Item 202000891 - Interview with Rick Wilson 1996 - 2013 Staff

Interview with Rick Wilson – Staff 1996 to date
Rick was appointed headmaster of the preparatory school in 1996, prior to this he had lived in
Botswana for 11 years and before that taught at St Stithians. The reason for leaving Botswana
was that his two young sons needed to go to high school and there was nothing suitable in
Botswana.
Rick didn’t warm to the architecture of St David’s, finding the face brick too Victorian but he
came to love it over the years and in every subsequent project a great deal of effort has been
made to match the existing style. His first assembly was held in the old hall where now the high
school library is. Fairly apprehensive, coming from a very rural and multi-racial environment he
introduced himself to the 350 boys, as they sat on the floor. He talked to them about himself and
his life and how he played in a rock band during his teens. He appeared to have broken the ice
and quickly won the boys over.
As St David’s lacked a suitable large facility, the first speech night was held down at the pool
with the lectern and dignitaries lined up by the baby pool and the boys and parents on the
grandstands. As Rick began his speech, three Egyptian geese flew in and landed in the pool –
Rick jokingly said that his reputation as a good speaker had gone before him and had even
attracted the geese to come and listen to him.
Rick recalls that he was handed the keys to his tiny office in the grade 1 block, now occupied by
a therapist. He saw a cricket clinic in progress on the playing fields and decided to take a look.
As he walked over he was conscious of fierce scrutiny by a short bearded man. He introduced
himself to a suspicious Willy Castle. It took Willy two to three weeks before he had weighed Rick
up and didn’t venture to offer anything in the way of help until he had accepted him as the
newhHead.
Over the years a strong friendship has developed between them. Rick originally lived in the
house next to Willem, the estate manager and one day he and Gerry, his wife were sitting
outside when they heard the most terrible noise which turned out to be Willy and his wife Linda
revving the engine of Willy’s pride and joy, a V6 combi. They had come to fetch them to go and
eat pizza at Panerotti’s which had a special every Tuesday. Both Rick and Willy love garlic so
their pizzas looked rather like a snowstorm of garlic had landed. Afterwards they would then go
and buy sweets at a local sweet shop with Willy buying a huge bag to satisfy his sweet tooth.
On another occasion Rick had decided to go and fetch a video but, on reaching the main gate
realised he had left his wallet behind, he turned around and went back home where he ran
inside leaving his car engine running. He returned to find his car had disappeared; He had
heard of the car theft in Johannesburg but couldn’t believe this was happening to him. He went
in search of his car only to find Willy and Linda sitting on the bonnet of his car grinning from ear
to ear. Another time his prepared Weber braie disappeared only to find it behind the library
where Willy had hidden it.
Rick recalled another rather sad occasion when late at night Willy came knocking on his door
begging Rick to confess that he had stolen his beloved combi. Willy had gone to mass at
Rosebank, parked the combi only to come back and find it gone. This time it had been stolen
and Rick was absolved of seeking revenge.
In 1996 Rick and Paul Edey in consultation with the then chairman of the board, Terence
Wilkinson, then CEO of the Lonhro Group, formulated a rigorous development plan . The school
needed to modernise if it was to become a leading role player in the northern suburbs. The
facilities needed to improve and technology needed to be embraced going forward. In 1997
together with Kevin Brewer and the board the development plan commenced with a grand plan
of all the things that were required to improve the school including a new hall, classrooms, D &
T and IT centres. First came the classroom block to the left of the hall followed by the hall which
was built on the site of the old basketball court. Rick and Paul visited many school halls in
Johannesburg before consulting with the architects. One thing Rick was determined to
incorporate was a steeped or sloping balcony which would afford everyone a view of the stage
together with underground storage. The IT department had been started by Steve Eilertson and
was originally located in a long thin corridor with 10 state of the art 486 machines, which were
totally inadequate. Aware of Rick’s desire to upgrade the technology, the parents started a
petition to the board in support of their headmaster. He undertook three feasibility and
justification studies which was accepted, Jean Rodell was appointed head of IT for the prep
school and the fibre optic backbone installed.
The grade 0 classrooms were where the current IT department is and their playground where
the after-care is now located. Rick’s plan was to initiate two grade 00 classes and house them
together with three grade 0’s in a separate building, The pre-school block eventually followed
and the grade 0 classrooms were converted into our current computer classrooms.
When Rick first arrived the high school pavilion was an asbestos shed with no change rooms
and the boys were forced to change in the open in full view of some admiring mothers!. Rick
had built a state of the art D&T and IT centre at his school in Botswana and was determined St
David’s should have the same. He put together a justification for a D & T centre which was
approved by the board. Darryl Webb, deputy prep headmaster was given the job of overseeing
the project together with the new Music centre and high school Art centre.
Parents at St David’s have been extraordinarily generous with their donations and Rick was
never afraid to approach parents on behalf of struggling families for financial assistance when
needed. One parent who was leaving the country gave a donation of R2 million which with his
approval was used to build and refurbish the prep and high school libraries. When the hall was
built there wasn’t enough funding for a clock or stained glass windows for the tower. Rick
requested help via the school newsletter and the money came pouring in. There have been
some extremely kind benefactors who wish to remain anonymous.
Rick’s relationship with Paul Edey was an exceptionally good one and they used to spark each
other off. He enjoyed working together with him on much of the early development. He found
Paul to be an inspirational influence in his life.
Rick also feels that he has been blessed during his seventeen years with a stable, happy and
settled staff. This has been a source of great strength in the prep school with teachers who have
bought into the Marist philosophy resulting in the grade 7 boys being fully prepared for the
challenges of high school. The power of Marist cannot be underestimated and Rick also
believes strongly in the circle of contentment whereby, if the teachers are happy - then so are
the boys and if the boys are happy then so are the parents. Usually about 8 to 12 grade 7 boys
leave the school. Some win scholarships to prestigious boarding schools whilst some boys are
victims of the “Spud effect”. Rick always follows up on these boys and they always do
exceptionally well in their new schools having been given the foundation by St David’s prep
Rick believes he has been the longest serving headmaster at St David’s and, when he retires at
the end of 2013 will have served the school for 17 years and he observes that with the
exception of one year he has seen a new building development each year.
One of the aspects of his time at the school, which he values highly, is the role he has played in
staff development especially with interns. Many teachers have gone on to be heads or deputies
of other schools of which he is justifiably proud.
JLE January 2013