Dr and Mrs John Hislop (née Johanna Campbell Horne)

John Hislop was a pioneer New Zealand educationalist who was born at Pentland, near Edinburgh, in 1821. His future wife, Johanna Campbell Horne, was born in the same year, at Wick, a town in the far north of Scotland. John was educated in Edinburgh, gaining top marks in all of his classes, before attending Normal School and Edinburgh University, where he was the second best student of his year. He subsequently became a master at two different schools, remaining teaching at one of them for nearly 12 years. John and Johanna married in 1846, going on to have a family of three sons and one daughter. In 1856 the Otago Provincial Government began recruiting trained Scottish teachers to establish an elementary education system in Otago.  John was selected and so the family emigrated that year on the Strathmore.

John taught at East Taieri for four years and was then appointed to be the first school inspector and secretary to the Otago Education Board. This saw him play a large role in the establishment of the Otago Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools, Teachers’ Training School, School of Art, and the District High School.  When the University of Otago was established in 1869 John became its first secretary and registrar. In 1877, when the Colonial Education Act was passed, John became secretary of the newly formed Education Department and the family moved to Wellington. They remained there for eight years, with John overseeing the establishment of a national education system on the Otago model.  When he retired they returned to Dunedin and to their previous home on Forth Street. John undertook a variety of public roles even after his retirement.  In honour of his contribution to education he was awarded a LL.D by Edinburgh University when he visited Scotland in 1882.

Johanna, in comparison, took very little part in public affairs but took a great interest in private charitable work, and was held in great esteem by all who knew her. John, too, was well regarded.  By all accounts he was a loving husband and affectionate father. Johanna died in 1903, aged 81, and John a year later, aged 82.