Jottings

Insight into College Street

Enriching the learning experience at College Street can take many forms. Here are a few recent snippets from a variety of classes.

Form V Mathematics Standard boys spend time engaging in practical mathematics in the sunshine.

Form II History discuss how the German reformer, Martin Luther, transformed our understanding of God, humankind and our place in the world, and how the political, religious, and social legacies of this discovery are still being felt today.

Form II Science survey a local ecosystem in Hyde Park, to consolidate their understanding of the interactions between biotic and abiotic factors in the living world.

Form I boys expand their literary horizons in a wide reading lesson in the Banjo Paterson Library.

Professor Fred Watson visits

Dr Luke Harley arranged for a visit to the School by Professor Fred Watson AM, Australia’s first Astronomer-at-Large and a well-known figure from The Project and ABC radio. Professor Watson spoke to the boys about the James Webb Telescope. It was an extraordinarily engaging experience for those in attendance.

Form II Geography excursion

On Wednesday 23 August the pupils of Form II Geography enjoyed an enriching day of fieldwork in the Minnamurra Rainforest. It was an opportunity for them to step out of the classroom and see the rainforest’s structure and effective management practices first hand.

Form III boys play at the Giant Steps Ball

Ethan Ko, Solomon Tan, Jayden Arav and Scott Hu (all III) recently performed as a string quartet at the Enchanted Evening Ball for Giant Steps – an organisation dedicated to delivering best practice education and support for children with autism. The ball was held at the International Convention Centre in Darling Harbour with over 1,100 guests attending.

Giant Steps Principal, Andrew Frakes, wrote to Dr Richard Malpass to express his appreciation. “They played extremely well and helped create a wonderful atmosphere to kick off our event. I am aware that the pupils spent many hours rehearsing in their own time and they were friendly and courteous to all our guests. As a school, you can be very proud of how they conducted themselves”.

Ethan Ko’s brother, Jeremy, is a pupil at Giant Steps and Ethan and his family are great supporters of the school.

Vale Alf Pickard

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Alf Pickard, former Head of History, passed away peacefully in the Prince of Wales Hospital on Sunday 23 April following a stroke. He was 88.

Alf was appointed to the staff of Grammar in 1965, to teach History and Geography. In 1969 he became Acting Senior History Master and was confirmed as Senior History Master the following year. He relinquished that post in 1992 becoming a Senior Master Emeritus until his retirement from the staff in 1994.

Alf was passionate about the teaching of History and he introduced new approaches to the teaching of the subject at Grammar. He coached the First XI cricket team from 1969–1973, and rugby 1966–69 and 1975– 87. Alf was also responsible for co-founding the Philosophical Society and for reviving the pupil newspaper Tiger in 1989.

Alf’s contribution to the teaching of History extended beyond the School. He was a member of the Modern History Syllabus Committee from 1975–82 and 1988–90, and of the Examination Committee 1979–81. He was a member of the History Teachers’ Association (HTA), serving on its executive for fifteen years. His enthusiasm for the teaching of History did not end with his retirement and he continued his work with the HTA for some years after his retirement.

Interschool Stock Pitch

The Sydney Grammar School Business Society hosted eight schools from around Sydney for its fourth interschool stock pitch competition. Each team was required to present for eight minutes to either buy or short a stock on the ASX, and the pitches were adjudicated by two guest analysts from Macquarie Bank. Our boys performed very well, judged second with their convincing pitch to short Lendlease. They were eclipsed by the team from Pymble Ladies’ College who endorsed Pilbara Minerals stock.

Jeffrey Chen (VI)

A debut in the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra

Jared Adams (OS 2019) made his professional debut with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra in their national tour of Gloria and the Four Seasons. Jared was leader of the School Orchestra and Music Captain in his final year at Sydney Grammar School and was also the concert master of the Australian Combined School’s Music Festival orchestra when Grammar hosted the event in 2019. He placed third in NSW in Music Extension when he completed his HSC.

Benett Tsai on tour

Former Music Scholar Benett Tsai, a Grammar pupil from 2016 to 2019, has been studying cello performance in Los Angeles since leaving Grammar.

He returned to Australia to embark on the Selby and Friends national concert tour. Performing with renowned Sydney pianist Kathryn Selby and violinist Elizabeth Layton (Head of Classical Performance at the Elder Conservatorium), the trio presented works by Debussy, Smetana, Halvorsen and Westlake to wonderful reviews.

Maths Quad Challenge

We hosted the Grammar Maths Quad Challenge in Big School involving teams from eight other schools as well as our own Form II boys. Teams of four were mixed across the schools and competed in a number of activities of competitive mathematics throughout the morning. Congratulations to Team 7 on their success, including Ethan Chong (II) from Grammar.

Vale Christopher May (OS 2001)

The School community was saddened to hear about the passing of Christopher Jonathan May.

After leaving Grammar, Chris graduated with First Class Honours in both Music and Law from The University of Sydney and went on to complete a Doctorate in Philosophy in musicology at Oxford.

He has served as a Judge’s Associate to the Federal Court of Australia and has been active in the arrangement and performance of choral music at the highest level. More recently, he was employed in the NSW Public Service. Chris was also one of the world’s top scrabble players.

Public speaking award finalist

Demeil David (II) recently participated in the regional final of the Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award at the Arts Unit in Lewisham. This competition involved the delivery of a prepared five-minute speech and a two-minute impromptu speech on an unseen topic. In his prepared speech, Demeil spoke about the significant barriers that Aboriginal Australians face when accessing the legal system and the potential solutions to the issue. The impromptu topic was “top of the range” in which Demeil discussed the problems of fast fashion and consumer culture. Demeil was engaging and spoke with eloquence and clarity.

The Great Debate

The Great Debate between our Old Sydneians and our ISDA Champions Debating team was the most entertaining in recent history. The Old Sydneians were in fine form, arguing that the Royal Family should surrender their sceptres, scandalising the Royals (and the School) at every turn. We were honoured to have Dr Douglas Golding as our special guest. He was a member of the Debating Senior Team 1948 GPS Premiers.

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Debating Senior Team 1948 GPS Premiers with Dr Douglas Golding seated in the middle

Packed houses for Dr V’s Swing Thing

Dr V’s Swing Thing, the Old Boys’ big band, have reformed this year under the direction of Mr David Theak. In June they performed to packed houses at the Royal Hotel in Orange for the Orange Jazz Festival and Lazybones Lounge in Marrickville. Theak, former leader of the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra, is one of Australia’s most highly regarded jazz musicians, and hopes to build on the legendary multi-decade musical legacy of Mr Vladimir Khusid (1946-2023).

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International Chemistry Olympiad

In July, Hanlin (James) Liu (VI) took time off from studying for his HSC Trial Examinations to represent Australia in the International Chemistry Olympiad, held in Zürich. The Olympiad is hosted by a different country each year, and these intense competitions see teams of pupils compete in practical and theory exams vying for individual gold, silver or bronze medals. For James, this represented the culmination of more than 18 months’ work and dedication. After two five-hour examinations, he was awarded a bronze medal and was placed 164th in the world.

Hanlin (James) Liu (VI) pictured third from the left

Football frenzy at Grammar

Hot on the heels of the Matildas’ historic run to the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup (WWC), football frenzy permeates the Grammar community.

The English Premier League (EPL) kicked off just prior to the WWC final and the opening weekend generated record viewing figures in the UK, particularly amongst women. Australian interest is at an all-time high as Ange Postecoglou has become the first Australian to coach a Premier League team, taking the reins at Tottenham Hotspur.

Meanwhile at Grammar over 170 boys, masters, coaches and Old Sydneians have signed up to compete in the Grammar private league as part of the vastly popular Fantasy Premier League (FPL) competition (https:// fantasy.premierleague.com/).

Each entrant must tackle the challenging task of assembling a squad of fifteen top EPL players taken from any of the twenty teams in the league, but within the constraint of a 100 million pound budget. The players subsequently score points depending upon their performance in the actual matches that make up the 38 rounds of competition over the season. Managers have access to a vast amount of statistics and punditry on the website to help inform their decisions for remoulding their squads week by week as the season unfolds.

Last season’s Grammar FPL champion Lucas Kwan (V) will seek to hold onto his title after narrowly beating Kyan Conners (IV) into second place coming out ahead of the other 150 entrants. Mr Honeywill from the Applied Arts department will seek to retain his position as the highest ranking amongst the current Grammar masters, but will be pushed all the way by the large contingent of football tragics in the Common Room, especially those from the Mathematics department.

Mr Robert Fuller

Pictured: L-R: Kyan Conners (IV), Mr Robert Fuller and Lucas Kwan (V)

St Vincent’s Cup

The St Vincent’s Cup football match took place at Weigall on Friday 19 May. This traditional game between St Vincent’s doctors and UNSW medical students saw a fiercely contested match on a lovely sunny afternoon that the medical students won 6-3. In the best spirit of the game, the skill and youth of the students won them the day.

A passion for drawing

Talented artist Viraj Tandon in Year 6 at Edgecliff Preparatory School has from an early age pursued a passion for drawing and over time has developed an excellent eye for detail.

His recent projects have included iconic buildings in the City of Sydney including the Queen Victoria Building, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, St Mary’s Cathedral and of course our very own College Street.

Viraj met with Dr Malpass to discuss his passion, technique and future projects and kindly donated prints of his work to the School.

Careers Convention

The annual Careers Convention took place at the School on 5 June. Nine schools were involved with approximately eight hundred young people and many parents attending. The expo in the School Gym had seventy tertiary education exhibitors and this was followed by a series of nine career-focussed lectures and eighty advisers available.

Iranian history lecture

On Thursday 30 March Form VI Modern History pupils were fortunate to hear a lecture by Associate Professor Laetitia Nanquette from the University of New South Wales, who specialises in Iranian literature.

The boys – joined by eager History masters – were treated to a lecture that was not only interesting in its own right but was particularly focused on the areas that are covered by the HSC syllabus on Iran. Associate Professor Nanquette’s lecture provided in-depth analysis as well as samples of recent historiography on post-1979 Revolution Iran, and she was kind enough to make time for questions.

Applied Arts collaboration

Grammar hosted Ascham School for a combined Applied Arts project involving Form I/Year 7 pupils from both schools. This inaugural event involved small group discussions from both schools, and it was fantastic to see everyone involved in the design brief. Our pupils were busy making the bag tags in class and successfully delivered them to Ascham at the end of Term II.

Chinese Bridge competition

Recently, Alexander Cronin (VI) participated in the 16th annual Chinese Bridge competition, an esteemed Chinese Proficiency competition organised by the Chinese consulate. He presented a three-minute speech in Chinese on the topic, ‘Fly High with Chinese’, performed a traditional Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower on violin and then sat a general knowledge test on China. Overall, he achieved third place in the competition, a prestigious and hard-earned result.

Triumph at the Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition

Nicholas Kennedy (OS 2014) has been named winner of the Open Instrumental section of the Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition held this July in Townsville, Queensland. Nicholas performed the Piano Concerto No 5 (Emperor) by Beethoven. Since leaving Grammar, Nicholas has been making a great name for himself in the music world, and is currently lecturing at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Art representing the mind of the Grammar boy

Ryan Zhao (I) has a great passion for art and often searches for opportunities to enter art events. For one such competition, he submitted a thoughtprovoking work on creativity. “The work originated from my thoughts on how humans are highly complex and extremely creative beings. I wanted to celebrate this unique trait, via the representation of the brain as an intricate machine that has carried us humans to where we are today”. Ryan has offered to gift the work to College Street as a piece that strongly represents the mind of a Grammar boy.

Form VI boys visit St Vincent’s

Twelve Form VI boys visited the University of New South Wales School of Clinical Medicine at St Vincent’s Hospital. They heard from current students of medicine as well as junior doctors who talked of the realities of patient care and the demands of the profession. The boys had some fun applying plaster of paris slabs as well as taking basic observations for a health check on each other. There was lots of mess and lots of fun.

Applied Arts and coffee

Our Applied Arts department continues their innovative approach to things, by responding to NESA’s mandatory Agriculture and Food topic in the junior years in a way that was much appreciated by masters this week. Boys in Form II have been experimenting with roasting coffee beans to achieve different flavour profiles, as well as marketing the finished beans, and our masters were happy to be experimented on and give feedback. The naming suggestions also got people talking, with suggestions from ‘The Grammar Grind’ through to ‘Well Grounded’. The winning label, however, was ‘The Selective Bean’, and we hope parents of Form II boys will enjoy the final product in due course.

St Ives Football Tour

What happens when you bring together eighteen football-crazy kids, four excited teachers and the Gold Coast? The best football tour ever!

In the June-July holidays, the St Ives Football Tour Team headed away for a thrilling week of matches and activities. Over six days, we played competitive games against several schools and local football clubs and win, lose or draw, we learned valuable lessons on the field. Not only did the team improve as a whole, but by the end of the week, every member of the squad had scored a goal!

It was a jam-packed week and we did everything that the city had to offer, from rock climbing, laser tag, go-karting, golfing and trampolining, an NRL match, to literally reaching a high at the end of our trip when we visited the tallest building in Australia, SkyPoint Tower.

What was particularly special about the tour was meeting other children from around Australia who share our love for football. All of the schools and clubs welcomed us and brought a great competitive spirit. We even played against a school from New Zealand and had the privilege of seeing them perform the Haka.

Thank you to Mr Gyngell, Mrs Roberts, Mr Thompson and Mr Townley-Jones, for a week that will never be forgotten. We wore the Grammar jersey with immense pride, knowing that such tours don’t just happen without a lot of preparation. The experience has bonded the team and given us confidence to achieve our goals on the field. We can’t wait until next season.

Hugo Jones (Year 5)

Edgecliff Book Week

Edgecliff staff got into the spirit of Book Week for the popular ‘Dress-up Assembly’, hosted by Wally and Wendy, who invited staff and boys to share readings from books and poems, whilst weaving in the theme of ‘Discovery’.

The Wind in the Willows

Edgecliff’s Year 6 drama production brought the magical world of Kenneth Grahame’s children’s classic The Wind in the Willows to the stage. It provided a highly entertaining journey down the River Thames with Badger, Mole, Ratty and Toad, orchestrally accompanied by a group of accomplished Year 6 musicians.

Edgecliff Science Fair

Edgecliff’s annual Science Fair brought about a record number of entrants. Boys showcased their learning by presenting reports, posters and experiments to their peers and staff. Prizes were awarded for innovation and creativity, scientific professionalism, and people’s choice!

Edgecliff Student Representative Council

Edgecliff’s 2023 Student Representative Council to the School were selected by their peers and represent all thirteen classes. Their Council’s mission is to suggest thoughts or ideas to improve the day-to-day school experience for boys and staff. The Council meet fortnightly, with opportunity to present changes and initiatives to the Headmaster, Mr Bailey.

St Ives boys shine in a dynamic stage production

From the imaginative mind of Washington Irving, the gothic tale of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, written as part of a short story collection in 1820, was brought to life at St Ives Preparatory School in August. The work was adapted for the stage by Kathryn Schultz Miller and Tonya Grelis.

Irving’s classic tale of romantic schoolmaster Ichabod Crane and his terrifying encounter with the Headless Horseman was given new life in this production, featuring immersive set design and animated projection. Cinematic underscoring lifted and carried the story, adding tension and suspense for the audience.

This amazing production was performed over two nights – Friday 11 and Saturday 12 August. The dedication and skill of the 24 cast and crew members brought the tale to life with characterisation, timing and storytelling.

Rehearsals progressed during Terms II and III, with many weeks staging the acting scenes and practising movement around the set. All boys involved were fantastic, performing with confidence, energy and professionalism and the result was spectacular! The boys didn’t miss a beat, and judging by the audience’s response, they provided a great night’s entertainment for young and old. The costumes, set, make-up and lighting were superb, outshone only by the brilliant acting of the boys on stage.

I will always remember this show and all the boys who dedicated their time, energy, and talent to making it so special. My sincere thanks to Tonya Grelis without whom this production would not have been possible. Special thanks to the production team and to many parents, teachers and staff who donated their time and expertise to the production. It was a very rewarding journey.

Ms Melanie Wheatley

Six generations of the Sanders family at Grammar

When Harvey Sanders (Year 4) arrived for his first day at St Ives Preparatory School this year, it marked a great milestone for the Sanders family, who can now claim to have six generations attend Grammar.

The Sanders lineage goes back to Harvey’s great-great-great-grandfather, Edward Ernest Sanders (OS 1876). He was followed by his son Edward Lloyd Sanders, who attended the School in 1901–02, and then Edward Hindmarsh Sanders (Ted), who attended from 1929–1933. In more recent times, the Sanders’ Grammar heritage was continued by Harvey’s grandfather Paul Sanders (OS 1965) and his father, Peter Sanders (OS 1999). We look forward to a seventh generation in the years to come!

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