The respected Launceston Church Grammar School teacher was a mentor for the school’s debating and public speaking students.

“Bruce was always able to elicit what students were passionate about...he cared for them and taught them to talk about their passions, which made them want to share with him,” debate teacher Fiona Lockwood said.

Mr Fairfax tragically went missing in October 2017 after a hiking trip with his wife, Louise.

He was last seen at the Duckhole Lake track, in the state’s south.

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Mr Fairfax’s disappearance sparked a search and rescue operation, which was called off after six days, with no sign.

He was never seen again.

However, his spirit is alive and well at Grammar, with his teaching methods still used to develop the skills of the 50 debate students.

To honour his contribution to the school, Grammar principal  Richard Ford announced the Bruce Fairfax Speaking and Debating Scholarship on Tuesday.

Students are able to apply for the scholarship, which will be given to an inaugural recipient next year.

Mrs Lockwood said Mr Fairfax was well-loved at the school, and she also had a personal friendship with him.

“I remember one day he bought me a book, Educating Alice, it took me a long time but one day I realised that was his way of telling me I needed to get out, to explore the world,” she said.

Mrs Lockwood said there was ‘still a lot of grief’ among the school community at the loss of Mr Fairfax but she believed the scholarship would help to salve those wounds.

“He has left us with this open-ended interpretation of his disappearance but, for us, he is still here,” she said.

Grammar principal Richard Ford said the scholarship was the school’s way of honouring the memory of Mr Fairfax.

“Bruce had been teaching here for 29 years and he was a key driver of debating in this school,” he said.

Debate has a long history at Grammar – the first instance was recorded in 1886, the school was founded in 1846.

The scholarship will focus on debate skills but also a student’s developing leadership skills.

Students who wish to apply for the scholarship can go to the Grammar website.