GEORGE "JAPIE" IRVINE
“With the death on 13 March 1983 of George Irvine there disappeared from the SACS scene a man who had rendered faithful service to the school from the time he joined the High School staff at the age of 27 until ill-health and the loss of his sight when he was nearly 82 drove him into inactivity in a home for the aged.
There cannot have been many teachers whose service to their school was as prolonged and comprehensive as was the service rendered to SACS by George Irvine, both in the classroom and outside it. (He served SACS for 39 years and only ANJ Rowland with 45 years service trumps him). During his career he was at various times a housemaster at Rosedale, O.C. of the cadet corps, a member of the WP Schools Cricket Committee, a figure for decades associated with the control of the high jump event at the school’s own athletics meeting and also at the Triangular. His last appearance in this role was in 1981, just after he himself had reached the age of 81. Another task that he continued to perform for SACS right up to 1981 was that of preparing and inserting the book plates for the books to be presented to prize winners at the end of the year. In almost every year of the 23 when I was Headmaster he volunteered to undertake the onerous task of constructing the school timetable during his Christmas vacation.
One could not conceive of his performing any work he undertook otherwise than admirably. He inspired complete and absolute trust. All of us who knew George Irvine will remember him as a man of rocklike reliability and inflexible integrity, kind and courteous, ever ready to lend his help where it was needed, to go the second mile. SACS was indeed fortunate in winning the enduring devotion and affection of such a man. Requiescat in pace.”
Written by Robin Whiteford
There cannot have been many teachers whose service to their school was as prolonged and comprehensive as was the service rendered to SACS by George Irvine, both in the classroom and outside it. (He served SACS for 39 years and only ANJ Rowland with 45 years service trumps him). During his career he was at various times a housemaster at Rosedale, O.C. of the cadet corps, a member of the WP Schools Cricket Committee, a figure for decades associated with the control of the high jump event at the school’s own athletics meeting and also at the Triangular. His last appearance in this role was in 1981, just after he himself had reached the age of 81. Another task that he continued to perform for SACS right up to 1981 was that of preparing and inserting the book plates for the books to be presented to prize winners at the end of the year. In almost every year of the 23 when I was Headmaster he volunteered to undertake the onerous task of constructing the school timetable during his Christmas vacation.
One could not conceive of his performing any work he undertook otherwise than admirably. He inspired complete and absolute trust. All of us who knew George Irvine will remember him as a man of rocklike reliability and inflexible integrity, kind and courteous, ever ready to lend his help where it was needed, to go the second mile. SACS was indeed fortunate in winning the enduring devotion and affection of such a man. Requiescat in pace.”
Written by Robin Whiteford