June 2001
I am sure you will be very pleased to know that excellent progress is being made with regard to the appointment of both a Headmaster for the latter part of 2002 and a Deputy Head for the start of next year. In case of the former, an advertisement will soon be placed in the Sunday Times and the Weekly Mail and Guardian and will be circularized through the Independent Schools Association here, as well as in the British HMC and Australian AHISA movements. We are extremely fortunate that Grahamstown is considered to be a very attractive place to work: this is continually borne out by the number of very high quality applications we receive for teaching positions at College. The reasons for this revolve chiefly around the small town nature of Grahamstown, the fact that spouses are able to secure interesting and challenging employment and the education that is available to the children of staff within walking distance. These factors are simply not pertinent to all schools and, even if there is a perception that the number of experienced Heads is on the decline, our Council is very confident that we will attract some top-quality candidates. Applications for the position will close on 31 July and an exhaustive interviewing process which allows for candidates applications to be treated in confidence will follow. The plan is to announce the successful candidate at Speech Day in early October.

I must inform parents that the Chairman of Council, Mr Peter Clogg, tendered his resignation at the Council Meeting held last Saturday. He was due to retire at the end of the year, having served College very loyally for a decade, but felt it wise that a new Chairman should preside over the selection of a new Headmaster. Selflessly and without fanfare, he has stepped aside for the sake of College, but we will pay tribute to him at Speech Day which he will look forward to attending. May I here thank him for his service to College: he became Chairman in a busy period of his life when he was Chairman of Group Five which he had co-founded in his mid-30's. He was later, in "semi-retirement", Chairman of the South African branch of another civil engineering company, Bovis International, which grew remarkably under his astute leadership. He remained very committed to College and, amongst other functions, paid for his own overseas trips that raised substantial funds for College abroad. The thanks of the Andrean community go to him for his decade of service, which was both honourable and honorary. Following his resignation, the Council unanimously elected Mr Bruce Steele-Gray as Chairman, and he has already thrown himself at the task with immense enthusiasm.

A small group on the Council interviewed a very fine short-list of seven applications for the position vacated by Mr Tom Hamilton. Within a few weeks, a final decision will be reached and all I can tell you at this juncture is that the applicants were particularly strong.

LEADERSHIP

Special congratulations to Mark Kritzinger (Upper), Sam Cornish (Graham), Philippe Pache (Mullins) and Viwe Soga (Mullins) on their promotion to Prefect. I also congratulate Aidan Scallan and Nielan Nathoo (Merriman) and Andrew Rawbone-Viljoen and Nadeem Malik (Armstrong) on their monitorship.

Our Grade 10 boys had the benefit of an excellent motivational day-long workshop some three weeks ago. Issues relating to the building of self-esteem, conflict resolution and reaching one's full potential were addressed. The special focus on our Grade 10 group was a result of our knowledge that, very often, they feel themselves to be in the middle of their school careers - neither at the beginning where they are new and eager, nor at the end when they are looking forward to new challenges. All of the reports I have received on the programme led by counsellors from outside the school have been favourable.

CEMA AWARDS

The Cultural Extra-Mural Committee made 10 Merit and 7 Colours awards which are as follows:

Merit Awards for Chamber Choir:
Christopher Lazley and Travis Masters

Merit Awards for Dramatics:
Peter Adolphs, Nicholas Sadleir, Paul Collett and James Sparg.

Merit Awards for Music:
Chris de Klerk, Giles Maynard and Patrick Mulumba.

Colours Awards for Music:
Jonathan Cronje, Allister Mowbray, Dean Flanagan, Sijadu Mzozoyana, Matthew Grant and Dawid Naude

Colours Award for Drama:
Mark Meyerowitz

Service Merit Award: This award has been made to Stephen Kenyon, for his all round cultural contribution, particularly in the field of Current Affairs. In 1997 and 1998 he was the junior winner of the Lardner-Burke Current Affairs Quiz, scoring the top result in the School, while in 1999 and 2000 he was the senior winner. He has also represented College, with Matthew Vass, in the local Rotary Inter-Schools Quiz, coming first in 2000 and second in 2001. In addition to this, he has taken part in two junior plays, and is a member of the Astronomers Society.

SPORT

Our programme has been extensive this term and, generally, our teams have enjoyed considerable success. On odd occasions such as last Saturday at Queens, we have found the going rather tough, but I remain very pleased by the commitment of the boys to their teams. Through team work one makes many friends, though I do, equally, believe that there are times when pupils also need to follow individual pursuits.

Hockey: Our Ist XI has improved dramatically since the St Andrew's College Festival held just before the start of the term. At that Festival, we lost to St John's (Harare) 0-1, and St Alban's 0-1, drew with a very powerful Michaelhouse 0-0, and beat Eaglesvale 2-0 and St George's (Harare) 2-1. Since then we have chalked up a succession of victories against Cambridge 3-0, Daniel Pienaar 2-0, Framesby 4-0, Pearson 4-1, Alexander Road 1-0 and have drawn with Queens 1-1. Robert Betts and Edward Hallam have been selected for Eastern Province Under 18A, while James Ball, Uyapo Mpuchane, Scott Snyman and Andrew Surtees have been selected for Eastern Province Under 18B.

The Under 16A team has had a good season and our Under 14 team, many of whom are learning the game for the first time, have had a fairly torrid time!

Rugby: The Ist XV distinguished themselves at the St Stithian's Festival over Easter by playing delightful running rugby. Victories against Florida, the school of South Africa's new coach, Harry Viljoen, (26-3) and over a tough Glenwood side (17-13) preceded a loss to the giant Outeniqua High 18-26. This term we have defeated Cambridge 53-10, Framesby 39-5, Graeme 17-15 and Muir 39-0, before losing to Daniel Pienaar 19-20 and Queens 0-19. Unfortunately we have had several injuries and some players have been suspended for disciplinary reasons, but we hope to have some of them back on the field soon. Our Under 15A side is a particularly talented side, and we look forward to watching the individuals there move up into the senior divisions next year.

Athletics: The award of Honours at College is very rare: it does not automatically follow national selection, but is dependent on a range of the factors relating to contribution to the sport. Kutlo Motseta has been one of our star athletes over the last few years, particularly in an event we see very seldom, namely the Triple Jump. He has been awarded his College Colours for four consecutive years and, representing Eastern Province Schools in the South African Schools Championships in Rustenburg last term, he was placed third in the Under 19 event. He was, subsequently, chosen to represent South African Schools against Southern African Schools in Harare over the holidays and came fourth. His best distance hitherto has been 14.27 metres. He is the first athlete since Russell Bennett in 1990 to be awarded Honours for Athletics. Well done to him!

Squash: Congratulations to Brett Scallan and Quinton Stone for their selection for the Eastern Province Under 16A Squash side and to Christopher Walton, Stephen Andrew and Frere Koller on being chosen for Eastern Province Under 16B. Logan Dunbar, Justin Beswick and James Leach have all gained provincial recognition at Eastern Province Under 14B level. This is very pleasing indeed.

Golf: Not everyone will remember the Inter-House golf competition fondly. One dogged player lost 16 balls in this game which should be so easy. Ken Ross and Grant Ross led the field, however, and Greg Armitage was the only player who achieved a 2 Club prize. Mullins won the competition with 74 points from Upper (66) and Merriman (60).

Shooting: Paul Collett, Theo Te Water Naude, David Gray and Rolf Schlub won gold medals in the Eastern Province Inter-Schools Bisley and Paul was selected, ultimately, as a reserve for the South African Schools' Team. He has also been selected for the Eastern Province Senior A side, while Theo has gained selection for the Senior B team and David for the Junior A team. In the most recently created shooting event, the Inter-Provincial Air Rifle Postal match, all 24 shooters representing Eastern Province were College boys and they beat Gauteng and Mpumlanga to become, in effect, the National Champions.

Tennis: In the Settlers Cup Tournament, the Ist Team beat Graeme 17-1, Kingswood 15-3 and Union High 14-2, and the team beat Kingswood in the Warwick Bailey Cup 48-27, but then lost to Graeme by 17 games. Matthew Ball and Chris Nel have been awarded Colours.

Cross-Country: Our athletes complete regularly in 10 kilometre and 21 kilometre events. Most people who run these distances will know that it is not easy, particularly for novices, and so I commend the likes of Dean Flanagan, Siqhamo Ntshongwana, Christopher Lazley, David Porter and Vuyo Mzozoyana on their sometimes unapplauded efforts.

Karting: Michael Gunton is the "new superstar of karting" according to professional driver, Terry Moss; Michael is the clear leader currently in the East Cape and Border Championships thus far. He races in the Formula 100 class (open to drivers of 16 and upwards), powered by a 100cc Yamaha engine. Well done Michael!

MISCELLANEOUS

Random Drug Testing: I am very happy to announce that urine samples were taken on Tuesday 5 June from 15 boys whose College numbers had been selected by a local attorney and that all tests were negative. I will not be announcing the results in the future, since in the event that some pupil tests positive, it would create immense speculation as to whom that might be, and this is not desirable. I have investigated the legality of College's position very carefully and our opinion is very definitely that it is in the best interests of our children (and thus "the child") that such random tests are conducted and that in the event of a positive test there is the opportunity for rehabilitation through counselling. Confidentiality would be maintained between parents, the pupil, doctor, counsellor and Headmaster (and his Deputy) and then, in the hope that such counselling had been beneficial, specific testing would occur over a twelve month period. If the tests are again positive, as stated in my Letter to Parents at the end of last term, the boy would be asked to leave the School. I am aware of the reported views of the Minister of Education with regard to this matter in state schools, but must reflect that there has been very strong support amongst parents and prospective parents for the fact that we do have a policy in place relating to random testing which aims to be supportive in the first instance, but which has a "zero tolerance" for those found in possession of or distributing drugs.

Social Responsibility Activities: I have, for a long time, believed that our pupils play too small a role in serving people beyond the bounds of our relatively privileged school. It is not always easy for the busiest amongst them, but there is a requirement that has been clearly communicated to all Grade 11 pupils that a minimum of 6 hours should be spent on helping an organization or community. The results of this, verified by the SPCA, Animal Welfare, an orphanage or the like, are recorded in a report which forms part of the English written portfolio and the Afrikaans oral mark, for those who take Afrikaans as a Second Language. The pupils have had half a year in which to complete these six hours of service and, whilst most of them have done so very effectively indeed, a very small handful of pupils are in danger of scoring nought for this section. They have been constantly cajoled to embark on this and, indeed, time is still available to them after half-term to do so. Mr Ken Lemmon-Warde is responsible for our Social Responsibility programme and this ties in with the President's Award, which carries very significant status with those who award scholarships or bursaries for university study and, indeed, with potential employers. The President's Award (like the Duke of Edinburgh Award) which drew the Prince Philip and Prince Edward to Grahamstown last year, revolves around service and, depending on the extent of the contribution by our boys may be attained at Bronze, Silver or Gold level. Currently over a hundred College boys are involved in a programme at one of those levels and I both express my thanks to Mr Lemmon-Warde for his enthusiasm for this area of social responsibility and praise the boys themselves for their involvement. It is not an involvement that is as prominent as that of those who are stars academically, on the sportsfield or in cultural activities, but it is vital to the future well-being of our country.

College is responsible through Father Mark Smith for helping street children and for collections for FAMSA to name but a few of our service engagements We do not often like to mention these areas lest as it implies that we are serving others to gain recognition for ourselves. But parents may, perhaps, like to know of the activities of their sons in such areas. With the generous backing of Standard Bank and through the hard work of Mr Des Alcock, our Head of Accounting, we are also networking into 27 Grahamstown township schools and reaching 1874 learners with a Financial Literacy Programme. The logistics of conducting such a programme are never easy and results are not quickly measurable, but we do believe that it is important that we play a critical role in upliftment whenever we can do so in a meaningful and, usually, unheralded fashion.

CONCLUSION

There is much to look forward to in the remainder of the term, and many parents will enjoy being with their children over half-term. Thirteen school days after this interlude, the matriculants will write their most important examinations and I do trust that they have already began to prepare themselves as well as they have been encouraged to.

My very best wishes to you.
Yours sincerely

ANTONY CLARK
HEADMASTER