The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)(about) |
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Saturday 5 November 1927
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SCOTCH COLLEGIANS.
NEW PRESIDENT WELCOMED.
Sir John Monash's Many Tasks.
The Scotch Collegians returned to their school last night to entertain the new president of the Old Scotch Collegians' Association, Sir John Monash. Opposite Sir John Monash was a photograph of a modest youth, with the inscription, "John Monash, Dux, 1870. " The old boys sang the school songs, and with especial gusto the one in which the line occurs "Hi! Hi! Hi! Generals Monash, Smith, McCay. "
Proposing Sir John Monash health, the retiring president (Sir Arthur Robin- son) said: - " For biographical purposes Sir John Monash's life may be divided into three parts. " Sir John Monash, like Gaul." Sir Arthur Robinson spoke of Sir John Monash's scholastic career, and recalled that after having won engineering and science degrees he decided to ' round off" by reading law. One Friday afternoon Sir John Monash went to Sir Arthur Robin- son's coach and said that by examination time on the following Monday morning he must master the dry subject of Roman law. He did so and passed the examina- tion. Sir John Monash had one of those rare minds that could master detail while never losing sight of the whole plan. Future historians would give Sir John Monash credit for playing one of the most decisive parts in the Great War. In dealing with the great problem of demobili- sation also Sir John Monash proved him- self a master of organisation. When he was at the war Sir John Monash was out of reach of the critics who won the war by moving flags on a map, but when he returned and took charge of the stupend- ous Yallourn undertaking he was the tar- get of all the critics whoso knowledge of electricity was restricted to the fact that when one pressed a switch a lamp usually lighted. Now that the undertaking was a success, those who hand tried to place all the blame on Sir John Monash's shoul- ders were trying to take all the credit. The Yallourn achievement had never been equalled in Australia, and would probably never be equalled. The association was proud that Sir John Monash had given it his prestige, and the members were proud to have such a leader.
In reply Sir John Monash said that he scarcely recognised his career beneath the superlatives with which Sir Arthur Robinson had cloaked it. He had succeeded in peace and war because he had always been associated with a loyal body of en- thusiastic, able, and conscientious helpers. Whatever credit was considered his due must be shared equally by those who had helped him. The war bad been ended a long time, and Australia and the Empire were forgetting the part played in it by the Australian Army Corps in the last six months. "When I was asked to be your president," said Sir John Monash, "I thought that you were unwise, because, making no bones about it, I am a very hard-worked man. I refer not only to my several official positions, but I am at the constant beck and call of every man, woman, and child, and of every interest throughout Australia. There is no escape. To where I will, I am always within reach of the telephone, and telegraph, and the importunate caller. I am the president, vice president, or something of more things than I can remember or recite. " The success of the State Electricity Com- mission was chiefly due to Sir Arthur Robinson, who, as Minister, framed the legislation that governed it. The legisla- tion had been imitated by Great Britain.
Speaking of the school, Sir John Monash urged the old boys to continue in their project of providing a complete set of school buildings free of cost to the school
authority.
Mr. W. S. Littlejohn principal of the school, said that public schools must keep ever before them the fact that their pri- mary object was to prepare for citizenship. It was deplorable that the teaching of Greek was almost extinct, and that Latin was going the same way. The learning of languages made for clear thinking, and clearthinkers were not likely to follow demagogues, rhetoricians, and stump ora-
tors.
Election of Officers
The annual meeting of the Old Scotch Collegians' Association was held at the Assembly Hall yesterday. The president (Sir Arthur Robinson) presided.
The success of the school and of old boys in spott and in scholarship was recorded in the annual report, which was adopted.
Mr. J. W. Whyte was elected an honor- ary life-member. The only other honorary life-member is Mr. Frank Shew.
Sir John Monash was elected president and Mr. G. L. Aitken and Sir Arthur Robinson vice-presidents of the associa- tion. The honorary secretaries, the hono- rary treasurer, and members of the coun- cil (with the exception of Mr. K. L. Macartney, who is leaving Australia to con- tinue his studies in Europe) were re-
elected.