Melbourne Grammar School

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Melbourne Grammar School
Motto Ora et Labora
(Latin:"Pray and Work")
Established 1858
Type Independent all-male secondary; co-educational primary
Affiliation Anglican Church, APSV
Chairman Sandy Clark
Headmaster Mr. Paul Sheahan
Founder Rev. Charles Perry
Chaplain The Rev'd Dr Ron Noone
Students 1,800
Grades P-12
Location Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Campus Urban
Colours Navy Blue
Website www.mgs.vic.edu.au

Melbourne Grammar School, also known as MGS or Melbourne Boys, is an independent, day and boarding school predominantly for boys', located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Founded in 1858, the school is a member of the Associated Public Schools of Victoria. It is associated with the Anglican Church of Australia, and was formerly named Melbourne Church of England Grammar School. The current headmaster is Paul Sheahan, a former Australian test cricketer, retiring at the end of 2008.

The bluestone buildings at the senior campus are all on the Victorian Heritage Register. The school’s War Memorial Hall recently underwent a major renovation and in 2006 it won the RAIA National Architecture Awards - Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage, the top award in its category, at an awards show in Brisbane.

The school has a strong association with Melbourne Girl's Grammar School (MGGS), as the two stream productions, workshops and concerts together. The students also enjoy a strong association throughout the secondary years as many MGGS secondary students attend Grimwade House, Melbourne Grammar's coeducational primary school campus.

In 2001, The Sun-Herald ranked Melbourne Grammar School second in Australia's top ten boys' schools, based on the number of its alumni mentioned in the Who's Who in Australia (a listing of notable Australians).[1][a]

Contents

Aerial photo of Melbourne Grammar School and surrounds.
Aerial photo of Melbourne Grammar School and surrounds.

As with most Australian schools, Melbourne Grammar School utilises a house system. The school house system differs between each school section.

Students of each house have their own house tie, which is striped according to house colour. The houses of the Senior School, are:

  • Bromby - Est. 1914 - Named after the school's first Headmaster Dr. John Bromby. House Colour: Black. Logo: Panther.
  • Bruce - Est. 1952 - Named after Stanley Bruce, Captain of the school and Prime Minister of Australia (1923–1929). House colour: Scarlet. Logo: Lion with 5-pointed star.
  • Creese - Est. 2005 - Named after an influential Headmaster of the school, Nigel Creese. House colour: Silver. Logo: Phoenix rising from the flames.
  • Deakin - Est. 1961 - Named after the second Prime Minister of Australia and school alumnus Alfred Deakin. House colour: Light Green and White. Logo: Crown with a knights arm holding an axe.
  • Hone - Est. 1979 - Named after Headmaster Sir Brian Hone. House colour: Old gold, or orange. Logo: Eagle.
  • Miller - Est. 1961 - Named after Edward Miller, a student of the school. House colour: Magenta. Logo: Gnome.
  • Morris - Est. 1914 - Named after Edward Morris, the school's second Headmaster and promoter for building the school's chapel. House colour: Maroon. Logo: Letter "M" with a dragon atop.
  • Perry - Est. 1940 - Named after Bishop Perry, the first bishop of Melbourne. Boarding House. House colour: Royal Blue and White. Logo: Bishop's mitre.
  • Ross - Est. 1914 - Named after the 'Ross brothers', former students of the school. House colour: Dark Green. Logo: Fist clenching a wreath.
  • Rusden - Est. 1914 - Named after George William Rusden, a well known Melbourne historian. House colour: Yellow. Logo: Wreath with letter "R".
Witherby Tower flying the aboriginal flag for reconciliation week .
Witherby Tower flying the aboriginal flag for reconciliation week .
  • School - Est. 1914 - Following the English tradition of naming their boarding house 'School House', which is situated next in the boarding precinct next to the Melbourne Grammar Senior School campus. House colour: Royal Blue. Logo: Flame.
  • Witherby - Est. 1914 - On a cold winter night in 1875, a very sick young man Hubert Witherby arrived unannounced at the door of Headmaster Edward Morris. Unfortunately hospitality could not save Hubert and he died three weeks later. His father Arthur Witherby donated a sum of money to the school in thanks of their efforts. This donation materialised as the Witherby Tower, a bluestone clock tower located at the senior campus, arguably the schools most notable feature after the (also bluestone) Chapel of St Peter. House colour: Light Blue. Logo: Tower.

  • Caffin (Gold) Motto "Lux Omnibus Fiat" (We Shine For All to See)

Caffin is the only house in Wadhurst to have a motto.

  • Cain (Light Blue)
  • Cuming (Dark Green)

There is also the Junior School boarding house Creswick House, which is not a house in itself. It's members consist of boarders who belong to one of Caffin, Cain or Cuming. The Junior boarding house was formerly known as Pasley House, after the building it was located in.

  • Austin (Royal Red)
  • Grey-Smith (Light Sea Blue)
  • Millear (Canary Yellow)
  • School (Dark Green)

The wearing of the school uniform is compulsory and dress standards are enforced by both prefects and staff.

The navy blue blazer is the most notable feature of the school's uniform, the blazer must be worn in public places during the winter months. Years 3 to 8 wear light blue ‘V-neck’ shirts without ties in summer and join the year 9's and 10's permanent uniform of darker blue shirts with ties in winter. Years 11 and 12 wear white and blue striped long-sleeved shirts and ties all year round with the exception of the school prefects who wear plain white shirts with the special prefect tie.

Ties for years 3 – 8 are identical, plain navy blue. In Senior School ties are striped with the colour of a particular student’s house, reflecting the emphasis placed on the house system. Year 12’s wear similar ties but with the school logo breaking up house lines. Prefects have ties without any house denomination but with gold school logos.

It is compulsory for all students follow uniform regulations; this includes wearing the assigned summer or winter uniform. During the summer months shorts are to be worn and socks are to be pulled up. During the winter months navy blue trousers with black socks (Years 0-8) or grey socks (senior students, Years9-12) are to be worn. These items may also be accompanied by a navy blue V- neck jumper, black lace up school shoes, and during the summer months a hat is needed while participating in outdoor activities. There is also a required sporting uniform for all Melbourne Grammar School sports.

Senior Campus
Senior Campus

Melbourne Grammar offers its years 11-12 students the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), the main assessment program which ranks the students in the state.

In 2005, five Melbourne Grammar students achieved the maximum possible ENTER of 99.95; only 32 students in Victoria achieved this ENTER.[2] In 2006, two Melbourne Grammar students achieved the maximum ENTER of 99.95, and three Melbourne Grammar students achieved an ENTER of 99.90. In 2007, three Melbourne Grammar students achieved the maximum ENTER of 99.95; again, only 32 students in Victoria achieved this ENTER..[3]

Melbourne Grammar also has a theatre department, especially within the Senior Campus, which produces four plays each school year. In Early March, "The Quad Play", most commonly a Shakespeare Play, but on occasion from other notable playwrights, is performed within the school's Quadrangle, and is open to years 9-12. The 2007 "Quad Play" was Christopher Marlowe's "Doctor Faustus". In 2008, the "Quad Play" will once again be a Shakespeare Play; "Othello".

The 2007 Quad play at night under lights.
The 2007 Quad play at night under lights.

This is followed in May by the relatively newly performed "Autumn Play", for year 9 students only, commonly a Greek Play, such as Oedipus.

The "School Play", performed usually in August, is often the centrepiece of the year's theatrical calendar. Recent performances include Tim Winton's "Cloudstreet" in 2006, and "On the Twentieth Century" in 2005. These two performances were the first to take advantage of the newly renovated and restored Memorial Hall, which features improved staging facilities and backstage areas. The "School Play" for 2007 was the musical "Guys and Dolls". The "School Play" for 2008 will be Arthur Miller's celebrated work on the Salem witch trials, "The Crucible".

The final performance for the year is the "Spring Production" which is open to years 9-10 students, and often alternates year on year between a light-hearted professional play, and an individual piece of work by a year 9-10 student, or group of students. It is usually held in late October, near the end of the school year. The 2004 Spring production “The Elisabeth Crown Affair”, written by two year 10 boys was seen by the owner of a local theatre who subsequently bought the script. In 2007, the Spring Production will be "Our Country's Good", written by Timberlake Wertenbaker, and edited by a year 10 student.

All of these plays are performed by the students of Melbourne Grammar, in conjunction with students from Melbourne Girls Grammar School, whose campus is located nearby.

Staging is often designed by a contracted individual, with sets constructed jointly by staff and students, often both current and former. A train was constructed for "On the Twentieth Century" and an eight-metre diameter revolving circular stage constructed for "Cloudstreet".

Statue at the Melbourne Cricket Ground of Tom Wills umpiring the first recorded match of Australian rules football between Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar School.
Statue at the Melbourne Cricket Ground of Tom Wills umpiring the first recorded match of Australian rules football between Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar School.

The Cordner-Eggleston Cup is competed for each year by the first football teams of Melbourne Grammar School and Scotch College. It commemorates the first recorded game of Australian Rules Football which was played between the two schools on the 7th August 1858 and was umpired by Tom Wills, one of the inventors of the code of Australian Football. The original game ran for three days and is also commemorated by a statue depicting the game outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Melbourne Grammar participates in the annual Tri-Grammar games, a series of cricket and rowing competitions between the Firsts teams of Melbourne Grammar School, Sydney Grammar School and Brisbane Grammar School.

They are held at each school in rotation, with competing students being billeted out to the students of the host school against whom they will compete. It is customary when the rowing events are hosted by Melbourne Grammar that Sydney and Brisbane Grammars shall compete in the Head of the Yarra, an 8 kilometre river-race.

The cricketing rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney Grammars dates back to 1876 and is considered the oldest (in terms of cricket) in Australia. In 1976, to mark the centenary of this rivalry, a "Bat" was struck, with the winner of the annual match taking possession of this bat.

In the mid 90's, Brisbane Grammar was invited to play against both Melbourne and Sydney Grammars, giving rise to the 'Tri-Grammar Shield', won by the most successful school during the festival.

Melbourne Grammar currently holds both the "Bat" and the Shield, which they won for the third and second consecutive times respectively earlier this year.

Melbourne Grammar is noted for its Orchestra, the Melbourne Grammar School Symphony Orchestra (MGSSO). Conducted by Martin Rutherford, the Orchestra tours internationally in December every year. In 2005 the Orchestra toured Malaysia and Singapore and in 2006 travelled to China, performing in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou. December 2007 will see the orchestra touring Dubai, Zagreb, Ljubljana and Venice. The orchestra is usually made up of around 100 students, the vast majority attendants of the school. However, a small number of girls are in the orchestra who attended the co-educational junior school, Grimwade House, or have a brother at the school. Currently there are around 10 female members. All campuses have their own choirs, concert bands and string orchestras. The Chapel Choir is the oldest of any Victorian private school. It sings at the weekly eucharists and consists of about 30 select members.

The MGSSO has accompanied international soloists such as Ronald Farren-Price, Leslie Howard and Neville Taweel, and has premièred works by Australian and British composers.[4]

Melbourne Grammar has held inter-grammar school British Parliamentary Debating competitions, with schools from Victoria and New South Wales: Scotch College, Sydney Grammar, and Melbourne Grammar. Also, Melbourne Grammar enters about a tenth of its students into the Debating Association of Victoria's (DAV) Debating Competition, which is held at St. Kevins College throughout the year.

 This section does not cite any references or sources.
Please improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (June 2007)

  • John Edward Bromby (1858–1875)
  • Edward Ellis Morris (1875–1883)
  • Alexander Pyne (1883-1885)
  • Ambrose John Wilson (1885-1893)
  • Frederic Sergeant (1894-1898)
  • George Ernest Blanch (1899-1914)
  • Richard Penrose Franklin (1915-1936)
  • David Stacey Colman (1937-1938)
  • Joseph Richard Sutcliffe (1938-1949)
  • Sir Brian William Hone (1950-1970)
  • Nigel Arthur Holloway Creese (1970-1987)
  • Anthony James De Villiers Hill (1988-1994)
  • Paul Sheahan (1995-Current) (In August 2007, he publicly announced his intention to retire at the end of 2008; the search for a new Headmaster is underway)

  1. ^ Walker, Frank. "The ties that bind", Sunday Life, The Sun-Herald, 2001-07-22, p. 16. Retrieved on 2007-09-12. 
  2. ^ Leung, Chee Chee. "Public school trio make mark on VCE results", The Age, 13 Dec 2005. 
  3. ^ Sheahan, Paul. "Outstanding VCE results", MGS, 17 Dec 2007. 
  4. ^ Martin Rutherford (2006). Martin Rutherford, Associate Composer, Australian Music Centre. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.

v • d • e
Members of the Associated Public Schools of Victoria, Australia
Brighton Grammar • Carey Grammar • Caulfield Grammar • Geelong Grammar • Haileybury • Melbourne Grammar • Scotch • St. Kevin's • The Geelong College • Wesley • Xavier
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne_Grammar_School"
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