An eminent Australian freemason and educator passed to the Grand Lodge above on 16 April 2000.

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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Obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald 3 May 2000

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