2013 grammarian

G rammarianVol 17, 2013

The

Bonus IntraMelior Exi

The 125th Anniversary

Edition

C X X VT O W N S V I L L E G R A M M A R S C H O O L

Enrolment List - 1888 to 1889

272

Townsville Grammar School - 2013

The Grammarian | Vol 17, 2013

3The 125th Anniversary Edition

The 125th Anniversary of Townsville Grammar School is an opportunity both to reflect on the past and the history of our School and to look forward to the future.

Our School has been educating the youth of North Queensland for 125 years and we have become a leader in the provision of education over the years since our humble beginnings at North Ward in 1888.

Townsville Grammar School has performed above its regional status in providing a holistic and innovative educational experience for our students and the future presents exciting challenges and opportunities for building upon that success.

An anniversary is an annual recognition of an important date and so it is in 2013. Much has happened in our 125 years and this anniversary publication of the Grammarian brings together many of the highlights of the past from our collection of School and community history. This is truly a heritage journey over 125 years and reflects our proud traditions, our educational and cultural philosophy and our respect for our past history.

I hope you enjoy the 125th Anniversary edition of the Grammarian.

Judge Stuart Durward SC

Chair of the Board of Trustees

foreword

The 125th Anniversary of Townsville Grammar School is an opportunity to celebrate our traditions and heritage. This special edition of The Grammarian highlights some of the records, photographs and stories from the School’s journey since 1888.

Townsville Grammar School has always been a leader in the education of young men and women in North Queensland and is now the largest of Queensland’s eight original Grammar Schools. As the School’s 11th Headmaster, I seek to perpetuate the enduring values and traditions of academic scholarship and servant leadership from the past, whilst promoting an outward and progressive view of the world around us. My challenge is to facilitate a teaching and learning environment where those who “come in good”, continue to excel to the best of their abilities, and “go out better”. Whilst young boys and girls may be fascinated with our past, they need to live and thrive in the moment in order that they can establish their own traditions and leave the School a better place for their time with us.

Special thanks to Past Grammarian and Assistant Director of Enrolments and Publications, Kim Steele, and former Deputy Headmaster and Archivist, Bill Muller, for their research and passion for the School in preparing this heritage edition of The Grammarian.

Mr Richard Fairley

Principal


4 The 125th Anniversary Edition

begInnings

original School houSe building circa 1895

The School’s story is one of successes from failures and times of enormous stress after the destruction of the School by Cyclone Leonta in 1903, the subsequent financial hardship of the Great Depression of the 1930s and the closing of the North Ward Campus during World War Two. In spite of these setbacks the School is celebrating its 125th anniversary as one of the most highly respected academic, cultural and sporting institutions in the state of Queensland.

On the 7th of September, 1860, the Queensland Government passed the Queensland Grammar School’s Act. This Act asserted that if any town in Queensland could raise not less than £1,000 for the purpose of building a Grammar School, the government would undertake to contribute twice the amount plus an annual endowment of £500. In the early 1880s a group of Townsville businessmen met to form a committee to investigate the feasibility of opening a School. The nearest secondary Schools, of any consequence, were situated in Brisbane. On May 12, 1884, the Chairman of

the proposed Townsville Grammar School Committee, wrote to the Minister of Lands requesting that land close to the Botanical Gardens be set aside for the purpose of building a School. In the letter he stated that funds necessary for the project had already been subscribed by the citizens of Townsville.

The Minister agreed to the request and soon after a tender for the new School was awarded to Mr Charles Miller. An interim headmaster was appointed from England, Mr Edward Upward.

On 16 April, 1888, the doors of Townsville Grammar School opened to 23 eager students in the original School House building.



Cyclone Leonta struck on Monday, 9 March 1903. The School day had started normally but at 11.30am the classes had to be suspended because of the noise generated by the advancing storm. The girls were taken to the Headmaster’s house while the boys sheltered in the main building. The full fury of the cyclone hit Townsville at 1.20pm and every building in the School, with the exception of the Headmaster’s house, was destroyed. The girls remained safe because the Headmaster’s house stood up to the cyclone but the boys had to seek safety as best they could. Queens Park was not an option because of the flying debris and corrugated iron so the boys, guided by staff members, N.W.Jolly, J.G.Leadbeater and A.H.Shuttlewood, sought refuge in the creek that runs through the middle of the School. Fortunately this turned out to be a safe place for the duration of the cyclone. Miraculously, apart from some minor scratches, there were no serious injuries.

As a testimony to the wonderful dedication and drive of the then Headmaster, Mr Miller, and his staff the School re-opened the following Monday. As there was little still standing on the main campus, the School moved to the

old Town Hall in Flinders Street East where it was to remain until mid-winter. Boarders were housed in the Headmaster’s house until such time as the chemistry building was re-built and, when completed, this room was used as a dormitory for the rest of the year. Meals were cooked and served in the Headmaster’s house. The main building was re-built and on February 8, 1904, eleven months after the cyclone, the School re-opened on the main campus.

leontaCYCLONE

[1903]

the School immediately after cyclone leonta



E.F. UPWARD (1888-1889)

The Interim Headmaster in the School’s first year, Mr Upward was educated and emigrated from England. Mr Upward passed away in 1932, leaving a sum of £32,901 and 6 shillings sterling to his children, a large amount for a period in the middle of the Depression.

C.H.HODGES (1889-1900)

Educated at Carlisle Grammar School and Oxford University where he graduated First Class Honours in Mathematics. Assistant Master at Radley School from 1876 to Easter 1879 and then a Master at Rugby School. At Oxford he distinguished himself at Athletics and Rowing. The sporting house, Hodges is named in recognition of the contribution of Mr Hodges.

F.T.MILLER (1901-1904)

Educated at the City of London School where he obtained a Classical Scholarship to Cambridge University. He taught at Cranleigh School and Liverpool College before coming to Australia in 1896 as Second Master of Rockhampton Boys’ Grammar. The sporting house, Miller is named in honour of Mr Miller.

P.F.ROWLAND (1905-1938)

Educated at University School and St Paul’s School, London, he won an Open Scholarship to Oxford. At Oxford he had a stellar academic career winning the Chancellor’s Essay Prize and the Oxford Cobden Prize. He taught at Drogheda Grammar School in Ireland and the King’s School Warwick

before moving to New Zealand where he taught at the Boy’s High School in Christchurch before lecturing at

Canterbury College, the University of New Zealand. In 1903 he became the Second Master at Rockhampton Grammar School. He was Headmaster of TGS during the difficult years after Cyclone Leonta, WWI and the 1930s Depression. The sporting house, Rowland is named after longest serving Headmaster, Mr Rowland.

T.B WHIGHT (1939-1946)

Mr Whight attended Townsville Grammar as a Thallon Scholarship winner 1916-1920. A talented sportsman he was Head Boy, Dux of the School and Chelmsford Cup winner in 1920. He gained a prestigious scholarship to attend Queensland University but, due to family problems, returned to

Townsville mid 1921 where Mr Rowland offered him a teaching post. Mr Whight taught at the School until 1927 before moving to Sydney to develop his sporting career. In 1939 the Trustees invited Mr Whight back as the Headmaster. He was Headmaster through WWII and it is a mark of his ability that enrolments not only increased but students achieved remarkable results in State examinations. The sporting house, Whight is named in honour of Mr Whight.

A.C.LOGAN (1947-48)

Mr Logan was educated in New Zealand and at the Sorbonne University in Paris and Oxford University. When appointed as Headmaster he was teaching at Auckland Grammar. A keen rugby union and cricket coach Mr Logan emphasised academic excellence as well as encouraging music and

debating. He resigned in March 1948 for reasons most notably concerning his family. On resigning he moved to South Africa.

headmasters[1888 - Present]



M.W.BLANK (1948-1965)

A teacher at the School from 1939-1942, Mr Blank served in the army from 1943-45 before returning in 1946. He moved to Sydney in 1947 but in March 1948 was invited by the Trustees to return as Headmaster. He found a School suffering from the effects of WWII but, under his inspiring leadership, the School

became a centre of academic and sporting excellence. As Headmaster he insisted on academic excellence, the highest of moral principles and unquestionable integrity. A reflection of his inspiration is that many of his past students have been awarded Australian Honours for their service to the community.

L.S.DANIELS (1966-1975)

Mr Daniels served as a pilot during WWII. After the war he attained a degree from the University of Queensland before entering the teaching profession. Prior to his appointment as Headmaster, Mr Daniels taught at various Schools and as an Education Officer with the RAAF. A man of drive and vision

Mr Daniels introduced more technical subjects into the curriculum. During his tenure the Science Laboratories and Rowland Library were built. The Year 12 Earth Science Prize is named after Mr Daniels.

A.D. MORWOOD (1976-1992)

Dux of Toowoomba Grammar in 1953, Mr Morwood was also a talented sportsman winning the high-jump at the GPS Carnival on several occasions. He completed a B.Sc and B.Ed at the University of Queensland before entering the teaching profession. A long time Deputy-Headmaster at Toowoomba

Grammar he also coached the 1st XI. His time at Townsville Grammar saw a rapid building programme

including the Manual Arts Centre, the Gymnasium and the Spenser Hopkins Building. He also saw the School through its centenary year. His fostering of cricket at the School is recognised by the naming of the Morwood Oval in his honour.

S.C. PAUL OAM (1993-1997)

Mr Paul was recently recognised in the Australia Day Awards for his contribution to education and for the development and implementation of technology in Schools. An energetic and vibrant educator, Mr Paul’s five years are marked by crucial and significant changes in the School’s history.

He was instrumental in introducing girls’ boarding, the construction of Parker Hall Boarding facility and was the driving force behind the establishment of the Junior School on the Annandale Campus.

R. W. FAIRLEY (1998-present)

Educated in South Australia and a teacher in Adelaide and Brisbane, Mr Fairley came to the School from Toowoomba Grammar where he was the Director of Studies. Mr Fairley has brought to the School a genuine commitment to academic, cultural and sporting excellence. He has overseen significant

changes in infrastructure such as the implementation of the Middle School, the Performing Arts Centre, the Music Centre, the Pre-Prep Centre and an extensive building programme at the Annandale Campus. He has also introduced the Cum Laude and Cultural Award system as well as the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. During his tenure the School has doubled its enrolments and TGS now exceeds 1,500 students.

1884-1892 T.WILLMETT

1892-1900 THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE CHUBB

1900-1904 A.W.McNAUGHTON

1904-1911 J.V.S.BARNETT

1911-1915 JUDGE C.JAMESON

1915-1927 J.N.PARKES

1928-1940 S.M.HOPKINS

1941-1945 A.H.TAIT


1952-1953 E.N.JOBST


1961-1970 I.H.ROBERTS

1970-1972 F.H.BRAZIER

1972 A.W.BRASNETT

1972-1992 F.D.SIM

1992-1997 E.WENCK

1997- S.G.DURWARD

Chairman of the Board of Trustees



The entrance of Japan in December 1941 into WWII had a dramatic effect on the School. The Queensland Government closed all Schools in the district and students had to move either south or to Charters Towers. On 2 March, 1942 the Government rescinded their closing of Schools and allowed them to re-open. This, however, did not help Grammar because the School buildings had been seconded by the RAAF as offices in January, 1942.

On 10 March the School re-opened in a house named ‘Rosslea’ that belonged to Mr McInnes in the suburb of Hermit Park. Thirty-one students attended on the first day and numbers grew to 61 by the middle of the year. As 17 students were boarders, another house, close to ‘Rosslea’, was rented.

The temporary relocation to ‘Rosslea’ was to prove a difficult three years. In a letter to a friend, Headmaster Mr Tommy Whight wrote “at 12.10 a.m. on July 27, 1942 air raid sirens woke all the boarders. they dressed and went to their designated areas and then watched a bombing raid take place over the Strand. a lone bomber flew close to the [rosslea] campus and dropped a bomb at 12.40am. the bomb which landed on the other side of the river, but close to the School had enough force to cause some damage to a lamp shade in the main building.”

Mr Whight was later to write, tongue in cheek, that Townsville Grammar could legitimately state

that the School was the only educational institution on the East Coast of Australia to have suffered war damage.

WW[World War Two]

TheRosslea Campus

The School at Rosslea - 1944

Form VI A - 1944 at Rosslea

Left to Right: (Back Row) C.B. Kelly, K.R. Johnstone, Mr T.B. Whight, A. Johnstone, G.S. Aslett

(Middle Row) I. Malpas, Z. Burnett, N. Brazier, N. Sundstrup, R.M. Linnett

(Sitting) R.E. Grant



Writing in his biography the beckoning horizon, Colin Bingham (1913-1916) says that his first memory of arriving as a boarder was “not as one of a scene that comprised lovely old buildings, green lawn, and beautiful surroundings which many southern australian Schools are favoured but as a somewhat bleak background of brick and cement, of wood and iron, under the menacing bulk of castle hill.”

In spite of the bleakness encountered by boarders back in those days - the unwholesome meals, the cold showers in the morning - Bingham writes that it was a wonderful experience. Boarders finally had electricity introduced in 1927.

On Saturdays boarders were allowed to visit town until 11.00 am and the afternoons were devoted to cricket, tennis or football as sport was compulsory for all boarders. On Saturday evenings there were games or general reading and this usually took place at the Headmaster’s house. On infrequent occasions there would either be a dance or a concert.

On Sunday afternoons the boarders were allowed to climb Castle Hill and chase the goats that lived on the hill. Dinner on a Sunday night was traditionally spent sitting around a table with the Headmaster who would regale them with stories or extracts from books.

While boys’ boarding has been a constant since the opening of the School in 1888, girls boarding was only introduced in 1994, with 24 girls enrolling as boarders.

To accommodate this influx a new boarding complex was built opposite the Centenary Pool. Named Parker Hall in memory of our two Rhodes Scholars, this building was

opened in 1995. The three storey complex includes a dining room, health centre and meeting room on the ground floor and two levels of boarding. In 2013, boarders began the School year with a fully air-conditioned facility.

Boarders - 1910

Junior Dormitory - 1966

BoardIng

THE GHOST HOLEMany traditions evolve in a boarding School and one of them is related to THE GHOST HOLE. It is a legendary tale that has been a part of boarding folk-lore for over a hundred years. The hole was to be found on the upper floor of School House and all new boarders were ‘initiated’ by having to go down the hole where a senior, covered by a white sheet, would attempt to frighten the new boarder. In 1931 two new boys, John Neal and Hector Kinsey, were taken to the Ghost Hole. Kinsey was lowered down first and, believing that the apparition could feel no pain, laid hands on the ‘ghost’ in such a way as to cause it to give a great scream of terror. John Neal took fright and escaped from the seniors and disappeared into the Sports Reserve. He did not return until ‘Rising Bell’ the next morning.

Arnold Duffield (1911-1913) also relates the story where some third formers hid in the hole with a small bell. The hole was above the classroom where a new member of staff, Mr O’Neill, was teaching. They occasionally rang the bell much to the amusement of the class. Mr O’Neill searched for the noise without success until another member of staff came to his rescue.



mary agnes Donald [MEMORIAL PRIZE]The Prize was established by Dr W.H.Donald in July 1929 in memory of his mother. Dr Donald had been a student at the School in 1900-1901 and his father was a long-standing Secretary to the Board of Trustees. The prize was initially to be awarded to a girl who, in the opinion of her fellow students, was considered to have best maintained the School traditions by her devotion to work and by her general conduct. From 1939 to 1980, the prize was awarded to the girl obtaining the best pass in the Queensland Junior Public Examination and, from 1981, to the Best All Round Girl in Year 12.

chelmsford Cup [RUGBY PRIZE]Before presenting the first Rugby Prize on Speech Day 1905, the Headmaster, Mr Rowland explained that the name had been bestowed as a means of commemorating the connection between Townsville Grammar and the famous English School, Rugby, from which the first Headmaster, Mr Hodges, had come. The prize would be awarded each year to the boy who, in addition to holding a high position in the School, had also done good service in the athletic life of the School, and had exhibited honourable powers of leadership. The prize in 1905 was donated by the Prime Minister of Australia, the Rt.Hon Alfred Deakin.

Among prominent past students who have been awarded the Cup are the names of our two Rhodes Scholars, George Hall (1909) and Chester Parker (1933-34) and Tommy Whight (1920) our first Australian born Headmaster.

The School SongThe School song was performed for the first time at Speech Day, December 5,1898. The words were written by W.A.Purves, second master at the School and later Headmaster of Toowoomba Grammar and Sydney Church of England Grammar. The music was written by J.R.Castling, one of the original 23 students at the School. He left in 1892 to attend Sydney University before returning to teach at Grammar from 1897-1900. Castling later moved to England to pursue a career as an organist.

Then, as is today, the School Song was sung in Latin.

Purves Castling



The Grammar Schools’ Act of 1860 and the Amendment to the Act in 1864 made no specific mention that Grammar Schools should be single sex Schools. In spite of this, all Grammar Schools remained single sex Schools until Mary Foley applied, in 1893, to enrol at Townsville Grammar. The Trustees reluctantly agreed to her enrolment and Mary was joined by Letitia Crowder. The single condition made by the Trustees was that girls asking to enrol would have to be State Scholarship holders.

The policy to only enrol scholarship students lasted until 1905 when the Trustees opened enrolments to any girl who wanted to attend the School. Numbers of girls were kept low and they were treated in a totally different manner to the boys. To keep the girls separate, a small room was set up in the garden of the Headmaster’s house. Only girls were to be in and around the room. The girls soon called this room ‘The Dove-cote’.

Girlsat the

School

May Stephenson who enrolled in 1914, wrote in 1988 that she remembered the girls’ recreation area being called the Dove-cote but at first thought it was called the Duck House because that was what the boys called it.

“I wondered why we were called ‘ducks’ because none of us seemed to waddle.”

In an unpublished book written by Mr Rowland in the 1930s he comments about the increase of girls during his tenure. “there are several girls’ Schools in townsville, and we discouraged the attendance of girls who were not ready to work. the arrangement as a whole proved satisfactory. discipline was easier with a few exceptions. if boys were inclined to love affairs, the objects of their affections were usually girls at other Schools. it is not easy for a boy to be in love with a girl who is beating you in class places every fortnight.”

AGNES MCWHINNEY (1907-1909) wanted to study medicine but because the nearest university was located in Sydney she decided to study law. She was accepted by a local law firm in 1910 that had ties with the School and, in doing so, became the first woman in Queensland to be articled. In 1915 she became a qualified lawyer, the first in Queensland and the second in Australia. She practiced until her marriage in 1919. The School has the Agnes McWhinney Prize for Legal Studies.

Mary Foley

Letitia Crowder

The “Dove-cote” (pictured)

Girls - 1944

Girls - 1961



GEORGE HALL: A boarder from 1905-1910 George Hall was a scholarship student from Charters Towers. He came to the School on a scholarship after becoming the first winner of the Lilley Medal in Queensland. A brilliant

sportsman George represented the School at cricket, athletics

and football. The distance he set in 1909 for throwing

the cricket ball was only broken in 1996.

George Hall was also obviously gifted academically and attained the best results by a boy in the 1907 State

Junior Examination. Good at languages he

also performed with distinction in School plays.

Many of the plays were in Latin, French and Greek. He

became Queensland’s Rhodes Scholar in 1910.

After completing an engineering degree at Oxford University, George joined the Royal Air Force serving

during WWI. He returned to Australia after the war and worked for the Water Board in Sydney retiring after WWII.

CHESTER PARKER: A boarder from 1930-1934 Chester Parker was a scholarship student from Collinsville. A good sportsman and scholar, Chester attained six ‘A’s at the Leaving Examination and winning an Open Scholarship to the University of Queensland. Chester also won the Chelmsford Cup on two occasions.

At university, Chester achieved excellent results and became successively Secretary and then President of the Students Union. He became the Queensland Rhodes Scholar in 1938. After a few years at Oxford University he joined the Royal Navy as a submariner. While serving as an officer his submarine was sunk in the Mediterranean with the loss of all those on board.

honour RolLACADEMIC

Rhodes Scholars

DUX 1888 - 20121888 H Aplin1889 V F Hamilton1890 J Castling1891 F T Perkins1892 C M Walker1893 R L Henderson1894 W S Boyd1895 P E Armati1896 A S Grose1897 J L McKelvey1898 H C Cardew1899 F Grant1900 H Henry1901 F Timbury1902 F Rollwagen1903 F Rollwagen1904 E Hartley1905 E Hartley1906 G M Duncan1907 G M Duncan1908 G M Duncan1909 G F E Hall

1910 J Reye1911 R A Percy1912 R A Percy1913 G Cadden1914 W J Chamberlain1915 R G Lanskey1916 J A Thorley1917 C R McLean1918 F H Roberts1919 F H Roberts1920 T B Whight1921 I J Paull1922 M White1923 E M Shepherd1924 L Bradford1925 N Pinwill1926 A N Gray } H H Hopkins } (aeq)1927 C R Hopkins1928 C Mellick1929 W J Malone1930 D J S Hopkins

1931 J P H Ryan1932 R A Perry1933 C J Parker1934 C J Parker1935 H A McAuley1936 V B Henry1937 L T Carron } C H V Harding } (aeq)1938 C Clendinning1939 R M Rollwagen1940 R A Dansie1941 P A Shann1942 N Weller1943 W Wilson1944 C B Kelly1945 W E McGovern1946 A McDermott1947 P F Giffard1948 B Allan1949 J Craddock1950 E Keir1951 M G Brown

1952 H Davies1953 S Routh1954 J Baker1955 I Perry1956 K Adam1957 G Mylonas1958 P Wetherell1959 K Wilson1960 P Hopkins1961 J Blank1962 D Boyle1963 J Lodge1964 J Sargent1965 L Bode1966 J Tweddell1967 W Thompson1968 H Fox1969 D Burdon-Jones1970 R Allan } R Waldie } (aeq)1971 J Oliver1972 V Daniels

1973 D Henry1974 S Fulton1975 A Brazier1976 D Elliott1977 Y Bennett1978 M Pitt1979 J Perren1980 M G Williams1981 S R Watson1982 E N Scott-Young1983 C F Brunner1984 A R Burge1985 S E Duncan1986 N M Munro1987 J A Brice } H K Leong } (aeq)1988 C K Sidhu1989 J M Edwards1990 A D Fyffe1991 S J Donaldson1992 B M Service

1993 A E Brischetto } J L How Lum } (aeq)1994 T McCutcheon1995 P Marrinon1996 T Zappala1997 A Gupta1998 J Tan1999 R Kelly2000 M Baldwin2001 S Dale2002 B Loughran2003 Y Griggs2004 M Wallace2005 C Wilson2006 H Bristow2007 A Lovisa2008 J Noye2009 M Doris2010 A Walsh2011 A Cannon2012 H Pillai



NotabLeAWARD RECIPIENTS

HIGHEST AWARDS1938 Albert Cecil Fewtrell (Commander of the Order of Bath)1947 Roy Lister Robinson (Baron of Kildear Forest and Adelaide in the Commonwealth of Australia) OTHER AWARDS1918 Roy Lister Robinson (OBE)1919 James Douglas Henry (OBE)1935 Morton Henry Moyes (OBE)1939 Alan Parkhurst Dodd (MBE)1958 Sydney William Trewin (MBE)1962 Alan Parkhurst Dodd (OBE)1963 William Joseph Watson (OBE)1981 George Vivian Roberts (CBE)1982 Thomas Edova Fox (OBE)1985 Kimbal Allen (BEM)1962 David James Garland (MBE)

KNIGHTHOODS1933 John Lawrence McKelvey1933 Roy Lister Robinson1954 Lawrence James Wackett1964 Charles William Davidson1977 Anthony Thomas Covacevich

1980 William Joseph Watson1983 Geoffrey John Humprey Woolrych1987 Patricia Ann Ford (Shann)1987 Domingo Martinez1987 Gregory John Norman1988 Rodney Macpherson Fisher1988 John William Kingston1989 Neil Lewis Henry1992 Graham Houghton Roberts1993 Maxwell David Hooper1994 Virginia Thorley Phillips1994 Patrick John Toohey1995 Charles Stanley Williams1996 James William Baker1997 Bryan Thomas Emmerson1998 John Bartley Pearson

1999 William David Crews1999 Stanley Alfred Newman1999 Gregory John Norman2000 Neil Thomas Bird2001 William Gordon Wilson2002 Judy Margaret Hunter2002 David Allan McDonald2003 John Nicolson Aubrey2003 Mat Darveniza2003 Margaret Norma Hale2006 Arthur Ronald Burke2006 Keith De Lacy2009 Edward George Davidson2010 Stephen Charles Paul2011 Spencer James Routh2011 Ronald Edward Store

ORDER OF AUSTRALIA RECIPIENTS

BILL CREWS [1959-1960] AO. After completing an engineering degree in Sydney, Bill Crews undertook a career change and completed a theology degree. His work with the disadvantaged in society and in the area of literacy through his Exodus Foundation has seen him as Australian Father of the Year in 1992 and one of the Most Influential 100 Australians in 2007. It is estimated

that his Exodus Foundation feeds 190,000 disadvantaged people each year.

BRYCE THOMAS EMMERSON (1943-1946) AO. A winner of a prestigious Queensland University Open Scholarship, Emmerson studied medicine and in the mid 1960s he was in the team that performed the first renal transplant. He became an international authority in gout and from 1984 to 1996, he was Head of the Medical School at the University of Queensland.

ALBERT FEWTRELL (1899-1902) DSO, CB, studied engineering at Sydney University and was instrumental in the original plans for a Light Rail system in Sydney. He enlisted in the Mining Corps during WWI and was a Lieutenant-Colonel by 1917. He was in charge of the Australian troops at the blowing up of Hill 60. After the war he enlisted in the Army Reserve and served

as a Major-General in WWII.

G.J.NORMAN (1967-1969) AO, AM. Greg Norman was a talented sportsman at School and has won two British Opens in golf. His Australian Awards have been for service to the game of golf and for philanthropic support for research into and the treatment for childhood cancer. An oval at the Junior School has been named after him.

SPENCER ROUTH [1950-1953] OAM. One of only four students in the history of Queensland education to win the Lilley Medal, The Byrnes Medal and the Ryan Medal. As a result of topping the State at the Senior Examination in 1953 he was awarded the John Black Scholarship and an Open University Scholarship. On completing his degree, Routh became a librarian. A world

renowned reference librarian, he was awarded an OAM for librarianship and for the information science sector.

LAWRENCE JAMES WACKETT (1910-1911) KBE, DFC, AFC. Wackett entered the Military Academy at Duntroon in 1913 and in 1915 became the first Duntroon graduate to join the Australian Flying Corp. After the war he completed a degree in design and became one of the founding members of the Royal Australian Air Force and he was responsible for the design of the Warrigal,

Wirraway and Boomerang planes.

WILLIAM JOSEPH WATSON (1939-1943) MBE, AO. Dux of the School in 1942 and Head Boy 1942-43, Watson joined the RAAF in 1944, and studied medicine after the war. Watson joined the Australian Army and served with distinction in Malaya and Vietnam to become a Major-General and Director of Army Health Services and Director of the Army Medical Corp.

GEOFFREY JOHN WOOLRYCH (1942) AO. Woolrych left TGS to enter the Royal Navy College and after graduating in 1947, he served with distinction in the Navy in the Korea and Malaya conflicts. He captained both the Derwent and Vampire before rising to the rank of Rear Admiral. At his retirement he was Chief of Naval Operations Requirements and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff.



ALISON, James Archibald. Died in Bullecourt, France, 11 April 1917, aged 20

ALSTON, Rowland Evelyn. Died in France, 17 August, 1916, aged 23 [Pictured]

ARMSTRONG, Thomas Acheson. Died in Flanders, 12 October, 1917, aged 26 [Pictured]

CRAIES, Charles Stuart. Died in Mouquet Farm, Pozieres, France, 1 September, 1916, aged 26

FOOT, Alexander Madden. Died in William’s Lookout, Gallipoli, 22 November, 1915, aged 23 [Pictured]

FOOT, Henry Daintree. Died in Gallipoli, 1 May, 1915, aged 32 [Pictured]

GRANT, George Ferguson. Died 25 February, 1919, aged 24

HENDERSON, Ronald Lennox. Died in England from wounds, 31 July, 1917, aged 39 [Pictured]

JAMESON, Charles Chalmers. Died in Armentieres, France, 4 April, 1917, aged 21 [Pictured]

JARDINE, John Lodge Murray. Died in Pozieres, Somme Sector, France, 29 July, 1916, aged 28

JOHNSON, Christian Martin. Died in Guedecourt, near Bapaume, France, 15 November, 1916, aged 24

KAY, John Robert. Died in Noreuil, France, 27 March, 1917, aged 23

KNEATH, Andrew Cameron. Died 12 October, 1916, aged 20

LOWTH, Lawrence Gladstone. Died Mont St Quentin, France, 1 September, 1918, aged 25

MACGREGOR, Donald Neil. Died at The Dardenelles, Turkey, 25 April, 1915, aged 28

MARKS, Herbert Henry Somerset. Died 1 September, 1918, aged 21

MEHAN, Alfred. Died 2 September, 1918, aged 21

TUFFLEY, George Alex. Died in Pozieres, Somme Sector, France, 29 August,1916, aged 21

TYACK, Sydney. Died in Mont St Quentin, France, 1 September, 1918, aged 19

SMITH, John Inglis. Died in Gallipoli, Turkey, 8 August, 1915, aged 21

TILLIDGE, Henry William. Died 7 August, 1915, aged 24

WALSH, John Francis. Died 28 April 1915, aged 25

ForGeTLest We

world war one



BAIN, Donald Hunter. Died in North Sea, 2 March, 1942, aged 27

BAKER, Glen George. Died in Papua New Guinea, 15 December, 1943, aged 28

BALLARD, Victor Norman. Died in France, 24 March, 1943, aged 25 [Pictured]

BROMLEY, Charles Frederick. Died in New Britain, 20 January ,1942, aged 19

CORCORAN, Thomas James Matthew. Died in Malaya, 27 July, 1943, aged 27

DAVIES-GRIFFITH, Owen Llewellyn. Died in Bougainville, 19 January, 1945, aged 33 [Pictured]

DONALD, Keith Courtney. Died over Denmark, 16 September 1944, aged 21 [Pictured]

GLOVER, Edward Andrew. Died over Germany, 18 March, 1944, aged 29

GRIFFITH, Keith. Died in Papua New Guinea, 24 December, 1942, aged 23

HALSTEAD, William Kevin. Died in the United Kingdom, 16 December, 1943, aged 22 [Pictured]

HANSON, Allan Harold. Died in the United Kingdom, 8 March 1942, aged 27

HARVEY, Howard Frederick. Died in Borneo, 11 May, 1943, aged 21 [Pictured]

JOHNSTON, Roderick Clarke. Died on the Centaur Hospital Ship, 14 May, 1943, aged 27

JOHNSTON, William Leo Newton. Died in France, 22 October 1941, aged 24

JURD, Milton Keith. Died over Germany, 16 March, 1945 aged 21 [Pictured]

KEENAN, Reginald James. Died 4 March 1942, aged 19 [Pictured]

KENT, Malcolm Edward. Died in Scotland, 5 December, 1941, age 23

LITTLE, William John. Died in the Mediterranean, 19 December, 1944, aged 26

MACLEOD, Keith Armstrong. Died in Libya, 18 May 1941, aged 25 [Pictured]

MACLEOD, Eric Ronald Fergus. Died in Germany, 31 March, 1944, aged 26

McDONALD, Donald James. Died over The Netherlands, 23 April, 1944, aged 20 [Pictured]

MORRIS, Neville George William. Died over the Indonesian Archipelago, 28 April, 1943, aged 21

PARKER, Chester James. Died around 8 August, 1942, aged 26 [Pictured]

PARKER, Vincent. Died in Northern England, 29 January, 1946 [Pictured]

PUGH, Walter McPherson. Died in Egypt, 29 June, 1942, age 20 [Pictured]

SANDERSON, Linton Patrick. Died in Italy, 25 November, 1943, aged 27

SCRIVEN, Ernest James. Died in Thailand, 28 May, 1943, aged 29

SIDES, Francis William. Died in Papua New Guinea, 25 August 1943, aged 29 [Pictured]

THOMAS, Cecil Keith. Died over Belgium, 28 May, 1944, aged 23.

THOMAS, Ronald James. Died in Papua New Guinea, 11 February, 1945, aged 31

TIPPETT, Geoffrey Robert. Died in United Kingdom, 30 September, 1943, aged 20 [Pictured]

TIPPETT, Harold Edward. Died in Thailand, 8 November, 1943, aged 24 [Pictured]

VIDLER, Keith Thomas. Died in Burma, 2 February, 1944, aged 23 [Pictured]

WHITE, Walter John. Died over France, 10 May, 1944, aged 23

WHITEHOUSE, Eric Raymond. Died in Papua New Guinea, 6 June, 1945, aged 24

WILLIAMS, Charles Rowland. Died over Germany, 16 May, 1943, aged 34

McCONACHY, Malcolm Ross. Died in Vietnam, 9 February, 1969, aged 21 [Pictured]

ForGeT

Vietnam war

world war two



Sport has always been an integral part of life at the School. Within a few weeks of starting at the School, Mr Hodges, concerned that the boys were not interested in physical activity, introduced cricket, a sport which he not only regarded as manly but, more importantly, a game that moulded character. Within a few years rugby union and British Association Football (soccer) were also introduced.

Mr Miller and Mr Rowland both continued with the philosophy that sport was important in the development of character and ethos. As numbers increased Mr Rowland introduced a four team colour competition. This was to be a forerunner of the Interhouse Competition that now exists at Grammar.

With the exception of tennis and swimming, sport for girls was virtually non-existent before WWII. Girls were allowed to take part in the Athletics Carnival but only in events as mundane as the Needle and Thread Race.

Gertie Pohlmeyer who enrolled in 1927 was so upset that girls had to pay a sports levy and never played any sport, she organised a protest amongst the girls. They all dyed their bloomers pink and spent the day flashing them around the School much to the chagrin of Mr Rowland.

The attitude to girls’ sport changed with Mr Whight. He was insistent that all students took part in some form of exercise and he would check on a regular basis that boys and girls were playing some sport. Basketball (netball) was introduced for girls and girls were also allowed to take part in athletic carnivals. In the 1960s, vigoro and softball were introduced as sports for girls to play. In 1999 the girls’ basketball team won the Australian Schoolgirls Championship. Today, girls continue to be a vital part of sport at the School, participating in a wide range of sports - gender is no longer a limiting factor in which sports girls can play.

sporTsporTsporTsporTnetball - 1954

firSt eleVen cricket club - 1897/8 SeaSon

firSt xV rugby union - 1988

girlS baSketball team winS auStralian chamPionShiP - 1999

School War Cry

Hiya Hiya woke in eni pu

Bingo Jingo ri

ck a rack a ro

o

Timaru Buckaru wogga w

ogga ta

Grammar School

Grammar School

Rah! Rah! Rah!



McKimmin Memorial being run in 2012

sporTsporTsporTsporTmckimmInMile

School War Cry

Hiya Hiya woke in eni pu

Bingo Jingo ri

ck a rack a ro

o

Timaru Buckaru wogga w

ogga ta

Grammar School

Grammar School

Rah! Rah! Rah!

Alan McKimmin

Current students around the McKimmin Memorial

Alan McKimmin was the seventh member of the family to enrol at the School with the first McKimmin enrolling in 1902. Alan, who died in 1945 after a short illness, was a promising academic and sporting student. The family were great supporters of the School and at Alan’s death his father, a Trustee from 1944 to 1951 donated £1,000 for the establishment of a Memorial Drinking Fountain in the Quadrangle.

For many years the Fountain became the centre piece of the Quadrangle and the girls used to congregate around it to eat their lunch and to have a chat. It was also the only place where students were able to get a drink.

Mr Blank initiated the McKimmin Mile in 1954. For the first 30 years only boys were allowed to run but in 1985 Mr Morwood initiated a separate race for girls. In the early years of the race, which was run on the top oval and over the true distance of a mile, trials were held in the week leading up to the race and students were then handicapped. The prize for winning was a Parker pen and pencil set and was keenly contested.

The ‘Mile’ is still run annually for both boys and girls, in separate races, and the race still starts and finishes at the McKimmim Memorial.



&DrAma

Mile

MusIcThe first School Production occurred in 1889, with the townsville herald reporting that on 21 December the scenes from Shakespeare’s taming of the Shrew were performed on Speech Day. In 1890 scenes from Sheridan’s the rivals were performed. The tradition of performing scenes from plays is embedded in the School’s culture and continues today.

Headmaster, Mr Rowland was a great supporter of the arts and encouraged theatre and music. Rowland believed in the Grammar School philosophy of languages as the core of the curriculum. As a consequence performances included scenes in several languages.

Music also developed in the 1920s and 1930s and all classes were timetabled for singing on a Friday afternoon.

The period 1939 to 1974 can be seen as a time when the performing arts took a back seat in the School’s other activities. Many reasons can be given for this including the effects of WWII and that Headmasters, Mr Blank and Mr Daniels placed greater emphasis on sport although both headmasters did encourage debating and chess groups.

The performing arts received a boost when Headmaster, Mr Morwood arrived in 1976. In his first year charley’s aunt was presented but from 1979 theatre blossomed when the School appointed a past student, Mrs Glennys Perry, as a drama teacher. She directed many memorable performances of musicals including the merry wives of windsor, iolanthe and hmaS Pinafore. Her daughter, Ms Fiona Perry, followed in her mother’s footsteps and continues her legacy. Ms Perry has directed plays

approaching a professional standard and bringing new interpretations to the works of Sondheim and Brecht.

Most recently in the School’s 125th year, Fiona and her team broke comedic ground with the Servant of two masters.

Music has flourished with the enthusiastic encouragement of the current Principal, Mr Richard Fairley. The School now has a variety of music groups including choirs, a symphony orchestra, jazz groups, quartets and music ensembles.

iolanthe - Performed at the ciVic theatre, 1995

Choir - 1928

A Midsummer Night’s

Dream - 1907



wind in the willowS - 2009

the SerVant of two maSterS - Performed at the ciVic theatre, 2013

SymPhony orcheStra Performing at oPen night - 2013

Performance choir - 1996

Choir - 1928



The School colours of gold and black originated with the uniform worn by the soccer team of 1898. The playing shirt was navy blue in colour with a yellow badge and motto in gold and black.

From 1893 - 1927 the girls wore a white dress as their uniform.

In 1927 a uniform consisting of a heavy navy cotton pleated tunic, a white blouse, navy blue cotton bloomers and grey ribbed stockings was introduced. The girls also had to wear gloves and tie. In the 1960s, a new girls uniform was introduced consisting of a white blouse with short sleeves and a navy skirt worn with a black and gold tie. This uniform continued in essence until the new uniform was introduced in 2011, consisting of a manilla yellow shirt, grey or plaid skirt and a black and gold cravat instead of the tie.

It was not until 1937 that boys at the School had a set uniform. The uniform consisted of a blue shirt, grey shorts and grey socks. The modern day uniform is modelled closely from this original u n i f o r m with a lighter coloured blue shirt and a tie.

The Junior School in Annandale first opened its doors with students in striped uniforms for both boys and girls. These were replaced in 2011 with uniforms that mirror the boys and girls uniforms from the North Ward Campus.

UnIforMs1908

1929

1967



1927

1988

1948

1990s

2007

Current Uniform - Year 12, 2012



Townsville Grammar’s Junior School opened its doors in 1997, with construction beginning in 1996. The Annandale Campus originally catered for Preschool to Year 7, and now has a Pre-Prep Centre, with Year 7s based in the Middle School at North Ward. The Campus has grown in both numbers and buildings since its initial enrolment of just 101 students and now has over 600 students.

JunioRSchool

an aerial PhotograPh of the Junior School aS it iS today



Three years in the making, the $6.5 million Middle School Precinct was opened in 2006.

The Middle School Precinct was specially designed to cater for the needs of Year 7 to 9 students. The Middle School Precinct has modern air-conditioned classrooms and a large, covered area for students to eat lunch and play handball. The Middle School Office and Year Level Co-ordinators’ Office are also located in the precinct to cater for the Middle School students.

Middle Schooling is an educational approach that better caters for the needs of young adolescents. It bridges the divide between primary and secondary education by extending students in this middle phase, equipping them with the skills to become independent learners and successful citizens in this new and ever-changing world.

MIdDleSchool



BuIlDiNgs

School house & Headmaster’s House

and FACILITIES

1888

1913

1922

1941

1947 1955

1956

1958

1966

1972

Science room & gymnasium

School dining roommaurie blank building

war memorial gates & oval completed

len daniels building

assembly room

dining room

the School Pool

rheuben Science block

Performing arts

centre



and FACILITIES

1972

1979

1985

1988

1995

19972001

2006

2008

2008

2010

20112012

P.F. Rowland Memorial Library

rheuben Science block

Spenser hopkins

building

the Quadrangle

the centenary

gymnasium

Parker hall boarding dormitory

Junior School

music centre

middle School

robyn murray Pre-Prep centre

Junior School Plaza

tait librarywillmett building

Performing arts

centre



The first Past Grammarians group was formed in 1901, originally being the Old Boys Union. An ‘Old Girls Union’ was formed in 1912. They operated as separate organisations until 1960 when the Past Grammarians Association was formed.

gramMaRIansPast

ASSOCIATION

Past Grammarians Farewell to Rowland - 1938

Enrolment List - 1888 to 1889

272

Townsville Grammar School - 2013

G rammarianVol 17, 2013

The

Bonus IntraMelior Exi

The 125th Anniversary

Edition

C X X VT O W N S V I L L E G R A M M A R S C H O O L

2013 grammarian

Documents

collection of school

past grammarian

anniversary editioncxxvtownsv

anniversary editionthe

anniversary publication

grammarian highlights

past history

original grammar schools