Scotch College

OSCA presents portrait of Sir Archibald Glenn

In presenting Wes Walters' wonderful portrait of Sir Archibald Glenn to the School, Richard Nelson, President of the Old Scotch Collegians Association, which commissioned the portrait, noted that every person in the Memorial Hall knew of the Glenn Centre.

They have walked past it, whacked a ball against its walls, swum in it, and been examined in it.

It is also a venue in which parents have participated, with a degree of apprehension, in parent/teacher interviews.

With few exceptions, when the question is asked, who or what was Glenn, the response is an embarrassing silence or, knowing Scotch boys, an answer based on bluff & bluster.

Richard indicated that his objective that morning was to answer the question.

He first noted the spelling of Glenn. It is not Glen, the early name given to the Hawthorn campus.

The word Glenn refers to JRA Glenn a leading Australian industrialist and famous Old Boy of the School.

Sir Archie came to Scotch in 1927. He was in the 1st crew in 1928 and 1929.

That there was a shell in which to row in those two years is a minor miracle, as in 1927 Scotch lost the whole of its fleet in a fire at the old Mercantile Boatshed near the Swanston Street Bridge.

Awarded a senior scholarship

In 1929 he was a prefect, Captain of Monash House, Captain of Boats, a member of 1st XVIII and on the Collegian Editorial Committee. At the end of the year he was awarded a senior scholarship, which in those days was a very high academic achievement.

On leaving school Sir Archie studied engineering at Melbourne University and then in London.

He joined ICI (now known as Orica) and rose to the top. He was Managing Director for twenty years retiring in 1973. He was also Chairman of the Group for ten years.

During World War II Sir Archie was an engineer 'with no bells' specialising in explosives. Richard, with a twinkle in his eye, presumed these war time years were spent alternatively building bridges or blowing up bridges built by others.

The Australian Government recognised the Glenn contribution to the community and in 1965 Sir Archie received an OBE. He was made a Knight of the Realm in 1966.

Love for the school

Sir Archie has a deep and abiding love for the school which is shared by his family many of whom attended the very special morning assembly at which the portrait was presented and unveiled by him.

This love for the school was manifested in Sir Archie serving as a member of the School Council for many years, being its Chairman from 1963 to 1981.

Reflecting on his great knowledge of education in Australia, it is not surprising to note that Sir Archie was also the founding Chancellor of LaTrobe University. Richard concluded, 'Scotch Collegians, this is the person after whom the Glenn Centre is named. Sir Archie, we salute you!' Richard noted that his predecessor, OSCA President Rob Logie-Smith had asked Dr Donaldson and Michael Robinson, what they would most like OSCA to give to the school during 1998. One enthusiastic suggestion was a portrait of Sir Archibald Glenn. Richard, on behalf of the Old Boys, then presented to the School the wonderful portrait of Sir Archie.

Dr Donaldson accepted the portrait with great pleasure, indicating it would be hung in a suitable place in the Memorial Hall. He then called upon the subject to unveil his likeness.

At a morning tea, which following the Assembly, Sir Archie outlined the manner by which be decided to become an engineer. It occurred as Sir Archie was receiving a mathematics prize from another very famous Scotch engineer, Sir John Monash. 'Boy' said Monash, 'mathematics is the food of engineers.' Glenn took the hint and no further deliberation was necessary.

The portrait now hangs proudly on the northern wall of the Memorial Hall.