From the Archives: Origin stories of our prizes and awards

Neil Fergus Whyte Memorial Prize

We are reminded quite regularly when watching the news and current affairs that a life can be taken away so easily. It of course has a stronger impact when tragedy occurs to someone that is part of your more immediate surrounds, such as in a workplace, school or local community.

Neil Fergus Whyte was a boy who had just finished his schooling at Grammar in the summer of 1954, when he was struck down by a car near his home on Woods Street, Manly while crossing the road on a rainy day. Neil reportedly stood in the way of the car so that it would not hit his father, who was accompanying him. Neil was knocked down and died some hours later, never regaining consciousness.

His peers recall learning the news of Neil’s death on the first day back from the summer holidays, with Headmaster Healey addressing the School Assembly. His sentiment is mirrored in the following excerpt from The Sydneian in 1954:

“I suppose that it is given to few of us to have that particular blessing, possessed by Neil, of being liked by all who met him. This capacity of his for friendship, attested by the great number of friends who attended his funeral, was not only due to his constant cheerfulness, notable though that was: beneath the good-natured surface there lay a real strength ... he had those gifts and qualities which we all look for or shall look for in our sons: bravery, the essential good manners and charity, the right kind of dignity and, above all, kindness: he loved his school; he was a good son, a good Christian.”

Pictured: Stella Whyte’s letter to acting Headmaster Rofe confirming the stipulations of the NF Whyte Scholarship, as it was known in 1964

In mid-1956, Neil’s father Fergus Whyte established a scholarship in memory of his son, awarded to a boy in need who is deserving of assistance. As opposed to an academic prize it was for recognition of the promise of leadership, steadiness and the like, namely those qualities which, as Headmaster Healey remarked, “we all look for or shall look for in our sons: bravery, the essential good manners and charity.”

He was remembered as an ordinary, good boy – a good games player, a sportsman, member of the First XI, a sergeant in the Army Cadet Corps, losing his life only three days after his return from the Officers’ Course.

Today, the Neil Fergus Whyte Prize is awarded to a Fifth Form boy who is a loyal supporter of the School, a keen sportsman and who shows good character. According to archival records, it was first awarded as a scholarship from 1956, was continued after father Fergus Whyte’s death in 1966 by his widow, Stella, and then added as a Speech Day prize from 2015.

Edward Carter Memorial Prize

The middle son of Grammar mathematics master (1882–1902), etymologist and later Principal of Ascham Mr Herbert James Carter, Edward Moore Carter (SGS 1896–1904) was one of three sons who attended the School and later proudly enlisted during WWI, influenced by the strong military fervour instilled by their Headmaster, AB Weigall, and the general sense of patriotism and allegiance to England that existed in Australia during this period. Mr HJ Carter was one of a number of masters that were licenced to take boarders from the school, renting the ‘Martinsell’ property in Summer Hill with his wife and family for this purpose.

Edward was considered a well-rounded Grammar pupil, playing in the First XV in 1903, was awarded the Wigram Allen Prize for Mathematics in 1904 and was an involved member of the Hobbies Club throughout his school career. He was best known while at School for rowing in the IV that won the Head of the River in 1904. (During this time, a GPS rowing VIII competition did not exist). The entire crew (shown in the photo at the end of this article), subsequently joined up during WWI ten years later. Lindeman served as a doctor on the Western front and went on to become a specialist. Carter was wounded at Gallipoli, and later died in Malta. Claude Boone was killed at Fromelles. Caesar Lucas attained the rank of Major and was later a solicitor. The cox, Stan Matthews, served at Gallipoli and in Palestine.

Pictured: SGS First IV 1904 Premiers – Standing, L-R: GB Lindeman (2); Mr WH Savigny Esq (coach); EM Carter (3) Front row: CA Boone (bow); CR Lucas (stroke); SE Matthews (cox)

The Edward Carter Memorial Prize is awarded for Constructive Activity, founded in 1924 by his father for “the encouragement of self-help and constructive talent and, especially, of the useful employment of spare time”. As stated in The Sydneian of Aug 1924, “Mr Carter considers it axiomatic that character is shown, and largely moulded, by the use boy or man makes of such time and believes that a prize for such effort would be such as his son would wish.”

This prize therefore epitomises what the modern-day Grammar encourages their pupils to be: a pupil that makes the most of all the opportunities available to them, participating in extra-curricular activities and forging a lifelong love of learning by productive engagement; a cornerstone of one of the founding purposes of Grammar as set out in the Act – ‘to confer the advantages of a liberal course of education’.