Past Pupils & Friends [Network News Ed. 5 - Oct 99]

Hutt Valley High School Crest

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From the Editor’s Desk

What an exciting few months we have had. We are beginning to see the fruition of a number of initiatives of the Association.

Following discussions between the PP & F Association and the HVHS Board of Trustees the position of Community Liaison and Support Development at HVHS has been created.

Alice Paul has been appointed to this position and we are delighted to introduce her to you. She will be working with us to initiate ways in which we can support the school and the present students. Her enclosed letter explains her role and some of the things she will be doing.

One of the things she will be endeavouring to expand are the scholarships available to students for tertiary study. We are very pleased to see this area beginning to grow - businesses and individuals are working with us to establish criteria for scholarships that the PP&F Ass’n can manage in conjunction with the school.

We now have a former staff member working with the school staff to establish a database of ‘mentors’. It only takes a few hours very occasionally so please let us know if you are willing to put your name forward as a mentor.

Three Past Pupils have indicated that they would be willing to be contacts for ‘Branches’ of the Association in other parts of New Zealand. This is a great way to network and also get to hear about others in your area.

The planning meetings for the 75th Reunion were a great success - thank you to all who responded. There was general concensus that there should not be a ball and that activities needed to allow for decade groups to be clearly defined.

You can read about what we have come up with!

Do you realise that we have almost doubled the numbers on "The Network" (ie: those who have responded on a Join Me Up form) in the past 12 months. We now have 995 members. This is the best news we could have. Keep spreading the word! Our Association is very much alive and well!

- Judi Whitcher

Find us on the Internet

Check our web site out – get the latest news and use the Bulletin Board to find old school friends Tell your overseas contacts to look for the newsletter and Reunion information on our website www.hvhs.ac.nz/ppfa/.

Join the Network

Join the Network – tell your friends to join

If you are a former pupil or friend of HVHS, why not be listed on our database as a member of ‘the Network’? If you are already receiving this newsletter by mail/post, there is no need to do this as you’re already on the database.

If you know of other past pupils who might like to receive newsletters and information please get them to contact us by mail/post, or e-mail ppfa@hvhs.ac.nz.

Notice of Events

1st Decade Tea & Chat Afternoon

will be held in ‘The Pavillion’ at Hutt Valley High School

8th October, 1999 from 1.45pm.

Bring your old photos and your memories to share with friends and take time to have a look around the school.

There will be an opportunity for you to record some of your memories of HVHS on video for our archive and talk about some of those special funny/happy/challenging times.

Parking will be available in the school grounds.

From the ‘inbox’: We’ve Got M@il

From Doug Coutts (1969-73)

email: douglasj@paradise.net.nz

…I have just visited your site…

Mention of the spire and the motto reminded me of the newsletter we put out in ‘73 - "Pulse - the Throbbing Organ of HVHS". There were 4 issues - the first couple produced from a room in the then ‘new’ block that had the lecture theatre in it, and the remainder from a space under the hall stage (back then the spire was still in place!). On the back page of one issue we printed the lyrics to the school song - something like "the walls of our valley upward inspire us...".

In 1969 there was an earlier attempt at an officially sanctioned newspaper - it went on sale in the morning but before morning interval Mr McLean came on the intercom and instructed teachers to "confiscate all copies" (due to a list of the teachers and their ‘edited’ credentials on the back page - some very amusing!)

From Shelley Staggs (Hancock) (1983)

email: sstaggs@eagleusa.com

Hi, I was a student at HVHS in 1983… I was in Miss Piper’s class. I now live in Austin, Texas, USA, and would like to get in touch with the friends I made while at HVHS. I am interested in information about this Association.

From Pamela Rothschild (1967-71)

email: rothschi@ilo.org

My Mum must have put me on your mailing list … I will be back at the end of the year for a couple of weeks – will the school be open? I hope to attend the 75th Festivities – I can’t wait to see the people that I haven’t seen for 25 years!!. Is Mr Tusan still alive? He was my French teacher and I would love to see him when I come back at the end of the year. Sunny regards from Geneva, Switzerland, where I have lived for nearly 20 years. I work now for the UN International Labour Office. Do you know of any other ex HVHS pupils who are on this side of the world?

(Great to get your emails - keep them coming - Ken will reply)
email: ppfa@hvhs.ac.nz

What are your recollections of the amusing incidents from your school years? I’m sure we all have them! Please write by post or email us at ppfa@hvhs.ac.nz with any anecdotes that you would like to share with others.

A Student’s View

Extract from “A History of the World” by Richard Lederer More Student Bloopers. This time –

“The Romans”

Eventually the Romans conquered the Greeks. History calls people Romans because they never stayed in one place for very long.

At Roman banquets the guests wore garlics in their hair.

Julius Caesar extinguished himself on the battle fields of Gaul. The Ides of March murdered him because they thought he was going to be made King.

Nero was a cruel tyranny who would torture his victims by playing the fiddle to them.

Honours Board

Please tell us about Past Pupils who have achieved awards and successes in their careers.

Claude England No 1 US ranking in the Men’s 40 year old singles.
(This came after twice winning the US PTA National 35’s singles title)

Archives

The Archives Team reports:

We have a problem with the photo restoration project for the early 70’s and need to beg, borrow or acquire the following photos to complete the collections.

We do not have a set of class photos for 1970. The album containing these photos has obviously been missing for a long time as there is no mention of it since an index of holdings was made in 1986. We need to make an album of photos of all the poor lost souls from that year!

1971

Many of the yearbook photos were cutouts and not suitable for framing. We need to borrow the following photos to complete the framed photo board:

  • Prefects
  • Choir
  • Band
  • Orchestra
  • Tennis A
  • Netball
  • Athletics
  • Lifesaving
  • Rugby 1st XV
  • Indoor Basketball (Boys and Girls)
  • Hockey A (Boys and Girls)

We actually do have a photo of the Cricket 1st XI!

1972

The yearbook photos were of very poor quality and we would be grateful if we could borrow the folllowing originals to complete the photo board:

  • Prefects
  • Orchestra
  • Choir
  • 1st XI Cricket
  • Tennis A
  • Softball
  • Athletics (Boys/Girls)
  • Badminton
  • Lifesaving
  • Indoor Basketball (Boys/Girls)
  • Hockey A (Boys/Girls)
  • 1st XV Rugby
  • Fencing.

For our part we promise to take great care of your precious photos and return them to you as soon as they have been photographed.

If possible, please label them clearly in pencil on the back of each one with your name, address and phone number or otherwise provide this information with the photo as an enclosure.

We will also need to know ‘who’s who’ so if you can remember all (or some) of your classmates’ names please supply a list of these as well.

Any help you can give us will be gratefully received.

If you would like to talk to someone from the Archive Team regarding photos or other memorabilia that you have, please phone Colleen Creswell (School Archivist) (04) 566-4584 or Jean Bowden (04) 567-2358. [E-mail to library@hvhs.ac.nz is also available.]

PS. Does anyone still have an old green girl’s uniform?

School Snippets

Congratulations to…

  • Michael Cohen (7th Form) who gained a High Distinction (top 1%) in the Australian Science Competition held recently.
  • Eion Robb (5th Form) top award of High Distinction in the Australian Computing Competition. Jonathan Ah Kit, Stuart Pigneguy and Jonathan Cohen received Distinctions in the same competition.
  • Sarah Lynskey who received a Highly Commended in the adult section of the recent Lower Hutt Short Story competition.
  • 1st XI Boys Hockey team - 1st in the Wn B grade competition

Music Department Celebrates...

the arrival of a new KAWAI RX7 (7’6") GRAND PIANO

A major fundraising campaign to raise the first $21,500 is being organised over the next few weeks.

A concert and ‘Silent Auction’ for the keys of the piano will be held on Friday 15th October, 1999. The piano will be played by well known young musician Dan Poynton and senior music students. Details are on the enclosed flyer. Come along, hear some wonderful music, and maybe ‘Buy a Key’.

HVHS “Volante” Choir

The HVHS “Volante” of 30 voices recently competed in the National Final of the NZ Secondary School’s Choral Festival in Dunedin. Their performance won them a silver award which places them in the top 5 secondary school choirs in New Zealand. This is an outstanding result!

Our congratulations to them.

Extensions and Alterations

Extensions and Alterations to the Admin block, the Library and the Gym will begin in the new year – much needed for 1800 staff & pupils.