JUBILEE HISTORY TEXT, 1911. Chapter II - 'Ten Years at Knowle House'.The following text is an excerpt from the
Jubilee History Text published in 1911.
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Stevens Directory 1866-67 College advertisement
'From the date of itsfoundation until 16th June, 1864, the Geelong College was a public school. Itsvery name proclaimed thisfact—"The Geelong College, in connection with the Presbyterian Church of Victoria." It was a success from the beginning, and very soon grew too large for the accommodation of Knowle House, though for 10 years it remained there. It was a quaint old place, originally built as a family residence. One side abutted on Skene Street. The lower windows were close shuttered, but the windows of the second story gave free access to the street. They were boarders' bedrooms, and tradition has it that a rope was kept in one of them so that in forbidden hours boys might steal down and escape into the street on nocturnal prowlings.
In those days the block at the eastern end of Skene Street, running down to Aberdeen Street, was not built over as it is now. The lane still runs westward from Latrobe Terrace was there, and in it were three cottages. The vacant block of land below was the College playground. As the school grew, the three cottages were taken over. The partitions were removed from one of them, and two extra classrooms provided. The second was the masters' cottage, while the third was used as a coachhouse and man's room, and inhabited from 1865 onwards by Hugh Mackay. The two masters who began with Mr. Morrison at the College were Mr. George F. Hutton (not to be confounded with Mr. Thomas Hutton, who was a master later on) and Mr. Herbst. Mr. G. F. Hutton was present on the opening day in 1861, when the first boy to enter the College was E. R. Sparrow. Mr. Hutton remained at Knowle House until 1869. It was he who designed the College Crest—Pegasus, with the motto "Sic itur ad astra." Mr. Hutton was present at the Old Collegians Reunion of 1908—the only living representative of the College teaching staff of 1861. He too has now joined the rest of the staff.
During the first five months of the College the governing committeemet only twice. At the first meeting only formal business was transacted. At the next meeting, held on 21st November, 1861, it was resolved that the committee should make quarterly examinations of the College, in order that they might be kept in close touch with it. The Rev. T. McK. Frazer and Mr. James Balfour were appointed to act as the first "Visiting Committee." It was also agreed that a public examination of the pupils should be held before the Christmasvacation, to which the public should be invited by advertisement.
This public examination was held in the Geelong Town Hall on 12th December. Such a function was a complete novelty then, as it would be now, and on the appointed day a large audience assembled. All the parents and friends of the pupils were there, as well as a considerable number of the outside public. Mr. Morrison conducted the examination, with most satisfactory results. Then the Mayor, who occupied the chair, distributed the prizes to the successful pupils. Addresses were delivered by the Rev. A. J. Campbell and the Rev. T. McK. Frazer. When these were over, the Principal rose and said: "I thinkit will interest this meeting to know that while we opened the school with 40 scholars, we now close it with 70, being an addition of 30 pupils." Five weeks' holidays were granted, and the first session of the College was closed.
School opened in 1862 with 62 boys. The committee were eminently satisfied, for this number, was considerably in excess of that which they had guaranteed Mr. Morrison. Next quarter the numbers had risen to 19 resident boarders, 6 day boarders, and 45 day boys—a total of 70. The whole of the accommodation of Knowle House was occupied, and the question of erecting new and suitable buildings began to engage the attention of the committee. At a meeting held on 19th May, 1862, it was decided to make application to the Executive Council for a grant of the block of land facing Ryrie Street, next to St. George's Church. At the same time a subcommittee was appointed to devise ways and means to provide the necessary money for the erection of a building.
The committee met again on 27th June, when the subcommittee previously appointed, consisting of the Rev. A. J. Campbell and Messrs. Tolmie and Blair, were instructed to draw up a scheme for raising the money needed for College buildings by means of "shares on loan at a moderate rate of interest." That, of course, meant debentures. The annual report was read in draft, and approved.
The first annual meeting of subscribers was held in the Mechanics' classroom on 30th June, 1862. The annual report was read. It was as follows:—
"The Committee of the Geelong College, in presenting their First Annual Report, have to state that the Institution was opened in Knowle House, on the 8th of July last, with 40 pupils, under the efficient care of George Morrison, Esq., M.A., formerly the headmaster of the Flinders National School, and they have much pleasure in announcing that from that day to this its progress has been most gratifying, and that there are now 20 resident boarders, 6 day boarders, and 45 day scholars—in all, 71 pupils.
"The subjects taught in the College are English in all its branches, Greek, Latin, Modern Languages, Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, and Drawing. In addition to the staff of able, and efficient resident masters, the Institution has the benefit of the services of Professor Hill, of Melbourne, who takes Reading, Elocution. and Declamation. The pupils are also drilled by Sergeant Cripps.
"The committee would also allude with pleasure to the high position the pupils of the Geelong College took in the Melbourne University. Three out of the eleven successful candidates at the Matriculation Examination being from the Institution.
"The number of pupils attending the College, and the certainty of a large increase in a short time, render it imperative that some additional accommodation shall be provided, and the committee have arrived at the conclusion that it is high time that steps should be taken to erect, in a suitable locality, such a structure as will serve all the purposes of the College. A subcommittee has been appointed to take the whole matter into consideration. with a view to its being accomplished with as little delay as possible, the more especially as the premises at present occupied are only leased for another year."
The report was adopted, and the action hitherto taken towards the erection of new college buildings approved. The next three months were occupied in the search for a suitable building site. Six sites were selected. The most favoured was one belonging to Mr. Hardy, situated between Virginia and Elizabeth streets to the east of Pakington Street. It measured 200 feet by 220 feet. Terms could not be arranged, however, and after considerable haggling over the price, that site was abandoned and another, a corner block facing Virginia and Pakington streets, was sought after. This area contained an acre and a quarter, and the price was £550. Before negotiations had proceeded far, however, the committee heard of another block which appeared even more suitable. Investigation, however, showed that this block could not be obtained.
In the meantime a plan had been adopted for raising money by means of £25 debentures, bearing 8 per cent. interest. At first the sum aimed at was £1,500, but in the fewmonths during which it was under discussion the College had so increased in numbers that the estimate had to be raised to £3,000, while the rate of interest to be paid had to be lowered to 7 per cent. It is worth noting here that when the College actually came to be built it cost £12,000. The committee found their task a very difficult one. The year 1862 closed without anything definite being accomplished. There was no publicfunction at the end of the year. The committee seem to have been too worried over the site problem to think about it.
On 12th March, 1863, a special meeting of the Committee was called at the instance of Mr. Morrison. He wrote pointing out that urgent necessity for new buildings, and emphasising the crowded state of the house. He asked that, since this had involved increased outlay on his part, the committee should consider the propriety of not enforcing payment of the 10 per cent. on all receiptsfrom the previous July as was laid down in the agreement. The committee replied by requesting a statement of receipts and expenditure from Mr. Morrison, and then plunged into fresh consideration of the site question. They decided to return to their first love and apply again for a grant of the piece of land to the eastward of St. George's Church.
At the next meeting it was found that this land had been granted to the Town Council as a site for public baths, and it was resolved to memorialise the councillors, as no definite reply had been receivedfrom the Board of Lands and Survey. Mr. Morrison's statement of receipts. was also received. It read asfollows:—
Amount received by me for last halfyear of 1862 £955/2/6 Amount spent by me repairing and improving present premises, including rent for Mr. Jerson's room £121/2/9 Annual revenue derivable from present attendance £2,238/12/0
That account was received on 27th May. A month later, almost on the eve of the annual meeting, a letter was received from the Board of Lands and Survey definitely declining to grant the land asked for, on the ground "That although the Geelong College is stated on the rules of the institution to be connected with the Presbyterian Church of Victoria, the connection does not appear to be of so definite a nature as is the relation of schools and colleges in the vicinity of Melbourne to the religious denominations." This was a sad blow to the committee. They decided to write to the Board of Lands and Survey asking that the land should be put up for sale, so that the Geelong College might purchase it. But this decision was never acted upon. The committee was gradually becoming disorganised. Meetings had to be adjourned again and again for want of a quorum.
Fivemonths previously ameeting "of gentlemen who had agreed to be shareholders in the Geelong College"—that is to say who had agreed to take up debentures—had been called, and only six, all members of the general committee, had attended. Since then, interest in the committee's proposals had waned still more, and even the most enthusiastic members were being forced to the conclusion that they would be unable to accomplish anything. That Mr. Morrison perceived the trend of events goes without saying.
When the annual meeting of subscribers was held in 1863, only five attended it. The Rev. A.
J. Campbell was in close touch with Mr. Morrison, and both were anxious that whatevermight happen to the subscribers and committee, the College should continue along the successful lines it had hithertofollowed. On the Rev. Mr. Campbell's motion it was agreed that Mr. Morrison should be asked to take over the school furniture at a valuation. The fact was that the committee were already considerably in debt, and owing to theirfailure to find adequate accommodation for the College were unwilling to enforce payment of the percentage due by Mr. Morrison. The annual report for 1863 was devoted mainly to an account of the efforts and failures of the committee to obtain a site for new buildings.
They struggled on for a little longer. On 13th August other sites were discussed, and it was decided as a last despairing effort to attempt to persuade the Government to hand over Flinders School to the College. . The Rev. A. J. Campbell was entrusted with the task of investigating the feasibility of this project, and at the next meeting of the committee a week later he reported that it seemed possible, and correspondence was opened up with the Government Education Board. Asmight have been expected, the Board refused to entertain the request.
The end was near. At the committee meeting it was decided to dispense with the services of a paid Secretary. Mr. James Campbell had been in receipt of a salary of £25 a year, and for 15 months had been paid nothing. The committee's liabilities amounted to £33 18s. 6d, and it had only money enough to pay accounts amounting to £2 3s. 6d. A resolution expressing the committee's deep sense of obligation to Mr. James Campbell was recorded in the minutes, and Mr. George Morrison appointed honorary secretary. That was on 20th August, 1863. No meeting of the committee was held until 16th June. 1864, at the College. It was the last meeting ever held, and the minutes of it, recorded in the familiar handwriting of George Morrison, were as follows:—
A meeting of the Committee of the Geelong College was held here this day, Mr. Calvert in the chair. Present: Mr. Simson, Dr. Carstairs, Mr. Calvert, and Mr. Morrison.
It was moved by Mr. Simson, and seconded by Dr. Carstairs— That the original
agreement this Committee and Mr. Morrison be cancelled, and handed over to Mr.
Morrison on condition of his paying all the liabilities of the Committee. Carried
unanimously.
(signed) JOHN CALVERT.
Geelong College had become a private school, and so it remained for 43½ years. The events which led up to that last meeting of the committee are full of interest. A rumour had arisen in the latter half of 1863 that Morrison was so dissatisfied with the condition of affairs and so disappointed at the failure or the committee to provide new buildings that he was contemplating retirement from the post of Principal. The Rev. A. J. Campbell interviewed him. Mr. Morrison frankly admitted his dissatisfaction and disappointment, but said that he had never spoken of resigning. On the contrary, he declared that after much careful thought he had come to the conclusion that his own interests as well as those of the College would be best served by placing the institution in his hands entirely, and leaving it to hismanagement. He expressed his willingness if this were done to clear off all liabilities, and to provide a site on which he would erect College buildings. He undertook the duty of personallyinterviewing all the founders of the school and obtaining their consent. This was agreed to by the Rev. Mr. Campbell. It took Mr. Morrison many months to carry out his promise of securing the consent of all the founders, and it was not until June, 1864, that he was in a position to convene the final meeting of the committee. Only a few of those interested were present at the meeting, but they held that the absence of the others implied their consent, since they knew the purpose of the meeting.
It was some years before George Morrison was able to carry out his undertaking for the erection of a new building. Hefound the same difficulties in searching for a site as had beset the committee. But his ideas were larger. He knew what the College would become, and he wisely decided to go outside the town and obtain a large area of land which would be enough for the requirements of the future. While he was perfecting these arrangements, the College remained at Knowle House. The three cottages were all in active use. A house next door to the School was purchased, and used as a residence by the Principal and hisfamily. The group of buildingsmade up a littlevillage. Splendid work was done there, and many distinguished pupils upheld the reputation of the College at the University.
It was with a tinge of regret that George Morrison, in 1871, abandoned the old place. Four of his children had been born there. Old pupils of the early sixties tell of the pride shown by his father in the eldest boy, now the famous Dr. G. E. Morrison. He used to bring the little fellow round the schoolrooms. Sometimes he would shut the door, and George Ernest would be left outside. All would listen eagerly as he cried, "Open! open!" Then there would be a tiny kick at the panels, and a baby voice would call, "Open, old George!" The father would be delighted, and the door would be opened. The boy would be placed on the mantelpiece, and the stern Principal of the College would back away, saying "Look at me." When a good distance off he would shout "Jump," and George Ernest, with implicit confidence, would spring boldly off the mantelpiece, to be caught in hisfather's arms.'
Sources: Sources: Geelong College. History, Register, .. And Records by G, McLeod Redmond. Melb; Sands & McDougall, 1911. pp 9-18.