John ‘Jack’ Thomas Morrow (OM 1925) lived a life of quiet conviction. A grazier from New South Wales, he was known for his self-sufficiency, humility and love for the land he looked after.
At Melbourne Grammar School he is better known for his remarkable generosity and for his transformative bequest which has supported the School’s mission for close to 40 years.
This year, Melbourne Grammar School is proud to announce that the new Centre for Humanities will be named the Jack Morrow Centre for Humanities.
The decision to recognise Jack, one of the most significant benefactors in the School’s history, acknowledges not only what was given, but of what continues to grow.
“The Jack Morrow Centre for Humanities will be a place dedicated to enquiry, discussion and the exchange of ideas – a space where students are encouraged to question, to challenge and to think independently,” says Headmaster Philip Grutzner.
“In both name and purpose, the Morrow Centre stands as a fitting tribute: not only to a man whose generosity transformed the School, but to the values that continue to define it.”
Jack attended Melbourne Grammar School for three years (1922–1925), yet the true depth of his connection to the School only became clear after his passing.
Jack had spent his life dedicated to the careful stewardship of his land and of his merino flock. He established Colombo Creek, which ran through his property, as a wildlife sanctuary years before other landowners would likewise introduce rules against shooting or fishing.
When Jack passed away in 1989, it was a surprise to learn that he had named Melbourne Grammar School in his Will. That gift established the JT Morrow Education Trust, which continues to support scholarships, programs and facilities across the School – creating opportunities for generations of students.
Former Grammar Foundation President Clive Smith OAM (OM 1953) recalled the time shortly leading up to the news of Jack’s bequest in his memoir, Life at full throttle (2018).
“I had asked my old friend Jack Morrow to return to Melbourne Grammar for lunch and a tour – his first visit since leaving school,” Clive wrote.
“The Headmaster, Nigel Creese and I, entertained him and showed him around. There was really no thought at that stage that he may eventually become a contributor to the Foundation.”
Soon after returning home, Jack made a quiet enquiry.
“After he returned to Narrandera, he rang me and asked how much it would cost to keep a boarder at Melbourne Grammar,” Clive wrote.
When told the estimated cost of a full scholarship, he said to Clive that he would discuss it further on his next visit.
He never had the chance.
A short time later, the School learned that Jack had passed away.
Yet, in a final and extraordinary act of generosity, Melbourne Grammar School was named as one of the major beneficiaries of his entire estate.
“He became one of the greatest benefactors in the history of the School,” Clive wrote.
In the 37 years since the JT Morrow Education Trust was founded, the annual income received has helped Melbourne Grammar School remain independent in the face of challenges and in its commitment to providing an exceptional holistic education.
In the naming of the new Morrow Centre, Melbourne Grammar School Archivist Luisa Moscato says the building is another proud reminder of how the School community has always come together to build for the future.
“The impact of those who have come before us has always guided and shaped the generations who follow,” she says.
“Jack’s legacy speaks to the enduring connection between past generosity and present purpose.”
Jack Morrow could likely never truly know the full potential that his gift to the School would realise.
But for every student to learn a new skill, challenge ideas and develop the confidence to think for themselves within the Morrow Centre, they will ensure that his legacy continues – not as something remembered, but as something that lives on.
