m ( Kearsney College RONICLE 'V# ^MUi^^WMlig fl •• saa aaa aa a a a aa a aa a a a aa aaa .-aaa-.a a a aa ^ aa a a aaa a a a a a a a. . a a a a a a a a a a a a £^rt'e Founded m 192F H ifes :^.' ?v. H-/* • M Sf'
- ' ft ' : V it- < % VISION Kearsney College seizes every opportunity to be at theforefront ofeducation by: • Leading with integrity • Serving with empathy • Inspiring with passion for excellence.
■ m msmm ^mm m * IVai kv'Uflc■ ■ The birth ofithe Kdlrshhy Chronicle 2000 has been a long and painful one. It experienced its first problems early this year when the company which was designing its pages went bankrupt and it took some time to re-acquire the articles and photographs. Work to re-design the magazine began afresh in the third term and was finally completed in the fourth. In this regard it is important that I thank all those who were instrumental in helping me through this difficult task : Midlands Advertising who conceived the cover and designed the greyhound ; Sprint Print who bravely took over the task of re-compiling and printing it ; Desny Littlejohn :•who typed with uncanny accuracy ; Mrs Penny Waymark and Mark Charlesworth who Clssistpdw organization. And hnally Mike Griffiths and the English Department who offered their editing skills and encouragement and soothed my fevered brow'' ghout the magazine's long gestation period. it ha.s been wortli the effort. rou titi .jfrtiSaCsUtislotti ■ ■% ^ IS t ■
BOARD OF GOVERNORS Ex Offico Members The Presiding Bishop Rev M Dandala Lay President of the Methodist church Mr C Woolacott Bishop Natal Coastal District Bishop Purity Malinga Nominated Members Mr L F Buys - Chairman Mr R R Becker Mr R Benney MrJ Bester Mrs H Gammie Mr K Johnson Ms G Mji Mr P D Morgan Mr T Rosenberg Mr J F Sabine Mrs K Tocknell Mr A W H York Mr J Wallace Kearsney Old Boys'Club Mr G Bester Parents'Society Representative KEARSNEY COLLEGE TRUSTEES MrJ Sessions Kearsney College Headmaster Mr O J Roberts Kearsney College Bursar Mrs B Croudace Honorary Life Governor Prof V J Bredenkamp Nominated Members Mr E S C Garner Mr D W Barker Lay President of the Methodist Church Mr C Woolacott Mr J W Gafney Mr B Hagemann Mr N Gerber Mr A W H York Ex Officio Members The Presiding Bishop Rev M Dandala Honorary Life Trustees Mr A B Theunissen Rev C Wilkins Dr G W Shuker Mr T A Polkinghorne Mr K Comins O N01
i If* Ashistory is after all my trade, I propose to analyse Owen's headmastership in historical perspective. This is only the fifth farewell to a Kearsney headmaster in the eighty years of the existence of the school, (the first head, Pyne Mercier was unceremoniously shoved out after a year without any blowing of trum pets). 1 reveal myself as an historic relic in that I have attended four of these farewells. In doing research for the Kearsney of Kearsney Stanley Osier had to overcome much opposition from traditionalists. Jimmy Hopkins was very much a Kearsney man, first as a pupil, then as teacher. He is often referred to as the 'consolidator', in that Kearsney grew only slightly bigger in his 10 year headmastership. Perhaps his greatest contribution was his concern for staff welfare. Before 1965 the school owned very few houses. At his initia tive many staff houses were built or He set very high personal standards, and demanded the same from staffand boys bought, which attracted many highly competent teachers to Kearsney. history, and from my own analysis, each headmaster has made a unique and ineradicable contribution to Kearsney's progress. For each of them I will give you an idea of the school which they took over, and its status as the time of their retirement. Stanley Osier took over a small and little known country school of 160 boys in 1946. When he retired in 1964 there were over 450 boys. Kearsney had become an important educational factor in Natal, but perhaps not in the country as a whole. He was thus the great builder, giving Kearsney much of its present shape. During his tenureship the Chapel, the hall, Pembroke House, the oval, the administration block, two dining halls, and much of the classroom block were added. In achieving this expansion Colin Silcock took over in 1975. He soon revealed himself to be a thorough professional and a perfect gentleman. He set very high personal standards, and demanded the same from staff and boys. During his time Kearsney's reputation for efficiency and physical perfection developed. In addition, Kearsney began to assert itself strongly on the sportsfield and else where. By the time of his retirement Kearsney had begun to achieve some recognition nationally and as an institution confident in its own worth. When Owen Roberts became Headmaster in 1991 neither he nor 02
anyone else could have foreseen the dramatic political, social, and educational changes and challenges which lay ahead. In coping with these dramatic times, Owen had two important assets: • the first, and far away the most important of these assets has been his wife Anne. The demands placed on the Headmaster of Kearsney are very great, and his position has often been a very lonely one. Without Anne, Owen will be the first to acknowledge that he could not have survived for ten years. Her constant support and encourage ment has made her a tower of strength to him. Consider the following: • for the last three years Kearsney has been the top achiever in the I.E.B. Examinations in KwaZulu-Natal, and in the top three nationally; • Kearsney has become among the best in inter-school sporting competition - and at times the best; • Kearsney has become a more tolerant society, a place where compassion and empathy are more evident; • the curriculum has been broadened to prepare boys more effectively for the outside world; • the second asset has been his ability to see beyond the cloistered mists of Botha's Hill. This has enabled him, and therefore Kearsney, not only to ride the dramatic changes which I mentioned earlier, but also to take advantage of them. He saw the need to change in order to keep pace with events. Owen has not been happy with the second place when Kearsney could strive to be the best, not just in KwaZulu-Natal, but in South Africa as a whole. To achieve this he has looked beyond the confines of South Africa, and has introduced valuable initiatives from abroad, especially from the U.S.A. and Australia. A particular baby of his been IT, and he has encouraged the spread of its enveloping web over Kearsney! My basic theme has been that each Headmaster has been the right man for his times. To evaluate the Roberts year, I wish to examine the Kearsney which he has left behind. As with his predecessors, has he left it a notch higher than he found it? • Kearsney has been exposed to the ideas of the wider world and has become an active participant in managing change in schools. Owen, you can leave Kearsney in the knowledge that you have fulfilled most of your very ambitious aims of ten years ago. We wish both you and Anne a long and active retirement. J HALL 03
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'<.?C New Staff Members We warmly welcome on to the teaching staff the following new members: Gary Collins in place of Tony Richter as Head of the Biology Department. Gary, with wife Sandy and sons Nicholas and Christopher, comes to us from Pretoria Boys' High where he taught Biology for the last thirteen years. Wayne Marsden is the extra teacher appointed to the Account ing Department. He is also acting Head of Pembroke while David Knowles ful fills his executive duties. Wayne, with wife Samantha, sons Ryan and Daniel, comes to us from Grey High School in Port Elizabeth where he taught Accounting for four years. We also welcome the following new support staff: David Baker as ^ Computer Technician in place of Niven Perumal. Bev Koekemoer as IT Co-ordinator (Laptops) and staff computer support in place of Andrew Moore who relocated to Johannesburg at the end of 1999. Bev comes to us from Kingswood College in Grahamstown where she carried out the duties of IT Co-ordinator, Computer Teacher and Librarian. (k Janet Lee as Sanatorium Sister replaces Mona Morgan who married earlier this year. Janet left the rooms of Dr Bohmer and partners to join the College. Julie Walker has been filling in temporarily while a replacement is found for Sallyann Gelder as Secretary to Colleen Ross in the Marketing Department. We wish all newcomers a happy and fruitful stay at Kearsney. Staff on Leave There were a number of staff on long leave this year: Dave Cato was replaced in jhe Maths Department by Di Hedley and in Haley House by Andre van Zyl. Sue Cartwright took over Andre van Zyl's Head of Grade 9 post for the term. Fred Cocks was replaced byJenny Cawood in the Maths Department and his head of Grade 9 post has been filled by Athol Henderson. Justin Hall whose History classes have been handed over to Sue O'Neil and whose execu tive responsibilities have been shared amongst Messrs Bissell, Decker and Knowles. Sue O'Neil has also taken over a number of classes belonging to Messrs Bissell and Knowles. Paula Isaac was replaced for a term in the Resource Centre by Lynn Bregman. Lynn was Librarian at Northlands until 1997 and since then has done a number of locums. Peter King was replaced by Helen Moffat in the Geography Department, with Wayne Amos acting as Head of Department for the term. We take this opportunity to thank all locums for their time and expertise and their willing ness to take over classes. 05
New Arrivals The Kearsney family welcomes two brand new additions to its bosom: Alvy Murray has recovered from a major back operation and we welcome once again Renee van der Hoven was his replacement while he was on sick leave. Kinta Ramsay born on 17 April to Mara and Rodney. Hannah Beth Willows born on 21 April to Belinda and Anthony. Dean Lloyd Oosthuizen born on 5 June to Estie and Jorrie. Condolences to Alison Ashhurner whose mother died recently in Zimbabwe. Congratulations to Fred Cocks upon com pleting 25 years of service at Kearsney. SPECIAL AWARD Congratulations to Marie Alhorough who has completed 25 years of service at the College. NEW APPOINTMENTS Rod de Villiers was appointed to the newly created post of Head of Middle School. Jenny du Casse has taken on the running of the new Kearsney shop - 'Kit and Clothing'. Her post in the Finance department was filled by Rose Armstrong. David Graves became the new Head Grade 10 in place of Mike Griffiths. of Lorna Penfold became the permanent replacement for Sallyann Gelder in the Marketing department. ON LEAVE Keith Decker was on leave for a term. His Maths post was filled by Jenny Cawood, no stranger to Kearsney, and latterly by Tony Hall from Australia, and his duties as Deputy were handled by Dave Goldhawk. Gillingham House was being run by Athol Henderson for the duration of the term. John Drew was also on leave for a term and his Geography post was filled by Eran Garside. We sincerely thank all our locums for their willingness to act as replacements. CHANGE OE STATUS Mr Owen Roberts is taking early retirement at the end of the year. His replacement will be Mr Elwyn van den Aardweg presently Deputy Headmaster of Pretoria Boys' High School. Graham Borresen went on leave on November 17 pending early retirement at the end of the year. He will be taking up the post of Bursar at Waterfall College in 2001. Sheila Griffiths is taking early retirement in December but will return as a part-time member of staff next year. David Knowies is to be congratulated on his appoint ment as Deputy Headmaster at St Stithians College in Johannesburg. David takes up his new appointment in January 2001. Bev Koekemoer is to return to Grahamstown at the end of the year. Adri Malherbe will relinquish her post as part-time mem ber of the Afrikaans department at the There are no plans to end of this year, replace her. INTERN Memory Ngcobo is the Michaelhouse spon sored intern hosted by Kearsney this year. He is studying for a Bachelor of Secondary Education. □ 06
\Cc^<A44r^ 4 ACADEMIC STAFF First Row:R DeVliilers,D Goldhawk,K Garrett, M BIssel, K Decker,O Roberts,] Hall, R Ramsay,D Knowels,A Willows,D Cato Second Row:J Ratcliffe,J Broadbent,ZZukulu,S Cartwright,F Cocks,B Koekemoer,P Isaac,A Fripp.A Stevens,] Ndaba, CTullidge.V Wallace Third Row:W Amos,K Smith,] Drew,P Ratcliffe,P King,A Van Zyi,A Henderson,W Marsen,R Lampiough,]-McMichael,S Griffiths Fourth Row:] Oosthuizen,B Riley, R Candotti,G Shone,M Werth,S Van Wyk,O Phipps, M Griffiths,G Collins,A Murray, R Randall-Taylor Mr O J Roberts Headmaster BA HonsITS FDF Management MrJL Hall Headmaster/History MABEd Senior Deputy Mr K M Decker Headmaster/Maths BEd T Cert Senior Deputy Mr M J Bissell Headmaster/History/English BA BEd Deputy Mr W Amos BA(Hons)HDE Geography MrsJ R Broadbent MSc HED i/c Science Mr R Candotti BA(Hons)HED English Ms S A Cartwright BSc(Hons) Science Mr D Cato Maths BSc HDE Housemaster Haley Mr F P D Cocks BABEd Director Post Matric/ Maths Mr G Collins BSc(Agrl.) HDE i/c Biology Mr R de Villiers Biology BSc(Hons)HDE Head of Lower School/ Mr J A Drew BAHDE Geography Mrs A Fripp BCom HDE EDE Accounting ^ 07
Mr K J Garrett Science Mr D Goldhawk English Mr D Graves Mr M Griffiths Mrs S Griffiths Mr A A D Henderson Mrs P M Isaac Mr P G King Mrs B Koekemoer Mr D L Knowles History Mr R W Latnplough Mrs C L MarE (part-time) Mr W Marsden Mr J B McMichael Mrs K L Mollentze Mrs A Malherbe Mr A J Murray Mr B Ndaba Mr J A Oosthuizen Mrs L C Payne Mr O D Phipps Rev R Ramsay Mrs RJ Randall-Taylor MrsJ L Ratcliffe Mr P A T Ratcliffe Mr B Riley (part-time) Mr G E M Shone Mr K M Smith Mrs A M Stevens Mr B S Steyn Matric/Accounting/Bus Economics HDE FDE BA Sp(Hons)Grad CE BABEd BSc UED BA(Hons)PCE BA(Hons)HDE BSoc SC BEd BAUED HDE(Commerce) BA(Hons)HDE FDE BA(Hons)UED BA HDE(Commerce) MAHED BAFAHDE y'C: B Prim Ed BAHED PPaed (Arts) BAHDE BAHDE BSc STD EDE MEd B.TH(Unisa) BABEd BA TC BEd T Dip Nat Dip - Ind. Teach BAUED BAHDE LTCL BCom HDE 08 Housemaster Sheffield / Housemaster Gillingham / Afrikaans Biology i/c French i/c Drama i/c Resource Centre i/c Geography Computers Housemaster Pembroke/ i/c History Resource Centre Assistant Accounting English Art (part-time) Afrikaans(part-time) Afrikaans i/c Zulu Afrikaans Zulu (part-time) i/c Computer Studies Chaplain i/c Afrikaans i/c Leadership / Maths i/c Maths Design&Technology English i/c Phys Ed i/c Music Dir Post
a.- . ■#. In f-- KEARSNEY COLIEGE ADMIN STAFF ADMIN STAFF Seated: T Kirstendamy, H DIamIni, M Alborough, B Croudace, P Needham.T Moonsamy, C Ross 2nd Row: J Myandu, S Geider.A Fuller, J Cele,J Lee, D Littlejohn 3rd Row: J Smith, N Perumal, G Borresen Mrs C V Tullidge NTDA NHD i/c Art Mr S L van Wyk HDE SEC ED Science Mr A F van Zyl BAHDE Afrikaans Mrs V A Wallace BAHDE i/c English Mr M A Werth BSc BEd Maths Mr A HWillows Maths BSc HDE Housemaster Finningley / Mrs D S Woodroffe Economics BCom HDE i/c Accounting / Business Mr R S Zukulu BABEd Geography Mrs MW Alborough Receptionist Mr G S Borresen Dip M (CSM) Resource Manager Mrs L M Croudace BCom Bursar Mrs J du Casse Financial Secretary Mrs L Penfold Marketing Secretary 09
Mrs P Needham Mrs B Kassier Mrs D Littlejohn MrsJ McKernan Mrs C Ross Mrs R Waldburger (part-time) Sister A Ashburner Sister J Lee Ms A M Fuller Mr RJ Smith MrJ Govender Mr R Pillay Dipl Basic Bookkeeping Cert/ Dip Journalism Reg Nurse/Midwifery/Com Health Reg Nurse / Midwifery Headmasters Secretary Stud Shop (part-time) School Secretary Accounting Bookkeeper Director of Marketing Music Department Secretary Registered Nurse Sanatorium Registered Nurse Sanatorium Matron /Housekeeper Estate Manager Sportsfield Supervisor Maintenance Supervisor m % t r =^1 1 W a p I n MAINTENANCE STAFF Back Row: Corrence Nqondo,Farro DIadIa 2nd Row: Zitha Ngubane,Zephena Mthiyane,Robert DIadIa,Joseph Madondo,Simon Madondo,Albert Siblsl,Steven Majola Seated: Nicholas Cele,Chin Reddy.John Smith,Joseph Mnyandu,Moses Zama □ 10
Pn^e.ct4PREFECTS Seated: D Barker, L Becker,] Christie, M Roussot, Mr J Hall,C Khaled,M Rowles,R Hall Second Row: M Brooks,W Rice,R Moran,B Grobler,B Gibbs,R Hart,W Otto,D Croudace,B Graves Third Row: B Botha,A Harding,T Rock,M Tyali,D York,M Rosenberg,S Dunbar,R Dow Fourth Row: D Hewan,C Corbishley,C Jollands, M Miller,G Bullard,J Davies,R Winter Head of School Deputy Head of School Head of Chapel and Head of Finningley Deputy Head of Finningley Head of Gillingham Deputy Head of Gillingham School Prefect Head of Haley Deputy Head of Haley Head of Pembroke Deputy Head of Pembroke Head of Sheffield Deputy Head of Sheffield Cablan Khaled Mark Roussot Mark Rowles David York James Christie Richard Hart Marc Rosenberg Dax Barker Wayne Rice Richard Hall Jonathan Davies Lloyd Becker Michael Miller 11
Seated: D Barker, L Becker,J Christie, M Roussot, Mr J L Hall, C Khaled, M Rowles, R Hall 2nd Row: M Brooks,W Rice, R Moran, B Grobler, B Gibbs, R Hart,W Otto,D Croudace,B Graves 3rd Row: B Botha,A Harding,T Rock, M Tyali, D York, M Rosenberg,S Dunbar,R Dow 4th Row:D Hewan,C Corbishley,C Jollands, M Miller, G Bullard,J Davies, R Winter House Prefects: Finningley Bruce Gibbs; Bradley Graves; Anthony Harding; Tanner Rock; Mandanga Tyali CABLAN KHALED >■ o QQ □ < LU Gillingham Ross Dow; Ryan Winter Haley Brett Botha; Colin Corbishley; David Croudace; Craig Jollands; Rowan Moran Pembroke Stewart Dunbar; Adam Lombard; Werner Otto Sheffield Mark Brooks; Graham Bullard; Benjamin Grobler; David Hewan □ 12
Matriculation Exemption Senior Certificate Failures 125(95%) CO o A Aggregate: Bekker R C, Brooks M W, Browne M T, Corbishley C R, Edgcumbe W P, Hart R T, Hood J P, Jollands C A,Khaled C G,Lombard A,Roussout M A,Rowles M A, Saville M T C,Stears B L-H, Swain R S, Swanepoel W H,Venniker J A B Aggregate: Allebone P J, Botha B J, Bresler A C,Bullard G A,Croudace D H,DaviesJ D,Farquharson C C G, Gibbs B W, Graves B J, Hall R M,Harding A J, Hildyard G, Hulley N A,Jones W J, Little D B, Miller M J, Naidoo S, Pitts J A, Rice W S, Roberts D L, Roberts J A, Rosenberg M C, Ross G J, Rouillard G 5 E, Schmitt R J, Sefton N E, Smith K G, Stobie R D, Tyson T D, Vardy J J L, Waldburger J P, Wallis R D,Winter R C Aggregate: Aitken A M,Alexander D C, Barker D, Borgen W K, Brebner G A, Brunskill D C, Caine D M, Christie J P, Cox J D C,Dow R G,Dunbar S A,Eschert K E W,Earla K, Garnett R A, Gentles B R, Hewan D E, Howie R M,Howson W G, Hunt R N,Jacobs R C,Johnson P E, Knight A J, Lamont D J, Lewis C C,Ludlow T, McDonagh G M,Meyer J P, Moran R M,Parry N D,Rock T K, Rodrigues M C, Roseveare B, Salmond P K, Sitsila S K, Stipanovic P, Takis M G, Titus M M H,Topham A E C,van Niekerk D J, Wilks G M,Wright G Combined A,B,C - 69% Subject distinctions(A) 8 Roussot MA-English, Afrikaans, Maths,Physical Science, Biology, Geography,Accounting, Advanced Maths 6 Brooks M W - English, Maths, Physical Science, History, Accounting, Advanced Maths 5 Swanepoel W H - English, Afrikaans, Physical Science, Biology, Accounting 4 Bekker R C - English, Maths, Physical Science, Accounting Saville M T C - English, Afrikaans, French, History Swain K D - English, Afrikaans, French, Accounting 3 Croudace D H - Physical Science, Geography, Accounting Edgcumbe W P English, Biology, Geography Jollands C A - Maths, Physical Science, Accounting Lombard A - English, Geography Art Stears B L-H - Afrikaans, Biology Geography Venniker J A - Maths,Physical Science, Advanced Maths 2 Browne M T - Physical Science, Accounting Farquharson C C G - Physical Science, Music Hall R M - English, Physical Science Hood J P - Maths, Physical Science Rowles M A - English, Afrikaans Schmitt RJ - Afrikaans, Music 1 Bresler AC- Physical Science; Gentles B R - Art; Grobler H B C - Afrikaans Hart R T - Geography;Howson W G - Art;HuntR N - Maths(SG)Jones WJ - Physical Science;Khaled C G - Physical Science;Lewis CC - Maths(SG)MeyerJ P - Afrikaans; Otto PW - Afrikaans; Waldburger J P - English TOTAL: HIGHER GRADE STANDARD GRADE 13
I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our honoured guests and to all present. I really appreciate the presence of so many of our colleagues and friends... Graeme and Paddy ,Irish and Anton,Theo, Ted and June, Keith and Pat Comins, so many of my fellow Heads and their wives. Again this year I do not intend giving you a full report, or even talk about future dreams and plans. Instead I thought I would share two things with you: some thoughts on the teaching profession which have served Anne and I so well and some of our successes. The other day we invited all matrics who were interested in teaching as a career to a meeting. No one arrived. So today I would like to talk to all of you about the joys of teach ing. To put it in another way,if I were to live again, I can assure you I would again choose teaching as a career as it has brought such joy and fulfil ment to Anne and me. "A teacher is like a candle which gives light to others but consumes itself. had to treat them all with professional excellence for 10 weeks, they too would need a holiday! As Giovanni Ruffini wrote:"A teacher is like a candle which gives light to others but consumes itself." I wish I had written a journal of all the fun episodes I enjoyed. In my early days of matric science teaching, I used to ask the boys their permission to smoke my pipe whilst they got on with experiments or work sheets. During the last lesson I had with them the head boy stood up and said: "May we have permission to smoke our pipes. Sir?" And before I could reply, the whole class began to light their pipes all previously filled with tobacco. As the smoke billowed forth, I closed the laboratory door and prayed the head master would not walk past. Why is it that teaching is favoured by so few today? Materialism is probably the main reason given. "You don't earn big bucks"... but we have never wanted for anything material and have been able to put two children through good schools and universities. We have travelled extensively both nationally and internationally. More importantly, the quality of our lives has been second to none. What do I mean? Lots of holidays? Yes,but well deserved and essential. If a doctor, lawyer or dentist had 25 different people in his office at one time every 40 minutes, all of whom had different needs,and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and they Let's pause a bit and look at the teaching profession: The Royal Bank of Canada Newsletter wrote, "We are all in favour of education, but we tend to take for granted the people who provide it. If our society cares about the future, it will resume giving teachers the support and credit they deserve..." It would be a wonderful world if every teacher understood every child deeply and put that understanding into effect. Teachers do get tired and become impatient. We do have our personal prejudices, and struggle with our own personality to give every pupil the attention required. The world would be wonderful if every youngster came to class to learn. As a col league once said to me:"For every one who wants to teach, there are 20 not interested!" 14
William Ward writes of teaching: "First class teachers seek to ignite in their students an enthusiasm for their subjects by example and leadership. They are role models for students. The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." I like to think that a good teacher not only instills a zest for learning but also instills a zest for life. The word educate comes from...educere...leading out...leading the student into a wider world of knowledge. You don't get an education at school, you learn how to get an education. Like any professional activity, teaching requires a cultivated ability To be done exceptionally well it also requires a special talent and a sense of vocation. Spare a thought for the teacher m South Africa today. We know our education system is in that has a real vision and a value framework. Social trends have also added to the heavy burden carried by teachers who often act as surrogate parents. Research shows that today parents spend 40% less time with their children. Problems that used to be dealt with at home are now dumped into the schools. Broken homes,teen-age promiscuity, and drug and alcohol abuse are common. Society expects an awful lot from its teachers. We expect them to act as surrogate parents, dealing with the emotional tangles of adoles cence, to instill higher values in a spiritual vacuum, to coach as well as full-time sport's professionals, to put on theatre, to train choirs and orchestras to unprecedented levels, to produce academic results of the highest order, to prepare the young to develop skills to create their own businesses and employment, to be CN^ U QC transformation with an incredible lack of capacity and funding. In Its well intentioned bid to level the playing fields demanded by the political bureaucrats, we have opted for a process in which, soon, no student will be allowed to fail, with a curriculum so soft that students can loaf and still emerge theoretically competent. Don't blame the teachers for this. As the Commission of Enquiry says, we need time to train teachers, and to prepare support material before implementing OBE. 1 see the real solution in the opening of Leadership Colleges in every province to train principals, and H.O.D.'s. Those schools that do succeed are driven by a leadership team perfect role models,to discipline without tears, to prepare responsible citizens....1 could go on and on. The amazing thing is that in quality schools there are such talented teachers ... like the men and women on my staff whose passion, commitment and excellence astounds me. I hope that their true value is always appreciated. We must always remember that education is a partnership with the responsibility resting on the shoulders of parent, child, and teacher. None of us can abdicate his or her responsibility. There is no doubt of the importance of teaching 15
in the future success of any individual, or any country for that matter. Think back to your schooling. Was there not at least one teacher who had a profound effect on your life? And yet few parents encourage their young to become teachers. '^^IfI had a child who want ed to be a teacher, I would bid him Godspeed as if he were going to war." wrote James Hilton, author of the great novel of teaching'Goodbye Mr Chips',"For indeed the war against prejudice, greed, and ignorance is eternal, and those who dedicate themselves to it give their lives no less because they may live to see some fraction of the battle won." This is why I encourage young men to enter this profession. The rewards are enormous and are essentially found in working with young people and helping them find and develop their Godgiven talents. Watching a new group every year and seeing them grow under your guidance as they discover and come to grips with the vagaries of life is deeply satisfying. As you all know I am a great advocate of Stephen Covey who writes that we should "Begin with the End in Mind" whatever the career path we choose. This poem might help: The Dash I read ofa man who stood to speak at the funeral ofafriend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning to the end. He noted the first camefrom the date of her birth and spoke of the second with tears, But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years. For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth, And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth. For it matters not how much we own; the cars, the home, the cash. What matters most is how we live and love and how we spend our dash. So think about this long and hard, are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left. You could be at dash mid-range. If we could just slow down to consider what's true and what's real. And always try to understand how other people feel. And...be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more And love the people in our lives like we've never loved before. If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile. Remembering that this special dash may only last a while. Whatever our chosen career we need to have a sense of humour. As teachers we have to cope with youngsters forever challenging their boundaries. It won't be much longer before we start seeing a shortage of quality teachers. You may not know but all the training colleges have been closed. The message I want to leave you is to treat your teachers well even if you don't encourage your sons and daughters to enter this wonderful profession. As Anne and I look back on our career and the rewards and challenges we have had, we are deeply grateful to God, the profession and to the many pupils, colleagues and parents, as well as friends who have enriched our lives. □ 16
Now it is time to show off that big fish and tell you about some of our achieve ments. At the outset I would like to emphasise that 1 didn't catch the fish....we all did....I may have baited the hook but the hard work was done by all of us. Innovations began with the Middle School with a specially designed curriculum to suit adoles cent needs. It was followed by the Kit and Clothing. The brainchild of the Parents' Association has been a great success with a turnover of some R3 000 per day! Finally Soccer - introduced to facilitate cross-cul tural interaction now has 12 teams,many loss es, but with no harm to rugby or athletics. New developments involve the Astroturf - an essential for our hockey will be ready next year and sadly requires the removal of some beautiful trees. Then there are the rugby stand extensions - overdue but essential, and finally the new drama block - to cater for drama and to give music its own teaching room. Meanwhile the post matrics, as well as the leadership and entrepreneurship pro grammes are prospering. Matric results again were close to the best in the country. I don't recall seeing another pupil with 9 distinctions. There were 1 in 4 A aggregates and 4 in 5 with C aggregates or above; no fail ures; a further 3 matrics with 90% aggregates and numerous other achievements throughout the school such as Golds and Silvers in the Science Expo and Maths Olympiad stars. The Choir achieved a Silver and 2 Golds at the Choir Olympics which involved 60 nations and 350 choirs. There was a choir tour to Austria, —— ■ % $ 17
■ a Cricket tour to England - both of which came back unbeaten and a Rugby tour to Wales and Ireland. There were 23 teams in cricket. In hockey we had 16 selections and a record of 21 wins out of 23. In rugby, Kevin Smith's last season as 1st XV coach, we were in the top 20 and 6th at Craven Week. Our tennis was unbeaten in Natal and 5th in the country. In swimming we came second to DHS and chose three teams. In Waterpolo we had 18 boys with provincial colours. I have no doubt there is much more to celebrate like over 3500 hours of Community Service, our Challenge of Industry which this year included hoys in the village would gather to seek solutions. These men would sit and discuss issues as the women would serve them food and drink. Often at the end of the day few solutions had been found. All would return to their huts for the night. To and behold, on reassembling the next morning, problems were resolved. I think it time that we began to give credit to those who play such a key role in our lives. I cannot thank Anne enough for all she has done, not only for me, but also for this College to which she has devoted her life these past 10 years. I could never have done even half of it without her. If you were to asked me what has pleased me most this year, it was two things: '//yoM remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you\...John 15:7 from Khabazela, the Round Square Organisation membership, the new Dayboy policy, the Mentorship pro gramme, and much more. We have many people to thank for making our stay so enjoyable: all those from past and present ... the boys, the incredible staff including the support staff, the parents, the Board Members, and Trustees, and our friends. I will not mention them all for fear of missing some but I will be conveying my thanks at a more appropriate time. Those successes that we as a College have enjoyed are due, first and fore most, to every member of our team. I am reminded of the recent African Confederation of Principals' Conference when we debated the gender issue. It wasn't that long ago that all the elders Firstly, at Rob Roy ,when we were revisiting our Vision and Values, we were asked to break into groups. One of the pre fects stood up and said, "This isn't necessary Sir, we all know the College abides by Christian values." And secondly the sight of 50 or 60 boys and several staff who had given up their tea to get together to pray for God's continued guidance and presence in this College. 'If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will he given you'.... John 15:7 God has blesssed Anne and me greatly. With His help I know this College will continue to meet the challenges which lie ahead. OJ ROBERTS 18
-Valedictory address MrChairman, Members of the Board, the Headmaster, Staff, Trustees, Parents, Guests and the most important group here today, the boys of Kearsney Coffege. It is a great honour to address a school of Kearney's standing on any occasion, but today is also the final vale dictory ceremony of an outstanding leader and Headmaster. Owen Roberts has shaped the destiny of Kearsney in many significant ways and as is typical of great leaders, in ways that we will only fully appreciate in years to come. It is also an honour to address the class of 2000, the finest class ever produced by this fine school. Whether you live up to this reputation is up to you. The future will judge whether you had the vision, the courage and the discipline to change the future for the better. You certainly have the talent. One of One hundred years ago, the leading minds of the time had no idea of what was to come. They had no conception of how engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs would transform our lives! Apart from a few geniuses like Jules Verne they could never imagine that: • Live images of events all over the world would be transmitted into our homes in brilliant colour and resolu- the requirementsfor success is the ability to recognise an opportunity when it arises. Most losers look at the world and can see only problems- winners see opportunities! In my career as an academic and business entrepreneur, I have searched for the recipes and components of success and of winning. I prowl the boardrooms of companies, consulting and observing strategy in action. I have researched the field and tested and re-tested the results. One of the requirements for success is the ability to recognise an opportunity when it arises. Most losers look at the world and can see only problems- winners see opportunities! Many of you will have heard that this is a "difficult time" to be leaving College. That statement is simply not true! This is the best time to be leaving! Things have never been better for young people who are as well edu cated as you. For the unskilled and uneducated, it is a bad time. For the lazy and ill disciplined, it is a bad time. For those who rely on the colour of their skin, family reputation or the old school tie, it is a bad time. But for those with vision, courage, ambition, disci pline and tenacity- it is a great time to be leaving school. tion by hundreds of orbiting satellites Antibiotics would virtually eliminate the killer diseases of the time Living organ transplants would become commonplace and routine Man would walk and even drive a "horseless carriage" on the moon and then become bored with it all Hand-held objects would enable a mother to talk to her son anywhere in the world - without wires Motor vehicles could speak to you, give you directions and transport you in luxury on magnificent highways Millions would take to the air, fly at 1000 kph, and sip cocktails in airconditioned comfort and safety It would become possible to cross the Atlantic in 3 hours lOOO's of pages of text would be stored on a small disc called a CD! 19
It's going to be like a roller-coaster compared to the wagon ride of the last century. If you are going to enjoy the ride then you will have to keep your eyes and mind wide open. Being 'well-educated' does not mean having lots of degrees, although it can; it means having the kind of mind that can see patterns and trends when others can see only chaos, it means seeing the need for change,and to be able to lead and manage the process. Many believe that the aver age high school leaver will have between 5 and 6 careers in his or her lifetime and in order to prosper in such an environment you will have to have the ability to teach yourself and to enjoy the learning process which will require you to 'unlearn' the ideas and behaviours that have become obsolete and even dangerous! To be able to renew yourself in this way there are at least 2 requirements. These are Investment and Leadership. Let's look at Investment first. Nothing happens without investment. In countries, busi nesses, schools or any other area of human endeavour, success requires sub stantial, focussed investment. In today's world this means "lifelong learning". We used to speak of a 4-year degree -today we talk about 40 year degrees! As the class of 2000, a large investment has already been made in you - by your par ents who,for some of you,have sacrificed much more than you will ever realize, and many others. Don't let that hardearned investment depreciate! Your education at Kearsney has been amongst the best, certainly privileged, and sophisticated. Today it is still an advantage-but I fear that it will be short lived, for the computer and the inter net are changing all that very rapidly. These technologies are the great equaliz A 100 yea ers-the great libraries and encyclopedias that were available to only the rich and privileged are increasingly being made available to everyone. Unless you keep investing in yourself, your current advantage will be eroded and you will be overtaken by the masses. rs ago,financial and physi cal capital were the constraints and sources of wealth. Today these resources are relatively easy to obtain and the critical, scarce resource is '^intellectual capital'. No wonder that the world's leading companies call it the ^^warfor talent." The second requirement is that of"leader ship." Each one of us here will be called upon to play a leadership role at least once in our lives. If Kearsney has done a good job you will recognise the moment and will rise to the occasion. Some miss the moment. T. S. Eliot in a famous poem put it this way: "/ have seen the moment of my greatnessflicker. And I have seen the eternalfoot man hold his coat and snicker. And in short,I was afraid." Many shrink back from their "moment" and don't take up the challenge - they spend the rest of their lives filled with regret of what might have been if only they had tried. Leaders have some common charac teristics: Eirstly they know where they are going! Some call this intent, focus, vision or ambition-but whatever you call it these individuals have a mental picture of what they want to achieve. They can see them selves receiving the Olympic medal, the 20
Hollywood Oscar or scoring the winning try. They can see it, taste it, feel it! Secondly, they have a reasonably good idea of how and when they intend reach ing the goal. The vision may be the "what", but they also know the "how". They have an idea of the sequence of events, the process and the necessary series of actions. Losers don't. Thirdly, they understand the basics. Go and watch the Springbok rugby team at prac tice and I think you will be surprised at how much time they spend on the basics or fundamentals-tackling, scrimmaging, lineout work and handling exercises. Basics that we would regard as unneces sary to players of their skill and experi ence - yet the coach knows that poor application of the basics will make the sophisticated moves that win matches impossible. There are only three primary colours but Picasso could produce every colour of the rainbow and we could see a different world. There are only seven notes but Mozart's music can bring tears to your eyes. There are only twenty-six letters in the alphabet but Churchill and Mandela used them to win struggles against terrible evils. Fourthly, they are team players - and they create an envi ronment where others can flourish and yet their own roles seem unimportant and even insignificant-until you think about it! Indeed your success here today and in the future is due in large part to your parents, your friends and those unsung heroes who drove you and nurtured you - your teachers. Finally, they set high standards for themselves and others. There are some things that are simply"not negotiable". Passengers and "shirkers" are not tolerated and standards and performance requirements are raised continually. The story of Peter Schutz, a new young Managing Director at the famous Porsche car company several years ago illustrates these principles very well. He set high standards and extremely challenging goals as soon as he arrived when he stated - "We will not enter a race that we don't intend to win.He invested heavily in new technology and design for new cars, gave the team a reason to win and a pride in themselves. The result was a series of wins at Le Mans that kept Porsche as one of the world's leading organizations. All here today hope and pray that you have developed the abilities to make your mark when the time comes to deliver and perform. Kearsney has given you a wonderful start, but it will not be enough. Until today most of the invest ment and the drive has come from the school and your family - they are now cutting you loose and you have to take over. As this great school bids the class of 2000 farewell and starts saying goodbye to a remarkable and visionary Headmaster we are convinced that the future is in good hands. We believe that you know the difference between right and wrong and that you have the moral values to choose correctly between the two. Mr. Chairman, Mr Headmaster, Staff, the class of 2000 and members of the Kearsney family,thank you for the honour you have done me today. Never forget that the need for innovative men and woman with talent, vision, insight, courage, discipline, and people skills has never been greater, and as you begin your journey into tomorrow a favourite quotation of your Headmaster, Owen Roberts, is appropriate; "Until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow ofhis hand". Thank you PROFESSOR G S ANDREWS 21
a LJJ < U Prof.Andrews, distinguished Guests, Mr Buys, Mr Roberts, Ladies and Gentlemen, and my fellow boys. Good morning and welcome to our speech day and 6th form prize giving. It is with great honour and pride that 1 have the privilege of addressing you here today. As many of friends will already know 1 am a great one for moti vational quotes and stories, therefore I feel it quite apt to begin this particular speech with a quote I have used on numerous occasions this year. Martin Luther King the human rights' activist once said: We are not yet where we want to be, We are not yet where we are going to be, But we sure are a long wayfrom where we were.^^ This for me goes a long way in summing up what Kearsney has achieved in this amazing year. I do feel confident in saying that everyone who has been involved in the roller-coaster ride of Kearsney life would agree that we have pro gressed in leaps and bounds in just about every sphere that we have chosen to embrace. I find it quite amusing when looking at everyone sitting here before me,to know how many of you have your own special names for me. To most it is just KHALED,to others Cablan or Cabbie, and then to those of you who know me a bit better, I'm one of many names including Gareth, gamat, leb, my cabs, and even banana boy (which is an accurate description of my Afrikaans capabili ties). To me each name carries with it its own special story and in some cases a special person. The names are all mine,and those special people, my friends. Friends and family that have stood by me through the good times we have experienced at Kearsney, and more importantly stood by me when things have become a little tough. To the sixth form,sitting before me - thank you guys for five years filled with all the wonderful challenges of growing up and for allowing me to be part of one of the most charismatic forms ever to I come through Kearsney. 1 know you will all one day in the future become pillars of society in whichever field you choose to venture. Whatever happens, 1 have no doubt that the sixth form of 2000 will definitely be doing what they want to do. To Mr Roberts and his team, thank you for your continual support and guidance throughout the years. Without all your hard work, leadership, and dedication, Kearsney would never continue to succeed as it does. To Mr Hall and my prefect body - a huge thank you, for all the effort and responsibility you put into your duties. Often going seemingly unnoticed, I was always thankful for all the time you prefects have invest ed in Kearsney, and was privi leged to work with many very talented leaders. I'm sure the skills you have gleaned will stand you in good stead for the future. To my deputy, Mark Roussot. Your maturity and rational decision-making allowed you to see for me when I was blinded by frustration; allowed you to hear for me when I was deafened by the voices of a thousand requests all at once and allowed you to place my two feet firmly back on the ground whenever I got too worked up and over-excited. Thank you for a year in which your support was boundless. Thank you for our friendship, which grew, and along with the experiences which will remain unforgettable. It has been an honour to work with someone so tal ented and resourceful as yourself. Finally to my mom,dad,sister, and special friend 22
Robyn. Thank you, first of all for allowing me the opportunity to attend Kearsney College, and for sticking hy me through all the daily challenges of adolescence. I have often wondered how you continually manage to always offer so much love and support day after day without ever worrying about yourselves. I know that without your calming presence I would never have managed to channel and direct many of my opinions and ideas into feasible actions. Thank you most of all, for the foundations of moral standards and val ues which you have laid throughout my life, which I have had to call upon when making many decisions at Kearsney. Your love, sup port, and guidance are lights in a dark sea of uncertainty and have guided me through many difficult voyages. When preparing my speech for today I got to this stage and suddenly found my fingers hovering over the keys of my computer. I was lost for words, unsure of what to say next, I had completed all my thank you's and had come to the part were I wanted to say something of what Kearsney meant to me and what made it such a special place for so many people. My mind drifted back to my second form year and I remembered how Mark Nelson had talked about our wonder ful trees and for a long time I considered many physical attributes which will always remain crystal clear in my mind and very dear to me. I then contemplated talking about the wonderful spirit in the school and the amazing sense of belonging one gets from being a Kearsney boy. However, those aspects in comparison seemed rather insignificant when I thought of how I really felt about Kearsney. came to the conclusion that a highly developed vehicle In the end I Kearsney is which is designed and continually modified by the staff and governors in order to trans port us boys through our difficult teenage years. However, like any vehicle, with out any passengers it is merely an empty shell. The life blood of Kearsney College is the pupils who are privileged enough to own a key which opens the passenger door and allows them in for an amazing five year trip. For me, my memories of Kearsney will always be centered around those boys who made the trip with me. Without the com panionship,support, trust, and friendship of my class, I feel the trip would have been a complete failure. To those following behind us on the well-beaten track, treasure every moment because the vehicle increases speed as you approach the finish, and before you can blink, your chances will be lost. Playing rugby in a maroon jersey would mean absolutely nothing if it were not for the other fourteen guys around you. Just as one boy singing a solo at the choir Olympics without the support of the entire choir, would never have won us a gold medal. Kearsney is all about relationships built upon the basis of a common goal and belief. Boys of all different shapes and sizes are united as one in an attempted to lift Kearsney College to even greater heights. By doing so we lift each other up,so that when our turn comes to climb from the vehicle we will be prepared for anything the outside world can throw at us. For me that is what makes Kearsney College so very special, and I will never forget my time here. I believe I speak for the entire sixth form in saying thank you to anybody and everybody who has ever assisted our vehicle as we made our way down the track. In closing, I would like to wish the entire Kearsney community good luck for the future. May the solid foundation and many spheres of exciting growth put in place by Mr Roberts be used as a giant stepping stone, as Kearsney with Mr van den Aardweg at the wheel steers its ways undoubtedly towards the stars. In doing so may you all remember that criticism is something you can only avoid by saying nothing, doing nothing and being nothing. So stand up for what you believe in and take every oppor tunity Kearsney has to offer. Thank you. C KHALED 23
— 2000 ACADEMIC& CULTURAL MATHEMATICS REPRESENTED SOUTH AFRICA IN THE WORLD MATHS OLYMPIAD K McDowell FINAL ROUND OF 100(OUT OF 15 000)IN THE OLD MUTUAL MATHS OLYMPIAD M BROOKS REPRESENTED NATAL IN THEJUNIOR MATHS OLYMPIAD D COLE;N HENDRY;P TALJAARD NATAL SCIENCE EXPO 2000 GOLD MEDAL P McMAHON SILVER MEDALS BRONZE MEDALS D SENSE;E EINBERG M TOSCANO;T VARDY NATIONAL SCIENCE EXPO 1999 GOLD MEDALS R GLASHAN;P McMAHON SILVER MEDALS D SENSE;L FEINBERG;A HARRIS;A HAMPEL THESE BOYS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO THE NATIONAL SCIENCE EXPO IN PRETORIA IN OCTOBER HIGHWAY YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS COMPETITION MOST PROFITABLE BUSINESS - SECOND PLACE P McMAHON THIRD PLACE S COFEEY;C HAYMAN;G WHEELWRIGHT MOST INNOVATIVE IDEA - 3rd PLACE G LEWIS JSE SYFRETS INVESTMENT CHALLENGE FIRST PLACE J CARR;D KAY;D SAINT;J WILKINSON MUSIC KZN YOUTH ORCHESTRA 2000 T BLAKE;C CONWAY;A McCRAE;G SURGESON KZN YOUTH WIND BAND 2000 A HAMPEL NATIONAL ARTS YOUTH FESTIVAL FIRST PLACE IN THE U17 AGE GROUP A GOODENOUGH SPORT ATHLETICS KWA-ZULU NATAL SCHOOLS(SA CHAMPI ONSHIPS) T HAYES;J MULLER BASKETBALL KWA-ZULU NATAL UI9A AND GRADE 5 INTERNATIONAL REFEREE CRICKET KWA-ZULU NATAL U19 N EORSHAW M ROSENBERG KWA-ZULU NATAL U19 SHELL ACADEMY TEAM M ROSENBERG; TROCK KWA-ZULU NATAL SCHOOLS U18A SPOWER KWA-ZULU NATAL SCHOOLS UI8B J VORSTER(CAPT) SA SCHOOLS U15 G LEWIS HOCKEY KWA-ZULU NATAL U21A M BOTHA;R MORAN KWA-ZULU NATAL U21B A HILL KWA-ZULU NATAL U18A R MORAN(CAPT);M BOTHA;G COLEEDWARDES;A HILL KWA-ZULU NATAL U18B S DUNBAR(CAPT);S BOOTH;G BREBNER; G McDONAGH SA SCHOOLS U17A SA SCHOOLS UI6A R MORAN W MADSEN 24
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