Ray Vincent Lunch and HSOBA Ivied Tower Award
Today the Hutchins School Old Boys’ Association hosted the annual Ray Vincent lunch in Burbury House, welcoming 70 Old Boys and special guests. Honorary Membership of the Hutchins School Old Boys’ Association was awarded to Professor Marcus Haward and Mr Ian Johnston for their long serving contribution to the School and the Association.
We also welcomed our Ivied Tower award winner for 2019, Mr John Clark AM (’50) and his wife Henrietta who entertained us with stories of his time at Hutchins and his exceptional career. The Ivied Tower award is a special form of recognition for Old Boys of The Hutchins School who have made an outstanding achievement in their chosen field of endeavour. John Clark has had an extraordinary career culminating in, amongst other awards, becoming; a member of the Order of Australia, receiving an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Tasmania and being recognised by Independent Film Australia as a living Legend. John started at Hutchins when he was 14 years old where his passion for the dramatic arts thrived, as well as taking part in debating, playing Cricket in the first XI and Football in the first XVIII, and becoming a prefect. In 1959 John was invited to teach at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney and was appointed Director of NIDA in 1969. In 1979 John was invited by the Premier of New South Wales to become the first Artistic Advisor to the Sydney Theatre Company. Retiring from NIDA after producing over 50 shows, John went on to produce plays in India, Singapore and China with his final production being Hamlet for the Hobart Old Nick in 2009. We congratulate John on his amazing life achievements and being the Ivied Tower Award winner for 2019.