Scotch College

Seven hundred and sixty four savour a great dinner

The eagerly-awaited 1998 annual dinner - held for the second time in the salubrious surroundings of the Melbourne Park Function Centre, on Friday 29 May - attracted an enthusiastic, happy throng of 764 Old Boys, guests and school staff.

As usual, it was a night of reminiscences, good food, entertaining speakers and nostalgia - and, as usual, the night disappeared fast, as diners caught up with old schoolmates by the dozen. The oldest old schoolmate was 92-year-old Frank Stuckey ('24), who sat with a vibrant group of OBEs (Over Bloody Eighties).

The very appropriate Scottish tone of the evening was set by the pipers and drummers under the leadership of Pipe-Major Jonathan Quay, playing while diners collected their programmes and entered the dining room; during the traditional entry of the official party - and of course while, honouring the 'warm, reekin', rich haggis.

After School Chaplain Graham Bradbeer's grace, and following entree, Leigh McGregor's Scottish antecedence came well to the fore, as he attacked the haggis during 'Slanchy va!'

Proposing the toast to Scotch College, OSCA President Rob Logie-Smith (59) paid tribute to the 'diligence, flair and exceptional dedication' shown by dinner convenor Craig Cooper ('74), who with the '98 dinner has now passed his convenor's baton to Peter Wade ('75). Rob mentioned the sporting successes of the Old Scotch Blues cricket team - who won the flag in a nail-biting finish - and the first crew's Head of the River triumph. He also recorded with regret the passing of John Blanch (sen), Harvey Nicholson and John Richards, and congratulated Keith Wilson on his forthcoming elevation to OSCA Life Membership.

In his response to President Rob's toast to Scotch College, School Principal Dr Gordon Donaldson paid tribute to the power of OSCA to retain Old Boys' interest in their former school. 'In the face of our continuing challenges, we really appreciate the support of OSCA and Old Boys individually,' Dr Donaldson said. He mentioned, as a prime example, the work of Old Boy and Scotch College Council chairman, Michael Robinson (55), on freeway noise barriers.

Dr Donaldson said the school continued to strive to develop every boy to his full potential, and gave examples at two ends of the VCE spectrum. Five Scotch boys (out of only 22 in the state) achieved a perfect VCE score, and Daniel Mathews topped the state. Meanwhile, the Principal said, he had received a phone call from a father whose son had scored 30 in the VCE, but who had secured a sought-after place as a trainee electrical mechanic.

Without Scotch's tutelage, the father said, his son would never have had the confidence, educational background or ability to achieve the traineeship.

Toasting the guests, Andrew Fairley (67) mentioned the influence of Junior School teachers such as Cliff Pledge, who admonished him to 'do better'; and George Logie-Smith, who in the lead-up to each Foundation Day concert, somehow moulded hundreds of often distracted Scotch boys into a united, committed chorus. Andrew said he hoped he had taken that kind of dedication and grasping for excellence on board in his life since those distant Scotch schooldays.

Guest speaker, Nick Greiner, who admitted to not having savoured haggis before, and to having attended St Ignatius' in Sydney - the Xavier equivalent - spoke with feeling about the challenges facing Australia and Scotch College as the millennium approaches. Mr Greiner said the quality of the debate about such key topics as the republic, the flag, Australia's increasing polarisation into wealthy and poor, and the ageing and Asianisation of Australia, was all-important. 'The way we decide our responses to these issues will determine what sort of society we will have - and the society we will pass on to the Scotch boys of the future,' he said. 'The challenge to us - to the Scotch family and to the Australian family - is how we cope with the dramatic changes the future holds for us. It's a great school and a great nation. We must continue to develop the ability to be simultaneously compassionate, competitive and competent.'

All too quickly it was time for Auld Lang Syne, cheese and biscuits, conversation, coffee and chocolates - and then off into the night past the silent National Tennis Centre. Prime contributors to another successful dinner were the OSCA organisation, led by President Rob Logie-Smith, Executive Director Leigh McGregor ('56) and Administrative Assistant, Lynley Nimmo; together with dinner convenors Peter Wade and Craig Cooper, speaker liaison Campbell McComas, MC Stewart Faichney and pianist Laurie MacLennan.

by David Ashton