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Queen's College, Melbourne

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Queen's College

Queen's College is a residential College affiliated with the University of Melbourne providing accommodation to 218 students who are attending the University of Melbourne, RMIT University and Monash University's Victorian College of Pharmacy.

In addition to the students, the Queen's College also consists of the Senior Common Room (resident tutors and professionals), staff, and academic guests.

History

Founding

The college was founded in 1887, on 10 acres of land assigned to the Methodist Church by the Parliament of Victoria in the area then known as University Reserve (now College Crescent). While this land was allocated soon after the founding of the university in 1853, it was not until 1878 -- some twenty-five years later -- that the Methodist Conference took the fist steps towards building the college.

The then Governor of Victoria, Sir Henry Brougham Loch, laid the foundation stone on June 16, 1887 after the tireless efforts of Reverend William Abraham Quick, who is widely regarded as the founder of Queen's.

Naming

Initially, it was decided that the college was to be named Victoria College. However, when it became clear that it was to be built in the year of Queen Victoria's jubilee, it was finalised in December 1886: "That the new College be called Queen's College in honour of the Queen's Jubilee"[1]

Opening

Queen's opened its doors on March 16, 1889 with a total of 24 students, under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Edward Holdsworth Sugden, who held the position of The Master for over forty years. Shortly afterward, it became clear that more building was necessary, and on April 20, 1890, the South Wing was opened. Subsequent extensions were made in 1905, and in 1910 a new East Wing was created, joining the new southern wing with the original sections.

During this time (from 1897 to 1920), it is noted that "Queen's College was a veritable hothouse of dramatic activity"[2], with plays and soirees being performed several times annually. Melbourne University Student Theatre traces its roots to this time, and it is no wonder that promotional posters from these productions still adorn the walls of the college to this day[3].

Expansion

Post-Great War pressures nurtured additional building plans, advocated mainly by J. T. Tweddle. The central tower and a new northern wing, known as the Tweddle Wing, were constructed and completed in 1923. 1930 saw the introduction of a scientific laboratory (which now serves as a student recreation centre) in the southern section of the college, courtesy of A. M. and G. R. Nicholas.

From 1958 to 1978, a significant expansion and improvement programme was enacted, partly funded by the Commonwealth Government. The Raynor C. Johnson Wing, named after the college's third Master and erected in the west of the college grounds, was completed in two stages. The first opened in 1961, with the second following eight years later. During the construction of the Johnson Wing, it became clear that the dining hall (which now serves as the Junior Common Room) was too small to contain the projected student body. As such, the current Eakins Hall was built, finished in 1964. The final student accommodation building, Kernick House, was completed in 1975.

In 1964, three acres of college land was allocated for the creation of a women's college. The college, named St Hilda's is now a coeducational facility, as by the time it was completed Queen's was also accepting both men and women as equal members.

For a decade from 1969, Queen's had also been ensuring that the pre-existing facilities would attain the same standard as the new wing. The resulting "comfortable, single bedroom studies" remain much the same format today. Also around this time, the Methodist Church merged with most parishes of the Presbyterian Church to form the Uniting Church, of which the college thus became an institution.

Coinciding with the College's centenary celebrations, the new Featonby Library and several tutor flats contained in Parnaby Wing were opened in 1987. More recently, the college has focused on expanding accommodation for academic visitors, postgraduate students and resident tutors, with the construction of Scott Terrace(1998), Jack Clarke and Lapthorne buildings(2000). Queen's currently has future plans to extend student accommodation by (2012)[4].

Masters of the College

  • Prof. David T. Runia, BA(Hons) MA DipEd DLitt LittD, FAHA (2002 - Present)
  • Rev. John A. Henley, BA BD DTheol PhD (1993 - 2001)
  • Jack William Clarke, OAM, BA DipEd DipSocStud DipPsych (1992) - Acting Master
  • George A. M. Scott, BSc BA PhD DSc, FLS (1986 - 1992)
  • Owen W. Parnaby, BA DPhil (1966 - 1986)
  • Rev. Prof. Norman Edgar Lade, MA BD (1964 - 1965) - Acting Master
  • Raynor Carey Johnson, MA PhD DSc (1934 - 1964)
  • John F. Foster. (1933 - 1934) - Acting Master
  • Rev. Frederick Walwyn Kernick, MA (1929 - 1933)
  • Rev. Edward J. Holdsworth Sugden, MA BSc LittD (1887 - 1928)

Vice-Masters of the College

  • Philip A. Mosely BA(Hons) DipEd PhD (2002 - Present)
  • Robert G. Nethercote (1991 - 2002)
  • Jack W. Clarke (1965 - 1989)

College Arms

The College's coat of arms celebrates its founding as a Methodist institution, in the tradition of the 18th-century Anglican minister, John Wesley[5]. It has the following heraldic description: 

  Argent, a cross sable, in each quarter three escallops of the last, for Wesley;
  on an escutcheon of pretence the Royal Arms of England. 
  Crest: on a wreath and sable, a wyvern proper.
  Motto: Aedificamus in aeternum.

The composite shield is thus Queen Victoria's escutcheon (since inherited by subsequent monarchs down to Elizabeth II) superimposed on the arms of John Wesley. This means that Wesley (or the heir to his shield) asserts marriage to the widowed or unmarried monarch, thus asserting his headship over the monarch's family and his claim to the Throne of the United Kingdom and Her Majesty's other lands (including Australia). The assertion of marriage has been especially perverse in times when the monarch was male, as will likely happen again with the accession of Charles III.

The college motto transliterates to We build for eternity.

The arms were assumed without a grant from the College of Arms. An investigation to regularize the arms concluded that the process would be too expensive, and the college Council of the day decided against relinquishing the assertion of Wesley's marriage and consequent claim the Throne.

College grace

The college's full Latin grace is as follows: 

  Domine, qui aperis manum tuam et omnia implentur bonitate,
  benedicere dignare cibum istum
  ut nos, ex eo gustantes,
  inde corporis et animi accipiamus sanitatem.
  Per Christum, dominum nostrum, amen.

This is not widely known, not least because it is more commonly heard (and misheard) in an abbreviated form that, omitting the well-known quotation, cuts to the chase: 

  Domine, benedicere dignare cibum istum.
  Per Christum, dominum nostrum, amen.

An English grace was composed by Master Henley in response to an anti-intellectual movement among the students, with the proviso that the Latin grace be retained at least once per week.

QCS&SC

The Queen's College Sports & Social club, often abbreviated to QCS&SC, is an affiliated club comprising undergraduate students who are not currently tutors at Queen's College. Its role is to be an independent entity of the students, for the students. This involves organizing functions, purchasing assets, and for minor incidents, disciplining students.

Executive

The QCS&SC is headed by a General Committee that comprises:

  • President
    • 2006: Courtney Ford
    • 2007: Jesse Zanker
  • Vice-President
    • 2006: James Gardner
    • 2007: Victoria Hamit
  • Secretary
    • 2006: Sally Harris
    • 2007: Alister Boyd
  • Treasurer
    • 2006: Edward Smelt
    • 2007: Luke Graham
  • Arts Representative
    • 2006: Harry Mohan
    • 2007: Ben Landau
  • Male Sports Representative
    • 2006: Sam Leslie
    • 2007: Hamish Guthrie
  • Female Sports Representative
    • 2006: Kate Jennings
    • 2007: Kathleen Lenne
  • Two Ordinary Members
    • 2006: Paul Golden, Guy Wilkinson
    • 2007: Darrin Verspuy, David Niproski

These positions are elected in the second semester of the preceding University year by members of the QCS&SC. Voting is preferential and optional. This executive works closely with the Administration (Master and Vice-Master) who have the final say in all matters within the College, but generally each member of the executive manages their portfolio with little interference.

Subcommittees

The QCS&SC has a number of subcommittees, all called 'committee' rather than 'subcommittee', that run specific events throughout the year. These include:

  • O-Week committee
  • Music and Drama Society
  • Boat Club
  • Ball committee
  • Environment committee
  • Social work committee
  • Bulletin committee
  • Wyvern magazine committee
  • Video committee
  • Emporium committee
  • Food committee
  • Labs committee
  • Social activities committee

Wyvern Society

Wyverns are residents, past or present, who have lived in the College for six months or more. The Wyvern Society is responsible for allowing the continued communication of ex-Queen's students, and organising reunions.

Distinguished Wyverns include:

Notes

  1. ^ See Queen's College Handbook (2006) p. 2
  2. ^ A History of Melbourne University Student Theatre
  3. ^ See Queen's College Handbook (2006) p. 92, point 20.
  4. ^ See Queen's College Handbook (2006) p. 3
  5. ^ See Queen's College Handbook (2006) p. 97

References

Template:University of Melbourne Colleges

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