Frederick Gordon Pearce

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Frederick Gordon Pearce

UNDER CONSTRUCTION
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Frederick Gordon Pearce (d.1962) was an English educator and Theosophist who worked in Sri Lanka and India.

Personal life

Mr. Pearce earned the degree of BA (Hons) in London.

Educational work

In Ceylon

In India

Pearce joined in the activities of the Society for the Promotion of National Education, becoming a member of its governing board (the Senate), and the Senate's executive council (the Syndicate)[1][2], and also serving as a member of the Central School Board.[3][4]

He worked at the National Training College, Kilpauk, Madras, alongside George S. Arundale and Fritz Kunz, offering a one-year course to prepare teachers.[5] In 1918 he trained teachers in Scouting at the SPNE Summer School.[6] During 1918 and 1919, Pearce was a staff member of several schools. He taught Scouting and Geography at the National High School, Teynampet, Madras. He became acting Principal of Wood National College and the related National High School, Madanapalle, Madras, when James H. Cousins and his wife Margaret Cousins departed in April 1919 on a trip to Japan. Mrs. Pearce also joined the staff in Madanapalle.[7][8] Mr. Pearce had a role in managing the Free Elementary Panchama School, as well.[9]

Activities with Boy Scouts

Writings

Mr. Pearce wrote numerous articles for Theosophical journals. The Union Index of Theosophical Periodicals lists 15 articles under the name "FG Pearce" and 9 under the initials FGP.

He wrote poetry, which he published and also recited at such occasions as the evening entertainment at the SPNE Summer School.[10] He also wrote books and pamphlets including:

  • Footprints in the Sands of Time. London: H. Milford, 1941. Subtitled "A quick survey of human history as marked by the lives of great men and women." At least five editions including Oxford University Press: Madras, 1946.
  • Sonnets of a Schoolmaster and Other Verse. London, [1925].
  • A Round of Rajput Tales. Three editions from 1936-1941. Written with G. P. Aryaratna, Prabhat Niyogi, and R. P. Bhargava.
  • The Coconut Lands of Southern India
  • The Dawn of Freedom: An Outline History of Civilization from A.D. 1200 to A.D. 1900. Second edition - Oxford University Press (Indian Branch), 1952. Translated into Marathi.

Notes

  1. "Appendix X - The Members of the Senate," Report of the Society for the Promotion of National Education, 1919 (Adyar, Madras, India: The Society for the Promotion of National Education, 1919), 53.
  2. "Appendix XI - The Members of the Syndicate," Report of the Society for the Promotion of National Education, 1919, 56.
  3. "Appendix VIII - The Central School Board," Report of the Society for the Promotion of National Education, 1918 (Adyar, Madras, India: The Society for the Promotion of National Education, 1918), 73.
  4. "Appendix XIV - The Central School Board," Report of the Society for the Promotion of National Education, 1919, 77.
  5. "The National Training College," Report of the Society for the Promotion of National Education, 1918, 20.
  6. "The Summer School," Report of the Society for the Promotion of National Education, 1918, 22.
  7. "Wood National College," 'Report of the Society for the Promotion of National Education, 1919, 65-66.
  8. "The National High School," Report of the Society for the Promotion of National Education, 1919, 87.
  9. "The Free Elementary Panchama School," Report of the Society for the Promotion of National Education, 1919, 89.
  10. "The Summer School," General Report of the T. S., 1918, 22.