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abroad. Wellington Colleges abroad ? Why ? The
we seek to become the first positive psychology
likely outcome is still that we will have no school
school in Britain, to be launched in September 2009.
open within 5 years, but that said, we are making
Buildings are just one area where our advance has been
swift progress in China and in other countries.
rapid. The Modern Languages Institute will be opening next
We hope to build one called Wellington College Tianjin,
term. It will be named after ow, Sir Harold Nicolson, the
which is the port of Beijing, situated 120 kilometres from
famous diplomat, politician and writer. Among his many
Beijing. We will endeavour to capture the architecture and
books was the official biography of George v, who was
physical essence of our buildings in Berkshire.
present at Speech Day 100 years ago with his father King
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Why are we building these schools ?
For prestige,
Edward
vii. Together with his wife, Vita Sackville-West,
to enhance the opportunities for our pupils and indeed
Nicolson built the beautiful gardens at Sissinghurst. He was
our teachers to spend a period of time in these schools
an important figure at the Versailles Peace Treaty in 1919
abroad, to embrace the 21st century, as well as to gener-
and a Minister in the Second World War. We are honoured
ate extra income for the benefit of our current students.
to name our Modern Languages Building after him.
What other aspirations do we have for Wellington as
What of the future building ?
We are hoping in
we gaze into the future ? We also seek to make Wellington
the next three years to build an athletics track and also
the premier co-educational sporting school in Britain,
a performing arts centre on Chapel Hill, to allow the
excelling at both boys’ and girls’ sport.
whole school to meet together in one building, for plays,
The opening of the Monro sports pavilion in three
concerts and dance shows, and a host of other purposes.
months’ is a pledge of confidence in the future of girls’ and
We are also planning to double the size of the library
boys’ sport at Wellington. It is now half built on Bigside. It is
and open out the whole of that part of the school.
a wonderful design, faced in wood like all the best buildings,
Wellington College was only made possible 150 years
with seating for 180, and with standing for a further
ago through the generosity of benefactors who we will be
150. The large glass room on the first floor will provide
commemorating in a two minute silence this afternoon.
a remarkable social space for parents, pupils and alumni.
We all benefit today from their generosity and I am asking
What does it mean to be the top co-ed sporting
you today to help us where you are able to allow us to
school in Britain. Three things spring to mind; to play the
continue to offer facilities of the very highest quality. The
most exciting and technically skilful sport: to be the most
track will cost £600,000, the Library one million pounds,
gracious and sporting school in the country, and to be the
the performing arts centre five million. Please support us
most hospitable—a height we have been scaling with our
??? ?????????’? ??????
h.r.h. the duke of kent
A
s the President of Wellington
As it passes its 150th year, the
College it gives me great
College is growing and changing in a
pleasure to preside over this
way that sets an example for other
Speech Day, in this, my fortieth year as
independent schools to follow.
President. I offer my congratulations to
note with pride the distinction and
all who are receiving prizes and awards
reputation that Wellington College
today, and to all other pupils who have
has achieved in the world of education
achieved over the course of the year,
today. I am particularly proud that the
whose exploits you have heard about.
Wellington Academy will open this year
This is a particularly special prize
in Wiltshire, with His Royal Highness
giving. I stand here today to preside
Prince Andrew as its president.
where you can.
unconquerable carrot cake.
over the 150th Jubilee Prize Giving
following my great grandfather, King
Edward VII, who presided at the 50th
I am sure that, as Wellington goes
HRH the Duke of Kent plants a tree to celebrate
his fortieth year as President
on to even greater success in the future,
it will never forget the ideals of those,
Jubilee Prize Giving in Hall in 1909. He had been present
including Her Majesty Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and
as a boy at the laying of the foundation stone in Front Quad
Prime Minister the Earl of Derby, who founded the College
in 1856, and had taken a close interest in the school ever
in honour of the great first Duke. I conclude by echoing
since, and regularly attended Governors’ meetings. In the
the words of Edward VII at Speech Day one hundred years
audience that summer, 100 years ago, were the Prince and
ago, who said, ‘We have reason to congratulate ourselves
Princess of Wales, the future George V and Queen Mary,
that this memorial to the illustrious and famous Duke of
my grandfather and grandmother.
Wellington has come up to expectations in every way’.
The College motto is ‘Virtutis Fortuna Comes’, which
This year we became the top school in Britain at golf,
translates as ‘Fortune Favours the Brave’. This school is
chess and at shooting and I think we can justly claim to be
150 years old. When we have been at our bravest in those
the top rugby school too. Cricket, hockey, squash, athletics,
150 years, we have been at our best.
sailing, and rackets are all set for new heights.
Are we being brave today as we strike a course into the
We seek to become one of the top five arts and
next 150 years of our history ? Yes we are. Do we want
music schools in Britain within five years—look at our art,
to lead or do we want to follow ? To lead. Do we want to
listen to our music, read South Front, our literary and arts
be dictated to by the past as some want, or do we want to
publication, and see our dance and drama at school today.
build on the past to inform the future ? Are we any school ?
The Arts festival takes place at the end of term, starring
Or are we Wellington’s College ? Who was Wellington ?
Sebastian Faulks, Greta Scacchi, Matthew MacFadyen, the
The greatest leader of the nineteenth century. What must
London Mozart Players, and many more.
we do ? Follow this example and lead the twenty-first cen-
We seek to be the greenest school in Britain within the
next five years.
tury. Do we want to be brave or do we want to be weak ?
I have no doubt at all in my mind what this community,
We seek this year to be in the premier academic
its pupils, parents, teachers, alumni and governors want. It
division, and remain in the top 50. Only three years ago,
is to be bold, it is to be great, and it is t o be brave. Fortune
in 2006, we were laughed at for saying we wanted to be
favours the brave. Fortune will favour Wellington College.
merely in the first division within five years. Furthermore
Fortune will favour us all.
I
College Prefects
Back row: Tom Melhuish [Bl], Amy Cooper [W], Lulu Fung [O], Ross Watson [A]. Middle row: Jack Harris [Bn],
Angharad Davies [Ap], Freddie Edmunds [L], Ben Cleary [Bd], James Field [Hn], James Lyne [Hl], Rhys Howells [Hg], Simon Dempster [S].
Front row: Hugh Chichester [T], Darya Kravchenko [O], Oliver Marjot [S],
Charles Maughan [M], Jonathan Robb [Bn], Conor Turley [A](Head of College), Felix Cook [T],
Chris Donnelly [Bd], Imogen Cox [C], Catherine Murray [Ap], Freddie Fielding [Pn]