Clarke House

Chronicle

VOL I NO 4, OCTOBER 2014

ST JOHN’S COLLEGE

JOHANNESBURG

HEADMASTER: THE REV R.D.T. CAMERON † HOUSEMASTER: DR D.M. PRETORIUS

HEAD OF HOUSE (2014): TAFADZWA SANYIKA † HEAD OF HOUSE (2015): NICHOLAS ROWE

Editorial

We apologise profusely for the lengthy hiatus since the appearance of the last edition of Clarke House Chronicle. Since then, a great deal of water has traversed beneath the metaphorical bridges that were Trinity Term and Michaelmas Term. As such, the primary purpose of this edition of the Chronicle is to endeavour to record – somewhat belatedly but nonetheless hopefully with some degree of accuracy and comprehensiveness – the events that have occurred, and the feats that have been accomplished, in the interim.

First, we are delighted to recall that, on Gaudy Day, we celebrated the inauguration of our revamped and upgraded common room, which is the envy of all the other houses. We record our enormous debt of gratitude to Mrs Nikky Fitzgerald, through whose hard work and liberal munificence the refurbishment of the common room was facilitated. We also express our sincere thanks to all of the other Clarke parents who generously contributed time, money and accoutrements, especially (but not only) Mesdames Jacqueline Buncombe, Debbie Dooley, Bronwyn Paterson and Jennie Quinn.

Second, the inter-house competition for 2014 has now come to an end. Regrettably, Clarke House has had to relinquish its status as Le Sueur Cup champions. We extend our congratulations to this year’s winners, Nash. Still, we are justifiably proud of the fact that we have been the runners-up in this year’s competition; traditionally the boarding houses tend to be the top performers in the competition, and Clarke House has now earned a reputation as the day-boy house that is bucking this trend.

Third, we have said farewell to our UV boys of 2014. We thank Tafadzwa Sanyika (who was an excellent and popular Head of House) and all of the other UV boys for their contributions to Clarke House over the last five years. We wish them well with the matriculation exams, and we hope to see them on Gaudy Day next year!

Finally, we congratulate Nicholas Rowe on his recent election as Head of House for 2015. We have no doubt that he and his fellow matriculants of 2015 (the current LV class) will respond well to their elevated status in the House.

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Inter-House Competitions

Basketball: Clarke House emerged victorious in the inter-house basketball competition. Our triumphant team comprised Tafadzwa Sanyika (UV), Nikita Dartchiev (UV), Spencer Marcinko (LV), Matthew Berger (UIV), Ramaano Ramokgopa (UIV), Afrika Ndlovu (UIV), Thebe Sithole (LIV) and Lukhanyo Kwini (Rem). We thank Spencer Marcinko for his efficient efforts in managing our team.

Basketball winners: Spencer Marcinko, Nikita Dartchiev, Tafadzwa Sanyika, Matthew Berger, Thebe Sithole, Afrika Ndlovu, Ramaano Ramokgopa (absent: Lukhanyo Kwini)

Chess: Clarke House also prevailed in the inter-house chess competition. In the senior competition we were represented by Eric McLaughlin (UV), Zachary Bowditch (LV) and Rory Spiller (LV), while Connor Dooley (LIV), Johnicia Mutombo (Rem) and Daniel Harding (Rem) represented the House in the junior competition. Liam Kovel (LV) took responsibility for managing our all-conquering heroes.

Senior golf: Dimitri Sayegh and Lodewijk Volkersz (both UIV) achieved a very creditable second position.

An impressive number of boys donned the Clarke Orange (literally or figuratively) in a range of other inter-house contests during Trinity and Michaelmas Terms:

Poetry slam: George Stanchev (UV), Liam Collins (LV), Rory Spiller (LV). Spiller was in charge of our team.

Junior debating: Joseph Freimond (LIV), Ahmed Muhammad (LIV), Shaun Jacobs (Rem)

Senior hockey: Nikita Dartchiev (UV), Eric McLaughlin (UV), Liam Collins (LV), Matthew Dooley (LV), Matthew Powell (LV), Arnav Kapur (UIV), Colin Kinghorn (UIV), Lodewijk Volkersz (UIV), James Shelton (UIV)

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Junior hockey: Amc Greyling (LIV), Alexander Worsdale (LIV), Jared Scheepers (LIV), Thebe Sithole (LIV), Simon Shelton (Rem), Shaun Jacobs (Rem), Alexander Scriba (Rem), Christopher Stride (Rem), Joshua Wuth (Rem)

Senior rugby: Tafadzwa Sanyika (UV), Nicholas Rowe (LV), Liam Kovel (LV), Spencer Marcinko (LV), Ramaano Ramokgopa (UIV), Patrick Fitzgerald (UIV), James Henderson (UIV), Afrika Ndlovu (UIV)

Junior rugby: Daniel Buncombe (LIV), Claude Ayo (LIV), Connor Dooley (LIV), Kieran Houlston (LIV), Daniel Harding (Rem), Daniel Cockram (Rem), Aidan O’Hanlon (Rem), Joshua Katz (Rem)

Junior golf: Daniel Buncombe and Jared Scheepers (both LIV)

Senior cross-country: Nicholas Rowe (LV) finished sixth overall

Junior cross-country: Thebe Sithole (LIV) finished fourth and Alexander Worsdale (LIV) sixth

Athletics:

Tafadzwa Sanyika (UV): second, 400m hurdles u 19; third, 110m hurdles u 19

Nicholas Rowe (LV): second, 200m u 19

Spencer Marcinko (LV): third, discus u 17

Matthew Berger (UIV): third, 100m hurdles u 16

Kieran Houlston (LIV): first, 100m u 15; first, 200m u 15; first, 400m u 15; third, discus u 15

Thebe Sithole (LIV): first, 800m u15

Connor Dooley (LIV): third, 100m hurdles u 15

Kevin Rowe (LIV): third, javelin u 15

Daniel Harding (Rem): first, discus u 14

Hishaam Bux (Rem): second, 100m u 14; second, 200m u 14; third, 100m hurdles u 14

Simon Shelton (Rem): first, javelin u 14

Under 15 relay champions at the inter-house athletics competition: Kieran Houlston, Connor Dooley, Thebe Sithole and Daniel Buncombe (with proud Housemaster sans running shoes)

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Music

Eric McLaughlin (UV): Rock School exam (piano, grade 8)

Zachary Bowditch (LV): first clarinet, Johannesburg Youth Symphonic Wind Band; won second prize in woodwind section at Roedean Yamaha music festival; Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music exams (organ, grade 4); semi-final round of Philip H Moore competition

Angus Paterson (UIV): won first prize in piano section of Roedean Yamaha music festival; Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music exams (piano, grade 8)

Andrew Gilbert (Rem): first violin, National Youth Orchestra; appeared live on e.tv Sunrise show and on Gareth Cliff Show on Comedy Central (DSTV); participated in MIAGI orchestra tour to Europe

Sports achievements

Tafadzwa Sanyika (UV): Lux Vita Caritas Award, Basketball

Lyndon Crouch (UV): Soccer 1st XI captain

Liam Collins (LV): Hockey 1st team blazer

Matthew Dooley (LV, pictured left): won Gauteng fly-fishing championships; represented Gauteng in the national championships

James Shelton (UIV): Gauteng under 16 waterpolo squad

Thebe Sithole (LIV): won u15 400m race at independent schools’ championships

Shaun Jacobs (Rem): Gauteng under 14 hockey

Alexander Scriba (Rem): Gauteng under 14 squash

Daniel Harding, Michael Smith, James Shelton (Rem): Gauteng under 14 waterpolo squad

Cultural achievements

Eric McLaughlin (UV): Honours for Music; Honours for Drama; RAPS finalist

Alex Korsten (UV): Colours for Drama (re-award); RAPS finalist

Aashish Diayar (UV): Half Colours for Drama; fifth in inter-school art exhibition

George Stanchev (UV): Chilvers Cup prepared speaking competition – highly commended

Liam Kovel (LV): Half Colours for Drama

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Liam Collins (LV): Chilvers Cup prepared speaking competition – highly commended

Angus Paterson (UIV): Half Colours for Drama

Afrika Ndlovu (UIV): Merit Certificate for Drama; Half Colours for Drama (Backstage)

Ramaano Ramokgopa (UIV): Merit Certificate for Drama

Raees Patel (LV): Merit Certificate for Debating

Llewellyn Craddock (LV): progressed from provincial to national round of SA Talent Championship with his dramatic poetry piece “Dulce et Decorum Est”

Lawrence Lowdon (Rem): junior public speaking competition – highly commended

Academic achievements

Average in excess of 75% in Trinity Term

UV: Aashish Diayar; George Stanchev; Alexander Korsten; Keanu Teixeira; Kyllian Pather; Eric McLaughlin

LV: Liam Collins; Raees Patel; Hiren Mistry; Hinal Bhana; Mohamed Dasoo; Zachary Bowditch

UIV: Angus Paterson; Calum Harding; Arnav Kapur; James Shelton; Colin Kinghorn; Abdurrahim Bux

LIV: Amc Greyling; Daniel Buncombe; Matthew Collins; Joseph Freimond

Remove: Simon Shelton

Other achievements

House prefects: Matthew Behrens, Max Carter, Lyndon Crouch, Nikita Dartchiev, Aashish Diayar, Alexander Korsten, Angus Mackenzie, Eric McLaughlin, Kabir Prema (all UV)

Eagle Awards: Matthew Behrens, Max Carter, Aashish Diayar, Eric McLaughlin, Kabir Prema, Tafadzwa Sanyika, George Stanchev (all UV)

Renaissance Man, Maretlwane Wilderness Camp: Matthew Collins (LIV)

Bronze President’s Awards: Calum Harding (UIV), Colin Kinghorn (UIV), James Shelton (UIV)

Science Expo silver medals: James Shelton (UIV), Colin Kinghorn (UIV), Lukhanyo Kwini (Rem)

Science Expo bronze medals: Joshua Katz, Lawrence Lowdon and Andrew Gilbert (all Rem)

Clarke House reading project: Alexander Worsdale (LIV) read an astonishing nineteen books during Trinity Term. The record is there to be broken!

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Exchange Students

Calum Harding (UIV) has recently returned from Hale School, Perth, Australia. He is pictured below (second from right) with, amongst others, Bryan Habana

Angus Paterson (UIV) (below) is currently on exchange to Glenalmond School, Scotland. He reports that he has become accustomed to wearing the kilt. He is participating in the school production of “Oh What a Lovely War”.

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Speech Day

We congratulate all the Clarke boys whose persistent hard work was accorded recognition at Speech Day:

Remove

Information Technology: Simon Shelton

Music: Andrew Gilbert

Academic certificates: Lukhanyo Kwini, Johnicia Mutombo, Alex Scriba, Ryan van Eeghem

LIV

Visual Arts: Amc Greyling

Academic certificates: Daniel Buncombe, Matthew Collins, Joseph Freimond, Amc Greyling

UIV

Dramatic Arts and English: Angus Paterson

Music: Calum Harding

Academic certificates: Calum Harding, Arnav Kapur, Colin Kinghorn, Angus Paterson, James Shelton

LV

Geography: Liam Collins

History and Life Orientation: Raees Patel

Information Technology: Hiren Mistry

Music: Zachary Bowditch

Academic certificates: Hinal Bhana, Zachary Bowditch, Liam Collins, Mohamed Dasoo, HIren Mistry, Raees Patel

UV

AP Maths and Senior Maths Olympiad: Aashish Diayar

Dramatic Arts: Alexander Korsten

Academic certificates: Aashish Diayar, Alexander Korsten, Eric McLaughlin, Kyllian Pather, Kabir Prema, Tafadzwa Sanyika, George Stanchev, Keanu Teixeira

School Prizes

Music – Best Junior Instrumentalist: Angus Paterson

Music – Walter Macfarlane Junior Chorister Award: Calum Harding

Visual Arts – RP Reynolds Trophy for Excellence: Kyllian Pather

Visual Arts – Diedie Marais Trophy for Art Practical: Aashish Diayar

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Public Speaking Trophy: Kyllian Pather

Chilvers Cup for Impromptu Speaking: Alexander Korsten

Dramatic Arts Trophy: Eric McLaughlin and Alexander Korsten

John Airey Memorial Prize for Extramural Contribution: Aashish Diayar

Pre-Prep Survivor Award: Eric McLaughlin

Alan & Gen Wilcock Medal for Courage & Resilience: Kyllian Pather

We also congratulate Tafadzwa Sanyika, who was awarded the St John Trophy at the Matric Valedictory Dinner held on 15 October 2014.

Important dates

Wednesday 22 October 2014 (17h00) LV parents’ evening

Monday 27 October 2014 (18h30) Remove Wilderness School information evening

Sunday 2 November 2014 LIV Michaelmas Wilderness School begins

Wednesday 5 November 2014 (07h35) Remembrance Day Mass

Sunday 9 November 2014 (16h30) College Carol Service, St Mary’s Cathedral (compulsory event)

Monday 10 November 2014 Study day for LV and UIV

Tuesday 11 November 2014 LV and UIV exams begin

Monday 17 November 2014 LIV and Remove exams begin

Wednesday 3 December 2014 (07h30) Last Headmaster’s Assembly presided over by the Rev Mr Cameron

Wednesday 3 December 2014 (09h30) Mass

Wednesday 3 December 2014 (12h00) School closes

Wednesday 14 January 2015 Easter Term begins

Friday 17 April 2015 Easter Term ends

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The Rev Mr Sydney Herbert Clarke

“The good is the enemy of the best”

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Clarke House social function

16 October 2014