John Rae (educator)
Encyclopedia
Dr John Rae was a British
educator, author and novelist. He was headmaster of Taunton School
(1966-1970) and then Head Master of Westminster School
(1970-1986).
In 1986 he became head of the Laura Ashley Foundation and was on the Board of The Observer
newspaper from 1986 to 1993. In 1989 he became executive chairman of the Portman Group
.
in the historic market town
of Bishop's Stortford
in Hertfordshire
, and Sidney Sussex College
at the University of Cambridge
in the city of Cambridge
.
, an independent school
in Central London
, in 1970. During his time there he became a prominent and oft-heard voice on educational questions in the British print
and broadcast
media
, known as a singular and distinctive figure by the precedents of public school education of the time. He modernised the school and rescued it from its perilous financial position. To do this, he cut staffing and moved the science department from its cramped building to a modern building within easy reach of the school. It was under his Headmastership that girls first became full-time members of the school, in 1973. In 1976 a new day house, Dryden's, was created. It is located next to Wren's and under College, just off Little Dean's Yard
. In 1981 to cope with the increased numbers of girls a new boarding house, Purcell's, was opened. It is still located about 200m from Little Dean's Yard
. In the same year a new building was bought for the Under School
- Adrian House in Vincent Square
.
In the end, which came in 1986, Rae was more or less forced to resign because of the furore over A World Apart, a book written by his wife Daphne Rae, which detailed their joint experiences during their time at Taunton and Harrow.
on BBC One
and Any Questions on BBC Radio 4
, and as an interviewee on Newsnight
on BBC Two
, in which he often argued for the need for schools to be tolerant and to "apply common sense" when dealing with minor infractions of the rules or end-of-term 'high jinks', and that a sense of humour was almost a pre-requisite of "firm but fair" discipline when dealing with teenage pupils, and especially teenage boys. He said that drug-taking was entirely unacceptable, but that pupils should only be expelled if they had committed serious offences, such as supplying and/or selling drugs, or had dishonestly claimed to be innocent when given the chance to 'own up'. He also said that he believed that a co-educational school environment had many merits. He also emphasised that, in his opinion, it was not merely the right of parents to choose to educate their children at independent schools, but also the right of educators not employed by the state to provide education.
, his works including Letters to Parents, The Public School Revolution, and a professional autobiography
, Delusions of Grandeur. His 1961 novel
, The Custard Boys
, shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rees Memorial Prize, was adapted to make the 1962
film
Reach for Glory
, which won a United Nations Award, and again for the 1979
film under the novel's original name. In 1983, he assisted Roland Joffe
in the production of the film The Killing Fields, and in 1986 he became head of the Laura Ashley Foundation. He was on the board of The Observer
newspaper from 1986 to 1993, and in 1989 became executive chairman of the Portman Group
, which advocates responsible drinking.
His edited diaries were published in 2009 as The Old Boys' Network
: A Headmaster's Diaries 1979-1986 (ISBN 978-1-906021-63-4).
used by Westminster boys when they go "Up Abbey". There is often a vase of fresh flowers at the commemorative stone.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
educator, author and novelist. He was headmaster of Taunton School
Taunton School
Taunton School is a co-educational independent school in the county town of Taunton in Somerset in South West England. It serves boarding and day-school pupils from the ages of 13 to 18....
(1966-1970) and then Head Master of Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
(1970-1986).
In 1986 he became head of the Laura Ashley Foundation and was on the Board of The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
newspaper from 1986 to 1993. In 1989 he became executive chairman of the Portman Group
Portman Group
The Portman Group is a trade group composed of alcoholic beverage producers and brewers in the UK.-History:It was set up in 1989 as part of a campaign to raise awareness of alcohol-related issues, and its members account for the majority of alcohol products sold in the UK...
.
Education
Rae was educated at Bishop Stortford College, an independent schoolIndependent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in the historic market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
of Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, and Sidney Sussex College
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in the city of Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
.
Westminster School
Rae became Headmaster of Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, an independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in Central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
, in 1970. During his time there he became a prominent and oft-heard voice on educational questions in the British print
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
and broadcast
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
, known as a singular and distinctive figure by the precedents of public school education of the time. He modernised the school and rescued it from its perilous financial position. To do this, he cut staffing and moved the science department from its cramped building to a modern building within easy reach of the school. It was under his Headmastership that girls first became full-time members of the school, in 1973. In 1976 a new day house, Dryden's, was created. It is located next to Wren's and under College, just off Little Dean's Yard
Little Dean's Yard
Little Dean's Yard, known to Westminster School just as Yard, is a private gated yard at the heart of the school, within the precincts of the ancient monastery of Westminster....
. In 1981 to cope with the increased numbers of girls a new boarding house, Purcell's, was opened. It is still located about 200m from Little Dean's Yard
Little Dean's Yard
Little Dean's Yard, known to Westminster School just as Yard, is a private gated yard at the heart of the school, within the precincts of the ancient monastery of Westminster....
. In the same year a new building was bought for the Under School
Westminster Under School
Westminster Under School is a private preparatory school for boys aged 7 to 13 and is attached to Westminster School in London.The school was founded in 1943 in the precincts of Westminster School in Little Dean’s Yard, just behind Westminster Abbey. In 1951 the Under School relocated to its own...
- Adrian House in Vincent Square
Vincent Square
Vincent Square is a large grass-covered square in Westminster, London, England, covering 13 acres. It provides playing fields for Westminster School, which privately owns it....
.
In the end, which came in 1986, Rae was more or less forced to resign because of the furore over A World Apart, a book written by his wife Daphne Rae, which detailed their joint experiences during their time at Taunton and Harrow.
Media appearances
During the 1980s, Rae wrote newspaper articles and regularly appeared as a panellist on programmes such as Question TimeQuestion Time
Question time in a parliament occurs when members of the parliament ask questions of government ministers , which they are obliged to answer. It usually occurs daily while parliament is sitting, though it can be cancelled in exceptional circumstances...
on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
and Any Questions on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
, and as an interviewee on Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
, in which he often argued for the need for schools to be tolerant and to "apply common sense" when dealing with minor infractions of the rules or end-of-term 'high jinks', and that a sense of humour was almost a pre-requisite of "firm but fair" discipline when dealing with teenage pupils, and especially teenage boys. He said that drug-taking was entirely unacceptable, but that pupils should only be expelled if they had committed serious offences, such as supplying and/or selling drugs, or had dishonestly claimed to be innocent when given the chance to 'own up'. He also said that he believed that a co-educational school environment had many merits. He also emphasised that, in his opinion, it was not merely the right of parents to choose to educate their children at independent schools, but also the right of educators not employed by the state to provide education.
Works
Rae was a prolific writer on educationEducation
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, his works including Letters to Parents, The Public School Revolution, and a professional autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Delusions of Grandeur. His 1961 novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
, The Custard Boys
The Custard Boys
The Custard Boys is a 1961 British novel by John Rae, focusing on the lives of children in a small village in World War II Norfolk dealing with an influx of war refugees. It is sometimes compared to Lord of the Flies, and was adapted to make the film Reach for Glory in 1962, and again for a...
, shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rees Memorial Prize, was adapted to make the 1962
1962 in film
The year 1962 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May - The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards are officially founded by the Taiwanese government....
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Reach for Glory
Reach for Glory
Reach for Glory is a 1962 British film adaptation of John Rae's 1961 novel, The Custard Boys, directed by Philip Leacock. It received a United Nations Award.- Plot :...
, which won a United Nations Award, and again for the 1979
1979 in film
The year 1979 in film involved some significant events.- Major events :* March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.* May 25 - Alien, a landmark of the science fiction genre, is released....
film under the novel's original name. In 1983, he assisted Roland Joffe
Roland Joffé
Roland Joffé is an English-French film director who is known for his Oscar nominated movies, The Killing Fields and The Mission. He began his career in television. His early television credits included episodes of Coronation Street and an adaptation of The Stars Look Down for Granada...
in the production of the film The Killing Fields, and in 1986 he became head of the Laura Ashley Foundation. He was on the board of The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
newspaper from 1986 to 1993, and in 1989 became executive chairman of the Portman Group
Portman Group
The Portman Group is a trade group composed of alcoholic beverage producers and brewers in the UK.-History:It was set up in 1989 as part of a campaign to raise awareness of alcohol-related issues, and its members account for the majority of alcohol products sold in the UK...
, which advocates responsible drinking.
His edited diaries were published in 2009 as The Old Boys' Network
The Old Boys' Network
The Old Boys' Network: A Headmaster's Diaries 1970–1986 is the 2009 autobiography by the late headmaster of Westminster School, John Rae. It consists of the journal he kept for most of the period in which he was headmaster of Westminster School , edited by him shortly before his death in December...
: A Headmaster's Diaries 1979-1986 (ISBN 978-1-906021-63-4).
Commemoration
John Rae's ashes lie off the cloisters of Westminster Abbey, near a door from Little Dean's YardLittle Dean's Yard
Little Dean's Yard, known to Westminster School just as Yard, is a private gated yard at the heart of the school, within the precincts of the ancient monastery of Westminster....
used by Westminster boys when they go "Up Abbey". There is often a vase of fresh flowers at the commemorative stone.
External links
- Biography
- Obituary in The Independent by Jim Cogan
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-2510881.htmlObituary in The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
] - http://education.guardian.co.uk/obituary/story/0,,1976751,00.htmlObituary in The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
] - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/12/19/db1902.xmlObituary in The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
]