On Wednesday the College Assembly provided an exceptional opportunity to commemorate ANZAC Day and Easter. The integration of both was seamless and carried the strong message of Hope. The centrepiece of the celebration was the presence of Mr Charles Pittman from Rockhampton, QLD. Charles is the great, great nephew of Gunner William Pittman of Moree whose military portrait has hung on one of our classroom walls for over thirty years. The portrait was purchased in an op-shop in Glebe purely as a decorative artefact for a History classroom. Mrs Lynne Hamilton one of our very historically curious teachers, undertook some forensic research to identify who the young man in the portrait was and what could be done to return the portrait to the family. Due to Mrs Hamilton's diligence, perseverance, the new possibilities of genealogy search engines, the connections were made and the portrait has been handed over and it is now on its way to take pride of place and affection in the home of his extended family who have always kept his memory alive without having had a good quality image. Everyone at the assembly was touched by the happy reunification and the sense of hope carried with the portrait back to the family - the reality that Gunner Pittman was not forgotten, that his sacrifice has not been in vain, that his story has helped personalise the horrors of war to hundreds of students. Hope can be carried by pilgrims on pilgrimages in many and varied ways.
I would like to congratulate our students and staff who participated in the USA Humanities/Art Study Tour. The itinerary was comprehensive and enriched the student's understanding of American History, Classic and Contemporary Art, the role of galleries and museums in the public sphere and culture and of how geo/political order is created and maintained.
I am off to Tamworth this weekend to celebrate the role Mothers play at St Vincent's with a big group of mothers enjoying some early Mother's Day pampering.