New head of Christ’s College appointed

Press, 21 April 1984, Page 9

New head of Christ’s College appointed

Dr M. J. Rosser, of King’s College, Auckland, has been appointed the new headmaster of Christ's College.

Dr Rosser will succeed the present headmaster, Mr A. M. Brough, who will retire next year. Dr Rosser will take up his appointment at the start of the second term in 1985. Born and educated in Victoria, Australia, Dr Rosser graduated with a bachelor of science degree from the University of New South Wales, a masters degree from Monash University, and a doctorate of philosophy in organic chemistry at the University of Auckland.

He has lectured at the University of Auckland in chemistry and, since 1973, has been on the staff of King’s College in Auckland.

In 1982, Dr Rosser spent a year teaching at Radley College in England.

Dr Rosser this week described himself as a “reasonably conservative tradition-

alist.” He declined to comment on his ideas or plans for Christ’s College as he had only briefly visited the school. Asked if the Christchurch school was very different from King’s College, Dr Rosser said the two schools were fairly similar, although King’s College now had 35 girls on its roll.

“I am not sure that that is part of the image of Christ’s College. It would be some way in the future, if at all,” Dr Rosser said. Dr Rosser, who is aged 43 and a bachelor, is interested in sport and has coached rugby and rowing. His hobbies include music, gardening, and antique furniture. Mr Brough was appointed to the headmaster’s position at the college in 1970. He had previously been on the staff of Cranbrook School in Sydney. A classics graduate from Cambridge University, he shares Dr Rosser’s interest in rowing, having been a delegate to the New South Wales Rowing Association and president of the Canterbury Rowing Association. His retirement was announced by the college’s board of governors last year. The college’s bursar, Mr E. R. Eddington, said there had been “a significant number” of applications for the position.