William Henry Cumming (1913 - 2001)

Born 11 Jun 1913 in Bright, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of May Victoria (Wells) Cumming — married 5 Jan 1939 in Yarraville, Victoria, Australia

Descendants

Died 6 Nov 2001 at age 88 in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Biography

Harry was born in 1913. He is the son of James Cumming and Mary Pople. In 1939, Harry married May Victoria Wells.^[1] He passed away in 2001 at the age of 88,^[2] and was cremated at Springvale Botanical Cemetery.^[3]

Harry began his career as a Primary School Teacher, progressing through Inspector, Assistant Director and finally Deputy Director of Primary Education [Education Department of Victoria (Australia)] until his retirement in 1976. He travelled throughout Europe and America on a travelling scholarship. Harry lived at Brunswick, Ballarat, and Leongatha, before finally settling at (Bath Road) Burwood, Melbourne, Australia in 1959. ^[4]

RETIREMENT OF MR W. H. CUMMING, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PRIMARY EDUCATION

Mr William Henry (Harry) Cumming has retired from the Education Department as Deputy Director of Primary Education.

W. H. Cumming was born at Bright in June 1913. He joined the Department in 1930 as a junior teacher at Preston South Primary School. In 1934 he attended Melbourne Teachers' College and the following year was appointed head teacher at Brankeet West Primary School. He remained there for three years and was commended for his enthusiastic and efficient organisation. He also found time to pass several university subjects.

Following a brief period involved in secondary correspondence work, Harry Cumming was appointed to Moreland Central School from where he could continue his university studies. He continued to receive high praise for his progressive outlook, his skillful teaching, and his strong personal qualities.

In 1942, having gained his B.A. degree, Harry Cumming taught at Brunswick West Boys' School. In 1943 he taught at Apsley Primary School, but in 1944, returned to Brunswick West. Harry was in charge of sport at this school and was particularly proud of the seven boys in one football team who managed to reach the interstate team.

During this period, Harry Cumming was elected to the Council of the Victorian Teachers' Union. One of his special fortes was making claims for better conditions and salaries. He took up the cause of equal status for men and women teachers and pressed for more modern post-primary schools.

In 1949 W. H. Cumming was appointed lecturer at Ballarat Teachers' College. While at Ballarat he completed his B.Ed. degree. His interests were wide - the Victorian State Schools' Horticultural Society (he was a keen home gardener); the Gould League of Bird Lovers; and many spheres of sport, both inside and outside the college.

In 1952, after a brief period at Brunswick North-West Primary School, Mr Cumming was appointed as a district inspector. He served in the Inspectorates of Leongatha (1952-59), Lilydale (1959-60), Moorabbin (1960-64), and Waverley (1964-67). In 1957 he visited Queensland to examine aspects of primary education. During the period that Harry Cumming was a district inspector he was, for twelve years, a member of the Victorian Institute of Inspectors of Schools, and held a number of offices, including that of president in 1971. He also resumed an executive position in the V.T.U.

In October 1967 Mr Cumming was appointed Staff Inspector.

In 1970 Mr Cumming became president of the Gould League of Victoria and, in the following six years, devoted much of his time to it. He constantly sought to develop and extend the Gould League beyond its traditional bird-oriented role into the areas of environmental studies, pollution control, and general conservation. He encouraged and assisted in increasing the range of materials useful to children and teachers in their environmental activities.

In 1970, Mr Cumming became an Assistant Director of Primary Education. In 1971-72 he was awarded a travelling scholarship and visited America, Europe and New Zealand, examining the administration of primary schools and carrying out special investigations in Turkey, Sweden and Greece.

On returning to Victoria, Mr Cumming, as Assistant Director of Primary education in charge of building and accommodation, was involved in the 1973 Upgrade Operation and was responsible for working out priorities in drawing up programs for the rebuilding of old schools and assessing the needs of disadvantaged ones. This also involved the planning of a more adaptable type of building to replace the standard light-timber construction school. Mr Cumming envisaged a wider relationship between school and community, with parents working in closer co-operation with school staff so buildings could be planned to fit into a particular community program of activities for all age groups.

In 1974 Mr Cumming became responsible for staffing and in-service education. In 1975 he became Deputy Director of Primary Education.

Harry Cumming also found time to play an active part in Rotary for twenty-five years. He was president of the Leongatha Rotary Club in 1959 and of the Waverley Club in 1969-70, and was area representative in 1970-71. He has also had thirty years association with the Presbyterian Church as an elder.^[5]

Sources

• Peter Knowles. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Peter and others.

References

1. ↑ Department of Justice, Victoria, Australia - BDM Online
   [ https://online.justice.vic.gov.au/bdm/indexsearch.doj ]
   Birth: registered 1913/9761
   Marriage: registered 1939/3418
2. ↑ Ryerson Index
3. ↑ Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust - https://smct.org.au/deceasedsearch/result/662602
4. ↑ Entered by Peter Knowles, Oct 17, 2011
5. ↑ "Education Gazette and Teachers Aid", 4th August 1976.