The missing School Captains – Stories from the Honour Board

Every name on an honour board has a story to tell, tales of sporting endeavour, academic excellence and future potential. Occasionally, the boards themselves shine a light on our forgotten past. The School Captain honour board stands in the foyer outside Arnold Hall, emblazoned in gold are 122 dates from 1903 to 2024 but only 111 individuals are named.

Where are the missing school captains?

The first Captain of the School Colin Friend, one of the original twenty-three foundation students, was appointed in 1909. By this date, the number of students on roll exceeded two hundred and there were enough boys in the senior years to make a student leadership system viable. Colin was appointed captain and the remaining six students in the sixth form were made prefects.

1909 School Captain Colin Friend and Prefects

Having accounted for six missing names at the beginning of the honour board, another phenomenon accounts for a further six; that of the double or two-term captaincy. During the interwar years and with a final example in 1956-57, six students held the position of School Captain for two years. These young men had already completed their Leaving year but were encouraged by the school to undertake further study and complete an Honours year. At this time, the Leaving Certificate opened the door to university but it was the Leaving Honours results which determined the awarding of prestigious university scholarships, exhibitions and free places.

Colin McCutcheon was one of the two-year captains. Whilst School Captain in 1931, he completed his Leaving Certificate achieving six passes and winning a non-resident exhibition at Melbourne University. Rather than attend university the following year, he took three honours subjects at Trinity and as a result of his success at Leaving Honours, he was awarded the prestigious Resident Scholarship at Queens College.

1932 First XI – Captain C McCutcheon