With the passing of another year, the Brisbane Grammar School has attained the ripe, old age of eighty-six. Two years ago one might have said that the School looked its age, but now, thanks to some much-needed renovation, it has been restored to its former vigorous appearance. The newly-painted rooms have brightened the whole School to a remarkable extent — not only the buildings, but also the boys.
We cannot fail to mention the Great Hall. Its transformation is marvellous. The passing of time had taken serious toll on the fine appearance of the Hall; it had become drab and dingy, and lacked its former impressive grandeur. But now — words cannot adequately describe its complete restoration. The great School Window has been cleaned with meticulous care; the cedar doors are resplendent with their coat of varnish; the floor has been repaired and the whole interior brightened with an array of beautiful colours. And now, for the first time in the history of the School, the Great Hall has its own permanent seating accommodation — pine seats stained and lacquered, which put the finishing touches to a truly remarkable piece of renovation. These seats are the gift of the Parents and Friends Association. The boys of the school, who look at things from a practical point of view, regard it as one of the best additions to school life since the tuckshop, and they are most grateful.
The fine appearance of the school has had some psychological effect on the boys. They seem to be imbued with a new and not undesirable feeling. On the field of sport, the School has had one of its most successful years for some time. The Head of the River, rowed for the first time in eights, was won by B.G.S. for the first time for twenty-one years. The First Fifteen, playing with a new-found zeal, were runners-up in the G.P.S. competition, the first time for many years. The First Eleven, undefeated, have retained the cricket premiership won last year, sharing the honour this year with C.E.G.S., and in most sports there has been a marked resurgence of talent. It remains for this feeling to penetrate the academic side, and if it does, the School will probably be renovated once every two or three years!
We leave the up and coming members of the School to look to their laurels, and continue with their good work. There is surely sufficient inspiration!
Most Old Boys feel they owe a debt to the School and therefore are happy to do what they can to help the School. One way in which every Old Boy can help, whether he lives in Brisbane or not, is to belong to the Old Boys' Association.
Our experience is that the most successful schools are supported by a strong Old Boys' Association. As far as the B.G.S. is concerned, the Association has been privileged to help the School in many ways, but with greater numbers and even greater enthusiasm it can help the School more. During the past year the number of financial members has increased by 350, but we feel we can do better still. So we should like each member to make a point during the next year of securing at least one new member, and that will double our membership.
We are grateful for the help that the Association has received from the School, from the Trustees (Old Boys themselves), the Headmaster and Mrs. McLucas, the Staff and Boys, and also of course from the members of the Parents' and Friends' Association, who among other things have donated the handsome seats which have helped to complete the transformation of the Hall.
Finally let us remind every Old Boy who will be in Brisbane on Saturday, 25th February 1956, to make a note in his diary that he should visit the School on that date for the Foundation Day celebrations.
Alan George Eadie, A.I.S.B.M., elected President of the O.B.A. at the last Annual General Meeting, entered the School in 1924. Now a member of the B.G.S.O.B.A. Rostrum Club No. 12, in pre-war days he was active in the Debating Club, of which for some time he was President. In 1930 he was a Prefect. A qualified accountant, practising in Brisbane, he has already applied himself with energy and enthusiasm to his new job.
Tom Bain, who entered the School in 1930, is also the son of an Old Boy, the late T. W. Bain (1890), who was at one time Associate Editor of the Brisbane Telegraph. Tom is a draughtsman with the P.M.G.'s Department; he has been particularly active in helping the work of the School of Arts, of which he is a Committeeman, and is also an active member of the B.G.S.O.B.A. Rostrum Club.
Old Boys' Association (Founded 1898).
Subscription — Annual: 10/-, due 1st July. Boys joining immediately on leaving school, 2/6 to 30th June. Life Membership: £10. Badge: 5/6. Magazine: 3/6 per copy.
The 57th Annual General Meeting of the B.G.S. Old Boys' Association was held in the School Hall on 21st September 1955, attendance about ninety (much better than average). The retiring General Secretary and Treasurer did not seek re-election owing to pressure of business; the meeting placed on record its appreciation of the devoted and enthusiastic work done by Vivian Burris (and the great assistance given by his wife), electing him an Honorary Life Member. Mr. Burris continues as an elected member of the Council.
(Heritage note in this issue: tribute to the late Stuart Stephenson, Second Master 1910–1927 and Headmaster 1928–1940, author of the "B.G.S. Annals 1869–1922" and keeper of the World War II Honour Board notes.)
Reginald Heber Roe Scholarship — Founded by the O.B.A. in memory of R. H. Roe, M.A., Headmaster of the School 1876–1909.
Roe (Foundation Day 1955): L. C. J. Hartley, son of L. C. J. Hartley (B.G.S. 1927–30); also won an Open Scholarship.
J. G. Nowlan Bursary — Founded by the O.B.A., to the boy entering the School with the highest pass in the State Scholarship Examination.
Nowlan (Foundation Day 1955): Mervyn Harris Knight.
(The issue's front "Sports / Awards" summary also records the prior round — awards presented at Foundation Day 1954: Reginald Heber Roe Bursary — T. Baxter; A. J. Mason Scholarship — R. J. Paten and D. Lalji (equal); J. G. Nowlan Bursary — K. B. Davidson.)
O.B.A. Prizes (presented at the 1954 Speech Night) — Essay: Senior, D. P. Maynard; Junior, R. S. Kirkpatrick.
The 1955 issue carries Old Boys' Births / Marriages / Deaths registers and a "Personal Column", not reproduced here.
Source: The Brisbane Grammar School Magazine, November 1955 (School's 86th year). Notation: The issue states "the figures in brackets after names denote the year of entry to the B.G.S." — so all "(year)" tags = year of ENTRY. School Captain 1955: C. P. Hildebrand. Headmaster: A. E. McLucas, M.A., B.Ed. (In 1956 the Headmaster is H. F. Newell — the McLucas→Newell handover falls between these two issues; to confirm against the 1953/1954 issues.)
In this era, an Old Boy's year designation was the year he entered Grammar; the convention today is the year he finished. A boy who started in 1993 and finished in 1997 was (93) but is now '97.
Brisbane Grammar School Old Boys' Association · Old Boys History. Part of the OBA Knowledge Project.
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