Melbourne Grammar EH Flack Scholarship a boost for rural students

One of Melbourne Grammar’s most prestigious scholarships provides financial support for talented rural students. Find out more here.

Philanthropic donations continue to span the generations at Melbourne Grammar School and provide a powerful opportunity to change the educational trajectory of students who would otherwise be limited by financial constraints.

The EH Flack Scholarship is one of the most prestigious at the school and available exclusively to country students.

Mick Letts, who turns 90 this year, is the eldest living recipient of the scholarship while Year 11 student Oscar White is the youngest, and despite a spectrum spanning more than 70 years, the sentiment from both recipients remains the same. The scholarship has been life changing and the opportunities boundless.

For Mick, the scholarship helped open doors throughout the world, launching him from the small country town of Donald to a career in diplomatic and government relations.

“When I think about it, I realise it meant very much to me and my future life,” Mick said.

“This school has done so much for people, and especially for people like me. I wouldn’t have been able to have the career I’ve had without the scholarship.”

Mick’s older brothers, Malcolm, a medical professional, and Goff, who served as Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, were also scholarship recipients at Melbourne Grammar. Malcolm was the EH Flack Scholarship’s first ever recipient in 1940.

Current awardee Oscar said while the past two years had been difficult they had also provided opportunities to grow and foster leadership potential. He had also created lifelong friendships at the school thanks to the scholarship.

“If I had the opportunity to contribute to a scholarship like this in the future, I would. I’d want to pass on this opportunity if I had the chance,” he said.

The EH Flack Scholarship is named for Edwin Flack, who attended Melbourne Grammar during the 1880s and went on to become Australia’s first Olympian. He was the sole Australian representative at the 1896 Athens Games – the first of the modern Olympics – where he won gold medals in the 800m and 1500m events.

After he died in 1935, Flack bequeathed a portion of his estate to Melbourne Grammar School to establish the scholarship, which provides 75 per cent remission of annual boarding and tuition fees.

Headmaster Philip Grutzner said scholarships of this nature were important because they broadened the characteristics of the student body, benefiting all students.

“We offer a wide range of scholarships for boarding students because we know that students from the country bring a unique perspective to the School,” Philip said.

“We look for students who are academically talented, or are elite athletes, or who have strong leadership qualities and/or community mindedness.”

The Scholarship is available to students entering Year 9 in 2023.

Applications close January 28.