929-1932) of Milton who passed away on 18 July 2011
Craig Bruce (1981-1983) of Dunedin who passed away 31 July 2011
Harold Wilson (1939-1940) of Hamilton who passed away on 5 August 2011. Harold was brother of Martin Wilson (1941-43) and Graeme Wilson (1943-45)
Bill Lindsay (1962-1966) of Winton who passed away 5 August 2011
Graeme McCrostie (1953-1955) of Milton who passed away 9 August 2011
We also acknowledge the passing of the following Old Boys, whose deaths had not been noted in this newsletter at the time. We extend our belated sympathies to the families concerned:
Dave Braithwaite (1955-1958)
Ian McColl (1938-1943)
John Cotton (1945-1950)
Ivan Routledge (1961-1962)
Dave Scott (1944-1946)
We also extend our sympathies to:
Allan Wilson (1929-1933) whose wife Phyllis passed away in Lower Hutt on 2 August 2011
Newsletter researched and compiled by Julie Cheyne and Andrew Moffat.
The Otago Boys’ High School Foundation acknowledges the assistance it receives from Konica Minolta with all of its office printing requirements
