Speaker 15th February - Andrew Hoadley
Andrew spoke about his grandfather, Arch Hoadley, the first principal of Footscray Technical School and prime mover in the formation of theRotary Club of Footscray.
Having completed degrees in Mining Engineering and Geology Arch sought adventure and was a member of Mawson’s Antarctic Expedition in 1911-13 as a geologist. On returning from the Antarctic 1914-16 he was a lecturer at the Ballarat School of Mines,
Arch took up his appointment at Footscray in 1916 with 184 day students and 132 evening students. Fees were 15 shillings per term or 5 shillings for evening students and free to those under 14.
His philosophy was to educate young men so that they could:
1. Earn an adequate living
2. Develop through life so that they could realise their full potential
3. Enjoy life to the full
4. Rely on strength of their internal resources
5. Understand the societal system in which they lived
6. Contribute to shaping the future technological society
7. Contribute to the local society in which they lived.
He was influential in the Scouting movement: Leader of 1st Footscray 1921-1929 and also led the World Jamboree at Frankston in 1935, attended by Baden Powell and 10,000 youth members.
From 1916 until his death in 1947, Arch was a resident of Geelong Road, Footscray. His funeral service at St. John’s Anglican Church in Paisley Street, where Arch had been an active member and occasional reserve organist, was followed by a procession through the streets with Scouts forming a guard of honour.
The Rotary Club of Footscray erected a memorial plaque at Footscray Technical College in 1978, now Victoria University to honour Arch.
