Industria
Volume
III No. 2, November, 2001
Official
Newsletter of Friends of Fettes College, Inc.
| INSIDE The Headmaster's Message Helen Gunn (Ar2000) in D.C. Dr. Diana Henderson in North America Fettes Tops A-level League in Scotland Fettes Networks and Financials More Americans Claim Scottish Blood Fettes News Tartan TV News of OF's in the United States A. Roe Preston (Ki39) Donald Filshill (CE49) Richard Cross (Ca66) Julie Regan (Ar76) Jonathan Thaw (Ki97) Will Corry (Ki) Industria |
Dear US Old Fettesian,
These are difficult and
testing times for all Americans and following the events of September
11th our thoughts, hopes and prayers have been very much with
everyone living in your great country and, in particular, with all of our US
based Alumni.
On November 4th, I was
standing with thirty thousand other runners on the magnificent Verazano Bridge
in New York City waiting for the start of the NYC Marathon. It was an extraordinary and highly
emotional occasion. The estimated
two million spectators who lined the course gave those of us who were running
more than just the enthusiastic support for which New York crowds are famous,
there was an overwhelming sense of gratitude for us being there and a deep
appreciation for the part that we were playing in helping the City to
demonstrate its refusal to be intimidated by the evil forces of terrorism. It was easy for those of us who were
visitors to New York to understand why Mayor Guiliani is held in such high
esteem as we listened to his speech of welcome and heard him articulate so
clearly the resilience d determination of the people of New York to stand by
those fundamentally important values of freedom and democracy that they hold so
dear. It was a humbling and
uplifting moment that none of will ever forget; a moment that made us feel proud
to be there and an inspiration that helped us cope with the demands of the next
few hours. There is
much to feel proud of at Fettes at the moment and it is frequently a humbling
and uplifting experience being Headmaster of this remarkable School. The scope and range of the achievements
of Fettesians, both young and old, has been memorable and I will take this
opportunity to share some of those achievements with you.
Academic
Matters
Academic study remains the
core activity of any fine school and the results achieved by our students in
their external exams this Summer were excellent. The exam grades gained at A Level, at
Scottish Higher and at GCSE compared
extremely favourably with the foremost academic schools in the UK. Indeed the Sunday Times in a recent
feature on Independent Education selected Fettes as its ‘Scottish School of the
Year’ and ranked us in the top flight of schools UK wide. It is fair to say that examination
league tables give only a limited insight to the strength of a school,
nevertheless this is an auspicious accolade and, in my view, well deserved. More than 95% of our leavers have gone
on to university courses with the very large majority gaining admission to their
institution of first choice. 16 of
those leavers gained places at Oxford or Cambridge and two members of this
year’s Upper Sixth Form have won Morehead Scholarships to the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
These admirable results have
been achieved despite the fact that the School has had to adjust to a great deal
of change during the year. Some of this change has been evolutionary and
self-imposed; other changes have
been thrust upon us by outside agencies, notably the new arrangements for A
Level, which have bedded in remarkably smoothly from an academic perspective
although none of us is very happy with the limiting effect that they have had on
the extra-curricular life of Sixth Form students.
Much of the change that we
have initiated has proved to be highly successful. The new 8-Day Cycle, which has replaced
the six day working week, has become an accepted part of Fettes life in a
remarkably painless fashion. The
many improvements that it has brought in providing time and space for the
multiplicity of School activities have been widely appreciated. The QUEST programme, that seeks to focus
the minds of students beyond mere academic grades and on to the important
life-skills to be learned and the experiences to be gained from the breadth of
the education that we offer, has been trialed most successfully and is now
extending throughout the School.
The advances in our ICT provision have literally revolutionised our
internal communications as well as enriching our provision for teaching and
learning. The laptop computer
scheme that we introduced last year is now extending up through the School and
the benefits for pupils working with their own computer are becoming
increasingly evident. These changes
and developments have all contributed to an enrichment of the education that
students receive at Fettes.
Art, Music and Drama
I have commented frequently
on the outstanding quality of Art at Fettes and, when describing the work that
our pupils produce, it is often difficult to avoid talking in superlatives. However, the sustained quality and scope
of the work of our Art students is stunning and I find myself literally in awe
of the talent of so many pupils at all levels within the School. This year one of our students, Lucy
Wilson, distinguished herself and the College by becoming the first pupil from
Fettes to have been offered a place at the Ruskin School of Art in Oxford; she
and a number of other students are already producing work that is at University
Degree standard.
Standards are no less high
in Music, which continues to flourish at Fettes with well over half of the
School learning at least one musical instrument. The Autumn Concert held last night in
Greyfriars Kirk was marvelous with performances of real quality from the First
and Second Orchestras, as well as from the Prep School Orchestra, and a stunning
climax from the Concert Choir singing Haydn’s Nelson Mass. The Chapel Choir remain at the heart of
music at Fettes and they enjoyed a most successful tour to the Czech Republic
during the Summer.
There has been the customary rich diet of high quality drama during the year with plays put on by the Upper Sixth, by Carrington and Arniston Houses, and by the Prep School in addition to the main School Play, which this year was a modern interpretation of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ with a strongly Scottish flavour. The School Play was invited to The Fringe of The Edinburgh Festival in August – the seventh visit by a Fettes production in the last ten years.
Societies
The new structure of the
working day and week has allowed Societies to flourish. Appropriately in this election
year the Political Society meetings have been as wide-ranging and stimulating as
ever, with a raft of distinguished politicians being put on the spot by
intelligent and probing questions from their audiences. Several new student-led societies have
come into being and I have been impressed by the initiative shown by a number of
groups in getting their particular activity off the ground. Campanology is a good case in point and
it has been a joy to hear the bells in the Chapel Bell Tower ringing again, as
they now do every Sunday. Much
initiative has been shown also by our young enterprise groups, some of whom have
competed successfully in a national investment competition, with other groups
setting up and running profitable School Companies. The Fettesian magazine, which is a
superb publication obtainable from the OFA Office, and the newly re-designed
Fettes College Website (http://www.fettes.com/) both document the
multitude of activities that go on at the College. I do commend them to you.
Sport
This has been a vintage year for sport at Fettes. For the boys part, the Rugby
enjoyed its most successful season for many years
culminating with the 1st XV reaching the final of the Scottish
Schools Cup at Murrayfield. The
Hockey Club was similarly successful with many goals scored during a short but
intense season, and the cricketers regularly notched up scores in excess of 200
runs in winning almost all of their school matches. For the girls it was once again our
Lacrosse teams which did us proud this year with very few matches lost at any
level. The girls Hockey players
combined with the boys rugby squad for a most successful and enjoyable tour to
South Africa, the first co-ed overseas tour that the College has
undertaken. The Athletics
Club gained a number of honours, both for the teams and for individuals with
three athletes chosen for international representation. Tennis, Swimming, Fives, Squash, Golf,
Fencing, Shooting and all the other minor sports are keenly pursued. The success of the year was reflected in
the fact that ten College Caps were awarded on Founder’s Day. It is thus very appropriate that our new
and long-awaited Sports Centre is now well under way, with completion scheduled
for the 1st June 2002.
This building, which marks the first stage in our development programme
for the College, has been made possible by the generosity of many OFs who have
given to the Fettes Foundation. I
would like to take this opportunity of thanking the US based OFs among that
number who have contributed via Friends of Fettes. Your support is of immense value to us
and it is very greatly appreciated.
Outdoor Pursuits and the CCF
Outdoor Pursuits has been a
beneficiary of the increased time available for activities and I am delighted to
see the steady growth of participation in the climbing, kayaking, hill-walking,
skiing, sailing and diving trips that are being organised the Outdoor Pursuits
umbrella. Leadership training is
something that we now offer to all Fettesians and we are developing a very
successful programme for this. The
Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme continues to be popular and this Summer nine
Fettesians received their Gold Awards from Prince Philip at Holyrood
Palace. The CCF is flourishing and
the contingent received a highly complimentary report following their biennial
Inspection. The Pipe Band have
built on their most successful tour to the US last Summer and our pipers and
drummers have impressed individually and collectively.
The Fettes College Preparatory
School
The Fettes College Prep
School is now in its third year of existence as an autonomous entity within the
College. It has grown and
flourished over the course of this year and with Gregg Davies at the helm as
Headmaster it is forging ahead on all fronts. The Prep School’s roll is full, both for
boarders and day pupils, and it is widely regarded as a centre of excellence in
primary education. This success
means that over fifty students come up to the Senior School from the Prep School
each year and this is contributing in a very major way to the strength of the
Senior School roll.
Old Fettesian matters
Over the course of the last twelve months I have attended numerous Old Fettesian gatherings both in this country and abroad and the warmth and enthusiasm for Fettes that I have encountered has been extraordinarily heartening. This enthusiasm was present in abundance at the inaugural meeting of the Edinburgh branch of the OFA in April, and at the reception held at the Royal Belfast Yacht Club, which was the first OF gathering in the Province for some time. I have attended OF gatherings in Malyasia, Singapore and Hong Kong, while Iain Nicholson, the President of the Old Fettesian Association, has recently spoken at an OF Dinner in Canada. The South American branch of the OFA has recently been re-activated and I gather that a most enjoyable Dinner was held in Buenos Aires a fortnight ago. I look forward to the next meeting of US based OFs.
The Future
Fettes is in extremely good heart and I am delighted to report that the reputation of the College for excellence and high standards has seldom been stronger. The School roll is currently 592, with 160 students in the Prep School and 432 in the Senior School. The School is to all intents and purposes full and our boarding numbers remain high, with 80% of the Senior School being boarders. We are investing heavily in the College. The new Sports Centre, which is a £5M project, is due for completion in June of next year. Plans are well advanced for a new Art School, for a new Classroom complex, and for significantly enhanced boarding accommodation for girls. These new buildings will free space within existing facilities for major upgrading of our Music and Drama departments. The Fettes Foundation Office is increasingly active and the principle of on-going fund-raising is now well established. We have recently launched a legacy programme which has already secured promises of future endowments for new Scholarships. These are exciting times at Fettes and there is a widely held feeling throughout the community that we are riding a cresting wave.
Michael
Spens
Helen
Gunn(Ar2000) in D.C.
Surreal, dangerous, hectic,
fun and inspiring. These effectively sum up the two months I have spent living
and working as an intern in Washington D.C. “Intern?” Most Britons are either
unfamiliar with this American phenomenon or otherwise associate interns with the
much publicised shenanigans in Washington of late.
Misconceptions aside, my
internship was not on Capitol Hill but in nearby Virginia, as one of three
Corporate and Asian Affairs interns working for the US-Taiwan Business Council.
The Fettes connection was simple, Rupert Hammond-Chambers (G86) is currently the
president of the organisation and heads an enthusiastic and friendly, albeit
very small staff. My role involved a significant amount of reading, specifically
news sources from Taiwan and China from which I was able to considerably
increase my initially limited knowledge of Asian affairs. Every Wednesday
afternoon we all crowded into the conference room to discuss current news
issues, and latterly, the impact of the terrorist attacks on Asia and
cross-strait issues. As interns, we were actively encouraged to attend seminars
and lectures relevant to the work of the council and succeeded in scheduling at
least one such excursion each week. These ranged from a lecture by the Indian
ambassador to the U.S. to a talk entitled 'The Coming Collapse of China' by
renowned author Gordon C. Chang. Initially, I was involved in the preparation
for our Annual Joint Business Conference although this was invariably cancelled
in the wake of 9/11. (Not least because the Boston hotel it was scheduled to be
held in was stormed by the F.B.I. who extracted three terrorist suspects just
before the conference was about to commence.
On September 11, I was
watching the news bulletins on the World Trade Towers before glancing out of the
office window at the Pentagon, my view of which was quickly becoming obscured by
thick, black, acrid smoke clouds. At this stage, only a couple of minutes after
the attack, we didn't know what had happened, so with everyone in shock and
fear, we hastily evacuated our 17th floor office. This in the flight path of
planes flying from the nearby Reagan National Airport.
Living behind the Supreme
Court, we found ourselves in the middle of all the police activity and soon
became accustomed to the sight of armed officers at every corner and trucks
crammed full of heavily armed secret service officers cruising by. It became
normal not to pick up mail, to cross to the other side of the street when
walking past a mail van, to feel a little apprehensive when riding the metro and
to battle through news crews in order to reach the front door of the house, to
hear the incessant drone of firetrucks called out to investigate suspicious
packages, to take cipro, to debate the effectiveness of gas masks, and so on.
Watching the news in the evenings on television quickly became too much and we
eventually found ourselves going out more and more just to escape and to make
the most of our time.
Of course everything
became different after the attacks, but I wouldn't swap my experiences and I am
deeply grateful to Rupert for providing this opportunity. As the only Brit
amongst my 11 flatmates, I found it fascinating to compare the American reaction
with that of British newspapers and friends from home and feel as though I have
gained a real insight. One thing that really surprised me was the warm feeling
toward the British and the genuine kindness that I was shown. Instead of being
scared in the plane on the way home, I was thinking about how soon I could
return.
Dr.
Diana Henderson in North America
Reflections on three weeks in North
America
Canada
really is a beautiful place. It has an upbeat feel without being brash, it is
relaxed without being dull, it is exciting without being intimidating and, above
all, Canadians are both warm and generous in their welcome.
And so, a “Fettesian by
Adoption” set out on a mission to Canada armed only with a list of names and
addresses, many of which are sadly out of date, to rekindle the
Fettesian-Canadian link. It is quite daunting really going to a country where
you do not know anybody that you are going to meet. I need not have worried for
one moment. The longstanding Fettesian link with Canada, the loyalty of Old
Fettesians towards the College and traditional Canadian hospitality ensured that
a genuine bond with the school was reaffirmed, that new friendships were
established and many happy memories were rekindled.
It was, literally, freezing
when I arrived in Toronto. Nothing daunted I established contact with David Christie(Ca52) “our man in
Toronto”. David, and his wife Valerie, had really gone to great lengths to
contact local Fettesians and to arrange a Toronto Fettesian Gathering. It was a
wonderful evening and those who enjoyed the party, young and old, included, Robert Butler(Mo83), Jamie Cameron(Ki67),
John Cassells(Mo43), James Clark(Ar67), R I K Davidson(SH43), Chris
Hartain(Mo85), William Kennedy(Mo68), Dr I A MacDonald(CW52), Alan
Pearson(CW63), Richard Purdon(Ca50), Donald Roger(Ki66), Derek ShenstoneCE48)
and Dr Bill Sutherland(Ca50). There was much swapping of business cards and
much reminiscing and I feel confident in saying that a very good time was had by
all.
I then embarked on a 24 hour
journey, in beautiful sunshine, to Boston to attend a meeting with the Friends
Friends of Fettes College Inc. USA and in particular Jacek Makowski, Michael Dawson and the Clerk to the
Friends, Art Page. A brief visit it may have been, but for
me as the Fettes Foundation Director it was so helpful to just sit down and talk
to Fettesians on their own ground. At this meeting The Friends agreed to donate
$25.000 to the Foundation - a generous and welcome gesture of positive support
for Fettes.
On to Halifax, Nova
Scotia and more Cameron connections in the form of “Moose” Hugh Cameron(Ki62) and RB Cameron(Ki63). “RB” is the proud
owner of “the boat with no name”. I suggested “Floreas Fettesia” but I think
that the suggestion fell on stony ground!
Winnipeg, Calgary and
Edmonton were a challenge in their own right. The wide open skies, the broad
horizons, the chill wind over the prairies, and indeed the snow in Edmonton, in
no way detracted from the warm welcome that I received from, Professor Norman Cameron(CE55), Ross
Burton(CW46), Jim Graham(Gl53), Peter Edwards(Ki64), Hamish Ferguson(Gl57),
Leslie Mercer(CW69) and Dr Douglas
Smith(Mo43).
And finally in Vancouver I
was able to follow up the contacts established by Iain Nicholson only a month
before and, with the help of Nigel
Grant(Ca49), we raised our glasses to Fettes at a Vancouver Gathering
attended by Nigel, Michael
Robertson(Ca67), Sandy Aird(Ki55), Andrew Maillie(CE56), Peter Hyslop(Ki47)
and R D T Morris(CE67).
Many more were contacted by
telephone and E-mail along the way, addresses were exchanged, contacts updated
and friendships renewed. My abiding memory of my first "mission to Canada” on
behalf of the Fettes Foundation is one of kindness and welcome. Thank you. Floreas Fettesia
Dr
Diana M Henderson
Return
to top
Fettes
Jumps to Top of A-level League in Scotland
Fettes College, Tony Blair's
(Ki-Ar66) alma mater, has been chosen as Scotland's Independent School of the
Year
“The coeducational school in
Edinburgh, whose former pupils include General John de Chastelain (CW50), in
charge of decommissioning IRA arms, and David Murray (Mo65), the Ibrox chairman,
recorded the best A-level and GCSE results in Scotland, writes Lucy Adams.
Fernhill school in Glasgow
tops the Scottish table, which is based on Highers. With 85.9% of pupils
obtaining an A or B in their Highers, the predominantly female Catholic school
is almost 10% above the second-placed contender, the High School of Glasgow.
Fernhill, a school of only
340 pupils with annual fees of £4,500, was narrowly beaten to the Scottish
School of the Year title by Fettes because the Edinburgh school leapt so many
places up the UK table.
Fettes rose from
127th to 81st position in The Sunday Times league of the
top 500 independent schools in the UK.
The school has beaten all
the other Scottish independent schools that concentrate on A-level exams rather
than Highers, including St Leonard’s in Fife and Merchiston Castle in Edinburgh.
The league table, which is
published with today’s paper in Part 2 of the Parent Power supplement, is
calculated on A-level and GCSE pass rates across the UK. A separate table
calculates the top 15 independent schools in Scotland, focusing on Higher and
Standard grade results.
Fettes concentrates on
A-levels. Only 20% of its sixth-form students take Highers.
The school, which was
founded by Sir William Fettes, a former lord provost of Edinburgh, charges
£15,000 a year in fees and educates children from eight to 18. Blair reportedly
hated the 131-year-old school so much that he ran away twice, and he is said to
have hated the “fagging system”.
The school insists its
atmosphere and ethos have changed considerably and that it has benefited from
the family approach taken by Michael Spens, headmaster for the past four years.
Spens, a 50-year-old
Cambridge geology graduate, emphasises the importance of creating a family
atmosphere for his charges, 80% of whom are boarders.
He encourages parents to
visit on a regular basis, and encourages pupils to use the telephone, e-mail and
fax to keep in touch. Now, even boarders from overseas have swift access to
their parents. ”We are much more cosmopolitan than many of the other independent
schools - about 30% of our pupils are based overseas,” says Spens.
“We are a smaller, very family-oriented school. Everybody is treated as individual - it does not matter if you are in the rugby or hockey team, play an instrument or just like making model aeroplanes.”
Schools
need no lessons in how to balance the books
by
Antonia Swinson of Scotland on Sunday
FRIDAY finds me at Fettes
College in Edinburgh at the Autumn Guest Night, an enjoyable exercise in
networking with lots of port and merchant banker in trews, both guaranteed to
cheer a girl up.
I am curious to see
Fettes, now even more fashionable with the rumour it was the inspiration for
Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Academy, and as the alma mater of our gung ho PM, who,
when not running away from ‘Scotland’s Eton’, usefully acquired the polish to
persuade disillusioned Tories that he was underneath ‘one of us’.
My host, Dr Adrian Hall, co-ordinator of American Relations, tells me old Fettesians across the States
regularly produce laddish team photos of themselves with Tony Blair, all bushy
hair and teeth, and agree he actually had a very jolly time. Tony certainly kept
that quiet from the comrades.
Fettes now has 600 pupils,
tops the exam charts for Scottish independent schools and, charging around
£16,000 per annum for boarders, is slightly more expensive than local
competition, but good value compared to richer peers down south. Twenty per cent
of places offer some kind of bursary and there are pupils from 30 countries
including 12 from the States.
I am reliably informed by
friends who are bursars in private schools that your average company finance
director would not last five minutes, such is the complicated nature of this
business with its heavy burden of shared emotional baggage and history. For
Fettes, history began only in 1870 with a generous endowment by Sir William
Fettes who acquired the land and built the school. Land ownership has always
been a key feature of this city school; a negative in the 1960s with the
compulsory purchase order of land for Broughton High School, though the more
recent land sale for the new build Fettes Village was terribly useful for school
funds.
In management terms, my
bursar friends tell me the biggest challenge is the daily proximity of your
customers - legions of assertive, often highly geared parents, all expert
because they have all been to school, and read Tom Brown’s Schooldays, even if
they were brought up on a ‘scheme’ themselves, and their self-confident kids,
with rightly high expectations.
Yet both product and income
are finite: when a school is full, it is full, with fee levels pretty much set
within sector norms. Schools must compete for the best staff in the tightest of
labour markets, and also the best pupils. The added value required in salaries
and facilities puts increasing pressure on fee income, hence why CEOs, alias
Heads, and key staff spend ever more time networking and motivating
fund-raising. So the Fettes Foundation must hit a £500,000 target this year with
new sports and arts facilities in the pipeline, while in the States, Friends of
Fettes College Inc operating in difficult times, must hit $100,000 towards the
first US scholarship.
Our merry dinner
demonstrates deep commitment within the school community and I have no doubt
Fettes will achieve these figures. Yet I find it curious why sophisticated
parents who happily grill company finance directors professionally, do not
demand, along with all this big ticket fund-raising, the concomitant culture of
transparency that other areas of the charity sector now accept as the norm.
Fettes, like most schools, gives detailed academic figures to parents but not as
yet school accounts. Dr Hall admits the School Annual Report will have to come,
but admits it goes against the grain. This traditional attitude is widespread
and in marked contrast to the newly tough attitudes of many private schools who
now demand US-style interest-free loans up front from new parents and call in
debt collectors for late payers. One leading Edinburgh school cheerfully applied
for sequestration for half a dozen parents during the summer hols. The slackers!
By the end of the evening, I realise my bursar friends are right: running a
factory or a supermarket would be easy-peasy in comparison. I leave Fettes full
of admiration for its business acumen. Though if the management ever lost the
magic touch, it would have more to lose than most.
Return
to top
More
Americans want to make mark as Scots
MORE Americans than ever are
calling themselves Scottish, according to the findings of the latest United
States official census. The first published data from the 2000 census shows a 40
per cent rise in the number of US citizens who claim to be of Scottish ancestry,
compared with the previous national census taken in 1990.
In Washington, Wayne
Rethford, president of the Association of St Andrew Societies in Chicago, said
several factors contributed to this rising number.
"I think the Braveheart
factor might play some part in it," he said. "But I think Americans generally
are just getting more in touch with their roots. There are a lot more
Scots-related activities these days in the United States, such as Highland games
and Burns nights. There’s been a dramatic increase in Scottish awareness."
He said membership of the
Illinois branch of the association was now the highest in its 155-year history,
at 1,800 families.
The American census takers
ask all US citizens what they consider to be their ancestral home. Last year,
5.4 million of respondents claimed to be of Scottish descent. A decade ago, only
3.3 million Americans made the claim.
The number of claims to
Scottish ancestry are higher than those for Swedish, Dutch, Russian or Ukrainian
descent.
The figure for tartan
Americans doubles to 11 million when added to a separate census category for
those with a “Scotch-Irish” background. This covers native Scots, people born in
Ulster, or the many Scots who first went to Ireland in the 18th and 19th
centuries before emigrating to the United States. The number of Americans
calling themselves Scotch-Irish has also increased since the last census
The combined number of
Scottish and Scotch-Irish descendants is more than that for Polish or French
heritage. Only the Italians (16 million), English (28 million), Irish (33
million) and Germans (47 million) outdo the Scottish contingent.
A source close to Scottish
Secretary Helen Liddell said the census figures were "heartening for everybody
involved in promoting Scotland" but they were no coincidence. They reflected
hard work put in by the Scottish executive and the Scotland Office.
In April, the First Minister
Henry McLeish led a high-profile delegation, including Sir Sean Connery, to
Washington to celebrate Tartan Day and meet US President George Bush.
Alex Salmond, SNP leader at
Westminster, said the news showed how aspirational Scottishness had become in an
international context. The challenge is
now to mobilise this diaspora to benefit Scotland, particularly in economic
terms,” he added. “They are a priceless asset and everyone is a potential
ambassador for us. “
The data also show differences between Scots-Americans and other
Americans. Of those claiming Scottish lineage in 1990 (the 2000 breakdown is
still awaited), 33.6 per cent had a university degree compared with the US
average of 25 per cent. No other major ancestral group had as high an
educational attainment, except recent Israeli immigrants.
The economic development
agency Scottish Enterprise is analysing the US census figures with a view to
promoting stronger links between the two economies. A major policy statement on
strengthening Scotland's global connections, particularly in research, is
expected from enterprise minister Wendy Alexander this month.
George Kerevan, Associate
Editor, The Scotsman
Saturday, 8th September 2001
www.thescotsman.co.uk
Fettes
News
Old
Fettesians at July 4th
This year Liane Dorsey, the
new Principal Officer at the US Consulate organised a reception for Independence
Day at the City Chambers. Entertainment was provided by the Tigertones, a
15-member a capella men’s singing
group from Princeton University. Fettes was well represented by glitterati
including the Salmond sisters (CW87), Hamish McDonnell (SH-Gl81) (now Political
Editor of The Scotsman) and your own Co-ordinator. The Provost, Eric Milligan,
took delight in announcing government backing for Tunes of Glory, the ambitious plan to
put 10,000 pipers on the streets of New York City on National Tartan Day. Find
out more at www.tunesofglory.scotsman.com
A rare triumph, with Fettes
students being offered 2 out of the 3 Scholarships available to Brits this year.
David Riddle (Gl), Head of School, and Eilidh MacDonald (CW), Captain of Girls’
Hockey, came through stiff interviews in London and North Carolina to win
through.
The John Motley Morehead
Foundation disburses the prestigious Morehead scholarships for study at
UNC-Chapel Hill. The $51,000 scholarships pay all expenses for four years of
undergraduate study and a summer enrichment program. The last Fettesian to win
this privilege was Eilidh’s brother, Craig (Mo97). We will carry a history of
the Fettesian involvement in the Morehead programme in the next issue.
The Fettes College Pipe
Band
The Fettes College Pipe Band hopes
to be back in the eastern USA in summer 2003. After the wonderful success of the
first trip there is much anticipation from pupils and parents of a repeat
performance. Fund-raising starts in Spring with a major ceilidh at the school.
There is even the glimmer of a possibility, thanks to Sandy Causey, that we will
tour Hawaii in spring 2005.
Tartan
TV
Fiona Kennedy, mother of Hannah Clarke (Ar), Francis
Clarke Gl) and Sophie Clarke (Prep). Kennedy is founder of Tartan TV.
Get
switched on with Tartan TV
Scotland's business and
tourism communities got a welcome shot in the arm yesterday with the launch of a
new internet TV firm which aims to champion the country in foreign markets.
Aberdeen-based Tartan TV has
been set up to showcase Scottish talent on a new interactive website (www.tartan.tv) and is on the verge of signing
a distribution deal for its programmes with a US cable television channel.
It has been co-founded by
country singer and broadcaster (and Fettes parent) Fiona Kennedy and independent television producer
Robert Sproul-Cran, and is chaired by (Old Fettesian) David Reid(CW60), deputy
chairman of Tesco.
The launch website contains
exclusive video interview with Ewan McGregor, while comedian Billy Connolly and
visitor Robbie Williams are being lined up to feature later in the year.
Tartan TV has so far
attracted £300,000 in private investment and is aiming to raise between £1-1.5
million to see it through to profitability in the middle of next year.
Scottish Enterprise,
Aberdeen City Council, and British Trade International have also contributed
financially to the company's development.
Initially the firm will
produce a weekly 30-minute magazine programme covering aspects of Scotland from
traditional attractions such as golf and whisky to more dynamic stories of
21st century Scotland showing it as the home of innovative technology
and cutting edge research. Scottish business and music programs are also in the
pipeline. Kennedy said that Tartan TV aimed to tap into an untapped
international market. "At least 90 million people around the world have Scots
ancestry or family connections, with more than one-third of these in North
America alone, and we are the first Scottish-based production company to make
magazines specifically targeted at this vast market."
She added that digital
technology, such as cable television and fast broadband internet access, was
rapidly opening up the global market for niche programming.
Andrew Murray-Brown
for The Scotsman November 1st
2001
Scottish
North American Business Council
A discussion meeting in mid
November was held at the Roxburghe Hotel in the presence of the US Consul, Liane
Dorsey, on the implications of 9/11 for Scottish-American business strategy. The
meeting was addressed by speakers from Aon Insurance, American Airlines and
Citibank. Representing the latter was our own parent, Colin Stewart, father of
Robert (Ki) and Flora and Charles (both Prep). A downbeat meeting ended with
hopes for a V-shaped recovery in the second quarter of 2002. Information on
SNABC can be found on www.snabc.co.uk
Return to top
News
from OF's in the States
In a strange
coincidence, I met Mr. Fred Graham-Youll (G50) in a barber’s shop on Kent
Island, Maryland in April 2001. To my astonishment, we discovered we had both
attended Fettes. In 1939 I was the son of a U.S. Foreign Service Officer
stationed in Oslo. In September 1939 I was enrolled in Fettes, a very reluctant
dragoon. In your letter from America by Bingham Kirk (G40), I found that I was
not the only Yank at Fettes and I recall clearly the first air raid of the war
he mentioned which took place on October 16th, my birthday. I was one of the
intramural rugger players when the Heinkel 17, on fire, crossed very low
overhead with the 602 Spitfire squadron firing and leaving a deadly rain of 303
cartridge cases across the field.
At the Xmas holidays, 1939 I
took a bus to Newcastle to catch the ferry to Bergen, Norway, but the bus got
lost in the blackout and I missed the ferry. The US Consulate sheltered me for
three days and I caught the next ferry arriving in Bergen on Christmas Eve. I
was lucky. The ferry I missed was sunk on the way over and the ferry I took was
sunk on its return trip, and all service was discontinued. This left my half
parents the problem of returning me to Fettes after the holidays. I was loaded
on a Norwegian Fokker (no heat) to Stavanger and from there I was loaded on a
RAF Lockheed courier plane which flew to Perth at about 20 feet altitude.
Unlike Mr Kirk, I was not
advised about the transport set up for US citizens via ship from Belfast in
1940. I remained at Fettes (which was not paid my tuition due to the German
occupation of Norway) for 18 months. In the summer of 1941 I finally presented
myself to the US Embassy in London, and at 16, with ten quid in my pocket and no
further information, I was dumped on a blacked out DC3 to Lisbon.
After considerable
vicissitudes I entered the war in 1943 in the South African Navy (Mediterranean,
Atlantic and 2 years in the Pacific) and finally in 1946 entered Yale
University.
In retrospect, Fettes did a
lot for me and I honour the many classmates who fought and died in WW2.
My sobriquet was the
Yank.
Thanks for the memories
The OF's of
the Southern Cone of South America had a get-together dinner in Buenos Aires on
Saturday 3rd November. Apart from the Buenos Aires crowd, there were OF's from
Brazil and Chile ... first time ever!
The chief
organizer was Duncan Cameron (Mo46).
From
Richard Cross (Ca66)
in Florida
The contents of the last
Industria provided some very good reading, especially the article by Bingham
Kirk (G38). I enjoyed a few chuckles at his expense concerning the cultural
differences encountered in moving to Scotland and to Fettes. I also noted that
tradition and customs had not altered that much when I entered Fettes in 1966. I
look forward to reading any future contributions from him.
It is fascinating to see how
OF’s are making such progress in the US these days. My own daughter, Heather, is
thriving at Umatilla High School FL, with strong academics and, somewhat to the
surprise of a father who is tone deaf, a fine ear for the clarinet and bassoon.
We are looking ahead to scholarships, and perhaps even university in the
UK.
From Julia Regan (Ar76) in Connecticut
I was at Fettes 76-78 in
Arniston House. After graduating I worked in London for many years in
advertising as an account handler then moved to Hong Kong with my husband in the
early 90’s. There I did recruiting in advertising and I have done that ever
since, in London, HK, South Africa and now in New York. I live and work from my
home in Stamford CT and deal with a handful of ad agencies in Manhattan. If
there are any other Fettesians in then industry they should get in touch!
Last year we were joined by
baby Annabel which was something of a surprise but she is a welcome addition to
the household – she is now 8 months old and a little US citizen. We plan to send
her to Fettes for the Sixth Form.
From:
Jonathan Thaw ((Ki97) now in London
After finishing at Jesus College, Cambridge, I went to work in Hawaii at
the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory as a volunteer for three months. Since
January this year, I have been working in the Communications and High-tech
division of the management consultancy, Accentre, in London.
Recently I have been thinking about applying to do a masters course in journalism at either Stanford of at the University of California at Berkeley. Apart from getting a place, another obstacle is securing financial aid, but I am investigating applying for a Fulbright scholarship.
Also, I would be very interested to hear of any opportunities through Friends of Fettes College Inc.
Despite my looking around, the job at Accentre is going well and everything is going good (sic) in London.
Will Corry
(Ki) competed at the World Mountain Bike Championships in Vail, CO.
Will is a top prospect on the MTB circuit. He represents Ireland and he took time out from Fettes in September to compete in the World Championships. Will raced in the Junior Men’s Downhill and was placed 34th. These guys zoom downhill at an average speed of 35 km/hr!