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Knox Grammar School
Virile Agitur (Latin:"The Manly Thing is being Done")
Established	1924
School Type	Independent, Single-sex, Day & Boarding
Denomination	Uniting Church
Slogan	"Faith, Wisdom, Integrity, Compassion"
Key People	Mr. Charles Wannan (Chairman) Mr. John Weeks (Headmaster) The Rev. Dr. Gareth Clayton (Chaplain)
School Fees	AU$10,995 p.a-AU$17,985 p.a (Day School) AU$30,660 p.a-AU$34,245 p.a(Boarding School)[1]
Location	Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33°43′24″S 151°7′11″E / -33.72333, 151.11972Coordinates: 33°43′24″S 151°7′11″E / -33.72333, 151.11972
Enrolment	1900 (K-12)[2]
Employees	130[2]
Colours	Black & Blue
Homepage	www.knox.nsw.edu.au

Knox Grammar School is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Wahroonga, an upper North Shore suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Founded in 1924 by the Presbyterian Church of Australia as an all-boys school, and named after John Knox, the school has since grown, branching out into a large senior school of approximately 1300 students and a preparatory school of 500.

Knox is one of six members of the Combined Associated Schools (CAS).

Contents 1 School motto 2 Headmasters 3 Facilities 4 School building projects 5 House system 5.1 Boarding 5.2 Other houses 6 Cadet unit (KGSACU) 7 Notable alumni: "Old Knox Grammarians" 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links

Knox's school motto is a Latin phrase, 'Virile Agitur', which has been translated by the Headmasters from the school as being "Act like a man" (Preparatory School), "The manly thing is being done" (Peter Crawley) or "Do the Manly Thing" (Dr Paterson).

• 1924 - 1938: Mr. Neil MacNeil
• 1939 - 1952: Dr. William Bryden
• 1953 - 1955: Dr. John Mill Couper
• 1956 - 1968: Dr. T Ross McKenzie
• 1969 - 1998: Dr. Ian Paterson
• 1999 - 2003: Mr. Peter Crawley
• 2004 - Current: Mr. John Weeks

Knox's senior campus includes a sports facility with an indoor pool, gymnasium, squash and weights rooms, music and drama centres, three boarding houses with a fourth on the Preparatory School campus located nearby, also in Wahroonga. Knox owns several major sporting fields including one on-campus at the Senior School, two on-campus at the Prep School, and two off-campus in Warrawee and neighbouring North Turramurra.

Each classroom is equipped with a digital projector and each student has a laptop with wireless internet access. In addition to its extensive academic and sporting programmes, the school offers many extra curricular activities including music with several large ensembles and orchestras, drama, debating, public speaking, chess, science clubs, and Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, as well as maintaining the largest secondary school cadet unit in Australia.

Knox has in recent years completed new buildings at both the Senior and Prep Schools. The Senior School's KG1 Building, opened in 2007, has several high-tech classrooms, access to the Lawson Centre (the school gym), locker space for approximately 230 students, and a new canteen. The KG1 Project also updated the Lawson Centre with a new flooring for the basketball court, new change rooms and a foyer, where Knox's many Trophies and memorabilia are displayed. The Prep School's K-2 Centre, opened in 2004, provided new classroom, library, art and music facilities for kindergarten and Year 1/2 students.

The school's current building plan envisages a Senior School Visual Arts Centre and a Great Hall.^[3] This extensive building project will be situated in place of the current Knox Shop (uniform shop). The Great Hall will provide a space for 2,500 people, an entertainment centre, a venue which can hold examinations, and provide sporting infrastructure. There will be a large undercover parking area to permit teachers and parents to park close to the school. The Visual Arts Centre will encompass modern classroom and studio spaces, display areas and a gallery to display artwork made by school students. The projected cost is $17 million.^[4]

Knox Grammar School provides boarding facilities for over 150 boarders. Boarding facilities have been available since the school's opening, in 1924.

• Gilmore - traditionally the Junior Boarding House, accommodating boarders from years 5-8. Rev J.J. Gilmore was a founder of the school and long-serving member of the council (1923-1947).
• Gillespie (Maroon) - the original school house and is named for Robert Gillespie, a founder and benefactor of the school, and chairman of the school council (1923-1945). It was later converted into a Boarding House, today accommodating boarders from year 9.
• MacNeil (Black) - originally an expansion to Gillespie House, completed to add room to the new school. It is named for Neil MacNeil, the first Headmaster of the school (1924-1938). Today, it accommodates boarders from year 10.
• Ewan - a Prep School Boarding House, named for the wife of Dr Armstrong, the house's former owner. It is a heritage-listed building, dating back to the late 1890s. After significant expansion, it now houses the senior boarders, years 11 and 12.

Other than the boarding houses, all Knox boys are put into day houses that used to have their own locker areas in the school, although the locker areas are now done by year.

• Adamson (Dark green) - John Adamson - a long-serving chairman of the school council.
• Angus (Brown) - Rev Samuel Angus - a Professor of Theology at Sydney University and former member of the school council.
• Bryden (Grey) - Dr William Bryden - the second Headmaster of the school (1939-1953). Also known as the cultural house.
• McIlrath (Dark blue) - William McIlrath - a founder and benefactor of the school and a long-serving council member (1923-1955). His widow contributed 50,000 pounds for the construction of the school chapel in 1960, which contains a Baroque organ by Ronald Sharp.
• McKenzie (Orange). Dr Ross McKenzie - fourth Headmaster of the school (1956-1969).
• Montgomery (Lime green) - Ross Montgomery - a council member (1953-1970) and benefactor of the school. His major gifts included the Montgomery Building and Gilmore House.
• Murdoch (Red) - AM Murdoch - a long-serving school council member (from 1938) and chairwoman (1855-1969)
• Reid (Yellow) - Andrew Reid - a founder and benefactor of the school. A business leader, sole proprietor of James Hardie in 1912, he made many financial contributions to the school; he also built the Margaret Reid Home for Crippled Children in St. Ives, in memory of his late wife.
• Sinclair (Purple) - George Sinclair - a school council member (from 1944) and chairman (1952-1955).
• Turnbull (Light Blue) - Alex Turnbull - a founding member of the school council, serving 1923-1947, and an elder at St Margaret's Church in nearby Turramurra.

Knox Grammar School has an Australian Army Cadet Unit, the KGSACU. It comprises approximately 500 members, ranging from Recruit Cadets to Cadet Under Officers. It is considered the second largest Army Cadet Unit in Australia (behind The Kings School). Cadet participation is compulsory from Term 1, Year 9, through to the end of Term 4, Year 9. From then on, boys may optionally continue cadets, and promotion opportunities become available.

The Cadet Unit participates in Bivouac at the end of Term 1, an Annual Field Exercise (or AFX) at the end of Term 2, and the Promotions Courses during November each year. Additionally, the KGSACU holds parades for the Old Knox Grammarians Association (OKGA), an ANZAC parade to commemorate ANZAC Day (though often, due to school holidays, not on the day itself), and a Passing Out Parade at the end of the cadet year to farewell the Year 12s leaving the unit.

The KGSACU is battalion strength, and is divided into several companies, platoons and sections. Each company consists of three platoons, except for Headquarters Company, which has eight platoons.

• A Company, for continuing cadets who are involved in advanced training and outdoor skills.

• B, C, D and E Company, for recruits and their rank.

• Headquarters Company, consisting of Operations Platoon, Singnals Platoon, Medical Platoon, Administration Platoon, Quatermaster's Platoon, Pioneers Platoon, Training Platoon and Reconnaissance Platoon.

Quartermaster’s Platoon controls the stores and supplies for the unit. Medical Platoon is charged with the medical welfare of cadet. Signals Platoon operates the UnitNet (The unit communications network) and assists in communications via radios. Administration Platoon control the documentation and registration of all members of the unit. Training Platoon was established to create and maintain training programs and material for all cadets in the unit, however due to its small size was effectively folded into Operations Platoon at the beginning of term 1 2007. Pioneer Platoon operate the rock climbing and abseiling equipment for the unit. Operations Platoon is a small highly specialised group responsible for planning AFX. Reconnaissance Platoon specialises in operating in small groups. They act as the 'opposing force' to A, B, C, D and E company on two exercises, while attempting to interrupt Headquarters Company functions.

Former Students of Knox are known as "Old Knox Grammarians". See List of Old Knox Grammarians

• List of Non-Government schools in New South Wales
• List of boarding schools
• Combined Associated Schools

• Mansfield, B. (1974). Knox, 1924-1974. Sydney: John Sands.

• Knox Grammar School website

Google Maps views

• Senior School Senior school visible mid-left, Gillespie fields visible upper right
• Prep School Centre of picture
• Curugal Fields, North Turramurra Centre of picture
• Gillespie Fields Centre of Picture, Senior School visible bottom left

v • d • e Members of the Combined Associated Schools, of New South Wales, Australia
Barker • Cranbrook • Knox • St Aloysius' • Trinity • Waverley

v • d • e Uniting Church in Australia Schools

Annesley College • Aitken College • Billanook College • Brisbane Boys' College • Calvary Christian College • Clayfield College • Forest Lake College • Kormilda College • Kinross Wolaroi School • Knox Grammar School • Mary McConnel School • Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne • Methodist Ladies' College, Perth • MLC School • Moreton Bay Boys College • Moreton Bay College • Newington College • Pedare Christian College • Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School • Penrhos College • Presbyterian Ladies' College, Perth • Prince Alfred College • Pymble Ladies' College • Ravenswood School for Girls • Scotch College, Adelaide • Scotch College, Perth • Scotch Oakburn College • Seymour College • Somerville House • St. Philip's College • The Lakes College • The Scots PGC College • The Scots School Albury • The Springfield College • The Geelong College • Wesley College, Melbourne • Wesley College, Perth • Westminster School, Adelaide

v • d • e Former Presbyterian Church of Australia Schools

Arden Anglican School • Cooerwull Academy • Kinross Wolaroi School • Knox Grammar School • Penleigh Presbyterian Ladies' College • Presbyterian Ladies' College, Goulburn • Presbyterian Ladies' College, Perth • Pymble Ladies' College • Scotch College, Adelaide • Scotch College, Launceston • Scotch College, Perth • The Scots PGC College (The Presbyterian Girls' College and The Scots College, Warwick) • The Geelong College