Photo of the Month: 1954 Prefects of Caulfield Grammar.
1954 was a significant year for Headmaster, Mr. Frank H J Archer, due to his pending retirement. The photographer was a past student and staff, Don Wirth (1944-46; 1947-77) and it looks to be a happy occasion with students smartly attired with serious expressions.
Row 2 (Back): Peter Froelich, Len Amiet, James McFarlane. Row 1: Geoffrey (Bob) Burgess, Michael Houston (School Captain), The Headmaster, David Burke, Graham Permezel.
Caption: Prefects of Caulfield Grammar 1954
Follow-up: Malvern Staff in 1963 and Chaplain, The Reverend Harrie Scott-Simmons.
‘Serendipity, definition: the fact of finding interesting or valuable things by chance’.
Regular readers may recall my call-out last month for the names of staff shown in the 1963 Malvern Memorial Grammar Staff photograph. Many thanks to Paul Tankard (Peer 1973) and Graeme McLean (Peer 1973) for their assistance and insights on the remarkable ministry of the Anglican clergyman, The Reverend Harrie Scott-Simmons (Life 1918-1999), Chaplain of Malvern Memorial Grammar School from 1963 to 1970-1971.
Through a simple ‘call out,’ I have learnt of Harrie’s enduring legacy as a clergyman, teacher, and a life-long friend to Malvern alumni. His faith was deep, simple, and practical and he encouraged students in their walk of faith. He taught the Bible and French classes and led daily prayers in assemblies, Bible studies, Chapel services and the Annual Malvern Commemoration Service of Founding with the school choir and guest preacher. Each term there was a focus on helping others by fund raising to support social welfare projects and Harrie was a skilled artist, lover of classical music, and interested in Egyptology.
Other serendipitous connections include Harrie’s legacy as a missionary in India (like CGS Founder, Rev J Henry Davies) and a curacy at St. Mary’s Church of England, Caulfield, the local parish strongly associated with Caulfield Grammar. Bill Sayers, the Master in Charge at Malvern in Harrie’s time on staff, was himself a member of St. Mary’s congregation when he was a student at CGS, so he would have known Harrie from those days.”
Row 2: Mrs. M Mundy, F Smith, D Saleeba, R W J Riordan, F A Dore, R C Slimmon, Rev H Scott-Simmons, N J Thurbon, Mrs. E Roberts.
Row 1: Miss A Cole, Miss D Laurie, Miss M Davis, W A S ‘Bill’ Sayers (Master in Charge), Bruce Lumsden (CGS Headmaster), R E Barry (Senior Master), Mrs. Connie Peters, Miss D Davies. Absent: D Saleeba.
Archives Office and Services:
Each day brings new discoveries and sharing our history and collection of Caulfield Grammar and Malvern Memorial Grammar School (Malvern Grammar). Recently I enjoyed talking with five Year 8 classes how our school community reaches beyond the classroom to a global impact with many connections to social justice projects and a world-wide alumni community. If you have any memories to share, questions, reference enquiries or offers of donations of memorabilia, phone (03) 9524 6249 and leave a message or email, archives@caulfieldgs.vic.edu.
Read last month’s report here.
Judith Gibson
School Archivist
