Sydney Sparkes Orr (6 December 1914 - 15 July 1966) was Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tasmania and the centre of the "Orr case", a celebrated academic scandal of the 1950s.
Born in Belfast in 1914, Orr achieved a first-class-honours BA in Philosophy and received an MA with special commendation at Queen's University before commencing his teaching career at the University of St Andrews and the University of Melbourne. In 1952 he was appointed to the chair of philosophy at the University of Tasmania, after falsifying his academic record in his application.[1]
In 1955 the University dismissed him for sexual relations with an undergraduate student. He denied the accusation but his appeals to the Tasmanian Supreme Court and the High Court of Australia were unsuccessful. Many academics believed Orr had been denied due process and his position was declared "black". Many also thought that Orr had been made a scapegoat due to his openly challenging the University authorities.[2]
Orr died in 1966, shortly after reaching a monetary settlement with the university of A$16,000.[3]
Referencesedit
^Cassandra Pybus, Gross Moral Turpitude: The Orr Case Reconsidered, Melbourne (Heinemann), 1993, pp. 167-71. The accusation that Orr lied when claiming to have an MA with first class honours, when such degrees were unclassified, seems to ignore the fact that, at that time, the classification of the first degree was considered more important than subsequent research. Orr had a first-class honours BA and received an MA with special commendation. Oxbridge professors whose MAs were obtained without further examination beyond the BA, sometimes regarded research degrees with disdain.
^E.g., Martin B Knowledge and Power in AcademiaHoni Soit 6 August 1991, p. 10
^"Sydney Sparkes Orr". The Companion to Tasmanian History. University of Tasmania. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
Sourcesedit
W. D. Joske Orr, Sydney Sparkes (1914? - 1966), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15, Melbourne University Press, 2000, pp 543–544.
W. H. C. Eddy (1961) Orr, Jacaranda Publishers, Brisbane
Clyde Manwell and C. M. Ann Baker (1986) "Not Merely Malice": The University of Tasmania Versus Professor Orr, in Brian Martin, C. M. Ann Baker, Clyde Manwell and Cedric Pugh (eds.), Intellectual Suppression. Australian Case Histories, Analysis and Responses, Angus and Robertson, North Ryde (NSW) pp. 39–49
Cassandra Pybus (1994) Seduction and Consent: A Case of Gross Moral Turpitude, Mandarin, Port Melbourne
J. Franklin (2003) Corrupting the Youth: A History of Philosophy in Australia, Macleay Press, ch. 3
Orr v University of Tasmania(1957) 100 Commonwealth Law Reports 526
Further readingedit
Davis R The battle for collegiality in Tasmania: The 1955 Royal Commission and the Orr aftermath (Ch.3 of Biggs D & Davis R (eds) The Subversion of Australian Universities, Wollongong 2002
K. Malpas, 'Orr case' in A Companion to Philosophy in Australia and New Zealand
January 01, 1970
sydney, sparkes, december, 1914, july, 1966, professor, philosophy, university, tasmania, centre, case, celebrated, academic, scandal, 1950s, born, belfast, 1914, achieved, first, class, honours, philosophy, received, with, special, commendation, queen, univer. Sydney Sparkes Orr 6 December 1914 15 July 1966 was Professor of Philosophy at the University of Tasmania and the centre of the Orr case a celebrated academic scandal of the 1950s Born in Belfast in 1914 Orr achieved a first class honours BA in Philosophy and received an MA with special commendation at Queen s University before commencing his teaching career at the University of St Andrews and the University of Melbourne In 1952 he was appointed to the chair of philosophy at the University of Tasmania after falsifying his academic record in his application 1 In 1955 the University dismissed him for sexual relations with an undergraduate student He denied the accusation but his appeals to the Tasmanian Supreme Court and the High Court of Australia were unsuccessful Many academics believed Orr had been denied due process and his position was declared black Many also thought that Orr had been made a scapegoat due to his openly challenging the University authorities 2 Orr died in 1966 shortly after reaching a monetary settlement with the university of A 16 000 3 References edit Cassandra Pybus Gross Moral Turpitude The Orr Case Reconsidered Melbourne Heinemann 1993 pp 167 71 The accusation that Orr lied when claiming to have an MA with first class honours when such degrees were unclassified seems to ignore the fact that at that time the classification of the first degree was considered more important than subsequent research Orr had a first class honours BA and received an MA with special commendation Oxbridge professors whose MAs were obtained without further examination beyond the BA sometimes regarded research degrees with disdain E g Martin B Knowledge and Power in Academia Honi Soit 6 August 1991 p 10 Sydney Sparkes Orr The Companion to Tasmanian History University of Tasmania Retrieved 17 August 2022 Sources edit W D Joske Orr Sydney Sparkes 1914 1966 Australian Dictionary of Biography Volume 15 Melbourne University Press 2000 pp 543 544 W H C Eddy 1961 Orr Jacaranda Publishers Brisbane John Polya and Robert Solomon 1996 Dreyfus in Australia Privately Published Sydney NSW ISBN 0 646 30523 9 Clyde Manwell and C M Ann Baker 1986 Not Merely Malice The University of Tasmania Versus Professor Orr in Brian Martin C M Ann Baker Clyde Manwell and Cedric Pugh eds Intellectual Suppression Australian Case Histories Analysis and Responses Angus and Robertson North Ryde NSW pp 39 49 Cassandra Pybus 1994 Seduction and Consent A Case of Gross Moral Turpitude Mandarin Port Melbourne J Franklin 2003 Corrupting the Youth A History of Philosophy in Australia Macleay Press ch 3 Orr v University of Tasmania 1957 100 Commonwealth Law Reports 526Further reading editDavis R The battle for collegiality in Tasmania The 1955 Royal Commission and the Orr aftermath Ch 3 of Biggs D amp Davis R eds The Subversion of Australian Universities Wollongong 2002 K Malpas Orr case in A Companion to Philosophy in Australia and New Zealand Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sydney Sparkes Orr amp oldid 1147063643, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
