BOARDING
OPTIMISM AS WE WORK TOWARDS A RETURN TO THE HILL
Longing for the joyous sounds of the boys living on campus
Adapting to change is a common experience for boarding students , and recent times have seen boys required to adapt to a new , more uncertain environment than ever before . To have done so while maintaining equilibrium has been an impressive achievement for the Hill community , and the support of families has been paramount .
People often say that in challenging times the best human characteristics come to the fore . It is not surprising , to me , that the boys and families of the Hill have rallied to support each other when faced with these shared precarious circumstances .
The Hill community is , by all accounts , an unusual construct . Families are thrown together from very diverse backgrounds , bound by the common purpose of seeking the best educational opportunities for their sons . Consequently , there is the potential for schisms to emerge , and fault lines to crack the metaphorical tectonic plates that hold the Hill together .
The current pandemic is one potential shattering phenomenon that is challenging the very concept of living harmoniously in a residential community . Currently , our boarders are spread far and wide , isolated and dispersed ; many unable to return , not just to the Hill , but even to Australia .
Questions remain over the capacity of residential communities to return to anything like pre-COVID-19 arrangements . Physical distancing , single rooms , restrictions on leave , separate meal times , limited social activities , reduced staff interactions – all these challenge the essence of Hill life .
Unsurprisingly , boys , families and staff remain committed to keeping the Hill alive . Recent events have instilled an even greater understanding of the purpose of boarding at Scotch ; to provide a Scotch education to boys who otherwise would not have access to the School .
Boys unable to return overseas have been welcomed into local Hill families , new ( and initially strange ) routines have been established , catering has adapted , activities modified , and traditional boundaries broken . Boys unable to return have remained connected through online means , and families continue to share and support each other , be it with information on how to access border permits or sharing tips on managing boys in isolation .
As I sit in my study in Isabella Lawson Lodge , with Melbourne ’ s winter sun starting to warm the path outside my door , the Hill is , despite the beauty of its grounds , lonely and desolate . The dining hall bell is silenced , the chatter of boys as they walk down to classes is gone , and the shouts of excitement celebrating a winning strike from the volleyball nets on the lawn are no longer heard .
Yet , optimism abounds as staff and families work towards a return . For the Hill remains the heart and soul of the School , where a strikingly diverse community has lived harmoniously together since Scotch commenced at Hawthorn . Soon we will , I am certain , welcome boys from near and far , and the joyous sound of boys living on campus will once again ring out across the Houses .
TIM BYRNES – DEAN OF BOARDING
38 Great Scot Issue 160 – September 2020