Ipswich Grammar School
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| Ipswich Grammar School | |
 |
|
| Labore et Honore | |
| Established | 1863 |
| School type | Independent |
| Principal/ Headmaster |
Mr Denis Fredriksen |
| Location | Ipswich, QLD, Australia |
| Campus | Ipswich |
| Enrollment | 1000 |
| School colours | Red and White |
| Homepage | http://www.igs.qld.edu.au/ |
Ipswich Grammar School, established in 1863, was the first secondary school to be opened in Queensland, Australia. It is a non-denominational, independent school for boys, and is located in Ipswich, Queensland. From 2006, the school will operate a P-12 educational model – meaning it will offer pre-school, primary and secondary educational services. Previously Ipswich Girl's Grammar School educated boys from year 4.
The School motto is "Labore et Honore" - Latin for "Work and Honour".
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Background
Ipswich Grammar School (known as IGS) was the first of ten grammar schools established under the Grammar Schools Act, passed by Queensland's first parliament in 1860. The Act allowed for the establishment of a grammar school in any town where £1000 could be raised locally. At the time of the Act, there was a push for the new system of education in Queensland to be free of denominationalism. The Grammar Schools Act was passed to reflect this.
Despite these intentions of the legislation, it was the Roman Catholic Bishop Quinn who, by mid-1861, had raised sufficient funds to open Grammar Schools in both Brisbane and Ipswich. Amidst an outcry from the Protestant section of the community, Bishop Quinn was informed by the Executive Council of Queensland that the intention of the legislation was to establish Grammar Schools on strictly non-sectarian principles. This decision may have been influenced by the fact that not a single member of either House of the Legislature in Queensland at the time was a Roman Catholic.
[edit] Establishment of IGS
Unperturbed, the Roman Catholic community in Ipswich raised the full amount of £1000. On 20 August 1861, the first meeting concerning the establishment of a Grammar School in Ipswich took place. Around 200 people attended.
It seems that despite the drive of the Roman Catholics to establish a school under their denomination, the majority of people did not support the establishment of a school where one religion would predominate. Trouble erupted when a resolution was put forward that members of each religious denomination be appointed to a committee to make preparations for the new Grammar School. A member of the Roman Catholic group inferred that they would withdraw their funds if they did not get their own way – and the meeting ended in turmoil, with a brawl taking place. In the week following this first meeting, newspapers reported clashes in the streets of Ipswich between Roman Catholics and the Protestants.
On 27 August 1861, one week after the initial meeting, a second meeting regarding the Grammar School was held at the Ipswich Court House. Around 600 people attended. A local newspaper, The Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser, records it as "the largest and noisiest ever held in Ipswich". At one stage, police were called to settle another brawl that had broken out between the various religious groups.
It was in this turbulent spirit that a resolution for the establishment of IGS was passed, by 281 votes to 199. The Roman Catholic group promptly withdrew their financial support, and it would be March 1862 before the community of Ipswich would raise the £1000 required.
The first Board of Trustees, elected on March 25, 1862, called for plans and specifications to be submitted for the new school building. Architect Benjamin Backhouse made the only submission, and after a small problem with his initial design was overcome (he had forgotten to make provision for toilets), the plan was accepted. The original building (known as the Great Hall) was designed in a revival gothic style, and it was constructed by contractors John Ferguson and David McLaughlin.
[edit] The early years
IGS was opened on 25 September 1863 by Sir George Ferguson Bowen, Governor of Queensland. The School opened with 16 students, 4 staff and the inaugural Headmaster, Mr Stuart Hawthorne, himself a brilliant graduate of the University of Sydney.
The first curriculum reflected the traditional Grammar School education – it included Latin and Greek classics, mathematics, the various branches of liberal English education and, when circumstances permitted, teaching of the German and French languages. Student numbers fluctuated during the initial years, but settled between 70 and 80 in the 1870s.
By the turn of the century, 36 students had graduated from IGS to various universities around Australia. In this time, a number of other Queensland grammar schools had opened, some under the auspices of the Grammar Schools Act – in the immediate region, these included Brisbane Grammar School in 1868, Gregory Terrace in 1875, Toowoomba Grammar School in 1877 and Nudgee College in 1891.
When competition with Brisbane Grammar commenced, Australian rules football was the chosen code. The first competitive match between the two schools was played in 1870 under these rules – the outcome was a draw. These early games were exceptionally long – the match between IGS and Brisbane Grammar in 1876 commenced at 10.30am and ended at 2.30pm, at which time IGS had scored 6 goals to Brisbane Grammar's nil.
Incidentally, rugby union was adopted as the official code in 1887, only to be replaced by rugby league when the GPS (see below) system commenced in 1918. In 1928, the code was again changed to rugby union, where it has since stayed, although due to popular demand, Aussie Rules was reintroduced in 1995 as part of the Independent Schools Australian Rules Football Competition.
Competitions between the Grammar Schools in these years became more frequent. In 1878, the first Inter-Grammar School sports held for Athletics were held, with IGS prevailing over Brisbane Grammar School and Toowoomba Grammar School. IGS won two successive grammar school rowing regattas in 1891 and 1892, but floods in Ipswich destroyed the School's rowing shed and equipment - and IGS has not competed in rowing competition since.
The first tennis match between IGS and Brisbane Grammar was played in 1893, with IGS emerging victorious. IGS also claimed victory in the first cricket match between the two schools – but the actual scores have been lost.
[edit] Middle years
By the time of the silver jubilee of IGS in 1913, attended by Sir William MacGregor, Governor of Queensland, the School had erected an Honour Board, new boarding facilities and a Science Block, leading to the teaching of physics and chemistry in a laboratory. The Chelmsford Cup series (the precursor to the GPS system, named after then Governor of Queensland, The Lord Chelmsford) was established in 1907 for competition between the existing Grammar Schools, and the inauguration of the Old Boys Association followed the next year. The University of Queensland was opened in Brisbane in 1909, improving student attendance.
The Chelmsford Cup series existed alongside the new Great Public Schools, or GPS, system from 1918 to 1938, at which time it was discontinued in favour of GPS. In 1925, the first sports ground at IGS was opened. The first game to be played on this field was a football match between past and present students – the result was a 3-all draw. IGS added swimming and tennis facilities and a second sports ground in the 1930s, laying the foundation for the School's modern reputation for sporting excellence.
IGS produced three Rhodes scholars between 1922 and 1924, and had produced five prior to World War II. The connection of electricity and addition of four new classroom blocks in the 1920s meant that by 1930, student numbers had risen to around 200.
[edit] Post-WWII Years
IGS grew notably following World War II – additional boarding facilities, in the form of the Murray Hancock Memorial Block, were created in 1946; the War Memorial Library was opened in 1947; and Preparatory School buildings were added in 1955. The large central classroom block, which was constructed at a cost of over £100,000, was opened in 1961 – and is still used prominently today.
More growth was to follow, with the Manual Training facilities and an on-campus hospital added in 1967, biology block opened in 1970, the R.G. Edmondson Memorial Open Air Theatre and the Gilmore Wilson Memorial School of Music opened and dedicated in 1977 and the Physical Education and Sports Complex opened in 1980.
During the 1980s, the school constructed state of the art manual arts and science facilities, automated its library and other resources, purchased the 250 acre historic Woodlands estate in the nearby suburb of Marburg and signed a cooperation agreement with its sister school in Japan, Gifu Daiichi High School. The decade was to end in sadness, however, as Headmaster Alan Ladley died suddenly on the final school day of 1989.
The 1990s saw IGS adopt a number of commercial activities – a common theme through a number of the GPS Schools. The Grammar Park Housing Estate was started in 1991 in a nearby suburb of Ipswich, and later the state of the art Grammar Park Sports Fields and a hospitality complex was added. IGS expanded its teaching into year 7 (traditionally a primary school year level in Queensland) in 1994. Years 4 to 6 were added later, in conjunction with Ipswich Girls Grammar School, and in 2006 the school will begin operating services for pre-school to year 3.
The School, in conjunction with Griffith University, has developed a Learning Made Easy™ program to underline all aspects of the IGS education. The program is embedded in all curriculum areas, and has been marketed overseas.
[edit] IGS Today
The original school buildings from the 1860s still sit on the crown of Grammar School Hill, and are now listed by the National Trust of Australia. The school grounds themselves have undergone a notable transformation in recent years, with the most significant change being the introduction of the Igor Lapa Junior School.
IGS is a member of the Great Public Schools Association of Queensland, better known as the GPS, which was established in 1918. IGS was one of the founding members. Today, nine schools are involved in the GPS system – IGS, Nudgee College, Gregory Terrace, Brisbane Grammar School, Toowoomba Grammar School, Anglican Church Grammar School, Brisbane State High School, The Southport School and Brisbane Boys' College. Thirteen formal GPS Activities are engaged in between the schools, with Premierships each year.
Despite being the smallest of the GPS Schools in terms of student numbers, IGS continues to perform notably in the GPS competitions:
- In 2005, IGS won its eighth consecutive GPS Track and Field Carnival at ANZ Stadium – it is also the eighteenth consecutive year that IGS has finished in the top 3. The School is approaching the record of ten consecutive titles, achieved by Anglican Church Grammar School between 1956 and 1965.
- Also in 2005, IGS finished 2nd in the 'marquee' GPS competitions of 1st XV rugby and 1st XI cricket, as well as placing 2nd in cross-country and 1st VI volleyball, 3rd in 1st XI football and 4th in swimming.
- The 1sts Debating Team was unlucky to receive no higher than 5th position through dubious adjudicator decisions in 2005.
- In 2006, the IGS 1st XI cricket side captained by australian representative, Haydn Murray, successfully won the cricket premiership, which had not been won by IGS for seventeen years.
- Also in 2006 three IGS students became successful in gaining selection into the Australian School Boy's Rugby Union team. A feat matched, when last year they achieved the same number in the 2005 team.
Students of IGS are members of one of six houses for the purposes of intra-school activities. These houses, named after six of the longest serving headmasters, are Hawthorne (yellow), Cameron (sky blue), Lawrence (red), Kerr (green), Henderson (black) and Ladley (royal blue). Students are allocated to a house on entry to the school and generally remain in the same house for their entire time at the school. Senior year students assist teachers in managing the students during events.
In 2005 the house Kerr won the three main interhouse sporting events with Swimming, Cross Country and Track and Field.
[edit] Traditions
Ipswich Grammar students are often referred to as 'Ippy Boys'.
The school anthem is:
Hail IGS
We pledge you our best
We'll work for victory
Echo our loyalty
So hail IGS
The fairest and best
Roll on to victory
Ipswich Grammar School
IGS has a friendly rivalry with other GPS schools such as Brisbane Grammar School and Brisbane Boys' College. There is a long-standing rivalry, sometimes not so friendly, between the students of IGS (a secular, boys-only top-ranked school) and St Edmund's College (a Catholic boys school), which is one street away.
[edit] Alumni
All former students are known as 'old boys' and automatically gain membership into IGSOBA, the IGS Old Boys Association. IGSOBA organises regular reunions and occasional sporting competitions.
Famous alumni:
[edit] Science and culture
- Dr John Bradfield - Engineer famous for designing the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Story Bridge in Brisbane, Queensland, and in later years developing the Bradfield Scheme for diverting rivers west of the Great Dividing Range.
- Raymond Dart - Anatomist and anthropologist best known for his controversial discovery of the Taung Child, or Australopithecus africanus in South Africa in 1924. This discovery was heralded as the "missing link" between apes and humans.
- Sir Harry Gibbs - Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1981 to 1987, and puisne (associate) judge of the High Court of Australia from 1970 to 1981.
- Vance Palmer - Eminent Australian novelist, dramatist, essayist and critic between the 1920s and 1950s. The Vance Palmer Literary Prize is presented annually at IGS.
- Sir Llewellyn Edwards - Former State Liberal Party Leader, Deputy Premier and Treasurer of Queensland, Chairman and Chief Executive for World Expo '88 and current Chancellor of the University of Queensland.
- Henry John Coates AC MBE - Distinguished military man, including posts as Commandant of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, Head of the Australian Defence Staff, Washington and Chief of the General Staff, Australian Army.
- Lord Robert Hall KCMG CB - Economic advisor to successive Chancellors of the Exchequer in the Parliament of Great Britain, 1951 to 1963. One of the School's Rhodes Scholars (1923).
- Thomas Shapcott - Highly regarded Australian writer and poet. Spent 8 years as Professor of Creative Writing at University of Adelaide, and is currently a Fellow at the National Library of Australia.
- Major John Lockhart Gibson - One of Queensland's most brilliant doctors in the early twentieth century. Held many important positions in medical and educational institutions in Brisbane, and lends his name to one of the houses of Brisbane Girls Grammar School.
- Herbert (Joe) Burton – Foundation Professor of Economic History at Canberra University College (later the University of Canberra) – a College widely believed to be born out of his vision. Foundation President of the Australian Council for Civil Liberties. In 1965, he was made the first Emeritus Professor of Australian National University. One of the School's Rhodes Scholars (1922).
- Charles Chauvel – Pioneer of the Australian film industry and influential early film director. Credits include Jedda (the first colour feature film made in Australia), In The Wake Of The Bounty (which launched the career of Errol Flynn), 40,000 Horsemen and The Rats Of Tobruk.
- Peter Slipper – Current federal member for the electorate of Fisher.
- David McCormack – Lead singer of the band Custard.
- John Birmingham – Noted Australian author, whose most famous work is He Died With A Felafel In His Hand.
- George Miller (producer) – Hollywood director, screenwriter and producer. Credits include the Mad Max trilogy, Babe, Babe: Pig in the City, Lorenzo's Oil and The Witches of Eastwick.
[edit] Sporting
Over the years, IGS has produced many distinguished sportsmen. Some notable examples include:
- Tennis - International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee Roy Emerson, who held the record for most Grand Slam men's singles titles with 12 until Pete Sampras passed the mark in 2000.
- Rugby Union – A line of players stretching from World Cup and Bledisloe winning Wallaby flanker David Wilson, to Ken Donald, who played 9 tests for Australia between 1957-59, all the way back to Eric Francis, who became Ipswich's first Wallaby in 1914. Recently at provincial level, IGS team mates Berrick Barnes and Nic Berry have paired together for the Queensland Reds. Tu Tamarua played professionally in Europe for several seasons and has represented the Pacific Islanders team, while Graham Hislop spent several seasons playing professionally in Japan after leaving the Reds.
- Rugby League - Famous twins Kevin Walters and Kerrod Walters, who grew up playing league alongside fellow Ipswich residents and future Brisbane Broncos and Australian team mates, Allan Langer and IGS old boy Brett Plowman. Later came Willie Carne, who played league for the Brisbane Broncos, Queensland, Australia as well as a stint with the Queensland Reds. Craig Polla-Mounter, after captaining the Australian Schoolboys rugby side in 1989 and 1990, played for the Canterbury Bulldogs for many seasons. IGS has produced a number of other Australian Kangaroos over the years, including Johnny Hunt, Dud Beattie, Dan Dempsey and Denis Flannery.
- Cricket - Australian Test cricketers Craig McDermott and Shane Watson.
[edit] Headmasters
- Stuart Hawthorne, 1863-1868
- John McCrae, 1869-1875
- Donald Cameron, 1875-1900
- Charles A. Flint, 1901-1907
- Bertram G. Lawrence, 1907-1915
- Richard A. Kerr, 1915-1945
- William G. Henderson, 1946-1951
- R.J. (Jim) Diamond, 1952-53
- Charles E. Olsen, 1953-1958
- Walter M. Douglas, 1958
- Basil V. Heath, 1959-1968
- Alan M. Ladley, 1969-1989
- Igor Lapa, 1990-2001
- Denis Frederiksen, 2001-present day
