Reginald Heber Roe
Encyclopedia
Reginald Heber Roe was a headmaster of Brisbane Grammar School
, Queensland
, Australia
and first vice-chancellor of the University of Queensland
.
, England
, the son of John Banister Roe, a draper, and Mary Anne née Allies.
Reginald had a sister, Eliza Banister Roe (wife of Alfred Downing Fripp, artist) and a brother Henry Dalton Roe (Master Mariner). Reginald Roe was educated at Christ's Hospital school
, London
, was head Grecian in 1869, and won a scholarship which took him to Balliol College, Oxford
, intending to enter the Church. Roe rowed in the college eight and won first-class honours in the final mathematics in 1872 and second-class honours in the final classical schools in 1874. Roe graduated B.A.
(1875) and M.A. (1876). He was a private tutor at Oxford for a short period.
Roe worked tirelessly for the foundation of a university in Queensland, and in 1890 gave an address on "A University as a Part of National Life". He was for a period president of the university extension movement, and, when the University of Queensland
was established in 1910, became its first vice-chancellor and held this position until 1916. He was an early member of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, was a member of its publication committee, and at the meeting held at Christchurch in January 1891, was president of the literature and fine arts section. His presidential address is printed in the Report of that meeting. Roe had visited England in 1900 and reported to the Queensland department of public instruction on state inspection as applied to secondary schools. In 1909 he resigned from Brisbane Grammar School to become inspector general of schools and chief educational adviser to the Queensland government, retiring in 1919. He died at Brisbane on 21 September 1926. He was survived by his wife, four sons and two daughters. Roe's third son, (Dr) Arthur Stanley Roe
, became the first Queensland Rhodes scholar in 1904.
Brisbane Grammar School
Brisbane Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, day and boarding school for boys, located in Spring Hill, an inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and first vice-chancellor of the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
.
Early life
Roe was born at Blandford, DorsetDorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of John Banister Roe, a draper, and Mary Anne née Allies.
Reginald had a sister, Eliza Banister Roe (wife of Alfred Downing Fripp, artist) and a brother Henry Dalton Roe (Master Mariner). Reginald Roe was educated at Christ's Hospital school
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, was head Grecian in 1869, and won a scholarship which took him to Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, intending to enter the Church. Roe rowed in the college eight and won first-class honours in the final mathematics in 1872 and second-class honours in the final classical schools in 1874. Roe graduated B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(1875) and M.A. (1876). He was a private tutor at Oxford for a short period.
Career
In 1876, Roe was appointed headmaster of the Brisbane Grammar School (founded 1868) and had only a small number of pupils, but during Roe's reign of 33 years he built up a great public school. He was a good administrator and recruited quality staff; he was thoroughly interested in the problems of education, and, an athlete himself, realized the importance of games and the help they could give in the development of the boy's character. Roe married Annie Maud, daughter of Captain Claudius Buchanan Whish, on 23 December 1879 in Brisbane.Roe worked tirelessly for the foundation of a university in Queensland, and in 1890 gave an address on "A University as a Part of National Life". He was for a period president of the university extension movement, and, when the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
was established in 1910, became its first vice-chancellor and held this position until 1916. He was an early member of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, was a member of its publication committee, and at the meeting held at Christchurch in January 1891, was president of the literature and fine arts section. His presidential address is printed in the Report of that meeting. Roe had visited England in 1900 and reported to the Queensland department of public instruction on state inspection as applied to secondary schools. In 1909 he resigned from Brisbane Grammar School to become inspector general of schools and chief educational adviser to the Queensland government, retiring in 1919. He died at Brisbane on 21 September 1926. He was survived by his wife, four sons and two daughters. Roe's third son, (Dr) Arthur Stanley Roe
Arthur Stanley Roe
Dr Arthur Stanley Roe was a medical doctor from Queensland, Australia, and the first Rhodes Scholar from that state when he was awarded the scholarship in 1904 at Brisbane Grammar School...
, became the first Queensland Rhodes scholar in 1904.
Legacy
Roe was a good swimmer, rower and lawn tennis player, and has been called the father of lawn tennis in Queensland. At different periods was president of the Queensland Rowing, Swimming and Lawn Tennis associations. He was also a member of the Queensland Club. As an educationist he was a combination of learning and sound common-sense, interested in ideals and all things intended for the improvement of mankind. Roe did useful work as educational adviser to the government and as vice-chancellor in the difficult early days of the university, but his greatest influence was as the head of a great school.External links
- Roe Reginald Heber — Brisbane City Council Grave Location Search