▁local ▁Gram mar ▁School ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁when ▁a ▁letter ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁Col onial ▁Secretary , ▁H H ▁Mass ie , ▁seeking ▁appro val ▁for ▁the ▁project ▁and ▁a ▁subscription ▁list ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁the ▁Dar ling ▁Down s ▁Gazette . ▁More ▁than ▁£ 2 7 0 0 ▁was ▁raised ▁within ▁weeks ▁from ▁both ▁large ▁and ▁small ▁don ations , ▁se cur ing ▁a ▁government ▁grant ▁of ▁£ 5 3 3 3 ▁and ▁a ▁loan ▁of ▁£ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁Board ▁of ▁Trust ees , ▁elected ▁during ▁June ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁selected ▁the ▁Old ▁Queens ▁Park ▁as ▁the ▁site ▁for ▁the ▁school . ▁Th ir teen ▁acres ▁of ▁this ▁ 5 0 ▁a cre ▁site ▁was ▁granted ▁by ▁the ▁government ▁and ▁the ▁remainder ▁was ▁secured ▁by ▁the ▁Trust ees ▁at ▁ 1 0 ▁pounds ▁an ▁a cre ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁government ▁end ow ment . ▁The ▁initial ▁board ▁consisted ▁of ▁seven ▁members , ▁three ▁subscri bers ▁represent atives ; ▁William ▁Graham ▁M LA , ▁George ▁Henry ▁D aven port ▁and ▁Samuel ▁George ▁Steph ens ▁and ▁four ▁Government ▁represent atives : ▁James ▁Taylor ▁M LC , ▁John ▁Frederick ▁Mc D oug all ▁M LC , ▁Gilbert ▁Elli ot ▁and ▁Charles ▁James ▁Anderson . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁October ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁architect s ▁were ▁invited ▁to ▁submit ▁designs ▁for ▁the ▁proposed ▁Gram mar ▁School ▁and ▁a ▁prem ium ▁of ▁£ 5 0 ▁and ▁second ▁prize ▁of ▁£