The Legend of the Champagnat Medallion
Up until the late 1980’s players selected for the First XV Rugby team would be presented with a
Champagnat Medallion which was to be sewn into the front of the collar of the prized black and gold
rugby shirt. The intention of the medallion was to keep its bearer safe and free from injury. Each
medallion contained a tiny perspex dome, enclosing a small piece of dark cloth approximately one
square millimetre in size. Legend has it that the cloth piece was a portion of one of Blessed (in those
days) Marcellin’s actual black habits he once wore. At the end of each season the medallions were
surrendered to the school and were sent back to the Vatican to be blessed and returned for use by
the next team. It’s unsure exactly when the practice ceased.

Interview with Ryan Skirving – 2012
Ryan began his career at St David’s in grade 0 in 2000, he was the first of three brothers to
attend St David’s. He has brother now in grade 11 and another in grade 3.
He started off in Mrs Tyack’s class and also remembers Mrs Milne. He loved the playground
and the tuck shop was really cheap especially on a Wednesday, the boys could buy a hot
dog, a drink and yoghurt for R10.
In the prep school the teachers who made an impression on him were Willy Castle who was
a legend, Mr Sinclair, Mr Thackwell, Mrs McWilliams, Miss Hatfield and Mr McIver. He
enjoyed the sport soccer, swimming, was captain of the swimming team and played
provincial soccer with Willy Castle and 2nd team cricket with Mr Eyels. He also participated in
athletics and recalls that once the prestige gala was cancelled because of bad weather. He
played 1st team hockey in grade 7 and touch rugby in grade 6.He enjoyed the inter-house
galas and won a few trophies. He also enjoyed the camps every year from grade 3 and the
sports tours swimming, soccer and provincial.
He remembers the big hill the boys had to run up at the grade 8 camp and the first group
orientation they did at night he got lost and someone kicked over a bee hive. The grade 9
initiation into the water polo team was great fun with Richard Lance and Greg Steenberg
who were great guys.
Ryan remembers starting high school and had already heard stories of the high school from
older friends like Dempsey Bayley. He was very involved with swimming and water polo but
became very ill after a tournament in grade 8 and was off sport for 9 months. He played
rugby until grade 11 but got concussed too many times and then played hockey in matric. A
fond rugby memory was the victory in grade 9 against St Stithians B team which St David’s
won. That U15 B team was one of St David’s that won that year. He had a swimming
scholarship so continued with swimming and was a member of 1st team water polo from
grade 9 and was awarded provincial colours for water polo in grade 9, 10, and 11 and was
captain of the 1st team in grade 12. He still enjoys water polo at university. He recalled that
there was no sport against Observatory or Marion College as in former times.
Ryan thought that grade 10 was the easiest year with selected subjects, the best sports and
academics. In grade 11 the workload increased and grade 12 was a good year despite the
incident on the bus. He spent quite a bit of time with Mr Williams during that time. He
thoroughly enjoyed the cultural tour to the UK with Mr Bauer, Mr Ireland, Mr Jericevich and
Mr Schneider who gave them quite a bit of freedom.
Academically Ryan did well and was in the top ten from the grades through to matric coming
1st in grade 10, 3rd in grade 11, and 9th 0r 10th in matric. He won trophies for the best water
polo player, promoting the Marist spirit and was awarded a Champagne medal. He was head
boy in 2012 and was a member of “The Bishops” house. He participated in public speaking
in grade 11 and 12 and was in the inter-house play in matric. The matric dance was great
fun held during the winter at the Wanderers, the theme being Titanic.
Ryan is currently studying Business Science (Finance and Accounting) at UCT and will do a
5th year Honours in Accounting. Now at university Ryan realises that St David’s has more of
an emphasis on individual responsibility and attitude around studying which helps
enormously at university.
Ryan is a member of MOBS and will be keeping in touch with the school.
JLE June 2013

Interview with Nicholas Haralambous – 2002
Nicholas’s first memory of St David’s was the entrance exam which was held in what was a small theatre
by one of the science labs. He was 13 in grade 7 and had come from Crawford Prep where anything goes.
He had long hair, was shaving and wore civvies. All the other boys taking the exam were straight shooters.
School uniforms all done up and they knew each other. He was the only person from his school applying so
he kept himself to himself, wrote the exam, finished early and left.
When Nick was at S David’s there was no option but, given the choice he would have liked to board and
thought it would have been great. He spent so much time at school that maybe a bed was placed in one of
the classrooms. In any event he also remembered wanting to spend as much of his time messing around at
school as was possible.
Nick enjoyed the people most whilst he was at St David’s. At the time they were the best guys he could
have wanted to know and he enjoyed the well rounded nature of the school.
On the down side, Nick was always looking for more from St David’s in the way of choice – languages, arts,
drama and better coaching. There was always a bit more that could have been done. However it is good to
know that these things have been mostly addressed and that the school now offers a vast amount of
choice.
Nick will never forget the grade 8 camp at Glenmore, that year prefects attended a portion of the camp.
Nick played 1st team rugby in grade 11 and 12.
An occasion which stands out was when Nelson Mandela visited the school in Nick’s matric year. It meant
that he, as head boy had to give a speech to the school, guests and attendees. It was a daunting task at
the age of 18 to have to stand up and introduce an icon like Madiba. It was without doubt the most
memorable day that Nick had at St David’s.
Nick also had the pleasure of sitting close to Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State while he gave a
speech in the school’s amphitheatre and Bobby Skinstad was the guest speaker at the annual ruby dinner.
Nick couldn’t remember any “worst moments” but thought that it’s always rough dealing with school politics
and the most difficult period for him was grade 11 when prefects are announced. There was a lot of
pressure to be someone that you weren’t. Everyone has heard the PFP (pushing for prefect) taunts and for
whatever reason Nick felt a lot of stick for that in his year.
Mr Edey was without doubt the most memorable teaching figure Nick had ever encountered. He really
understood the school, its ethos and all the boys individually. He had it. Nick will never forget his booming
voice in the History classes and the empathetic assembly speeches. The most memorable speech he
recalled Mr Edey giving was in 2000 after a particularly bad week where St David’s boys were singled out
for something stupid. Mr Edey stood in front of the school and reminded the boys , as only he could, that it’s
the 5% of boys that let the other 95% down and they shouldn’t let them define who they were.
The matric dance was an interesting one. The dance Nick’s year threw in grade 11 was epic and was
hosted at the Sandton Sun Towers in Sandton City. They had an amazing Venetian theme and kitted
everything out in incredible style and they expected the same for their matric year but didn’t get it. Nick is
not sure whether the grade 11’s in 2002 were pranking them but the dance was hosted at the Wanderers
Club and the theme was “Aliens”. Nick felt it was cringe- worthy but in the end entirely memorable because
of how bad it was.
On his last day Nick remember being quite relieved to have made it through matric. It was difficult to
imagine a world without the other 90 or so guys in his class. They did what every matric does, the hazing
on their way out, the pranks and the traditional breakfast in the pavilion. Then it was over, just like that.
Nick was a prefect and head boy and was awarded a general honours blazer, the Old Boys Trophy for
Leadership and Promotion of the Marist Spirit and a Champagnat medal.
In Nick’s speech at the annual prize giving he said “Tradition has and will always have a place in our
school”. The single most moving experience of my life was walking down the 1st XV rugby steps in my
tracksuit with 400 boys sitting in front of me and cheering the first team on”.
After matriculating, Nick attended Rhodes University and received an undergraduate degree in journalism
and politics. Nick is currently a consultant and the owner of the men’s fashion brand Nic Harry.
Nick is a member of MOBS and last visited St David’s in 2012.
JE 2014

Interview with Nicholas Ansell – 2003
Nick spent many years at St David’s from the age of three until he went to a pre-school run by a Mrs
Gibson. Nick’s mother Carol was a teacher at the school and therefore he spent a lot of time there. Robert
Gibson, Andrew Castle and Nick were all born within three months of each other, going to pre-school
together then Limberlost near Dunkeld West. They all started in grade 0 in 1991 and Ryan Norton, Walton
and Kirchhoffer joined them.
Nick and Andrew Castle went all the way through to matric together and became friendly with the sons of
other teachers, Mrs Marais and Mrs Roman. The grade 1 teachers were Rose, Ansell and Steernberg with
Carol Ansell moving up to teach grade 2 in 1993. Carol is currently a specialist teacher at St David’s
assisting the weakest and the strongest pupils in literacy. The office which was Nick’s nursery is now used
by the therapists.
The grade 2 teachers in 1993 were Ansell, Walton, Rose and Schaafsma. In standard 1 Mrs Sherratt was
Nick’s teacher, in standard 2, Mrs Sandy, in standard 3 Mrs Whitfield, in standard 4, Mrs Geldenhuys was
his home room teacher followed by Mr Thackwell in standard 5, Mrs Anderson was the Religious Education
teacher and Mrs Everson the English teacher. Mr Mitchley was the Science and sports master in senior
prep for standards 4 and 5 and interested Nick in the cricket scoring which he continued through high
school. Mrs Clover (Library) taught the boys how to find information and in those days it was using the old
catalogue card system. Mr Sloan the Geography teacher in standard 4 and 5 motivated Nick to enjoy and
understand Geography and a Mr Hayter. Mrs Bowles was strict and instilled discipline, she had a range of
books in her classroom and when one boy ran away he assumed the identity of one of the characters in a
book, that of an aborigine. Mrs Middlewick was the choir mistress and Nick and Andrew played the leading
roles in one of the school productions. Heather Joseph taught Art was like a second mother and was
always great fun.
Willy Castle was like a second father and Nick knew the ground staff well; George the tractor driver, Julius
and Phineas who all knew him from when he was a small boy. All the little boys used to hitch a ride on the
tractor and the school was their second home. Nick also remembers the smell of the stove, which was fired
by coal in the old kitchen. Nick used to sit in the kitchen when he was small and eat with Julius, Enoch and
Mabel.
Of the brothers, Br Anthony used to visit a couple of times a year. Brothers Vincent, Jude, Aidan and Mario
also came to the school regularly. Br Mario in fact employed Nick’s mother Carol. Father Brewer was down
to earth and strict and had a room upstairs near the chapel. He took the boys for holy communion and
coached soccer.
In the high school there was Mr Buys, Mr McMilllan who taught sport and Geography; Mr D Smith,
Geography, Mr and Mrs Andrews; Gary Norton who used to entertain the grade 1’s and 2’s with his snakes.
Paul Edey the headmaster was firm but insightful, teaching History when Nick was in standard 7 and
coached rugby. Nick enjoyed Rod Smith in standard 6 as his English teacher and Mrs Cameron, Mrs
Marais, Mrs Roman, Mrs Shumyn, Mr Burr, Accounting, Mr Craven, Zulu, athletics and rugby. The biggest
influence on Nick was held by the teachers who taught sport in standard 6.
Nick recalled the Glenmore camp in standard 6 and being a good time, rather like the army but great fun.
Gareth Kolkenbeck-Ruh was head boy and it was the first year that St David’s beat KES in rugby for many
years. Nick competed in the inter-high relay and College house still holds the record for the relay. Nick also
was awarded a team award for his cricket scoring and in standard 5 achieved an honours award.
Nick remembers his matric valediction, the grade 0 party coming to big school, first communion, the
Glenmore Camp, the death of James Garden’s brother and being upset when Mr Royce left.
Nick was hugely disappointed when he was not elected a prefect and didn’t achieve 1st Team rugby as he
fractured his spine and took up canoeing. He was however awarded a Champagnat medal. It was his first
lesson in life to learn that things don’t just get handed to you, and he learnt to be humble.
After matriculating, Nick studied at Wits University for a Bsc Physics and Mathematics and then changed to
a BSc Urban Planning in 2005 and graduated in 2008 with honours. During 2009, 2010, 2011 Nick worked
6 month shifts in the USA in state summer camps and eventually was promoted to programme director in
2011 to 2013 (2012 – 2013 full time)but had to return to South Africa when his visa expired.
He is currently working for Raven Town Planners and intends to study further for a masters in
environmental and sustainable cities next year.
JLE November 2014

Black & white photo