Michael Aikman (rower)
Alexander Michael Hirst Aikman was an Australian rower and educationalist.
Rowing
Aikman was educated at Geelong College between 1939-1951 as a 'day boy', where he excelled academically, in sport, and the performing arts. He rowed in the First VIII boat at the 1950 Head of the River schoolboys' regatta, which boat won the 'Loser's Final'. Aikman was Captain of Boats in his final year at Geelong College, rowing in the Head of the River a second time.Whilst a student at the University of Melbourne, Aikman rowed for Ormond College, the University's First VIII, and the Victorian King’s Cup crew.
In 1956 for the Melbourne Olympics the winning Kings Cup Victorian eight was selected as the Australian men's eight excepting for the 3 seat – Benfield from New South Wales. Aikman rowed in the bow seat of the Australian crew in their Olympic campaign to a thrilling final where the Australian boat took it to the US and Canadian crews and came away with a bronze medal in the eights event.
Aikman remained involved in rowing as a coach at the various schools at which he taught, as well as at Hawthorn Rowing Club.
Aikman was a runner in the 2000 Sydney Olympics torch relay.
In 2010, Aikman was inducted as a member of the Rowing Victoria Hall of Fame.
Teaching career
Aikman completed a Bachelor of Science and later a Bachelor of Education at the University of Melbourne.He taught sciences at Camberwell High School from 1956-1959, and chemistry at Scotch College (Melbourne) in 1960-1961, before becoming the Head of Chemistry and a boarding house master at Trinity Grammar, Sydney in 1962.
From 1966 until 1973, Aikman was headmaster at The Scots School in Bathurst, New South Wales.
In 1974, Aikman was appointed headmaster of Haileybury College, Melbourne. He remained at Haileybury until his retirement in 1998. During his time at Haileybury, he led a major building programme at the school's Keysborough campus, including the 'Great Hall', the aquatic centre, and the chapel. Aikman was passionate about music and the performing arts, "mov to make music and drama central to activities at " by establishing the student orchestra and concert band, expanding the drama department and promoting the school play, and instituting the biennial Tattoo, in which Aikman himself would often perform as part of the "famous" 'Chalkdusters'. Aikman was fond of the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan.