Grey ambassadeurs | Grey College
Grey ambassadeurs 22 May 2016 18:05
We have come to the end of a very exciting second term with regards to the winter sports season. The term culminated in the final inter-school’s weekend against one of our traditional rivals, Paarl Boys High, away in the Western Cape. It certainly was a very exciting weekend and as I have stated previously, the educational value of this kind of weekend is well-established and more important than the final result of the final match on the Saturday afternoon. Not only have friendships been established or renewed – some of these friendships will last a life time- but the Grey boys have also been exposed to a different outlook, approach and attitude to life, in general.
Suksesse was daar heelwat die afgelope naweek. Die tradisionele kultuuraand die Vrydagaand was weereens besonders en het die ongelooflike talent en diversiteit van die Grey-seuns beklemtoon. Ons hokkie- en tennisspelers, asook ons bergfietsryers en debatteerders, het hul ook besonder goed van hul taak gekwyt terwyl die Grey rugbyspelers, ten spyte van moeilike omstandighede, ook hul beste gegee het. My versoek tydens saalperiode verlede week aan ons seuns was gewees om ware Grey-ambassadeurs die naweek op- en van die speelveld af te wees en die seuns het verseker nie teleurgestel nie. Wat verblydend was, was die goeie sportmanskap en goeie gedrag asook die algemene voorkoms van die Grey-seuns. Die Grey-opvoeding, waarop ons trots is, is ten toon gestel deur nie afbrekende en intimiderende liedjies op die pawiljoen te sing nie maar om aan ons opponente die nodige respek te betoon ongeag of ‘n wedstryd gewen of verloor is. Die besonderse manier waarop die Grey-seuns en Oud-Greys na die finale fluitjie van die eerste rugbyspan se wedstryd op die veld gestap het (Grey Kollege is gewoond daaraan om te wen) die ‘War Cry’ gedoen het, was ‘n hoendervleis-ervaring en het die naweek in die Paarl op ‘n hoogtepunt afgesluit.
Our first rugby team, having lost for the first time this season, were obviously disappointed but they can nevertheless hold their heads up high after their performance on the day. This performance was also acknowledged by the Old Greys. When one looks at the second term as a whole, one can justifiably be very proud of the Grey boys and all their achievements. A special word of thanks must also be extended to our parents for their support, but especially to our staff, for their commitment by being willing to travel across the country for both the school and the boys this term. The term, however, was somewhat marred by a subjective and emotive report on an incident at school last week by the local newspaper. This incident, during which two boys decided to sort out their differences by fighting and, therefore, resorting to violence in the process, can certainly not be condoned although this approach to solve differences is unfortunately symptomatic of our society, at large. The media has been bombarding us during the past fortnight with scenes of violence by the country’s leaders in parliament, by more than 20 schools that had been burnt to the ground by so called ‘adults’ in Limpopo province whilst an auditorium at the University of Johannesburg, valued at 100 million rand, had also been vandalised and destroyed by students a week ago.
In die lig van hierdie geweldskultuur, is dit dus verstaanbaar, maar verseker nie aanvaarbaar of verskoonbaar, dat twee intelligente Grey-seuns, uit opgevoede ouerhuise, besluit het om hul verskille met mekaar, en dit oor 'n meisie, op so ‘n barbaarse en onaanvaarbare wyse op te los nie. Hierdie seuns het verseker nie as Grey-ambassadeurs vir die skool of hul ouerhuise opgetree nie. Wat egter meer kommerwekkend is, is die aanval van die plaaslike koerant in Bloemfontein om ‘n gerespekteerde opvoedkundige instelling, soos Grey Kollege, met 'n bewese rekord van oor die 160 jaar van opvoedkundige uitnemendheid en diens aan die plaaslike gemeenskap, met ‘ n voorbladberig die afgelope naweek te diskrediteer nie. Met hierdie tipe benadering verlaag die plaaslike koerant homself ongelukkig tot poniekoerant-status wat nie veel meer werd geag moet word as om die bodem van ons geveerde vriende se hokke te bedek nie. Unfortunately our society has become one of cynicism, with a destructive nature, preferring to focus on the negative by dragging reputable institutions, like Grey College, down to the gutter. The local newspaper has unfortunately joined this approach by preferring not to focus on the highlights and successes of our term. The opening of the school’s Science Centre, for example, whereby our boys will be enabled to make lasting contributions to science and technology in South Africa in the future, had been chosen to be ignored by the local newspaper, despite being informed by the school about the event, as well as the fact that our first hockey team have raised close to R50 000.00 for Child Welfare this past term. Not only is this kind of approach unacceptable but it also seems that this approach, based on cheap sensationalism, sells more newspapers, and is the ulterior motive of the local newspaper, than sharing that which is uplifting, good and educational to the local community. The school will certainly re-evaluate our association and financial contribution to the local newspaper and I would urge, and encourage, all Old Greys within the local community, to also re-evaluate their financial contribution. Die eksamens is op hande en ek vertrou dat die seuns nou die volgende uitdaging van die kwartaal met die nodige ywer sal aanpak. Die halfjaar-eksamens is ‘n belangrike aanduiding van die seuns se akademiese vordering en moet verseker met die nodige erns benader word.
Grey verower harte