EDITORIAL
CHRISTOPHE TAYLOR
EDITOR GREAT SCOT
The editorial line of this volume of Great Scot acts as the flipside to December ’ s focus : ‘ A Scotch Life ’. Whereas we looked closely and celebrated the remarkable ways the wider members of the Scotch Family connect to the school throughout their entire lives , by looking introspectively , the theme here consists of looking outwards . The arrival of Scotch College ’ s 10th Principal , Dr Scott Marsh , was the perfect catalyst to ponder on how we welcome new people from diverse cultural backgrounds within our community .
Dr Marsh ’ s Installation Ceremony was a lovely opportunity not only to make his position official , but also to welcome his family , wife Anna , daughter Stella and son Denzel , with many of his relatives in attendance . Dr Marsh commented on how he has felt warmly greeted during his early days at the school , by the whole Scotch Family , on many occasions , such as with the OSCA Collegians ’ Presidents ’ Lunch , to cite one example .
In his own words , you can read how Dr Marsh wants Scotch to represent a place that welcomes ‘ people from all walks of life ’ which dates all the way back to 1857 ( Scotch ’ s oldest archived records ) as School Archivist Paul Mishura informs us ,
when many Jewish students attended the school . As mentioned by the Reverend Doug Campbell , through Jesus ’ parable of the Prodigal Son , our school embodies the spirit of a ‘ real embrace and lasting welcome ’.
Looking more closely at how we aim to facilitate this welcome , appease possible anxieties and apprehensions at joining a new community , practical activities are explored by Head of Middle School Katrina Stalker , Coordinator of Transition Tony Glover and School Psychologist Lara Silkoff on how we help new students to transition smoothly into our shared values .
The concept of ‘ Welcome to Country ’ is fundamental in unifying us all as one nation and we are extremely fortunate that Dion Whitfield , our School Captain and students from the Indigenous Program , have kindly shared their experiences and views in this field with the wider Scotch community .
As much as we focus on how we welcome newcomers through our doors , our good intentions can only be certified once hearing from those who have just recently joined our Scotch Family , which you can also read about in the pages of this edition .
Head of Upper School Tim Rayner reminds us about the important role that school exchanges play in a child ’ s development . It is as much about our students travelling abroad and how well they are received in their countries of exchange , as it is about how our exchange students feel when they are guests in our school and families . Acting Head of Languages Dr Gert Reifarth reminds us of how our students learn ’ important life skills such as self-reliance and an ability to adapt and be curious about the world ’.
The joy and pride of showing your school and culture to someone from another country is priceless and as mentioned by many students in these pages , remains a formative and altruistic experience that lasts a lifetime .
Beyond our students ’ schooling years , you will find plenty of evidence in this edition on how Scotch welcomes a wide range of people from our community and facilitates opportunities for them to gather , notably through the concept of the Cardinal Thread , ‘ the invisible and intangible connection to Scotch College ’ as OSCA President Mr Stephen Webster (’ 73 ) reminds us . Amongst the plethora of opportunities , feature the EMG celebrations , the OSCA clubs , notably football and athletics , which count many female members ( which might surprise a few for a boys ’ school ), the Old Scotch Bowls Club now the largest APS bowls club , with an ever-increasing membership of males and females or , beyond their performance of The Scarlet Pimpernel , OSMaD ’ s clear indication that anyone is welcome to join and help out with their next production ; another testimony to the Scotch welcome .
The French have an old Christian tradition at Christmas time which consists of leaving an empty plate on the table for the poor , the traveller , the outsider or the unexpected guest . How we welcome others acts as a healthy gauge as to our true values , speaks wonders on our beliefs and moulds the old with the new into a continuously growing progressive modern entity in which fundamental traditional values are shaped and blended with vital reinvigorating beliefs .
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FOUNDATION - 50 years of outstanding contributions from the Scotch College Foundation
OSCA - Well deserved Merit Awards for devoted club members
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ARCHIVES - Scotch ’ s history of welcoming students from all religions
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