Welcome, Old Boys and members of the Dilworth community.

The first thing we would like you to do – now that you are here and reading this - is to leave your details and a message in the Guest Book. We want to know you have been on the Site and we would like to hear what you have to say. Other Dilworth community members will see your entry in the Guest Book, so this will add immeasurably to the “novelty” of this Website, and hopefully will keep returning you all back to the Site.

You may also comment on any article posted on the website. To add your comments click on the “comments hot link” underneath each article. If there are no comments then the hot link is “No Comments”, else it will be “n Comments”, where n is the number of existing comments. As the Web Administrator I need to approve each comment (to ensure it is not spam), so you may not see your comment immediately.

We are now placing newsletters on the website. See here.

The Dilworth Legacy by Murray Wilton is for sale NOW. Please see full details here.

Dr George Barker - Reunion Dinner Speaker March 13th

Reunion Dinner Saturday March 13th, 6:30pm for a 7:00pm start at the School Dining Room. Follows the AGM (Rec Centre) at 5:30pm. Tickets available now – please see below to pay by PayPal. Please contact Adam at adam.hiron@gmail.com to reserve your seat(s).

We are delighted to announce that Dr George Barker (BA, MA (Hons), LLB, DPhil) will be speaking at the Reunion Dinner. George left Dilworth mid-1975 (in his second year as Head Prefect) on winning a UWC Scholarship to study at Pearson College in Canada for 2 years – where of all people Murray Wilton turned up as a French teacher! A top sportsman, academic and a leader at the School George has gone on to lead a successful and distinguished career. He is also a Dio Old Girl and continues that association today – but more on that, no doubt, on the night!

George is Director of the Centre for Law and Economics at the Australian National University and is President of the Australian Law and Economics Association. He was awarded the Olin Fellowship in Law and Economics at Cornell University in 2000. He gained a PhD in Economics from Oxford University 1992, and earned both a Bachelor of Laws and Master of Economics at Auckland where he won the senior prize in economics . George has authored books and articles on a wide range of matters from the Effects of China joining the WTO (Cambridge University Press 2003), through the economics of energy, communication, media and cultural industries to social policy, including education, health, welfare and the criminal justice system. He is also the editor of Asia Pacific Law and Economics Review (Berkeley Electronic Press), and on the Editorial Board of the European Journal of Law and Economics.

After finishing his masters at Auckland George went to work at the New Zealand Treasury and became chief analyst under the Lange Labour Government in the mid 1980’s (returned to Treasury again from 1992-1997). After his 80’s Treasury stint he won a National Research Advisory Council Scholarship and completed a doctorate of economics at Oxford University. During his time at Oxford he was elected onto the Governing Body of Wolfson College.

George continues to advise a wide range of public- and private-sector clients on regulatory, public policy, microeconomic, financial management and corporate strategy issues. He has testified in the Asia Pacific Region before Australian, Korean, Canadian and New Zealand and in European agencies on market design, regulatory policy, competition policy and intellectual property.  Thus on the latter he provided the economic testimony in one of the two major Global cases on music piracy or illegal downloading in the KAZAA case.

So a very interesting Old Boy (with a huge resume that we could not do justice to in these few paragraphs) who has made the most of his Dilworth upbringing to be a leader of men. We are all looking forward to hear George speak at the Reunion Dinner.

Pay and reserve your Reunion Dinner seat now  using PayPal ($60):

The Job Description

In acknowledging my limitations – my sometimes substandard command of the English language (I just managed 50% from Barbara Morgan in 6th Form English – scraped in a pass mark!) – I am seeking a Site Editor whose job it will be to keep an eye on Site postings and edit them to a professional standard as befits the quality and aims of the DOBA website. As an example of the problems with my articles, I tend to mix-up narrative modes – using the wrong mode or many of in the one article. Applications for the Editor role are invited to mark@azurebell.co.nz.  Full training will be provided on how to access the articles on the Website and then Edit and Publish the updates. Unfortunately as some of the content has a bit of HTML in it, this role would suit someone with a little knowledge of HTML (but this is not a mandatory requirement).

The role will also include editing of the regular email newsletters that are sent out and also editing so that posts on the Website and in the Emails do not cause undue offence.

Your carrying out of this role will earn you many warm thoughts from the Old Boys community and immense personal satisfaction .. as well as keeping yours truly in check.

Who Does The Role Suit?: If you have been an English Teacher at Dilworth at some time (including current) then you will probably get the job without too much discussion.  If you are an Old Boy then submitting your English marks from School showing an 80%+ result will stand you in very good stead. Else, you may have developed your English skills in later life, and once again I would love to hear from you.

February 2010 Council Meeting

Present: Adam, Grant, Peter, Julian, Theo, Donald, Chris, Callum, Jake, Mark, David, Ian

Meeting started out at 6:35pm, with an excellent turn out. First on the agenda was Graham Watson, Past President. But he did not show up.

We are going to send flowers to Christine Wilton who is recovering from an operation at present. We hope you recover well and soon Christine.

It was determined that rather than posting the full minutes on the Website I would from now on do as I did for the 4th August 2009 meeting and write up a summary of the meeting and post it as an article. Something a bit more warm and friendly – which will cover the key points but also make a good read. Will include pictures as well.

We talked about the AGM and Sports Day – Cricket, tennis, touch and lawn bowls all to be offered on the 13th of March. AGM to start at 5:30, reunion function to follow at 6:30 for 7:00. Thanks to Callum and Jake for their organizing the sports. Agenda to be circulated. We aalso be supplying refreshments throughout the afternoon, so a really god reason for Old Boys to attend the sports and stick around until the AGM and later the reunion function.

I will be adding a facility on the website so that you can pay for your entry to the reunion function. I will post details on the website about this as soon as it is done.

Donald, Chris and Theo

We are planning a 3 course smorgasbord meal for the Reunion Dinner. Dignitaries to be invited at the Association’s cost: Headmasters, Heads of Campus and Chaplain. Also, the Patron and a select group of official invitees will be circulated for the next meeting. Ticket price and inclusions for all other guests are to be confirmed. Idea floated that a guest speaker be invited to give an address at the dinner. Mark to canvas for speakers. Invitation to be circulated with the newsletter, and a list of attendees to be published in simple spreadsheet form for guests to peruse.

The Country Reunion has been scheduled for the 3rd weekend of August (13th, 14th and 15th), with Mt Maunganui as the destination. Arrive on Friday afternoon/evening at the motel. Dinner on Saturday, activities to include: fishing, golf, sightseeing, sports on the Saturday. Accommodation options to be discussed and finalized after the AGM.  “Astralabe” is one option for the dinner – an excellent venue. On Sunday we will organise a morning tea at some venue so that everyone can relax and have a chat as we all start making our way back home. Mark and Adam will be the organisers for this event.

The Guestbook has received many entries on the website. This is to be encouraged as a means of contacting the DOBA. We are all reading this frequently, so thank-you to all those who have “signed in”.

Principals Report:

542 on the roll – only 4 empty beds in the school, 69 in Year 13.
ERO report: very complimentary to the school. Will be available for viewing on the ERO website very soon. Compiled by 3 independent reviewers:

1. All positive
2. No recommendations for improvement
3. No statutory obligations unfulfilled
4. A lot of work in boarding was recognised

External exams: goal – more Merits and Excellences – the number has improved significantly, although overall level of pass rates slightly down. Edward McKnight gained an Excellence endorsement at level three while studying in year 12.

Founders assembly: (Friday the 12th) Prime Minister to attend the day. Old Boys encouraged to attend and hear this address at 9:15 in the School Hall. Details to appear on the website and in the newsletter.

Centennial Trust: Keen to get Old Boys in to hear the organ that they donated $220,000 (of a total cost of $280,000) towards. On the Sunday of Founders weekend there will be a short service in the evening where the organ will be featured, and a plaque will be laid to thank the Old Boys. Newsletter to acknowledge this and encourage Old Boys to attend.

Global Partnership Trust: this was set up as a result of Mike Moore’s dinner, and has raised a considerable sum for aid work in Botswana. Well done to Mike Moore! Chris to compose a letter congratulating Mike on his recent appointment as NZ’s ambassador to the US. Will be sent officially by the Association.

The Dilworth Legacy: discussion around the cost of the volumes – and more of these need to be sold. To be promoted in the newsletter and on the website. $120, with free delivery. Mark will work with Donald to work out some further strategies to move the volumes.

Relationship between the Council and the School: Council needs to be introduced to the School. A time for the council to be introduced to the school is to be scheduled on the first free Monday after the AGAM.

Cock House: How should it be approached? Do we need to rethink the way that this event happens? Perhaps the School should be surveyed, and perhaps other non-pool alternatives should be considered. Rock Band? Movie night? Lets wonder before the next meeting.

End of Principals Report. Thanks Donald.

The Financial Report was presented by Gant. Grant assured us that our accounts will be audited prior to the AGM – no problems there. There were discussions on locating an auditor for the future who will do the work for free. So, if anyone knows someone then please let us know. We will most probably have to pay for the auditing of our accounts this year.All is in order with the accounts and they were accepted as a true and correct record.

Patron’s photo and honours board: Thanks to Peter Hargreaves for organizing this, plan is in place for this to be taken and framed in time for the AGM. The new honours board is also to be mounted in the Sports Centre in time for this. Exact colours to be confirmed.

Thanks and well done to Peter Hargreaves and Donald MacLean for the impeccable appearance of the School expressed on behalf of the Council.

Meeting Closed 8:20pm

Who Is This?

We do not know who this Old Boy is, and would really like to!

This is a startling example of how a good impression created by just one Dilworth Old Boy can make a huge difference to a large number of people.  Some time ago, a lady in Tauranga, called Earlien Wright, met a Dilworth Old Boy who was the child of a friend of her family’s.  Three or four years ago, Eirlien Wright, having no family of her own and having been so impressed by this one Dilworth Old Boy, by his manners, his work ethic, his attitude to life, his courtesy, his good and useful citizenship, decided to leave her entire cash estate to assist Dilworth Old Boys in their lives after leaving school.  She named this trust in honour of her mother, Mrs Ella Burford and from now on the Ella Burford Trust will figure in our programme of assistance to Old Boys as they leave school to try to make their way in the world.  This will be an additional form of assistance over and above the tertiary support that is already provided by the Trust Board.

The reason we say this is a startling example that one person can have on a greater number is that the impression created by this one Dilworth Old Boy has resulted in a trust that contains nearly $1.2 million being left to fund extra study, other expenses that leavers may have (including accommodation), possible assistance with setting up in business and other requests that may come to us from Old Boys who are in particular need.  The details of the criteria for applying for a grant from the Ella Burford Trust will be published early next year on the School website and on the Dilworth Old Boys’ website and the first awards from this trust will be made at Founder’s Day on 12 March 2010.

Mount Maunganui

We are happy to announce that the Country Reunion this year will be at the Mount on Friday August 13 to Sunday August 15. Please contact Adam or Mark (see our details below) if you are intending to attending the reunion.  We will need to firm the numbers attending prior to the end of July for the various bookings we are making for the weekend.

What can we tell you so far? Well, dinner on Saturaday night will be at the Astrolabe right in the centre of the Mount. We have already spoken to Chris from Astrolabe and he has us “inked” in. He asks that David Newcombe attend as he would like to catch up with you.  Seems everyone knows some great guy from Dilworth!

For the morning tea on Sunday we would like a nice venue at which we can all relax (rain or shine) and ease out of the weekend. Anyway, we will look at all options and make a decision on the best option as the weekend draws closer.

Adam Hiron and myself (Mark Easton) are the organisers of the weekend. Please contact us as follows:

• Adam – adam.hiron@gmail.com
• Mark – mark@azurebell.co.nz or 0275 757 409

For further details please look here.

School Principal Donald MacLean

Chairman and Trustees, Bishop Paterson, Former Trustees, Friends, Parents, Staff and Boys of Dilworth School

Having presented a number of these reports over the last 13 years, and as we reach the end of the first decade of the 21st century (or is that next year?) I feel emboldened to move my usual excuse about lack of detail in this report from somewhere near the end, right up to the very first paragraph, and to say that the events of 2009 will be recorded in great detail in the Dilworthian, which will be published hopefully by the end of Term One next year.  And so you will understand that I don’t have to go into too much detail or too many specifics during this evening.

…

To read the full report, please go here.

Dilworth School

Founders Day Weekend will be  held from Friday March 12th until Sunday March 14th. The Summer Sports,  AGM and Reunion Dinner will be on on Saturday 13th March. The sports events (cricket, tennis, touch and lawn bowls) will start from 1pm. Refreshments will be provided throughout the afternoon. The AGM will be at 5:30pm and this will be followed by the Reunion Dinner (a 3 course smorgasbord) at 6:30pm for a 7pm start.  So, now is the time to block those dates and times into your calendars!

Pay now for dinner (using the PayPal button below) and get your seat booked for the Reunion Dinner. Seats cost $60.

At 9:15am on Friday the 12th will be the Founders Assembly at which the Prime Minister will be speaking. Old Boys are encouraged to attend and hear this address in the School Hall.

On Sunday March 14th there will be the Founders Day Chapel service which Old Boys are always welcome and in fact encouraged to attend. We will post further details as they come to hand.

Pay and reserve your Reunion Dinner seat now using PayPal ($60):

Old boys should never forget, most especially the younger ones, that the Old Boy network is very large and is always willing to help.

As a case in point early this year an Old Boy member of the 60’s cohort committed suicide on his mid fiftyish birthday. A member of a network that Bill Barker (61-69) has put together for the purpose of updating like aged and minded Old Boys of such events was advised that the deceased Old Boy had died destitute due to his having invested unwisely, and that his family would have extreme difficulty in covering the costs of the funeral and cremation in Wellington, where he lived, and a memorial service in Auckland on the arrival “home” of his ashes. The costs of flying the body home meant that was not an option.

An appeal was launched amongst that network under the management of The Dilworth Old Boys Benevolent Trust and the outcome was that, as other parties in fact provided funding for both the funeral and the memorial services, the collective feeling was the funds raised should go to the surviving mature son and daughter. They duly received the donated funds of $4,000.00 just before Christmas.

They have indicated their deepest gratitude, and commented that even greater than the value of the monies received was the knowledge that their father was and remains deeply loved, and reminded them at a special time of year, that the man who left such hurt in their hearts had been a good and loyal friend of many and parent to them. They accept that knowledge was the single greatest Christmas present of their lives. They have undertaken to invest the funds in furthering their own educations.

If anyone would like to be added to Bill’s “news list” which currently numbers some 42, most especially those of the 60’s cohort, please contact him at wbarker4@xtra.co.nz; the age groups that list currently involves covers some 4 decades and includes most life members of the Association, many past councillors and past Presidents and other staunch and devoted Old Boys and it spans the globe.

Dear fellow Old Boys,

The concept of Doba “Uncles” or “Big Buddies”, (and I shan’t use the word Godfathers,) has been promoted before but we have new methods to spread the word. The proposal is we change the “Business Directory” on the website to a list of those Old Boy’s prepared to assist, advise, counsel, train or simply encourage other younger Old and Current Boys.

It is envisaged any given senior Old Boy would list his particular field of expertise or experience with contact details, and any registered member of the site could then contact anyone listed for assistance in their area of expertise. And I include in the meaning of “expertise” simply that of having been there, done that, parent of mature children, willing to talk and give an alternate perspective, etc. And yes, I will say it, ……. even down to reformed alcoholics, drug abusers or those who have suffered clinical depression even though I am sure no-one on this list is any of those, although one never knows. Everyone has the ability to support, in some field, it may be separation issues , handling the death of loved ones, dealing with unemployment, pastoral care, liquidation of a business, personal budgeting, whatever. Let’s be that proactive.

We could even go so far as where the assistance that could be provided may be so “contentious” that the willing provider could have anonymity and be given the right of contacting anyone requesting assistance in that area. Obviously the webmaster would need contact details, but I am confident it could be made secure.

Please indicate if anyone would be interested in providing such assistance, as it would be nice if when we launch the list on the website, we could pre-load it with some profiles and contact details.

Kindest regards,
Bill Barker

Dear Old Boys and families,

Warm Christmas greetings to all. I am pleased to report that 2009 has been a busy and productive year for the Old Boys Association, with the newly appointed council working steadily to serve the Old Boys and the current students of Dilworth School. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Association for your support and also report on some of the highlights of the year for the Association and the School.

The relationship between the Old Boys and the current students continues to grow, with strong numbers participating in both the Summer and Winter sports days. These events highlighted the positive connection between the Old Boys and the School and were greatly enjoyed by all. In both events the Old Boys proved that skill and experience will outperform youth and agility and the Old Boys dominated both events (including a clean sweep of the Winter Sports!) – Thanks again to Jake deBerry and Callum McGibbon for help in organising these events.

The Cock House event in December was also a great day out – Donegal House won by just one or two points this year and together with the 2009 Leavers , they took over the Waiwera Waterpark for a day to celebrate.

The Association was delighted to learn of the recent acquisition by the Trust Board of the site for a third school campus, formerly the Hotel du Vin south of Auckland. The Mangataphiri site will be a splendid addition to the already fine Dilworth campuses in Auckland, and will potentially allow for roughly a further 80 Dilworth Scholarships to be awarded. This is fantastic news, and the Association wishes the Trust Board and Mr MacLean every success as they seek to determine the best way to utilise this exciting new facility.

The DOBA accounts are in good shape at the end of 2009 and full audited accounts for 2009 will be presented at the AGM. It was agreed to at the 2009 AGM that audited accounts for the years 2006 – 2008 would be presented by the end of this year – however after consultation with several parties it is believed that these accounts cannot be fully audited with the current information that is available. As a result the Association will present at the next AGM a set of unaudited accounts for that said period. Whist this not an entirety satisfactory outcome we believe that given the current situation that this is the best result possible.

At present the date for the 2010 Annual General Meeting has been set to coincide with the weekend of Founders Day events, either Saturday 13th or the 20th of March. Next year the Association will invite those in attendance at the AGM to an informal dinner which will be held afterwards on school premises. Further details regarding the afternoon sports programme and the timings of the day will follow in the first newsletter of 2010.

Our website is going well thanks to the efforts of Mark Easton – www.dilwortholdboys.co.nz where you can pay your subs, catch up on latest news and soon we’ll have an archive of previous newsletters. Also don’t forget if you are a Facebook member to add yourself to the Dilworth Old Boys group as well.

Next year the Council is committed to providing a Country Reunion event, and is excited to announce that it will be taking place in Tauranga, on a weekend yet to be confirmed in August. We look forward to catching up with as many of you as possible. If you live in the Tauranga BOP area and would like to be involved in arranging activities, please contact us as would be great to have a local on the ground. Shoot Adam an e-mail on adam.hiron@gmail.com . In the meantime if you are interested in attending, block in August in your Diary and we’ll pin the exact date down closer to the time.

Kind regards to all and best wishes for the festive season.

Sincerely,

DOBA Council