Richard Wilson McDonald Memorial Literature Contest 2015
Richard Wilson McDonald Memorial Literature Contest 2015
August 14, 2015 at 10:59 AM
Our annual Literature Contest commemorates a former student, Richard Wilson, who was tragically killed in 1979 at the end of his 5th Form year at the College. The prizes for this competition were endowed by Richard’s parents in memory of their son. Richard is remembered as a happy-go-lucky young man with exuberance and joy for life whose legacy lives on through this contest. Like so many before and since, he had particularly enjoyed Field Centre during his 4th Form year and at the conclusion of that year, he wrote this poem for the 1978 School Magazine.
A CHALLENGE
Richard M Wilson, 4B1, 1978
A mountain is useless
Some people say
Just a mass of stone
That gets in the way
Of progress, roads
And even dawn
That starts the day
But that is the reason
That God put it there
To serve as a challenge
And raise up the hair
Of those who think they ought
And those who think they dare
Man needs something to live for
Just out of reach
For man needs to learn
What God wants to teach –
That life is too easy
Down on Earth’s vast floor
So go on if you dare
Take up the challenge
And see how you fare;
Go climb to the summit
But when you reach the top
Promise Him to keep going
Promise Him you’ll never stop.
2015 LITERATURE CONTEST WINNERS
The annual literature competition is open to all students in three age categories to submit an original poem or short piece of prose. Congratulations to this year’s winning students:
SENIOR PROSE Year 11 -13
1st Tasma Fulford: ‘A Summer’s Day at School’
2nd Kathy Do: ‘Mute’
3rd Alfie Robertson: ‘Sahara Desert’
MIDDLE SCHOOL POETRY Year 9-10
1st Katie Harris: ‘Schizophrenia’
2nd Joy Han: ‘Home Is’
3rd Alice Smith: ‘The Door’
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROSE Year 9-10
1st Katie Harris: ‘Welcome Home’
2nd Joy Han: ‘Artists’
3rd Douglas Swart: Upon The Darkness’
JUNIOR Poetry YEAR 7 & 8
1st Ella Shirtcliffe: ‘The World Before Closed Eyes’
JUNIOR PROSE YEAR 7 & 8
1st Nicola Stewart: ‘The Fall’
2nd Heeju Rho: ‘The Last Tree’
3rd Rose Arymowicz: ‘Hope in the Fire’
