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William George Torr
The Teacher
Even before the official opening of the college, the Pictorial Australian of 1 November 1891 printed an article, no doubt to entice enrolments, which would have been just what parents liked to hear before committing their sons, and money, to the new educational institution.
It stated that for Educational Institutions, 'South Australia is in no way behind the sister colonies. In all the populous portions of the colony there are State Schools and Adelaide can proudly hold her own. In regard to Colleges, one of which, Way College, established by the Bible Christian denomination in a building which was previously Dr Joyce's Eye Infirmary, the opening of which will take place at the beginning of next year, is the last but not the least.
The handsome building is admirably situated on North-Parade, Unley, the South Park Lands being in front and Rose-Terrace at the rear. (It was for the Bible Christian and Primitive Methodist denominations as a religious school for boys on Park Terrace, North Unley, later renamed Greenhill Road, Parkside. It did accept non-Bible Christian students as well).
It is as near the city as it can be, and yet has many of the advantages of the country. It is within easy distance of the G.P.O. and the Hyde Park tramcars pass almost close to the premises. It is contiguous to a large population which has no other institution of the kind in its midst, and the College will afford a great convenience in this respect. The building is large, commodious, and attractive, and its construction is well arranged.
The rooms are between 30 and 40 in number, and some of them are as large as 43 feet by 20 feet. The exterior of the building presents a very beautiful appearance. In these days of State schools where the Bible is a closed Book, it is very satisfactory and encouraging to know that this large educational institution has that grand Old Book for its ground-work, and we notice that amongst other things that the students are to provide themselves with, is a Bible.
The name, 'Way College' was decided on to perpetuate the memory of the late Rev James Way, who had been a minister of the Bible Christian body for about 60 years, and until his death, was the senior Bible Christian minister in Australia. There is every reason to believe that this institution will have a most useful and successful future, and many a good man will look back upon it as the foundation of his prosperous life'.
When settled back and organizing his work as Principal of Way College, Torr still found time to give lectures and talks at different venues in and around Adelaide. On 11 January 1892 he was at the Goodwood Bible Christian Church talking about his trip to France, Italy and Switzerland. Nine days later he was at the Eastwood Church speaking about Life at Oxford 'in his usual entertaining, instructive and chatty style'.
Way College opened on 1 February 1892, with 125 students and 30 boarders, most of the boys coming from public schools. In some of the speeches reference was made to Torr 'who had just returned from England laden with honours and that the committee had done well in obtaining his service as his undoubted ability and suitableness for the position could not be questioned'.
In an effort to cater for all students, the school had three divisions: the 'University' course prepared students for the public service, commerce and tertiary study; the 'Practical' section supplemented basic education with instruction in areas such as carpentry and horticulture and the 'Theological' course trained older students for the ministry.
Among the newly appointed teachers were Fred Wheatley, B.Sc. and William Henry Wasley Williams who had previously been teaching at Mundoora, where his students had gained a pass mark of 87% in 1890. He was considered a good teacher by the inspector.
At the Bible Christian Conference of 24 February, it was moved to record 'our sincere gratitude to Torr for his efforts'. To promote the new college Torr had many notices printed in the local papers reminding parents to enroll their sons early. He also invited the Adelaide City Corporation for an inspection of the buildings, classrooms and workshops. They were very impressed and Mayor FW Bullock granted the boys a half holiday.
On 22 March Torr lost a full working day to attend the funeral of William Alfred Edgecombe Tucker at St Paul's Church and his burial at the North Road Cemetery. Presumably his absence was covered by someone of the same ability as Torr. On 7 April he gave a talk at the 13th anniversary of the YMCA, where he stressed the importance of Reading, Thinking and Working for young men. He also encouraged them to join the Home Reading Union. Torr was and remained an avid reader himself all of his life.
Torr's wedding to Albertina at Way College. SLSA
On 24 July he was at the Franklin Street Bible Christian Church and also attended the Baptist Sunday School anniversary later that year. Regardless of his many commitments he was still able to do an excellent job at Way College. On 20 December 1892 he was once again at the College, but after normal school hours. This time he was there to be married to Albertina Santo, daughter of the late Samuel Kidner of Adelaide, who was born on 10 June 1845. She was the Household Manager at Way College.
Two weeks later Torr was preaching at Yankalilla and on 6 January 1893 Way College had its first Annual Speech Day at which he delivered the Principal's report. It turned out to be a lengthy one, but it had much useful information which both parents and newspapers wanted to hear. A month later he was at Goodwood attending the Bible Christian District meeting.
The remainder of 1893 and most of 1894 were taken up with teaching and its commitments after school. On top of this there was his Church work during the evenings as well as report writing and giving lectures on weekdays or even weekends. With the help of Rev John Thorne, he also found time to establish the Bush Mission in 1894. He would serve it well for many years. In 1921 Percy Tilbrook, Bush Missionary at Nackara wrote a letter of thanks to Torr for his five pounds donation.
During the Christmas holidays in 1895 he was at the Ulooloo goldfield when a fine specimen of gold was discovered. He had never seen a better one and it was decided that a syndicate would be formed to find the reef where it must have come from. Within a short time as many as 30 men had joined at five pounds each. It didn't turn out a very good investment as nothing came of it.
Still there were other interests. Walking on the beach, sometimes twice a day, he became a considerable collector of Chiton shells from along Australia's coastline, overseas and with (Sir) Joseph Verco's dredging expeditions. As a Conchologist he wrote six scientific papers on South Australian Chitons between 1898 and 1913. Three species have since been named in his honour.
Bernard C Cotton of the South Australian Museum stated in 1939 that Dr Torr was a well-known, enthusiastic collector and authority on Chitons, a fascinating group of the Mollusca which he systematically collected in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, New Zealand and more extensively in Australia, having collected at Port Phillip, Port Jackson and on the Queensland coast from Tweed Heads to Cairns.
His most notable work was done in South and Western Australia, where frequent dredging trips with Sir Joseph Verco from Beachport to the Great Australian Bight, and from Albany to Geraldton, provided much material previously unknown. At various times he explored much of South Australia's coastline, and long after attaining the three score and ten years he still continued his studies and still enthusiastically waded in rock pools in search of Chitons. As for Dr Torr's scientific investigations, we cannot pay a higher tribute than by saying that, as a pioneer, his work was consistent and reliable, and that he well maintained the high prestige gained by previous students in the same field.
When Torr had left for England and the continent in 1884, he had been given an honorary commission by the Government to report on Education. He had visited many schools in several countries and on 11 January 1900 handed in his Report on Systems of Education in Great Britain and other Countries. It reported in great detail on teacher training, technical schools, inspections and examinations, evening classes, truancy, buildings and furniture.
Way College Football Team 1898. SLSA
With the Methodist Union during 1900, Way College was made redundant by the Wesleyans' Prince Alfred College. Way College had seen nearly 1200 boys pass through it when it closed on 8 May 1903 and became the Methodist Ladies College. Among the students who had attended the college and done well were James A Greig from Willowie. He became a Member of the Legislative Council whereas JPH Tilbrook became a Bush Missionary.
Before its closure Torr had been pleading earnestly that the new Ladies College should be controlled by a Headmistress and not a Minister. To make the transition process a little easier Torr wrote to all parents that he could, and would with their permission, transfer any of the students to Prince Alfred College if they so decided.
Boarders at Way College, 1898. (SLSA)
Early in 1901 Torr made a comfortably furnished cottage at Brighton available for ministers who were in need of a rest. The Rev WA Potts was one of the first to make use of it. Torr himself didn't seem to need a rest. In May he gave an address on Comets which was 'instructive, interesting and soul-inspiring, a real treat'. A few weeks later the Way College Old Boys' Association, of which he was president, had a welcome social for those Old Boys who had returned from active duty in the Boer War. Among them were Corporals O Sobels and HF Hall.
Way College Management Committee, 1901. SLSA
In January 1902 Torr presented his tenth annual report as Headmaster of Way College. He highlighted the work of the carpentry, smithing and agronomy boys who had given a stimulus to hundreds of boys and encouraged a distinct mental culture which no ordinary school work could possibly do. Students J Leon Jona and H Smith had both been placed third on the prize and honour list of the whole examination.
Jewish student Jona became Dr J Leon Jona, leading medical practitioner of Melbourne. When asked to give his views of the Master after Torr's death in 1939 he wrote; 'I am very happy to accede to your request, fully recognizing, however, my short-comings and my inability to adequately express the appreciation of this truly great man to whom I have always paid homage and whose memory I revere. I went to Way College first in 1900, as a boy, on a scholarship, and I shall always remember my first interview with the kindly old 'Boss' to whom my father brought me. His kindliness and straightforwardness were immediately impressed on my boyish mind.
Way College Football Team 1902. SLSA
Dr Torr had a capacity for inspiration, a vision and an understanding, a determination to do the right thing by you and that you should do the right thing to yourself, given to very few men and leaders of men. I left Way College as the last Dux in 1903, but I never realized that the affection I felt towards my old teacher would ripen as it has with the years, and I recall with pleasure and pride the many occasions on which I have seen him since'.
Another outlet for Torr's unlimited energy was writing a column under the name 'Old Oxford' titled 'Talks to Young Men' for the Methodist weekly, the Australian Christian Commonwealth. His wide-ranging homilies swayed thousands of Methodist men and women. Torr endorsed a non-fundamentalist view of Christian scripture; he was essentially a popularizer whose colloquial, down-to-earth articles (correspondents were 'chums') expressed his modernist views of the Bible. By influencing lay preachers and future ministers, he helped to liberalize local Methodist attitudes. It lasted for 37 years.
In March 1902 he was reappointed treasurer of the Bush Missions. In May the College was made available as a retreat for the coming Winter School by Torr and his wife, who had been actively involved with all facets of church life. In June Torr was instructing Sunday School teachers how to make their lessons more interesting. There was also a more social side to his work which occurred at Bulls Creek when he and his wife presided as King and Queen at an Invitation Coronation Banquet in October.
After the closure of Way College in 1903 Torr and his wife had more time on their hands. Torr now went as often as possible into the country to help some of his brother workers. In May he visited Burra and gave a lecture on Palestine, followed by Broken Hill on 31 May. Here he was involved with the reopening of the Blende Street North Methodist Church. There were three crowded meetings, including one at the Town Hall which attracted more than a thousand people. At the Gypsum Street Methodist Church there was also a large attendance to hear his views on 'Opportunity'.
In June it was Terowie and Orroroo followed by Auburn and Willunga. In July he was back to attend the Winter School at Way College from 20-25 July 1903. He also had an article published in the Laura Standard giving his opinion on 'Our Northern Young Men' which was not very complimentary, and one can only wonder what the northern young men thought of it.
***
If you would like to find out more,
please go
to HOME PAGE for more information.
Thank you for visiting Flinders Ranges Research,
We hope you enjoy your stay and find the information useful.
This site has been designed and is maintained by FRR.
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|
|---|
Even before the official opening of the college, the Pictorial Australian of 1 November 1891 printed an article, no doubt to entice enrolments, which would have been just what parents liked to hear before committing their sons, and money, to the new educational institution.
It stated that for Educational Institutions, 'South Australia is in no way behind the sister colonies. In all the populous portions of the colony there are State Schools and Adelaide can proudly hold her own. In regard to Colleges, one of which, Way College, established by the Bible Christian denomination in a building which was previously Dr Joyce's Eye Infirmary, the opening of which will take place at the beginning of next year, is the last but not the least.
The handsome building is admirably situated on North-Parade, Unley, the South Park Lands being in front and Rose-Terrace at the rear. (It was for the Bible Christian and Primitive Methodist denominations as a religious school for boys on Park Terrace, North Unley, later renamed Greenhill Road, Parkside. It did accept non-Bible Christian students as well).
It is as near the city as it can be, and yet has many of the advantages of the country. It is within easy distance of the G.P.O. and the Hyde Park tramcars pass almost close to the premises. It is contiguous to a large population which has no other institution of the kind in its midst, and the College will afford a great convenience in this respect. The building is large, commodious, and attractive, and its construction is well arranged.
The rooms are between 30 and 40 in number, and some of them are as large as 43 feet by 20 feet. The exterior of the building presents a very beautiful appearance. In these days of State schools where the Bible is a closed Book, it is very satisfactory and encouraging to know that this large educational institution has that grand Old Book for its ground-work, and we notice that amongst other things that the students are to provide themselves with, is a Bible.
The name, 'Way College' was decided on to perpetuate the memory of the late Rev James Way, who had been a minister of the Bible Christian body for about 60 years, and until his death, was the senior Bible Christian minister in Australia. There is every reason to believe that this institution will have a most useful and successful future, and many a good man will look back upon it as the foundation of his prosperous life'.
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|
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When settled back and organizing his work as Principal of Way College, Torr still found time to give lectures and talks at different venues in and around Adelaide. On 11 January 1892 he was at the Goodwood Bible Christian Church talking about his trip to France, Italy and Switzerland. Nine days later he was at the Eastwood Church speaking about Life at Oxford 'in his usual entertaining, instructive and chatty style'.
Way College opened on 1 February 1892, with 125 students and 30 boarders, most of the boys coming from public schools. In some of the speeches reference was made to Torr 'who had just returned from England laden with honours and that the committee had done well in obtaining his service as his undoubted ability and suitableness for the position could not be questioned'.
In an effort to cater for all students, the school had three divisions: the 'University' course prepared students for the public service, commerce and tertiary study; the 'Practical' section supplemented basic education with instruction in areas such as carpentry and horticulture and the 'Theological' course trained older students for the ministry.
Among the newly appointed teachers were Fred Wheatley, B.Sc. and William Henry Wasley Williams who had previously been teaching at Mundoora, where his students had gained a pass mark of 87% in 1890. He was considered a good teacher by the inspector.
At the Bible Christian Conference of 24 February, it was moved to record 'our sincere gratitude to Torr for his efforts'. To promote the new college Torr had many notices printed in the local papers reminding parents to enroll their sons early. He also invited the Adelaide City Corporation for an inspection of the buildings, classrooms and workshops. They were very impressed and Mayor FW Bullock granted the boys a half holiday.
On 22 March Torr lost a full working day to attend the funeral of William Alfred Edgecombe Tucker at St Paul's Church and his burial at the North Road Cemetery. Presumably his absence was covered by someone of the same ability as Torr. On 7 April he gave a talk at the 13th anniversary of the YMCA, where he stressed the importance of Reading, Thinking and Working for young men. He also encouraged them to join the Home Reading Union. Torr was and remained an avid reader himself all of his life.
|
|
|---|
Torr's wedding to Albertina at Way College. SLSA
On 24 July he was at the Franklin Street Bible Christian Church and also attended the Baptist Sunday School anniversary later that year. Regardless of his many commitments he was still able to do an excellent job at Way College. On 20 December 1892 he was once again at the College, but after normal school hours. This time he was there to be married to Albertina Santo, daughter of the late Samuel Kidner of Adelaide, who was born on 10 June 1845. She was the Household Manager at Way College.
Two weeks later Torr was preaching at Yankalilla and on 6 January 1893 Way College had its first Annual Speech Day at which he delivered the Principal's report. It turned out to be a lengthy one, but it had much useful information which both parents and newspapers wanted to hear. A month later he was at Goodwood attending the Bible Christian District meeting.
The remainder of 1893 and most of 1894 were taken up with teaching and its commitments after school. On top of this there was his Church work during the evenings as well as report writing and giving lectures on weekdays or even weekends. With the help of Rev John Thorne, he also found time to establish the Bush Mission in 1894. He would serve it well for many years. In 1921 Percy Tilbrook, Bush Missionary at Nackara wrote a letter of thanks to Torr for his five pounds donation.
During the Christmas holidays in 1895 he was at the Ulooloo goldfield when a fine specimen of gold was discovered. He had never seen a better one and it was decided that a syndicate would be formed to find the reef where it must have come from. Within a short time as many as 30 men had joined at five pounds each. It didn't turn out a very good investment as nothing came of it.
Still there were other interests. Walking on the beach, sometimes twice a day, he became a considerable collector of Chiton shells from along Australia's coastline, overseas and with (Sir) Joseph Verco's dredging expeditions. As a Conchologist he wrote six scientific papers on South Australian Chitons between 1898 and 1913. Three species have since been named in his honour.
Bernard C Cotton of the South Australian Museum stated in 1939 that Dr Torr was a well-known, enthusiastic collector and authority on Chitons, a fascinating group of the Mollusca which he systematically collected in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, New Zealand and more extensively in Australia, having collected at Port Phillip, Port Jackson and on the Queensland coast from Tweed Heads to Cairns.
His most notable work was done in South and Western Australia, where frequent dredging trips with Sir Joseph Verco from Beachport to the Great Australian Bight, and from Albany to Geraldton, provided much material previously unknown. At various times he explored much of South Australia's coastline, and long after attaining the three score and ten years he still continued his studies and still enthusiastically waded in rock pools in search of Chitons. As for Dr Torr's scientific investigations, we cannot pay a higher tribute than by saying that, as a pioneer, his work was consistent and reliable, and that he well maintained the high prestige gained by previous students in the same field.
When Torr had left for England and the continent in 1884, he had been given an honorary commission by the Government to report on Education. He had visited many schools in several countries and on 11 January 1900 handed in his Report on Systems of Education in Great Britain and other Countries. It reported in great detail on teacher training, technical schools, inspections and examinations, evening classes, truancy, buildings and furniture.
|
|
|---|
Way College Football Team 1898. SLSA
With the Methodist Union during 1900, Way College was made redundant by the Wesleyans' Prince Alfred College. Way College had seen nearly 1200 boys pass through it when it closed on 8 May 1903 and became the Methodist Ladies College. Among the students who had attended the college and done well were James A Greig from Willowie. He became a Member of the Legislative Council whereas JPH Tilbrook became a Bush Missionary.
Before its closure Torr had been pleading earnestly that the new Ladies College should be controlled by a Headmistress and not a Minister. To make the transition process a little easier Torr wrote to all parents that he could, and would with their permission, transfer any of the students to Prince Alfred College if they so decided.
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|
|---|
Boarders at Way College, 1898. (SLSA)
Early in 1901 Torr made a comfortably furnished cottage at Brighton available for ministers who were in need of a rest. The Rev WA Potts was one of the first to make use of it. Torr himself didn't seem to need a rest. In May he gave an address on Comets which was 'instructive, interesting and soul-inspiring, a real treat'. A few weeks later the Way College Old Boys' Association, of which he was president, had a welcome social for those Old Boys who had returned from active duty in the Boer War. Among them were Corporals O Sobels and HF Hall.
|
|
|---|
Way College Management Committee, 1901. SLSA
In January 1902 Torr presented his tenth annual report as Headmaster of Way College. He highlighted the work of the carpentry, smithing and agronomy boys who had given a stimulus to hundreds of boys and encouraged a distinct mental culture which no ordinary school work could possibly do. Students J Leon Jona and H Smith had both been placed third on the prize and honour list of the whole examination.
Jewish student Jona became Dr J Leon Jona, leading medical practitioner of Melbourne. When asked to give his views of the Master after Torr's death in 1939 he wrote; 'I am very happy to accede to your request, fully recognizing, however, my short-comings and my inability to adequately express the appreciation of this truly great man to whom I have always paid homage and whose memory I revere. I went to Way College first in 1900, as a boy, on a scholarship, and I shall always remember my first interview with the kindly old 'Boss' to whom my father brought me. His kindliness and straightforwardness were immediately impressed on my boyish mind.
|
|
|---|
Way College Football Team 1902. SLSA
Dr Torr had a capacity for inspiration, a vision and an understanding, a determination to do the right thing by you and that you should do the right thing to yourself, given to very few men and leaders of men. I left Way College as the last Dux in 1903, but I never realized that the affection I felt towards my old teacher would ripen as it has with the years, and I recall with pleasure and pride the many occasions on which I have seen him since'.
Another outlet for Torr's unlimited energy was writing a column under the name 'Old Oxford' titled 'Talks to Young Men' for the Methodist weekly, the Australian Christian Commonwealth. His wide-ranging homilies swayed thousands of Methodist men and women. Torr endorsed a non-fundamentalist view of Christian scripture; he was essentially a popularizer whose colloquial, down-to-earth articles (correspondents were 'chums') expressed his modernist views of the Bible. By influencing lay preachers and future ministers, he helped to liberalize local Methodist attitudes. It lasted for 37 years.
In March 1902 he was reappointed treasurer of the Bush Missions. In May the College was made available as a retreat for the coming Winter School by Torr and his wife, who had been actively involved with all facets of church life. In June Torr was instructing Sunday School teachers how to make their lessons more interesting. There was also a more social side to his work which occurred at Bulls Creek when he and his wife presided as King and Queen at an Invitation Coronation Banquet in October.
After the closure of Way College in 1903 Torr and his wife had more time on their hands. Torr now went as often as possible into the country to help some of his brother workers. In May he visited Burra and gave a lecture on Palestine, followed by Broken Hill on 31 May. Here he was involved with the reopening of the Blende Street North Methodist Church. There were three crowded meetings, including one at the Town Hall which attracted more than a thousand people. At the Gypsum Street Methodist Church there was also a large attendance to hear his views on 'Opportunity'.
In June it was Terowie and Orroroo followed by Auburn and Willunga. In July he was back to attend the Winter School at Way College from 20-25 July 1903. He also had an article published in the Laura Standard giving his opinion on 'Our Northern Young Men' which was not very complimentary, and one can only wonder what the northern young men thought of it.
***
If you would like to find out more,
please go
to HOME PAGE for more information.
Thank you for visiting Flinders Ranges Research,
We hope you enjoy your stay and find the information useful.
This site has been designed and is maintained by FRR.