This speech was given by Victorian crime writer (and outspoken public education activist) Shane Maloney to an assembly of boys at Scotch College. He had been invited to conduct some workshops on writing (which he did) and then to speak to the larger gathering (he was given no guidance on what to speak on). Needless to say his speech caused quite a stir, with some of the teachers and boys being very indignant.
What an oration. The words “ball tearer” and “rip snorter” come to mind. As well as “paradigm shifter” for the assembled kids.
Read Shane’s speech to the Scotch College assembly…
Update – I neglected to point out that the speech took place in August 2001. Alan Ramsey picks up on it today in the SMH (maybe he got the same email I did), and explains why he’s commenting on it now – the issue was buried by the Tampa back then. Let’s hope it isn’t tampa’d in 2004.
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Thanks for that link. Back in the fifties my folks were tossing up whether to send me to Scotch College, but I ended up at Oakleigh Tech. And I’m still glad I did.
Great link. I’ve been a fan of Shane Maloney’s fiction but now I am his willing slave.
[awestruck silence]
Now at Melbourne Grammar, they would have got it.
But yes, that took balls (or breasts) and style and if even only one student starting thinking a bit more because of that, then no word was wasted.
I wonder if Alan Ramsay reads here.. 🙂
While I don’t believe in blaming sons for the sins of their fathers….I…er…wet myself over this one.
P.S. In the site you referenced, Maloney mentioned he is writing a newspaper article to appear in the next week or so, so maybe Ramsey was paving the way????
The Murray Whelan series is fucking awesome. (The books, not the telemovies.)
This speech is pure gold.
More like Ramsey was stealing the thunder. As well as plagiarising him… sheesh — I wish I could get paid to whack a few introductory sentences on the top of somebody else’s work.
yeah, amazing. you really just want to have the camera on the boys to get their reaction though don’t you? gobsmacked no doubt. presumably maloney’s article that he’s writing about it will give us their reactions.
Here’s the article. Wish it had been a bit longer – it would have been better in the Saturday Age. It doesn’t really add that much. I like the last couple of sentences…
[begin stunned mullet]Wow[/end stunned mullet]
What a great find! I wonder if they’ll ever invite him back to do another one…
Thanks, Helen.
You’ll educate me yet! 🙂
Short and critical – good speech for kids