Harold Wyndham
Encyclopedia
Sir Harold Wyndham CBE
(June 1903 – May 1988) was Director-General of Education in New South Wales
between 1952 and 1968. He chaired the committee whose report (referred to as "The Wyndham Report") led to the Education Act 1961 which completely re-organised secondary education in NSW.
. His grandfather Alexander Wyndham (d.1915) arrived in Australia in the 1850s with a sizeable inheritance but within 20 years the fortune had been spent, lent or otherwise lost.
Harold Stanley Wyndham was born in Parkes, New South Wales
in June 1903. His mother died in June 1908, a short time after the arrival of her third child, Norman. His stepmother urged that the family be moved to Sydney
to ensure the children could receive a more rounded education. His brother Norman became a noted Sydney-based surgeon.
Harold married Margaret Grieve in 1936 and moved to the Sydney suburb of Roseville
in 1937 where the couple raised three sons, all of whom attended the academically selective North Sydney Boys High School
.
Wyndham died in Roseville in May 1988.
and graduated in Arts at the University of Sydney
in 1924. In 1925 he was awarded a Diploma in Education, winning the Peter Board Prize. He served for 8 years as a teacher in Primary schools and as a member of staff of Sydney Teachers College
.
In 1928 he graduated Master of Arts (1st Class honours in History). In 1932 he won the NSW Teacher's Federation travelling scholarship and the Carnegie Travel Grant to the USA where he studied at Stanford University
in California. He won his Doctorate in Education in 1934. During World War II
he served with the Royal Australian Air Force
as a Flight Lieutenant and was involved in the early stages of the Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scheme and the re-establishment of disabled ex-servicemen.
In 1954 he was appointed to chair a committee tasked to completely review the Secondary education system in New South Wales and make recommendations for improvements to be implemented. The committee's report, popularly referred to as "The Wyndham Report", was presented to the Minister in October 1957. The report gave rise to the Public Education Act of 1961 and was brought into effect in 1962.
Key amongst the changes was the objective of presenting all students with the opportunity to experience a wide range of subjects, including visual arts, industrial arts, music and drama, and a wide range of languages. The Five-year Secondary School system was abandoned in favour of adding another year to the course, with major state-wide external examinations at the end of the Tenth (School Certificate) and the twelfth (Higher School Certificate) years of schooling.
When Dr Wyndham was appointed as Director-General of Eduacation there were 455,000 students in the NSW Education system, of whom 100,000 were in Secondary schools; By 1968 there was over 244,000 students in secondary school of whom 64% could be expected to complete the Higher School Certificate.
and was a member of the Australian delegation to UNESCO in 1958 and again in 1966. In 1959 he represented Australia at the Commonwealth Education Conference at Oxford
and again in New Delhi
in 1962. He was a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Public Administration and a Fellow and President (1963–1965) of the Australian College of Educators
. He was Chairman of the NSW State Library Board, NSW State Archives Authority, Secondary Schools Board, Board of Senior School Studies, Board of Teacher Education, Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Advisory Committee and Intellectually Handicapped Standing Committee amongst others. He was a member of the Senate of the University of Sydney
, Council of the University of New South Wales
, Council of the University of New England
, Council of Macquarie University
, Technical Education Advisory Council and the Sydney Opera House Trust
. In recognition of his services to Education in NSW, Wyndham was made Commander of the British Empire in 1961.Citation: Director-General of Education in NSW. He was further knighted as a Knight Bachelor
for his services to education in 1969.Citation: Services to education.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(June 1903 – May 1988) was Director-General of Education in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
between 1952 and 1968. He chaired the committee whose report (referred to as "The Wyndham Report") led to the Education Act 1961 which completely re-organised secondary education in NSW.
Early life and background
Wyndham was a great-grandson of Wadham WyndhamWadham Wyndham (1793-1849)
Wadham Wyndham DL JP was the eldest son of Colonel Wadham Wyndham and a politically influential figure in the county of Buckinghamshire in the first half of the 19th century.-Background:...
. His grandfather Alexander Wyndham (d.1915) arrived in Australia in the 1850s with a sizeable inheritance but within 20 years the fortune had been spent, lent or otherwise lost.
Harold Stanley Wyndham was born in Parkes, New South Wales
Parkes, New South Wales
- Transport :Parkes has a local bus service provided by Western Road Liners, which acquired Harris Bus Lines in March 2006. The Indian Pacific also stops twice a week, as well as the Broken Hill Outback Xplorer service, run by CountryLink, which heads to Broken Hill on Mondays and Sydney on...
in June 1903. His mother died in June 1908, a short time after the arrival of her third child, Norman. His stepmother urged that the family be moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to ensure the children could receive a more rounded education. His brother Norman became a noted Sydney-based surgeon.
Harold married Margaret Grieve in 1936 and moved to the Sydney suburb of Roseville
Roseville, New South Wales
Roseville is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Roseville is located north-west of the Sydney central business district and sits across the local government areas of Ku-ring-gai and Willoughby...
in 1937 where the couple raised three sons, all of whom attended the academically selective North Sydney Boys High School
North Sydney Boys High School
North Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective, public high school for boys, located at Crows Nest in Sydney, Australia.- History :...
.
Wyndham died in Roseville in May 1988.
Education
Wyndham attended Fort Street High SchoolFort Street High School
Fort Street High School is a co-educational, academically selective, public high school currently located at Petersham, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and graduated in Arts at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
in 1924. In 1925 he was awarded a Diploma in Education, winning the Peter Board Prize. He served for 8 years as a teacher in Primary schools and as a member of staff of Sydney Teachers College
Sydney Teachers College
The Sydney Teachers College was a tertiary education institution that trained school teachers in Sydney, Australia. It existed from 1906 until 1981, when it became a part of the Sydney Institute of Education which in turn joined the Faculty of Education at the University of Sydney in...
.
In 1928 he graduated Master of Arts (1st Class honours in History). In 1932 he won the NSW Teacher's Federation travelling scholarship and the Carnegie Travel Grant to the USA where he studied at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in California. He won his Doctorate in Education in 1934. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served with the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
as a Flight Lieutenant and was involved in the early stages of the Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scheme and the re-establishment of disabled ex-servicemen.
Career & The "Wyndham Report"
In 1935 Dr Wyndham was appointed as the first research officer for the Department of Education. In 1946 he was appointed Staff Insector, Secretary in 1948 and Deputy Director-General in 1951. In November 1952 he became Director-General of EducationIn 1954 he was appointed to chair a committee tasked to completely review the Secondary education system in New South Wales and make recommendations for improvements to be implemented. The committee's report, popularly referred to as "The Wyndham Report", was presented to the Minister in October 1957. The report gave rise to the Public Education Act of 1961 and was brought into effect in 1962.
Key amongst the changes was the objective of presenting all students with the opportunity to experience a wide range of subjects, including visual arts, industrial arts, music and drama, and a wide range of languages. The Five-year Secondary School system was abandoned in favour of adding another year to the course, with major state-wide external examinations at the end of the Tenth (School Certificate) and the twelfth (Higher School Certificate) years of schooling.
When Dr Wyndham was appointed as Director-General of Eduacation there were 455,000 students in the NSW Education system, of whom 100,000 were in Secondary schools; By 1968 there was over 244,000 students in secondary school of whom 64% could be expected to complete the Higher School Certificate.
Public Life
Wyndham devoted much of his life to public service outside of his role in the Department of Education. In 1945 he led the Australian delegation at the conference which created UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
and was a member of the Australian delegation to UNESCO in 1958 and again in 1966. In 1959 he represented Australia at the Commonwealth Education Conference at Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and again in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
in 1962. He was a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Public Administration and a Fellow and President (1963–1965) of the Australian College of Educators
Australian College of Educators
The Australian College of Educators is the principal organisation representing the field of teaching and education in Australia, and acts as the independent interest body for Australian teachers...
. He was Chairman of the NSW State Library Board, NSW State Archives Authority, Secondary Schools Board, Board of Senior School Studies, Board of Teacher Education, Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra , commonly known as the Sydney Symphony, is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Sydney...
Advisory Committee and Intellectually Handicapped Standing Committee amongst others. He was a member of the Senate of the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, Council of the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Council of the University of New England
University of New England (Australia)
The University of New England is an Australian public university with approximately 18,000 higher education students. Its original and main campus is located in the city of Armidale in northern New South Wales....
, Council of Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, Technical Education Advisory Council and the Sydney Opera House Trust
Sydney Opera House Trust
The Sydney Opera House Trust operates and maintains the Sydney Opera House for the Government of New South Wales.The Trust operates as one of the State's cultural institutions within the Arts portfolio. It is constituted as a body corporate under the Sydney Opera House Trust Act 1961...
. In recognition of his services to Education in NSW, Wyndham was made Commander of the British Empire in 1961.Citation: Director-General of Education in NSW. He was further knighted as a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
for his services to education in 1969.Citation: Services to education.