Douglas Trathen

Douglas Arthur Trathen (1 February 1916 – 19 September 1998) was an Australian Methodist minister and the Headmaster of Newington College and is known for his opposition to the Vietnam War and conscription.^[1]

Early life

Trathen was born in Petersham and was educated at Canterbury Boys' High School.^[2] He attended the University of Sydney and graduated in arts and theology. After university he was ordained, becoming minister of the Reid Methodist Church in Reid, Australian Capital Territory, before serving in World War II with the RAAF as a chaplain. From 19 February 1943 he served part-time as the chaplain of RAAF Station Canberra (now known as Fairbairn, Canberra) before becoming a full-time chaplain with No. 8 Squadron RAAF, serving in Queensland and New Guinea. He later served with No. 8 Operational Training Unit RAAF at Parkes, New South Wales and No. 58 Operational Base Unit RAAF in the Northern Territory. He was discharged in December 1945.^[3]

After the war, Trathen resumed his responsibilities as a Methodist minister, moving with his wife to Wingham, New South Wales in 1946.^[4] The following year, Trathen was transferred to a church at Corrimal, New South Wales.

Headmaster

In January 1950, Trathen accepted his first school leadership position, when he was approached to become the Principal of Wolaroi College in Orange. He was described at the time as "a young man of fine gifts and extensive experience. He will bring to his new position a keen interest in Christian education, and qualifications that should make him a worthy successor to ... the retiring Principal."^[5]

In 1963, Trathen commenced duties as Headmaster of Newington College. His obituary in the Sydney Morning Herald states that: "At Newington, he quickly clashed with the establishment ... he sought to broaden the macho sports-oriented base of the school. His ideals were worthy, but his dogmatism alienated many. Interested in philosophy, he did not fit the image of a man's man." In June 1970, at the height of the political crisis about Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, Trathen wrote a letter to the Herald speaking out against conscription and calling on young men to defy the National Service Act. He wrote: "I am loth indeed to be forced publicly to advocate (non-violent) civil disobedience ... As an ex-serviceman, a private citizen and a man of law and Law, I publicly encourage 20-year-olds, in good conscience and in loyalty to God rather than Caesar, to defy the National Service Act. Mr Gorton and members of Cabinet, for God's sake, stop." The letter was signed followed in brackets by: "The writer is the Headmaster of Newington College." ^[6] The council of the college took issue with the letter and endeavoured to sack him but the conference of the Methodist Church supported him. Trathen was prosecuted for inducing citizens to break the law and although no conviction was recorded he was placed on a good behaviour bond.^[7]

Aftermath

He resigned in September of that year and went on to work in education in both the state and federal spheres before his retirement in 1978. Relations improved with Newington and he visited the college in 1988 as part of its 125th anniversary celebrations. His portrait in oils by Bryan Westwood hangs in the Prescott Hall. Trathen died in Murwillumbah, survived by his wife, Irven (née) Herbert, and four children.

References

1. Attitudes to the Vietnam War - an education program for VCE designed by the Victorian Shrine of Remembrance (pages 21-25)
2. Canterbury Boys' High School - Notable Alumni
3. RAAF service record, A9300, TRATHEN D A, National Archives of Australia, Canberra.
4. http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/168523417?searchTerm=trathen%20methodist&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc|||l-decade=194|||l-year=1946
5. http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155613200?searchTerm=trathen%20methodist%20wolaroi&searchLimits=sortby=dateAsc|||l-decade=195|||l-year=1950
6. Sydney Morning Herald - June 17th 1970
7. A Nation at War: Australian Politics, Society and Diplomacy During the Vietnam War 1965-1975 by Peter Edwards

Bibliography

• Malcolm Brown, Obituary, SMH, pp 31 (3 October 1998)
• David Macmillan, Newington College 1863-1963 (Syd, 1963)
• Peter Swain, Newington Across the Years 1863-1998 (Syd, 1999)