Spanish Influenza Pandemic 1919Media reports during the
COVID-19 Pandemic have been making comparisons to one of our global community’s last pandemic – the Spanish Influenza 1918-1919. The pneumonic influenza strain hit Australia’s shores in early 1919. The return of our service men and women from the European war front also carried with it the infectious disease that was sweeping across the globe.
Geelong Advertiser 4 February 1919
In the days of slower travel yet comparatively fast global communication through cablegrams, telegraph and radios, Australia could prepare for the looming threat. Before the Spanish Flu had arrived on our shores, authorities prepared health care facilities and issued vaccinations. But once it had arrived, state borders, schools, theatres, and pubs closed, and gatherings of 20 people were banned. Churches held their services outside. In Geelong, the first cases were reported in February 1919.
At the College, restrictions to public gatherings and schools meant that Term 1 did not commence until 11th of March 1919. In order to assist students studying the Public Examinations course, the College started correspondence classes, akin to our Remote Learning response, utilising the tools that they had available. On the 12th of March, the Geelong Advertiser reported large enrolments at the College including boarding remarking that “the school starts with an excellent health-bill”.
However, the delayed start to the term did not signal that the threat had dissipated. The Spanish Flu would impact the school year and activities. It appears that in May, the outbreak was mostly felt by the school community, with 23 cases reported by the middle of the month:
The work of the School was much interrupted towards the end of the term by the outbreak of influenza. The number of boys affected, together with those who stayed away through fear of infection, made a big gap in the attendance, and consecutive work was almost impossible. Happily the type of disease was not virulent, and the care and attention of Miss Price and of the nursing staff brought all the invalids through, safely. Pegasus May 1919
Geelong Advertiser 8 February 1919
Many of the College’s sporting pursuits were impacted. The late start to the school year meant that the cricket season commenced with little preparation, and the team performed poorly. While at the College’s rowing regatta some finals were postponed as crews were “laid up with influenza.” Although, the biggest disappointment was having to pull the Geelong College crew out of the Public Schools Boat Race (Head of the River) in May, having only competed in a preliminary heat. A perhaps unsympathetic Old Collegian sent a telegram with the message: “Crew, stiff luck. Hope best next year. Cheero.”
The influenza outbreak was taken in the stride of the school year, and by August cases at the College were few. The football season ran with only a few College players suffering from the influenza during the season. The school was also able to assist the Newtown Presbyterian Church as services moved outdoors for a short time, providing the main oval for their use.
The long-term impact of the pandemic on the College was the building of a new
hospital on the grounds. Following World War 1 and the influenza outbreak, the new timber hospital building was constructed on the now grassed area between the Library Building and the Refectory Building. While the school would not have to deal with a similar outbreak, the hospital would serve the College community until it was established in the Morrison building in 1972.
Geelong Advertiser 12 March 1919
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Rowing crew 1919