VARIA
Oscar Terry loved his time as a boarder at ACK. He graduated in 2024 and for the time being is working as a teacher aide at a catholic school in Bendigo, his hometown. His mum Laura is a primary teacher. Oscar has two sisters-the younger one, Ava is currently in year 11 at Assumption. Parents Harry and Laura are highly respected in the Bendigo region and beyond. Oscar loved boarding life and the sport program. A keen hockey player, he really enjoyed being part of the Firsts footy and cricket squads. He speaks highly of his teachers and principal Paul Finneran. A real bonus he believes is the pals he made, and they are likely to be lifelong friends. At Easter time with his folks, he attended a family reunion in the city which saw sixty or more relatives come together for a happy occasion. Some travelled from as far afield as Cairns, Brisbane, Wagga, Albury, Narrandera and Sydney. Two of the clan, Alec and Bill Howitt were legendary school teachers and sports coaches in the Riverina. Bill Howitt (OAM) sent two sons to ACK in the 90’s and both were an asset to the college. It was good to catch up with Oscar, a fine young man.
The late Pope Francis will be remembered as a great pontiff in the same way as Pope John Paul. The latter reigned from 1978-2005, from Poland he had fought against the communists in the aftermath of World War 2. Francis the first Pope from Latin America was a very brilliant scholar who devoted more than six decades to the service of God. He always championed the poor and the oppressed. Francis had been very sick for some time but the 1.4 billion Catholics, and indeed most of the world’s 2.5 Christians were happy he was able to greet the hundred thousand who gathered in St Peter’s square on Easter Sunday only hours before he passed to the greater life. It will be intriguing to see who Francis’s successor is. It could be the cardinal from Africa, or the cardinal from Manila.
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The 17 years old sprint sensation did not win the Stawell Gift-he was off an impossible back mark-but he sure drew the crowds recalling the 140 years old Gift’s glory days. Until 1988 the Gift had breathing space and much publicity as the VFL always kicked off after Easter. But then came the birth of the AFL and the famous Gift shrunk in media importance. Crowds on the Easter Monday more than halved. Thus, it was great to at long last see a revival.
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THE VICTORY TESTS
Eighty years ago, in England a series of “Victory Tests” was played to mark wars end. The teams comprised prominent Australian and English cricketers who had survived in service. Legendary Aussie Keith Miller and England immortals Len Hutton and Denis Compton played. It was a poignant series which drew packed crowds at Lord’s, the most emotional moments came when Australia’s Graham Williams came to bat. Captured by the German’s he has been released from a prisoner of war camp only two weeks earlier after four years of starvation rations. He was almost skeletal. The Lord’s crowd stood and cheered him all the way to the wicket and for minutes beyond. “It was amazing,” said Miller. In his time in captivity, Williams regularly communicated to the Red Cross to help other prisoners, learned braille so he could teach it to blind prisoners and taught agriculture and touch typing. After the war, Williams quietly returned to Adelaide and his job as a wool classer and died at age 67, one of many heroic Anzacs who never got the publicity they deserved.
