Eamon Hannan – Principal
Newsletter 15 February 2012
Opening and Investiture Mass
At our Opening Mass last Friday we had the investiture of our college leaders. I would like to
express our thanks to Fr Andrew Chase who led us in celebration of the start of another year.
I would like to congratulate the singers and musicians who led us in worship so beautifully. It
was wonderful to see such a large contingent of singers and musicians supporting the college.
Thanks also to Ms Fraser and her team who prepared the celebration.
Dates to remember:
February
15
P & F Meeting, 7:00 pm
20
QCS Monitoring Day
22
Ash Wednesday
March
7
Board Meeting
14
St Patrick’s Day
celebrations
15
Aquatics carnival
16
St Patrick’s Day Mass
19
Year 12 Industry
Placement commences
21
P & F Meeting, 7:00 pm
22
Exams begin
30
Easter Liturgy
Last day of term
April
16
First day of term 2
18
P & F Meeting, 7:00 pm
20
Cross Country
25
ANZAC Day
27
“Cats”
28
“Cats”
NUMBE
ER FOR SMS
If you would like to
text the college to let
us know that your
student will be late or
absent, the number
for this is:
0427 106 014
The leaders of the college in 2012:
College Captains:
Caitlin Geoghegan, Sam Lenz, Rebecca Smith, Sean Young
Committee Chairs:
Christian Leadership Jennifer Galea
Community Service Kate Tolo
Cultural
Nelsen Sealey
Sports
Imagion Carlyle-Brauer
Student Council:
Brittany Anderson, Natalie Conroy, Matthew Jones, Callum Pownell
Board Representatives: Megan Comben and Paul Deguara
Following the Mass we presented the McGarry Bursaries.
A bequest by the late Miss Joan McGarry has established perpetual
bursaries to be presented each year to St Patrick’s College students.
The trust is established in honour of Miss McGarry’s parents, the late
Fred and Rose McGarry and her brother, the late Jim McGarry. As
per the guidelines of the bequest, bursaries were awarded in the areas
of Academic achievement and Social Justice. As well, in recognition
of Joan McGarry’s lifelong dedication to her profession of nursing, the
student with the highest OP entering Nursing also received a bursary.
The intention of the bequest is that students receive the bursary once
properly enrolled in a tertiary course after Year 12, with study to
commence in the year of the bequest.
~1~
These bursaries are not about money – although the money is substantial – the bursaries are
about a gift to the future, a belief in young people, a hope to make things better for young
people; an extraordinary gift to our whole community.
Every year when we celebrate these bursaries it is important that we reflect on the fact that we
have a debt of gratitude and a responsibility to all those who have gone before us at St
Patrick’s. There is a proud tradition of spreading and sharing the good news at this college and
we become part of that tradition and we continue to create that tradition this year.
It was wonderful to see the McGarry Bursary recipients so excited as they were all about to
embark on studies for their various careers. This year saw a substantial increase in the amount
available up from $13 000 last year to $25 000 in 2012. The amount available for bursaries is
advised to the college by Perpetual Trustees who are the trustees of Joan McGarry’s will.
Bursaries are awarded according to a formula devised by the college Board in 2009 to meet
the available money and number of eligible recipients each year.
Crispin Scott
Academic Excellence for OP 1
B Arts / B Laws - UQ
$4082
Eamon Kelly
Academic Excellence for OP 2
B Physiotherapy – UQ
$2041
Kirsty Preston
Academic Excellence for OP 2
B Commerce / Laws – UQ
$2041
Riley Adair
Academic Excellence for OP 3
B Medicine / B Surgery - JCU
$1020
Shreyas Boppana
Academic Excellence for OP 3
B Medicine / B Surgery - JCU
$1020
Julia Comben
Academic Excellence for OP 3
B Speech Pathology – UQ
$1020
Jack Haines
Academic Excellence for OP 3
B Engineering – UQ
$1020
Michael Preston
Academic Excellence for OP 3
B Engineering – JCU
$1020
James Waters
Academic Excellence for OP 3
Bachelor of Dental Surgery – JCU
$1020
Emily Barnett
Academic Excellence for OP 4
B Arts – UQ
$510
Sarah Curti
Academic Excellence for OP 4
B Arts / B Education - UQ
$510
Sheree Ellwood
Academic Excellence for OP 4
B Laws – JCU
$510
Alexander Handley
Academic Excellence for OP 4
B Commerce – Uni of Melbourne
$510
Rachel McKenzie
Academic Excellence for OP 4
$510
Kiara Watkin
Academic Excellence for OP 4
B Education / B Science - JCU
Diploma of Dance; Australian
Conservatoire of Dance, Melb
Jaiden Capra
Academic Excellence for OP 5
Sanchia De Angelis
Academic Excellence for OP 5
Danika Gebers
$510
Academic Excellence for OP 5
B Engineering – UQ
B Exercise and Sport Science – ACU –
Melb.
B Dentistry – JCU
$255
Daynee Grech
Academic Excellence for OP 5
B Physiotherapy – JCU
$255
Brittany-Elise Johansen
Academic Excellence for OP 5
B Health Sport & Physical Education – UQ
$255
Edward Keogh
Academic Excellence for OP 5
B Science / B Education - UQ
$255
Darcie O'Grady
Social Justice
Student with the highest OP
entering Nursing
B Arts - UQ
$4082
B Nursing – UQ
$2041
Laura Harris
~2~
$255
$255
The Adrian Carl Smith Memorial Bursary was awarded for the first time on Friday.
The award is for a graduating student selected by the Principal
and Staff of St Patrick’s College who best reflects the nature and
values of Adrian Smith in his time as a student and staff member
of the college. Adrian was a person who had great integrity, a
friendly nature and a great passion for Information Technology,
Aerospace and Business. The successful awardee will be
continuing with their education at the tertiary level and the
bursary is both an acknowledgement of their involvement at
the college and to assist with future studies.
Justin Simpson (Year 12 in 2011) was awarded the $200 bursary
on Friday. Justin is about to begin a degree programme in
Information Technology at Central Queensland University.
On Friday we also presented two bursaries for current year 12 students.
The Sister St Luke Academic Encouragement Bursary provides a
$600 rebate from a student's school fees. The bursary is for a
student who has been identified by the college as overcoming
challenges in pursuing their academic goals. The student shows
persistence and dedication in their progress through Year 11. This
bursary is named for Sister St Luke a well known and highly
respected Mercy Sister who taught at St Patrick's Primary School
and at Our Lady of Mercy College for many years. Sister St Luke
was well known for her academic prowess and for her ability to
teach students in a wide range of subjects. She is also
remembered as a teacher who had high expectations of her
students. The bursary winner for 2012 was Brendan Nevins.
The Brother Tom Higgins Vocational Education and
Training Encouragement Bursary provides a cash prize of
$250 which is intended to assist the student with the
pursuit of their vocational goals. The bursary is for a
student in Year 12 who has been identified by the college
as striving for excellence in their vocational studies. This
bursary is named for Brother Tom Higgins a former
principal of St Patrick's College who passed away in 2008.
Brother Tom was a great supporter of vocational
education at this college having built the first workshops
which were demolished to make way for our new hall.
Brother Tom was also very involved with counselling
students in choosing courses and steered many a student to
a successful traineeship or apprenticeship. The bursary
winner for 2012 was Bryan Reitano.
Year 11 Monitoring – Student Free Day
There is another student free day on Monday (20/02/2011) for QSA monitoring of student
work. Teachers from throughout the region will meet at St Patrick's College and other venues
to review 2011 Year 11 work from schools across the region in all subjects. We have more than
twenty-five staff involved on panels and a number of others involved in observation of panel
work. This day is essential for monitoring the standards in Authority subjects. Later in the year
Verification meetings confirm the standard for the work of year 12 students.
Parents and Friends Association
Tonight (15/2/2012) will be the first meeting for the Parents and Friends for 2012. The next
meeting will be held on 21/3/2012.
Meet and Greet and Success in Senior Schooling Seminar
Last night we had a barbeque for all staff, parents and students. It was a great opportunity for
our community to get together. After the meal we had a seminar on how to support students
over these senior years.
~3~
Weekend Masses
Northside Cluster:
Saturday Vigil Mass
6:00 pm St Joseph’s
6:00 pm St Brigid’s
Sunday
7:30 am St Brendan’s
9.00 am St Joseph’s
Marian
Saturday Vigil Mass
6:00 pm Holy Rosary
Sunday
9:00 am Mirani
Southside Cluster:
Saturday Vigil Mass
6:00 pm St Francis Xavier
6:00 pm St Mary’s
Sunday
7:00 am St Patrick’s
7:00 am St Therese’s
9:00 am St Michael’s
9:00 am St Francis Xavier
9:30 am St Francis of Assisi
6:00 pm St Patrick’s
Walkerston
Saturday Vigil Mass
6:00 pm St John’s
Sunday
7:30 am Eton
Bishop’s Inservice Day
On Monday the Bishop’s Inservice Day for the Mackay and districts Catholic Schools was held
at St Patrick’s College. The day was a great success which was in no small part due to the work
of Ms Lesley Fraser, Mrs Rose Christensen, teaching staff, IT staff, support staff and grounds
people who worked very hard to make sure the college was set up properly for this event. A
special thank you to the college leaders and IT students who made themselves available on the
student free day to escort presenters and teachers to the correct room and to troubleshoot IT
problems.
Knowledge Project
Congratulations to Mr Sean Geoghegan on the launch of the College Knowledge Project. To
date we now have two parts of this project on the college web page. Accompanying this
newsletter are two crosswords which are linked to the first two parts of the project. Solutions
will be available next week. The crosswords may be completed electronically via the links:
http://www.mycrosswords.com/440/EajstaplejmonHannan/KnowledgeProjectPart2.html
http://www.MyCrosswords.com/440/EamonHannan/KnowledgeProject.html
Mass this Sunday
The readings for Mass this Sunday are
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time: Reading 1 Is 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25, Responsorial Psalm Ps
41:2-3, 4-5, 13-14, Reading 2 2 Cor 1:18-22, Gospel Mk 2:1-12. The text of the readings may be
found here http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021912.cfm. An excellent resource for
reflecting on the coming readings at mass this week can be found at Living Space
http://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/OB071/ I recommend it to you.
Gonski Review
Next Monday a major report into funding of education in Australia is being presented to the
Federal Government - The Gonski Review. Accompanying this newsletter is a letter from Miss
Leesa Jeffcoat our Director of Diocesan Catholic Education and information from Diocesan
Catholic Education and the National Catholic Education Commission about funding of Catholic
Schools.
There is often misinformation about funding issues and the documentation accompanying this
newsletter clearly indicates that on average students in Catholic education save the Australian
tax payer around $2.2 Billion dollars each year. Even when parent contributions are taken into
account Catholic schools are funded on average at a lower rate per student than government
or independent schools. The view of Catholic Education authorities is that this should not be
an “us and them” debate. We want quality education for all Australian students.
Assistant to the Principal: Lesley Fraser – Religious Education
As is the tradition at St Patrick’s College, last Friday we came together as a school community
through the celebration of Mass. We welcomed our new student leaders and asked God to
bless us as we journey together throughout the 2012 school year. The ceremony gave me a
wonderful sense of hope for what lies ahead. However, it also gave us a time to reflect on
what has been; with the presentation of the McGarry Bursary Awards to the 2011 seniors.
Sitting in Mass, I couldn’t help but think about what Mother Teresa of Calcutta often used to
say:
“I cannot do what you do, and you cannot do what I do,
but together we can do something beautiful for God.”
Each of us is unique, and each has our own contribution to make as we journey together. Let
us pray that each of us makes good use of our talents, and that we set out to work well with
others. I am very thankful to all of those who shared their talents to make our Opening Mass
so special; especially our altar servers Liam Pinkstone and Anna McDermott and our Handbell
Ensemble and Choir; the music was outstanding.
Yesterday was the feast of brothers St Cyril & St Methodius as well as of St Valentine. All three
men were early Christians dedicated to the spread of the Gospel in a hostile culture: Valentine
in the Roman Empire, Cyril & Methodius in Eastern Europe in the 9 th Century. Just as Paul and
Barnabas ‘spoke out fearlessly,’ so too did these three men. It cost St Valentine his life.
There are some similarities to our own age; we too live in a culture that is increasingly hostile
to Christian values. Most modern couples don’t think of themselves as missionaries or having
much to offer in the way of evangelisation. But every Christian is called to be missionary by
virtue of their Baptism and every married couple is called to love each other in a way that
helps us appreciate God’s love, in other words they are called to evangelise by through their
married relationship.
~4~
Let us pray:
God , who created us and made us who we are,
We come together at this time of the year.
We ask you to bless us, to continue to journey with us,
To lead us and teach us your will and your ways.
Show us how best to use the time and talents you have given each of us,
and lead us to grow in appreciation of the contribution that others make.
May your Spirit empower us to work well with others
and bring out the best in those with whom we share our lives.
Guide us and strengthen us for the days that lie ahead.
Keep us faithful to the good things we’ve planned.
And if through weakness we should go astray
Bring us back to heal us – don’t let us turn away.
We ask this of you, Creator God
And maker of all that is good. Amen.
Music Ministry
Any student who would like to join in the singing for the Regional Mass this Sunday at St
Patrick’s Church is most welcome to attend. Practise is at 5:00 pm in St Patrick’s Church. Mass
commences at 6:00 pm and is generally over by 7:00 pm at the latest.
Edna Galvin – Assistant to the Principal: Curriculum
Scholarship Winner
The college has just been informed that Sarah Curti, senior
2011, has been awarded an ‘Aspiring Teacher Grant’ for
2012. This grant of $1500 goes to only 25 high achieving
secondary students commencing a pre-service teacher
education programme in Queensland in 2012. In order to
be eligible Sarah has to obtain an outstanding OP; be
accepted into a tertiary education course in 2012; be given
a statement of support from her school and also submit a
written report. This is a wonderful achievement and we
congratulate Sarah and are thrilled to see such a
competent intelligent student joining our profession.
Past Students – Stars of the Past
We have recently been informed of two past students who have completed their doctorates.
Dr Michael Burchill (Year 12 2002) – in Nano particles. Michael is now working for a large
corporation in Australia.
Dr Roland Lee (Year 12 2001) – in Linguistics. Roland is lecturing in Canada.
Students 2012
We hope these kinds of achievements inspire all our students to work hard towards their goals
and dreams. As they say:
Some people dream of success
Others get up early in the morning and make it happen!
Bianca Johnston – Cultural Coordinator
CATS AT ST PATS!
Tickets go on sale on 14th March! All tickets will be available from the College office from 9:00
am – 3:30 pm Monday – Friday.
Reminder: Please ensure all contracts and the production fee is returned to the school office as
soon as possible. All on stage cast are required for ALL rehearsals (Tuesday evenings 6:45pm –
9:15pm and Sunday mornings from 10:30am- 1:30pm). Please note the rehearsal dates and
times on the rehearsal schedule.
~5~
Music Co-Curricular Activities
Congratulations to the number of successful students that have been given places in the
Percussion Ensemble and Stage Band of 2012. The Stage band consists of a group of students
from the college and Mercy College. Mercy College is currently developing an instrumental
program and we look forward to working with them to provide a number of different cultural
experiences.
The Mercy / St Patrick’s Stage Band of 2012 consists of: Grace Schofield, Lachlan Graham, Ben
O’Brien, April Martineer, Aindrea Fuller, Peter Muller, Aimee Griffin, Alex Russell (Mercy),
Emma Marsh, Brianna Rogers, Nicholas Braithwaite, Sophie Tulloch (Mercy College), Nelsen
Sealey, Kathryn West, Alex Oliver, Sheridan Scott, Charles Langfield and Bianca Ruzgys.
The St Patrick’s Percussion Ensemble members of 2012 are: Natalie Conroy, Charles Langfield,
Shoubhik Bahattacharjee, Sondra McConnell, Aimee Griffin, Sheridan Scott, Heidi Blomfield,
Jemma Rasink, Emma Marsh, Siobhan Gibbs, Kathryn West, Bianca Ruzgys, April Martineer,
Aindrea Fuller and Rachal Lagan.
We wish our instrumental ensembles all the very best for a great year!
Tickets on sale from
Wednesday 14 March
Performances:
Friday 27 April
Saturday 28 April
All rehearsals are now underway. Students involved in the co-curricular Arts groups should
have received membership and forms. We encourage families to take note of the performance
dates and calendar. Families are required to complete the forms and return with the
membership payment to the school bursar by Monday 12th March.
For further information please don’t hesitate to call Mrs Bianca Johnston at the College.
Welcome:
Over the past few years, the cultural life within the College has developed and now provides
co-curricular cultural experiences for over 100 students. With such increased interest and
demand, the College has recently employed an Instrumental Music Ensemble Assistant /
Specialist.
Mr Lyle Denman has recently returned to the Mackay
region and comes to us with much experience. He has
taught Instrumental Music (Percussion) in the State and
Private Music education sectors, he has been involved in
the professional music scene throughout Queensland as a
performing musician and a studio musician. He comes to
us with great experience of a variety of musical styles
ranging from hand percussion to modern big band,
musical theatre to rock and roll.
We welcome Mr Denman and we look forward to
working with him and continuing to develop the
Cultural life of the College. Mr Denman will be assisting
with the college Percussion Ensemble and the Mercy / St Patrick’s Stage Band.
CATS Rehearsal pictures …
Cats Choreographer
Ms Jessica Borg
~6~
Sean Geoghegan: Assistant to the Principal - Pastoral Care
‘The Knowledge Project’
“A priest, a rabbi, an Irishman, a Scotsman and an Indian walk into a bar…………”
One’s immediate reaction to those words is to anticipate a joke. We have been cued to expect
something humorous. Why? It’s quite simple really. We are relying on prior knowledge. Ever
tried telling a joke to someone who does not share the same cultural experiences? What
transpires when the joke depends on the listener having knowledge of something as
elementary as “Little Red Riding Hood” or “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”? If one has no
prior knowledge of those childhood stories, the joke cannot be told. You cannot learn the
new joke without the prior knowledge. New knowledge must build on old knowledge.
Wide reading, the exercise that generates general (or old) knowledge, is a declining habit. In
order to improve the reading comprehension of students, St. Patrick’s has initiated a project
designed to improve this vital skill through increasing the general knowledge of students.
Many people, and sadly some educators are among them, do not appreciate the close
connection that exists between having a broad general knowledge and exercising higher-level
reading comprehension. Most students can read fluently, but the amount they comprehend
varies significantly.
We are faced with a generational issue in education whereby most students, although having
wide access to information technology, know a lot less than earlier generations. There was a
time when we, as their elders, were dazzled with their capacity to adopt and adapt to new
technologies, and believed they were assimilating a complex array of ‘new skills’. Those days
are behind us. Computers are tools. Only vested political interests peddle the notion that they
will ‘revolutionise’ education. They have done nothing of the sort. Nor will they.
Mainstream educational thinking has, for the last past forty years, disparaged rote learning and
the acquisition of information or ‘knowledge’. What period in history one ought to teach, or
which novels or plays were worthy of being prescribed as set-works, became so politicised,
that it was preferable to avoid teaching either major global events or approaching books that
earlier generations had accepted as ‘classics.’ Fear of causing offence, or being labelled as
culturally insensitive, or forwarding a Eurocentric agenda, meant that our students became
progressively less familiar with the narratives and concepts that have defined our primarily
Greco-Roman culture.
Every act of comprehension involves one's knowledge of the world.
When a person reads, what the reader brings to the text is as important as the text itself.
Individuals have some background for most things. Long before students come to school, this
knowledge and experience is arranged and organised into schemata. Schemata become theories
about reality. These theories not only affect the way information is interpreted, thus affecting
comprehension, but also continue to change as new information is received.
Schemata can represent knowledge at all levels - from ideologies and cultural truths to
knowledge about the meaning of a particular word. We have schemata to represent all levels
of our experience, at all levels of abstraction. Our schemata are our ‘knowledge’. All of our
generic knowledge is embedded in schemata. Prior knowledge (organized into schema) has
been proven to have a significant influence over comprehension. A student’s ability to make
sensible inferences tells us that the student has made connections with the text and
comprehends what is being read. It has been shown that while high achieving readers tap prior
knowledge to make inferences, poor readers often have trouble applying prior knowledge to
form inferences and comprehend text.
In comprehending text, much more goes on in the brain than simple decoding. The reader
must visit several previous learning experiences to fully comprehend what they are reading,
and this builds a strong foundation for true comprehension to occur. What readers bring to
the printed page affects their comprehension . Some insist that the prior knowledge of readers
is the single most important component in the reading process.
Individuals acquire schemata through their experiences - both real and vicarious. As individuals
have more experiences, they refine, reshape, correct, and restructure their schemata. One of
the major problems involved in comprehension is that readers hardly ever share the same
schemata. In addition, readers do not always hold the same schemata as do writers.
In summary, the success of a reader is closely linked to the breadth of his/her knowledge. The
more general knowledge the individual has at their disposal, the better their comprehension of
a text is likely to be.
~7~
Brendon Brauer – Sport
Coaching Staff Needed
The coaching staff for our 2012 teams is still being finalised to ensure students are given a wide
variety of opportunities to represent the college. As was mentioned in last week’s newsletter,
our coaching staff consists of both teaching staff as well as members of our college community.
It is through the generosity of these individuals that we can continue to compete in many
competitions, which allows us to experience a high degree of success. If there are any parents
interested in coaching, managing or assisting one of our many teams, please contact Mr Brauer
at the college on 4944 7220. At present we are still to finalise our coaching staff for the
following teams:
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Netball Second VII
Netball Third VII
Netball Social Teams
Rugby Union
Basketball
Waterpolo
Without assistance from parents, some of our teams / sports will unfortunately not operate in
2012.
St Pat’s Netball Trials
The St Pat’s netball trials were held on Friday evening with approximately 30 girls in
attendance. The First VII was selected at the trials together with a Second VII and Third VII.
The First VII will compete in both the Mackay Netball Association Fixtures and Mackay District
Secondary Schools competition (MDSSN) whilst our other college teams will be entered in the
MDSSN competition. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of Jess Seymour and Tracey
McLeod in conducting the trials. Our coaches and/or managers of our teams are still to be
confirmed:
First VII
Second VII
Third VII
Social team’s coach/manager
Jess Seymour (coach), (manager TBC)
TBC
TBC
TBC
College House Captain Nominations
Nominations for college house captains will occur this week. Students are encouraged to
nominate for these leadership positions which have the responsibility of encouraging house
spirit at our college inter-house sporting carnivals. Only students who are willing to promote
house spirit in a positive way should consider nominating for such a position. Each house team
will vote for two students to lead their house in 2012. House leader nomination forms are
available from the college office.
Capricornia Sports Trials
Students are reminded to return their paperwork and trial levy to the college bursar ASAP after
their selection in Mackay District teams. Some students have been late in doing so and are
risking their positions in the team. Shadow players are waiting for an opportunity to take your
position.
Mackay District 19 years Soccer, Hockey, Basketball and 18 years Rugby League Trials
Nomination forms for Rugby League, Soccer, Hockey and Basketball have now closed. These
trials will be held next week on Wednesday with the exception of Basketball which will be
held on Thursday.
Important Dates
15 February
Mackay District 19 years Touch trials
16 February
Capricornia Volleyball & Tennis Trials
22 February
Mackay District 18 years Rugby League, 19 years Soccer & Hockey trials.
23 February
Mackay District 19 years Basketball trials
February 29
Mackay Rugby Union 18 years, 19 years Squash & Netball trials
March 1
Capricornia Touch Trials
March 15
St Patrick’s College Aquatics Carnival/Triathlon
~8~
Exchange Student - Sunniva Aksnes
Hey! My name is Sunniva and I’m an exchange student from Norway staying here in Australia
for a year. I have already been here in Mackay for almost eight months, attending Mirani
High School, and I’m now doing my last months here at St Pat’s. I have had a very good start
at this school, and felt very welcomed, and I’m now looking forward to my time left in
Australia. I am especially looking forward to being part of the ‘Cats’ musical.
Investiture Mass pictures …..
~9~
~ 10 ~
THE KNOWLEDGE PROJECT
HISTORY
Hammurabi’s Code of Laws
Hammurabi was the King of Babylon, 1792-1750 B.C, the ancient civilisation in what is now present day Iraq. He ruled for 43 years
and conquered several rival nations, but he is most famous as history's first law maker. Near the end of his reign, Hammurabi
issued one of the first written codes of law in recorded history, which spells out the rules for his citizens and the punishments for
lawbreakers. The very concept of laws that apply to everyone was an unheard of novelty in Hammurabi's time, when most societies
were governed only by the whims of their despotic rulers. The laws were discovered in 1901 on a stela (a stone pillar) now in the
Louvre Museum of Paris, France.
The King's scribes wrote the laws on a black stone pillar that was dedicated to the god of justice and displayed in public. The Code of
Hammurabi is significant because its creation allowed men, women, slaves, and all others to read and understand the laws that
governed their lives in Babylon. It is unique in that laws of other civilizations were not written down, and thus could be manipulated
to suite the rulers that dictated them. The Code is particularly just for its time. Although it follows the practice of "an eye for an
eye", it does not allow for vigilante justice, but rather demands a trial by judges. It also glorifies acts of peace and justice done
during Hammurabi’s rule. Pictured below is the 2,7 meter high Stela which was placed in Babylon for all the public to see. Next to it
is an artist’s drawing of the famous blue ‘Ishtar Gate’ to the city which still stands in modern day Iraq. Sadly people today think of
the dictator Saddam Hussein and the US invasion of that country when they hear the name – not its magnificent past.
.
~ 11 ~
LITERATURE
Ernest Hemingway
Among the major American writers of the 20th century, few have been as influential or imitated as Ernest Hemingway (1899 - 1961)
- and few have had as many detractors. Renowned for his novels and short stories, Hemingway became such a public figure during
his life, and constructed such as an extensive mythology around himself, that it is sometimes difficult to separate the legend from
the reality.
After writing a number of short stories based on his boyhood summers in upper Michigan and his later travels through Europe,
Hemingway penned his first major novel, The Sun Also Rises (1926). This book, about a disaffected young American whiling away
time in Spain and France, brought Hemingway instant acclaim. He followed with 'A Farewell to Arms' (1929), a tragic World War
One romance between an American ambulance driver and an English nurse, and 'For Whom The Bell Tolls' (1940), a tale of guerillas
in the Spanish Civil War.
As his fame increased, Hemingway earned, and cultivated, a reputation for writing only about war, bull fighting, hunting, big game
fishing, and other overtly masculine topics. Though some critics dismissed Hemingway's work as macho posturing, the undeniably
masterful story telling of his novella 'The Old Man and the Sea' (1952) earned him the Nobel Prize for literature. Hemingway spent
his last years in depression and declining health, ultimately taking his own life with a shotgun in 1961. One of his daughter’s
children became a famous model – Margot – below. Sadly she too committed suicide in 1996, leaving her sister Muriel. Pictured
below (middle) is a painting by surrealist painter Salvador Dali about the Spanish Civil War, alongside a photo (right) of Ernest
Hemmingway.
~ 12 ~
VISUAL ART
Bust of Nefertiti
One of the most famous works of Egyptian art, the limestone bust of Nefertiti, was discovered in 1912 by a German archeologist.
Nefertiti was the most important queen of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV, who ruled Egypt from 1353 to 1335 BC. During his rule, the
Pharoah changed his name to Akhenaton, and embraced a new, monotheistic religion that emphasised ethics. Monotheistic
religions were highly unusual for the time as most religions were polytheistic - the worship of many gods. After Akhenaton's death,
nearly all traces of him and his powerful wife were wiped out, perhaps by the priests whose religion they had rejected. His mummy
has never been found. The art during the Amarna period had made a colossal change. People were portrayed as they were. Unlike
most pharaohs, Akhenaten portrayed himself less god -like and more human. This new style of art was portraying people in
everyday lifestyles and sometimes with minute details.
Nefertiti's bust, which is nearly 3,400 years old and about 20 inches tall, was found in nearly perfect condition. Whether the bust
captures the queen's likeness or portrays an ideal beauty is open to question. If is indeed Nefertiti, it’s a tribute to the genius of the
sculptor to be able to portray such stunning beauty.
SCIENCE
The Greenhouse effect
The natural greenhouse effect is a phenomenon created by the heat energy radiated by the sun and greenhouse gases normally
present in the atmosphere. In simple terms, sunlight passes through the atmosphere, warming the Earth. In turn, the Earth radiates
this energy back towards space. As it passes through the atmosphere, greenhouse gases (water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane
and nitrous oxide) absorb part of the energy, while the remainder escapes into space. This means that some of the sun's energy
becomes trapped – thus making the lower part of the atmosphere, and Earth, warmer.
The Earth's atmosphere is made up of 78 per cent nitrogen and 21 per cent oxygen. Only about 1 per cent is made up of natural
greenhouse gases, but this comparatively small amount of gas makes a big difference. Before the Industrial Revolution (which
started in England about 200 years ago) the mix of gases that made up the atmosphere was relatively constant. The Industrial
Revolution brought new industrial processes, more extensive agriculture, and a rapid increase in the world's population. This rapid
increase in human activity meant that more of the gases which cause the greenhouse effect were released into the atmosphere. We
know this because of measurements made over the last 35 years and the analysis of air bubbles trapped in ancient ice. There is now
clear evidence that levels of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and halocarbons are increasing.
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Perhaps more importantly, there is more water in the atmosphere. As polar ice has melted, the sea level has risen 48 inches,
increasing worldwide rainfall by one per cent. This may spark a vicious cycle. More water in the atmosphere means more heat
trapped at the surface. As the surface becomes hotter, the ice caps will melt faster, leading to more water in the oceans and still
more water vapour in the atmosphere. Again, that will fuel the cycle, causing the surface to become hotter and the ice caps to melt
faster.
PHILOSOPHY
Plato (429 to 347 BC)
Plato was born in fifth century Athens, one of the city-states of Ancient Greece. Greece at that stage was not a united country –
there was no Greece as such – rather there was a collection of Greek cities that were frequently in a state of conflict with one
another. Plato is best known for his theory of forms - abstract, immaterial things imitated by other physical objects of the world.
A famous Platonic view is that all knowledge is recollection or remembering. Plato believed that long before our bodies ever
existed, our souls existed and inhabited heaven, when they became directly acquainted with perfect beings called 'the Forms'. Real
knowledge is knowledge of the Forms. But knowledge of the Forms cannot be obtained through the five senses, because the Forms,
after all, are not in the physical world. Therefore, what appears to us as learning is in fact merely remembering. Before the soul
joined with a body, or became 'embodied', the soul knew the forms, without being distracted and limited by the senses. When
human beings come to know something, it is because our souls recollect what they knew before they were embodied. Plato did not
believe that real knowledge could come about through the five senses, as they were easily deceived. It is important to note that
Plato believed in the existence of the soul without the influence of religion.
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RELIGION
Noah
Noah and the flood is a remarkable story in Genesis, but it is by no means unique. According to the story, God surveyed creation
and became angry at mankind's sins. He regretted creating humans and decided to destroy them all. Before doing so, however,
God allowed Noah, who was blameless, to gather his family, as well as pairs of all living creatures on the earth, build an ark, and
save them from certain destruction. The flood, the result of forty days and forty nights of rain, covered the earth. (The use of the
figure ‘forty’ is a biblical term simply meaning ‘a lot’.) After a hundred and fifty days at sea and another hundred days of the ark
resting on a mountain, the land was dry enough for Noah to begin the process of repopulating the earth. God promised Noah than
he would never again destroy mankind and symbolised this covenant (agreement/contract) with the appearance of a rainbow.
Legend has it that the ark came to rest on Mount Ararat in present day Turkey (pictured below).
What is really interesting is that the Bible is not the only source of a catastrophic flood in the ancient world. The Epic of Gilgamesh,
a poem written on a stone tablet, and discovered in 1853, written in the language Akkadian from ancient Sumeria, tells a very
similar story. Does this mean that the flood was a legend shared by all people in the ancient world, including the people who were
to become known as the Jews? Or did it in fact take place?
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MUSIC
Medieval and early church music
The first known written music comes from the Middle Ages. It takes the form of plainchant, also known as Gregorian chant, sung
melodies use by monks during the Catholic Mass. The Mass is a ritual reenactment of Christ's Last Supper, intended to provide a
spiritual connection between men and God. Part of this connection was established through music.
Renaissance music
Renaissance music was produced for the middle of the 15th century to about the end of the 16th, a period that saw the rise of
Martin Luther (pictured below), a renegade German monk who was to cause a major split in Christianity - the Protestant
Reformation. From 1517 onwards, the division between Catholics and Protestants was to be a cause of Europe sliding into many
wars. (Whatever you do, don’t confuse Martin Luther with Martin Luther King! Martin Luther KING, although named after Martin
th
Luther, was a black American civil rights campaigner in the 20 Century.) The music of this time, the Renaissance, shared the
aesthetic of the period’s art and literature. Renaissance artists, writers, and the musicians saw themselves as pulling the world out
of the dark, clerical, mystical world of the Middle Ages. They emphasized the return to the ideals of classical Greece and Rome:
love, pleasure, intellect, and the beauty of the human body and emotion. Below Dominican monks (left), Martin Luther (right)
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Knowledge Project
Part Two
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