b'F R O M T H E B E G I N N I N Gin Coogee Boys Preparatory School Pty. Ltd., the company whichowned the school, and that he should take over as headmaster.Nick agreed to this proposal but wanted a sabbatical before takingon the task. So in 1964, with Bill Nimmos blessing, he set off fora year abroad, hitchhiking from Pakistan, through the Middle EasttoEurope.HespentsomemonthsenjoyingLondon,usinghisteaching skills to replenish his funds, before flying home throughthe United States. In 1965, Nick Brown became the second head-master of Coogee Prep.At that time, the school was a proprietary limited company privately owned and profit making, so that it was ineligible forCommonwealthGovernmentfunding,anditsheadmasterwasineligibleformembershipoftheJuniorSchoolHeadmastersAssociation of Australia (which had succeeded the Association ofPreparatory Schools). Consequently, Nick embarked on a compli-cated and lengthly procedure to change the Articles of Associationof the company so that it became non-profit making. The processtook several years, but finally, in 1972, the Education Departmentapprovedalltheproposedchangesandtheschoolacquired funding. In 1973 Nick became a member of JSHAA and has playedan important part in that association ever since, incuding a periodas Federal Chairman in 1988 and 1989. For many years, Nick had the support and invaluable day-to-day assistance of his wife, Denice Brown, until her untimely deathin November, 1992. Her gentleness, her interest and her industrywill be difficult to replace. Both Nicks sons, Stuart and Tim, areOld Boys of the school.There have been fluctuations in enrolments over the years forvarious reasons. From its original 27 pupils, the school grew toover 150 in the 1930s when there was, for a time, a kindergartenas well as 3C (Year 7). When Sydney Grammar took over EdgecliffPrep in 1956, Coogee Prep lost some pupils because for manyboys, admission to the Sydney Grammar Senior School was condi-tional upon prior enrolment at Edgecliff. Also, in 1958, Nimmodecided to abandon the top class, 3C, where numbers had beenflagging for some years, as many boys preferred to leave after 2A6 2'