Fred Schonell was born in 1900. He became a teacher and completed his PhD degree in Education at the University of London in 1932. He held the positions of Lecturer, Examiner, and Professor for various universities in England. He was appointed First Professor of Education with the University of Queensland in 1949. Schonell was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Queensland in 1960. He was knighted in 1962 Schonell's research interests were primary school education methods, especially slow learners. He died in 1969.

Brian Thomas Doyle (1915 - 2003) was the Managing Editor of The Catholic Leader in Brisbane from 1959 to 1981 and had previously been Associate Editor of Sydney’s Catholic Weekly from 1944. A prodigious writer, he was regarded as one of Australia’s leading Catholic lay journalists in his stand against clerical intervention, amongst other issues such as social reform and social justice. He was the first layperson to be President of the Catholic Press Association (from 1966 to 1968). Doyle was also a formidable opponent of B.A. Santamaria for invoking the authority of the Church for partisan political goals in the 1950s. Born in Sydney, he was educated at Marist Brothers Randwick and Dux of the college in 1932 Doyle trained and worked with the Public Library of NSW from 1933 to 1941 and was a foundation member of the Australian Library Association. An active public speaker and lecturer, he closely studied the Australian political scene, particularly the Catholic Church and politics Ill health prevented him from writing a book on ‘The Movement’.