On Monday, July 6, 1970, the first printed copies of Scandal were offered to fellow Ivanhoe Grammar students at 5 cents per printed copy.

With a salesman’s air of arrogance, a hand-written poster declared: “Everyone! Bring 5 cents next Monday, July 6, for your copy of The 2nd Form Scandal. “We regret to inform that this magazine will only be available to those who have ordered Scandal. If you have not joined the other 50 applicants, and you want to buy Scandal, give your name to our editors by 2.30pm Tuesday, June 30.” No please or thank-you!

The editors were listed as A. Bliss (Form 2D), K. Barlow (2E), D. McColl, D. Masson and A. Long (2F).

Scandal had started as a cheeky hand-written weekly newsletter, pinned to a teacher Doug Hennessey’s classroom notice board. The first issue, early in 1970, had teenage schoolboy humour:

“It has been reported by our roving rover (D. McColl) that Randall Saw – commonly known as Gorobo – or Garbo to Mr Hennessey – passed an English exam with a mark of 61.8 (new record for Saw). There were cries of ‘Halleuia! Hallelujia!’ when the mark was discovered on his paper. However, excitement died down when it was found that Saw had read the mark upside down. The mark actually is 8.19 (still a record).”

Scandal grew as a (usually weekly) free news-sheet that found an eager readership at both Boys’ and Girls’ schools at Ivanhoe. It had an era of teenage gutter jokes that brought the wrath of a patient Headmaster, and the sound advice from level master Doc. Ted Blashki: “Long, if you are going to print an underground newspaper, don’t put your name on it.”

The patient (and clever) headmaster, Victor Brown, offered the editorship of the school Spectator newspaper, and the School Captain’s job, to me in late 1973, putting Scandal out of business in a single masterstroke.

• Copies of Scandal have been produced for the reunions of past students held every five years. The 50-year reunion is due to be held in 2024.