Francis Anderson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sir Francis Anderson (3 September 1858 – 24 June 1941) was an Australian philosopher and educationist.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Francis Anderson, son of Francis Anderson, was born in Glasgow on September 3, 1858. He was a pupil-teacher at the age of 14, and proceeding to the University of Glasgow had a brilliant course and graduated M.A. He was awarded Sir Richard Jebb's prize for Greek literature, took first place in the philosophical classes of Professors Veitch and Caird, and won two scholarships. He was for two years assistant to the professor of moral philosophy.
[edit] To Australia
Anderson came to Melbourne in 1886 as assistant to the Rev. Dr Charles Strong at the Australian Church. This was a valuable experience to Anderson as his work brought him in contact with both the best and the worst types of human nature. In 1888 instaed of returning to Scotland as intended, he was appointed lecturer in philosophy at the University of Sydney, and was the first Challis professor of logic and mental philosophy from the beginning of 1890. He held this position until the end of 1921, when he retired and became emeritus professor.
Anderson was president of the mental science and education section at the meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science held at Brisbane in January 1895 and gave an address on "Politics and Education", and on 26 June 1901, at a conference of teachers, in an address on "The Public School System of New South Wales", spoke frankly on "the defects, limitations and needs of the existing system of education". Mr J. Perry, the minister of public instruction, immediately called a conference of inspectors and principal officers of his department, and in 1902 J. W. Turner and Sir George Handley Knibbs were appointed as commissioners to inquire into educational systems in Europe and the United States. Their report confirmed Anderson's strictures, the pupil-teacher system was abolished, and the training of teachers at the Teachers' College was reconstructed. Thirteen years later Anderson was able to report an immense improvement in the state of education in New South Wales (see his chapter on "Educational Policy and Development" in the Federal Handbook prepared for the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science held in Australia in 1914). Anderson was president of the social and statistical science section at the meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science held at Adelaide in 1907, and gave an address on "Liberalism and Socialism". This was followed by a paper on "Sociology in Australia. A Plea for its Teaching" given at the Sydney meeting held in 1911. Following on the discussion a resolution was unanimously passed recommending the institution of a chair of sociology in Australia.
[edit] Late life
At the time of Anderson's resignation at the end of 1921 it was proposed to have his portrait painted, but he suggested that instead of this a frieze emblematic of the history of philosophy should be placed in the philosophy lecture room of the university. Eventually two panels were painted for it by Norman Carter, one representing Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, the other Descartes, Bacon, and Spinoza.
Anderson became the first editor of the Australasian Journal of Psychology and Philosophy from 1923 to 1926, and he also took a great deal of interest in the tutorial classes and Workers' Education Association movements. Another interest was the League of Nations. He died in Sydney on 24 June 1941. He was twice married, first to Maybanke Selfe Wolstenholme, and then to Josephine Wight who survived him, there were no children. He was knighted in 1936[1] for "educational and social welfare services". Some of his papers and addresses were published separately as pamphlets. His monograph on Liberty, Equality and Fraternity was issued by the Association of Psychology and Philosophy.
[edit] References
- The Sydney Morning Herald, 25 June 1941;
- H. T. L., The Australasian Journal of Psychology and Philosophy, August 1941;
- Calendar of the University of Sydney, 1923, p. 782;
- Burke's Peerage etc., 1937;
- S. H. Smith and G. T. Spaull, History of Education in New South Wales.
- J. Franklin, Corrupting the Youth: A History of Philosophy in Australia, (Macleay Press, 2003), ch. 6.
- Francis Anderson papers, Sydney University Archives.
- Serle, Percival. (1949). "Anderson, Francis". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus and Robertson.
- W. M. O'Neil, 'Anderson, Sir Francis (1858 - 1941)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 7, MUP, 1979, pp 53-55
- This article incorporates text from the public domain 1949 edition of Dictionary of Australian Biography from
Project Gutenberg of Australia, which is in the public domain in Australia and the United States of America.
