Headmaster’s name removed from school centre after ‘cover-up’

A Queensland Anglican school has abandoned plans to name a building after a former headmaster following abuse cover-up claims.

One of Queensland’s most prestigious Anglican schools has agreed to abandon plans to name a new $17 million building after a former headmaster, amid claims he covered up the sexual abuse of students by staff.

The Anglican Church Grammar School, or “Churchie’’, in East Brisbane announced yesterday it would not name the building after the late Henry Roberts, who was headmaster from 1947-1969.

It follows a complaint by a former student, who was allegedly abused in 1967 by boarding house master Harry John Wippell, who killed himself in 2010 soon after he was committed to trial for the sexual assaults.

The former student, who was 12 at the time, had appealed to the school council claiming he had complained of the abuse to the headmaster, who had initially granted him sanctuary in his house.

But days later, the former student said, he was taken to Mr Roberts’s office and, in front of Wippell, told to withdraw the allegations before he was caned by the headmaster.

“I would not withdraw the allegations and the headmaster caned me six times on the bare buttocks and asked me again to recant, and I didn’t, and then Wippell gave me the cane six times … and then a prefect who was also there caned me.’’

After the student went to police, several other former students came forward with similar allegations against Wippell.

In a letter yesterday to the school community, school council chairman Dan O’Connor said several abuse victims had recently approached the school about the new “Roberts Centre for Learning and Innovation’’.

Mr O’Connor said Mr Roberts was “credited with creating excellence upon which the school prides itself’’.

“However, the material recently made available to the school council by the diocese suggests that his method of dealing with allegations of abuse in the 1960s does not match current standards,’’ Mr O’Connor wrote. “While Mr Roberts removed the staff concerned, he took no further action. The council accepts that this may have been considered an adequate response at the time, but it does not accord with current community standards.’’

It is believed the foun­dation stone carrying Mr Robert’s name will soon be removed.

Churchie is among the schools of the Anglican diocese of Brisbane that this year announced a policy to automatically refund fees to any former student sexually abused while under their care.