VIRTUALLY EMG
‘ IF YOU CAN ’ T COME TO US , WE ’ LL COME
TO YOU !’
ABOVE : OSCA EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR SCOTT
MONTGOMERY (’ 85 ) ZOOMS EMG CHAIRMAN KEN JASPER AM (’ 55 )
As we ’ ve come to expect of 2020 , it was another ‘ first ’ for a Scotch event : an EMG gathering on Wednesday 9 September with – goodness – no Scotch piper out the front , no smiling Rebecca Mortimer or Sandra Dick welcoming folk from a damask-draped table dotted with name tags , no clink of glasses or click of the camera shutter , and no buzz of old friends greeting , chatting and laughing in fond fellowship .
There were some familiar touches , nevertheless , including a very loyal band of regular ‘ attendees ’; in this instance , 71 computer-savvy EMG members joining proceedings for the very first time online .
Foundation Executive Director , Tim Shearer (’ 85 ) welcomed all to this inaugural virtual ‘ luncheon ’, and introduced our own living treasure and oldest Old Boy , the Rev Bill Morgan (’ 35 ), now aged 105 , to say grace . Tim reminded everyone that this is actually Bill ’ s second pandemic ; as a very young lad he lived through the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918-20 . Bill gave thanks for the ‘ memories and love we have for Scotch that bind us ’, and the opportunity to ‘ renew friendships and remember those not with us to relive the good old days ’.
OSCA Executive Director , Scott Montgomery (’ 85 ) smoothly transitioned into a now-familiar ‘ visual ’ host mode to interview guest of honour , EMG ’ s Chairman Ken Jasper AM (’ 55 ). At his customary , eloquent best , Ken took us through some key aspects of his fascinating life from that of a boarder in McMeckan House at Scotch ( 15 in each dormitory ), the ’ 53 floods , his involvement in rowing and a loss to Geelong College in the Head of the River , ‘ winning a few academic prizes along the way ’, and receiving first class honours in Social Studies , which Ken believes sowed the seeds of his interest in politics . Rather than attend the University of Melbourne , Ken returned to Rutherglen to apprentice in the family ’ s mechanical engineering business .
Ken was initially encouraged to join the Country Party in the late ' 60s by MLA for Murray Valley , George Moss . He won pre-selection for the National Party , winning the 1976 election , and thereafter had an absolute majority , proudly achieving positive outcomes for his constituents in that region , until he retired in 2010 .
Given the closeness of country Victoria to his heart , it would be fair to say Ken had something to say on the border closures facing regional Victoria at the time , especially as he does most of his business in Corowa ! He was missing Melbourne , which he visits regularly , and his family is here . Scott thanked and toasted Ken ’ s health more-than-somewhat-fittingly with a bottle of smooth ,
full-bodied , layered and fruity Campbells Bobbie Burns Shiraz ; indeed , highly appropriate as Ken ’ s mother was a Rutherglen Campbell herself !
School Captain Will Dixon was then asked to update the group on how the boys were faring . While conceding it has been a disruptive year , Will commended the School for its ‘ fantastic ’ handling of the pandemic , outlining a few of the things that had still managed to occur : the Indigenous flag-raising ceremony at the beginning of the year in tribute to the School scholarship program ; the 100 year commemoration of the laying of the Memorial Hall foundation stone ; Principal Tom Batty ’ s online ‘ Open Office ’, and even online workouts for the boys .
He lamented the absence of extracurricular activity , but shared with us how excited the Year 12 boys were to be the very first to use the brand new facilities : the new Keon- Cohen Dining Hall , the Lithgow Centre English Department and the Scotch Shop , all of which ‘ they loved ’!
Tim Shearer concluded by donning his Foundation Executive Director cap , saying that in a year like no other in terms of the impact on the School , everyone has risen to the challenge and done the very best they can .
Tim expanded on the three developments alluded to by Will , beginning with the one that doesn ’ t have an academic focus but the impact of which will be huge , and ‘ has only taken us 60 to 70 years to get to ’ – the Keon- Cohen Dining Hall . He went on to explain the importance of the English Department ’ s relocation near to the Fraser Smith Theatre , and the transformational impact the new Tolson Centre will have for OSCA and Old Boys .
Tim encouraged EMG members to consider volunteering in the new Archives Museum , which , unlike the vagaries of its notorious predecessor , will be ‘ warm in winter and cool in summer ’. The Scotch Shop was touted as a fitting home for the totally redesigned uniform range – ‘ the colours had gone out of whack ’ – the proceeds of which will go to support the Indigenous Scholarship Fund .
In closing , Tim thanked all participants , most particularly Ken , for his leadership and willingness to put his hand up to chair the EMG Chapter , and the two School Captains , Bill and Will – the latter of whom Tim claims will be running the Scotch Foundation one day ! He remarked that it all couldn ’ t have happened ‘ without the Scotch Family : it ’ s the way it ’ s always been and will be .’ Thanks must go to Scott Montgomery , Caroline Taylor , Rebecca Mortimer , Sandra Dick and Tim Shearer for organising this momentous occasion , with plans afoot for a repeat performance .
PATTY WALLACE-SMITH
Great Scot 63