Marist Brothers High School Darlinghurst
Blue & Blue
10th. December 2015
eMail:
darlo@6mins.com
Gentlemen,
Merry Christmas
to
each of you and to your respective families. Let’s hope that 2016 brings
health and happiness to you all, in abundance.
Norm Fraser
[LC’62]
finished trekking the Kakoda Trail earlier this year, just before his 70th
birthday; an inspiration to all.
We heard
from
Ted Hamilton,
O.A.M.
[LC’54]
who played for NSW and Australia in the world’s best squash teams
throughout the sixties -and had an international career in the Arts as
an actor, composer/singer. Ted fondly remembers “ Bill Slapp (deceased),
Bernie Cannon (Alzheimer patient), and Sidney Davies,(deceased) who were
class mates and Brothers Dunstan, Honorius, and Syrillus.”
The
Class of 1965 are nearing the end of their half-century anniversary.
Those who have photos and wish them uploaded to the web, please send
them across. Technical issues prevented
Bernard Doyle [LC’65]
from exercising his kind offer to improve the Darlo website and perhaps
we may be able to get the photos available to all in January.
Michael Howard [LC’65]
kindly sent across some of his photos. Have you ever seen 2 white eyes
peering out of a black hole? Mr. Howard’s revolutionary technique of
snaring an almost all-black photo with just a smidgen of content, defies
the imagination of the most ardent of the photographic industry.
Peter Clarke [LC’65]
was among the fortunate ones who managed a trip overseas recently. Also,
he and
Tony Britton [LC’65]
were among the rare few being identifable among Mr. Howard’s
photographic collection. As Pete reflects, “Tony is one of our Kings
Cross group who left Darlo to become a Marist Brother. Stayed in the
'industry' for about 10 years then left to be a private school teacher.
Stays fit through tennis and golf and is a 'rabid' Easts supporter like
quite a few of us Kings Cross Darlo boys. He is a terrific bloke but the
b****** has never put on any weight and hasn't changed in all this
time.”
It leads one to think that Tony was the most wrinkled kid in primary who
possibly suffers from anorexia nervosa.
Tony Smith [LC’64]
is also among the fortunate overseas adventurers. Tony Smith took a
break from the pressures of the insurance industry with a leisurely 3
months trip o/seas. The rumour that insurance guys like to take extended
holidays when their clients’ claims are due is totally unfounded. The B&
B isn’t getting out there as much as it should so please advise if you’d
like to be editor of a given month’s edition of the B&B. Time has Man of
the Month. Playboy has Playboy of the Month. We now have
Publisher-of-the-Month. ‘Happy to include a semi-nude calendar photo –
or other photo, if more appropriate. Tony Smith has volunteered to do
the first edition for 2016. We’re working on Tony coming into the studio
for a top-half photo shoot with the base being that of the statue of
David.
Br. Paul Murphy
is heading for Philippines in February to visit Kuya Center,
investigating possibilities of a community project using solar power and
and visiting Bangkok to see progress on the Living Water project. For
more info on Br. Paul’s efforts to advance the situation of
disadvantaged children please see
http://kuyacenter.org/PDF/2015-12.pdf
Lost & Found
It’s reassuring to see how the B&B reaches various people and into many
parts of the globe, maintaining and reinvigorate our fraternity. Mickey
Parker [LC’64] now resident in Canada, contacted the OBU to reach old
school mates from Bondi and Paddo, after decades of no contact. He also
fondly remembers Gary Stanmore [LC’64] who recently passed on.
Ted Leach [LC’59] has a cousin, Sid, an Old Boy of M.B. Bondi Beach, who
contacted the OBU and they subsequently renewed the long-lost contact.
We received a letter back marked RTS addressed to
Jeff Fallon [LC’63] and
Michael Attard [LC’64]
kindly followed up with a missive to Murwillumbah seeking to
re-establish contact, which was unsuccessful, so if anyone has a contact
for Jeff, please contact the OBU. Similarly, we received an RTS on the
letter to Col Jenkins [LC’62] of Walcha. Again, if anyone has a contact
for Col, please contact the OBU.
R.I.P.
Neil McKenna [LC’60]
passed away- Neil was a good cricketer and footballer. He had worked in
the ACT for decades. He is fondly remembered by his family and friends.
The funeral service for Neil was held at the Gold Creek Chapel, O'Hanlon
Place, Nicholls, ACT on FRIDAY 27 November 2015
REFLECTIONS:
Karam Ramrakha [LC’49] writes, “There was a Darlo Old Boy of 1933 who
became a district court judge in 1953-4 he had a esoteric sounding name
and I recall how he addressed an accused young man who had stolen and
frittered away his loot at the races.
The Judge said in effect "
There are hundred of people, owners, trainers, jockeys and other people
in the racing industry who make a living out of the Game. But they do
not make it off each but from mugs like you and me "
It is amazing how Darlo a small school which performed above its weight
should have produced such a happy band of scholars.. it was my first
school in Sydney and I was 17 having come fresh from Fiji.
I really enjoyed although I used to travel from Croydon to Darlinghurst
.. train to Central and bus to Darlo
I recall how much support there was in the school for Souths.. I made
good friends and was amused when the little ones used to call me " Son"
.. it was their early attempt as masculinity and I enjoyed pitting my
head against theirs..
We all adored John Bolster a fine stamp of a man who excelled in
cricket.. and the school tennis court where the boys trained at
cricket with a baseball bat.. I recall one day .. I did little exercise
and lived very much on a starch diet .. bread galore.. and the Brother
said we want a runner for the championship at St Joseph's college.. so
the Brother .. he was one of the older one said to me.. you look nice
and thin and I am sure you can run.. I did not have running shoes so I
wore some old sandshoes after I gave them a coat of white .. as I ran I
was hopelessly puffed out and there were five runners and the boy
running fourth dropped out but I continued and the games people waited
for me to finish.. Of course I gained one point for the school and one
of my little admirers decided to cheer and as she clapped and cheered
the older boys felt I did not deserve it.. But to run on the hallowed
grounds of St Joey's .. that was something..
Thanks let's keep in touch. Karam”
Humour:
The Irish contributions have been plentiful but space limits the
sharing.
Paddy says to Mick,"I'm getting circumcised tomorrow."
Mick says, "I had that done when I was a few days old."
Paddy asks, "Does it Hurt?"
Mick says, " Well I couldn't walk for 12 months."
______________________________________________
When Insults Had Class
These glorious insults are from an era
before the English language became boiled down to 4-letter words.
A member of Parliament to Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on
the gallows or of some unspeakable disease."
"That depends, Sir," said Disraeli, "whether I embrace your policies or
your mistress."
"He had delusions of adequacy." - Walter Kerr
"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."
- Winston Churchill
"I have never killed a man, but I have read
many obituaries with great pleasure." - Clarence Darrow.
"He has
never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the
dictionary." - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway).
"Thank
you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it."
- Moses Hadas.
"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice
letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain.
"He has no
enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.." - Oscar Wilde.
"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a
friend, if you have one." - George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill.
"Cannot possibly
attend first night, will attend second, if there is one." - Winston
Churchill, in response.
"I feel so miserable without you; it's
almost like having you here." - Stephen Bishop.
"He is a
self-made man and worships his creator" - John Bright.
"I've
just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial." -
Irvin S. Cobb.
"In order to avoid being called a flirt,
she always yielded easily." - Charles, Count Talleyrand.
"He
loves nature in spite of what it did to him" - Forrest Tucker.
"His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.." - Mae
West.
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever
they go." - Oscar Wilde.
"He has Van Gogh's ear for
music." - Billy Wilder.
"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening.
But this wasn't it." - Groucho
_________________________________________________________________
Be sure to keep your anecdotes and reflections rolling in and enjoy the
Season.
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Beyond Blue continues to provide support for anxiety and depression, providing resources for recovery, management and resilience.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Servo fidem,
Marist Brothers Darlinghurst Old Boys’ Union
*LC Year refers to those who sat the LC or HSC in that year and also to their classmates who left school in earlier years.
President, OBU
Kym Derriman
9311 3344
Vice President
Tony Morrissey
9311 4598
Secretary/Treasurer
Bill Halcro
9661 7710
Marist Executive
Br. Paul Murphy
0449 640540
Tony Smith
Board Member
John Barclay
Board Member
Sports Portfolio
Jay Robertson
All mail to:
The Secretary,
MBHSD_OBU
20 Paterson St
Matraville 2036
eMail:
Old Boys' Union