maritzburg college / 25-year reunion of the class of...
TRANSCRIPT
18 February 2013
Fellas
MARITZBURG COLLEGE / 25-YEAR REUNION OF THE CLASS OF 1988 As you all know, 2013 marks the 150th celebrations of our old school, as well as our own 25-year class reunion. It has now been almost five years since our very successful 20th reunion in 2008 (see photo below right), which was attended by about 95 of our number, and we are pleased to be able to tell you about the 25th version, which will surely be the biggest (and most memorable!) gathering of Old Collegians in our lifetimes.
Ain't she a beauty? Clark House in all her finery, eight months shy of her own 125th birthday
For a summary of what is to take place at the school during a year of extensive celebrations, keep reading through this document, but we do need to bring two upcoming events to your immediate attention:
On Friday 1 March, the entire school and staff, with Old Collegians, will be walking the 2 km through the streets of Maritzburg from the City Hall to the school, starting at 10h00, in a more-or-less replica of the marches that took place in 1888 (when the school occupied its 'new' premises overlooking the Duzi) and in 1963, for the centenary. If you are around, do join us in that march. Interestingly, the school will be invoking its Freedom of the City, which was granted to College in 1988 – and who can forget Jason Grinstead at the head of his merry men, as they paraded past the mayor in that glorious year, when we were all young, lithe and handsome?! (See photo on the previous page.)
Just as importantly, the 150 Celebratory Dinner is to take place at the school in the (fairly new) Alan Paton Memorial Hall on the following evening, which is the school's birthday itself (Saturday 2 March). About 800 people will be treated to a five-star evening, and we are told that there are only a few tables still available. The cost is R500 per person – which barely enables the organisers to break even, such is the extravagance on offer. If you are interested in putting together a table, perhaps of fellow 88-ers, urgently contact Mrs Liz Dewes at [email protected].
As the years have passed, so the lustre of our Sixth Form year has continued to grow. We will all no doubt remember proudly our Third Form year, 1985, when College seemed so invincible at almost everything – well, our year is not far behind. For example, did you know that 1988 remains the only year in the history of the school when the First XV won all of its matches (15, if we recall correctly, Mr Smith?) and the school produced the top matriculant in KZN – 6A's very own Chris Wallis (see article right). We have much to be proud of, to celebrate, and to remember – so let's all do our very best to attend the Reunion Weekend in late May, and make it one last hurrah! before the ravages of under-age drinking and too much teenage sex (ja, right!) break down our old bodies. So, to that end, what follows is some detail about the reunion weekend, littered with a few old scrapbook photos and mementoes – with the rugger ones come from the coach himself, Mr Dave 'Big D' Anderson. College 25 years on: a snapshot By the time it celebrates its 150th birthday on 2 March, the College that had started off in a carpenter’s shop in 1863 with 33 Foundation Scholars will have evolved into a large, complicated, thoroughly modern high school that today caters for 1 170 boys, 370 of whom are boarders. Of that total amount, 53% are (to use the old Apartheid categorisations) White boys, 27% are Blacks, 15% are Indians and 5% are Coloureds. The staff complement has also
expanded a bit, and by the end of 2012 it totalled just under 150, made up of 78 academic staff (of whom 35 are ladies and 43 are men – with nine Old Collegians in their ranks), 34 administrative staff and 33 estate staff. Sport in the form of rugby and cricket had been introduced at the old High School in 1870, but by the end of 2012 the extra-curricular activities at the school amounted to 17 cultural/social clubs and societies, and 15 official sports – not to mention a wide range of non-official sports too.
Down memory lane
The next generation
The Class of 1988 has shown itself to be made up of a loyal bunch of Old Boys. Not only is our year already the leading supporter of the College Foundation (see below), but an ever-growing number of manne from our year have already sent on the next generation of boys to College. Not surprisingly, that veteran, Pete Smith (photo right), got off to an early start: his eldest finished last year (having turned out at – surprise, surprise – lock for the 2nd XV), and his younger boy is currently in Fifth Form, and is also a no. 5 of some repute; Graham Ralph's son, Michael, is in Sixth Form in College House, and is hoping to join the British Army in 2014; we also have Fifth Former Hilton Brown (son of Shaun), Cody and Ross Williamson (sons of Selby), Tristan Drummond (son of Terry), Dane Blunt (son of Gavin), James Walton (son of the Hillcrest Godfather), new-comer Nicholas Ford (son of John), and freshly-minted Second Former, Simon Huinink (son of Wayne). Interestingly, Simon is joined in Nathan House by the son of our Form 2 head prefect, Charles Taylor (remember him?!).
Class Convenors The class convenors for 2013 are as follows: Class Rep Cellphone no. Email address 6A Matthew MARWICK 084 504 6069 [email protected]
6B Gary BANFIELD 082 906 4025 [email protected]
6G Garth WALTON 083 301 4904 [email protected]
6H Peter LOWE 083 690 3011 [email protected]
6L Wayne HUININK 083 305 2271 [email protected]
6M Tony BATH 082 389 5070 [email protected]
6V Anthony LEES 083 231 1692 [email protected]
6Z Gavin BLUNT 083 414 8680 [email protected]
Please do touch base with your designated guy as soon as possible and, firstly, let him have your contact details, and, secondly, let him know whether you will be attending our get-together.
Facebook and our 1988 website Also check our Facebook page ('Maritzburg College Class of 1988' has 102 members and up-to-date banter) and, importantly, be sure to check your details on our own 1988 website (www.classof88.co.za). The 2013 Events The schedule of the upcoming events for 2013 is as follows:
Date Details
28 Feb (Thur) opening of the new College Museum, in the Old Gym (the school was given almost R700 000 from the Lotto for this purpose)
1 March (Fri) 20-page spread in The Witness, march through Maritzburg by schoolboys, staff and OCs, taking of 150th photo, unveiling of the statue Jimeloyo! on the Forder Oval
2 March (Sat) spread in The Mercury, 150th birthday itself: Celebratory Dinner
29 March – 3 April Maritzburg College 150th Rugby Festival (First XVs, including Affies, Grey High, Monnas, Dale, Queens, Rondebosch and College)
29 March – 1 April Nomads Hockey Festival (First XIs, including KES, Millfield (UK), Selborne, Jeppe, Grey High, St Johns and College)
23 May (Thurs) Reunion Weekend starts: social ice-breaker at the Goldstones Club
24 May (Fri) special assembly, Class of 1988 bowls, combined Reunion Dinner in the Alan Paton Memorial Hall
25 May (Sat) Reunion Day: includes chapel service, wreath-laying, luncheon in the Victoria Hall, rugby vs Glenwood and after-match drinks at the Goldstones Club
2 June Comrades Marathon – water point to be manned by College boys 1km from the finish
6 Aug Clark House 125th birthday dinner
12-14 Aug College tribute production
16-18 Aug music concerts on Goldstone's
21-24 Sept Michaelmas Cricket Week
18 Oct Speech Day and gathering of past duxes
Reunion Summary The Reunion Weekend will kick-start on the Thursday night with a casual get-together at the Goldstones Club, starting at 17h00. Hamburgers, cheese-zarms etc. will be on sale to hungry revellers.
On Friday morning, it will be voluntary for us to attend a special assembly at the school starting at 10h40 (TBC), after which OCs will be welcome to join the many tour parties that will be guided around the school grounds (showing off especially the many new facilities1) by schoolboys, after which we, as a Class, will gather for some social bowls, lunch and no doubt a few soothing beverages down at the bowling club, off Princess Margaret Drive opposite Goldstone's. Some of you may remember the bowling club from your schooldays – it was back then a rather tired-looking place inhabited mainly by gnarled-fingered ex-SA Railways men, but is these days a lot more stylish! But we will have to show some rare restraint – the main event of the weekend, the big Reunion Dinner, will kick off at 18h00 that night in the Alan Paton Hall, and we will still have to have some gas in the tank for that affair! On Reunion Day itself, attendance at the morning chapel service and wreath-laying ceremony is optional, as is attendance at the traditional luncheon in the Victoria Hall, starting just after midday. As a matter of interest, Prof Nelida Lamond, who is the octogenarian daughter of the legendary old College master, Mr SE 'K@ffir' Lamond2, will be unveiling a plaque in his memory at that gathering. As mentioned above, the rugger in the afternoon will be against Glenwood, who have in the last few years proved to be a tough nut to crack. We have secured the upper viewing deck of the Goldstone's Club as our gathering place from 14h00 onwards, and in so doing will have about the best seats in the house.
Where to stay in Maritzburg If you are coming from afar and need a place to stay, check out the new hotels and large number of B&Bs around town on the Internet. Costs The all-in costs for the weekend, for the bowls on Friday and the actual Reunion Dinner – is R500. (The cost of the dinner alone is R375.) That does not include the Saturday luncheon, which, in our experience, generally has a poor turn-out (something to do with a late Friday night), and you are welcome to contact Linda at the MCOBA directly at [email protected] to make your own booking. Payments are to be made directly into our own 1988 account, which is administered by that paragon of virtue, Gary Banfield, of Colenbrander Inc Chartered Accountants. We will then arrange for a group payment to the MCOBA. The account details are as follows:
1 R4 million was spent by the school on facilities in 2012 alone.
2 Head Prefect in 1909, staff 1911-1950
Bank: Nedbank Corporate Saver Branch code: 720026 Account no: 9017355084 Type: Savings Reference: [initial + surname] '88 College Foundation As mentioned in our earlier email of late last year, we have as an organising committee decided that we are not going to specifically raise funds as a class for College like we did in 2008 (just under R55k was donated to the school by us). What we do urge you to do is to sign up with the Maritzburg College Foundation, which is the fundraising arm of the school. They are drumming up funds for the school, and to date our Class of 1988 has shown itself to be the most committed of any year at College, with 10 donors thus far – Messrs Blunt, Dixon, Drummond (see photo right, from the 2013 Dusi), Gace, Marwick, Ralfe, Ralph, P Smith, Sole and Walton. The contributions from our Class range from R10 000 (a mere R166 per month [that’s barely $15, man!]) to R40 000 – but we are sure that some of you heavy-hitters out there will comfortably match those numbers. The Foundation website can be viewed at www.collegefoundation.co.za – let’s all embrace it and keep our Class at the forefront of initiatives at College. So, as we end off, we urge you to start setting aside a shekel or three, so that air flights can be booked, limousines can be hired, champagne can be ordered, and dancing girls from the Bora-Bora can be notified – we, your organising committee, are sure that the weekend will provide memories to treasure forever. See you at College from 23 May onwards – and let's hope the bashers fly high!
1988 Reunion Committee