NEW INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS

DR DON RECOMMENCED. A DISTINGUISHKD CAREER. Dr John Robert Don, D.Sc, M.A., F.C.S., E.G.S., M.A.1.M.E., has been selected a.; inspector of schools under tho Otago Education Board to till the poet rendered vacant by the retirement of Mr W. S Fitzgerald. The Education Hoard mot. in committor; last evening, ami after considering ihe applications sent in from all part, of New Zealand by a large number of highly-qualified gentlemen unanimously lecoimncndcd Dr Don for appointment t'o the position. Dr Don wa? horn in 1861 at Gisborne. Victoria, and nt the age of 19 years ho rame to Dunedin and studied at tiie Otago .University. He graduated B.A. in 1856 and M.A., with first class honours in chemistry, in 1887. He gained the degree of B.Sc. in 1889 and D.Sc. in 1896. In 1895 Dr Don became a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers; he was elected E.C.S., London, in 1898 and F.G.S., London, in 1900. Dr Don's career as a teacher has been long ami honourable. He became an assistant at the South School, Oamaru, in 18E0, but. was presently transferred to the Eorbury School at Dunedin, where he remained as third assistant till 1882. Ho was then appointed fourth assistant at the Normal School, and ho occupied this position till January, 1884, when lie became first assistant in the Macandrcw/ Road School. From 1837 to IffflS Dr Don was first assistant at the Normal School, and he was vice-president of the Training College from 1895 to 1697, in which year, on the Ist January, lie assumed duty as principal of the Waitaki Boys' High School. For some time prior to this Dr Don was honorary assistant and demonstrator to Professor Black at the Olago University, and for seven years he taught the chemistry class in connection with the Technical Classes Association in Dunedin. In 1R95 he was given tho position, of lecturer on general geology at the Otago University. Dr Don's valuable work as rector of the Waitaki High School is so well and favourably known as scarcely to call for comment. In 1897, when he took charge of the school, there were only 37 hoys in attendance, including live boarders; in'l9os the number enrolled was 119, of whom 65 wore boarders from all parts of the colony. In 1906, as the result of long years of close study and hard work Dr Don's health becamo broken, and he was forced, amid many expressions of the keenest- regret, to resign his position as principal of the school, and take a lengthy rest. Ho travelled in many parts of the world— notably in tho East,—and was for some time in Europe. While there he learned all that was possible concerning modern methods of technical instruction. He was for some time at the world-famed technical colleges at Charlottenburg, in Berlin; at Dresden and Lcipsic, and at Munich and Cologne. He visited the schools at Halifax, Leeds, Manchester, and Birmingham (in England), Aberystwyth (Wales), Viovordo and Has-elt [Belgium), and the schools in Holland and Switzerland. Dr Don returned to New Zealand during the past year fully restored to health, and with his enormous store of general knowledge greatly added -to. Dr Don is an enthusiastic and cultured scientist, and has carried out much original research. His paper on "The Genesis of Certain Auriferous Lcdes" has won him renown in Australia, America, und Europe, and it is an invaluable contribution to the literature of 'mining geology. The following paragraph, taken from an official document, and written by a well-known New Zealand scientist, demonstrates with equal force Dr Don's value as a man, and tho effect his appointment may have on education in Otago: " All through our duties the width, accuracy, and thoroughness of his knowledge has been a constant source of gratification to me. whilst his deep interest in the subject as a matter of pure science 1 have never seen equalled. He has a meat intense enthusiasm not only for science itself, but also for all the methods by which accurate ideas may lw given to others. His vigour, his untiring energy, his disregard of labour and expense in his original investigations, mark hint as a man who will give tho lustre of discovery to any institution with which he may be connected. As k well known, Dr Don has already carried out researches of great practical importance to tho. community and of much value to pure science. His kindliness, his good fellowship, and the love he inspires in his students arc also well known."