1902 - 2000
 

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RW Bro Maurice Herman (Harry) Kellerman, OBE, PDGM, UGL NSW & ACT, was born in New Zealand in 1902 and came to Australia in 1910. He became a teacher and eventually Principal and Education Director of International Correspondence Schools, retiring in 1974. Harry Kellerman became President of the Board of Jewish Education in 1945 and Honorary Life President in 1969. He was awarded an OBE for Services to Education in 1969.

Brother Kellerman was initiated in Lodge Apsley in 1924 and was installed as Master of Lodge Tullibigeal #619 in 1945. He was District Grand Inspector of Workings 1958-60 and Grand Librarian from 1982. Conferred Rank of Past Assistant Grand Master was awarded in 1983 and Past Deputy Grand Master in 1990.

Brother Harry Kellerman was an outstanding masonic researcher and teacher. In 1960 he was Foundation Chairman of the Committee of Masonic Education of Grand Lodge. He was a Foundation Member, Editor and Director of Ceremonies of the Research Lodge of NSW (warranted 1968) and its Master from March 1975 to March 1977, the first WM to be honoured with a full two year term.. He wrote many articles and several books. He promoted cooperation and communication between masonic researchers throughout Australia. When the Australian Masonic Research Council was established in 1992 it was decided that papers of merit should be denominated Kellerman Lectures and those delivering them given the title Kellerman Lecturer. The Australian and New Zealand Masonic Research Council holds meetings every two years and up to seven Kellerman Lectures may be presented at each Conference, one per masonic jurisdiction, the intention being that such lectures should have standing similar to that of the Prestonian Lectures in England and Wales.

It is fitting that this great freemason and teacher should be commemorated by masonic lectures named in his honour.

- RN and AW

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Harry Kellerman, OBE

                 Educator, 1902-2000

                  In 1930, Harry Kellerman was asked to contest a safe Country
                  Party seat by Jack Lang, because the Labor Party needed
                  bright young university graduates like him. Kellerman responded
                  that if they really wanted him they would give him a seat he
                  could win, and he would rather be a "common teacher" than a
                  failed candidate. Generations of children have benefited from
                  this decision, as Kellerman became anything but a common
                  teacher.

                  Even at the age of 97 he was still sought as a lecturer, able to
                  speak to large audiences on a variety of topics without using
                  either a microphone or notes. He was always proud to say he
                  had succeeded in three different fields: as a teacher, as a leader
                  in Sydney's Jewish community and as a Freemason. 

                  Maurice Herman Kellerman was born in Wellington, New
                  Zealand, in 1902, where his father, a plumber, had gone in
                  search of work. The family, adding a child every two years,
                  moved between Australia and New Zealand for the next nine
                  years, eventually settling in Sydney's inner-western suburbs.

                  Kellerman was an outstanding student and was able to continue
                  his education by winning scholarships, first to senior high school
                  and then to university. He started a science degree, and worked
                  as a research chemist in the university holidays. He rose to the
                  rank of lieutenant in what was the forerunner of the Army
                  Reserve, qualifying as a marksman.

                  After two years Kellerman discontinued his science degree in
                  favour of teaching. 

                  His first posting was to the country town of Walcha, in 1923.
                  Essentially a shy boy, he "borrowed" a photograph of a young
                  lady and family friend, Millie Ellis, apparently to keep the local
                  females away. This small start led to a relatively lengthy
                  courtship, a wedding in 1926 and a 58-year marriage. 

                  In the mid-1920s he went back to university, graduating in 1928
                  in the new discipline of economics. By then Kellerman was
                  known as a fierce disciplinarian, reflected in one of the
                  nicknames he knew his pupils had for him: "Kill-a-man". He was
                  also becoming known as an able teacher, and was appointed
                  commerce master at Telopea High School, Canberra, the
                  brand-new national capital city. This appointment later caused
                  him to be dubbed "the man who taught Gough Whitlam
                  economics". Whitlam maintains that Kellerman was officially his
                  German teacher and he just listened in on the economics lessons
                  taught in the same classroom.

                  He particularly recalls Kellerman's lectures in favour of freeing
                  up world trade, as valid now as in the 1930s.

                  In 1934 he was appointed headmaster at Tullibigeal, a small
                  town then a 12-hour drive from Sydney, but by 1938 he
                  wanted to move back to Sydney. There were few positions
                  available for a teacher at his level. He was offered a six-month
                  posting as deputy headmaster of the newly established
                  Correspondence School. He stayed for 25 years, 12 as
                  headmaster of the biggest school in the southern hemisphere,
                  with a staff of more than 400 teachers, reaching 7,000 pupils in
                  isolated areas.

                  Always a hands-on teacher, Kellerman broadcast School of the
                  Air lessons for an hour every day. His voice was said by the
                  ABC to be one of the most recognised in the State. 

                  His retirement from the NSW Education Department in 1963,
                  where he had become recognised as a world authority in
                  distance education, gave him the opportunity to move to adult
                  education as principal of the privately-run International
                  Correspondence School. In 1969 he was awarded an OBE for
                  his services to education, and in 1973 he "retired" again, this
                  time to concentrate on writing and editing a range of journals
                  and magazines.

                  He also brought his energy and expertise to Jewish education
                  and community fundraising activities. In 1939 he was asked to
                  teach English to Jewish refugees. From this experience he wrote
                  a report advising the Department of Education on how to deal
                  with refugee assimilation. He often spoke about how humble he
                  felt teaching basic English to obviously highly educated people.

                  In partnership with his great friend, Rabbi Porush, Kellerman
                  introduced Sunday school classes in synagogues across Sydney.
                  They were also directly responsible for the development of the
                  Board of Jewish Education.

                  Following the death of Millie in 1984 Kellerman, who had
                  become a mason in 1924, made Masonic education his full-time
                  occupation.

                  He is survived by their sons, Geoffrey and Gordon.

                  - Bernard Kellerman
 
 

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