BMG 2020 Grammarian Issue 3

5 THE HISTORY OF BACCHUS MARSH GRAMMAR Since our humble beginnings in 1988, Bacchus Marsh Grammar has become a leading Independent school boasting an excellent reputation for the way we foster individual difference and diversity, and facilitate personal development, academic growth and pastoral care. With a founding motto of “Doctrina Vitae” (Education for Life), we have grown from a single campus with too few students to one with three campuses and more than 2,600 students. Our community is drawn from a large and diverse catchment area in the outer west of Melbourne and towards Ballarat and Geelong. Follow up from our 30th anniversary, we are compiling an extensive collection of material to stimulate a greater sense of pride in our school history and all that has been achieved in such a short space of time. We have much to be proud of since those early years and the ambitious and challenging road that has been negotiated to become the successful school we are today. EARLY YEARS Bacchus Marsh Grammar commenced operation in 1988 under the leadership of Foundation Principal, Mr Graeme Blyth. Supported by a small and determined group of families, Mr Blyth had identified the pressing need for an Independent school in the growing township of Bacchus Marsh and surrounding areas. Their shared vision was for a school that was non-denominational and not tied to any particular faith or the teaching of any particular creed or doctrine. The school first operated from a site in Halletts Way, central Bacchus Marsh. The early years were particularly tough due to a lack of government funding and difficulties in attracting and maintaining enrolments. Totally committed, the School Council, under the leadership of Peter O’Day, provided unwavering support, and so too did many of the school’s hard working original families. Mr O’Day was subsequently honoured with Life Membership of the school for his contributions. His involvement has been a lifelong family affair – his wife Elizabeth is a long-term member of the teaching staff and Senior Deputy Principal and Head of Junior School, and their grandchildren now attend our School. Driven by vision and ambition, a “land swap” was negotiated in 1992 to enable the school to move to our current location in South Maddingley Road, just south of the Bacchus Marsh township. The site was previously the administrative hub for Maddingley Brown Coal. Local landowners, Bill and Jill Wilson, were instrumental in achieving the land swap and were later awarded Life Memberships for their efforts. In 1994, Mr Blyth resigned as Principal due to the tensions inherent in operating an Independent school without appropriate government funding. Mr Kevin Nicholson was interim Head of the School until Mr Baxter Holly was appointed as the school’s second Principal (1995 – 1998). Mr Holly had been Head of the Knox School and before that, a senior member of staff at Scotch College. Official opening of the school