Hero photograph
From left; Colin Mantell, Ron Cain, Nick McIvor
 
Photo by Jo Harford

Wall of Fame inductees for 2020

Jo Harford —

At a special assembly last term, we inducted three more Old Boys' to the Wall of Fame. It is always a pleasure for our present students to hear stories from the inductees about their time at King's and their lives post high school.

E.N. Erik Olssen (1955 – 60) – Academic

While a student at King’s, Erik availed himself widely of the many opportunities which the school offered at that time. He was a promising athlete: in-deed he was the runner-up when Peter Montgomery set what became a more than 50 year record for the 220 yard race. He participated in the Gilbert & Sullivan operas staged by the school, playing the role of Captain Corcoran in “H.M.S. Pinafore” and the rather more difficult role of Frederic the pirate apprentice in “The Pirates of Penzance” with considerable aplomb two years later. In his final year at school he was a prefect, a member of the athletic team (2nd in the Senior Cup), a member of the 1st rugby XV, and won the Dunedin Shakespeare Club’s prize for Shakespeare reading. Interestingly, in view of his future career, he never won a history prize while at school!

Moving to Otago University, Erik began to shine, and duly graduated M.A. with 1st Class Honours in History. His Professor suggested that he should continue his studies at the famed Duke University in North Carolina, and he spent five years there as a James Duke Fellow, being awarded his PhD in 1970. However, he had already joined the staff of Otago University’s History Department, embarking on a 33 year career there. Erik began teaching courses on NZ and Pacific History, and writing books on NZ topics: Relics of the Goldfields (1976), John A. Lee (1977), A History of Otago (1984) and The Red Feds (1988).

Erik’s research interests had previously investigated the relationships between politics, society, ideas, culture, and economics and their effects on the lives of individuals and their societies. When he returned to Dunedin from his sojourn in the U.S., he settled initially in Caversham, which was completely different socially from Andersons Bay where he had grown up. During the 1990’s he wrote a series of essays, published in 1995 and entitled Building the New World: Work, Politics, and Society which described the establishment of the Hillside railway workshops and other local enterprises, and the rise of industrialists, unionists, and local politicians: ultimately the book won the J.M. Sherrard Award as “an outstanding work of scholarship almost certain to become a classic of NZ social history.”

Also in 1995 Erik launched the “Caversham Project” which brought together labour and social history perspectives, and which has been described as ‘the biggest social history project so far carried out in Australia and NZ, and one of the most ambitious ever.” It examined the lifestyles of the residents of the area, and possible reasons for changes during their lifetimes. The project has generated an immense amount of data which has become the source material for several books, many academic articles, and scores of student theses and research essays. Furthermore, the area under scrutiny has increased to include most of the so-called South Dunedin flat, and has increasingly become interdisciplinary in nature.

Erik was promoted to the posts of Professor of History in 1984, and to that of Public Orator shortly thereafter. He retired in 2001 and was elevated to the status of Emeritus Professor in 2003. In the 2002 Queen’s Birthday Honours he was elected as an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to History. He was one of the first non-scientists to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of NZ (FRSNZ), and in 2008 the NZ Council of Humanities elected him as a Fellow of the NZ Academy of Humanities (FNZAH) to “acknowledge people who have made a significant contribution to NZ cultural, social and economic development.” In 2001 the Royal Society of NZ awarded him the Te Rangi Hiroa Medal for “current issues in cultural diversity: his work ranking him as NZ’s most accomplished historian.” In the following year it awarded him the James Cook Research Fellowship, with financial support to complete a history of NZ, but this is still a “work in progress” for it has been waylaid by more immediate projects. One of these was to contribute to the 13-part TV series “Frontier of Dreams” by providing the background script for Episode 7, when NZ was a world leader in social reform. Erik’s advice is frequently sought on a host of government and educational matters.


C.D. (Colin) Mantell (1953-57) – Humanities

Colin’s of Maori descent. His whakapapa is Kai Tahu. In his early years he aspired to become a wool classer, but one of his school teachers encouraged him to raise his sights, so when he arrived at King’s he aimed to become either a veterinarian, or a doctor. He progressed through the school as an above average student academically, while also being awarded a prize for his woodworking skills, and excelling at rugby. As a lock forward he was awarded the Carson Cup in 1956 for being the most promising player. In his final year he was chosen to be Head Prefect (probably the first Maori to achieve this honour), Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) in charge of the school’s cadet corps, and captain of the newly formed rowing club - ultimately winning a blue in both rowing and rugby.

Colin duly progressed to Otago University and along with half a dozen of his school mates qualified for admission to the Medical School, where he was horrified to discover that he was one of only two Maori to enter the School that year. In 1964 he graduated MB ChB, along the way, having researched the effects on the unborn child when the pregnant and future mother smoked tobacco- for which he was awarded a B.Med.Sci. While at Medical School Colin had continued to be a rugby sportsman playing several matches for the Otago province. In 1965 he represented NZ Universities against the touring Springbocks at Eden Park in a match ruined when the team was reduced to 13 players through injury – no replacements were permitted in those days!

Colin then became a house surgeon in Wellington for three years before shifting to the National Women’s Hospital training programme in Auckland. In 1970 he transferred to Oxford University’s John Radcliffe Hospital as a Nuffield Research Fellow in obstetrics and gynaecology, following a six month stint in a Hong Kong hospital en-route. In 1974 he was appointed to the Auckland Medical School as a Senior Lecturer in obstetrics and gynaecology, and promoted to Professor in 1978. During this time he had continued studying part-time, and become a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (FRCOG) in 1973 and achieved a PhD from Auckland University in 1980, following research in the field of fetal physiology

When Colin began working at Auckland University, there was still only a handful of Maori students on campus. Keen to alter this, he was put in charge of the fledgling Maori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS), a transparent programme now supporting up to 40 students per year. This programme stressed that it was not merely a matter of political correctness; for producing more Maori and Pacific graduates benefits everybody. These communities have poorer health outcomes than the general population for a wide range of health measures. Colin is proud of the part he played in creating the Auckland Medical School’s Vision 20:20, a “perfect vision” to increase the number of Maori and Pacific health professionals to ten percent of the health work force by the year 2020. Now-a-days such students make up 20 percent of the Auckland School of Medicine’s annual intake, thereby reflecting the proportion in the general population. Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery, and when during the 1980’s the programme began to show signs of success, the Auckland faculties of Law, Commerce and Engineering adopted similar programmes. The Otago Medical School has also developed a very successful recruitment programme for Maori and Pacific students. The aim is that the number of such students graduating each year should mirror the proportion within NZ society.

Colin retired in 2006 and was promoted to the rank of Emeritus Professor. He and his wife Anne retired to Otago where he had spent his boy hood, to a house that was built for them in Wanaka. Colin is justifiably proud of the continuing success of the scheme which he helped to create, although he is aware that there is still room for improvement.


R.T. (Ron) Cain (1945-47) – Sport

Ron is small in stature, but has not let this blight his life. He was an average student during his time at King’s but a very keen sportsman. In those days, rugby teams were graded according to the weight of the players concerned: A, B, C, D, E in descending order, and Ron being a mere 4.5 stones (28.5 kg) was an E Grade half back. Nevertheless he achieved second place in the junior cross country race, and won the sealed handicap race.

Ron joined the Caversham Harriers Club in 1945 and 65 years later he is still an active member. He has held most positions in the club including Club Captain and President. In 1964 he was made a Life Member and his name features on most of the Clubs silverware. From 1949 until 1960 the Club won the Otago Cross Country team’s event and the Edmond Cup Steeplechase on 10 occasions, helped by Ron’s high placing in every event. Stamina was the key to his success, for he maintained a consistently high position throughout every race. Ron was one of the main supporters when raising the money to build the new clubrooms in Corstorphine and was Chairman/Treasurer of the very successful 100 year jubilee of the Club, having also served on the committees for the 50th and 75th jubilees. In 2014, he was elected Patron of the Club.

Ron was a member of the Junior Otago team which won the National Team’s Race in 1950; a member of the Senior Otago team which won the National Team’s Race in 1951 and 1958; and captained the team which won the title in 1954-56. These achievements gave Ron his six team medals, a feat which has not been surpassed by any other athlete since. From 1950 to 1964 Ron represented Otago at the National Cross Country races, only missing the 1959 event when his first child was being born! In 1965 he ceased running at National events, except for when the veteran events were staged, and he won the title in 1976, 1982, 1987, and 1991.

Ron spent 25 years as the Caversham delegate to the Otago Centre, 28 years on the Harriers Committee (six years as the Chairman), 15 years as a Track and Field Committee Member, 30 years as a Track and Field judge, 20 years as Manager of all Track and Field Meetings (including National Youth and National Secondary School events), 20 years on the Finance Committee and 15 years as Otago delegate to the NZAAA. From 1975 to 1977 he was the Otago President: he was elected Life Member in 1989 and Patron in 2015.

Ron spent 15 years on the National Cross Country Selection Panel, being convenor for 11 of those years! During this period he was called upon to select a World marathon relay team; in 1980 he managed Senior Men’s, Women’s and a Junior Team to Australia, and in 1981 he Managed Men’s and Women’s Teams to the World Championships in Madrid, Spain. He convened an Oceania Team to Japan (which achieved 3rdplacing) and managed a small team to the Japanese Championships. In 1989 Ron was awarded one of the first NZAAA Merit Awards; in 1990 he was the Chief Official at the Commonwealth Games held in Auckland; was President from 1992-1993 and elected Life Member in 2010. In 2013 the IAFF sent him a Certificate of Recognition for Services to Athletics, and he was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for services to athletics.

While all this was going on, Ron pursued a successful business career in the motor trade, which began when he was employed as spare parts boy by City Motors in 1947. Two years later he was invited to join the General Accessory Company as a spare parts wholesaler, and ultimately became branch and area manager. He retained managerial positions during the subsequent three take overs of the firms he worked for, and retired from Repco in 1988.

Time management has obviously played a major part in Ron’s long and busy life. He was born and lived in South Dunedin’s Wynyard Street for 29 years; he then married Betty and they lived in Fairfield for 58 years, and in 2018 they shifted to Chatswood Retirement Village in Mosgiel where they celebrated their diamond wedding recently. Ron keeps himself fit by chasing a golf ball hopefully twice a week, and by regularly walking: he claims to be too busy to feebly fade away! He also probably holds the record for his regular attendance at the AGMs of the King’s High School Old Boy’s Association!