Vale David Jenkin Collins

CHS English & History Teacher 1960 - 1962

CHS Principal 1977 - 1986

Camberwell High School recently held a memorial service for David Collins at the school.

He was a former CHS teacher (History and English) and CHS Principal (1977 - 1986), who died in early January.

CHESS extends our sincerest condolences to his family.

Camberwell High School recently held a memorial service to honour David.

Here's an excerpt from Mary Hill's Vale article in our recent Chessmoves, where she describes David Collin's Memorial Service and mentions the reflections of those present...

Like everyone else, I was shocked and saddened by the passing of David on 6th. January, 2008. Following his wishes he had a private funeral but later the school felt that he should have a memorial service which was held on 20th. February.

David's niece, Bronwyn, acted as M.C. and introduced Elida Brereton to welcome all those present... so many, many people. She introduced Jan, David’s wife, who thanked everyone for the warm condolences she'd received and for the particular support of a very dear friend. She explained that David had grown up in Berwick where his father was Chaplain of the Anglican Church and how David had gone on to Geelong College, where his love of music was accentuated by the great George Logie-Smith whilst he learned to play the tuba and perform in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas.When the family moved to South Australia David went to Ballarrat Teachers' College.

Bronwyn returned to tell us of her childhood memories with David and Jan; of how she went to Melbourne State College to study Drama where her lecturers were colleagues of David and Jan and the word came back to her parents that she had not handed in THAT assignment!

Graeme Bartle, who first met David at Ballarrat Teachers College, then asked us all to sing David’s favourite hymn, "To be a Pilgrim" from John Bunyan’s stirring poem. It's one of my favourites too, but I never discussed religious music with David. We sang it as David believed it should always be sung...with great gusto!

Brian McFarlane, a fellow student of David’s at Melbourne University told us of David’s excellent performance as Victor Prin in Noel Cowards "Private Lives" and of his “sartorial splendour”; of how David had started in country primary schools then moved on to Melbourne to gain his Bachelor of Commerce, where he showed his talents in performance and later as Director/Producer of the Melbourne University Drama Company. However, he confessed that in the mid 50s his favourite girlfriend lost interest in him in favour of David. David wrote to him, "I hope this doesn't lead to a rift in our loot.’’ Brian thought the phrasing so sophisticated and they maintained their friendship for another fifty years.

In Paul Wilhelm's reminiscences of being a student of David’s at Uni. High in 1962 he spoke of David being ''the acme of fashion'' and how Paul spent all his pocket money to emulate David’s broad-necked fishnet singlet which could be seen under a shirt! ''He captured our imagination with his white MG Magnette and his endless tales of sun and surf. How well he played the tuba for our performances at Uni. High and how great was his pastoral care of final year students. He always referred to us as ‘young lads’ and was unwavering in his warmth and friendship, his sincere, active and abiding interest in our lives, both at school and beyond.’’

Anne Scott Pendlebury spoke of the fun in growing up next door to David and Jan who shared her parents concern with the council re the behaviour of cats and the problems of on-street parking. As she went on to become such a well-known actor they supported her every performance from Union Theatre days to Melbourne Theatre Company; they were always committed to drama. She went on to explain how the Performing Arts always work around seasons then read to us, with her brilliant actor’s enunciation, the words of Ecclesiastes: “To every thing there is a season”.

Doug Sherman shared his memories of David from 1972 at Paisley High School and latter years . He spoke of David’s love of British cars and the white Jaguar at Paisley. David was the foundation Principal and ‘’built the school on the unpromising site on an old SEC briquette depot’’ (Robert Ewins) Doug told of how he became David’s “right hand man’’ and learned so much about education and organization, and of the staff doing their best to cope with portable classrooms, dust, mud and the fire. ‘’Many arguments with the Public Works Department and the Education Department reversed, each time, David’s regular ‘open door’ policy. David won the respect of the students and support of his staff.’’ (Nan Darby remembers that “we always had to wear gumboots in winter because the mud was so bad – that was my first position, he was my first Principal. He and Jan took me out to dinner in London, when I went overseas. He was an excellent Principal who was fond of his staff and always supported his staff. When I followed him to Camberwell High he was just the same… an excellent Principal to work with.’’) Doug told of how David instilled in his students a duty of care (citizenship) and soon had students helping out at Senior Citizens’ Clubs and local kindergartens. He introduced Pet Day, Dickens Day and Paisley Day, 14th March. Doug concluded with ”When my son was born on 14th March, we gave him the middle name of David, for obvious reasons.’’

The final speaker was Graeme Bartle, who gave “The 49ers Tribute”. He told of sharing twelve months with David at Ballarrat T.C. and them organizing so many “exes reunions” ever since, their motto being “Forever ‘49ers”. “When it came to the girls, David was like a magnet to iron filings,” Graeme continued. “He looked so debonair in his belted rain coat – I couldn’t afford one and never could have looked like David anyway. He set up our newsletter “Extra Muros” to help us stay in touch with each other. We performed ‘Iolanthe’, ‘Princess Ida’ and ‘Ruddigore’ together. He was a man of charming speech and warmth of character – he was a friend.”

Graeme then read the Irish blessing which begins, “May the winds be gentle upon your face” and the service concluded with David’s favourite piece of Mozart.

As we moved on to afternoon tea we examined the creation and circulation of ‘Extra Muros’ and the board of David’s photographs, divided into his seven ages, as in Shakespeare’s Seven Ages of Man from “As You Like It”, which begins “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.”

Vale David Jenkin Collins

 

Vale Hubert Joseph Slattery

Hubert Slattery passed away recently at the grand age of 98 years, following an impressive record within the Education Department, stretching back to 1925, when he first began as a teacher's aide at Warburton Primary School on probation, till his retirement from CHS, in 1971, when he was ranked the third highest Principal in the State of Victoria.

In 1926, he completed his Primary Teachers Certificate and began as Head Teacher in Mardan South Primary School, where he remained till 1934. He was selected by the Department of Education to become a secondary school teacher; he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Diploma in Education, prior to appointment in the secondary schools division.

His secondary school career began at Melbourne Boys' High School where he taught English, Latin and History. In order to achieve promotion, he then moved to higher elementary schools at Terang and Korumburra, then high schools at Dimboola and Morwell, which necessitated many moves for his family before they returned to Melbourne in 1959, where he became principals of Reservoir and Nunawading High Schools.

Hubert Slattery then became principal of Camberwell High, upon the retirement of Ivor Gazzard. During his time at the helm of CHS, he instituted a successful transition program for first formers that helped them integrate into their new school environment. He also introduced electives for Forms 3 and 4 and was an advocate for the abolition of exams. He was very supportive of the music side of CHS, especially the choral festivals and our orchestra. Hubert also was instrumental in fostering donations towards the rowing program to purchase new equipment (this period saw a resurgence in our rowing reputation, much as during the glory years of the late fifties). The 'seventies building' owes much to him as he oversaw this major capital works program to fruition - giving the students fine resources such as science and biology labs, a new library, cafeteria and an assembly hall where the entire school could congregate, out of the elements.

Hubert lost his dear wife, Freda, five years prior to his death and is survived by his three children; John, Margaret and Peter (who is also an ex-CHS student). I wish to acknowledge his daughter, Margaret, for kindly answering my request for information.

Vale Mr Slattery.

Hubert Slattery and Miss Milne, standing with asian students from CHS - 1970.

Vale Michael Aikman

CHS teacher , Olympic oarsman and Rowing Coach

Michael ("Mike") Aikman was a very popular Physics and Chemistry teacher at Camberwell High School from 1956 - 1959. He represented Australia at the 1956 Olympics in rowing and also played a very pivotal role in our rowing program.

I am very grateful to Nicola Williams (née Donkin) for lending me the Service of Thanksgiving.

Part of the Eulogy, delivered by Mr. Michael Urwin, Headmaster of Brighton Grammar School (and also Chairman of the Associated Public School Heads):

'A Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Alexander Michael Hirst (AMH) Aikman (9/9/33 to 16/2/05) was performed at the Haileybury College Chapel on Thursday 24th February to "honour a unique and special person".

After graduating from Melbourne University, Michael was supposed to go to Warracknabeal High School, but as he was selected and training with the Australian Olympic Rowing Eight in Melbourne, he was given a special dispensation to teach in Melbourne, and thus was sent to Camberwell High as a Chemistry teacher.

At Camberwell he taught Physics, probably staying one step ahead of his students by swotting away at night. Mr Harold Begbie introduced rowing to CHS in 1955, and in 1956 when Michael arrived and later showed the Olympic bronze medal he and his crew had won at Ballarat, rowing was given a huge impetus.

Boating eights for the first time in 1957, CHS was narrowly defeated in the High Schools Regatta on the Yarra River. Then 1958 saw the beginning of CHS golden years of rowing. With the addition of some of Michael's Olympic and Geelong colleagues, the coaching brigade was improved to a standard not seen in high schools rowing before. In 1958 CHS boated a 1st & 2nd Eight with both crews winning their races at the High Schools Regatta. This was repeated in 1959 with the addition of a 3rd Eight, also winning, quite a stunning effort and lifting CHS to new found rowing status.

Michael dedicated much time and effort in building the Rowing Club, recruiting coaches and rowers, and coaching the First Eight through many evenings after school and all day Saturday in those first terms. At the end of 1959, Michael left CHS and the state school system, to teach Chemistry (taking this writer's Chem. notes) at Scotch College, Melbourne in 1960, where he also coached the 3rd Eight.

After a short while, he was head-hunted to teach Chemistry at Trinity Grammar in Sydney and where he came under the influence of a Head-Master that he much admired.

After a numbers of years at Trinity with increasing responsibilities, he was appointed Head of Scotch College, Bathurst, NSW. This could have been regarded as a bit of a poison chalice, as the school was very run down. However that was a challenge for Michael, and he embarked on a building program, academic improvements, and a re-invigorated music program. The school flourished and the assembly hall is named after Michael.

In 1974 Michael was appointed Head of Haileybury College, Melbourne, where he was to become the school longest serving head-master, retiring at the end of 1998. Michael's enthusiasm for education is evident all around Haileybury, where he and the School Council built and improved the facilities, and the academic standards are seen each year in the results of the students. There is also an Aikman Hall at Haileybury.

At school in Geelong, Michael, was a prefect, Captain of Boats, Captain of Football, and won the Music Prize. Music continued to be his great joy in life, he played four instruments and was superb singer, having played in many Gibert and Sullivan performances. Some may remember him singing with the CHS school choir at Speech Night 1959.

It was said at the Service, that the Haileybury Chapel was probably the pinnacle of Michael's building program. It is a beautiful Phillip Cox designed building, and a fitting place for the Thanksgiving Service'.

(Many thanks to John O'Hara, Captain of Boats '59, for contacting CHESS.)

 

A letter from Charles Lovitt, one of the many former CHS students to fondly remember Michael Aikman:

I was hugely saddened to read (in the March editionof Chessmoves) of the passing of Mike Aikman.

Being a 1956 Olympian, he was large in our student lives as our Form teacher - Form 4A (1958 vintage).

Among many positive memories was his taking of the Form roll every morning - the names read out as fast as he could speak and we learned to chant along with the list.

So here is the class roll call - somewhat curiously still in my memory - I'm sure all of the following have similar fond memories of Mike Aikman.

Form 4A - 1958

Aitken, Allen, Auhl, Barr, Barton, Bond, Bruce, Bradbury, Burton, Cairncross, Caulfield, Clear, Dawson, Dowling, Eastham, Fletcher, Gibson, Hawkins, Headberry, Jenkins, Lawrence, Lovitt, McAlpin, Milligan, Morton, Mount, O'Brien, Patching, Pratt, Robinson, Rupp, Scholes, Selway, Shade, Spicer, Taylor, Thomas, Ward, Waters, Wilcox, Witt, Yorg and Young

Charles Lovitt

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