KCCAddress at Opening ofKearsney College Design & Technology Centre BY KEITH COMINS,JUNE 10,1993 People refer to a person's generosity and his donations etc. but one must realize that he in turn has first received. We come into the world with nothing and go out with nothing and any wealth that has been accumulated in the interval is by the Lord's grace.The recipient is in effect the trustee. There is nothing wrong with the accumulation of assets but it is what we do with them that counts. Forsome years I felt that Kearsney College with its strong Christian ethos should be supported. A little while ago I spoke to Graeme Shuker and Colin Silcock but recently Owen Roberts came up with the idea of the Design and Technology Centre which seemed eminently suitable.Iam grateful to Owen,the Chairman and the Board for approv ing the project. This new department will encourage out students to think something through which is so importantin later life. This enterprise may also he the spark to realize their latent apti tude for Technical or Engineering vocations which are based on a way ofthinking-i.e. by deduction. I mention Engineering because there is a great dearth in our country ofthese skills. Nofewer than 17 years ago,in my addresson Treverton CollegesEounders'Day,the point was stressed that the products of schools in general were not meeting our industries' needs. Then 12 years ago the DeLange Report highlighted the shortcomingsofouredu cational system.Iunderstand nothing much was done about it.Then3years ago Mike RosholtofBarlows gave a won derful address entitled the "Mismatch between education and employability" with emphasis on the technical side. Last year Bob Charlton ofWits madereference to the skills needed to change SA from a third world exporter of raw materials to a first world exporter of manufactured goods. Compared to other countries we are a long way behind.In Japan per 100000 of population there are 580 taking En gineering in their universities.In the USA 310and in SA4.1 am confident that there must he many of our people, with the basic talents, who only lack stimulation and op portunity. I feel this venture,small as it is, rnay be a catalyst to help SA,but more especially for the benefit of Kearsney Col lege students and our great school. Music Department As I write this report ofthe 1993 academic year,the time is fast approaching the end of my time here at Kearsney College as Director ofthe Music Department. I should he taking up my new appointment as Director of Music at the International School of Bophuthatswana in Mmbatho after the Easter break. I have thoroughly enjoyed my four years and a bit at Kearsney. The time has been most rewarding, extremely busy and very productive. The music department has grown from being a one-man operation to as it is now with myselfand eleven part-time teachers and 85 boys receiving instrument tuition. We are now offering lessons in classical and contempo rary piano, keyboards and organ, percussion, guitar, vio lin,flute,clarinet and saxophone,trumpet,tuba and trom bone. During the year the College concert band played at a number of school concerts, at Wykeham Collegiate band festival,in the Pietermaritzburg City Hall as guests of the Philharmonic Society and at our annual Primary Schools choirfestival,where the hand accompanied a massed choir of over 200 voices. This year saw a number of boys selected to play in the NatalYouth Concertband.Membersofthe Kearsney band also gained medals and certificates at Natal Eisteddfod. The Saxophone quartetgained a gold medaland was placed first in the wood wind ensemble section. Our Chapel choir was once again very busy during 1993. Two members of the choir were selected to sing with the Natal Youth Choir. Our annual broadcast service for the SABC wasagreatsuccess with musicians and singers play ing a prominent part. The choir performed with great distinction at our advent carol service, which this year was held outdoors on a slightly misty and damp evening, typical of Botha's Hill weather,but which seemed to lend a wonderful atmosphere to the whole occasion. In closing I would like to take this opportunity to impress upon those of you who have sons at Kearsney,either now or in the future, to take advantage of the musical, artistic and dramatic opportunities available here at the College. The creative arts build bridges across racial and cultural differences.In a civilised society the arts are not a luxury, they should be an integral partofour lives.For children to be tuaght to sing,dance,make music and to act is to teach them to extend themselves and to share their skills. It is a lesson to learn for life. JEFFJUDGE (<Grease A definite highlight of Kearsney's cultural calendar for 1993 was our musical production,"Grease", directed by Jason Bantjes. Auditions at Kearsney were held during the second halfof the 2nd term,and a cast of 17 boys was chosen(a smaller cast than in previous years). Female roles this year were played by girlsfrom KloofHigh School,and thanks to our Director and Co-Director, Mr Bantjes and Mrs Wallace, together with MrJudge,our Music Director,15 very pleas ant and talented girls were chosen to fill the female roles. They were great fun to be with at rehearsals. "Grease"proved to be a very special challenge to the cast. Firstly because it is a play set in the 60's and we had to drag it out and reset it in the 90's; secondly because the 31
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