Grammar News Summer 2016

Old Boys connected at reunions in San Francisco, New York, Melbourne and at peer coordinated milestone reunions in Brisbane.

• Melbourne reunion: attendees spanned 70 years, from 1945 graduate John Mills to Thomas Tod (graduated 2014).
• Class of 1966, 50 year reunion (Great Hall, 67 Old Boys). Guests included three 1966 Masters: Alan Jones, Trevor Bryce, and Barry Montague. Featured an audio-visual presentation of 1966 nostalgia, including interviews with Old Boys.
• San Francisco Bay area reunion: held jointly with alumni and staff from Newington College (Sydney) and Abbotsleigh (Sydney). Special guests included Chairman Doug Elix and Board Member Ian Diery of The Australian Independent Schools (AIS) USA Foundation.
• Class of 1956-1959, 60 year reunion lunch (The Lilley Centre, 65 Old Boys, some from interstate and rural Queensland). Guest speaker was historian, biographer, journalist and author Rob Macklin; researcher Cliff Dawson ran a 1956 trivia session.
• New York City reunion: Headmaster Anthony Micallef shared news of the School's future vision, master planning, and plans for the 2018 sesquicentenary.
• Class of 1976, 40 year reunion (The Great Hall, 66 guests, strong boarder turnout). Special guests included former Headmaster Brian Short and former teachers Alec Evans, Ron Moore, Frank Meeking and Brad Tacey. Evans declared the Class of 1976 the best of his time at the School, and named Lindsay Close (swimmer, rugby player and athlete) the best schoolboy athlete he had been associated with. Hosted by organiser Peter Blucher, with speeches from Dr Cameron Bell and Dr Don Markwell, Captain and Vice Captain of '76.
• Class of 1986, 30 year reunion (Darling & Co, Paddington, 40 Old Boys). Later joined the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Class of 1986, also celebrating their 30 year reunion.
• Class of 1996, 20 year reunion: a tour of the Spring Hill campus followed by a gathering of 70 Old Boys at Darling and Co.

The BGS Art Show 2016 exhibition, Impressions, the 47th edition of the event, was officially opened by BGS Old Boy Lachlan Henderson '82, Manager of Philip Bacon Galleries. The show featured the works of artist Colley Whisson, one of Australia's finest modern impressionists.

When BGS Old Boy James Morris '82 started boarding at the School in the late 1970s, his parents lived in America. More than 30 years later he lives in America while his eldest son Grant boards at BGS. James has two other children: Isabel, who graduated from Somerville House in 2016, and Cameron, who will start Year 8 at BGS midway through 2017, joining his brother in Harlin House.

Harvard educated, Dr Morris works as a general and thoracic surgeon in the largest US medical group, Kaiser Permanente, serving as the group's Chair of Surgery. He traced much of his development back to the collaborative and leadership skills learned at Harlin House.

"Boarding also taught me about friendship. Living for years with your mates develops incredibly strong bonds that remain stable over many decades," Dr Morris said. "My BGS friends are very special people in my life and I feel fortunate to have so many solid enduring relationships from Harlin House and the day school." He added: "Nil sine labore is actually a deeply profound mantra that can be applied to so many aspects of life."

Over the past year BGS Old Boys gifted to bursaries, including year-group bursaries (1943, 1966, 1979/80, 1982) and named gifts from Jamie Pherous '85, Simon Fenwick '86 and Jim Truesdale '43, along with the Heath-Huxley and Pullar families.

• 1966 year-group bursary (Archie Attwooll): Archie Attwooll, from a rural Queensland town of about 100 people, graduated after attending BGS on a bursary funded by 18 Old Boys from the Class of 1966. His father is BGS Old Boy Scott Attwooll '87. Class of 1966 funders named in the story include Ross Parry (Dr Parry) and Bob Hunter, who both spoke to the importance of philanthropy. Mr Hunter had himself attended BGS on a bursary.

The 2016 Betty Howell Awards were presented by Mrs Elizabeth (Betty) Howell at the annual volunteers' thank you function in October. Among the recipients was Mr Ian Whittle AM, recognised for his long standing contribution to the BGS Old Boys' Association.