Newington Culture and what it means to me……..

As we commenced our UOI 5, we worked on an understanding of the meaning of ‘culture’ and ‘beliefs’ that formed part of our understanding of the Central Idea – ‘Beliefs and values of cultures are conveyed through commemorations and celebrations which develops an appreciation of diversity.’

To help us understand ‘culture’ a parent of one of the Year 4 boys, Mr James, known to many as ‘AJ’ was invited to share his experiences and thoughts of the Newington culture from his perspective.

AJ is an old boy of Newington having attended the Lindfield campus before attending the main school in Stanmore. He is also a son of an old boy with his father also attending Newington College. The boys were very keen to hear of his experiences and memories of his time at Newington and to see some of the memorabilia he treasured from his school days. The boys used their understanding of simple and complex questions to further question AJ about the culture of Newington.

The Year 3 and 4 boys and their teachers, Carol Peterson and Katrina James, appreciate the time and knowledge of the Newington culture AJ shared with us.

Following the visit, the Year 4 boys eagerly shared their thoughts by writing about their highlights from AJ’s presentation. I am proud to share a few of the boy’s reflections below for your enjoyment.

Katrina James – Year 4 Teacher (acting)

Everyone attending our school is a Newingtonian and the people that attend Newington respect the culture of the school and what the ‘Wyvern’ represents. The ‘Wyvern’ is the school mascot and we all believe in him. Part of the culture of Newington is the uniform. It has changed a bit but it is still important and we wear it with pride. When we play sport against other schools we wear our uniform proudly. Today Diesel’s Dad came in to talk about our school. The school was tiny back then. The teachers were very strict. If you didn’t wear your uniform properly then you would get a detention and if you got a detention from the Headmaster it meant your detention was 2 hours. The Headmaster would live at the school. My dad is an old boy and it means a lot to me that I go to the same school as him. My dad has told me how things have changed in the years since he left school. Here at Lindfield campus we have two a house system with Rydal and Kingswood. At Stanmore they have more than ten houses. One is called Johnson and it is black. At big games AJ told us they have a school chant. I look forward to being part of the culture of Newington.

Marcus Yoo

Today Diesel’s Dad came in to talk about the culture of Newington College because he was an old Newington boy. He talked about lots of things including what had changed and stayed the same since he was at Newington, Lindfield. One interesting thing that he talked about was if your shirt was untucked or you didn’t have a black cap or your socks were down, you would get a detention. You also had to wear garters to keep your socks up. They would call the roll and check your uniform was perfect in the rank of classes. They would check you had garters. If you did not have garters on you would get a detention. The fact the Headmaster lived on the campus was very interesting to me. Part of the culture is that the friends you knew at school would remain friends when you are an adult. As part of Newington you would meet up every year and see your friends that you went to school with. You also had to tip your hat to the teachers when you left the gate and tip your hat when crossing roads when cars stopped.

Felix Lee

Newington culture means a lot to me and even though things have changed I am amazed the culture still exists. The fact that Newington started out as a small school and turned into a very well known school is interesting. I feel very special that I got to come to this school and I can’t wait for the next eight years to come. In sport if two teams were playing sport the supporters would do a school chant and try to get louder than the other school encouraging their team. Something that was very strong back in the 1950’s was manners. The boys would tip their hat and say good afternoon to the teachers. The teachers are part of the culture of Newington and made a big difference in a student’s life as well as AJ’s. They supported him through his time at Newington. His favourite teacher was Mr Brown because he had good school spirit. Mr Brown was the Headmaster and his fifth grade teacher. He sounds like a very special man in AJ’s life.

Jack Mannix

The culture of Newington is in everyone who goes to Newington. When you walk on that rugby field wearing the Newington sport uniform you know you are playing for Newington. When you score a try you help your team get a win for Newington. When you wear your uniform you wear it with pride. The history of Newington goes back far. When Diesel’s Dad, AJ was at Newington everything was different but the culture was strong. The uniform is different. It went from black to grey blazers. Some of the uniforms are still the same but the symbol of the Wyvern has not changed. It is part of the culture of Newington. If you did not wear your uniform properly you would get a detention. The manners used at Newington made a big impact on AJ – he told us that you would tip your hat when you were crossing the road. When you score points for your school House and when you win you feel happy and have pride to be part of Newington. The crest is what brings Newington together. It is the soul of Newington and  it’s culture.

Aidan Chandler

Today Diesel’s dad came in and talked to us about Newington’s culture. I never felt so proud about the school I go to and how it has changed, as I did today. AJ told us about the celebrations they had when he was at school like the war cry and lots more. We also learnt about the uniforms and how they have changed, like the colour of the blazer going from black to grey but the crest always stays the same. I feel proud about my school when I walk out the gate in my uniform and when I represent my school in lots of sports and activities.

Oliver Senior

Thanks to AJ, Diesel’s dad we found out about Newington culture. When you are a Newington boy you respect your peers, your uniform and your belongings. You wear a perfect uniform. That means socks up, shirt tucked in, blazer buttons done up and hats on. When you are out of school you must wear full school uniform like AJ did when he was at school and tip your hat to adults. Back in the day when AJ was at school if your socks were down that meant a detention, shirt out – detention and if the Headmaster gave you a detention….. Oh boy that was more than just one hour of detention. Once you are an adult it doesn’t mean you are not a Newington boy anymore. It means you are a Newington old boy and you are still a part of – Newington Culture.

Chase Bassett

Last year I stepped on Newington School grounds and sparks lit up my heart with possibilities out of the world. It is a privilege to be here. I have loved it so far. I have also loved the school uniform especially as my dad thinks the caps looks like Angus Young, my dad’s and my favourite ACDC guitarist. He wears the exact same cap but of course without the Wyvern. Today AJ, a Newington old boy came and told us about when he went to Newington. There were detentions just for socks not pulled up or buttons undone. I personally agree with AJ that you should get something for not respecting your Newington uniform. Some days when Sam and I walk to the train station we tip our hats to seniors walking by or just people letting us go through to the zebra crossing in their cars. With everything said about the rules and culture of Newington I’m proud to say that I’m a Newington boy. I am proud of my school and my friends and the culture of Newington College.                               

 Mika Koskela