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Pride in Belonging
11 June 2024
Dear Old Boys,
It has been a busy few months for the Old Boys, for both good and sad reasons.
Mr John Taylor, Headmaster
Those from the 1979 to 1987 years will have noted the passing of John Taylor, the second Headmaster of Rathkeale. John died this April after a short illness, and it was fitting that a number of Old Boys attended his funeral at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell. It was a powerful sendoff and, as his daughter Sophie noted, just as he would have liked it. While his time at Kings College was evident, the importance of his tenure at Rathkeale was well noted.
JST, as he was known to us (amongst other names), was a strong headmaster who demanded the highest standards and expected them to be met. He was enormously energetic and unapologetically led from the front. He was articulate, forthright, literary, and charismatic. He is widely credited with turning Rathkeale's attention, and appeal, toward the outside world. He may have been lucky to have led the college through some of its heyday, but he changed gear and then accelerated that success. He was the right man at the right time, and he considered that there was nothing that could not be achieved at or from Rathkeale. John led the introduction of co-education with St Matthews and, in doing so, indelibly changed the nature of education at our school, arguably for everyone's benefit.
John continued the strongest traditions of the school from the Norman era and respect and discipline remained priorities. That grey Ford Cortina station wagon had an instant check effect on posture and current conduct. Headmaster's Jobs on Sunday could be a self-disciplined step up from House Jobs, often accompanied by brown corduroy and encouraged by exhortations of "well done, well done". And always, there was the rubbing of that very square chin.
John's connection with Rathkeale was never lost. He remained our patron until his death. He keenly followed our activities and sadly I have an unanswered recent email encouraging me to discuss strategies for our organisation with him. At the 50th Anniversary Assembly JST said he was pretty sure he knew who had put the live sheep in his office and he intended to catch up with them. If it was you, and he hasn't, you have probably got away with it.
The college is holding a Memorial Service for JST at 2 PM on Thursday, 4 July 2024 in the Auditorium. Mrs Sarah Taylor and other family will be attending. ROBA is supporting the College to make this a coming together of the Rathkeale community from the Taylor era. Old Boys from that time are encouraged to attend but also have another important role. Those of you with parents that would like to attend, please encourage them to come to this important gathering. Afternoon tea will be served in School House after the service and the College would be assisted if you could email Mrs Barrie Gordon with numbers of intended attendees at rc.principalspa@trinityschools.nz . There will be room for all.
Mrs Faye Norman
Almost within a month, Rathkeale lost an equally important part of its human history. Mrs Faye Norman, the wife of the founding principal, music teacher, leader of the arts and mother of the school died in Christchurch in May. She was in her mid-90s and had been sprightly until relatively recently. A favourite of the Originals, those Old Boys who were the founding intake in 1964, it was appropriate that there were approximately 25 Old Boys at her funeral at St Barnabas in Fenton. Mrs Norman's contribution to the College continues to be marked by the awarding of the Faye Norman music scholarship each year.
4WD Tour
The summer passed was dry, even by Wairarapa standards, with a fire ban across the entire district. Our exciting new project, the ROBA 4WD Tour, planned for this Easter, fell victim to climatic conditions and had to be cancelled as the risk posed to the farm and forestry country, we intended to pass through became too great.
The 4WD Tour is a fantastic concept that ROBA will pursue in 2026. It has real potential to turbocharge our income stream and allow us to get real traction on our work to enhance the benefit of membership for the Old Boys and support the College; especially through a scholarship program that has some real cubic capacity behind it. Please keep this future event on your radar and think who you will bring in your shiny, or not so shiny, truck.
2024 Decade Reunions
King's Birthday weekend brought the year groups from 1974, 84, 94, 2004 and 2014 back to Rathkeale. It was a great success with the combined ROBA and Old Girls (SMOGA) members in the Dining Hall for a noisy and fun Cocktail Evening followed by chapel, photos, morning teas and lunches on the Saturday.
This event is now well established and seems to be enjoyed by all those that attend. If your year group left in 1965, 75, 85, 95, 05, or 2015 your Decade Reunion is now only 11 months away. Start getting your year group together. Get the WhatsApp channel working.
There are many fantastic and moving moments during the weekend, not the least being the chapel service for Absent Friends. However, probably the most evocative moments for me were when more than one year group leader described the sense of fulfilment, they had in bringing their year group together. If that is the power of our Association, then we should bottle that.
Thank You
Just before the Decade Reunions, we received a very generous offer from an Old Boy offshore. He had a long-held forestry asset in New Zealand that needed appreciation. He has generously donated that to the Old Boys so that we can utilise its value to meet the objectives of our Association. We are truly grateful and will ensure it is well used.
If you would like to support the work of ROBA and have an asset or fund that could be put to better use, please contact us. Your support would be gratefully received.
The James Meikle Shrewsbury Scholarship
This scholarship was set up by family and friends of Old Boy James Meikle (1985-89) to assist leavers from Rathkeale, Christ College and other secondary schools to undertake GAP years, just as James had done when he spent a year at Shrewsbury School in England after leaving Rathkeale. Sadly, James died in his early 30s and his parents, Jim and Liz Meikle, set up the scholarship so that others could enjoy the same experience he had. The scholarship has run for almost 20 years supporting recipients to experience all the benefits of a year overseas, often at Shrewsbury, or other schools, before returning to further education. Old Boy Aaron Scott (2017-19) spent 2020-21 at Campbell College, Belfast and described it as an amazing chapter of his life; see https://jamesmeiklescholarship.blogspot.com.
The trustees of the scholarship have now very generously passed a substantial capital sum to ROBA for us to continue the scholarship in James's name. We will be inviting those leaving Rathkeale in 2024 intending to take a GAP year to apply for support from the fund. We are very grateful to the Meikle family and, as some of us on the committee knew James, it is a privilege to continue the scholarship in his name.
Founders' Day
Once again, ROBA is playing an important part in celebrating the history of Rathkeale. The Founders' Day assembly at 2 PM on Thursday, 22 August 2024 will celebrate the 60th birthday of Rathkeale. The Originals will be playing a special part in this assembly which will be themed back to the 60s, so current students can get a flavour of Rathkeale in the beginning.
Again, Old Boys are encouraged to attend, and especially those from the early days. I look forward to catching up with members then, short back and sides n' all.
Regards,
Edward Cox
President
Rathkeale Old Boys' Association
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