Charles Fenner: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

Article Images

Line 11:

Fenner taught at several Victorian schools before being appointed (joint?) principal of the [[Ballarat School of Mines]] in November 1914. He also had charge of the school's Geology department, the teaching of which was favorably commented on by examiners. He paid particular attention to [[field work]], which the students enjoyed, as well as being important to their education.

Fenner also prepared students for the Geology examinations at [[Melbourne University]], with notable success.

In 1916 he accepted the post of Superintendent of Technical Education in South Australia, a position he held until May 1939, when he was appointed acting [[Department for Education (South Australia)#Administration|Director of Education]] in place of [[W. J. Adey]] who was on the eve of retirement.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article30041990 |title=Education Director's Retirement |newspaper=[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)]] |location=South Australia |date=23 May 1939 |accessdate=10 January 2021 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

:During that time he completed research work for his D.Sc and from 1929<ref name=familiar/> lectured in geography at the [[University of Adelaide]], and in 1937 went on an extended overseas tour.

In September 1939 he succeeded Adey as Director of Education and held that position until 1946, when he retired due to ill health.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://federation.edu.au/about-us/our-university/history/geoffrey-blainey-research-centre/honour-roll/f/charles-fenner-1884-1955 |title=Charles Fenner (1884–1955) |author=Clare Gervasoni |publisher=[[Federation University]] |year=2010 |access-date=9 January 2021}}</ref>

He worked as a volunteer for the [[South Australian Museum]], pursuing his research into [[tektites]], among other interests, and contributed numbers of articles to ''[[Walkabout (magazine)|Walkabout]]'',<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Holmes, O.B.E.. M.C.., F.R.G.S. |first=Charles |date=1 November 195 |title=How Walkabout Began |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-747971298 |journal=Walkabout |volume=25 |issue=11 |pages=9}}</ref> until 1954 when he suffered a [[stroke]], and died a year later. His remains were buried in the [[Centennial Park Cemetery]].

==Other interests==

Fenner was president of the [[Royal Society of South Australia]] in 1931, and a member of the board of governors of the [[State Library of South Australia|Public Library]]. Most of his spare time iswas spent in research and on geology excursions.<ref name=familiar>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129925900 |title=Familiar Figures |newspaper=[[The News (Adelaide)]] |volume=XVI |issue=2,390 |location=South Australia |date=16 March 1931 |accessdate=9 January 2021 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

He was particularly interested in [[australite]]s, small glassy, often button-shaped, objects found on the [[Nullarbor Plain]] and elsewhere in southern Australia, believed to be [[ejecta]] from a large [[meteorite]] that landed in China.

==Recognition==

Fenner won the

*Sachse ~~gold~~Gold ~~medal~~Medal (awarded by the Royal Geographical Society (Victorian Branch)<ref>Fenner, Frank (2006). [https://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p34751/html/ch16s13.html Chapter 16. The Scientist and Science Communicator: Prizes for Scientific Work] '''In:''' [https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/nature-nurture-and-chance ''Nature, Nurture and Chance: The Lives of Frank and Charles Fenner''] {{isbn|9781920942632}} Retrieved 6 September 2024.</ref>) in 1919 for a paper delivered to the [[Royal Society of Victoria]], dealing with the geology of the [[Werribee River]] basin.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article210592333 |title=Honoring Dr Fenner |newspaper=[[The Express and Telegraph]] |volume=LVI |issue=16,726 |location=South Australia |date=7 May 1919 |accessdate=9 January 2021 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

*[[David Syme Research Prize]] in 1929 for a thesis, ''Adelaide, South Australia: A Study in Human Geography''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article53466030 |title=David Syme Research Prize |newspaper=[[The Register News-pictorial]] |volume=XCIV |issue=27,350 |location=South Australia |date=12 April 1929 |accessdate=9 January 2021 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

*[[John Lewis (Australian politician)|John Lewis]] Medal (awarded by the [[Royal Geographical Society of Australasia]]) in 1947 for "''South Australia;: A Geographical Study''."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36007624 |title=J. L. Lewis Medal for Dr C. E. Fenner |newspaper=[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)]] |location=South Australia |date=31 October 1947 |accessdate=9 January 2021 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

A portrait of Fenner by [[Beulah Symes Leicester]] was a finalist for the [[List of Archibald Prize 1938 finalists|1938 Archibald Prize]]. A portrait by his friend [[Ivor Hele]] was held by Croydon Park College of Further Education.<ref name=adb/>

Line 30:

Fenner was the author of six books,<ref name=passing/> including:

*{{cite book|title=South Australia: A Geographical Study |author=Charles Fenner |publisher=(pub. not known) |year=1931}}

*{{cite book|title=Bunyips and Billabongs : an Australian out of doors |author=Charles Fenner, with a foreword by [[~~Frederick~~Frederic Wood Jones]] |publisher=Angus & Robertson, Sydney |year=1933}}

*{{cite book|title=Australites : a unique shower of glass meteorites |author=Charles Fenner |publisher=Royal Society of South Australia |year=1934}}

*{{cite book|title=An Intermediate Geography of South Australia |author=Charles Fenner |publisher=[[Department for Education (South Australia)|SA Education Department]] |year=1944}}

*{{cite book|title=Mostly Australian |author=Charles Fenner, with drawings by [[John C. Goodchild]] |publisher=Georgian House, Melbourne |year=1945}}

Line 86:

*(Charles) Lyell Fenner (17 August 1912 – 25 May 1997)

*[[Frank Fenner|Frank Johannes (later John) Fenner]] (21 December 1914 – 22 November 2010), famous biologist

*Winifred Joyce "Winn" Fenner (26 August 1916 – ) taught at [[Walford ~~Girls~~Anglican School for Girls]]. She never married.

*Lieut-Cmdr Thomas Richard "Tom" Fenner R.A.N. (18 June 1918 – 21 September 1946) married Margaret Jane Legge Suter on 10 June 1948<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22540911 |title=Family Notices |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)]] |issue=31,755 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=11 June 1948 |accessdate=11 January 2021 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

*William Greenock "Bill" Fenner (11 March 1922 – ) "Greenock" was named for the volcanic hill behind Charles's boyhood home. Bill was author of ''Quality and Productivity for the 21st Century''

They had a home at 42 Alexandra Avenue, [[Rose Park, South Australia|Rose Park]]. After Fenner's death Peggy moved to 10 Springbank Road, [[Panorama, (South Australia)|Panorama]].<ref>{{cite book|author=[[Frank Fenner]] |title=Nature, Nurture and Chance: The Lives of Frank and Charles Fenner}}</ref>

==Further reading==