John Waterhouse (headmaster)

John Waterhouse (1852 - 19 March 1940) [Newington College Register of Past Students 1863-1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 208] was an Australian principal who was headmaster of two of New South Wales first public boys high schools.

Early life

Waterhouse was born in Tasmania, the second son of the Wesleyan minister Jabez Bunting Waterhouse. [ [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A060385b.htm Australian Dictionary of Biography] Retrieved 4.10.2007] He enrolled as a student at Newington College from his family's then home in West Maitland in 1865. [Newington College Register of Past Students 1863-1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 208] At Newington he later became a pupil-teacher, before graduating MA from the University of Sydney in 1876 [ [http://www.bull.usyd.edu.au/as/ Alumni Sidneienses, Graduates 1857-19977] Retrieved 4.10.2007] . In July 1880 when Newington moved from Silverwater to Stanmore Waterhouse was the one assistant master supporting President Joseph Horner Fletcher and Headmaster Joseph Coates.

Headmaster

In September 1883 Joseph Coates successfully applied for the headmastership of the soon to be established Sydney Boys' High School and Waterhouse as head of Maitland High School. Sydney High opened in October 1883 and as Coates could not leave Newington until the end of the year, John Waterhouse was appointed to open the school. His letter of appointment clearly names him “Headmaster” and so he is rightly regarded as the founder of Sydney High. [ [http://www.shsobu.org.au/bulletin/092002.pdf Sydney High School Old Boys' Union] Retrieved 4.10.2007] At the beginning of 1884 he opened Maitland. [ [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A030403b.htm Australian Dictionary of Biography] Retrieved 2.10.2007] Tragedy struck in 1894 when Waterhouse's wife and daughter drowned in Wellington Harbour. He was left as a widower with a seven year old son. In 1889 he was appointed District Inspector of Schools and served in various centres throughout the State. Waterhouse later became headmaster of Sydney Boys' High School (1896-1915) [High, The Centenary History of Sydney High School (Syd, 1983)] and was a resident of Chatswood. [ [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120440b.htm Australian Dictionary of Biography] Retrieved 2.10.2007]

cientific interests

Waterhouse was interested in geology and ornithology. During his appointment in Maitland he was associated with Professor Sir Edgeworth David and his work on the Greta coal seam. [ [http://www.science.org.au/academy/memoirs/waterhouse.htm Australian Academy of Sciences] Retrieved 2.10.2007]

ee also

* Jabez Waterhouse - Father
* Walter Waterhouse - Son
* Joseph Waterhouse - Uncle

References