DEATH OF DR JOHN HISLOP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12992, 6 June 1904, Page 4 (Supplement)

DEATH OF DR JOHN HISLOP.

The news whioh we chronicled on May 19 of the death,' in' his eighty-third year, or Dr John Hislop was received with regret ;n every.' part of the colony, hut more especially throughout Otago, where he ivaii besi known. Tlie deceased gentleman, who has: been confined to his bed for several months, took a turn for the worse a few ■days previously, and died on May 19 Jo* Hiilop, .LL.D... 0.5.. Edinburgh, :■ in 1821 at Pcntland, Midlothian. He-~was educated at Edaiburgh, and succeeded in gaining tho first prizes in all /classes ho attended att tho Edinburgh School of Arts, now the "Watt College, and at tho' conclusion of. tho proscribed course was awarded its diploma. In his eighteenth year he; became assistant master at tlio ■■■ Burntisland Grammar School, and after two years was appointed assistant- master in Ihe 'school, at Lasswadc, his native parish. He afterwards attended the Normal School and Edinburgh University, am! was successively a;mast«r at the parish schools at Colinton, ■ Cults, :and"Kirkncwton, in trhioh last school he remained nearly 12 years. In 1855 Mr ' Hislop applied for and obtained en appointment as, a teacher v under the. Provincial Government of Otago, and arrived in Port Chalmers on the 2nd October, 1E56, per ship Strathmore. His first school in Otago was a.t East Taieri, whore ho remained four and a-half years. In 1851 ho was appointed .-•ecretary to the Education Board and inspector; of schools inOtagd,and performed the difficult and arduous duties of tho' duai office for a number of years. Ho had a laige share in tho establishment of the. Boys' and Girls' High Schools, Teachers' Training School, School of Art. and the District :■ High School. ■' On the establishment of; the Otago University in 1869' Mr Hislop became its first secretary and' regis- ' itrar.'.from which office ho retired in 1871. On the establishment of the Caversham Industrial School in 1869 tho duty of organising ■ and supervising was entrusted to Mr Hislop,-in conjunction with tho late Mr St. Johu Branigan. For some years prior to hie leaving Dunedin' in 1878, Mr Hislop was a member of tho committco of tho Bcnevo-

lent Institution. Ho also took much interest *in the Caledonian Society'a evening classes • for youths. Among other offices filled by him was that of superintendent'census enumeration for Otago under ' tho Colonial Government. A record "of the . sorvioss rendered to tlio public by Dr. Hislop would bo incomplete without; reference to tho Education Bill which was drafted by him and passed its second read- ' ing in the House of Representatives in 1871. The measure, was subsequently dropped, and it was not till the session of 1877 that the Education .Act embodying the greator . proportion', of the clnuse3 drafted by Dr Hislop came into force. 'He becamo tho first secretary of Ihe nowly-formed Education: Department at Wellington, on the duties of which, office he'ento'red insanitary, 1878. Ho was presented on leaving Dunedin with a massivo silver vast and an,address from 165 teachers who had served under him as a token of their gratitude, confidence,. and goodwill. About the samo time he-was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.' Early in 1882, when the- 'Education Department had been brought into good working order, Dr Hislop ■was - granted a year's'leave of absence to visit Great Britain. . Before, leaving tho colony he was entertained at a public dinner in : . Otago, and a km of money was placed in his hands with' which to procure a'.Jifosizo portrait of himself in oils. The painting, whioh was:obtained from Horsburgh, Edinburgh,, now adorns the walls of tho • University library. For his well-known , services ..in .the cause of education tho Senatus of the University of Edinburgh (his own "alma mater") conferred upon, him tlie honorary degree of LL.D. on the occa-sLbn-of his visit to'the Old Country,- ReNew. Zealand,'Dr Hislop resumed Ids. position in, the Education Department from which" Si'©--, rehired in March, 1886. Since, that time he'resided in' Dunedin, rendering' ■useful servioea in various public c4p,a°ities'aa member of tho Hospital Board of Trustees, Otago Education Board, and Dunedin Cjty; Council. Dr Hislop \vas . chairman of the ' Otago 1 Industrial School Board,of. Advice, visiting-justioe of tlio Dunedin Gaol, member of the' committee for periodically loadjustini} the parliamentary districts, of the colony, director of the Mosgiel, Woollen .Factory. Company (Limited), and supervisor in~Dunedin for examinations for matriculations and degrees at tho University,.. _frdm all of which positions ho 'retired owing to' adviccing years. Dr Hislop, iv.« j j°i , sJPJ^Cflf.•&»» Ouuroli and <v

membfr o[ ihe Ma-oi.i.' Order, in which ho held ihe-position'of Grand Ma.-ii-r of Fr.'omasons under the ScutiM) Constitution. Ho was mairind in 3£40 to .Miss .!. Honio, of Caithness-shire. at"J I>a ; four sons—Mail's Walter. John A. 'im:Wi?' Wfliam, and. G. K! Hislop (ail wi.r."ki:o'.vn in iho colony)— and one'dang'tittr. widow of the- IfJp Dr Hugh MoedpnVd, of Lyttr-lioii. Mrs Hislop ■passed aiv'oy in Jn'y mi yar. The funeral tool; pine? tit May. 21. ami was, asmiaht have b?"ii cxprcied, attended by a very large*prenoiiiini of rcprosenlativfi L'iliz-Hij. and iiy many not acliH'y residing ,in Dunedin. f.n tin latrj sini-lo-man's ionj and u-:e!ul .life lie gaitrd i.ie respect and, esteem ..'of nil classes iu ilu> community, awl it. wa-i . therefore only natural that lli'-'ie stand ho a d«iro on the part, of many .to pay the last tribute to Ins memory, rrevloiu lo the. funeral prccassipn ' funning in ifc'nrth street (where Dr Hislo]) resided)' a short temce was: eonducted in Iho bouse.by (he Pvovs. \V. .-H'ewitton and .1. C':i>li.-)m in the prc-s?n?> of rejativftj M' deefased 'dml a number of Ills older iiiid closer fiifli'ls the proceedings being of a fo'.enr.i and. imprc."ivr> order. At thy i-losi tlio. ■coflin, on which were placed sevf.ral haticVcnie wie-alhs,.was homo to.the hearse-by the law gentleman's three sons— Mpssr* Walter, John, and Thomas Hislop-and Mr IVG. Piyde, who succeeded Dr Hislon as secretary of Ihe Kdueaiion Board. Foremost in'the numerous following that elo-Sod in r.s ihe funeral moved off wore the 'relatives of t'l" .deceased. Messrs V. (!. l'ryde, I'. Cloven. W. S.' Fitzgerald. C. D. It! -RicltanVaJh f-. • It.' liownce, .1. Koilger, S. M. Pari:, A. \G. .Melville, and R. Armstrong the Education Board), G. M. Thomson-, .1). It. White, 1). Brent, Professor Sham,!. 'Professor Gilray, Professor Salmand, Professor Back, Dr Dimlop, the Rev. W. .Will, the Rev. A. M. Finluysan, the Rev. D. Bnrrie, Mesns It. Chisholm, W. 'Emery, W.-K. .'Sessions, J. H. Morrison, .T. M'Gowan, .1. Ktenhnuse (Lawrence), \V. E. Reynolds, ,1.. N. Brown, J. V. Av'octclhouse, A. Burt, T. (!. Young, W. Dawson, Dl Held. C. S. Rwvos, A. S. Patorson, 1). Reid, M.H.R., .1. M. Gallawav, John itcid, J. M'Farlnnc, W. L. Simpson, J.' Duthie, C. I'\. Gro«n?ladc, C. Sii-ighl. T. Roid, ii. Gourley, M.L.0.,' J. Robin. Colonel Robin, Messrs J. R. Sinclair. A: Lees, R. Glendining, J. Haz'ett,: .1. Davie, Dr Burns, Messrs M. Cohen,- J. W. Jago, J. \V, Smith, J. Sinclair Thomson. J. C. Thomson, A. Wilson, M.A., George Femvick, A. Grant (Railway Dbparlnie.it). 1 W. Milne, It. Reid,' W. Mill, J. Samson, P. Graham, Captain Thomson, Messrs R. M'Konzic, D. Ilcenan, T. Finnic (Saddle Hill), A. Mow»t.-S: M'Donald, W. Harlow, J.-Blair. J, Strain; .11. Gardner, George Dutch, K. Bowler,'E. Cameron, J. T. Prain, J.. Robb, C. Brown, I. .Green. G. Mocdie, J. Hutchison, Jl ScnuH'vil'e, G. M. Burlinson, W. L. Philp, 0. J.'Hodge. A. Marshall, Inspector O'Brien,. Messrs It. "Hay, J. Dryden,'H. Webb,' R. Kilgour, G. Cripps, ,1. Ryley, .T. Donaldson. T. Brown, D. Hunter, R: A. Johnston, J: Blair, and J. Patci'son. Many other old and respected residents iu and. around Dunedin whose names were not ascertainable alio followed. On the funeral procession reaching the place of interment, at'the'Northern Cemetery Messrs W., J:,' and T.: Hislop, with Mr P. G. Pryde,' acted as palNfcrarers, and supported the coffin to ihe grove, where the Rev. D. Borric hold-a short; service for the dead, which, though simple, was earnest and touching. ■■■■■•■

'■HIS-.LOSS-DEPLORED BY THE ' ' EDUCATION' BOARD. Previous to lira.ordinary business'being proceeded with at'tlic meeting of the Otago .Education Board' o:i May 22 several very feeling references wero made to the great loss sustained through tho death of the late Dr Hislpn.; Mr R. Peattie said: The announcement of tlio death '1 of Dr Hislop causes every membor of this:.'board real' sorrow; It is long since every' one of us first knew the gentleman nowj deceased. Many in Otago arid all over .Now Zealand will mourn'his loss. I, as. an : pld teacher, connected with the pravinco ,f6r noarly 30, years, have especially to regret his death; and I have a.Reeling of sorrow—a feeling that T cannot get over—tliat tho inah who welcomed me to.this colony is now gone.. He lookedl after, my, welfare at 7 the very beginning of my,life'.ih Otago, and I shall over remember way .ho-looked, after the affairs of this'.Mw}. 5 :-.-I.'have... to move-" That the Ota'gp Educatipit : Board piits on record its jdeep sorrow at the;. death of Dr- John Hislop, and its appreciation of the great ;wrvicss rendered by hie to i the cause of

ediiKition in Olago in particular and the colony of New Zealand, in general." Continuing. Mr Peattio said: Dr'Hislop landed in Otago in 1856, and was one of the first teachers brought from the Old . Countryby tho Provincial Government. He wasilja first secretary and inspector of schools'in Ota'.'O, and many pleasant -memories, of hii periodic visits to, Ihe earlier schools still 'survive. Wlion the population of Otago.in-crta-cd the duties were'separated, and he r"tained the secrolarvshiu until lie was called to ho the first oliicial head of the Kdueaiion Departmeni; of Sew. Zealand under "Tie-- Kdueaiion Acl, 1877," which iis matc-riallv 'to frame, During, a visit lo .his'native country the University of Edinburgh, in recognition of the eminent service vendorcd by him to the cause of education, lioiioured him with the degree of LL.D. Wljen increasing years compolled him .to retire from his onerous po?ilion, he returned to his well-loved Dnnedin, and for some- years, this hoard; had the irwicfit of. his ripened judgment, .and wide experience.; I have a!s:i (o inovc that this motion ,be jilaced on -Ihe records of the board, and that a copy .thereof-1» sent'to the late.Dr Hislop's lepresoniativcs. Mr D. Bonie: With true rdncerily I second the motion. I. have known Dr Hislop ever since 1. eanw lo the colony. -Dr Hislop landed in Otago six' months before I did. and 1 have known him ever since. 1 also had the honour—and it was an honour —to sit with him for some years before he retired from taking an active pari .in educational manors in this district.. I do not require to say very much, but I repeat that I verv truly second the motion proposed by Mr Peatlif.

Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.U., faid he would like to remark that tlio • late Dr Hislop's friendship with his (Mr Mackenzie's) father and mother dated from a time oefors ihe' arrival in the colony of cither family. They were friends in (he Oid Country, and Dr Hislop was a;'teacher in the village of Lasswadc, near Kdmburgh, where the speaker's .mother belonged to. It might he also tcnitioned that, Dr Hislop taught there, amongst olliqrs, Colonel Do Quincey. sou of the celebrated author,, anil Colonel De Quincey often referred with prido and gratilude to the fact that he received instruction from i-.ueh a mamas Dr Hislop., Ho (Mr Mackenzie) remembered that when a liny attending school it was. a pleasure to the children to sco Dr HisiOj) ontor the room on one of his periodical visits.. His appearance was like a gleam of sunshine. He had the wonderful faculty of bringing out from children that which was in them. There wero many iuspcctoiu who. did not possess that power. He (Mr Mackenzie) did not in any way reflect upon tho Otago or any other inspectors, but it was. undoubtedly true that as a rule tho-appearance of the inspector was not hailed with tho pleasure that Dr Hislop's visits aroused. As a rule three inspectorial visits rather caused shrinkage and fear. The motion hardly. sufficiently expressed tho value of Dr Hislop's services to oducation.—(Mr Borric: "Hear, hear.") Here in Otago, .where we had become accustomed to that excellent system which Dr Hislop was so largely instrumental in founding,,wo hardly realised what that system was. It WMonly on going to other districts, and comparing their systems with ours, that one could' properly appreciate the Otago Fystem and see how that system had enabled the young people educated hero to take prominent positions and hold them with credit in other province of the colony. No other province had taken such a part in. the furtherance of education'a6 Otago had, and. in a largo measure the building up of our system was due to the gentleman whoso denth was now deplored.—(" Hear, hear.") ... ' A Mr J. Mitchell said that as one born and educated in the colony ho. had .some knowledge of educational affairs in ' di'ffcront parts of the colony. It was generally • recognised that .Otago was in advance . of every other provincial district,-and he had learned that for that honourable position Otago was largely indebted to tho gentleman whose, memory tho board was now endeavouring in a small way- to .honour.,. The Chairman (Mr W. Snow) said that ho heartily endorsed all that had been saia by members. He knew Dr Hislop.for over 40 years, and fully realised that he had turned out many excellent scholars and placed Otago and the colony inkier an obligation for his labours in tho cause ot education. The motion was carried without further discussion, the members rising to tli.oir feet as a mark of respect; and On the motion of the Chairman the board adjourned for an hour. The executive of the School. Committees

Conference, at a mooting yesterday, that was summoned for the transaction o[ other business, decided to record ila deep regret at the- death of Dr Hislop and its sincere appreciation of the devoted service which, extending over a long course of years, he had rendered 10 education in a!l its branches' in New Zealand.