Laurie Mithen
Lawrence Sidney Mithen was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the VFL during their successful period in the late 1950s under Norm Smith.
Education
He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne in April 1964.Laurie completed his doctoral dissertation while living in America receiving a PhD at the University of Oregon in 1975. The topic of his dissertation was the exploration and investigation into community-based education, what we would now call TAFE or community colleges, that was a relatively new concept and offered education to all age and socioeconomic groups. Laurie was a teacher at Melbourne High School and attended CBC as a child.
Ormond (VAFA)
Playing for the Ormond Amateur Football Club in the Victorian Amateur Football Association, Mithen was the Association's best and fairest A Grade player in 1953.Melbourne (VFL)
Recruited from Ormond, he played in three consecutive premierships from 1955 to 1957 and was a premiership player again in 1959 and 1960 to finish with five.Mithen played as a half forward early in his career before moving into the centre. It was as a centreman that he had most success, winning Melbourne's best and fairest in 1958 and 1959.