OBITUARY

Evening Star, Issue 21318, 24 January 1933, Page 7

OBITUARY

MR J. A. JOHNSON The death occurred at Hobart oil Saturday last of Mr John Andrew, Johnson, M.A. ? ex-ipnncipal of the Teachers’ Training College at Hobart, who was highly esteemed among his contemporaries in Otago before leaving for Timaru, and subsequently for Tasmania. r, . t O” Mr Johnson was born on Octobei 1861, in the Shetland Islands, and arrived with his parents in Dunedin m' January, 1870. He lived for some time at Waipori, where he attended school,being appointed a pupil teacher at Queenstown in 1876. He subsequently held positions in Burnham Industrial School (Canterbury), Forbury School,High Street School (Dunedin), and as assistant in the Dunedin Training College under Professor D. R. White. He received his B.A. degree at the Otago University in 1889, and gained his M.A. degree a year later. In 1896 he was appointed headmaster of the Tunaru Main School, a position which he held for ten years. When Tasmania decided to train its own teachers Mr. Johnson was selected as the first principal of tthe Hobart Training College,and he left New Zealand early in 1906 to take up his new position. During the twenty-five years which he had charge of the college many teachers were trained, some of whom are to be found in all the States of the Commonwealth. It is of interest to note that Mr J. A. Lyons (Prime Minister of the Commonwealth) and his wife were* among the early students in the coiMr Johnson retired from this post iff 1931, and then visited New Zealand renewing friendships in Dunedin and elsewhere. Soon after his return to Hobart he contracted a chill, from which complications arose, and he passed away. Sir Johnson had a long and. honourable career in his profession, his success as a teacher being most conspicuous. When he left Timaru fop Tasmania, his departure from New Zealand was much regretted. In Tasmania' especially he has left an ineffaceable mark oii the standard of teaching, and in every place where he served he topic a definite interest in some phase.of intellectual activity. Both in New Zealand and Tasmania he was an acceptable.; lecturer on educational and literary, subjects. While resident in Dunedin he gave several lectures under the auspices of the St. Andrew’s and Debating Society. In his young days in Dunedin he was a keen tennis player, and in later years took to gelt., He was an ex-president of the Koval, Hobart Golf Club. . He is survived by two daughters and a son, two sisters (Miss Johnson and Mrs Adam Begg), and two brothers (Mr Magnus Johnson. Dunedin, and Mr Robert Johnson, Wellington).