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Interview with Thierry Dalais – 1975
Thierry has had a long association with Marist Brothers. His father went to St Charles and he
himself went to St Charles as a boarder in 1973 at the age of 10, he loved the school and, on
moving to Johannesburg was introduced to St David’s in standard 8 whilst Br Anthony was still
headmaster.
On his first day, school had already started and Br Anthony took him to class 8A (Class 8 was
the smarter class!) and the chaps he then met are still his friends to this day.
Thierry was very involved with sport and played everything that he could including rugby,
athletics, swimming and was a good tennis player together with Michael Lipschitz and Victor
Lalieu (now in Brisbane, Australia). He was a member of the 1st tennis and rugby teams. Brother
Timothy coached the 1st rugby team and became headmaster of the school in 1975.
Academically Thierry did well and together with John Wallington achieved the studies scroll
requiring an average of 60%. He came in late to the school but was accepted and eventually
became a prefect.
Thierry remembers Brothers such as Br Timothy, Br Ezekiel, Br Andrew, Mr Sanders and Mrs
Trudy Elliott. His colleagues included boys such as John Wallington, Case Schilperoot, Marshall
Walford, John Swingler and Mike Black. He has fond memories of assemblies, prize giving,
competitions and big events, debating, swimming galas and water polo matches. Champagnat
day was however not such a big event. Of his last day he recalls nothing remarkable, he has
very fond memories of the school and is proud to have been a pupil and sent his sons to St
David’s although they wanted to go to boarding school, being a boy thing, and one son went
initially to St Andrews and then St David’s and the other two went firstly to St David’s and
afterwards to Michaelhouse.
Thierry recalls that there were issues involved with transition in the school with the boarding
closing and other mostly political issues. The Marist Brothers underwent a tough time and
Brother Jude was very involved with the major issues of the time and the accompanying
financial restraints. The brothers were very good at teaching the boys about what was
happening in the country at the time and were rumoured to have given shelter to members of
the ANC. However there were no more brothers coming in to the country and the schools began
to introduce lay headmasters and teachers.
On leaving St David’s Thierry was awarded a bursary by Anglo American and studied
accounting and commerce at Wits University but eventually served articles and worked as an
accountant with Deloittes. He is currently executive chairman and founder of the Metier Group
based in Johannesburg. The company gives investment advice to “Love Life” and runs their
investment programme, the company’s general social responsibility being currently quite strong.
Thierry is a member of MOBS and spent 5 years on the board of St David’s Foundation, was the
first chairman in 2006 and recalls that it was initially tough going. He thinks the school still has
good values and although it may now be run as a business it has good educational principles
and values. The school has close ties to the Vatican which owns the grounds that the school
leases.
Some ideas or projects he would like to see happening within the school:
Perhaps the boys could adopt a year tracing the old boys in that year and get in touch with them
with the idea of putting contemporaries in different decades in touch with each other.
He would like to see the school yearbooks on the school website.
JE February 2012

75th Jubilee Circles of Friendship
The 75th Jubilee Circles of Friendship campaign was designed to link the parents, staff, boys,
and Old Boys as a community in long-term relationship and giving campaign, to
commemorate the 75th Jubilee year and carry through to the 80th Jubilee.
The aim of the Circles is to connect the entire St David’s community through interconnected
circles of giving reflecting all the areas of connectedness and involvement at St David’s; the
Montagne Day Pledge was the start of initiating the boys’ Circles of Friendship which will
continue.
The Campaign was initially introduced towards the end of 2015 when the entire School
received the Circles of Friendship Bracelet with an accompanying explanation, the campaign
was promoted through various forums and mediums to parent, staff and Old Boys throughout
2016 (including throught the Coffee and Donuts Sessions – each of which covered a different
area of interest and activity at St David’s), with the final ‘activation’ being with the St David’s
boys through the Montagne Day Pledge initiative. A google form link was also shared with
the community where circles could register and indicate their area of support and how they
would be contributing to their Circle (ranging from monthly to annual contributions or
contributions on an ad hoc if they had decided to engage in fundraising activities – which
some Circles seemed to favour). The Willy Castle Marathons Campaign (which this year will
enter its third year) also became a focus for a Circle amongst those who support this initiative.
Montagne Day Pledges
The 75th Jubilee year celebrations formally concluded with the celebration of Montagne Day
Mass on Friday 28 October which marked the 200th Anniversary of the visit of St Marcellin
Champagnat to the bedside of the dying 16 year-old Jean-Baptiste Montagne, an incident
which profoundly affected St Marcellin and inspired him to found the teaching order of
Marist Brothers. Each boy was asked to make a Montagne Day Marist Pledge, and to
accompany this by donating R 75 towards the 75th Jubilee Circles of Friendship Campaign,
raised through his own efforts and acts of service. These donations form the start of each
year group’s own Jubilee Circles of Friendship as per the Matric Years that they will
eventually become, for example, those boys who were in Grade 6 last year will be the
Matric Class of 2022. The funds raised go towards a bursary for an underprivileged boy (a
modern-day Montagne) – the Grade 5s, led by Mr Byron King, decided to take part in the
94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge on 13 November 2016 to raise additional funds in support of
their Montagne Day Pledges towards this bursary.
As part of the Mass the photo composite of St Marcellin Champagnat was unveiled and
blessed – below is the explanatory speech that I gave at the Montagne Day Mass:
Montagne Offertory – Photo Montage Explanation
Friday 28 October 2016
Last year, whilst Mrs Klement and I were contemplating ideas and doing online research for
the St David’s 75th Jubilee Circles of Friendship campaign and the Jubilee Bracelet, I came
across a beautiful photo composite of St Marcellin Champagnat that had been created by
Marist High School in Chicago, USA. The face of St Marcellin had been created using
photographs of the students and staff of the Marist High School and I loved the idea and
thought that this would be an excellent way for us at St David’s to celebrate and remember
our 75th Jubilee Year for many years to come and to reflect the Circles of Friendship that
were formed at this time. To have the face of our Founder made up of all of our faces also
reflects where our Marist roots come from and how we, as the St David’s community,
continue to carry forward the ethos, vision, work and legacy of St Marcelllin Champagnat
200 years after he founded the Marist Brothers teaching order. We used the Chicago
photograph on the cards that accompanied the Jubilee Bracelets that we all received last
year and then spoke with Mr Rose-Reddiar to see if he could work his photographic magic to
create our very own St David’s image. He has been working throughout this year to compile
the photo montage from our individual photographs and photos taken at the Jubilee
celebrations and other events through this year, for which we most sincerely thank him –
and today we get to see our very own montage for the first time, which will be blessed and
then permanently displayed at St David’s.
Fiona Budd
Foundation Manager
St David’s Marist Foundation
(The St David’s St Marcelin Photo Montage can be seen on the wall in the foyer of the
Champagnat Hall)
Original Introduction to the 75th Jubilee Circles Campaign (comms from January 2016)
Become part of the legacy of the St David’s Marist Inanda 75th Jubilee by joining the St
David’s Marist Inanda Circles of Friendship Initiative
As part of the 75th Jubilee Celebrations St David's has launched the '75th Jubilee Circles of
Friendship' Campaign - Connecting our Community. One of the aims is to explore and map
how the entire St David's community is connected, through a network of individual circles of
mutual interest to form an interwoven 'tapestry' of connection, reflecting and
commemorating the 75th Jubilee Community.
The St David’s Marist Foundation Trustees have begun the first Circle and you are invited to
initiate or join a Circle of Friendship at St David’s, with relevance to you.
The 'Circles of Friendship' initiative has also been established as a form of Giving Circle
participatory philanthropy where each Circle will be invited to agree to a monthly, termly or
annual giving commitment of their choice to the St David's Jubilee Fund (connected to an
area of common interest, for example, cricket development at St David's) and to honour this
commitment for the next five years, until the 80th Jubilee. As an illustrative example, if a
Circle commits to a joint giving contribution of R 1 200 per year over 5 years this will amount
to R 7 500 - a lovely 'echo' of the Jubilee Year number.
The Jubilee Fund will primarily support Bursary and Development Funds (including sports,
cultural, academic and leadership development) with the major capital development
fundraising drive being in support of enabling the building of 'The Maristonian' - a multipurpose
Education facility, which will include a 'home-base' for our Alumni (Old Boys, Past
Parents and Past Staff).
You can form or join as many Circles as you wish to reflect your involvement at St David's - a
giving commitment is only required for the initial Circle that you join or form.
75th Jubilee Circles in place as at 31 December 2016
St David's 75th Jubilee Year Circles
50 Circles
General Circles
St David's Book Club Circle (Cultural Development)
St David's Friends of the Arts Circle (Maristonian)
Tuckshop Mom's Circle
Mothers' Prayer Group Circle
Hands of Champagnat Circle (Community Development)
Basketball Parents' Circle (Sports Dev)
Foundation Trustees Circle
Staff Giving Bursary Circle
Christmas Giving Campaigns Circle (2015 & 2016)
Willy Castle Marathons' Circle 2016
Montagne Day 2016 Pledges (Matric Class Year Circles)
Grade 00 (Class of 2029)
Grade R (O) (Class of 2028)
Grade 1 (Class of 2027)
The Story of the
St David’s 75th Jubilee Bracelet
The disc:
Depicts the Marist Symbol for Ave Maria, St David’s name
and 75 for the Jubilee Year
Three ivory beads:
Represent the Three Characteristics of the Marist Way:
Simplicity, Modesty and Humility
Five Navy blue beads:
Represent the Marist Values of Presence,
Love of Work, Simplicity, Family Spirit, in Mary’s Way
The Green, Red, Blue and Yellow beads represent the four houses of St
David’s: Benedict, College, Osmond and The Bishops
The three sets of alternating blue and yellow beads represent the three
terms of the year at St David’s, and together represent the full year
(and a full year of Circle of Friendship Giving)
The five large black beads represent the Boys, Parents, Staff,
Old Boys and the St David’s community
The pale blue beads in the medium and large bracelets
represent excellence - the colour that is used in the
St David’s Honours blazer
Grade 2 (Class of 2026)
Grade 3 (Class of 2025)
Grade 4 (Class of 2024)
Grade 5 (Class of 2023)
Grade 6 (Class of 2022)
Grade 7 (Class of 2021)
Grade 8 (Class of 2020)
Grade 9 (Class of 2019)
Grade 10 (Class of 2018)
Grade 11 (Class of 2017)
Grade 12 (Class of 2016)
Class of 2015
Maristonian Class Year Circles (Old Boys)
Class of 2010
Class of 2008
Class of 2006
Class of 2003
Class of 2001
Class of 2000
Class of 1996
Class of 1995
Class of 1988
Class of 1987
Class of 1986
Class of 1985
Class of 1980
Class of 1974
Class of 1973
Class of 1972
Class of 1971
Class of 1970
Class of 1968
Class of 1966
Class of 1963
Class of 1962
Class of 1958
Class of 1957
Class of 1950
Excerpt from the Advancement Manager’s Report (November 2016)
Lara Klement
Coffee and Donut Circles of Friendship Mornings
Fiona successfully organized seven Coffee and Donut mornings through the year, each with a
specific focus e.g. Sports and Cultural Activities, Outreach, Old Boys, etc. A number of Circles
have been initiated this year, with some being more ‘fundraising’ focused than others.
However, the idea of connecting around something parents feel passionately about has taken
root in all of them and the ideas of how to raise funds through these have been very
innovative. The process has been an interesting and informative one with some important
learnings:
For many of the people who have come to the coffee mornings, the primary motivation is the
desire to connect with others in the St David’s community or with the School itself. They are
looking for ways to be ‘closer’ to the School (for various reasons) and be involved in one way
or another. We believe that if we (the Foundation) can facilitate this ‘connection’, this
strengthened relationship between parents and school will translate into benefit for the
Foundation over time as well as reap rewards for the school in the shorter term, if managed
effectively.
The true definition of philanthropy is still new in our community’s space. A number of people
have approached the Circles of Friendship with either a charity or a purely fundraising
mindset, each of which brings a very different ‘energy’ and different set of expectations.
Managing this understanding and process as well as the expectations has been very time
consuming, but has given us valuable insight into the mindset of some of our community and
has also allowed us the opportunity to try and shift the mindset to one that is more
philanthropic.
Most Circles have preferred to raise funds rather than just commit to a monthly giving
programme. We think that the reasons are two-fold:
 There is still a strong resistance to committing financially over a long period of time.
We think that the uncertainty in our country is contributing to this as families are
preferring to keep as tight a control over their daily finances as possible.
 The need to ‘connect’, as mentioned above is a motivating factor for many of the
members and the fundraising projects allow them to do this. However, one of the
Circles, who definitely understand philanthropy, are using this to great effect from a
crowdfunding perspective.

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Interview with Gianni Mariano – Parent - Foundation 2006 to date
Although Gianni was not a pupil at St David’s, he is a Marist old boy having attended Marist Brothers
Observatory Prep School before going on to Highlands North Boys High School. He loved the Marist
school but due to a question of economics and his parents’ wishes he joined Highlands North where after a
successful and rewarding school career, he matriculated in 1978.
Gianni has two sons who are St David’s pupils; Gianpaolo who matriculated in 2009 was house captain of
The Bishops, prefect and recipient of the Osmond trophy for academics, leadership and sport. His younger
son Francesco has just been elected head boy for 2014. His daughter attended St Theresa’s where she
was head girl, and is currently doing her internship at the Johannesburg General Hospital.
Gianni’s connections with the Marist education and ethos are very strong and he yearned for a Marist
education for his sons.
Gianni has been a member of the board of the St David’s Foundation’s since its inception in 2006, was
chairman of the development fund then the board of St Theresa’s for about 10 years. He also lectures at
Vega and is a trustee of the Mercy Sisters of South Africa.
Gianni acknowledged the changes St David’s has undergone over the years, in its physical structure and
various other aspects but believes the core essence of the school has remained and become possibly even
stronger. The Marceliin ethos is still relevant, real, and effective and of great value to many people even
though the school is no longer managed by the Brothers. His children have learnt about life in a very
relevant way and he feels that it has been a privilege for both himself and his children.
Gianni has found his involvement and the work he has done for the Foundation to be very rewarding and
fulfilling.
After his son matriculates in 2014, Gianni intends to continue with his involvement in the School’s activities.
Gianni started his successful business – Mastrantonio, the restaurant and franchise business in 1966.
JLE December 2013

Interview with Anthony Chappel – Board and Foundation 2001 to date
Tony has seen two of his sons matriculate at St David’s, Daniel in 2007 and Patrick in 2009 with both sons
starting their career at St David’s in Grade 0.
Tony is Catholic and was educated at CBC in Springs and his father at CBC Boksburg and is a director of
the law firm, Norton Rose Fulbright based in Sandton.
In 2001, Tony joined the board of governors of St David’s, proposed by Eric Annegarn, vice-chairman. At
the same time Robin Smith also joined the board and Tony Reilly was chairman. Tony was on the board for
7 years and retired as chairman of the board in 2007. Tony is currently a trustee of the St David’s
Foundation.
Tony asked the board for a mandate to establish a foundation and led an investigation into this, preparing
the constitution in 2004. Paul Edey’s wife Susan put Tony in touch with Chantal Ratcliff, an experienced
and very practical fund raiser. Chantal knew how foundations worked and how to make them successful.
Her advice was that the board must be really committed, embrace the concept and understand exactly how
it should work bearing in mind that there is not a culture of giving in South Africa. Chantal was appointed in
2005 and was involved in the development of the Foundation for 4 years. There is no doubt that she played
a significant role in the success of the Foundation which was established in 2005. Tony’s vision was that
the Foundation would endow the school adding value, assisting in transforming the school and that the
Foundation would be used to mobilize MOBS (Marist Old Boys). Tony believes that you cannot have a truly
great school without its old boys being involved and supportive of it.
Thierry Dalais was the first chairman of the Foundation in 2006 and Robin Smith the current chairman
being an ex officio trustee whilst he was chairman of the board of governors.
Following his appointment as executive head in 2002, and prior to his joining Gibbs, Paul Edey had
indicated to Tony that he needed to move on and suggested that a consultant would perhaps be better
suited to the role of executive head of the school. Paul had mentioned Mike Greeff, a businessman with a
passion for education, who had run some staff workshops. Tony, then chairman of the board, followed up
on this idea and Mike was eventually appointed as the chief executive in 2006.
JLE August 2014

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Interview with Robin Smith – Board and Foundation 2001 to date
Robin and Alison’s sons, Alastair and Stuart attended St David’s with Alastair enrolling in grade 0 in 1997,
matriculating in 2009 and Stuart staring in grade OO in 2000 and matriculating in 2012. Having attended a
Catholic school, CBC in Kimberly, Robin wanted his sons to have a similar religious based education. The
family home was nearby in Atholl and Robin’s uncle, Br Hugh Smith was Brother Provincial of CBC in
South Africa.
Robin and Alison were always very involved parents and Robin was invited to join the board of governors in

2001. Paul Edey was then the headmaster of the high school and Rick Wilson of the preparatory school.
      Tony Reilly, who had been a classmate of Robin’s at CBC, had taken over as chairman of the board
      following Kevin Brewer. Robin’s initial portfolio was that of finance with the aim of improving the financial
      systems within the school. In 2004 he then took over the development portfolio from Kevin Brewer,
      launching into a very strong development phase at St David’s.
      The development progressed in several stages with the junior school pavilion being the first rather
      controversial project. Robin, together with the support and assistance of Willy Castle planned and
      developed the facility. They did this “asking for forgiveness not permission” from the brothers. It was a
      success and a great improvement.
      The Design and Technology centre followed together with the senior Art room and then the Music centre.
      In 2006 the Astro was built, the grounds, parking facilities, both “Thatches”, signage and the main entrance
      had a much needed revamp. A new workshop was built and cricket nets built into the bank on the main
      field.
      The chapel was next with two years in the planning with many people wishing to give their input. After much
      discussion and planning, together, with the new junior school Art facility the chapel was completed in 2007.
      The brothers and Rome became progressively more supportive as the board had shown they could handle
      major projects within the time projections and most importantly budgetary requirements. Kevin Brewer, who
      was then on the Marist Schools Council, was a great help in this regard, and was very supportive of the
      accelerated development.
      There was a lull in the development activity in 2008, followed in 2009 with the design, planning and
      construction from scratch of the staff housing project and the grade 1 and 2 classroom block was extended.
      Robin was involved with the planning of the Brother Anthony wing but didn’t run the project as he was by
      then involved with the Foundation.
      The Foundation was established in 2005 and launched in 2006 with Thierry Dalais as its first chairman.
      Robin as chairman of the board of governors was automatically a trustee of the Foundation and eventually
      took over as chairman from 2011 to date. Robin was the longest standing member of the board having
      served for three consecutive terms of three years.
      Robin wished to emphasise that from the initial renovations of the junior school pavilion to current
      developments, Willy Castle has always been very supportive, having a hand in every project and has
      proven to be very practical and very helpful.
      Current projects on the drawing board include the proposed new cricket pavilion on the main oval with the
      drawings and design completed. The Marist old boys facility and sports centre has become a Foundation
      project with the date of completion being set for 2016 in time for the 75th anniversary of St David’s. Robin is
      very involved but is focused on getting the right people on board moving forward with the Foundation.
      JLE May 2014

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