Scotch College

Scotch Boys Catch the Bug!

Well, it returned and, as promised, was bigger and better than ever. The 2003 Scotch College Literature Festival had the school community in a buzz for an entire week as boys, staff, parents, old boys and the public 'caught the bug' and were 'infected' by the powerful world of 'reading, writing and imagining'.

During the week Scotch played host to an array of over 42 literary stars including poets, illustrators, film critics, comedians, journalists and authors. These included such well known names as Matthew Reilly, John Marsden, Isobelle Carmody, Gary Crew, Andrew Daddo. Michael Hyde and Tim Cope.

From the moment comedian and radio personality Dave "Hughsie" Hughes launched the Festival at a special assembly declaring "you're a great bunch", all knew that this year's Festival was going to be something special.

Every year level had their special day where boys attended their choice of workshops and presentations by some of this country's most popular and respected writers.

Various lunchtime activities were organised to spur on the festive spirit, including rap music performances, uninhibited circus performers and, of course, book signings. The annual challenge between the staff and boys in the Great Debate was again extremely popular with the Fraser Smith filled to capacity as the motion "You can't judge a book by its cover" prompted a witty and revealing exchange.

The three public events were a great success. The "Books, Blokes and Brekky" brought the men together to share their reading experiences, while the "Forum" featuring Red Symons, Jane Clifton and Denise Scott was a real crowd pleaser. Discussing the topic, 'reading is infectious', Denise's tales from the local library certainly caused a contagion of laughter. There was even a condensed version of the festival called "Booktastings" on the Friday night, open to all. Here all the guests from the week gave brief presentations and mingled with members of the wider community. Two authors even launched their latest books on the night.

It was an exciting and eventful week with something for everyone. In particular, it provided the boys with an opportunity to experience the wider world of reading, writing and imagining - a lifelong bug worth catching!