Scotch College

Images of the School Past and Present

The Limited Edition Print was conceived as part of the Sesquicentenary celebrations of the College, and achieved with the contribution of many people, under the guidance of the Print Committee.

Five hundred prints have been produced, each one containing the personal original signatures of nine eminent persons who have been associated with the college, three Governors General of Australia, three State Premiers,

the two living past Principals and the present Principal of the College. A Certificate identifying the print number in the 500 Series is provided to certify its authenticity.

The items depicted on the prints are representative of the people, buildings, activities and events characteristic of and important to the 150 year life and development of the College. The print highlights in a pictorial way, the contribution by Scotch College to Education in Victoria, and the personal development of its many students.

A special printed legend gives a brief description of each of the rich tapestry of images in the life of a school, and accompanies each framed print.

These descriptions remind us of the history of the school, and include many less well-known stories behind the images which contribute to the legacy of the school.

The Coat of Arms of Scotch College

Scotch has had a few symbols identifying the college over the years such as 'a thistle in flower', and later a 'toga clad young man reading the book of life by the light of hope placed on a pillar of faith'. However by 1924, the School Council adopted a Coat of Arms which had been designed by Sir Edward Mackenzie by invitation from Sir Arthur Robinson. The new coat of arms and crest embodied all the ideals of the school and may be described thus: -

The Motto:	Deo Patriae Litteris
The Crest:	The burning bush, symbolising the presence of God, and the emblem of the Presbyterian Church
Wreath:	Six twists of silk, hiding the base of the crest
Cross of St Andrew:	Representing the national ensign of the Kingdom of Scotland
Royal Crown:	Representing loyalty to 'King and Empire'
Southern Cross:	The emblem of Victoria
Torch:	Symbolising learning

The Scottish Lymphad: An old fashioned Greek ship with one mast propelled by oars, against the wind, which stands for achievement and effort of our fathers, for honest endeavour and the glory of pursuing

 

Quadrangle, Memorial Hall, Foundation Trowel

Although the Junior School was built in 1917 and opened for classes in 1918, the Foundation Stone of the Main School development was not laid until March 5, 1920, by Lieut. General Sir John Monash, GCMG, KCB, VD, MCE, using a very special commemorative trowel.

Lieut. General Sir John Monash had arrived back from the War in Melbourne with his wife Vic on Christmas Day, 1919. Mrs Monash had been ill throughout the voyage. Monash fulfilled many social and official engagements in the following two months after Mrs Monash died on 27 February.

It was typical of the man that he would be at Scotch College one week later on 5 March, fulfilling a commitment to lay a foundation stone in the Memorial Hall, before a crowd of many hundreds of interested spectators.

The stone which is in the Eastern Wall of the Memorial Hall, includes these words; -

'Erected by the Old Boys in Honour of those who served in the War 1914-1919'.

The science block was completed first, (although demolished in 1996 to make way for enhanced staff facilities in the extension of the Lithgow Centre). The main quadrangle classrooms were completed in 1922.

The centrepiece tree in the quadrangle is appropriately, a Scottish Weeping Elm, and the Rose window is a feature of the west wall of the hall.

In the School Prospectus of 1922 was printed - 'the main building is a two storeyed structure arranged in the form of a quadrangle. The most prominent feature is the War Memorial Hall'.

In the school history, 1925, there appears - 'The memorial Hall was destined to become the spirit of Scotch'.

James Forbes and the Melbourne Academy

James Forbes, whose vision and energy provided the foundation of Scotch College, arrived in Victoria in 1837 and with colleagues established the 'Free Church Presbytery of Victoria'. With the approval of the Church, he was authorised to ask the Free Church of Scotland, 'to send out an accomplished teacher to take charge of an academy for instruction in the higher branches of science and literature, 'and in which young men might pursue their preparatory studies with a view to the office of the Ministry', ('Deepening Roar', 2002, J. Mitchell).

Sadly Forbes died one month before the selected teacher, Robert Lawson, arrived to be 'Rector of the Academy at Melbourne'. The name of the school, 'the Melbourne Academy', gradually changed to Scotch College by around 1855.

The first location was in the small Chalmers Free Church School at Spring Street North, opening on October 6, 1851, but by the pressure of numbers, a move was made at the start of 1852 to larger leased premises on the southwest corner of Little Collins Street and Spring Street. A plate in the footpath on the west side of Spring Street North, opposite the College of Surgeons' building marks the site of the first School Building.

Ken Field's Bell

When Neil Roberts arrived at Scotch to the position of Bursar, succeeding Ken Field in this position, this bell was stored in Ken's office. When asked to explain the importance of the bell, Ken explained that it had the important potential function of being rung by him in case of whatever dire emergency could befall the college, to alert the students when all other alert technologies might fail!

The Littlejohn Memorial Chapel

Arguably the most distinctive building of the College. Dr W S Littlejohn's dream was that Scotch should have a chapel, and this project was formally approved by the school council in June 1933, and the final site chosen.

This site was especially favoured by Dr Littlejohn. At the request of the Old Boys, the council resolved that it should be called 'the Littlejohn Chapel'.

Dr Littlejohn died October 1933, before he could realise his dream. Commencement of building of the Chapel was delayed until most of the cost had been raised by appeals and from funds made available by the Old Scotch Collegians Association.

Building commenced in May 1935 and the foundation stone laid in October of that year, under which were placed the ashes of Dr Littlejohn on the second anniversary of his death.

On completion, the building was dedicated in October 1937, as 'The Littlejohn Memorial'.

The 'J D Law' Science Notebook

Near the lower right hand border of the limited edition print, is a collection of School books, including a student exercise book with printed cover, texts for learning Mathematics and Latin, and a selection of prayers used by Dr Littlejohn at morning assembly, published in 1934 after his death.

Included in the collection is one of the oldest books associated with the college, on loan to our archives, the science notebook of 1858 of student James D Law, later Principal Officer of the State Bank of Victoria. It has some beautiful detailed illustrations by him. His teacher was

Dr John Macadam, after whom the well known Queensland nut, the 'Macadamia Nut' was named by his friend, Baron Ferdinand Von Muller, Chief Botanist for Victoria, and sometime Director of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. Thus our well known Australian nut delicacy has a link with Scotch College.

Keith Weymouth