For fifty remarkable years, Bill Waters has been a spirited presence within the halls of Haileybury. Joining the staff in 1974, Bill’s journey coincided with the arrival of Michael Aikman, an Olympic rower whose towering stature and commanding presence set the tone for the ambitious vision he had for Haileybury.
Bill will always remember the first thing Aikman said was “I plan to run a tight ship” He was a man of ambition who wanted to make Haileybury a top elite school.
In those early days, Haileybury was a far cry from the sprawling campus we know today. With only a handful of buildings— including the main administration building, McGregor library, classroom buildings Weatherly and Clements, and a gymnasium,— “there was no great hall, no chapel, no swimming pool or lecture theatre. The school stood as an island amidst the surrounding farms and gardens.” Bill reminisced.
It was against this backdrop that Bill began his role at McGregor library, later moving to the newly established Newlands library in 1979. Bill spent 12 years heading up Newlands library and considers these years 12 of the most enjoyable in his career.
Although Bill’s tenure saw the rise of iconic structures like the Aikman Hall and the Chapel, alongside the nurturing of the Performing Arts under the stewardship of Stewart Bell, it was in the library that Bill truly left his mark. In 1991 Bill applied for the role of Senior Librarian back at McGregor Library. Without hesitation or an interview, Michael Aikman appointed Bill with the position, and it was here Bill spearheaded a revitalisation project that transformed the dim and dated space into a modern hub of learning, complete with expanded areas and brightly painted walls.
“It was a hectic time; hectic because computers were just beginning to come in, and students were starting to use technology for their studies. The library became an audio-visual centre combined with a book centre”.
Yet, perhaps the greatest transformation came with the arrival of Dr Robert Pargetter as principal in 1999.
“Michael Aikman had completed 25 years at Haileybury and had run an extremely successful school. At that time there was a collective move against the highly disciplined way of running a school. Aikman and Pargetter were chalk and cheese. From the moment Dr Pargetter arrived he wanted to soften the harsh image of the school,” Bill shared.
With a vision for a more inclusive and diverse school, Dr Pargetter ushered in a new era of change, where Bill watched a broader subject selection come to life, including subjects such as Information Technology and Food Technology, alongside the introduction of parallel education.
Beyond academia, Bill’s passion for sports is also immense. From coaching cricket and football in the early days to leading the Firsts tennis team to victory and being declared Best Victorian Tennis School, his influence has extended far beyond the library shelves.
When Bill wrapped up his library career in 2010, he looked forward to a greater degree of flexibility in his schedule. It was then that Derek Scott, current CEO and Principal, presented him with the opportunity to become the Head of Archives — a role that Bill feels incredibly privileged to continue to hold to this day.