Prospective : About Knox : History & Tradition
School History | School Founders | School Houses | Icons | CAS
Our great School is built on some fine foundations. The first edition of The Grammarian in 1928 provided an explanation of our School motto. "The motto (of Knox) consisted of two words Virile Agitur and the School will bear this motto until it shall be time honoured and hallowed among Old Boys and Present boys alike. The spirit of the School is denoted by its motto, and therefore the spirit of our School is "The Manful thing is being done". The motto presents our object for every boy; he must see to it that he is doing "the Manful thing", the right thing. We must always follow our motto, and by doing that we will benefit not only ourselves but our School, and in later life, our State, Country and perhaps the World."
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The history of Knox formally began in 1924 when it opened as a Presbyterian Boys' School after founding members John Gilmore, William McIlrath, Robert Gillespie and Andrew Reid purchased what is now Gillespie Boarding House as the first Knox School building.
Under founding Headmaster Neil MacNeil, a Rhodes Scholar, Knox grew rapidly both in academic achievement and by providing students with practical skills in areas like woodwork and metalwork. Thanks to MacNeil and people like the Rev JJ Gilmore, Knox survived the Great Depression with expanded facilities. Student numbers rose from 28 in 1924 to over 300 in 1939.
In 1939, MacNeil was succeeded by biologist Dr William Bryden. As WWII broke out, around 370 Old Knox Grammarians served in the armed forces. Sadly, 53 of them lost their lives and are now commemorated in the School Chapel, Old Students' War Memorial, the John Williams Memorial Hall and the original Science Building (now Art). Despite this difficult time, Headmaster Bryden oversaw considerable growth in the School's academic standing and an expansion of facilities in the 1940s and early 1950s. It was also during this time the Pipe Band was established.
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c1923, Earlston - now Gillespie Boarding House |
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His successor in 1953 was Dr John Mill Couper, a Scot, who broadened the School's concept of education, with particular attention to music and art. However, problems culminated in Dr Couper's departure from a deeply divided Knox in 1955.
The problems were short-lived and the next Headmaster, Dr T Ross McKenzie, provided the vision and down-to-earth management style that brought Knox to the top echelon of independent schools. A long period of steady growth and firm leadership followed and by Dr McKenzie's retirement in 1969, the pursuit of excellence had been realised in many of the School's endeavours.
The next Headmaster, Dr Ian Paterson, initiated further significant developments including a substantial building program, the strengthening of music and outstanding academic results.
In 1999, Peter Crawley, former Head of Trinity Grammar School in Melbourne, became Knox's 6th Headmaster, bringing the School into the 21st century with an innovative program of technology and computer-based learning. He oversaw steady improvements to student life and retired from the School in 2003. |
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c1950, Pipe Band |
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| The 7th Headmaster, John Weeks, joined Knox for the start of the 2004 school year from The Illawarra Grammar School. He brings to Knox strong educational and leadership experience and an empathy and understanding of working in partnership with School communities.
Today there are 1910 boys at Knox, with about 1350 in the Senior School and 550 in the Preparatory School. The School offers boarding for up to 130 boys from Year 7 onwards. The School has a teaching staff of about 170 with approximately 46 additional staff employed in roles such as visiting music, physical education, information resource teachers and ancillary support.
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