2008 September

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The High Bulletin The magazine of High’s Old Boys Volume 53 No 3 September 2008 Print Post Approved 236697 - 00002 Published by Sydney High School Old Boys’ Union Inc Patrons: James Wolfensohn and Lord Robert May President: Joseph Waugh Secretary: Colin Sherwood Treasurer: Kenneth Clemens Editor: William Clegg (02) 9907 2856 +612 9907 2856 PO Box 1546 DARLINGHURST NSW 1300 AUSTRALIA www.shsobu.org.au In this issue: 2 - A rugby crisis? 8 - Jottings 10 - Post 1945 honour rolls 11 - Feedback 14 - Support Cutler Charities 18 - Rhodes Scholars 19 - Media mentions 22- Reunions and other notices 24 - Obituaries 26 - Winter sports results Make it a memorable night The 125th Anniversary Cabaret gives Old Boys the opportunity to get together and celebrate 125 years of the unique institution that is Sydney High. Our hosts will be Jessica Rowe and Jack Singleton (1990) and performers will include Little Pattie. So why not organise a table and come along on 21 November 2008? The Shannon Room at the AJC Function Centre, Randwick Racecourse is the venue for what promises to be a memorable night. Details and booking form can be found on the back page. Prime Minister Harold Holt (not an Old Boy) visits the 1967 OBU Foundation Dinner at the Doncaster Theatre Restaurant.

description

come rally round boys young and old....tosing

Transcript of 2008 September

The High BulletinThe magazine of High’s Old Boys

Volume 53 No 3September 2008Print Post Approved

236697 - 00002

Published by Sydney HighSchool Old Boys’ Union Inc

Patrons: James Wolfensohnand Lord Robert May

President: Joseph WaughSecretary: Colin Sherwood

Tr easurer: Kenneth ClemensEditor: William Clegg

(02) 9907 2856+612 9907 2856

PO Box 1546DARLINGHURST NSW 1300

AUSTRALIA

www.shsobu.org.au

In this issue:2 - A rugby crisis?

8 - Jottings

10 - Post 1945 honour rolls

11 - Feedback

14 - Support Cutler Charities

18 - Rhodes Scholars

19 - Media mentions

22- Reunions and other notices

24 - Obituaries

26 - Winter sports results

Make it a memorable nightThe 125th Anniversary Cabaret gives Old Boys theopportunity to get together and celebrate 125 years of theunique institution that is Sydney High.

Our hosts will be Jessica Rowe and Jack Singleton (1990)and performers will include Little Pattie.

So why not organise a table and come along on 21November 2008? The Shannon Room at the AJC FunctionCentre, Randwick Racecourse is the venue for whatpromises to be a memorable night.

Details and booking form can be found on the back page.

Prime Minister Harold Holt (not an Old Boy) visits the 1967 OBU

Foundation Dinner at the Doncaster Theatre Restaurant.

2

Many Old Boys have been dismayed by the Headmaster's decision to withdrawthe 1st XV from the GPS first grade competition in 2008 and 2009.

The Headmaster, Dr Jaggar, made the decision to withdraw after the first matchof the season, against St Joseph's College, ended in a 0-112 defeat.

In a statement issued on 22 August 2008, Dr Jaggar said that after seeking adviceand briefings from relevant parties:

“... I held a meeting with the senior rugby group. For reasons of duty of careand discipline, I told them that, depending on their training and physicalpreparation, we might have to forfeit the Riverview 1st XV game and that,thereafter I would decide at what level they would participate for the rest ofthe season. I stipulated that during the July holidays and in the first week ofTerm 3, 18 adequately signed logbooks, representing three weeks ofappropriate preparation, needed to be produced for the team to face aRiverview 1st XV. Mr Scrivener's records did not indicate that sufficientboys had done the training required by the first Wednesday of Term 3.Consequently, I took the decision to withdraw High from the GPScompetition in first and second grade and to seek more competitive fixtures.”

The 1st XV subsequently played other GPS grade teams, ending the season witha match against the Sydney Grammar School 1st XV.

Messages of support for the teams and the School have come from Old Boys ofSydney High and the other GPS schools.

The structural problem of mismatches at first grade level of the GPS Rugbycompetition remains generally unresolved. As a temporary measure for 2009 only,Dr Jaggar and Dr Vallance (Headmaster of Grammar), after a joint meeting withMasters-in-charge of Rugby and Heads of Sport, have agreed that Grammar andHigh will share rugby fixtures and follow the Grammar draw for home and awayfixtures. All schools except High and Grammar will have a rugby bye round.

In the age groups 13-16, Grammar will field A, C and E teams and High will fieldB, D and F teams against the four largest rugby schools (King’s, St Ignatius,Shore and St Joseph’s). In the open grades, Grammar will play 1st and 2nd grade,and High will play 3rds against King’s, St Ignatius, Shore and St Joseph’s. Byagreement with the Sports Masters at Scots, Newington and Grammar, there will

A rugby crisis?

3

be flexibility in some fixtures for rounds 5, 6 and 7 so that, depending on thestrength of our 1st XV, High may play more than one GPS fixture at first gradelevel. This can be achieved by High playing at 1st or 2nd grade level against theschool that has the bye round when they would otherwise be scheduled to playHigh. The High v Grammar 1st grade match will take place as usual in the lastround of the competition.

All other sports, including Association Football will be unaffected by this temporaryarrangement. The details of the agreement were approved at a meeting of theAAGPS in August. The GPS Headmasters will be having further discussionsabout the future structure of the GPS Rugby Competition.

Members of the 2008 1st XV after the last match of the season, against the Sydney

Grammar School 1st XV. Many Old Boys attended to show their support.

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This arrangement does not impact upon High's status as a GPS school. MarkGainford, the current Honorary Secretary of the AAGPS, has stated:

“I wish to assure all interested parties that current arrangements for HighRugby, and those set down for next year, are strictly temporary. The reasonsfor next year's arrangements include concerns of duty of care in poorlymatched encounters, but are also related to the difficulty of arrangingmatches for the boys at larger schools when they are matched against Highand Grammar.

“The key point is that the other member schools of the AAGPS are totallysupportive of High's plans to rejoin the competitions in first and secondgrade Rugby as soon as possible, and are doing everything within theirpower to bring it about.”

President of the OBU, Joseph Waugh (1987) has also moved to reassure OldBoys that High's GPS status is not under threat:

“My time as President of the School Council and, now, as President of theOBU has brought me into contact, on numerous occasions, with the GPSHeadmasters, Chairs of the GPS School Councils, and presidents anddelegates of the GPS OBUs. There is no question of their strong commitmentto a GPS that includes Sydney High School. This position comes not justfrom a respect for tradition, but also from a genuine fellowship and respectfor us as the representative of the State system of education.”

Old Boys have been quick to identify several causes of the “crisis” in High rugby,including the Department of Education's academic selection policy and the inabilityof the School to make Saturday sport compulsory. The future, however, is by nomeans bleak and some changes are already taking place.

The problems have been addressed to an extent by allowing 20 additional boys toenrol in Year 9 on “extended” selection criteria that consider, amongst other things,family connections and the contribution each boy can make to the School’s sportingand extra curricular programs. The extended enrolment policy has been in placefor a number of years. However, before last year, it applied principally to Year 11entrants. Entry in Year 9 will allow new enrolments to build their involvement inschool activities over two more years.

A rugby crisis? ...

5

The Headmaster reports thatparticipation in sport is already at a highlevel. In summer, 77.5% of the studentsengaged in a competitive team sport witha Saturday or weekend component. Inwinter 85% of those registered played awinter sport. In rugby, this year, therewere 156 players in ages 13-16 and 255players in Association Football (Soccer).In the open competitions, 32 boys playedrugby, 79 played football and 21 playedvolleyball.

There is evidence that the skills andresistance training regime that has beenrolled out at the School over the last fewyears is gradually paying off. The 16AXV have been extremely competitive intheir competition this year, defeatingNewington to record High's first win ina proper A vs A match for many years.

Mark Gainford has drawn attention to the apparent resurgence of rugby in thejunior years:

“The fact that we have four 13s teams for the first time in at least ten years,together with the success of the current 16As, and the ever-changingdemographic, bode well for the future.”

As the School prepares for the 2009 season, the Chairman of the School’s RugbyCommittee, Geoff Andr ews (1964) has undertaken to keep the OBU informed ofdevelopments. The OBU Executive Council stands ready to support the processof getting High rugby back on track.

In the meantime, Old Boys can provide financial support for the School’s rugbyprogram. Contributions to equipment and training programs can be made throughtax deductible donations to the Australian Sports Foundation which has beenestablished by the Australian Government to assist organisations to raise fundsthrough public and corporate donations for the development of sport. Details areavailable by clicking on “donations” on the left-hand menu on the School's website:http://www.sydneyboyshigh.com

Musketeers of the mud, 1939.

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Old Boy viewsA selection from the “comment” section of our website:

Arr on Mann (1991):

SHS has always been a showcase of all things educational, whether it be academic,sport, or the arts, but it appears the balance is now lost.

The NSW Education System has Selective High Schools, and it also has SportsHigh Schools, so why can’t SHS be both? The best of the best. As recently as the90s we had students representing Australian School Boys in rugby who were alsogaining Uni entry. Shouldn’t the aim of the School be to produce well-roundedyoung men who can excel in a range of things, instead of aiming to produce one-trick ponies ?

Personally, my career and personal life have seen more benefits from what I learntin sport at SHS, than I did in the class room.

Luke Mann (1994):

High has not always been the best at rugby but every time someone was selectedfor the 1st XV or 2nd XV they were filled with pride and played their hearts out.Natural talent is not the key dimension in schoolboy rugby though helpful. Beingwell-drilled, dedicated and having self belief are the fundamental drivers tocompetitiveness. These same skills can be applied in life, study, work etc - themost talented person does not always achieve the best results as those who havethings come easy to them do not always respect the rewards. I would hope, evenwith our current crop of pupils, we can build a desire for success in all avenues.Being a member of the GPS is a privilege that I hope SHS can maintain.

Simon McNamara (1990):

It was only a matter of time before this decision was made. Those of us who havespent the last few years looking in the cricket scores to see what has been rackedup against us on Saturdays will not be surprised. The question is what is theSchool going to do to fix this problem? We have such great facilities, new gyms,rowing sheds etc; surely we can put together programs to help our rugby playersobtain the required body types they need to play the positions they want? There issuch a great tradition in this School that many are proud of. We need to look atways to make sure the students coming into the School understand that the Schoolis a part of the GPS and provides an all-round education that includes competitiveSaturday sports, whatever they are.

A rugby crisis? ...

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While I understand that the School is competitive in other sports and that there isalways a down cycle in rugby ours seems to have been going on for approximately15 years and the time has come for some decisions to be made. Most Old Boyscan remember the times when we not only had Australian schoolboys but alsoBen Lexcen scholars and boys who were at the same time getting high 90s TER.

Let’s look at getting the programs in place to make sure we are providing theseguys with the best training and advice they can get so we can continue to becompetitive in every area of the School and develop these boys into well balancedyoung men who are proud of being Sydney High boys.

All of we Old Boys also need to make sure that we remain supportive of ourSchool and involve ourselves in whatever way we can, so the students can see thefamily they are a part of.

Peter Goldman (1948):

As an Old Boy myself, father of an Old Boy and now grandparent of a currentYear 10 student (and disappointed rugby player ) may I compliment Dr Jaggarand his co-planners on a very courageous and pragmatic solution to the currentrugby problem. I, like many of the current rugby community at the School, certainlyhope that it will only be a very short-lived one and that planning and increasedparticipation and effort will again allow us to compete fairly, safely and equitablywith other teams.

This day will certainly arrive quicker if other Old Boys and past members of theSchool community encourage their families and friends to push for entrance tothe School in subsequent years, even if not successful in Year 7. It is myunderstanding that the policy is now towards more balanced selection criteria inlater years subject, of course, to appropriate academic criteria.

Philip Gerber (1972):

Elitism in sport, academics and many other things is killing SHS at both ends.

Most of us are somewhere in the middle of the bell curve and all have somethingto offer.

Shame on the private GPS schools for obsessing about their sport.

Shame on SHS and other public selective schools for obsessing about theiracademics, arts or other specialisations.

What’s wrong with letting all participate in a range of activities for their childhoodand youth? Let the specialisation and elitism occur in adulthood where it belongs.

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Karl Murr (2000), who started learning the clarinet at the age of 12 when hestarted at Sydney High, graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Musicwith a Bachelor of Music majoring in performance in 2005. He is now clarinettistwith the Sutherland Shire Symphony Orchestra.

Simon Pyke (1979), who is an Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide,has been awarded one of the 2008 prizes from the Australian Learning and TeachingCouncil (formerly known as the Carrick Institute). The citation reads "For enablingsuccessful learning in the discipline of organic chemistry by providing a supportive,student-centred learning environment that fosters self-confidence and independentlearning".

Bruce Pyke (1947) has recently been appointed to the Wyong Shire Senior CitizensCouncil.

Gordon Tr eble (1952) reports that his recent visit to New York coincided with aNew York Old Boys dinner in late July. Gordon and his wife, Lynne, joined fiveOld Boys for a great night of fellowship and fun and naturally heaps of stories(some of them true) from their golden days at High. Christopher Fong (1997)organised the night at a top Japanese restaurant. Gordon reports that the only sadpart of the evening was the revelation that he was clearly the oldest present sinceJim Wolfensohn (1949) was an apology for the night. The others in attendancewere Richard Waddell (1966), visiting from Melbourne; Kyle Robertson (1999);Wayne Fu (1996); and David Harvey (1997) with his wife, Lara.

New York Old Boys gatherings occur once a quarter in Manhattan. If you wouldlike to be added to the New York gatherings list please email Christopher Fong(1997) - [email protected].

Jottings

Old Boys at the New York gathering on 29 July 2008.

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Edouard Cousins (2001) has been serving with the Australian Defence Forces inEast Timor. While there, he came into contact with a school in the town of Maliana.The students in this school were eager to receive an education but lacked basicresources such as pens, paper and pencils. Edouard recently approached the boysat School to help out with providing the necessary supplies. Donation boxes wereset up around the School and almost five boxes or 10kg of stationery has nowbeen sent to East Timor.

Nye Perram (1986) has become the youngest person to be appointed as a Justiceof the Federal Court of Australia. 122 judges have been appointed to the FederalCourt in the 30 years since its foundation in 1977. Seven percent of them attendedSydney High. The first Old Boy to be appointed was John Gallop (1947) whoserved 1978-2000. Peter Jacobson (1961) is currently the only other Old Boy onthe bench of the Federal Court.

Ben Golder (1997) has returned to Sydney to teach law at the University of NewSouth Wales. Ben graduated from UNSW with a BA (Hons), LLB and was theUniversity Medallist in Law. He is currently completing doctoral studies at theUniversity of London, where his research is in the fields of legal theory, continentalphilosophy and contemporary national security law. Ben is the author of severalarticles on law and legal theory and the author, with Peter Fitzpatrick, of aforthcoming book, Foucault`s Law.

The School is getting a new electronic noticeboard for the Cleveland Streetfrontage. The successful tender for the sign was put in by Simon Biton (1990)who works with Computronics.

Ian Coyle (1967), who now lives on the Gold Coast, is currently a VisitingProfessorial Fellow in the Centre for Forensic Excellence at Bond University. Heis also one of two medico-legal psychologists appointed to the InternationalCriminal Court as well as a psychopharmacologist and human factors engineer.

Having completed a BComm/BSc at UNSW, David Goodman (1998) moved toCanberra to work for the Treasury. He has now returned to Sydney and, as a CFA

ContributionsContributions to the Bulletin are welcome and may take any form. Items shouldbe submitted to: [email protected] or Editor, High Bulletin, SHS OBU,PO Box 1546, DARLINGHURST NSW 1300.

All contributions are submitted on the understanding that publication is at theeditor’s discretion and may be edited for any reasonable ground includingappropriateness, style and to meet space, layout and legal restrictions.

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charterholder, currently heads Westpac’s Asset Backed Research team. He ispleased to count several Old Boys amongst his closest friends.

Noted among the results of this year’s City to Surf were Hugo Cottier (1987)with a time of 66:58 minutes; Paul Almond (1981) with 70:27 and Joseph Waugh(1987) with a comparatively slow 77:40.

Mike Smith (1967) was recently appointed the inaugural Executive Director ofthe Asia Pacific Centre for Civil-Military Cooperation, having retired earlier thisyear as the CEO of AUSTCARE, a major Australian NGO service provider. Mikehas previously served as a Major General in the Australian Army, most recentlyas Deputy Force Commander in East Timor. The new Centre will adviseGovernment agencies on civil-military coordination and cooperation, includingadvice on integrating the civil and military components of operations, capturinglessons learned from past experience on operations overseas and feeding this intodoctrine and training. Mike has also taken up a position as a senior lecturer at theCentre for International Security Studies at the University of Sydney.

Aaron Govendir (1959) well-known as a raconteur, bon vivant and card-carryingpedant has been relocated under the Witless Protection Program to Melbourne.For details of phone and address contact the OBU.

Stewart Wood (1965) has recently moved to Noosa Heads in Queensland after16 years in Townsville. He is continuing his consultancy work in the environmentcombined with periods of extended travel.

Jottings ...

Thank you to those Old Boys who have continued to send in nominations for thehonour rolls for post 1945 conflicts. Three new names have been included sincethe last issue of the High Bulletin:

Vietnam War

Leslie Norman Francis (1955) Officer Commanding 25 Supply Platoon RAASC,1968-1969.

John Stuar t Frith (1962) HMAS Sydney, 1968.

Leslie Faulks Winton (1961) 4th Field Regiment, Royal Regiment of AustraliaArtillery, 1967.

Honour rolls for post-1945 conflicts

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Chuffed

Barry Jakeman (1969) writes:

I was very surprised and, of course,delighted to read the latest High Bulletinand read in “Jottings” about the honourbestowed on me - that the Headmasterwas framing my school blazer for displayin the main building, especially alongsideone of the greatest Rugby centres thatHigh and in fact Australia has everproduced in Phil Smith (1964). (Thedynamic John Brass (1963) and PhilSmith were amongst the very best centrecombinations both at High and then theworld.)

As I have lived in Queensland now forover 25 years, it has been difficult to keep connected with the OBU otherthan as a life member and now, only recently, as the inaugural QueenslandOBU chapter committee member.

When I finished at High in 1969, as School vice captain and as High's onlyGPS 1st XV representative that year, I went straight into a building cadetshipwith Hornibrooks and worked in each division of the Opera House (thenunder construction) while completing a part-time Building Diploma at theNSW Institute of Technology.

This is ironic as the school captain that year was Alex Tzannes (1969) whohas become a leading award-winning Australian Architect of renown. Whileclose at school, he and I have never designed and built a project together. (Itmay happen one day!)

Anyway, please thank the Headmaster and the School and Ian Toll (1959),who asked me for my blazer a very long time ago. (I think it was a 69ersreunion at the School some 25 or 30 years ago.)

I am chuffed.

Feedback

Barry Jakeman, in 1967, when his

blazer had fewer lines.

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7th IV, 1963: George Miller (coach); Alan Nicholas (stroke); Colin Allsop (3);

Ed Ackman (2); Ross Whittle (bow).

Recipe for success

Ed Ackman (1967) writes:

Thought maybe you'd like to put this pic up in the rowing archive on theSchool’s website.

It's my crew, the 7th IV from 1963 (unbelievably 45 years ago!).

The crew is: Alan Nicholas (stroke); Colin Allsop (3); Ed Ackman (2); RossWhittle (bow).

The guy in the blazer is our coach, George Miller (1963) who, encouragedby his success with our mighty crew, went on to create Mad Max with MelGibson, and last year won an Academy Award for his animated movie HappyFeet.

He's got a lot to thank us for.

GPS OBU TIEWoven exclusively for the GPS OBU Council of NSW, this tie featuresthe embroidered crests of all nine AAGPS schools, on a tastefulblue background.

Ideal for job interviews and formal dinners.

Only $40 (includes postage and handling within Australia).

ORDER FORM(tax invoice)

Sydney High School Old Boys’ Union Inc • ABN 22 652 291 509

Name: .............................................................................

Address: ..........................................................................

................................................................ postcode: ........

Please supply ....... ties at $40 each - total: $.............

Payment by

i. Cheque []

ii. Visa/Mastercard/Amex []

Complete if paying by credit card:

_ _ _ _ | _ _ _ _ | _ _ _ _ | _ _ _ _

Expiry Date: _ _ / _ _

Name on card: ................................................................

Signature: .......................................................................

Please return to:

SHSOBU

PO Box 1546

DARLINGHURST NSW 1300

.

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High achievers

David Grif fiths (1962) has responded to the “High Achievers” part of the OBUwebsite:

It has been drawn to my attention that the list of High Achievers on the webonly includes two University of Wollongong Professors. For the Record(pun on School magazine name intended) I was appointed FoundationProfessor of Statistics at Wollongong in 1987, and am currently the longest-serving Professor at Wollongong.

By the way, I note that the “High Achievers” list does not include theSchool’s Rhodes Scholars. (There is a Rhodes Scholars honour board at theSchool which lists our 10 Rhodes Scholars.) When introducing me as theSchool Speech night guest speaker in 1977, Headmaster Bob Outtersideintroduced me as the School's last (1968) Rhodes Scholar. Of course hemeant “most recent”. Nevertheless, it looked for a long while that hisstatement might be prophetic! Fortunately, Anthony Abrahams (1991) camealong and won an Australia-at-large Rhodes Scholarship in 1998. I do stillremain the most recent NSW Rhodes Scholar, but I hope that this will changesooner rather than later.

While tennis is my (only) current sport, at School and beyond my principalsporting skill and success was in rugby. So, I am disappointed at thecontinuing difficulty that High has in fielding GPS teams, especially a 1stXV. I would argue, however, that the world has changed, and the School haschanged with it. Even if today’s students can’t have a shot at winning theGPS Rugby premiership (which they did indeed win the year after I leftHigh - aided by presumably the best centre pairing the School ever had, JohnBrass (1963) and Phil Smith (1964)), there are many other opportunities inscholarship and extracurricular activities, including community service andwider sports offerings. So, I am not one of those who see this all as gloomand doom.

The School’s Rhodes Scholars are now listed on the OBU website:http://www.shsobu.org.au/rhodes.

Feedback ...

18

Sydney High’sRhodes ScholarsRhodes Scholarships were created underthe will of Cecil John Rhodes, the Britishcolonial pioneer and statesman, whodied in 1902.

Selection for a Rhodes Scholarship isbased on qualities of character as wellas on intellect. Rhodes hoped that theScholarships, for residence at OxfordUniversity, would educate future leadersof the English-speaking world.

In the more than 100 years since aRhodes Scholarship was first awardedin NSW in 1904, 10 recipients haveattended Sydney High.

Ethelbert Ambr ook Southee (SHS: left1907). Awarded in 1913.

Raymond Newton Kershaw (SHS: 1911-1914). Awarded in 1918.

Ar thur Wesley Wheen (SHS: 1911-1914). Awarded in 1919.

Alan Stewart Watt (SHS: 1914-1918). Awarded in 1921.

Ian Matheson Edwards (SHS: 1919). Awarded in 1929.

Alan David Ker Stout (SHS: 1946-1947). Awarded in 1955.

John Maxwell Bailey (SHS: 1947-1951). Awarded in 1957.

Ian William Dawes (SHS: 1957-1961). Awarded in 1966.

David Ather ton Grif fiths (SHS: 1958-1962). Awarded in 1968.

Anthony David Ross Abrahams (SHS: 1986-1991). Awarded in 1998.

E A Southee, the School’s first Rhodes

Scholar.

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Shades of brilliance

The June edition of The Australian’s Wish Magazine included an article aboutRodney Grunseit (1987) and his business Sunshades Eyewear which his mother,Betty, founded in a North Bondi pharmacy in 1969:

.... Grunseit, 38, joined the business 15 years ago, when mother and sonembarked on an ambitious plan to transform Sunshades Eyewear into amanufacturer and distributor of high-fashion eyewear. Now it’s the largestprivately owned Australian eyewear company in the country, with 106 staffselling 1.5 million sunglasses and optical frames each year and generatingmore than $25 million. ...

Grunseit, who is also president of the Sunglass Association of Australia, sayshis biggest challenge for the next few years is managing that growth. “We’vegrown fivefold in seven years and managing that requires a certaindiscipline,” he says. “It’s an ongoing cycle and changing so quickly that youalways have to be on your toes.”

When asked if he’s ever considered selling out, his answer is considered: “Ican’t say that if an obscene offer came my way it would not pique myinterest. However, under normal circumstances I wouldn’t consider sellingbecause I’m having too much fun. I’ve inherited Mum’s passion for thebusiness.”

Crossing over

In the Sydney Morning Herald of 28 August 2008, playwright Louis Nowracontributed a piece on the changing nature of Kings Cross with a growing numberof professionals having moved into the area. One interview was with Keith Best(1961), better known as entertainer Ayesha Kazan:

Original Les Girl Ayesha Kazan fell in love with Kings Cross as a teenageboy walking to piano classes at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in the‘50s. “I took a detour and caught the tram to Taylor Square,” says Kazan, 64.

“I walked down and all of a sudden there was the Cross. I thought, ‘this isfascinating. I like this’. It was bohemian and there weren't junkies lurkingabout.”

Kazan, then Keith Best, kept this bohemia in mind through the years at

Media mentions

Sydney Boys High School and teacher's college in Newcastle. “Monique StJohn and I would come down to Sydney on weekends when we were inNewcastle and do the rounds...”...

She and fellow Les Girl St John moved to the Cross in 1966 when Kazanscored a gig in a new all-male revue called Les Girls, now the nation's mostwell-known drag show. Times were heady. “We would finish work about11.30pm and go to a coffee shop like Sweethearts - if it was open late, we'dbe there. We’d go to a nightclub and be out all night, staggering home in thedaylight as the young ones still do, apparently.”

Although Kazan has watched the area transform with influxes of drugs andoutflows of artists, shops and older characters - “time is the enemy, ofcourse” - she has no issue with the latest changes. ...

Still, Kazan laments some losses. “It’s a shame there's not the glamour,” shesays. “In the 1960s, the Cross was glamorous - everybody used to dress up.Even if we were going to visit another club we’d throw on an evening gownto walk across the road. I don't believe what some of these girls wear thesedays.”

The man to know in the good times

The Sydney Morning Herald of 23 August 2008 included a piece on Phil Green(1972), the former Chief Executive of the investment house, Babcock and Brown:

Phil Green has never enjoyed the limelight attached to running what was,until this year at least, a wildly successful investment house.

But now that Babcock & Brown is fighting for its life and Green is no longerchief executive, whatever relief he might have felt about escaping publicglare will be tempered by a permanent association with the worst excesses ofthe bull market.

Green, who is said to be devastated by what has happened, will beremembered as one of the main beneficiaries of the good times. He made alot of money, for himself and for investors, but he did so when there wasplenty around. When the winds changed, he barely lasted one year of thecredit crisis.

Media mentions ...

20

Green grew up in Maroubra, but now lives in the executive enclave of PointPiper. He went to Sydney Boys High before making the well-wornprogression up Anzac Parade to the University of NSW, where he studiedcommerce and law.

His first break came when he got a job at Arthur Andersen, then a breedingground for some of the creative giants of the accountancy trade.

In the 1980s the young tax lawyer turned his hand to leveraged leasing - ahighly profitable business that, in essence, involves sitting in the middlewhen companies want to hire large pieces of equipment - such as airlinesleasing aeroplanes.

A sharp-witted knockabout, Green enjoys links to some of the country'srichest families. The Packers, Lowys, Libermans and Pratts all bought intoBabcock's $5-a-share float in 2004. ...

As for Green, whose open-necked shirts typefied the informal ways ofBabcock & Brown's headquarters in Sydney's Chifley Tower, he has alreadyvacated the chief executive's office and will take a holiday before he worksout what to do next.

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22

Rifle Club

The Rifle Club will be holding a 125th Anniversary dinner on 13 December 2008.Details: Sam Kremer (1992) [email protected]

Calling Gold Coast Old Boys

Philip Morris (1967) is interested in arranging a meal (lunch or dinner) for OldBoys living in and around the Gold Coast as a first step to getting people living inthat region together. Old Boys interested in attending a get-together in the GoldCoast should register their interest with Philip: [email protected]

Adelaide Get-Together

Old Boys interested in attending a get-together in Adelaide should register theirinterest with John Thornton (1961): [email protected]

Brisbane lunch

The annual Brisbane lunch has been booked for Saturday 1 November 2008 at 12noon at The Vietnamese Restaurant, Fortitude Valley (same venue as last year).BYO and around $28 per head for a full banquet.

Please confirm your attendance and bring other Old Boys for this, our second,annual lunch in Brisbane.

Contact: Barry Jakeman (1969) on [email protected],07 3236 9000 (w) , 0411 753 697 (mob), 07 3374 2404 (h) .

Class of 1968

Reunion dinner, Friday, 21 November 2008 at 7:00pm at the Tattersalls Club, 181Elizabeth Street, Sydney. For further details and bookings, contact Geoff Glover(1968): [email protected], (02) 9299 5250

Reunions and other notices

23

SHS Sailing Association

Old Boys are invited to join the Sydney High School Sailing Association and toaccess High's fleet of Pacers, Lasers and Opties, located at Woollahra SailingClub in Rose Bay. Membership of SHSSA Inc entitles sailors to apply for YAmembership. For racers, social sailors or beginners wanting to have a go, SHSSAis a convenient entry point into the sport. For just $20 membership fee and $20per annum in dues, SHSSA is great value.

Contact President Adam South for details: Office Phone: (02) 9371 9805; Mobile:0402 886 836; [email protected]

London group - expressions of interest

We are looking for any Old Boys interested in establishing or being part of aLondon group. Please contact [email protected]

Cadet history

The Cadet Unit is planning to publish a pictorial commemorative booklet tocelebrate 125 years since the formation of a corps at Sydney High in 1883. AnyOld BVoys with images to contribute can send them direct to Will Clegg (2005):[email protected], 0404 312 290. Arrangements can also be made for copyingfor those without access to scanners.

Advertise in the High BulletinWant to expose your business to 3000 Old Boys and the current

parents of Sydney High?

Then advertise in the next High Bulletin.

Contact: [email protected]

Various sizes of advertisement are available and all revenue helpssupport the Union’s continued operations.

Even if you only gained one new client from the ad,it would be worth it!

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Alexander Dandie (1929) died on 9 January 2008. Alexander was a member ofthe 2/30th Battalion which served in Malaya and Singapore during World War II.Jim was among the first Australian troops to face the Japanese advance into northMalaya in January 1942 at Gemencheh Bridge. After the fall of Singapore, Jimwas sent with 50 other Prisoners of War as "J" Force to work on Japanese wharvesand in mines. "J" Force departed Singapore in May 1943 on board the "WalesMaru". The boat took 23 days to reach Japan and during the trip the convoy wasattacked by Allied forces.

Alexander related the story of “J” Force in his book, The Story of "J" Force whichhe published in 1985.

James Prior ("Jim") Walshe (1936) died on 12 June 2008. While at High, Jimhad to help with his father's milk run, his father, Danny, having been injured inWorld War I. He would rise at 3am, eat a rushed breakfast, walk a couple ofkilometres to the depot at Bondi Junction, saddle the horse, load the milk and trotto North Bondi. At 8am, he would catch a tram home, grab a snack and head toschool. He was sometimes reprimanded for falling asleep in class. Jim left Highafter taking the Intermediate Certificate.

In World War II, Jim was also a member of the 2/30th Battalion and attached to“J” Force. He related his experiences as a soldier and prisoner-of-war in his book,Splinter's Story.

Back in civilian life, he worked in civil engineering, retiring as superintendent ofair transport (policy and licensing, NSW region).

Barry Rosenberg (1951) died on 4 July 2008. Barry's obituary in the SydneyMorning Herald says that after leaving School he "never took a university degree,but he sat with professors on faculty boards and made an innovative and productivecareer at universities in Australia and the United States".

He was responsible for the commercialisation of intellectual property first at theUniversity of NSW where he led Unisearch Ltd from 1977 until 1990 and then atthe Georgia Institute of Technology as director of technology licensing until hisretirement in 2001.

The Herald says that “Unisearch became a model for universities around the worldand Rosenberg helped most of Australia's big universities and many Asianuniversities to establish similar operations”.

Obituaries

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Barry also pursued a career in the Army Reserve, retiring as a lieutenant colonelin 1982.

Stephen Halliday (1971) died 21 July 2008. Steve was ViceCaptain in 1971, Captain of the 1st XI, a member of the 1stXV and the Athletics team and was also the Secretary of theInteract Club and editor of the Rugby Magazine. Members ofthe Class of 1971 and friends and family have established amemorial prize in Steve's honour in recognition of his role asa great sportsman and a leader within the community. Thecitation is: “For spirit of Sydney High; leadership andcommitment to sport throughout Years 7 to 9; contribution tocommunity and academic proficiency.”

Clif f Goodchild OAM died peacefully at home on 21 July 2008. While not anOld Boy, many Old Boy musicians will remember this larger-than-life characterfrom their time at High. Cliff was central to the School Band Festival for each ofits 47 years. Formerly known as the School Band Championships, it was held fora few year at High. The High band won it in 1971 when it was a national event.

Clif f was very active right to the end. He was present, in May this year, at a CDlaunch for the 50th anniversary of Sydney Brass - originally a group of five elitemusicians from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra of whom Cliff was one of thesurviving members.

Clif f’ s family and the Festival will be setting up a trust fund for the continuationof Cliff's life work.

E-BulletinThe OBU now issuesa regular e-Bulletin,

at least once a month.

If you have not been receivingour e-Bulletin, please send youre-mail address, with name andleaving year to:

[email protected]

OBU contactPO BOX 1546

DARLINGHURST NSW 1300AUSTRALIA

[email protected]

(02) 9907 2856

+612 9907 2856

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Football (Soccer)

St Joseph's College L 2-3St Ignatius' College L 5-0The King's School D 1-1Shore School W 1-0Newington L 0-2Scots College D 2-2Sydney Grammar L 0-1

Points table: SIC 19; NC 16; SGS 13; SJC 11; TSC 9; SHS 5; SHORE 3; TKS 2

GPS Reps - 1st XI: Lachlan Street and Daniel Campion; 3rd XI: Jeremy Irelandand George Lo.

Athletics

Results of the 113th Annual Combined GPS Athletics Championships,10 May 2008:

Senior Junior

The King's School 430 St Ignatius' College 771St Ignatius' College 410 The King's School 662The Scots College 328 Newington College 622St Joseph's College 275.5 St Joseph's College 500Shore School 251 Shore School 490Sydney Grammar 240.5 Sydney High School 464Newington College 209.5 Sydney Grammar 450Sydney High School 179.5 The Scots College 409The Armidale School 159 The Armidale School 238

Winter sportsresults

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125th Anniversary CabaretHosted by the Sydney Boys’ High School and Sydney Girls’ High School

to celebrate 125 years of education for both Schools.

Friday 21 November 2008, 7:00pm - 12:00amThe Shannon Room, AJC Function Centre at Randwick Racecourse

MCs Jessica Rowe and Jack Singleton.Dance to the Shy Guys band.

Featuring Little Pattie and other performers.

Tickets: $150 per person.Includes dinner, pre-dinner drinks in the Panorama Room, parking and entertainment.

Dress: cocktail/lounge suit RSVP and pay by 17 October 2008

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Please return toSydney Boys’ High School, Moore Park, SURRY HILLS NSW 2010