to have staff also giving support to the boys , over and above their outstanding teaching of those boys . I take this opportunity to thank each and every one of these people for their generosity .
Despite all this , the coming few years may well be the Foundation ’ s most challenging , as the school is hit with new state taxes such as the Payroll Tax , and mutterings regarding the removal of state and federal government funding for private schools refuses to go away , which would put more strain onto parents to find the money to cover the inevitable school fee rises .
The Productivity Commission has also produced a white paper on whether building donations should be tax deductible . Scotch , and many other like schools , prepared a response to this submission , outlining why this initiative would be a severe setback for the school , and hence parents . It would stymie our ability to continue to refresh our facilities to keep pace with the changing needs of classrooms to maintain our high level of academic success , by pushing this aspect onto the shoulders of fee-paying parents . This would surely reduce the educational outcomes of Australian children .
To that end , the Foundation is seeking to build a significant perpetual Endowment Fund that , at some time , can provide support to the school budget to help keep school fees within the reach of Scotch Family members for generations to come . Sadly , these contributions are not tax deductible , but we have been blessed with a number of special benefactors leaving funds within their Wills to the Foundation for this purpose since the Foundation ’ s creation in 1973 . The Foundation Endowment Fund has a balance of just under $ 20M , which by world standards is modest .
If every member of the Scotch Family were to consider including the Scotch College Foundation Endowment Fund in their Will , Scotch would be well on its way to becoming selfsufficient and free from government reliance . Now that would be a wonderful legacy for us to bequeath to future generations .
ROBERT CARSON (’ 92 ), JOHN CARSON AND ERIK CARSON ( YEAR 9 2024 )
WELL-TRAVELLED PIANO NOW AT
HOME IN THE JAMES FORBES
ACADEMY
A beautiful and well-travelled piano is now at home in the mezzanine foyer of the James Forbes Academy , where it can be admired – and used – by Scotch ’ s music students and staff .
Donated to Scotch by the Carson family , the piano – a German-made Bluthner grand piano dating from the early 1900s – was a gift to past parent Dr John Carson ’ s mother , Helen , from her husband Denis when the couple married in Johannesburg ,
South Africa , in 1939 . Helen and Denis had escaped the Depression years in Australia by moving to South Africa , where Denis got a job working as a metallurgist in the gold mines .
In South Africa , the piano featured in many concerts with the South African Broadcasting Corporation and in charity events . Both Helen and Denis came from musically-minded families . Helen had entered the Sydney Conservatorium in 1930 , where she studied under world-renowned pianist , Isador Goodman . Denis ’ mother studied at the London Academy of Music .
Helen and Denis returned to Australia in the late 1970s , bringing the piano with them . Work commitments resulted in the three Carson generations settling in Melbourne ’ s eastern suburbs , where music became central to family life , including clarinet , violin , flute , cello , and of course the piano . Over the years , the piano continued to be enjoyed in performances in a more private setting . There was also the full gamut of instruments needed for such works as Haydn ’ s Toy Symphony . John ’ s only son , Robert (’ 92 ) attended Scotch , and his grandson Erik is in Year 9 at Scotch .
On 30 November 2023 , John , Robert and Erik Carson presented the piano to Scotch , and Elaine Chin , Head of Keyboard Studies , accepted the piano on Scotch ’ s behalf . To the delight of all present , Year 8 Scotch student Lucas Vong then beautifully brought the instrument to life as he played two solo pieces – a Chopin waltz and Beethoven ’ s Bagatelles .
John said that he couldn ’ t think of a better place for the piano to be than in its prominent mezzanine location in the James Forbes Academy . ‘ We hope that students and audiences alike will enjoy the tunes ringing out from this piano throughout the James Forbes Academy for many years to come . It is our pleasure to be able to share this item of significant history for our family with the Scotch community .’ www . scotch . vic . edu . au Great Scot 61