FOUNDERS DAY SPEECH - GARY GALOLO HEAD BOY 2004

Transcription

1 FOUNDERS DAY SPEECH - GARY GALOLO HEAD BOY 2004 Good afternoon Mr Simpson, members of staff, fellow Old Boys and most importantly, gentlemen of Rondebosch Boys High School. BACKGROUND It is a privilege and an honour to be standing before you today. It was 10 very short years ago that I stood on this very stage, fulfilling the duty as Head Prefect of bidding the school farewell on behalf of E 04. It was a truly humbling experience then and it remains a humbling experience today. Mr Simpson, thank you for the kind introduction. While all of that is true, I m sure Mnr Nel will tell you that I was also the first Head Prefect to get detention in his matric year and the first Head Prefect to break the 110 year old bell that hangs outside the window of your office. Those too, were not easy feats to achieve. FOUNDERS DAY/FOUNDERS/RBHS Founders Day provides us the opportunity to reflect on our school, its illustrious history, while highlighting its important accomplishments. It allows us to look at the past, the present and take a glimpse into the future. Rondebosch s rich history stretches back to its first students - just 28 boys - and its first headmaster Mr Ramage, - and the hopes and dreams they brought to this school and the world 117 years ago. Their call then remains true now; preserve our cultural past, while laying the groundwork for the future. That is what they did for us 117 years ago. We in turn, must honour this call by preserving that which we have now in terms of tradition and standards and continue to improve ourselves in such a way that will enable us to adapt to our dynamic environment. Post leaving, I have, on a few occasions, walked around the school and every time I do I am filled with pride when I bear witness to the incredible gains that have been made over the last ten years. The facilities that Rondebosch currently boasts are world-class. I truly believe that this is the best school in the world. To me it is not a cliché, it is the truth. Rondebosch s record of excellence in all spheres is clear evidence of that. What I ve realised is that yes, every now and then Rondebosch does produce a star, well done every school does. But what Messrs Andrews, Fletcher and Marchand s legacy has brought to the world astounds me. Rondebosch has consistently produced well-rounded individuals who may not all be prepared for springbok colours in rugby, but are all well-prepared to gain Springbok colours at life. Men of integrity, men of character.

2 It was Abraham Lincoln who said Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. In its lifetime, our school has seen: 1. Two world wars; 2. The imprisonment, release and recent death of world icon, Nelson Mandela; 3. The birth of democracy in South Africa; 4. The first African - American president of America, Barack Obama 5. Facebook, twitter, ipod, ipad, whatsapp, Facebook acquiring whatsapp, tinder. These walls have seen it all. These walls have seen boys turn into men. All of us sitting in this room have tried and failed at something whilst here. All of us have tried and succeeded at something here. Effectively, Rondebosch devised astute strategies in order to maintain its high standards of the past. Times have changed, but Rondebosch has proven that change is a constant. Rondebosch has been at the forefront of transformation within this country and was one of the first model C schools to admit non-white students. It was also one of the first schools to introduce governing-body paid staff and embrace the concept of semi-private schooling, a classic example of adapting to your environment while improving form. Yes, Messrs Andrews, Fletcher and Marchand were bold when they started 117 years ago and they have left a legacy. However, there have been many key stakeholders, for example Mr Chris Murison, the first old boy to become headmaster, and Mr Martin Barker, who have both made radical forward-thinking decisions in order to sustain and even improve on the legacy left by our founders. Their servant leadership has been the springboard for many old boys to achieve incredible things post their time here at Bosch. Let us also not forget Mrs Lyall, Mrs van Rensburg and Mrs Ogilvie; as you ll learn later on in your lives, you re only as good as the people who support you. To all the staff members, yours is a calling that few answer as diligently and as adeptly as you do. Looking back over the last ten years, thank you for the impact you made not only on my life, but the lives of all the old boys. Thank you for the role you played in taking us Higher and Wider. It is the accomplishments of those Founders who have come before us and the key stakeholders of the present that has opened doors for our students. Examples of good Rondebosch men include teachers, politicians, sportsmen, lawyers, bankers, accountants. Rondebosch taught us to dream big. Rondebosch taught us to ask why? We have a responsibility in taking the lessons we ve learnt here and using them in our lives going forward. We owe this to our founders.

3 CURRENT BOYS Just by sitting here, in your Rondebosch uniforms, you are privileged and it is the appreciation of this privilege that I want to talk to you about today. Now let s be clear on a few things: 1. It is not guaranteed that you will become a great cricketer if you go to Rondebosch. 2. You will not automatically become a lawyer or an accountant 3. In a nutshell, success is not guaranteed just by walking through those doors You have to have an aspiration and some form of talent. Gary Kirsten had many attributes, but, fundamentally, he knew how to bat. What therefore, does an education at the best school in the world afford you? Why are you sitting where you are? What is the purpose of greeting visitors, shining your shoes, always wearing a blazer? Where is the power in what you re being taught? Why are your parents paying for you to be sitting in this hall listening to a short, fat, black guy? Is there any value in sitting where you currently are? Having spent 5 years at the High School and 2 at the Prep, my answer to that would be a definitive yes. At Rondebosch you re afforded the opportunity to do that which you are good at, and that which you are rather average at, whilst still getting a world class education. It is expected of you to do more. To be more. To exceed your best at all costs. To understand that life is not one-dimensional. Your life will always be multi-faceted.

4 You see, Rondebosch prepares you for that multi-faceted life. To me, Rondebosch is the type of institution that will congratulate you on your success, but push you to do even more (life will push you like that as well). It s the type of institution that will allow you to play first team cricket or rugby, but also allow you to sing in the chamber choir or receive full colours for drama and service. We are not taught to be good at just one thing. Furthermore, we are not to solely rely on our natural abilities, but to be good people. In life, you cannot just be a cricketer or a flyhalf. Your life will never be one-dimensional. Your life will, in fact, always be multi- faceted. If you have a dream... if you are intellectually curious... if you want to discover and explore... if you want to look beyond the current scope of your vision... You re at the right place. Embrace the opportunities Rondebosch offers. This is your chance to build a solid foundation which will allow you to achieve later on in your life. So don t waste it. Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. That was Barack Obama speaking on America s past and future. To my mind, he s trying to tell us that there is more to life than money, than power. Our lives are made up of more than one piece. I also remember the enormous pressure of being at school. It annoyed me when older people said in my day things were so much harder. I also remember not making the A team in Grades 8 through 11, not making the touring squad let alone the starting line-up. Rejection in any form is a tough pill to swallow. The fact of the matter is exams, concerts, sports matches...standing up and speaking in assembly. These things are all hard. It just happens that some people are more naturally gifted at one thing than other people. Some of the most successful people in life did not necessarily do well in class. Their greatest skills were things one did not get grades for. This may be the case with you. Just because you may not be at the top now, does not mean that you won t find yourself at the top later on in your life. This is not the end, it s only the beginning. Your turn will come. And when it does, make sure you have done enough groundwork to smash it.

5 This is only the foundation, this is the time for that groundwork. It all stems from the realisation that though you are successful today, what do you have to do now in order to be successful tomorrow? Your life does not end when you leave those doors for the last time. It s merely beginning. You re probably thinking that when I was at school, I was the popular kid, the one who everyone liked. Chicks dig me bru. My best friend at school was in fact, one of the naughtiest. Never afraid to get into a fight, always courageous and intensely loyal. He was responsible for amongst other things, egging the girls at various schools, and planting a tree in the middle of the Bishops first team field post one of our victories. He also took the liberty of planting a tree in front of their chapel the night before their valedictory. In short, he was not head boy. He did very little, almost next to nothing, for my street cred. And certainly not anything special in the eyes of teachers and anyone in a position of authority. With a master s degree in law from [Florida State university], my friend is currently an attorney at the best law firm in the country, with a firm understanding of right and wrong, of justice. His ambitions are incredible. His will to succeed is unwavering. He too sat where you sit today, learning, knocking his head, laughing at me rather than with me at times. Again, this is not the end. This is only the beginning. Learn now, build now, and wait patiently for your opportunity to smash later. It will come. A fate worse than failure is not being prepared when your opportunity arises. If you re doing your best, you can say with full confidence that you tried. It is difficult however, to point the finger at anyone else when we have not taken the time to prepare.

6 You are privileged to have such committed teachers, to study in such small classes, to get the best individual attention available. So when you get less than you hoped for in an exam, learn from it, move on, and improve. Everyone gets knocked down, but winners, they get up. It was Winston Churchill who said Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. Stephen Covey once said tough times don t last. Tough people do. You are immensely privileged and as long as you appreciate that and take your chances you will do well in life. What I have learnt is that success, in itself, means nothing. You may be the richest person in the world, you may get 6 A*s, you may play cricket for South Africa (no offence Gary), but unless you re a nice person you will have no one to share this success with. What s the point in coming first if no one s clapping for you at the finish line; what s the point of being rich if you have no one to spend your money with. Remember to be humble, kind, and well-mannered. Remember to love and respect your family and friends. Remember what must be going through the head of a child who has no family and no friends. Remember to be good to people you pass on your way up because they will look after you if you are ever on your way down. Remember to give back. Remember that life is not just about one thing... it is multi-faceted...

7 OLD BOYS Post leaving, you re also granted access to the biggest and oldest Old Boys union in the country, a global network of people. Your first old boys dinner is always a good one, as is your second, as is your 3rd. Having attended these events in Cape Town, London and Johannesburg, I can say with full confidence that we are truly part of something unique. Wherever you are in the world, there is probably an old boy there or who may have been there before you. As old boys reflecting on the last 10 years, and what we have achieved thus far, we have to ask ourselves: 1. Have we been successful in what we have set out to do? The answer varies for many. In fact the definition of success varies for many. To take it one step further, one s definition of success varies over time. i.e. success is relative. Is success only defined by how hard you work? What about humility? What about courage? What about attitude? Coming from the world of banking myself, what about integrity and honesty? Assuming the answer to the question is yes, we ve smashed it! What then did we learn from our time here at Rondebosch? What foundations were laid here, that stood the test of time? What is in the water here at Rondebosch that assists the seeds planted here, producing men that are currently re-defining our country s views on electricity, playing professional rugby, bankers, lawyers, teachers, accountants, doctors, award- winning musicians? Effectively, what do we have to be thankful for?

8 Answers from individuals who have the privilege of calling themselves old boys will differ. The riches that a school like Rondebosch could potentially instil in you are unfortunately not an inevitability. It s not for free and we re not entitled to it. Ten years on, I say to all of you, congratulations. Well done. You came, you saw, you conquered. To paraphrase Drake You started from the bottom, now you re here. But it is a well done for now. For right now, you have achieved. Right now, you have set out to do what you wanted to do. But I urge you keep your eye on the future. Life is not just one ball coming at you. That s pretty easy to play if you re smart. Life is about knowing that there are at least 10 balls coming at you at the same time. It s about being able to play those balls into the gaps. It s about dealing with the balls you ve missed and facing the fear head on that you may lose your wicket. Success is not inevitable. But Rondebosch gave you a bat so smash it. Remember that at your core, you have what it takes to achieve anything you set your mind to. At your core, you have the ability to go Higher and Wider. CONCLUSION In conclusion, I want to leave you with the following: This is an institution that I love and I urge all of you to pledge, to devote whatever talents, abilities, and energy you have to the cause of this school and all that it represents. We, students, old boys and staff must all work tirelessly to maintain and sustain the high standards set by our predecessors for this school, an institution that is truly worthy of the magnificent past that we celebrate here today. Boys, I encourage you to preserve the friendships that you have formed here and your passions and, importantly, retain the values for which this school stands. Rondebosch remains an extraordinary place. Let's never forget that, or take it for granted. Let us not forget that Rondebosch is, above all, about opportunity. Lastly, make the best of your time here, but also understand, realise and embrace the fact that your best is yet to come. Altius et Latius