Postscript: Love and loss in Australian letters features historically and culturally significant letters from writers such as Jane Austen, Judith Wright and Henry Lawson, as well as inspiring new letters from modern Australians like Kate Forsyth, David Brooks and Sam Wallman. One letter from a young student would make a change to how the Olympic athletes march forever.

JOHN IAN WING

In 1956, just days before the closing ceremony of the Melbourne Summer Olympics, the Games Committee received a letter from a 17-year-old student addressed to the committee’s chairman, Wilfrid Kent Hughes. John Ian Wing had noticed that theatre crowds enter the cinema in an orderly line but emerge in one intermingled group. He suggested the athletes should do the same, entering the stadium as one during the closing ceremony, and included a hand-drawn diagram with his letter. Wing’s idea was immediately adopted and has remained an Olympic tradition since that time. ‘Cindar’, also spelled ‘cinder’, refers to the mixture of coal residue, ash and other material used for Olympic stadium running tracks before it was replaced by synthetic materials at the 1968 Olympics.

LETTER

Dear Friend

I am a Chinese boy and have just turned 17 years of age.

Before the Game I thought everything would be in a muddle, however I am quite wrong, it is the most successful Game ever stagged [sic].

One of the reasons for its Great success is the friendliness of Melbourne people. Overseas people would agree with me that Melbourne people are the most friendly people in the world.

Mr Hughes I believe it has been suggested, that a march should be put on during the Closing Ceremony and you said it couldn’t be done. I think it can be done.

The march I have in mind is different than the one during the Opening Ceremony and will make these games even greater, during the march there will only be 1 NATION.

War, politics and nationality will be all forgotton [sic], what more could any-body want, if the whole world could be made as one nation. Well you can do it in a small way.

This is how I think it can be done (see dia) no team is to keep together and there should be no more the [sic] 2 team mates together, they must be spread out evenly, and THEY MUST NOT MARCH but walk freely and wave to the public, let them walk around twice on the cindar when they stop the public will give them 3 cheers.

I’m certain everybody even yourself would agree with me, that this would be a great occasion for everybody and no one would forget it. It will show the whole world how friendly Australia is.

THE IMPORTANT THING IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES IS NOT TO WIN, BUT TO TAKE PART.

John Ian [MS 4856] •

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