(from The Ballarat Courier, September 30, 1925)

DEATH OF MR A. KENNY

"FATHER" OF ORPHANAGE PASSES

Mr Arthur Kenny, superintendent and secretary of the Ballarat Orphanage, died yesterday, after a brief illness, at the age of 79 years. The news of Mr Kenny's death first became Public property by the raising of the City Hall flag to half-mast, and when it was discovered that the veteran superintendent had passed away, there were widespread expressions of regret. It is probable that no citizen of Ballarat was more widely esteemed than he. Very few people, outside of the Committee of the institution, knew that he had been ill, for as a matter of fact he had been confined to his room for only a few days. Last Wednesday he went to Melbourne on business, though suffering from a severe cold, and on returning this ailment developed into pleurisy. Despite the constant care of his daughters and the attention of his medical adviser, pneumonia supervened, and the end came swiftly.

It is difficult, even when one knows a good deal about. the inner workings of the Orphanage and the big family life of its 200 inhabitants, to realise the effect that the news of the death of "the Mister." as the children always affectionately termed him, had on the little folk. Mr Kenny was a father to them all; a strict one, but always a kindly one, and he knew every child by name, and took a truly paternal interest in his or her welfare. And so every child in the institution learned very early to look upon him not as a task master or overseer, but as a kindly guardian, who was to them a father. All through the big home yesterday there were unconcealed demonstrations of grief at the loss of him who had been the only one they could go to in their time of childish trouble; who had trained them to be useful boys and girls; to live straight and clean, and to equip themselves as well as possible for the coming day when they would have to go out into the world and "fend" for themselves.

And so to all these children in the Orphanage the death of Mr Kenny meant a personal loss. To the committee of the institution it was the same thing though in another degree. Few masters of any of the charities of Australia have lived to be associated with so many citizens in the management of such as had Mr Kenny. It is fifty years since he first took over the position of superintendent, and though many of those on the committee can date their association with him back to half that time, he had outlived all the previous members.

Born in County Cork Ireland in 1846, Mr Kenny came to Victoria some sixty years ago and after trying various jobs, joined the staff of the Orphanage as a gardener. It was not long, however that his natural talent for handling children and especially boys, became known and the first opportunity that arose saw him placed in the more responsible position, with the late Mrs Kenny as matron. From that time the Orphanage began to assume that importance in the history of Ballarat that made it what it now is, the model charitable institution of Australia. That is no vain boast. for visitors from all states have subscribed to the claim, and the present Charities Board hold it up as such.

Blessed with extraordinary vitality, energy and enthusiasm for his task and an innate love of children, Mr Kenny threw himself into the work of the institution with a zeal that for the whole half-century of his service never flagged.

He was forever scheming to gain advantage for his boys and girls. A practical farmer and gardener, an expert breeder of cattle, pigs and sheep, he was excellently well equipped to instruct the boys in anything having to do with the land, and many a one who has had one of these farm-trained lads on his own property could testify to the thoroughness of the training imparted. Mr Kenny had an excellent trait in that he never asked a boy to do job without giving him a personal and practical demonstration of how to do it. It may be said that now he has gone to join his esteemed wife, that what he was to the boys, she also was to the girls and that explained why there were always waiting householders who required a well trained girl in the house, and who desired to have one from the Orphanage. Mr Kenny, as has been said, was a man of unbounded energy, and even when he grew old in years he seemed to lose none of this characteristic. During the recent appeal he worked harder than anyone else on the committee, day and night he was in action, seeking new avenues of income. And while the money was flowing in, the building operations and additions, which were it's objective were being carried out and these were his personal care. The amount of work performed by Mr Kenny during that strenuous period, followed as it was by the supervision of the expenditure of the big fund, assuredly told its tale and weakened his constitution so that illness overtook him. his reserve force was spent, and he could not resist as of old. As a citizen, Mr Kenny will be greatly missed. Although not taking an active part in public life on account of his own exacting and arduous duties, he was associated with many movements for the betterment of Ballarat. He was an enthusiastic member of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society, and a regular exhibitor at shows, and a frequent prize winner. At the weekly sales at the Corporation and private yards he was a familiar figure, and was respected and esteemed by all with whom he came in contact, whether in a business and social atmosphere. Keenly interested in the South St Competitions from their inception, he had the pleasure of seeing the Orphanage band carry off some valuable trophies, and indeed, at the time of his death there is a children's choir in training for this year's juvenile choral contest. A plain-spoken, forthright man, with a keen eye to the business end of the fine charity he controlled, Mr Kenny nevertheless had a big warm heart for the orphaned little ones under his care, and was jealous of their right to a good upbringing, a sound education, a healthy moral training, and as complete an equipment for the future as was possible, and to that end the whole of his long life was devoted, with results that are common knowledge.

Mr Kenny was prominent in Masonic circles, and was one of the oldest members of the craft in Ballarat. He was Past Master and Treasurer for very many years of the Ballarat Lodge, and a foundation member, and first W.M. of the Hope Lodge. Also he was a Past Junior Grand Deacon of the Grand Lodge of Victoria, and one of the oldest Past Masters in the state.

Mr Kenny leaves a family of one son, who is a chemist in Sydney, and two daughters. One of his daughters Miss Lulu Kenny, succeeded her mother as matron of the Orphanage, while the other, Miss Jean Kenny, was her father's amanuensis, and also assisted in the management of their big home. Throughout all the public institutions of the city, headed by the Mayor and Councillors, expressions of regret at the passing of one who was a good citizen and an upright man were freely voiced.

The interment will take place tomorrow.