Melbourne High School
Miller went to the local state school before transferring to Melbourne High School—a selective government institution that accepted students through an academic exam—at the start of 1934. The school's emphasis on scholastic and sporting excellence and its culture was more in line with that of a private school than a standard government school. Australian Test captain Bill Woodfull was on the teaching staff as Miller's mathematics teacher. Because he did little study and focused his energy on sport, Miller was a mediocre student. In addition to cricket and football, Miller played baseball and competed in swimming. This disappointed Woodfull, a disciplined man who invoked the school's motto Honour the Work in exhorting his students to work hard as Australia was attempting to emerge from the depths of the Great Depression. Despite being Australia's captain, Woodfull refused to involve himself in the coaching of the school's cricket teams, feeling that it would intrude on the responsibilities of the sports teachers. Despite this, Woodfull watched the students at cricket training and quickly noticed Miller's skills. Aged 14 and still under 153 cm (5 ft 0 in), Miller was selected in the school's First XI. With his pads flapping against his stomach and sporting a sawn-down bat, Miller batted at No. 6 and scored 44 on his senior debut. Although his lack of power was obvious, Miller's control and solidity prompted the spectators to call him the Unbowlable, the same nickname that was accorded to Woodfull, who had a similarly strong defensive style. Melbourne went on to win the match, and Miller impressed his captain Keith Truscott, who fought for his selection and took him under his wing. Truscott later became an ace fighter pilot in the Royal Australian Air Force, and Miller would follow in his footsteps. Truscott's social influence compounded the distractions from Miller's study. Miller failed all eight of his subjects at the end of 1934, and with an average mark of 25%, was the class dunce. He scored zero in his final exam for Woodfull's geometry class, and was forced to repeat year 9.
Read more about this topic: Early Life Of Keith Miller
Famous quotes containing the words high and/or school:
“‘twas by making sweetbreads do
I passed with such a high I.Q.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“It’s a rare parent who can see his or her child clearly and objectively. At a school board meeting I attended . . . the only definition of a gifted child on which everyone in the audience could agree was “mine.””
—Jane Adams (20th century)