Trinity College Newsletter, vol 1 no 6, May 1971

TRINITY COLLEGE Newskfret A PUBLICATION OF TRINITY COLLEGE WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE No. 6

MAY, 1971

S. A. WYNNE SCHOLARSHIP The generosity of a group of friends of Mr. Sydney Wynne has enabled the College Council to establish an endowed scholarship which bears his name and which commemorates his many years of invaluable service to the College.

Mr. Wynne retired from his position of Overseer early in 1970 after fifty years of devoted work for the welfare of the College and its members. Many and many a student over the generations, tutors, college officers and members of the domestic staff have known his helping hand, his plain speaking, his sensible advice, his firmness when firmness was required and, at bottom, his generosity and kindness.

The response by Mr. Wynne's friends, most of them already contributors to the general College Appeal, to the approach made to them (largely through the energy

THE BUILDING PROGRAMME In November, 1970, the College lodged its Submission to the Australian Universities' Commission for the Triennium 19731975. The Submission proposes the completion of the current renovation programme, begun with Leeper in 1964-1965, and looks ahead to some increase in residential places (not necessarily of the traditional kind), more tutorial and meeting rooms, and better facilities for nonresident students. (Because it is still before the Commission the details of the Submission are at present confidential.)

All the projects described in the Submission seem to the College Council to be essential. Only the support of Appeal funds, however, will make them possible.

COLLEGE APPEAL S

of the Senior Tutor, Dr. A. J. Buzzard), has been most gratifying. The appeal for this scholarship is still open and contributions to the general College Appeal may be earmarked by the donor for this special purpose. One scholarship has been established and it is hoped that further contributions will enable a second scholarship to be endowed.

The first S. A. Wynne Scholar is Mr. C. D. Cordner, a resident member of the College and a member of the University Blacks football team, now in the final year of a distinguished honours course in Philosophy and English.

Mr. C. D. Cordner, first S. A. Wynne Scholar.

DEATH OF MR. WYNNE While this Newsletter was at the printers the College learnt, with great sorrow, of the death of Sydney ("Syd") Arthur Wynne, on 22nd April at Ferntree Gully.

THE PROBLEM OF COLLEGE FEES The Warden writes: For the first time for a very long while indeed — in our case, since the 1930's — the men's Colleges this year have experienced real difficulty in filling their places, and some (including ourselves) still have vacancies.

The situation is complex, and I cannot here examine it in full. While there are various factors at work, it is certain, however, that the principal reason for the shortfall in entries and re-entries is the size of College fees. An increasing proportion of students and their parents find them unacceptable. This is despite the fact that there is an overall shortage of residential accommodation for students in the vicinity of the University.

Our fees are high primarily because household costs are so high; and our household costs will remain high even with the most careful and economic management.

ernment subsidies. What I should like to stress particularly in this Newsletter, however, is the importance of increasing our endowments — the urgent importance of increasing them substantially. It would help the fees problem a great deal if certain areas of College expenditure — such as the educational establishment, scholarships and bursaries, the Library and (perhaps above all) a proportion of building maintenance — were a charge upon endowment income alone. It is worth remarking that we have only half the endowment of Ormond College, and that it is for this reason that our fees must be set significantly higher than theirs; Ormond, be it noted, is full.

It is my hope that a sustained and systematic effort to improve our endowment situation will mark our entry into our second century.

-150.000.00 $139,432 135,000.00 120,000.00 105,000.00 90,000.00 75,000 DO 50,000.00

It is not that our fees have risen out of all proportion to the general increase in costs throughout the community; it can be shown that the contrary is the case.

What has happened is that priorities have changed. For good or ill, students and their parents are less prepared than they once were to pay large sums out of their private pockets for anything connected with tertiary education.

45,000.00

MORE ENDOWMENTS NEEDED 30,000.00 15,000.00 00,000.00

TOTAL AS AT 16/4/71

If, as I believe, we must now recognize this as the long-term situation, then action must be taken to reduce the fees, or at least to stabilize them: for reasons which are not only economic, the College cannot afford vacancies.

Something can be achieved (and is being achieved) by internal re-arrangements.

All Colleges are pressing for further Gov-

99 That is our age this year — ninety-nine — and planning is well advanced for the celebration of our Centenary in 1972.

Finals details are yet to be settled, but ideas under consideration include a special centenary publication (probably a "coffeetable" book about the College), a grand academic occasion, a Cathedral Service, and a Ball. Most of the functions would occur in the latter half of the year. The Cathedral is booked for the afternoon of Sunday, 2nd July, being one hundred years to the day after the enrolment of the first Trinity student (John Francis Stretch, later a Bishop).

NEWSLETTER

Page 2

May, 1971

TRAGIC DEATH OF DR. BARRY MARSHALL The last issue of the Newsletter (June, 1970) reported the departure of Dr. Marshall for England and published his own review of his years at Trinity as student, Chaplain and Joint Acting Warden. Within two months he was dead.

He died in Oxford on 12th August, from injuries received in a fall at Pusey House, of which he was about to become Principal. Characteristically, he was at the time of the fall acting as his own handyman and changing a light globe on a staircase.

A Eucharist of Thanksgiving for his life and priesthood was held in the Chapel of this College on 15th August, and his cremated remains were interred beneath the pavement of the Chapel at a Burial Service on 24th August.

Fuller accounts and remembrances of this remarkable and much-loved man — surely one of the greatest and most influential scholar-priests this College has produced — will be found in the 1969 and 1970 editions of the Fleur de Lys. Later this year it is hoped to publish a small memorial volume, with contributions from men and women who knew him at different stages of his life and in various contexts.

A Marshall Memorial Fund has been opened. It is proposed that the income from the Fund should be applied to extend — (1) the ministry and witness of the College Chapel, especially in its liturgical, pastoral and apologetic aspects. It is hoped to sponsor such activities as addresses, festivals and exhibitions, and to enrich the Chapel furnishings with choice works of fine or applied art; (2) the resources of the College Library, in both its theological and general sections, bearing in mind his own particular scholarly interests.

Some copies of the Fleur de Lys for 1969 and 1970 are still available from the College.

A recording was issued of the Eucharist of Thanksgiving, which includes the sermon preached by his former College study-companion, the Venerable Stanley Moss; copies of the recording are also available.

Names are being registered now for reserved copies of the memorial book.

The Memorial Fund has already been generously supported; it is still open, and contributions (which are tax-deductible) may be sent to the College.

A return slip for these various purposes is included with the Newsletter.

NEW APPOINTMENT FOR THE DEAN The Dean, the Reverend R. W. Gregory, has accepted appointment as Headmaster of All Souls' School, Charters Towers, Queensland. He will, however, remain at the College for the whole of 1971.

PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE UNION OF THE FLEUR-DE-LYS Basic and far-reaching changes in the nature of membership of the Union of the Fleur-de-Lys have been adopted in principle by the committee of the Union.

These involve, among other things, inviting all former resident members of the College to the annual Union dinner. The next dinner will be on May 21st.

A renovated study in Clarke. The renovation, which was made possible by the College appeal, has enhanced greatly the value of rooms in Clarke to both students and conference members.

NEW COUNCIL MEMBER Sir Rupert Clarke, M.B.E., M.A. (Oxon.), has joined the College Council.

It gives the College great pleasure to reestablish in this fashion its links with a family so closely associated with its earlier years.

NEW BISHOP Like Gaul, the Diocese of Melbourne has been divided into three parts for greater efficiency of episcopal administration and care. By resolution of Synod each of these areas is being tended by one of Melbourne's assistant bishops. When the departure of Bishop Arnott left only one co-adjutor in this diocese, two more were sought and one of these was our Chaplain, James Alexander Grant. He was consecrated in St. Paul's Cathedral on St. Thomas' day last year and a great gathering of the College was with him for the occasion. It was not until February that he undertook his duties which involve the charge of the Western Region comprehending the Archdeaconries of Geelong and Essendon. Besides the new bishop's natural talents, he has the advantage of being a Geelong man and of having started the parish of Broadmeadows before becoming Domestic Chaplain to the Archbishop in 1966.

The College offers its congratulations to Bishop Grant on his appointment and wishes him well in his new task.

Happily, although the new task is onerous, the bishop will remain in residence as Honorary Chaplain to the College. Apart from his affection for the College which led him to want to stay, this is a central location for him; it keeps him in touch with students and progressive (?) thought and "it provides a place to eat and pray". He continues to have responsibility in the United Faculty of Theology and cares for theologues, although the pastoral and liturgical care of the College communities will be largely in the hands of the Assistant Chaplain who takes office this month.

THE MOST MAN The Reverend J. B. Minchin, B.A., Th.L., when he was in residence as a student from 1960 to 1965, enlivened the College in many ways but not least through The Most Men, a musical group which interpreted the Gospel in modern terms. Since 1968 he has been working in the Diocese of Singapore, mainly at St. Andrew's Cathedral. Much of his own modern church music has been published and recorded; in fact a new record was released a few months ago. He returns as Assistant Chaplain and we expect that J.C.H. and Trinity will hear much of him, perhaps in the oriental mode? During second term he will be at the heart of the College in Lower Bishops'.

CUP WINNER Strollers through the College grounds and even the inhabitants of neighbouring colleges on the afternoon of the last Caulfield Cup would have heard a mighty shout ring from many study windows as the horses passed the finishing post in the main event. The Cup was won by Beer Street, which is jointly owned by Dr. and Mrs. M. M. Wilson and Mr. J. D. Merralls.

Dr. Wilson, for some years Senior Tutor at Trinity, and Mrs. Wilson are living now on their property, Harpley, out of Devonport in Tasmania. Dr. Wilson, who is currently President of the Tasmanian Division of the Bloodhorse Breeders' Association of Australia, and Mrs. Wilson are enthusiastic livestock breeders and have a keen interest in horse breeding and racing.

Mr. Merralls, a resident tutor in Law and a former Dean and Senior Tutor of the College, generously provided champagne for the whole College to celebrate the win. Enthusiastic were the toasts in Hall for Beer Street and his proud owners.

Beer Street's previous most important win was the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Launceston on 4th April, 1970, after which the owners were presented to Her Majesty the Queen.

Landau, a grandsire of Beer Street, was raced in England by the Queen.

Beer Street raced well to gain fifth place in the most recent Melbourne Cup.

NEWSLETTER

May, 1971

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The Union of the F1eurD&Lys

by F. F. Knight PERIOD THREE: 1945-1967 The history of the Union of the Fleur-de-Lys since its foundation 82 years ago falls into three periods due to the fact that its activities were interrupted by two world wars. These periods are 1885-1915; 1918-42; 1945 up to the present time.

The first two periods were described by the author in the first two issues of this Newsletter.

Although there were no formal committee meetings and no minutes were kept during the war, the Union of the Fleur-deLys had no difficulty in resuming its normal activities shortly after hostilities ceased. The President (W. H. Moule) instructed the Secretary (A. W. Hamer) to arrange a meeting and dinner. This meeting, followed by the dinner was held in College on 28th November, 1945. The Warden and Senior Student were guests, and 87 members were present. It was recorded that "this was the first meeting since 1941".

Dr. H. G. Furne11, C.B.E., D.S.O., was elected President and re-elected the following year It will be recalled that since 1886 no President had been in office for two consecutive years, except where the normal activities of the Union had been in abeyance, as they had been in this case.

During the war he had risen to the rank of brigadier and the appointment of D.D.M.S., 1st Australian Corps., In 1954 he was elected President of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Medical Association.

During this period there were only three Secretaries. The first was A. W. Hamer, a Rhodes Scholar, who is now Executive Director of I.C.I.A.N.Z. When he was transferred to Sydney in 1946 he was succeeded by his brother, R. J. Hamer, a solicitor, now a member of the Legislative Assembly and Chief Secretary and Deputy Premier. Until recently he was a member of the College Council. He had 52 years service in the 2nd A.I.F. He remained Secretary for ten years except during 1953, when his brother, who had returned to Melbourne, acted in his stead.

The next Secretary, J. A. Court, B.Com., an accountant, served for over ten years and until recently was the representative on the College Council, following the death of Dr. E. R. White.

Meetings and dinners were held every year, on each occasion in College. It was possible to hold them there because they took place in vacation and there were no accommodation difficulties. Except in 1945 and 1967 they were held in late May or early June.

The annual meeting was held in the Common Room immediately before the dinner. The business before it was conducted with an expedition which reflected confidence in the committee and the Secretary. The minutes merely record formal business, but reports by the Secretary in the Fleur-de-Lys give a more intimate picture. Of the following extracts, three relate to early meetings and the fourth to a much later one:— "The Annual Meeting was held . . and, amid the customary confusion, the above office-bearers were declared elected."

"The above office-bearers were hastily elected and the financial statement made

a brief appearance and was adopted unanimously."

"Amidst unusual decorum the election of President and Committee was quickly disposed of and the Balance Sheet was taken as read."

"The minutes of the previous meeting and the Annual Report and Financial Statements were taken as read and were adopted unanimously and the Meeting was concluded in near record time."

It may be mere conjecture but it is possible that legal influence was responsible for the "unusual decorum" at the meeting in 1952. The retiring President was J. H. B. Armstrong, a solicitor and son of Bishop Armstrong. A Supreme Court Judge, R. R. Sholl, was elected to succeed him.

What had become traditional procedure was followed at the dinner, though variations took place on special occasions.

Normally the Warden and Senior Student were guests. As early as 1949, the committee decided that no outside guests should be invited, and an invitation to the dinner of a kindred association was declined with this explanation. Until 1956 the average attendance was about 85, the peak year being 1946 when the Secretary commented in the minutes, "106 members attended 98 of whose signatures appear below". From 1957 onwards yearly attendances were well over 100, increasing to a record number of 180 in 1963.

The cost to members of the 1945 dinner was 10/- and this was reduced in the following two years to the low figure of 7/6, but war-time price restrictions (which would not have applied to the College) had continued in force. From then on the costs rose but remained steady at 15/- for seven years. In 1952 the Secretary reported that "the College would again charge 12/6 per head, and with the aid of the Wallace Collection we could manage at 15/- per head". The College charge did not include liquor and other extras, but the income from Wallace's donation of £450 amounted to about £20 and this sum usually covered any deficiency. Since 1959, through increased prices there has been a steady profit without recourse to the Wallace Collection.

During this period there were four notable dinners. In 1946, Dr. Behan, the retiring Warden, and Mr. Cowan, the new Warden, were invited as guests of honour, so two extra toasts were added to the list. R. R. Sholl proposed the health of Dr. Behan and B. C. Meredith that of Mr. Cowan. Dr. Furnell was in the chair and the attendance of 106 was a record at that time. In the following year Dr. Behan was elected President. He is the only ex-Warden to have held that office.

As is well known he was an old Trinity man and the first Victorian Rhodes Scholar.

In 1950 J. S. Bloomfield, in proposing the toast of the Union of the Fleur-de-Lys, congratulated R. R. Sholl on his elevation to the Supreme Court Bench. His Honour, replying to the toast, mentioned that there were nine Supreme Court Judges in Victoria and five of them were Trinity men.

Major-General Sir Samuel Burston was in the chair. He had served with distinction in two wars, and retired as DirectorGeneral of Medical Services in the A.M.F. Bloomfield, a barrister and former noted athlete, was to become Minister of Education in 1956 and to hold that portfolio for eleven years.

A recently completed portrait of Mr. Cowan was presented to the College in 1963. The presentation was made by the President, The Rt. Reverend A. E. Winter, Bishop of St. Arnaud. In the course of his speech the Warden said that he wondered how much pleasure the students would derive from seeing him hung in Hall. The attendance was a record and remains so. Unfortunately, Mr. Cowan died the following year.

Members had an opportunity of meeting Dr. Sharwood, the present Warden, at the 1965 dinner. He was welcomed by the President, Dr. E. A. C. Farran, who paid a tribute to the three great men who had guided the destiny of Trinity for nigh on one hundred years. After dinner many members inspected the renovated Leeper Library.

In 1945, members were invited to subscribe towards the cost of a portrait of Dr. Behan. This was done through a notice in the Fleur-de-Lys. One third of this cost was guaranteed by the Union.

In all £60/16/2 was subscribed, the balance, £11/11/8, being met from ordinary funds. The following year the committee instructed one of its members "to inform the Council that the Union wished to be represented at the presentation of the portrait but it did not regard Annual Dinner ... as a suitable occasion".

It was represented at the subsequent unveiling, which took place at a special afternoon function. Members also had an opportunity of subscribing to Mr. Cowan's portrait. Their subscriptions amounted to £82/3/0. This time the dinner was regarded as a suitable occasion to present the portrait and, as previously recorded, it was presented at the 1963 dinner. In 1966 members were asked to subscribe towards the cost of chandeliers in the College Hall.

A substantial sum was raised, most of the donations being sent direct to the Warden.

A new activity was inaugurated when Newman Old Collegians suggested an Inter-Collegiate Golf Day. On the committee's instructions the Secret a r y attended a meeting to "undertake to support the proposal without being able to promise a good response". However, this competition became popular and is now held annually although there were lapses in earlier years. Unfortunately, there is

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NEWSLETTER

only one record of a Trinity win. That was in 1964.

Quite recently the Secretary reported that the College Record Club was endeavouring to find a recording and a copy of the words of the College Song. It was suggested that the late Dr. L. A. Adamson had composed the music. Later a complete copy was discovered by J. H. B. Armstrong and, as mentioned in the history of the first period, Arnold and Finnis had written it and Finnis was probably the composer. A Records Book was referred to in the Fleur-de-Lys of September, 1907, when old students were asked for help in compiling it. On the same page the Rev. E. S. Hughes was thanked for the loan of a book containing old College songs, "one of which we print in this issue". It would be a pity if that old song, "Hearts and Voices", should disappear. For very many years, it was sung regularly at dinners and until about ten years ago the veterans did their best "to shout the triumphs of our Fleur-deLys" but, as their numbers dwindled and their vocal cords grew weaker, they became disheartened. No one knows who wrote the words but it is certain that no Trinity man composed the music. It was set to the tune of the famous Neapolitan song "Furniculi".

The committee and the Secretary in particular gave close attention to finance.

A cash book was and still is kept and financial statements were presented at each annual meeting. In 1948 the Secretary reported that only 3/- interest was produced from each Life Member's subscription and the cost of the Fleur-de-Lys alone was 3/6. As there was a small surplus that year action was deferred until 1951 when the annual subscription was raised to 10/- and Life membership to 7 guineas. The annual subscription has not risen but Life membership was raised to the present 8 guineas in 1958. These rises do not appear to have had a deterrent effect as at least three-quarters of those who are financial are Life Members. Income has benefited by a rise in Loan interest and many Life Members have died but costs have risen also, particularly in the case of the Fleur-de-Lys, which fortunately is now subsidised. In round figures the capital account rose from $1,496 in 1945 to $5,987 in 1967.

If the Wallace Collection of $900 is disregarded it has risen from $596 to $5,087.

The committee did its best to increase membership and to recruit at least one member who had left College within three years to serve on it. The Secretaries were very active in trying to attain these objectives. They were assisted by both Wardens, who supplied the names and addresses of those leaving College. From 1946 to 1966, membership increased,

approximately, from 185 to 470. These figures, though not spectacular, do show substantial growth. It was not always easy to find young members able and willing to serve on the committee, because many of the newly graduated become scattered throughout the Commonwealth and beyond it. However, there was some success in attracting new blood.

It may appear to some that this third period in the history of the Union of the Fleur-de-Lys has been uneventful. Certainly the committee has not been faced with any great problems. The resumption of activities after the war took place smoothly. There were no disputes with the College authorities or with the student body. Except that all dinners were held in College there were no great changes.

On the other hand this has been a period of solid progress with a steadily increasing membership and a financial position which is very sound. It may be that this progress is beyond the dreams (if any) of those twelve gentlemen who in 1885 founded a Society to be known as the Union of the Fleur-de-Lys.

MENS SANA

.. .

For the statistically minded — At the 1970 examinations Trinity won sixteen Exhibitions and Prizes, six other students topped their Class Lists; there were fortynine first-class honours and one hundred and twenty-six second-class honours.

— Again this year the College offers about ninety tutorials each week.

— Just under half the College is reading Medicine, Engineering or Science; Law, Arts and Commerce are the other well favoured faculties.

— Over half the College is in first or second year of the course.

— One quarter of the College is from Melbourne Grammar; one fifth is from country High Schools.

... IN CORPORE SANO In the second half of 1970 Trinity was beaten in both the intercollegiate hockey and football, so that the R. W. T. Cowan Cup for intercollegiate sport which Trinity had held is now, temporarily of course, held by Ormond.

Hockey Trinity was defeated in the final, six goals to one, by Ormond.

Football In the first round Trinity defeated Ormond, the eventual winners, but successive defeats by Whitley, Newman and Queen's kept Trinity out of the final.

This Year Trinity was defeated in the cri cket but won the rowing so that at present Trinity is running second in the competition for the Cowan Cup.

Rowing In the heats the Trinity crew, a crew of good individual rowers but said to be not working well together, defeated Queen's.

In the winners' finals the Trinity second crew was beaten by Ormond but the first crew rowed well to defeat Ormond by a length and a half.

The Trinity gentlemen had hired a launch in order to take a better view of the races but the driving shaft broke and the good "St. Anthony" drifted across the river almost bringing one of the races to a halt. One bus load of Trinity supporters missed the final altogether when the purportedly experienced bus driver made a wrong turning and was unable to get off the south-eastern freeway until the bus had almost reached Scotch College. The heart of even the most confirmed "landlubber" must be moved by the sight of the victorious crew carrying, at head height. the cox aloft the Mervyn Boumes Higgins shield through the cheering Hall to hang the trophy in its place next to the portrait of the first Warden.

on the understanding

Signature

Date

Mailing address First contribution in the month(s) of Please send reminders.

TRINITY AND THE NATIONAL TRUST Clarke has become the third Trinity building to be classified by the National Trust of Australia. In December last, the College was advised that "this important building" had been awarded a "C" classification; the citation refers to it as "a major work of Edmund Blacket, of interest for its free use of both detached and engaged Romanesque Columns with wide foliated Capitals". Leeper has had a "C" classification for some years, and Behan is classified "D".

Suitable plaques will soon be placed on all three buildings.

The Follow-on Committee has taken over responsibility for the Appeal and is continuing approaches where possible.

that I may vary the amount if necessary.

commencing 197

The introduction of one-day matches has considerably enlivened inter-collegiate cricket and in quite a few recent matches the outcome has not been decided until the last over of the day.

Trinity had a bye in the first round of a "knock-out" competition.

The first game, against Queen's, resulted in a tie. Trinity were in a poor position, being seven down for 73, until they were rescued by Mr. F. C. R. Price (38 runs) and Mr. G. J. Bennett (39 runs n.o.), making 158 runs all out. Queen's in reply started well with one for 70 but, largely because of the excellent bowling by Mr. J. M. McRae for Trinity (6 for 53), they still needed three runs off the last over of the day to win, with two wickets in hand. One run was scored before a batsman was run out and with Queen's playing boldly to score the necessary runs the tenth man was run out having scored one off that ball, which ended the game.

In the replay Queen's were nine for 166 when time ran out, Mr. P. B. Grant of Trinity having taken five wickets for 27 off nine overs. In reply Trinity were in trouble, having scored only 44 for loss of six wickets. Twenty-five of these runs were made by the captain, Mr. E. S. Bellchambers. However, excellent playing by Mr. S. J. McGregor (48) and Mr. R. J. Ch. de Crespigny (49 runs) left Trinity needing seven runs from the last over to win. Unfortunately, Mr. de Crespigny was run out and the match was lost to Queen's.

APPEAL STILL OPEN

for five years being a

TOTAL of $

Cricket

R. W. T. Cowan Cup

My gift to the TRINITY COLLEGE APPEAL will be YEARLY $

May, 1971

All gifts are deductible for Income Tax purposes.

Cheques should be made payable to the Trinity College Appeal.

If by any chance you have not yet been contacted, either personally or by mail, or if you have mislaid your gift card,, please use this form to make your gift. You may also use it if you wish to make an additional gift to the College.

Cut out this form and send it to the Warden, Trinity Collége, Parkville.