An
open letter to the Chairman
Old
Michaelian Association
FROM
CLIFF WAILLINGTON
Dear
Bob.
Just
before the turn of the year and
just over the Washington, D.C. line, I enjoyed a wonderful lunch at a
Thai Restaurant with another Old Michaelian and his lovely wife. What was,
perhaps, extraordinary about this meeting was the fact that he and I had not
attended St Michael's School at the same time. He left before I arrived and
although his "fame" was well known to me during my time at the school
he was certain that we had never met until August 1997 when he was first in this
area. To begin with, ours was simply a 'correspondence' friendship on
Association matters.
It
occurred to me that surely this was part of what the Old Michaelian
Association was all about - the meeting of friends and strangers alike and the
sharing of stories and experiences.
I
am 'more than fully aware that, although the majority enjoyed their time at
St Michael's School, there were some who did not and sincerely want to forget
that particular passage of their lives. The majority, however, still meet, when
they are able each October - when the weather can be wonderful but is often not
so wonderful! Isn't it amazing that almost 30 years after the School officially
closed, this Association -Our Association - is still thriving let alone
functioning!? With continued support from its members it could survive for a few
more or even many more years.
Two dates are, I think, of particular importance to us - the Members. The first in October this year when your Committee will offering a "Pre Millennium Bash" (the thinking. behind this was, I believe, that October 2000 was a Little late for celebration) and I hope that many will feel able to support the work the Committee will put into this particular Celebration and Reunion.
The
second date is a little further away in the year 2003 when the Association will
celebrate its 50th Birthday. For this, I very much hope that we, - and by that I
mean all of us, - can encourage, persuade, cajole (and anything else short of
brute force!!) anyone who has ever attended St Michael's School to join in this
Celebratory Reunion Weekend - as well as attending themselves, of course! I hope
(God willing and the creek don't rise!) to write to all those overseas (overseas
from the UK, that is) Old Michaelian’s to encourage them to attend and
participate in this particular gathering if they possibly can.
Bob,
you and your Committee have what is perhaps an unenviable task of trying to
hold the Association together at a time when, as we all get older, it is
difficult to see where the Association is going - or even whether it should keep
going. I sincerely hope that the work you and your Committee do on behalf of
the Membership will be rewarded fully by 'attendance at the 1999 and subsequent
Reunions.