Francis Anderson, Professor of Logic and Mental Philosophy

This item is part of the History Hike with the Archives, a history walk around the Camperdown and Darlington campuses of the University.

We Only Work Here…He Never Left

Francis Anderson’s association with the University began in 1888, when on 6 August 1888, the Senate noted that, "A letter was received from Mr Francis Anderson M.A. in which he offered to give a course of University Extension Lectures at the University, during Michaelmas Term upon "Some problems of Modern Philosophy". It was resolved that the offer of Mr Anderson be accepted with thanks, the subject of the lectures be approved in the ordinary way by the University Extension Lectures Committee". [Ref 1].

"How We Think!" was one of those approved lectures, where Anderson expounded that, "To think is to relate. Knowledge consists of mental connections or relations. Ignorance is absence of connections. Error is false connections. No one starts thinking on any subject with an open or an empty mind. We cannot help interpreting the new in terms of the old. Our minds are already "made up"". [Ref 2].

This and his other lectures led to the Senate reporting on 17 December 1888 that, "In reference to the proposal to appoint a Lecturer on Logic and Mental Philosophy at a salary of £350 per annum in lieu of £200 as at present, as the Committee understands that the additional salary proposed is to be given in connection with Evening Lectures…It was resolved…That Mr F. Anderson be appointed". [Ref 3]. By 3 February 1890, Anderson had proved himself worthy of having the Senate unanimously promote him to the role of foundation Challis Chair of Logic and Mental Philosophy. [Ref 4].

On 11 June 1917, "A letter was received from Dr. H.T. Lovell in regard to a fund inaugurated to commemorate the twenty-five years service of Professor Francis Anderson. The proposal that Mr. Norman Carter paint two panels in the Philosophy lecture room was referred to the Buildings and Grounds Committee for report". [Ref 5]. "The right panel portrayed Plato, Aristotle and Socrates; the left one showed Descartes, Bacon and Spinoza". [Ref 6].

Anderson held the position of Challis Chair until the Senate recorded his letter of resignation on 7 March 1921 but resolved that Anderson would continue working until 31 March 1922. [Ref 7]. On 3 April 1922, the Senate formally acknowledged Anderson, "The Senate desires to place on record an expression of its sense of the loss sustained by the University through the retirement of Professor Francis Anderson, M.A. from the Chair of Logic and Mental Philosophy, which he has held for a period of 33 years. He rendered pre-eminent service to the University and to the community, not only by the establishment of a large and important school in the subject of his Chair but he exercised an important influence on the general education of the youth of the State by the weight of his counsel. The University is also indebted to him for his service as a Fellow of the Senate and Dean of the Faculty of Arts. That Professor Francis Anderson be appointed Professor emeritus". [Ref 8].

A further accolade is bestowed upon Anderson in 1936 as the Senate on 6 July 1936, "…resolved to congratulate Sir Francis Anderson and Sir Charles Blackburn on the honour recently conferred upon them by His Majesty the King". [Ref 9]. Just a few years later, however, on 7 July 1941, the Senate heard that, "The Registrar reported the death on 24th June, 1941, of Emeritus Professor Sir Francis Anderson, and that he had sent a message of sympathy to Lady Anderson on behalf of the University". [Ref 10].

But even in death, Anderson was not forgotten.

On 9 June 1953, the Registrar received a letter advising that, "…under the Will of the abovenamed deceased [Lady Josephine Anderson]…the University of Sydney is entitled to a legacy of her bookcases and library of books and also the sum of £2,000 for the purpose of erecting a Memorial Fountain in the centre of the Quadrangle in memory of her late husband Professor Sir Francis Anderson". The Registrar replied, with gratitude, on 11 June 1953 for the proposed bequest but noted that, "I would like to raise the matter of the location of a memorial fountain as I feel sure that this matter will be raised by the Senate and by the Buildings and Grounds Committee which authorises all structural additions and alterations. I think it may be felt that the centre of the quadrangle is not an appropriate place to erect a fountain and that there may be other suitable places within the University grounds where such a fountain could be erected. I would be pleased, therefore, if you would raise this matter with the other beneficiaries and see if they would consent to the erection of such a memorial on a location within the grounds to be determined by the University Senate".

As hoped, the University was informed on 10 August 1953 that, "…all the beneficiaries in Scotland…will be satisfied with whatever site for the Memorial is chosen by the University Senate. I therefore have the pleasure of enclosing a cheque...I would point out that Lady Anderson had expressed the wish that the ashes of her late husband and herself should be placed within such Memorial". [Ref 11].

As such, on 26 August 1953, the Buildings and Grounds Committee recommended, "…that the fountain be erected on the southern side of the Philosophy Department overlooking the roadway beside the Old Medical School and that Professor Ashworth be commissioned to carry out the design of the fountain". [Ref 12].

Professor HI Ashworth of the Faculty of Architecture provided sketch drawings on 24 November 1953 and confirmed that, "The ashes of the late Professor Sir Francis and Lady Anderson will be embodied in the memorial stele". [Ref 13]. On 7 December 1953, the Senate accepted the Buildings and Grounds Committee’s recommendation to approve the designs. [Ref 14]. Despite Professor Ashworth’s conviction that the project would not exceed the allocated budget, he wrote to the Registrar on 26 August 1954 that, "I have decided to omit the copper plaque and the flight of steps leading up the bank to the car park, as the money is not sufficient to cover these items", but, backtracking, wrote again on 3 December 1954 that, "The steps are not essential to the actual memorial fountain itself, but I do feel it would be a worthwhile amenity as the steps would prevent students clambering up the bank from the lower level which they have done for some time past. I have ascertained from the general contractor and the stonemason that the cost…would be the sum of £221.15.0. I should be grateful if the University could find this sum, as I am sure it will be well invested in terms of University development". This request was not approved.

As the University was first advised regarding Lady Anderson’s will in 1953, the Executor requested an update on 2 February 1955. The Registrar replied that, "…the Memorial Fountain is in the course of construction. The site was excavated and the foundations laid last year, but work is now as a standstill until such time as the company supplying the stone can deliver the necessary stone for the fountain. As you know, there are very few firms who supply stone". [Ref 15]. A few months later, on 21 April 1955, Professor Ashworth was finally able to report that, "…the work on the Memorial Fountain has reached the stage when, in the not too distant future, it will be ready for the building in of the urns containing the ashes of the late Sir Francis and Lady Anderson", which were transferred around June 1955 from the Cremation Society, "…to be actually totally enclosed in the stone memorial head adjacent to the fountain…a small space…provided for this purpose". [Ref 16].

By 1981, however, the Memorial Fountain was no longer functioning, and the Architect-Planner wrote on 20 March 1981 that, "It is the wish of the Chancellor’s Committee to get this unit operational. It was in use when I first joined the University but the Water Board had a clamp down right across Sydney on installations that were running to waste and this was one of them. In order to get the unit going we have to virtually rebuild the water supply and recirculate the filter and so on…not [a] small task ahead of us to get this thing going". As the Architect-Planning also found out about, "…that "puddle" you were asking…about…Prof. Ashworth designed the present garden. Didn’t have enough money to make it a fountain so compromised by putting a stand pipe in the centre so that it could be filled with water". [Ref 17].

The Buildings and Grounds Committee noted on 9 August 1984 and reported to the Senate, "…that work was well advanced on the construction of the Sir Francis Anderson Fountain", [Ref 18], and the Uni News celebrated this progress on 23 October 1984, noting that, "A long neglected fountain…has now been restored, thanks to a generous donation by the Chancellor’s Committee. Funds…has enabled a new water recirculation system to be built. This involved construction of new accommodation for a recirculating pump, filters, time control equipment, controls for the five new water jet and provision for new water and electrical service. The entire project cost just over $14,000". [Ref 19].

A decade later, Anderson’s murals too came under threat, when in 1991-1992, the University sought to renovate the Philosophy Room and relocate the paintings, causing what the Uni News called on 18 February 1992, the "Philosophy Room furore…claiming they have been insensitive to the historical significance of the room", [Ref 20], with two academics stating that, "Generations of Philosophy students have sat in the none too comfortable benches of the Philosophy Room, able to view not just their lecturer but the two large portrait panels on either side of the dais…given in honour of…Francis Anderson. As visual aids, these portraits, though hardly great art, excelled today’s higher-tech gadgets, especially in looks. Visitors to the Philosophy Room stood in awe of the image of higher education projected there…the portrait panels disappeared and the gutting of the Philosophy Room began. Enquiries revealed that the pictures are never again to hang in the audience's line of sight. They are to be remounted at the back of the room. For what pressing educational purpose? To make way for the projection screen and multiple blackboard ranks. Why these tasteful objects, since no lecturer has ever complained of the old single pair of blackboards, and no philosopher uses an overhead projector? Our protests have apparently met a stone wall. As our colleagues in Woolley put it: 'What the hell: we only work here'". [Ref 21].

Ref 1: Senate Minutes Jun 1888 to Jul 1891 (04/06/1888 to 06/07/1891), pp. 29-30, [REF-00002752]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 2: Anderson, Francis Finding Aid (No Date), Box 1_Item 1, [REF-00088362]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 3: see Ref 1, p. 83-4.

Ref 4: see Ref 1, p. 207.

Ref 5: Senate Minutes April 1913 to December 1917 (28/04/1913 to 10/12/1917), p. 429, [REF-00002762]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 6: The University of Sydney News Vol 23 No 35 (17/12/1991), p. 288, [REF-00040677]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 7: Senate Minutes February 1921 to October 1923 (07/02/1921 to 25/10/1923), p. 14, [REF-00002759]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 8: see Ref 7, p. 169.

Ref 9: Senate Minutes August 1934 to December 1936 (13/08/1934 to 21/12/1936), p. 393, [REF-00000018]. University of Sydney Archives

Ref 10: Senate Minutes June 1941 to November 1943 (02/06/1941 to 01/11/1943), p. 21, [REF-00000013]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 11: Estate of Lady Josephine Anderson (1953 to 1956), [REF-00041984]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 12: Buildings and Grounds Committee Minutes May 1934 to February 1956 (28/05/1934 to 26/01/1956), p. 155, [REF-00003144]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 13: Anderson, Sir Francis (Deceased) (1940s to 1950s), [REF-00040015]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 14: Senate Minutes 1953 to 1954 (16/03/1953 to 16/06/1954), p. 270, [REF-00070368]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 15: see Ref 11.

Ref 16: see Ref 13.

Ref 17: Sir Francis Anderson Fountain (Dec 1982 to 26/05/1988), [REF-00002661]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 18: Senate Minutes Vol 8 September 1984, pp 1132-1270 (Sep 1984), p, 1153, [REF-00070543]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 19: The University of Sydney News Vol 16 No 31 (23/10/1984), p. 261, [REF-00039594]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 20: The University of Sydney News Vol 24 No 1 (18/02/1992), p. 2, [REF-00040682]. University of Sydney Archives.

Ref 21: see Ref 6.