Newsletter - April 2007

10/04/2007

School news

* In 1946, as Dux of Arthur Street School, Graeme Marsh was awarded the Chapman Memorial Scholarship which opened the way for him to attend Otago Boys’.

The scholarship was worth the princely sum of £10 per year for Graeme’s 3rd and 4th form years and at the end of each term, armed with his school report, he would front Mr Brough from Brough, Calvert & Barrowclough. Mr Brough would peruse Graeme’s report, comment on his progress and then have his secretary write a cheque for £3 6/8d.

As Patron of the Otago Boys’ High School Foundation, Graeme has continued the tradition by establishing the Graeme Marsh Scholarship – to be awarded to three boys a year from Arthur Street School.

The first of the scholarships, worth $2,000 each over the course of each recipient’s time at Otago Boys’, were awarded in late-2006. Last week Graeme met the inaugural winners after they had settled into Year 9 life at the school and was able to tell them about the history of the scholarship.

He recalls the Chapman Memorial Scholarship allowed him to meet good folk who became friends and opened the way for opportunities later in life.

Graeme still has the certificate presented to him in 1946 and this will be replicated to a large degree for the Graeme Marsh Scholarship winners. Photos of the inaugural recipients can be viewed on the Foundation’s website – www.obhsfoundation.co.nz

* The Parents Association will stage a Silent Auction on Friday, June 15th.

This event will be staged in the Shand with funds raised to go towards the upkeep of the school van and various school resources.

Tickets (at $5) will be available from the school office over the next few weeks, and both entertainment and refreshments will make the night well worthwhile.

* The Otago Boys’ High School under-14 cricket team returned from Taupo late last month, victorious after sharing the national title with Hamilton Boys. Isaac Gutschlag was the side’s most successful batsman, averaging 35.7. Medium-pacer Aaron Blair took seven wickets at an average of 12, including four for 45 against New Plymouth Boys’ High. Jordan Hunter was named Otago Boys’ player of the tournament. He averaged 27 with the bat and took seven wickets at an average of 14. The team, coached by Peter Odgers, was - Harry Jones (captain), Jordan Hunter, Aaron Blair, Isaac Gutschlag, Kane Russell, Joe Hunter, Cam Gray, Logan Toomer, Lance Taylor, Scott Mitchell, Josh Reid and Isaac Officer.

* Results of the recent summer interschool against Southland Boys' -

Tennis:

Seniors won 16-nil

Juniors won 12 - 4

Year 9 cricket:

Southland Boys' 195 & 158/7 declared; Otago Boys' 92 & 104 (Scott Hunter 48). A win to Southland Boys' by 157 runs.

First XI cricket:

Otago Boys' 228 (Hayden Miller 65, James Ferris 45, Tom Rutherford 32, Ben Main 28) and 262 (George Spittle 66, Tom Rutherford 34, Ferg McRae 28*); Southland Boys' 270. The match ended in a draw.

Foundation members

Since the March newsletter, the following Old Boys and connections with the school have made pledges or donations and have been registered as Members of the Foundation –

Derek Hope (1956-59) – Old Boys’

Jason Hope (1983-87) – Old Boys’

Jeremy Hope (1985-89) – Old Boys’

Ron Scott (1942-46) – Old Boys’

Brett Jenkins (1982-85) – Old Boys’

Robin Bates (1969-70) – Friend

Mark Billcliff (1990-94) – Old Boys’

Len Kitching (1940-42) – Friend

Elwyn Kitching (1943-45) – Friend (Elwyn died in 1955, just 10 years after leaving school, and Len has made a donation on his behalf)

Nigel McPherson (1943-47) – Friend

Gary Gwynne (1959-63) – Trustee

Ken McKenzie (1953-56) – Associate Fellow

Hamish Stewart (1975-79) – Old Boys’

Milestone birthdays

A hearty birthday wish to the following Friends of the Foundation, who are celebrating special landmark birthdays this month –

Graham Carrington (1940-42) will be 80 on Friday 13th April.

Tom Aitken (1941-45) will also turn 80 on Wednesday 18th April.

Lex Macdonald (1930-34) will mark his 90th birthday on Sunday 29th April.

All three had or retain ties to the land. Graham is a retired farmer and lives in Dunedin, having spent many years in England and France; Tom is semi-retired and lives on his property in the Maniototo; and Lex, also retired to Dunedin, is a former manager with National Mortgage & Agency, now known as PGG Wrightson.

Our congratulations to this trio of Foundation supporters and we hope they’re able to celebrate in style.

And a belated greeting to two Associate Fellows and a Friend of the Foundation, who recently celebrated milestone birthdays –

Max Waburton (1950-54) turned 70 on February 18th. Max is a retired surveyor.

Len Kitching (1940-42) marked his 80th birthday on February 23rd. After returning from the Second World War, Len worked for Wright Stephenson and, after settling in Wellington, ran his own transport business.

Niel Wales (1940-45) enjoyed his 80th birthday on February 25th. Niel’s name is synonymous with architecture.

Congratulations

* To Ray and Eileen Bransgrove, who celebrated their Blue Sapphire wedding anniversary on 6th April 2007.

Ray (1929-32), a retired sheep farmer, and Eileen were married in Milton on 6th April 1942.

The couple live in Milton.

Old Boys’ bowls

While they closed the gap on last year’s defeat, Otago Boys’ Old Boys were still not able to take the honours against King’s in the annual Old Boys’ Bowls tournament.

Played at the Tainui Club on Wednesday, 4th April, with King’s as this year’s host, the tournament attracted 56 players with each side fielding seven fours. This was an increase on last year’s five fours per school.

King’s won the day 7½ (110 points) to 6½ (103 points).

Otago Boys’ organiser Bill Butler reports their King’s rivals put on a fine afternoon tea and expressed a confidence that, with the gap closing fast, it won’t be too long before Otago Boys’ again takes the day.

Old Boys’ news

I was privileged to attend a meeting of Auckland-based Old Boys in the Queen City in late-March.

Paul Dryden (1966-71) is doing a terrific job in re-energising the Auckland branch of the Old Boys’ Society and, judging by the numbers at our gathering place – the appropriately named tavern The Crib in Ponsonby Road – and the goodwill generated there, the branch will be up and running again in no time.

Where are they now?

* Ron Dohig (1943-46) now lives in semi-retirement in Timaru.

After leaving school, Ron decided to become an architect, working for John D. Allingham in Dunedin before continuing his studies at the School of Architecture at the University of Auckland. After graduating in 1953, he worked for the Otago Education Board, being involved in the design of many of the schools around the province. A shift to Southland saw Ron working for A.G.A. Milne with the Kelvin Hotel one of his projects.

In late-1960 Ron moved to Timaru with his wife Wendy and established his own practice, Dohig Design. Among the many notable buildings he has designed in Timaru are the South Canterbury Museum, Aigantighe Art Gallery (for which he received a national award), the Timaru Bridge Club, South Canterbury Farming House, Strathallan County Council Chambers and Salvation Army Fortress.

His mark is also seen on numerous educational, religious, commercial and residential buildings throughout the South Island. Ron worked for a spell in Townsville, North Queensland, in 1991 where he was involved in the design of several large projects including a $AUS130 million resort on Magnetic Island.

Away from the drawing board, Ron has served in Rotary and enjoyed time in the visual arts, photography and with the theatre where his voice has been heard in numerous music hall productions. His sporting interests have included soccer and squash.

But it’s fair to say Ron’s greatest passion has been Italian cars. From the time his father gave him a Fiat Topolino to drive to Auckland to begin his university studies in 1951 to the present day, Ron has built a collection of Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia vehicles the envy of many enthusiasts around the globe.

He is a member of the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club of New Zealand and Lancia clubs in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. A recent highlight for Ron and Wendy was the invitation to represent New Zealand at Lancia’s centennial celebrations in Turin last year.

* Jock (Russell) Anderson (1961-64) has been a reporter all of his working life.

Jock joined the Otago Daily Times on February 11, 1965 and since then has had 18 years with the NZ Truth, 10 years operating community newspapers in Canterbury, spent time as a part-time journalism tutor at Timaru Polytechnic, nearly eight years with the National Business Review, has produced the television programme Eye to Eye and was voted the Qantas Newspaper Journalist of the Year in 1999.

Now, after almost a year with the Waiheke Week community newspaper, Jock – proudly looking forward to his 60th birthday in April – has re-invented himself as chief reporter of a re-born NZ Truth, which was brought back into New Zealand hands from the Australian-controlled Fairfax conglomerate in February.

Watch this space, says Jock.

Jock can be contacted at jock@nztruth.co.nz

Recent deaths

We extend our condolences to the families of the following Old Boys –

Graham Stuart Botting (1928-31), died in Turangi on 8th March 2007, aged 91.

Bob (Robert James) Cameron (1937-38), died in Wanaka on 21st March 2007, aged 84. Bob had not long shifted to Wanaka, having farmed all his life in the Waitahuna area.

Ian Mackay Faulks (1952-53), died in Queenstown on 23rd March 2007, aged 68. Ian was the director of Faulks Enterprises and is the brother of Jim Faulks (1945-47) and the late Thomas Faulks (1948-50). Ian was a valued Foundation Member through his Old Boys’ life membership donation.

John Nelson Baird (1929-30), died in Dunedin on 26th March 2007, aged 91. John was a carpenter for much of his life and served in the Second World War with the 8th Field Company 2NZEF.

Eric Edwin Hely (1932-34), died in Dunedin on 2nd April 2007, aged 87. Eric had practised as an accountant.

Howard Nelson Stott (1935-36), died in Oamaru on 2nd April 2007, aged 88. Howard was a retired accountant.

We also extend our sympathies to –

Allan Dippie (1978-81) and Martin Dippie (1979-83) whose mother Gaynor died on 11th March 2007.

Bill Cubitt (1965-59) whose father Frederick died on 19th March 2007.

Sir William Southgate (1954-59) and Brent Southgate (1958-62) whose mother Phyllis died in Dunedin on 25th March 2007.

Steve Davie

Chief Executive