PETERHOUSE NOSTALGIA

... MEMORIES ...

1999 PHG SPEECH DAY

Headmaster's Report

Before we move into the new millennium, we need to reflect on this year - focus on its highlights and use it as a standard for greater excellence in the future.

No matter how much I try to play down the new millennium in my mind, I grant its significance in terms of time is great. I have tried to play it down because I think I am frightened by the technological changes it has in store for us. I'm conservative in my philosophy on education - I acknowledge the role of Information Technology. I just hope that core values of this millennium are not forgotten, values such as commitment, compassion, discipline, endurance, faith, freedom, friendship, honesty, humility, integrity, obedience, patience, perseverance and trust. In an extract from a letter from Patrick O'Reilly to a friend in Australia dated July 2038:

Patrick writes 'James (his son) has started in the new Computer Free Nature School in Connemara. How quickly computers came and went - although I was never comfortable with the soulless experience of learning through a screen"..,

That, to a degree, echoes my sentiments.

1999 has been another good year for Peterhouse Girls'. In twelve years the school has grown in size from 28 to nearly 300. It is held in high esteem by many in Zimbabwe. Our girls are proud to be at Peterhouse - although they may not admit it. Each year, at and after our Open Day, prospective parents tell me how impressed they are with the girls who have shown them round the school - they always ask what has been said before the tour. I tell them the truth -'NOTHING'.

Our staff contribute much to the fashioning and development of our girls. Last term the clash of interests amongst staff got to the point where we had to meet to rationalise our extra mural activities programme. The pull on certain girls was just too much. Discussions were 'LIVELY but how proud I was to be a headmaster of a school where we were trying to cut down on activities, rather than trying to promote activities and involve our staff more.

I thank our staff, teaching and non-teaching, for their commitment to your daughters' future - it is considerable.

We have, until now, had a fairly static staff, but today we say farewell to three members who leave this term.

Sister Kathy Martindale leaves after ten years at Peterhouse Girls. Being a San Sister in a school is not easy - if too approachable you are swamped by hypochondriacs, in fact you probably create hypochondriacs, while if you take too firm a stand you are considered unapproachable and uncaring, and this can lead to problems.

Sister Martindale has, I feel, achieved the right balance. She has worked hard and she has cared well for our girls, our teaching staff, our workers and their families in St. Francis. She leaves - it's a bold move on her part - to take up a post in England - I thank her for her input and support over the years and wish her everything of the best.

Ms Hampton leaves at the end of term. She joined us from UCT on a two year contract that has lasted four years. She has taught French and English and has been the Head of our Modern Languages Department. She has engendered in so many of our girls a love of French. There have been French fashion shows, trips to the ice cream parlours "pour une glace", treasure hunts with clues in French - French choir - we won the Junior Interschools French Quiz - have our own French Quiz and have even had a French service in Chapel and a Variety Concert in French.

Ms Hampton, thank you for your considerable input into the growth and development of French at Peterhouse; thank you for your role as teacher and tutor - good luck in your future.

Mrs. Jongeling joined out staff some four years ago, along with her husband Professor Jongeling. They have as a team, contributed much to the cultural growth and development of our school. They have added 'spice' to the lives of the girls and they will be sorely missed. Mrs. Jongeling has taught English and Geography - she has been Head of Geography for two years - she has been a caring tutor and a shoulder to lean on for so many girls. Our Scripture Union, Senior Debating and Cultural Club have, under her guidance, flourished.

We will miss Dr. and Mrs. Jongeling and we wish them every success in their Bed and Breakfast enterprise in Harare.

Negotiations are not yet quite complete, but I am confident that I have been able to secure the services of three very competent individuals for next year .

In January 56 D Blockers joined the school. On their first weekend they attended an Initiation Course in Gosho Park - it was co- ordinated by Mrs. Nel and Mrs. Munjoma.

Mrs. Buckland and I travelled to Nyanga with thirteen prefects and returned with a team led by Charlotte Butler.

Hannah Nicholas arrived early in the term - mother and child were well, so was a proud - very proud - husband and father.

Exam results

Much speculation surrounded the date of release of the '0' and 'A' level results - in the end we had to cancel the Vth Form Acquaintance Course and Life Skills Course at Far and Wide to get on with teaching, earlier than we ever imagined. The results were cause for much celebration - we recorded our best ever results at ZJC, 'O' Level and 'A' Level.

At ZJC 92% of all subjects written were passed with 88% of our girls passing six or more subjects. Several results are still pending, but Anthea Bennett managed seven 1's and a 3.

At 'O' Level 94% of all subjects written were passed with 98% of the girls receiving five or more passes. Of the 17 subjects - 9 recorded a 100% pass rate, 5 had one candidate fail, while Maths recorded a 76%, French a 74% and Physical Science a 75% pass rate. Our top candidate Thaala Montsi managed 10 A's and then left for a school in South Africa, while Tendayi Jena managed 9 A's and 1B.

At 'A' Level again 94% of all subjects written were passed with 37/39 girls achieving two or more passes. The results this year were of a high quality; of the 101 subjects written we achieved 20 A's, 19 B's and 24 C's. I congratulate Mr. Shaw and the staff of Peterhouse Boys. I also make mention of Mr. Munjoma - our Head of Science, who year after year gives of his spare time freely to help prepare the girls for their Science subjects at 'A' Level.

Our best candidate was Carolyn Lewis with 3 As, while Hannah Houseman and Carolyn Kew both managed 2 A's and 1 B.

On the social scene, the A Block organised a very successful Charity Dance and raised over $6000.00 for CFU Aids Campaign.

At sport three crews of rowers went to Pretoria to compete in S.A Rowing Championships. Our Ist Crew comprising Zelda Hunter, Sandy Adams, Captain Angela Fivaz, Kirsten Lord and Kerry Richards managed to reach the finals of the A division Championships - no mean feat in the bath tub of a boat they were using luckily, with Mr. Bell in charge, rowing goes from strength to strength and our equipment is improving.

At athletics we remained unbeaten but in the future we will have to watch Arundel - the last meeting of the season demonstrated that they will certainly be a force to be reckoned with next year.

We were successful on the tennis court - when the weather permitted matches to be played - yes, it was yet another very wet first term.

At the National Aerobics Championships held in Harare, seven of our girls qualified to compete in the S.A Championships.

Our four-man team of Jamey Miller, Jaime Ballantyne, Bridget Stidolph and Tendayi Jena qualified for the finals and were placed 4th in South Africa.

Again, I thank Mrs. Mabel Bettin for her considerable input - I am pleased that she will continue to coach here next year.

Many distinguished themselves in the Royal School of Music Examinations and again Mr. Nicholas showered his class with successes at the Eisteddfod - we were placed Ist (with Honours) in the Church Class Section; placed 2nd (with Honours) in the Senior Choirs Section, while our Junior Choir managed a First Grade in the Senior Section over one third of the school sings in our choirs !

B Block attended Far and Wide.

At the end of the term our U16 and Open Hockey teams prepared for a tour to Durban, the Aerobicsport girls travelled to Johannesburg, the History Tour left for Egypt and Greece, the French Tour was cancelled, and Ms Rutanhira left to study in America.

At the beginning of our second term, Mrs Nicholas returned from maternity leave and we welcomed Ms Matongo to teach Geography, Commerce and coach First Team Basketball.

Our Hockey teams had completed a very successful tour - they were a great credit to us all and all our historians returned from Egypt.

During a Strategic Planning exercise held last year, we decided that we should strive towards obtaining Computers and a Computer Room; a new Library and a new Science Laboratory, in that order.

I submitted a request for a Grant from the Belt trust for a computer room/library Complex. However, it seems silly for Springvale House and Peterhouse Girls - situated not a 100m apart - to have two computer rooms. Thanks to the consent of Mr. Graham Peebles and the sourcing, setting up the furnishing of the Springvale House Computer Room by Mr. McChlery, we added twelve CD Roms to their collection. Both schools have benefited and we are most grateful that Mr. McChlery is teaching formal lessons to our C and D block girls.

I was lucky to secure 30 000 pounds for the Library/Computer Room complex - I hope the plans will go out for tender next week. This will, indeed, be an exciting addition to our facilities and I would like to thank our Board for its support of the project as the Belt Trust money doesn't quite meet half of the expected cost.

C Block was carpeted, as was the old Headgirl's Room - the C Block Prefects Room and the Dayscholars Room. Metal lockers were installed as well.

Confirmation classes began - sadly, without a chaplain. I must thank Mr. Allen French, Mr. Paul Davies (Fossil) and Mr. PAL Davis for preparing the girls (and my Catholic son) for their Confirmation - I won't easily forget the service. Bishop Siyachitema made quite an impact.

I resorted to allowing girls to bring cellphones to school because it seemed sourcing pay phones would be an impossible task - four were fitted - one still does not have a hand set. I question the long term benefits of cellphones at school. For some girls, gone are the days of dealing with their problems, writing home about their problems and solving them before the letter reaches home. Now parents are involved in all sorts of issues, issues hitherto dealt with by the girls themselves or by staff. I know that communication is vital, but I fear that the girls will miss out on acquiring the life skills that will help them later on in life. Time will tell.

At hockey and basketball we completed a successful season. Eight seniors were chosen for the A and B MCD Hockey side;

Sandy Adams and Bridget Potterton made the Zimbabwe A while Jessica Pswarayi made the B side and Jenna Hunter was chosen to represent the Zimbabwe U16 side At basketball, three girls, Lavinia Ngwerume, Rugare Mashungu and Cecilia Midzi were chosen for the MCD senior team, while Debra Rioga and Tarisai Chabudapasi were selected for the MCD U16 team. Kim Christian was chosen to represent Zimbabwe at tennis - the first Peterhouse Girl to achieve this distinction. Alison Mannix was chosen to represent Zimbabwe at polocrosse.

Mrs. Buckland co-ordinated the Arts Competition - it was held at half term because it would have clashed with the Peterhouse Festival - it was of a high standard. The Board gave their consent for the competition to be called the Buckland Arts Competition in the new millennium. Mrs. Buckland, too, staged the "Twelfth Night" for the Festival - it was a great success.

The MARVAC ambulance arrived in Marondera - thanks to the efforts of Mr and Mrs. Nigel Bailey, and the long awaited arrival of the new Hymn Books brought much joy, especially to Mr. Nicholas and myself - the print is larger!

It was decided four years ago to purchase the hymn books in England - they were eventually purchased this year, sent to Dr. Alan Megahey in Uppingham and then on to Oundle where sixteen youngsters, accompanied by Anne Megahey and two other staff, packed 230 into their rucksacks, bags, and whatever else, and brought them out on their Zimbabwe Experience'. The books could tell a story.

At the Allied Arts Competition our girls excelled with outstanding grades - Honours were achieved by Pamela Makaya for Public Speaking, Kate Laing for Recital and Kate Laing and Natsai Condo for Duo Poem. Natsai and Kate also performed at the Winners Concert.

During the August holidays we were shocked by the tragic death of Naomi Pratt. At a memorial service held here during the holidays we paid our respects to a vital, talented girl who was taken from us before her time. Naomi excelled at music, she sang and painted beautifully; she performed superbly as Malvolio in 'Twelfth Night'; she was the star of the House plays. She was so creative and had a wonderful imagination. Her friends paid her tribute at that service and then organised another service that took place at the Girls' School when term started. Her leaving has brought her year group closer together. We will never forget her. I would like to thank Mrs. Vandoros for helping at this difficult time.

We were the hosts for a very successful Music camp during the holidays. Over 80 musicians converged on the Girls' School for the event. I was pleased to see three of our girls at the camp - hopefully there will be more next year.

Sarah Crawshaw from Haberdashers Monmouth School for Girls, England, joined us at the beginning of term for ten weeks - she has involved herself fully and leaves to complete her term in England accompanied by Jenna Hunter.

This term started on a frantic note with preparations for the Art Exhibition/Sale. This was a good year for the likes of Kirsten Lord, Sarah and Kate Rossetti, Sandy Adams, Juliet Kind and Gayle Hacking. The school hall was repainted and smartened up for the occasion. To date, over $215 000 has been raised and that is without the proceeds of the Craig Bone original which everyone thought Mr. David Hatendi had purchased! Craig actually bought his own painting to sell in America and I hope our percentage will be with us soon. If all goes well, it should net $250,000 for us.

Yvonne Masiku was awarded a certificate for being one of the top two candidates in the Round 1 of the Zimbabwe Physics Olympiad.

On the sporting front we have excelled in tennis - our first team in particular - thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Lizzie Ireland-Jones, and our girls put up a gutsy display at the Interschools Gala where we were placed 4'h, thanks to Mrs. Querl. The team were 5th, some 30 points behind Lomagundi College in the final race and beat them by two points!

We competed successfully in a volleyball tournament at the Harare International School and established ties with that school - we compete there in an Interschools Quiz feature next week. I learned while there that their Entrance Fee is a mere $160,000 while it costs $170,000 per term for a dayscholar! (Perhaps this is a good time for our Chairman to announce next year's school fees!)

Before asking our Guest of Honour to present the prizes with Mrs. Buckland, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our exam candidates every success in the public examinations. Although we will say farewell to all our leavers at their special night at the end of term, I would like to thank them as a group for what they have contributed to Peterhouse over the years, and this year in particular. For some of them it will be a happy release - yes, some of our VI Form leavers have had me as their Headmaster for their entire time at school - 13 years!

I'm sure there should be some kind of award for that?

It is now my pleasure to introduce you to Mr. Mike Bawden. We have worked together for five years and two terms - it has been a pleasure and a privilege. He hasn't had it easy in Zimbabwe but he is a resilient and focused man who is ideally suited to lead us into the next millennium.

Sadly, he has a strange sense of humour and I hope you won't believe anything derogatory he says about me. So strange is his sense of humour that J have had to send his first CV back - it started - Born at an early age!

He was educated at Dean Close School, and Cambridge University where he read Maths. He was a hockey blue at Cambridge, and captained the university side and also played for the England U23 hockey team. He taught at Charterhouse between 1969 and 1972, and then taught at Wellington between 1972 and 1994. While there, he taught mathematics, was a Housemaster and ran the hockey. He became Rector of Peterhouse in 1994. He married Tiggy in 1994, and they now have two children. Interests include hockey, cricket, taking money off the headmaster of the Girls' School at golf, mountaineering, wildlife, books and wine.

It is my pleasure to ask the Rector to present the prizes - Mr. Mike Bawden.

HEADMASTER'S INTRODUCTION TO HEADGIRLS'S SPEECH

It is now my pleasure to ask our Headgirl to come up and deliver her speech. Before she comes up, I would like to read a letter I wrote to a parent at the end of second term 1998.

"Dear Parent

Your daughter was caught smoking at school on the last night of term. She is aware that smoking is prohibited at school.

I am annoyed and upset as the last thing I needed on the last night of what has been a difficult and emotionally charged term, was such stupidity - she had less than 12 hours to wait before going home!

She is going to find it increasingly difficult to keep her place here if she continues to smoke at school. We spoke about her future and she assured me she wanted to finish her education here. I very much hope this will be possible - I feel she has benefited from our system, but I hasten to add I won't allow her to abuse it.

She returned to school this term with highlighted hair knowing that this was not acceptable. She pierced her nose and has been caught wearing a stud in it this term!

I think it necessary that you speak to her about her future here. I feel she has the potential to do really well in her final terms but if there isn't a change in her outlook, I fear I may, at some point, have to ask her to leave. It is up to her and I hope she decides to continue here with a more positive, determined and co-operative outlook. Charlotte will be gated for the first weekend of next term."

Charlotte wasn't selected as a prefect at this ceremony last year, but it was obvious she had leadership qualities. I appointed her prefect at the start of this year and after our time together at Far and Wide, Mrs. Buckland and I agreed she was the obvious choice as Headgirl.

She has been caring and responsible, diligent and firm, and she has moulded a fine team. More importantly, she has not distanced herself from any of the VI Form girls, and this year has been a success because of the unity amongst our VI Form.

I thank her as I thank all the prefects for their contribution this year. I hope that lessons they have learned will remain with them and help them in later life.

HEADGIRL'S SPEECH

On behalf of the girls of Peterhouse, I would like to extend a warm welcome to our guest of honour Mr Bawden, The Rector of Peterhouse. Distinguished guests, Mr Calderwood, and teachers of Peterhouse Girls' School and all our parents. Thank you for coming all this way to share with us this special occasion, where not only those who have come out at the top are rewarded, but also those who have strived and attained standards to the best of their own ability.

At times school seems a terrible burden to most of us. The thought of rules and regulations, homework and exams distress us.... These are a few of the factors that make school irritating, and are the main source of misinterpretation of the reasons why we are sent to school.

In fact, as well as the objective of achieving levels of academic recognition, there lies other standards to be reached in a variety of activities. Sports and cultural past-times are additional ways of obtaining self-knowledge and confidence building.

Attending a smaller school such as Peterhouse Girls is an advantage many don't see. Girls are known by name, as well as by teachers, not always seen as an advantage. We all become individuals rather than just a face in the crowd. This brings everything to a personal level making recognition of characters and special abilities of girls easily noticed. Once these talents are acknowledged they can be used to build our self-esteem. At the same time weak areas can benefit from extra attention. I feel that this is the secret of the success of Peterhouse Girls in classrooms, on sports fields and culturally. By the end of our career at Peterhouse we are already streets ahead in most aspects, including socially!

Friendship is yet another area in which we gain as a result of our being largely a boarding school, for without friends, what would life be like? Friends are there to confide in, comfort, encourage and protect. Friends are also a relief from the routine of everyday life. Remember to the world you may be someone, but to someone you mean the world. My favourite quotation from Shakespeare: "The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried. Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel."

To all our loving parents, though we may not think so now, one day we will realise that you did mean well and knew you were doing the right thing by sending us off to the torture of school. Only when we leave and are able to reflect will we be able to really understand and even appreciate what you have done for us. All the groans and tears will be forgotten and your love for us and concern for our futures will be justified. So be strong and keep sending us back! Thanks must go to all the teachers and other staff for their time they put into running the school. Thank you for offering to give us your personal time for all our needs and so helping us to grow. We also thank all the hard working people who prepare our meals, keep our houses spick and span, and who keep our outside facilities in top condition.

To the prefects of '99, we didn't turn out too badly; in fact I'd say we kept complete control - most of the time anyway! To the whole of sixth Form, I would like to congratulate you for surviving this year unscathed! All the smiles and encouraging words made the past years with you all worthwhile. Thank you for the many special moments I have had with each and always. I wish all of you the greatest success and happiness in whatever you may choose to do. The real possession I take with me is the memories, in nothing else am I more satisfied.

Those remaining, use the school to its fullest... It's all there for your benefit, and only you can gain. Remember it is not the years in your life but rather the life in your years that count. Hold your heads high and be proud of everything you achieve. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

We miss our friends, Jannie Cloete and Naomi Pratt; the joys of meeting them and the remembered moments, make up for the pangs of their absence.

Mr. Calderwood, sir, I would like to thank you for believing in me and giving me a second chance to prove myself. I hope your trust and confidence in me has proved worthwhile.

Next year's leavers, take everything in your stride - lead others the way you would want to be led. Enjoy your year as it's the last, and have fun organising dance lists! As I always say, if you aren't living on the edge, you're taking up too much space!

We part only to meet again, so don't think this is the end of our friendships. But this is the end of my speech!

Charlotte Butler.