Certificate of completion of the optical classes of the Victorian Optical Association in the name of Alan Isaacs

Historical Significance: The Victorian Optical Association was the fore-runner of Optometrists Association and was founded in 1911. It commenced offering courses of training in optometry in 1913 and continued to do so up to 1944. The Australian College of Optometry had been founded in 1940 so no new students were enrolled in the Victorian Optical Association course after that year. Alan Isaacs was a student in the last cohort of students to complete the Victorian Optical Association course. The course led to Fellowship of the Victorian Optical Association (FVOA), the registerable qualification, but Alan Isaacs was not yet 21 years of age and could not be registered under the provision of the Opticians Act at the time, so he was issued with this certificate of completion of the course rather than a Fellowship certificate. The course he did was 4 years in duration with most instruction being in the evenings. It required intermediate certificate (Year 10) for entry.Alan Isaacs became very much involved in the College and the development of its optometry course, including being a member of the Council 1947-1953 and 1961-1966 and was second Vice-President in 1952 and 1953. He was a member of the Committee that produced a revised course and a detailed handbook (syllabus) for the course in 1948. He also lectured in the new College course. He returned to study to do adult matriculation at Taylors College and then studied medicine at the University of Melbourne and proceeded to train as an ophthalmologist in London. He practised ophthalmology in Melbourne and taught optics to ophthalmologists-in-training for three decades.