No . 138 The Trusty Servant kindest , friendliest , all-round good egg that you could possibly wish to meet …
I always like to have a stroll through the Art Department , to see what ’ s going on . In my second year here , I remember walking into the painting studio and seeing Michael working on a huge sheet of paper , covered with built up scrawls and daubs . I assumed that he was creating a teaching exemplar to demonstrate American Abstract Expressionism or gestural action painting . But as I got closer , I began to see details emerging through the overlaid mirror writing , colour blocking and graphic symbols , arrows and shapes . It was a large year planner , now completely covered with hieroglyphs and series of numbers . It was my first experience of seeing his visual organisational methodology in action . I realised that if I could just break the code , I would see the entire year ’ s activities set out before me . A masterpiece of planning , and not an excel spreadsheet anywhere in sight .
Michael is an excellent artist with a passion for painting and being in the landscape , whether basking in coastal sunlight or knee deep in mud , clinging to a sketchbook in stormy winds . This artistic energy has inspired all who have spent time with him , and of course , everyone he has taught throughout his years at Winchester .
The place will not be the same without him and we will all miss him . And so now he ’ s off to Bedales , and in the spirit of his new workplace , it ’ s goodbye , Mr Bruzon , and hello , “ Mikie !”
Sam Baddeley ( CoRo , 16-24 ) Tom Thomas ( see below ) writes :
Sam joined Winchester in September 2016 as a Teacher of Classics , having previously taught at Solihull School ( where he was also a pupil ) and Eastbourne College .
He immediately made an impression on his pupils , and the colleagues around him in the Classics Department , as a superlative classroom teacher , and that renown has extended into English over the course of his time at Winchester .
His passion for the promotion of Classics in Winchester , and elsewhere , cannot be underestimated . He has published several commentaries on Greek set texts . He was president of the Association for Latin Teaching for three years , ( 2018-21 ) and is a regular at their summer school , as well as at the ( in ) famous ‘ Greek camp ’ held annually at Bryanston , where , last year , he directed a superb production of Sophocles ’ Ajax .
Closer to home , he had a long stint as a very popular Assistant Housemaster in Hoppers , during which the relative isolation of Hopper ’ s was made much less so by Sam ’ s innate ability to know about literally everything that was going on in the wider College , sometimes even before it had happened .
As a natural showman , the lure of the stage has been an important part of Sam ’ s Winchester career . His stewardship of the Drama brief is testament to his extraordinary energy and attention to detail . He saw Drama through COVID , and was creative in making it work . Recasting the JDF in 2020 as radio plays was a stroke of genius and when the Collegemen performed Drop Dead , all of the COVID restrictions were cleverly woven into the narrative to make it even funnier .
His direction of A Midsummer Night ’ s Dream a couple of years ago was a sensation – such a success that pupils were queuing for tickets 40 minutes before the play even started .
On the wider academic side of the school , as Director of Teaching and Learning , Sam has been invaluable in shepherding new colleagues through the mysteries of Winchester – the terminology , the geography , the pupils , and the don body . When it comes to managing departments , Sam has stepped forward not just once , but twice , to take over the reins with minimal handover and time to respond – firstly in October 2019 when he became Head of Classics , and , more recently , when he stepped into the breach in September 2023 to take over the English Department , and headed it with a characteristic blend of efficiency , kindness and wit .
Tom Thomas ( CoRo , 18-24 ; Director of Studies )
James Fox ( CoRo , 06-12 & 13- ; HoDo A , 13- ) writes :
Tom arrived in January 2018 , and threw himself into all aspects of Win Coll life without hesitation . He quickly volunteered his time to all the sports and activities where free clothing was on offer – an audit of the CCF stocks will confirm this . On Palmer , refereeing House football , his willingness to shout “ play on ” in the face of violent and dangerous tackles made more sense when the goalkeeper rolled the ball out with his palm to the unmarked central defender , and Tom awarded a 5-yard scrum .
Tom quickly mastered the art of refereeing Win Co Fo , marking himself out as an expert in the field of blowing his whistle with authority and making a statement , true or false , with confidence , thereby convincing all that this was a man to be believed on the particular infringement at hand : similar to his role as DoS , but with a whistle .
It ’ s worth remembering that when Tom joined us , he worked alongside a Deputy Head Academic , who soon left and wasn ’ t replaced . Tom assumed the vacated role in all but title , without shedding any of his preexisting responsibilities . This would have been difficult for anyone under the best of circumstances , but Tom was soon thrust into the spotlight when COVID arrived at Winchester , and the pupils left . There
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