1995 School Magazine

6irlg' @rnmmur Scliool l8rigbene 1995

His grandparents were responsible for his eady upbringing. My grandfather was a strong conseffative - Tory, was the word then - and although he loved me very tenderly, I fear the old man would have been much disposed to kil1 the young banterling had he known what a radi- cal he was cherishing under his roof. His youth in England hinted at the active public life he would lead in the Colony of Queensland. Trained as a solicitor, he also helped to establish a free library, and gave lectures on adult education and industrial relations. It stands to reason that having emigrated to Queensland in 1856 he would take a keen interest in politics. \fhen the Parliament of the new Colony was elected in 1860, Lil1ey successfully contested the seat of Forrirude valley. Lilley of the Valley they called me. Itwas very exciting to be parl of a new colony with a fresh start with people who were willing to leave behind old prejudices and ideas. My wife and I had a large lamily - thirteen children - and I had a dream of free, secular education for them and al1 the other children of Queensland, regardless of class, religion or sex. This we achieved before any other colony. (STUDENTS WrTrr PUICARDS - "1860 EDUCATION ACT" and, '1860 GRAMMAR SCHOOLS ACT" enter) W.ith Grammar schools established for boys in Ipswich and Brisbane, I began to champion the cause of education for gir1s. I believed that female education in this colony, and indeed every country in the world had been seriously neglected. The great mass of women had been left in darkness. \n 1874, I chaired the Royal Commission on Education and for-rnd that I was not alone in my thinking. Calling to the witness stand, Miss Margaret Berry, Head- mistress of the girls' branch of the Normal primary school: A number of girls are very enthusiastic about extending their schooling and if they were exposed to better teachers, they would readily accept the challenge of higher studies. (E)ilT FAMILY) (ONE BY ONE TIIIRTEEN CIIILDREN ENTE R AN D FORM A FAM I IY PORTRAIT)

She's suffering from hysteria, and newous irritability and she's had dyspepsia and neu- ralgia. But remember she has a gold medal for botany and is a first year scholar in physiol- ogy. (BrllcKoq MUSIC, STTDES OF EARLY BRISBANE) The Colony of Queensland - Brisbane in the 1870's - Little more than a village without trams, electric light, motor cars, moving pic- tures and far, far away from "civilization" in Europe or even Sydney and Melbourne. The question is - how did Australia's first public secondary Grammar school for girls come to be established in such an unlikely setting as the Colony of Queensland? (cRowD oF PEOPTE - SLrDE SAYING "FOUNDATION DAY 1883")

Wornan 7:

Iilley

Narrator

Voice-Oaer:

Lill.ey

I, Samuel Griffith, with the greatest of pleas- ure, invite Sir Charles Lilley, former Premier of Queensland, Judge and educationalist, to 1ay the foundation stone of the Girls' Grammar School, Brisbane. After eightyears as a Branch of the boys' school, the girls finally have an independent school of their own, here on Gregory Terrace. Thank you, Sir Samuel. I would like to express my feelings through this quotation from Tennyson which will be sealed under this foundation stone for posterity - "The woman's cause is man's, they rise or sink together, dwarfed or God-1ike, bond, or free" (CROWD CIIEERS THEN FREEZES. NARRATOR MOVES CENTRE STAGE, CIICKS FINGERS, CROWD DISPERSES LEAVING A FROZEN IIIIEY)

Sir Samuel GNIfttb:

Iilley

Lilley:

Margaret Berry:

Narrator:

Now here is a visionary, arcalradical. Charles Lilley - born in 1827 atNewcastle-upon-Tyne.

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