The Chronicle 2022

BARISTA SOCIETY

Staff Members in Charge: Mr Herman Visagie, Mr Nkanyiso Ngcobo, Mr Olwethu Hugo, Mr Doug Rodger

This year the boys were given a chance to put their skills to the test under the watchful eyes of the two Country Ground Coffee baristas. The boys were given the daunting task of making cappuccinos for the academic staff at 7am in the morning before a staff development session. They were without a doubt the highlight of the morning’s proceedings and feedback from both the baristas and the academic staff was overwhelmingly positive. Our third and final meeting took place at Fable Eatery on the Curry’s Post Road. The boys were immaculately dressed in their school uniform and sat down to a fascinating demonstration of the wide range of different caffeinated beverages as well as latte art. This was followed by an opportunity for the boys to put their skills to the test by making their own cappuccinos, flat whites or cortados on their state of the art machine. The growing interest in the Barista Society along with the strong coffee culture in the Midlands bodes well for the future and we are excited to see where the next coffee adventures might take us.

Chairman: Donovan van Staden Deputy Chairman: Angus Wattam

he Barista Society continued to grow in popularity in its fourth year. Our first meeting was a registration meeting which saw the biggest number of registrations since the The second meeting involved another visit from Country Ground Coffee. Last year the two visiting baristas entertained the boys with a riveting lecture on the history of coffee, its origins and how it became one of the world’s most popular beverages. The lecture was followed by a practical demonstration on how to use various coffee brewing techniques and equipment. The boys were exposed to equipment such as the AeroPress, French press, Chemex, siphon, and the Espresso machine. They were given the opportunity to identify the characteristic taste associated with each brewing method and choose their preferred method. T inception of the society.

CHESS CLUB

Staff Member in Charge: Mr Jed Coventry Chairman: Tristan Hoyle Secretary: Luke Marks

to halve only one game with a stalemate. The B Team fared better in terms of points, but were also overcome by a barrage of checkmates. Thanks to St John’s College for the collegiality and for the spirit of good sportsmanship and competition we enjoyed. Michaelhouse won 12, lost 46, drew two (stalemates). In June the inter-House Chess Tournament was held during Culture Week. The preliminary rounds were held from Monday to Wednesday, with the finals being played on Thursday.

T

he Michaelhouse Chess Club enjoyed a fine year of play, beginning with practicing in the Media Centre, and finding a new home in the temporary Media Centre space while construction was ongoing at the site of the soon-to be Makan Centre. The club was happy to host visitors St John’s College on Friday, 27 May in the Science Block. St John’s sent 15 players consisting of an A and B Team and players competed in two 30:30 games. Players then swapped colours and played their opponent again. The high level of quality play was evident from the deep concentration on the players’ faces as the only sounds echoing around the Science Block were the tapping of pieces on the board, the clicking of the timer clocks, and the occasional murmur of, “Check” mingling with distant war cries from the field. St John’s brought intensity to the long games and wrought havoc on our A Team players’ strategies, who managed

Inter-House Competition Results 1. Baines 2. Ralfe 3. Founders

On 30 July the club hosted friendly matches against visitors Westville Boys High. Michaelhouse won ten, lost one, and drew one. Attendance has been low at practices (2.30pm on Fridays) but the talent this club harbours cannot be denied.

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