Adelaide Educational Institution

Adelaide Educational Institution was a privately run non-sectarian academy for boys in Adelaide founded in 1852 by John Lorenzo Young.Adelaide Educational Institution, 6 January 1853 South Australian Register, p.2 The school closed when he retired in 1880. By this time Prince Alfred College had emerged as a suitable school for well-to-do Protestants to send their sons.

History In 1852 Young opened a school with two, then three pupils (Hubert Giles, Caleb Peacock and John Partridge) in the "Peacock Chapel"Old Schools The Register 18 August 1926 p.19 accessed 3 July 2011 lent by Mr PeacockAdelaide Educational Institution South Australian Register 16 June 1857 p.3 accessed 28 April 2011 in the rear of the (Congregational) Ebenezer Chapel in Ebenezer Place, off the east end of Rundle Street. In September 1852 they were joined by John Waterman, Richard Mahoney, T. L. Cottrell, and G. T. Cottrell. The number grew to seventeen at years end.Adelaide Educational Institution South Australian Register 15 December 1855 p. 3 accessed 26 April 2011 and he was advertising for evening classes in Geometry and Arithmetic, apply between 6 and 7pm at Stephens Place,Evening Classes, 2 November 1852 South Australian Register (Adelaide), p.4 off the west end of Rundle Street where the Young family had a home, and to which street the school moved, perhaps as early as 1854, when the current tenant, J. M. Solomon, left for England on the steamer Australian. Fees for day students were 10 guineas (£10/10/-) per annum, (payable quarterly in advance). Facilities were available for boarding.Adelaide Educational Institution, 25 March 1853 South Australian Register, p.2 His residence was in the same building on Stephens Place.Philosophical Society, 10 January 1853 South Australian Register (Adelaide), p.3 By December 1855 the school had 107 students, perhaps close to 200 in 1857, 130 in 1862,Adelaide Educational Institution South Australian Register 15 December 1862 p.3 accessed 3 May 2011also contains reference to growth of Philosophical Society 133 in 1868. Young's lease expired around 1856–1857.

Next venue was the Congregational chapel in Freeman Street (now that section of Gawler Place between Pirie and Flinders Streets).In and Out of the City. By Autolycus., 22 October 1928 The Register (Adelaide), p.10

In 1872 he had new premises built at Parkside on what became Young Street, named after the headmaster. E. S. Hughes recalled, in a letter to The Advertiser, a tableau of life during his time at the institution.

Education in early South Australia (Taken from Geoffrey H. Manning's A Colonial Experience)Geoffrey H. Manning Education in Early South Australia, in A Colonial Experience

John L Young

John Lorenzo Young (1826–1881) was a Londoner, the son of John Tonkin Young, a builder from Veryan, Cornwall.Young's School Diamond Jubilee Today South Australian Register Friday 11 October 1912 p.8 accessed 20 May 2011

He received a non-sectarian education in Europe and England, with emphasis on mathematics and the newly developed sciences of geology, physics and chemistry. He worked in Cornwall on railway and mining construction then left for Adelaide in 1850.Cumming, D. A. and Moxham, G. They Built South Australia published by the authors February 1986 on the ship "Panama", arriving on 31 October 1850. He joined the rush to the Victorian goldfields but soon returned.

In 1851 he was appointed second master at the newly opened South Australian High School,South Australian High School, 19 July 1951, South Australian Register, p.1 under Headmaster Charles Gregory Feinaigle (1817? – 10 March 1880), but the venture failed by the end of the year. The following year Young was persuaded by a group of Congregationalists to open his own school at the rear of the old chapel in Ebenezer Street off Rundle Street East, and soon moved to larger premises in Stephens Place. His brother, Oliver Young, held classes for some time, and acted as headmaster in 1860 while J. L. Young was away on recuperation leave.

In 1861 he built the large two-storey "Young House" in Parkside, which was used both as his private residence and as a student boarding house. He then commissioned architects Wright and Hamilton to design and oversee building of a schoolhouse next door. (Edmund Wright had designed many prominent Adelaide buildings including the Town Hall). In 1871 he was able to relinquish the Freeman Street premises.

John retired in 1880 and closed the school, with the intention of joining his wife and large family who were visiting brother Oliver and his father in Veryan, in Cornwall. On his retirement, a testimonial was held 17 December 1880 by his old scholars, and he was presented with a purse of sovereigns. His 16-room residence, with schoolhouse and various other houses on Young Street, after several auction attempts in February 1881, was eventually purchased by Alfred Allen Simpson (who coincidentally had also purchased the Gawler Place school property). The two Parkside buildings, at 61-71 Young Street, were sold by Alfred A., Fred N. and Violet Laura Simpson to Mr. C. O. A. Lapidge in 1922. "Young House" https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+1843 has since been demolished but the heritage-listed schoolhouse still stands.

He embarked on the steamer John Elder in 1881 to visit England (where his father was still living), his family having preceded him, but died on 26 July 1881 while crossing the Red Sea. He was buried at sea. Martha returned to Adelaide, at first living in Kent Town then settled in Glenelg. She died 6 April 1887 aged 57. Fred W. Sims, formerly Deputy Registrar of Companies in the Supreme Court, wrote in The Advertiser:

Young's work in South Australia is commemorated by scholarships at the University of Adelaide for research in political economy.

Classes and curriculum In its first stage of the school's history, Junior (or Third) Class consisted of boys from 7 to 10 years, Science being a chief subject with (although a non-sectarian school) a little religious insight. A small but significant number of students were Jews. No homework was set.

In the Second Class, homework was encouraged and after five hours of schoolwork the more industrious students would voluntarily turn in up to four long essays a week.

In Senior or First Class, subjects covered included political economy, history.

Masters Other academics at the Institution included: Thomas Boutflower Bennett (1808 – 14 September 1894), nicknamed "Tiger", helped run the school, taught English and bookkeeping, later at St Peter's College. His headstone in Moonta cemetery mentions SPC but not AEI. His son J. W. O. Bennett was killed on the Goyder expedition of 1869. Thomas Caterer (around 1854) went on to found the notable Norwood Grammar School John Howard Clark taught occasionally Rev. F. W. Cox taught drawing 1864, 1866 Edward Dewhirst was classics master for a time. C. J. Fox taught Latin from 1868 to 1871 at least. He would later, as the editor and proprietor of The Irish Harp and Farmers' Herald newspaper, become famous after the sacking and excommunication Sister Mary MacKillop by Bishop Sheil. He was ousted from the Catholic Association, of which he was president. for the candid way in which he reported the affair. Frank Fox was a son. Henry Greffrath taught French and German from beginning 1852 to mid-1863. He also conducted classes at St Peter's College, and left for Jena, Germany in 1864. Wilton Hack succeeded Charles Hill as drawing teacher 1868 W. Hack also taught drawing at Norwood Grammar and St Peter's College.

A teacher named Harrison, called "Cocky" by students (as was Oliver Young); described as young and pimply, was sacked for drunkenness at a June prizegiving, possibly 1856. A later commentator found him memorable. Some dubious assertions in this article. Charles Hill taught drawing Philip T. Hill taught writing and arithmetic NOT drawing (perhaps Philip Trelore Hill, married Hannah Fisk in 1869, died 1919), he later taught at Langhorne Creek and Goolwa, and highly regarded. G. R. Irwine (d. 7 October 1871)Obituary South Australian Register Tuesday 10 October 1871 supplement p.7 accessed 10 March 2011 taught Latin, Greek and English. Dr Carl Heinrich Loessel (Lössel) taught French, German in 1863, 1864 Adolph Emile Marval taught French 1866, also at St Peters College. Mme. Caroline Emma Marval opened a Ladies' College. F. H. Needham RN taught mathematics, Latin 1861 George "Pat" Needham BA (1805 – 19 March 1894) (no relation though both taught Latin –) Hamilton Charles Palmer (died 1880) Maths and Classics master 1860 while Oliver Young in charge. Boys made fun of him. J. R. P. Parsons Classics master, later principal, Adelaide High School Rev. Canon Poole (Frederic Slaney Poole) taught advanced Latin 1870 Hermann von Schleinitz taught French, German 1865 to 1873 (also at St Peter's College, Norwood Grammar). James Shakespeare later a professional organist Rev. Thomas Smellie (pronounced "smiley") Presbyterian minister arrived Adelaide 1861, registered to grant marriage licences 1862, taught Latin at AEI from 1863 to 1866. Founded Gawler Academy 1868 licence to marry rescinded 1870; returned to Britain 1872. Oliver Young (J. L. Young's brother) taught drawing, ran the school in 1860 during his brother's absence. Oliver, whom the students called "Cocky", though not to his face, suffered from a deformed back. He returned to Cornwall in 1866,Death of Mr. Oliver Young, Adelaide Observer, 12 March 1898 p. 29 and never married.The Late Mr Oliver Young, 8 March 1898, South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA), p.5

Timeline 1852 School opens in Ebenezer Place with two students Caleb Peacock and John Partridge, soon joined by G. T. and T. L. Cottrell, John Waterman and Richard Mahoney. 1853 or 1854 Moved to "Stephens Place", previously home to J. M. Solomon and family on the southwest corner of Town Acre 19. 1856 or 1857 Moved to schoolroom at rear of Freeman Street Congregational chapel 1860 J. L. Young in poor health, on leave in England. Oliver Young acting head for the year.Public Examination of Mr J. L. Young's Pupils South Australian Advertiser 20 December 1859 p.4 accessed 19 March 2011 1861 J. L. Young returns, buys 2 acres in Parkside. T. B. Bennett joins staff. 1865 Old Scholars' Association dinnerOld Scholars' Association South Australian Register 16 September 1865 p.3 accessed 26 May 2011 1866 Oliver Young returns to England Old Scholars' Association dinnerOld Scholars Association South Australian Register 15 September 1866 accessed 6 June 2011 1867 Congregational Church moves to Stow Hall, AEI takes over Freeman Street chapel. Adelaide Educational Institution South Australian Register 29 April 1867 p.2 accessed 7 May 2011 First Old Scholars' dinner(First) Old Scholars Association Dinner (1867) South Australian Register 28 September 1867 p.7 accessed 10 March 2011 Old Scholars' AGMMiscellaneous South Australian Advertiser 29 July 1867 p.6 accessed 15 May 2011 1868 Pupil numbers down to 133 1869 The Star first (and last?) issue Old Scholars' dinnerOld Scholars Association Dinner (1869) South Australian Register 25 September 1869 p.2 accessed 2 April 2011 1870 Old Scholars dinnerOld Scholars Association Dinner (1870) South Australian Register 24 September 1870 p.3 accessed 3 April 2011 Old Scholars' annual meeting scheduled for 24 June postponed to following week due to poor attendance 1871 All teaching now at Young Street, Parkside.Payne, G. B. (1972) History of Unley, 1871-1971, pp. 93-94, 173-174 T. B. Bennett resigns. Old Scholars' dinner poor attendance 1872 Old Scholars' dinner 12 attendees 1880 Presentation to Thomas Bennett >30 attendees 1880 School closes 1881 J. L. Young dies 1887 Mrs Young diesObituary for Mrs Young South Australian Register 18 April 1887 supplement p.2 accessed 19 March 2011 1896 Funeral of Caleb Peacock 1897 Stephens Place buildings demolished (a beaut reminiscence)

Reunions