School Beginnings

The Friends' School opened at 60-62 Warwick Street, Hobart (the building still stands) on 31 January, 1887 under the control of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). The initial enrolment of 33 expanded so rapidly that the School moved to its present site in Commercial Road on 28 January, 1889, a move made possible by the generous loan of $A4,000 from Hobart Baptists.

The first headmaster was Samuel Clemes, a remarkable reformer in education, not least because he believed in co-education.

In 1900 he resigned and set up his own family school, Leslie House, (later renamed Clemes College) in Pirie Street and then at Boa Vista, Argyle Street, where the Junior School and Clemes (Years 11-12) are now located. Clemes College and The Friends' School came together in 1946.

1923 marked the beginning of a new era in the School's history. On 28 September, the control of the school passed from London Quakers to a committee in Hobart and a week later Ernest Unwin arrived, under whose leadership the School made remarkable progress. In this period the distinctive appearance of the School changed - with the addition of the front portico, the Hodgkin Hall, the original science and art block and the boys' boarding wing. No further building programs were undertaken until 1955 when the second period of expansion began with the opening of the Preparatory School in 1955 followed by the Sports Ground in 1958. Building on the Commercial Road site began in 1962 with the opening of the Unwin Memorial Science and Art block, continued in the 70s with the Library, the Asten Theatre, additional science facilities and in the 80s with the W.N. Oats Sports Centre. The Clemes Memorial Library in the Junior School was erected from the old Clemes Assembly Hall in 1986.

In the 1990's, The Friends for the Future fund-raising campaign has enabled the construction of new classrooms in the Junior School and the complete refurbishing of a number of older facilities in the High School and Clemes.

But it would give a false impression if the history of a School was to be thought of only in terms of buildings. History is made by people. History is a record of their ideas and their character in action. The School has been blessed with an outstanding succession of teachers whose continuity of service is indicated by the names on an honour board of those with at least fifteen years to their credit. Two of its headmasters together span more than half of the School's centenary life. All of these have interpreted in action the School's basic belief that each child has 'something of God' within and that this is the source of potential and growth.

The phrase, 'a co-operative school community' is the one often used to express the community ethos of the School. Parents are an integral part of this community. Parents and teachers share a mutual trust.

In the hundred years of the School's history thousands of young men and women have gone out into the wider community. The degree to which they have expressed in action the School's motto, "Nemo sibi nascitur" - 'we are members one of another' - is also a significant component of what we mean by a history of The Friends' School.

William Oats
(Headmaster 1945-73)

To visit the School Timeline click on the link below.