earthquake-related issue, which wasn’t quite as contentious, was the opportunity to demolish one of College’s most beautiful and awe- inspiring structures – the Chapman Building. If there was ever any good to come out of such an ordeal, the decision to bid farewell to that monstrosity must be one of Mr Leese’s most endearing legacies. I suppose in the end, your legacy is a yardstick as to what you’ve been able to achieve in a job such as Simon Leese’s. There won’t be any more rousing prize-giving speeches, littered with analogies so complex that trying to remember the root of one was nigh-on impossible; or any sermons too intricate for 7.30pm on a Sunday night, or any classes on the quad. However, it would be fair to say Simon Leese’s yardstick looks pretty good. At the risk of sounding clichéd, Mr Leese told me once that you should endevour to leave the school in a better place than you found it, and if you can honestly say you’ve done that, then your term in a position of leadership can’t be disputed. Over the last decade, and certainly during my time at College, Simon Leese has upheld this rule impeccably. He’s been a constant figure during some unsettled times and has steered the school in the seemingly right direction, even if it did mean losing the Chapman building. I’m sure it’s not the last we’ll see of Simon Leese and I’m sure whatever’s next for him, it’ll be tackled with the same enthusiasm, dedication and Englishness that he’s brought to College. I saw a quote the other day by an unknown author that read: “Sometimes people choose to leave, not because of selfish reasons, but they just know that things will get worse if they stay.’’
tradition. Mr Leese upheld and enforced College’s motto – Bene tradita, bene servanda – regularly reminding students of these traditions: shirts in, socks up, polished shoes, top buttons done up, eyebrows waxed, fingernails cut, nostril hairs trimmed, and so on. Coupled with the enforcer (Rob Donaldson), the two formed quite a formidable pair when walking around the quad. Nonetheless, for the few us who spent a bit more time with Mr Leese, you soon realised how much he invested in the school. An avid supporter of rowing and rugby, he often asked me how we were shaping up for the weekend. Academically, College has continued to excel, spurred on by the high standards set by senior management and teachers. Culturally, as well, Mr Leese rarely missed a Sunday chapel or a production, and he was an enthusiastic supporter of the House plays. In addition to this, Mr Leese and the Board steered the school through some difficult times following the earthquakes and made some tough decisions in the process – none more so than the option to stick Portacoms on the hallowed turf! Despite this, an
Harry McCormick with Mr Leese.
Simon Leese (albeit brief), from a lowly boy’s perspective was an opportunity too good to miss. Simon Leese is very similar to what you’d expect a Headmaster of College to embody. A stickler for tradition, articulate, intellectual, diplomatic – and English. For a school that gets its fair share of flak for being a pompous stomping ground, to have anyone other than an Englishman running the helm seems a tad ridiculous. This Englishness sat well in a school such as College, built on
You did all right, Sir.
Bene tradita, bene servanda.
- Harry McCormick
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College Issue 29 2015
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