OLD BOYS' 2007
Archives of Old Boys' news from 2005 and 2004 are available here and 2006 here
OLD BOYS - AN IMPORTANT THOUGHT AT THIS TIME
We have witnessed the amazing results in the College's Matric results for many years now, in the cricket, basketball, and in the rugby this season.
All this really started five years ago when our boys were 13-year-olds in Grade 8. They have been nurtured into talented young men who have brought great credit to themselves and St Charles College.
St Charles College is aware of five deserving boys currently in Grade 7 at other prep schools. These boys have outstanding academic and sporting records - and great potential. St Charles is looking to the Old Boys' community to sponsor these youngsters through scholarships. If we don't get these boys, large schools in and around Pietermaritzburg will. Quite apart from the good that educating them at St Charles will benefit the College, it will do the boys themselves and their communities an enormous service, and will ultimately be for the good of South Africa.
We know that there are Old Boys out there who do not have sons and daughters, and who would love to have a boy of theirs at the College. How about a SCHOLARSHIP IN YOUR NAME for a particular boy and particular purpose?
Direct discussions with the Headmaster in this regard would be appropriate, and he is available on +27 (0)33 386 8235.
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SCC Supporters' gear - show your heart - available from the Blazer Cupboard and the Old Boys' Association
Cap R65.00, Shirt R160.00, Fleecy jacket R280.00
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19:00 - SATURDAY 3 NOVEMBER - INTERESTING PHOTOS . . . . . . POSTED ON FACEBOOK
TWO photos have popped up on the St Charles College Old Boys Group page of FaceBook. The upper one of the St Charles College basketball seniors: Back: Wayne Lawrie, Gaylord Hoffman, David Haslett, Guy de Charmoy and Mark Head; Front: Douglas Dalton, Mark de Backer and Camillo Torino. Date: about 1978, perhaps 1977. David Haslett was Head Boy in 1978. Anyone know what has happened to him, and where he is now? Mark Head? What? Where? It also appears that Wayne Lawrie's son, Andrew, is at St Charles College at the moment in Grade 8.
The lower one, basketballers about U15: Back: Cyril de Charmoy, Gaylord Hofman, Salvatore Puglia, Guy de Charmoy; Front: Steven Searle, Bruce Rohrs and Camillo Torino. Date about 1976, 1977.
THOSE WERE THE DAYS |
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10:00 - FRIDAY 2 NOVEMBER - LOOK WHO POPPED IN . . . . . . TO VISIT THE SCHOOL THIS MORNING
DUNCAN Finch (2005). Hasn't changed. Claims to be behaving himself. Apparently on a yacht somewhere. Stewardesses on board. Going to Spain. Perhaps.
EISCH! DUNCAN! |
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17:00 - TUESDAY 23 OCTOBER - MATTHEW BEETAR . . . . . . WINS A MANDELA RHODES SCHOLARSHIP
WELL done to Matthew Beetar (2004) on his win in this prestigious scholarship. According to the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship web site ( http://www.mandelarhodes.org ), "The overarching mission of The Mandela Rhodes Foundation is to build exceptional leadership capacity in Africa, by providing excellent educational and training opportunities to individual Africans with leadership potential; as well as by creating over time a network of well-rounded leaders of talent, effectiveness and integrity across African society. The Mandela Rhodes Scholarships are intended as a vehicle for the sustainable and practical expression of the aim to provide exceptional educational opportunities, develop a network of leaders, and thereby help to build leadership capacity in Africa.... The goal of the Mandela Rhodes Scholarships Programme is to offer educational opportunities to all African citizens with scholastic, intellectual and leadership potential to study at suitable tertiary institutions in South Africa. This African scholarship, combined with the foundation's leadership skill training for scholars, aims to create a network of principled future leaders, with the capacity and will to advance themselves and their countries. The Scholarship Programme intends to give expression to the legacy of academic excellence, leadership skill, education, reconciliation and entrepreneurship.... In 2003 the Foundation came into being as a full and equal partnership, drawing together the legacy of leadership and reconciliation embodied by Nelson Mandela with Cecil John Rhodes' legacy of entrepreneurship and education, to help build exceptional leadership capacity in Africa through the Mandela Rhodes Programmes. These programmes are focussed on leadership training and leadership development to help build Africa through home-grown leaders."
WE'RE PROUD OF YOU MATTHEW |
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08:00 - SUNDAY 22 OCTOBER 2007 - OLD BOYS' GOLF DAY . . . . . . A GREAT OCCASION
EIGHTY five Old Boys, current staff and students, turned out at Sakabula Golf Course near Pietermaritzburg for a day of enjoyment, exercise and some golf. In spite of the tired looks on some faces after a night of revelling after the South African win in the Rugby World Cup, there was some superb golf. Sponsors, in the shape of Blue Chip foods, Capitol Caterers, Frankie Bananas and St Charles College saw to it that the players were well catered for on their round of the course. Prize winners: lst - Steve Paxton and Bryan Rees (Grade 11) Well done, gentlemen.
Photos on the left: 1. Before the shotgun start at 8am 2. At the Number 1 tee box - sponsored by St Charles College 3. Resting in the golf cart are the oldest Old Boy present, Mr Malcolm Gunthorpe (1946), a Jack Russell who adopted the cart for the ride up the long, long, long Sakabula hill, and Head of Marketing at the School, Mr Dean Riley 4. A corner of the clubhouse patio which was used for lunch which was included in the day's activities. 5. Below: Steve Paxton and Bryan Rees on the 9th fairway
More photos (50) are availaible as a download here (HTML)
THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT EVERYONE |
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08:00 - WEDNESDAY 8 AUGUST - LOOK WHAT WE FOUND . . . . . . IN THE WOODS TODAY
PERSONNEL assistant, Ms France Grose (most people will remember her from the Blazer Cupboard) sent us the following, "My daughter, Sherri-Louise, married Andrew Catlett who matriculated in 2002. "His best man was Barry Catlett (2004) (lower photo - centre) and two of his groomsmen were also old SCC boys - Dustin Grose (2005) (extreme right) and Richard Milbank (2002)(extreme left). Richard came out from London for the wedding." This reminds the Webmaster that life at St Charles is somewhat less lively without the Catletts who were, unquestionably, the life and soul of the party. I bet it was a noisy wedding.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL |
08:00 - FRIDAY 15 JUNE - INTERNATIONAL RUGBY TORUNAMENT . . . . . . IN BOTSWANA
Shaun Allbon writes, "Botswana is hosting a international rugby tournament in July. There are seven Old Boys playing in the tournament and one coaching. There might be more but I am not sure of that! These are: Shaun Allbon (Botswana) The tournament runs from 15 to the 23 July. We have all played for these countries before but it is the first time we will all be at the same tournament. It will be great to see old friends and catch up as well as playing against previous team mates!!"
THANK FOR THE NEWS, SHAUN |
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16:00 - SATURDAY 9 JUNE - OLD BOYS' DAY . . . . . . AT ST CHARLES COLLEGE
RUGBY and hockey were the games of choice today as some hundreds of Old Boys, visitors and current St Charles people visited the School for a magnificent outing on this sunny mid-winter's day in Pietermaritzburg. More is written about it on the Sports News page of this website. After the St Charles College First XV rugby game against Kearnsey College's First XV (which went to the wire at 23 all), the Old Boys gathered across the road at the Coach House for a time to party. With the bar and lounge area of the Coach House packed to the rafters with people watching the rugby on the television, the remainder gathered on the lawns in the late-afternoon sun (photo 1). Highlight of the afternoon was the auction of the First XV rugby jersey autographed by the members of the team, the bidding rapidly climbed to R4000 when the jersey was knocked down to the Neil and Ian Riley, and Malcolm Ryan combination. (photo 2) This amount was up on the last jersey to be auctioned, in 2005, when it went to the Webmaster for R1700. Peter Mortimer, Malcolm Ryan Neil and Ian Riley and Craig McCord show off the rugby jersey. IT WAS AN AWESOME WEEKEND - SEE YOU NEXT YEAR |
Old Boys' Chairman, Peter Mortimer, Headmaster, Mr Ronnie Kuhn, and guest speaker at the annual reunion dinner, and Sharks' coach, Dick Muir |
19:00 - FRIDAY 8 JUNE - WILL SHALL ALL DIE . . . . . . AND THE COACH WILL BE FIRED
HE hails from Matat. He went Queen's in King Williamstown. He then went to Cedara Agricultural College. He's articulate. He's passionate. In 1997 he played for the Springboks vs Italy and in all too few other matches. Sharing with Ian MacIntosh, a former Sharks coach and speaker at an Old Boys' reunion dinner, his broad view on life is that there are two truths: we shall all die, and the rugby coach will be fired, though not necessarily in that order. With a full-frontal approach such as this to the fundamentals of his existence, coupled with his humour, Sharks' coach, Dick Muir, was a perfect choice to address the Old Boys at their upbeat, annual reunion dinner last night. With the recent, narrow defeat of the Sharks at the hands of the Bulls, he likened the experience to landing a very large fish after a 90-minute struggle only to have a combination of a last-ditch flap of its tail coupled with a violent heave of the boat, and the fish get away - the disappointment was just like that for Muir. Interspersed with his humour, he ascribed the success, and turn-around in the past recent seasons of the Sharks, to having had the right personnel in place coupled with a willingness to play differently and cleverly, over-arched with a total belief in oneself. To this end he introduced wrestling to the team members to improve their strength, agility and confrontation of scenarios from a completely different perspective. Commenting on Headmaster Kuhn's earlier plea to the Old Boys (and all visitors to the School) to stay away from the touch-line with alcohol in their hands while shouting abuse at the referee, Dick Muir said, whilst admitting that refereeing is a very difficult job: "If the ref is wrong, tell him he's bloody wrong." Whilst this moment was about the most controversial Muir would be at this generous occasion, fielding questions from the Old Boys, he was asked why he had rested John Smit close to the end of the Sharks / Bulls game. His perhaps surprising reply was that he treated a final no differently from any other match, and that in any other match Smit would have been rested at that stage - if for no other reason (with a laugh) than that Smit's "radiator was in the red." Muir is obviously very close to his team which he described as being like one's children "which takes quite some doing". He announced that he was very pleased with what was happening at the schools and the Academy, and turned this combination into a plea for us all to stand together and fight crime. Fielding other questions, he said that the referee-allocation method for the Super 14 matches was determined by the rules, and that we have to play by the rules. He also touched on the thorny issue of losing players to the lure of the euro; he said that Percy Montgomery is definitely going to Europe, John Smit is a distinct possibility, and Butch James is about 80% certain to go but, because of his propensity to injury provoked by under-foot playing conditions, he felt it was unlikely James would be going to the soggy and slippery playing fields of the British Isles. In defence of the integrity of his side, he told the Old Boys that big business in KwaZulu-Natal was moving heaven and earth to keep the players here, and to attract other good ones. Dick Muir's talk was a candid, practical, honest and sincere chat from a man who is all too aware of his temporary custodianship of the Sharks as coach, and he's living the dream of excellence, which he's helped create . . . while it lasts. In thanks for his generosity in speaking to the Old Boys pro bono, he was given an Old Boys' tie, a copy of the St Charles College book, "Together, standing tall" and a framed view of St Charles from the oval. |
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19:00 - FRIDAY 8 JUNE - SPARKLING OCCASION . . . . . . AND COACH HOUSE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT LAUNCHED
BY far the largest formal gathering of Old Boys in recent times, 240 Old Boys of St Charles College turned up to their alma mater's Indoor Sports Centre to celebrate another year, and a time to reflect on the past and to look forward to the future. Launching the Coach House Development Project, (photo 1) Chairman, Peter Mortimer, announced that funds in excess of R240 000 had been allocated from the Old Boys' Association funds, the Old Boys' member, Alan Wright, had conceptualised and designed the Development as well as providing the quantities' information (work to the value of an excess of R200 000), and Colin Dodd of Dodd's Printers had prepared and printed the brochures. An anonymous donation of R1 million was the Old Boys provided the project got off the ground. The Coach House Development Project - all the details - download here: Page 1 (260 KB) - - - Page 2 (468 KB) - - - Page 3 (428 KB) - - - Page 4 (400 KB) With the classes of 1957, 1962, 1967, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997 and 2007 represented by groups of varying size, it was gratifying to see some Old Boys from long ago - 1943 had Basil Moore (photo 2 ) who was acknowledged with a beermug and Old Boys' tie. Alan Fourie (photo 3) received the prestigious Old Boys' award for his service to the Old Boys and to the College - a worthy addition to the line of recipients headed by Adrian King and Ron Friedericksen. Teachers from the past were there too - most loved and respected was Brother Dennis Commins (photo 4) who, since his days of doing battle with the boys of 1962 (who matriculated in 1967 [photo 5 ] with scholar qualifications in pyrotechnics, brewing, snake-keeping, rocket science and boxing promotion, to name but a few) has left the brotherhood, now married and is a wiser and more perceptive observer of the ways of lively young men thanks to St Charles College and the Rorkes and mates. There was some great rivaly between Adrian King (1957) and Peter Rorke (1967 [photo 5] ) for the largest numbers of Old Boys from their respective classes. Dinner and the venue set-up was organised by Mesdames Sue Rabie and Gill Sheppard with food and drink aplenty. Guest speaker, Dick Muir, was very entertaining and interesting. See story above. The Master of Ceremonies, Roger Sheppard (photo 6 - looking at the glass in disgust that only R8000 was offered on it and blithely reminded the gathering that it was 'blown in Poland' - which, of course, made all the difference) raised the bar on the value of the Old Boys' crystal goblet from last year's amazing R5000 to a new high this time round of R10000. Bidding in memory of late Old Boy, Ralph Westerhof, Graham O'Connor and his table took away the goblet (photo 7). Playing off a 5 handicap when he was at St Charles College in 1973 at the age if 13, Milton Klaasen (photo 8 - with Chairman, Peter Mortimer) was a not-surprising winner, with his brother Michael, of the Old Boys' Closed Golf Challenge held earlier in the day at Maritzburg Golf Club. Some say the event lingered into the 3 and 4 o'clock hours. Others say it was even later. Certainly when this webmaster crept out of there at midnight it was still HUMMING. Thanks St Charles College Old Boys - you've helped make this school what it is.
Other photos of the Dinner can be downloaded - click here. These are low-resolution photos ideal for viewing on your monitor. Large, print-quality, high-resolution electronic versions of the year groups are separately available below. In the case of the large photos, download the file and print it on you desktop printer or take the electronic file to your favourite photo shop for them to print. And if all else fails, ask you photo shop to download the image for you and print it. These are the big versions of five of the small photos above. The files sizes are big - 3 MB each: Class of 1957 and some friends
ONCE BITTEN, YOU WILL ALWAYS LEAVE YOUR HEART AT ST CHARLES |
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13:00 - FRIDAY 8 JUNE - INDOOR SPORTS CENTRE . . . . . . TRANSFORMED FOR 250 OLD BOYS
WITH the promise of 250 Old Boys at the formal reunior dinner this evening, plans and preparations are coming together for what promises to be a spectacular event. Ms Gill Sheppard (back to the camera) and Ms Sue Rabie have been responsible for the preparations. It's a knock-out. SEE Y'ALL THIS EVENING at 6:30 for 7:00pm |
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13:10 - SATURDAY 26 MAY - OLD BOY SPRINGBOK . . . . . . ETIENNE FYNN VISITS HIS ALMA MATER
TUCKED in amongst the spectators at our annual dust-up against Voortrekker, was our Old Boy, Etienne Fynn, Springbok. You will all know who Etienne Fynn is, but what many may not know was that, while his high school years may have started at Kearsney, he spent his last year of schooling at St Charles College in 1990 playing magnificently as prop for the St Charles College First XV and securing a place in the SA Schools' XV that year. It's great to see him back at St Charles from time to time - and today was no exception. There was also a substantial contingent of Old Boys at Harwin Road today to support their alma mater. Hope you enjoyed it, guys. |
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06:30 - THURSDAY 17 MAY - WHAT'S COMING UP. . . . . . FOR THE OLD BOYS
OLD BOYS WEEKEND - 8th and 9th JUNE 2007 FRIDAY 8th JUNE 2007 SCC OLD BOYS CLOSED GOLF CHAMPS SPECIAL DECADE REUNIONS BEING CELEBRATED - All decade years will have reserved tables.
RUGBY - FIRST XV vs KEARSNEY FIRST XV – kick-off 14.30 COACH HOUSE - 14:30 till late - Cash bar, draught beer and food for sale. Rugby on big screen,
CLASS OF 1987 REUNION IN THE UK OLD BOYS' NEWS |
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17:55 - WEDNESDAY 9 MAY - WHO'S WHO . . . . . . ON THE LADDER OF CONTROL
THE Old Boys' Association committee: Chairman: Peter Mortimer Old Boys' Development Officer - Ms Gill Sheppard Telephone / facsimile : +27 (0)33 386 3033 eMail: info@sccoldboys.co.za |
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16:20 - MONDAY 30 APRIL - FREEZING NEWS FROM ... . . . RICHARD MILLBANK
"THESE are some pictures from our Christmas holiday to Poland December 2006. One from in front of an antique weapons shop in Gdansk. The other photo is taken on the shores of the Baltic sea in Sopot. I had the unlucky experience of arriving a day before my girlfriend, because of flight delays over Christmas, only able to speak a few words of Polish and attempting to communicate with her grandmother who only speaks German and Polish. We were scheduled to be in Poland for 10 days and my girlfriend's flight was almost cancelled and her flight being delayed was the last flight before Christmas day. I thought I was going to be separated from my girlfriend in a country where hardly anyone speaks fluent English, over Christmas! I was elated when she eventually walked through the front door at 2 o'clock in the morning! We visited various parts of Poland, which still bares the scars of the Second World War and the Communist regime, which followed, but having learned all about Polish history and the Second World War in Mrs Cronholme's and Ms Menezes' History class I remembered my days at St Charles College watching the black and white videos of 'The World at War' during history lessons. I used to think that History was a pointless lesson but I can only say that it was one of the most valuble parts of my education when understanding the culture in a country you learned about at school. My girlfriend's grandmother was around at the time of the Nazi occupation and her brother was executed in one of many massacres which took place around that time, particularly in and around that area. Some of the buildings are still in ruins and bare bullet holes from the heavy fighting. It was all very interesting. Anyway, I just thought I would share that with you. We are going back to Poland for another break, during summer this time, to go and explore some more. Cheers, Richard" Really great to hear from you again Richard. Thanks. VISIT POLAND IN SUMMER - THAT'S THE TRICK
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14:20 - SATURDAY 28 APRIL - CHILLY WEATHER AT HILTON . . . BUT MANY OLD BOYS TURN UP
TEMPERATURES in Pietermaritzburg were in the low 30s yesterday. They plummeted this morning to 7 degrees C in Hilton and woolies and blankets were in short supply as people were taken surprise by the cold. In the photo alongside, Kieron Phillips, Kyle Allbon, George Bronkhorst, Wessel Booysen and mothers, right of picture, Estelle Booysen and Muriel Vermaak cuddled up to keep warm as they brought some life to a rugby match which had all the signs of being frozen over. See Current News page. NEXT WEEK IT'S PARKTOWN AT ST CHARLES
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Justin Visser (2002) and Greg Cook (1975) bumped into one another at the Beaver Creek ski resort, Colorado, USA. Small world. |
10:20 - WEDNESDAY 14 MARCH - HERE'S A FACINATING READ . . . . . . FROM JUSTIN VISSER AND GREG COOK
Justin Visser, Head Boy 2002 writes: "Just thought I would send an interesting story into you about what happened in the past December holidays. I decided to go to America on a student work programme to work on a ski resort. I ended up in the Rocky Mountains in the State of Colorado. I worked at the Park Hyatt Hotel and Spa at Beaver Creek ski resort. I was a ski valet at the hotel - a pretty boring job but it was pay, and it gave me a chance to get up on the mountain. Well the job entailed working with all the guests that stayed at the Hotel, so I bumped into some weird and wonderful people during my stay. However the funniest thing happened: one day a gentlemen, one of the very few who could identify my accent asked me where I was from in SA. So I told him from the Midlands, he seemed to be pretty familiar with the area and PMB as well. That was a surprise as it is, cause he said that he lives in Perth, Australia. Well by chance I asked him a few questions, one of which school he went to and I got the simple reply of "Oh it's a very small school in PMB and that he didn't think I would know it." Well it turned out to be Mr Greg Cook, a St Charles old boy (1975) . It was crazy to think that could ever happen. What are the odds of that ever happening? Next to nothing! But it doesn't end there: Greg Cook's Mom, Joan Cook, coached the St Charles Tennis team in the early 1970s and was a very active member of the PTA, blazer cupboard etc. Greg wrote "I left SA in 2002 and have been living in Perth with my wife and 3 kids for 5 years. I was in the USA visiting my parents Joan and Graham Cook who live in Virginia USA with my sister Janice Cook (ex St Johns 1977). After chatting over the counter we very quickly narrowed down our association to the OLD SCHOOL. Fantastic to meet Justin, good luck with the future I'm sure you will go out there and achieve all your dreams." It was truly great meeting Greg and his Family, it once again it showed me that its not the College it self that makes SCC great but the people of the College that make it great, and I truly hope it can stay that way in the future. Greg was really great meeting you and your family, great people from a great place, hope to see you in the future and maybe I will take you up on your offer and come and visit during my travels. All the best for the year ahead and the future to come" Justin Visser The other Justin, Justin Waldman (Webmaster) adds: I remember Joan and Greg well. I took over as tennis coach from Joan in 1974.
GLOBAL VILLAGE, ACTUALLY |
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Old Boys' Newsletters can be obtained from info@sccoldboys.co.za.
These events, and many more, will show you how you fit into the long history of this great South African school. What's a PDF? |
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