From the Interim Headmaster
Dear Students, Parents and Carers
I have now been at Shore as Interim Headmaster for all of two weeks! Now that I am an expert (?!), what have I observed?
This, above all: the culture of Shore is strong, the School has spirit, the students are settled and going about their routine effectively. We should not think the identity of the person sitting in the Headmaster’s Office is front and centre for them.
The boys are being very nice, and very respectful towards me. They labour under the misapprehension that I am actually important. There is something to be said, I think, for mystique and gravitas (as long as adults recognise this is of limited currency!).
I appreciate all the support I have received since arriving and want to acknowledge the contributions of the former Headmaster Dr Tim Petterson and the excellent foundations he built for the School’s next chapter.
It was immensely encouraging to see the spirit of the boys at the Rugby fixtures against King’s. At no stage did they give up, despite the adverse score line in several games. The mud experienced has perhaps not been seen in such immensity in any Australian campaign since the Battle of Passchendaele on the Western Front in 1916! Boys being the creatures they are, at the end of some games, they dived into the mud, just to make it comprehensive. I have no idea how parents transported them home (that is, without spreading the mud throughout their cars).
Special mention must be made of the 1st XV. They were well ahead, but despite their best efforts, could not keep King’s out. The score line at the end was 20-19. They were gutted! So near, yet so far! I tried to console them, but they were inconsolable. This speaks volumes for their deep care, and their wonderful school spirit.
Often in sport, as in the rest of life, we learn and grow more through the hard than the good times. This manifests the reflections of Paul in the New Testament: “…suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4). Indeed, these lessons of perseverance, learned so powerfully on the sports field, need to be applied to the classroom too.
Dr John Collier
Interim Headmaster